Dear Supporters,

Though the 60-day moratorium on proposals for Firestone Plant One approaches its conclusion, we believe demolition is still a choice, not an inevitability. Our community can still act to preserve this landmark and its legacy.

This week, the City of Akron announced it will begin demolishing the historic Firestone Plant on December 8th. Yet the City has still not justified this decision, which rests on a mismanaged BID package, a narrow redevelopment strategy, and a refusal to consider the full range of alternative reuse options.

You can read the City’s stated arguments in the latest article (linked here).

In summary, what Akron is calling “reasons” to reject the redevelopment are actually:

• Standard components of early adaptive-reuse proposals
• Common financing mechanisms used for preservation in cities across the country
• Challenges that federal and state tax credits, grants, and partnerships are specifically designed to solve
   
  Akron has framed these normal redevelopment tools as prohibitive in order to manufacture the narrative: “We tried everything. Demolition is unavoidable.” It isn’t. 

If you were unable to join us for our Letter Writing Night last evening, you can still make your voice heard.

Here is a link to templates you can use to communicate with our city officials regarding the demolition of the Firestone Plant.

Here is a link to a list of city officials and their contact information. 

We encourage you to share this email with your friends and family to help spread the word and gain further support.

Time is of the essence. 

Thank you for your support!

Friends of Firestone Factory and Progress Through Preservation