Greater Ohio will be focusing occasional “spotlights” on communities around the state to highlight best practices consistent with the Restoring Prosperity Initiative strategies.
Akron, Ohio: A Story of Innovation and Triumph
Akron, Ohio is a city whose successes are worth sharing. Akron has a rich history. Like most Ohio cities, Akron has faced periods of both prosperity and challenges associated with its industrial legacy. But Akron has a unique story to tell. Akron's location as a commercial center on the Ohio Canal made it a successful port city during the 1800s. But what really set Akron apart was the rubber industry. Originally starting out with B.F. Goodrich, and then with many other rubber companies choosing the same location, Akron came to be known as the rubber capital of the world. Times were good, especially with the prevalence of cars and the need for tires.
 Just finished, this towpath runs along the historic Ohio and Erie Canal in the heart of downtown Akron. Its surface is rubberized. The portion pictured runs under Exchange Street just west of Main Street. Read more
Transitioning to a “New Economy ”: Identifying Clusters and the Role of Anchor Institutions
During both World Wars, the rubber industry was booming. However, from the 1970s to the 1990s, the manufacturing sector declined. As the rubber industries faced foreign competition for the first time, the rubber industry began to bottom out.
But Akron took advantage of this unique opportunity to do significant industrial restructuring. Akron still maintains a prominent position in the rubber and plastics industry; however, it also made a transition from goods production into knowledge production. Polymer |
science, a field related to rubber, has become a major force in Akron. Both businesses and local universities have been involved in this transition. The University of Akron's polymer science and engineering program is ranked second in the nation. Goodyear has maintained its research and development facilities in Akron as well. Other sectors, such as health care and social assistance, have grown.
Akron’s experience illustrates two of the preferred Restoring Prosperity strategies of "clustering” similar types of businesses together and leveraging "anchor institutions." Clustering promotes geographic concentrations of interconnected firms and supporting organizations. Anchor institutions such as universities, hospitals, sports facilities, performing arts and other cultural facilities are important in generating local spin-off businesses and economic growth while also cultivating civic pride in the community.
 One of Akron’s most recognizable landmarks is on the campus of the University of Akron. The twin-towered Goodyear Polymer Center is the 12-story/9-story home to the renowned College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering. It is the only science or engineering program in Ohio to be ranked among the top five in the country. Read More
Local Leadership
Strong leadership was another key to Akron's success. Mayor Don Plusquellic has served in this position since 1987. His focus on both education and economic development has been crucial in Akron's turnaround.
His strong leadership and his bold, innovative solutions have played a large part in Akron's success. Read about the Mayor’s most recent efforts which are focused on encouraging federal investment into America’s Main Street areas. Akron's Joint Economic Development Districts (JEDDs) have also helped to foster regional collaboration. The physical landscape of downtown Akron has also been revitalized since the 1990s, due to
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large investments in civic infrastructure, a substantial number of commercial redevelopment projects, and surge in institutional development.
Some of the new developments include a new convention center, museum, and baseball stadium. This has led to increased investment in Akron. The excellent hospitals and health systems along with the improvements of the University have all bolstered the vitality of the downtown area. The signs of the turnaround are conclusive and compelling. Akron has halted the decline of the rubber industry, and used all of these assets in order to renew its prosperity.
 Recently re-designed by renowned Austrian firm COOP HIMMELB(L)AU, the Akron Art Museum, described by critics as a work-of-art itself, integrates a new soaring glass and steel structure with the museum's previous 19th-century Renaissance revival building, originally constructed as the City's post office. The dramatic expansion has received worldwide media attention and architectural acclaim. Read More
Akron Leaders Support Restoring Prosperity to Ohio
Luis Proenza, President of the University of Akron, who spoke at the Restoring Prosperity to Ohio Policy Summit on September 10, 2008, recently published an opinion piece in the Akron Beacon Journal highlighting the importance of metropolitan areas, networks of urban, suburban and rural areas inextricably linked by social and economic ties, and the need to invest in Ohio's existing assets.
"By leveraging past expertise in tire and rubber manufacturing and research and development into world leadership in today's sophisticated polymers, Akron and its university have helped Ohio dominate the industry. One-fourth of Ohio's largest companies work with soft materials and polymers. Their combined revenues exceed $147 billion, and they employ more than 56,000 Ohioans." Read the entire article
For more on Akron's Renaissance, read the Brookings Institution's in-depth Report on Akron, Ohio
(Go to their web site and scroll to the bottom of the page) |
