The Akron neighborhood of Kenmore is one step closer to enjoying the city’s newest public school building. 

Architects recently shared renderings showcasing several of the amenities scheduled to be part of the new Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts and Pfeiffer Elementary. The $76 million project will be located on the site of the now-demolished Kenmore High School. (The school closed in 2017).

Miller South, the district’s only specialized performing arts middle school, is admissions-based. Students there have to audition to enroll. Pfeiffer Elementary is one of Akron’s oldest elementary schools, originally constructed in 1917 with an addition completed in 1960.  

Zach Forney, project manager with the architecture firm Prime AE Group, leads a presentation about the Kenmore project during a community meeting
Zach Forney, project manager with the architecture firm Prime AE Group, leads a presentation about the Kenmore project during a community meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 23. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Regina Anderson (left), principal at Miller South School for Visual and Performing Arts, and Pfeiffer Elementary Principal Tina McIntyre listen during a community meeting about the Kenmore project
Regina Anderson (left), principal at Miller South School for Visual and Performing Arts, and Pfeiffer Elementary Principal Tina McIntyre listen during a community meeting about the Kenmore project on Tuesday, Sept. 23. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Kenmore residents Sherry Carnahan (left) and Kellie Brown look at a map of Kenmore during a community meeting
Kenmore residents Sherry Carnahan (left) and Kellie Brown look at a map of Kenmore during a community meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 23. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)

In a few years, future students and the community can expect a 750-seat theater, a large basketball court, state-of-the-art classrooms, shared spaces and more.
To get here, Akron Public Schools endured construction delays, cost overruns, changes in project leadership and downscaling of designs.

Architectural renderings of Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts

Miller South science classroom.
Architect’s rendering of a Miller South science classroom.
Miller South theater classroom.
Architect’s rendering of a Miller South theater classroom.
Miller South Life Skills Classroom
Architect’s rendering of a Miller South Life Skills Classroom.
Signal background

Architectural renderings of Pfeiffer Elementary

Pfeiffer Elementary typical classroom.
Architect’s rendering of a Pfeiffer Elementary typical classroom.
Pfeiffer Elementary Media Center.
Architect’s rendering of the Pfeiffer Elementary Media Center.

Architectural renderings of shared spaces

Screengrab from 3-D video showing student dining area walkthrough. Pfeiffer and Miller South.
Screengrab from 3-D video showing student dining area walkthrough. Pfeiffer and Miller South.
Pfeiffer and Miller South K-8 gym.
Architect’s rendering of the Pfeiffer and Miller South K-8 gym.

Education Reporter
Andrew is a native son of Northeast Ohio who previously worked at the Akron Beacon Journal, News 5 Cleveland, and the Columbus Dispatch before leaving to work in national news with the Investigative Unit at Fox News. A graduate of Kent State University and a current resident of Firestone Park, he returns to his home city of Akron ready to sink into the education beat and provide Akronites with the local reporting they deserve.