Overlooking downtown, West Hill leans into its history while looking forward

INSIDE AKRON: Akron Documenters are fanning out across the city’s 24 neighborhoods to elevate places, faces, voices and vibes — as shared by the people who live there. Expect a new profile every day through October.

Correction: The West Hill Neighborhood Organization was incorrectly identified in a previous version of this story.

West Hill is the “Best Hill,” proclaims a brightly painted mural along Glendale Avenue in this Akron neighborhood just west of downtown. The long, horizontal sign, created by Kim Lavery and Roni Callahan with Snack Break Studio, is tucked between the historic Glendale Steps and Glendale Cemetery. 

Akron’s first settlers and earliest prominent families are laid to rest in the cemetery, according to the Summit County Historical Society. There’s even a Civil War Memorial Chapel. The steps were built during the Great Depression as a public works project and are about to get a facelift. Back then they provided a way for neighborhood residents to descend the 200-foot slope to a park that was never built and to downtown Akron. 

Residents strive to overcome Innerbelt legacy

Today, the mural, steps, cemetery and, in some ways, residents of West Hill are blocked from downtown by the abandoned section of the Akron Innerbelt, a highway project built in the 1970s. The City of Akron recently apologized for this project, which displaced many families of color and Black-owned businesses in the area, and has put money into reimagining the space. 

Heading up the “best hill,” you can find small businesses, festivals and nearly 2,400 residents. The West Hill Neighborhood Organization is active in preserving history and promoting growth. House Three Thirty, the Lebron James Family Foundation’s event center, has become a draw for people all over Akron and beyond for coffee, concerts and events.   

Akron Documenter Wittman Sullivan talked with a resident and business owner in the neighborhood to hear their takes on this Akron neighborhood in the center of the city. 

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE: Staci Zapata

She has lived in West Hill for less that year, moving from Cleveland in December. 

What is the most interesting thing about West Hill?

Staci said West Hill is “very community-oriented,” where neighbors support one another and where schools support children.

What is missing from your neighborhood?

West Hill lacks “community-funded programs anymore,” Staci said. Food banks help provide basic needs such as food and personal hygiene items. But for people suffering from other issues, she said, there is a lack of neighborhood assistance, she said.

“You have to, like, really seek out those programs, and they can be really hard to find,” she said. “Unless you know somebody that already lives out here.”

How has West Hill changed over the time you’ve lived here?

She’s still getting to know the area and said that she hasn’t noticed any major changes since December.

What’s the biggest challenge facing your neighborhood, how can be solved?

“I see the homeless population,” she said. “There’s definitely a lot of people that are sleeping on the road, sleeping on park benches and stuff in the area. So it is definitely an issue. But I can’t really speak on the severity of it.”

What else do you want people to know about West Hill?

Staci said that “when walking around you definitely want to be vigilant.” She said these issues “plague every neighborhood.” She explained that there are people around who are suffering from issues they can’t receive care for, and neighbors need to be cautious.

“I’m still relatively new,” she said, adding that her neighbors are quick to help her and “communication seems to be very strong out here.”

What brought you to West Hill?

Staci, a working mother, moved from Cleveland to Akron in large part for the public school district. She wanted a place where her children could feel safe and supported during school when she is at work. She stressed that she wanted to live in a place where they would “not only be safe but their education would be prioritized.” 

Is there a place where kids can go in West Hill?

Staci said there are parks in the West Hill neighborhood, but she said the one closest to her has been overrun by people experiencing homelessness. She said that the fenced-in area at the local school is a very safe place for kids to play,  even outside of school hours. 

Small business Perspective

Leaf, 449 W. Market St.

Matthew Moore, owner

Tell me about the purpose of your business? What do you do every day?

Matthew said Leaf is a full-service floral shop, but, he said, “What’s important for me is connecting to the community.” He explained that Leaf is a hybrid version of a traditional floral shop that showcases “the art of floral and plant and all things botanical” through events.

How does your organization fit into or support West Hill? 

“Akron was hungry for unique experiences and connecting,” Matthew said about when he opened his West Hill shop. He said that businesses reached out wanting to collaborate, which changed the focus “from just being a flower shop to becoming a staple in the community and hosting events.” 

Matthew said he loves teaching, particularly offering learning opportunities, like a bonsai class. He likes helping people create new hobbies they may not have found on their own.

Matthew explained that through “connecting with other businesses, … you connect with the people themselves.”

 “Not everything is focused on retail and buying,” he said. “Let’s have some fun.”

What’s the most important or interesting thing about your neighborhood?

“So for me, I think the most interesting and pretty noticeable aspect is the art culture of this area. It feels like it’s a huge, diverse mix of people and art.”

He said that artwork, including murals and metal sculptures, show that the neighborhood is a progressive and artistic place.

What’s missing from West Hill, or what’s the biggest need in the neighborhood?

“The biggest miss we have right now is more places to eat and hang,” Matthew said. “We have a lot of cool businesses, but we have to go elsewhere to eat” outside of the few places in West Hill. This is a walkable neighborhood but needs more places to hang out without going downtown or further west he said.

“That would, really for me, complete this neighborhood and make it ideal.”

What else do you want to say about your organization and/or the neighborhood?

“This neighborhood has allowed us the opportunity to let us grow,” he said. They have a new location in downtown Kent on the corner of Main and Water Streets. He said it’s an area with a feel similar to West Hill. He said they have a goal to open five locations in cultural hubs like West Hill. 

What kind of events does Leaf host?

Leaf hosts a “broad range of events” including floral, terrarium, ikebana, floral arranging, matte art. It also hosts other vendors at the West Market Street location to “give them a space and a platform with our customer reach.” Additionally, they host events for other businesses such as an event for a coffee shop opening soon in Akron. 

Does Leaf get a lot of clientele from the local schools?

“We get quite a bit of support and patronage from young folks,” Moore said. Even students at the University of Akron come to his shop, he said. This includes, recently, a first-year student who bought three plants for their dorm room.

“It’s really cool to see, and you can also see that they’re interested in supporting business that’s more artful than a big box store,” he said. 

Public space shoutout

Shady Park

Shady Park is a historic pocket park, formerly known as Neptune or J. Alexander Park and established around 1893. It is a sliver of its former self, nestled in the triangle formed by the intersections of West Market Street, West North Street and North Valley Street. Keep Akron Beautiful maintains extensive flower beds within the park, which was known for a fountain that was removed as the park fell into disrepair.