Nomination for Akron Y.M.C.A. Building

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

United States Department of the Interior - received JUL 2 4 1980 See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms and/or common street & number 80 W. Center Street _ not for publication city, town - vicinity of congressional district (John Seiberling) - state - - district - public - unoccupied -agriculture .museum X building(s) X private - park _ Structure - work in progress _ educational .site . religious . object - in process X yes: restricted _ scientific _ being considered - yes: unrestricted X other: Social 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Summit County Recorder's Office 175 S. Main Street - yes X no _ federal 166 S. High Street both 44308 Accessible entertainment code Category government transportation Status date historic Akron Ownership commercial industrial 2.

Location Public Acquisition private residence Inventory-Nomination Form Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Summit County Young Men's Christian Association 3. Classification Akron Area YMCA Central Branch 6. Representation in Existing Surveys National Register of Historic Places Type all entries-complete applicable sections Present Use Akron YMCA Building 1. Name military depository for survey records Dept.of Planning, City of Akron For HCRS use only Ohio 039 county Summit FHR-8-300 (11-78) - excellent _ deteriorated - unaltered X original site X altered _ moved date X fair lower terraced wings are decorated with terra-cotta coping and string Projecting wings to left and right of the main block are gymnasiums a large first floor space, has leaded glass windows at both ends and Entered from the Presidents' Room, it is executed in Tudor style to the brickwork.

Condition unexposed sphere and the Eastern Hemisphere. alteration is a six-story windowless addition to the southwest corner central city block and is one of the most distinctive features of enclosed courtyard of an English house with half-timbered upper story ornaments of glazed tile in contrasting colors. Interior design features of the building are unusual for one of its terra cotta and limestone. The building's most surprising feature is its northwest light court. sash windows that are slightly recessed and interspersed with decorative has a ribbed pyramidal roof of tin-plated steel that is surmounted by Akron's skyline. 7. Description Erected in 1930-31,it has a steel frame, poured-in-place concrete Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

(addition) The central pavilion Check one lines of the tower's facade are emphasized by central tiers of steel of plaster inlays and the terrazzo floor's bold geometric border.In floor windows display the YMCA's.triangular emblem, the Western Hemi- floors and.an exterior of buff colored brick that is trimmed with _ruins Erected in 1957, it contains handball courts. entry. courses. Art Deco touches Soaring above the shingled gables are the sharply contrasting brick walls of a modern skyscraper. entry of three great arches. The tower exemplifies setback skyscraper design; the successively Bracketed terra-cotta balconies project at the thirteenth black marble fireplace framed by oak veneer paneling. include the original overhead light fixtures, the ceiling's crazyquilt second story.

This massive i6-story Art Deco building occupies nearly all of a Carved panels under each of the second of the main block. Spanning the facade between projecting five-story bays is a monumental the Art Deco style and combine with the openings below to suggest an and leaded glass oriel window. class and often reflect its Art Deco exterior.The Presidents' Room, a stack with chevron embellishments and neon "y" emblems.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance - prehistoric -archeology-historic _ conservation - science - agriculture _ economics - sculpture - education - social/ - art _exploration/settlement _ theater _ industry - politics/government _transportation _ other (specify) Specific dates 1930-31 The YMCA was designed by John R. Luxmore, chief draftsman for Planned as the finest YMCA in Ohio, the Akron building was completed 1800-1899 1400-1499 1700-1799 1500-1599 commerce communications humanitarian invention engineering literature Period landmarks. music 1900- law conference came to Akron for the dedication ceremonies. consisted initially of religious meetings and lecture courses that were the YMCA as an outstanding example of the Art Deco style. buildings by G&W include Akron's Municipal Building, Portage Country Club, Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) officially dedicated until August 4th, when a world conference of YMCA a hotel could be erected on the site. It is one of two downtown buildings that give Akron's Areas of Significance-Check and justify below military From its opening in 1931, the YMCA has been one of Akron's great The Akron YMcA was organized in 187o.iThe:association!s program - archeology-prehistoric - community planning X architecture - philosophy Good & Wagner, Akron's foremost architectural firm in the 1920s. at a cost of $1,260,000. A night school, Akron's first, began about 1881. 1600-1699 Builder/Architect skyline individuality and character.

Architects and architectural historians regard Together with the First National Two thousand delegates to the the YMCA move into a building expressly designed for its use.That Tower, it sets the city clearly apart from others its size elsewhere in on the third floor of a downtown office building. and "The Anchorage," a residence that is second only to Stan Hywet Hall Other held in rented rooms. An expansion of programs in i886 resulted in the opening of a gymnasium leaders was being held in Cleveland. Ohio and the Midwest. Not until 1904 did It opened on March 10,1931 but was not 9.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

Major Bibliographical References (Akron, Ohio 1952), 433-434, Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name - Occupying an entire city block, the nominated property is bounded on the north by Center Street, on the west by Bowery Street, on the south by State Street, and on the east by . state 11. Form Prepared By city or town 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: X local I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register 618 February code 44313 county date Northing Easting Zone national Water Street. State Historic Preservation Officer signature UMT References organization Akron West ACREAGE NOT VERIFIED Chief of Registration List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries Verbal boundary description and justification title For HCRS use only 10.

Geographical Data Karl H. Grismer, Akron and Summit County As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 Public Law 89- Ohio 10.31.80 name/title - William V. Wallace, Jr., Consultant 665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service. dane 10/28/80 Attest: Keeper gf the National Register TECHNICAL / Photos _ ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN Inventory . KEEPER OTHER HAER ARCHEOLOGIST Entered CONTROL Maps Send-back Re-submit Review HISTORIAN Federal Register Entry National Register Write-up 2.3.81 BRANCH CHIEF United States Department of the Interior -Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Property Working Number 7. 24 80.

1943 10/28/80 Akron, Summit County, Ohio OCT 3 | 1980 JUL 2 4 1980 944 Hereford Drive Walter A. Long Facade, looking SW Akron YMCA Building JUL 2 4 1980 Akron, Summit County, Ohio OCT 3 | 1980 Entrance, looking Sw 944 Hereford Drive Walter A. Long Akron YMCA Building THRIFTY Akron, Summit County, Ohio OCT. 3 | 1980 944 Hereford Drive Walter A. Long Akron YMCA Building General view, looking NE, Akron, Summit County, Ohio Walter A. Long OCT 3 | 1980 944 Hereford Drive General view, looking NW Akron YMCA Building Akron, Ohio 44303JUL 2 4 1980 Building 4547/590 North 17 456/050 East AKRON WEST QUADRANGLE Akron YMCA DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AKRON WEST, OHIO OHIO_SLMMIT CO JUL 2 4 1980 NATIONAL UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC) RECEIVED U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE TIME OF CAI ADDRESS (Tel. No.

if needed) Valet property." June 1978 FHR-8-227 TELEPHONE REPORT 4:00 3. SUBJECT, PROJECT NO., ETC. DETAILS OF DISCUSSION Akron YMCA OFFICE DATE CALL FROM (Name) FEDERAL FUNDS ( )no (* yes County Bonds YMCA of Akron Ohio 80 West Center Street () non-contributing () approved () denled () conditional () denied () plans () sustained () overturned SIGNIFICANCE intermediate REHABILITATION PRELIMINARY APPEAL PROPOSED WORK Reviewer Public Date received Date listed/certified FINAL COST HOUSING UNITS before COMPLETED WORK USE original Date info requested NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNER Date info received after N/A Date of action Akron, Ohio () withheld () Dace received 8/25/80 44308 0078-80CH-80-0085 HCRS Name of district Summit 8/25/80 PDIL