former YWCA - Akron, Ohio
N 41° 04.868 W 081° 31.061
17T E 456515 N 4547892
Former home of the central YWCA, looking northwest, in Akron, Ohio.
Waymark Code: WM7QH2
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 11/23/2009
Views: 1
The Akron YWCA was organized on March 9, 1901 and occupied rented rooms until 1905, when it was moved to Grace House at 22 S High St. In 1929 a joint YWCA-YMCA capital funds campaign raised $2,400,000 for construction of new buildings for both organizations. This building, opened on January 28, 1931, was constructed by Clemmer-Noah Construction Co. It was the largest building ever designed by Akron’s architects Fichter & Brooker.
From 1931 to 1991, the YWCA occupied this brick office and residential building at 146 S High St. The YWCA building was listed on the National register in 1982 after being sold for conversion to a mixed use facility and YWCA offices. The private developer renamed it the CitiCenter Building. He opened a gym and kept the pool open as well as attracting a few private tenants. After a few years the City of Akron purchased the building and started moving offices in that were too crowded for the municipal building. Eventually all private tenants left, except for the gym which is known as the CitiCenter Athletic Club.
The building has a limestone basement and a colossal round arch entry. Relief carved panels are found on the archivolt. The entry is flanked by aligned windows on the first and second floors. A fanlighted colossal glazed arcade is found on the right which is aligned with two floors of colossal windows above the sill course. A sixth floor terra cotta sill course has geometric designs. The parapet is identical. The top floor windows have escutcheoned lunettes.
Year photo was taken: 1950
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