A long simmering debate over the future of the Firestone Plant 1, the former headquarters of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, has renewed tensions with city officials, preservatives and city residents. What’s at stake? The building, with its iconic clock tower and facade, stand as a remembrance of Akron’s rubber era heyday. A legacy many feel is quietly slipping away from the city.
It was built in 1910 by owner Harvey Firestone, as the main factory and office. The clock tower was added on later before 1916. Firestone, was once one of the founding rubber companies, built just blocks from their arch-rival, Goodyear, another rubber company founded in Akron. They were the major tire supplier for Ford vehicles and moved their headquarters, in 1992, to Nashville, Tennessee, still continuing to be a tire provider for Ford. In 2014, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been empty for about 10 years.
City planners argue that the structure’s deterioration and the cost to restore, projected to be around $5 million, make preservation of the building to be impractical. The city has been eyeing demolition as a good solution due to the fact that the city has $7.5 million in state funds to tear it down.
Recently, several city council members voiced their concern that once the building is gone, a part of Akron’s identity will disappear with it. Council member Jeff Wilhite said, “It’s important that our communities keep some sense of place… something that is unique to those individual neighborhoods.”. Akron resident William Reynolds agreed, saying the clock tower is not just decoration, “it is a living monument to the men and women who built Akron..”. Council member Sharon Connor said “…saving these buildings touches all of our hearts. That clock tower… we need to save it.”.
On the other side, city officials warn that delaying the demolition could cost the city the state grant, putting millions at risk. They describe the building to be filled with vandalism and trespassers.
The council recently rejected a request to turn the building into a new headquarters for the city’s police department. The proposal was from Amerimar Realty Co., located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, the council found it to not be a good plan for the property and for taxpayers funds, due to the fact that it would be a yearly lease, about $1.8 million.
Many people worry that once the Firestone building is torn down, an important piece of Akron’s history as the “rubber capital of the world” will be lost. For them, it isn’t just about the building, it’s about maintaining the soul of the city, whose identity was built on innovation and the people who worked tirelessly in its factories. Akron has until November 21st to find a developer for Plant 1, or it will be demolished. If Akron allows this landmark to vanish, many argue, it risks erasing what remains of its once proud industrial heritage.
