Overview:
Covered by Documenter Brittany Nader (see her notes here)
The Akron Planning Commission approved a request April 12 for the sale of more than seven acres of city-owned vacant lots in the Sherbondy Hill neighborhood to a home developer that promises to build single-family homes.
Fifty-two lots will be sold to K. Hovnanian Ohio Operations, LLC for 25 cents per square foot — the lots comprise 308,753 square feet and the total cost would be about $77,000.
In turn, K. Hovnanian said it will develop 45 single-family homes on those lots. The lots are scattered throughout the neighborhood, with many standing alone.
In other areas, there are contiguous lots, including two groups of 16 lots along Rhodes Avenue between Berry Avenue and Campbell Street just south of the Akron Urban League.
Housing developer has other Akron projects
In 2022, the commission approved a similar sale to this developer for 66 city-owned lots, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
Following approval by Akron City Council that year, 24 homes were built on those lots, according to Stephanie Marsh, the City of Akron’s director of communications. Those homes, she said, are in various stages of completion.
In 2021, Hovnania broke ground on The Crossings at Auld Farms, a $12 million housing development in West Akron off Diagonal Road just north of the Akron Zoo. The project featured three- and four-bedroom homes of around 1,500 square feet each.
“The availability of new housing with access to public transportation, jobs and other public services will not only help grow the population of our city but create an inclusive and diverse community as well,” said City Council President and Ward 3 Council Member Margo Sommerville in a 2021 press release about the development.
David Messner, development manager for the City of Akron, told the commission last week that the lots in question are buildable lots and constructing homes would create value on land that currently has no value.
North Hill land-use plan could lead to new homes
Commission members also reviewed and approved the renewal of a land-use plan in an area south of North High School in North Hill.
The Meridian Urban Renewal Plan allows the city to move forward with the redevelopment of the area, which would include the development of new single-family homes. The area is a 4.77 acre plot of land at the south end of Meridian Street off East Tallmadge Avenue.
The current property owners have cleared trees and plan to build 20 single-family homes matching the size and existing style of the current houses in the area.
Developers also plan to create a cul-de-sac at the south end of Meridian, develop a stormwater detention basin to temporarily store stormwater runoff, and close the water main loop to increase water pressure to current houses on Meridian.
Both projects now move to Akron City Council for final approval.