Goodyear factory slated for demolition

A 600,000-square-foot building that formerly housed Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. manufacturing operations in Akron, Ohio, is likely to face a demolition process to enable redevelopment plans.

Crain’s Cleveland Business is reporting that Los Angeles-based developer Industrial Realty Group (IRG) plans to take down the sizable structure as part of its East End & Goodyear Headquarters development plan in that city. According to that publication, the cleared land initially will serve as “green space,” offering the potential of future residential redevelopment.

IRG says its 400-acre East End & Goodyear HQ project has involved consolidating Goodyear’s remaining corporate functions into a new 642,000 square foot world headquarters building while redeveloping the land surrounding it.

Regarding aspects of that project already completed, IRG writes, “IRG’s expert team created a new vision for the company and the iconic area, rebranding it The East End. The East End became a live, work, play environment with loft-style apartments, office space, retail stores, restaurants, theater, gymnasium and a Hilton Garden Inn hotel (the first new hotel inside Akron city limits since 1980).”

An April article in the Akron Beacon-Journal says the manufacturing plant slated for demolition is more than 100 years old. The newspaper says in recent years it has “attracted trespassers” who on at least three occasions have started fires.