Cascade Plaza, Akron facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cascade Plaza
Buildings around the plaza. From the left, FirstMerit Tower, Akron City Centre Hotel, Three Cascade Plaza (low rise) and National City Center
Location	Akron, Ohio, United States
Built	Late 1960s
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Cascade Plaza is a cool open space in Akron, Ohio, with lots of plants and paths for walking. It was built in the late 1960s. This was part of a big city plan to make the area better. The project also included building two tall skyscrapers. In 2013, there were plans to give the plaza a big makeover.

What is Cascade Plaza?

Where is Cascade Plaza Located?

Cascade Plaza is built on a spot that has a long history. Before the plaza, there was a five-story flour mill here. Dr. Eliakim Crosby built this mill way back in 1831. Water from the Little Cuyahoga River powered the mill. A special canal brought water from a dam to the mill. This canal also helped power other factories nearby. A small town called Cascade grew up around this area. In 1833, Cascade had 128 people. Akron, the bigger city, had 329 people at that time.

Another old building, the Flatiron Building, also stood here. It was a seven-story building from 1907. It was taken down in 1967 to make way for the plaza.

What's Special About the Plaza?

The plaza is on the west side of South Main Street. It's actually the roof of a huge underground parking garage with five levels!

A famous designer named Lawrence Halprin planned Cascade Plaza. It was a big project covering about 2 acres (that's like two football fields!). The plaza even had a central ice skating rink for fun.

You can also see a cool fountain sculpture there. It was designed by Don Drumm and put up in 1968. It's made of shiny stainless steel rods and special aluminum panels.

Buildings Around the Plaza

There are four main buildings right next to Cascade Plaza. They are all connected to the plaza at ground level. These buildings are the Akron City Center Hotel, Cascade I, Cascade III, and Huntington Tower.

• The hotel used to be called the Radisson Hotel Akron City Centre. It's a tall, modern building with 19 stories. It was finished in 1969.
• Cascade I is also known as the PNC Center. It's a 23-story skyscraper made of steel. It was also completed in 1969.
• Three Cascade Plaza is a shorter building with seven stories. It's made of concrete.
• Huntington Tower is at 106 South Main Street. It's a 27-story steel tower. It has a cool art deco style with brick on the outside. This building is older, finished in 1931.

Future Plans for Cascade Plaza

In October 2013, the Akron City Council decided to approve a big change for the plaza. The city and a bank called FirstMerit Corporation helped pay for it. The plan was to remove the old concrete plaza. Then, they would make the area green with plants. It would be more open to the street. The new space would have lots of plants, benches, and tables for people to enjoy.

Images for kids

• 

  PNC Building in Akron, Ohio.