Akron, Ohio — A former freight station will be open for students in August 2014.
Elements of the old Erie Railroad freight station will be incorporated into the interior design of The Depot.Akron, Ohio — Cleveland-based developer, builder, owner and manager NRP Group has begun construction on a $30 million student housing project one quarter of a mile from the University of Akron that will be built on the site of an old Akron Beacon Journal newspaper sorting and storage facility, which was formerly a freight station for the now-defunct Erie Railroad. Asset Campus Housing will manage the community when it opens in August 2014.
The building at 80 East Exchange Street will be “The Depot” and will offer 624 beds in one-, two-, three- or four-bedroom floor plans, ranging from 592 to 1,386 square feet. Inside each apartment, students will have their own individually keyed bedroom and bathroom, granite countertops, in-unit washer and dryer, walk-in closets, ceiling fans, and contemporary furnishings, including a 42-inch flat screen television.
The existing building will be taken down to make way for the new community. Vice President of Development at NRP Group Aaron Pechota says it was important to the firm to preserve as much of the existing history as possible on the site.
“Some of the beautiful exterior eaves and other functional elements will actually be incorporated in the interior clubhouse and concierge area as decorative elements to preserve a piece of the history of the building,” Pechota says. “We are also salvaging the four monument ‘E’s, denoting the Erie Railroad, and incorporating them into the design of our new courtyard.”