Group Tries to Save Akron Restaurant
By Sam Honl | Online Only | May 5, 2009
In Akron, Ohio, Young's Restaurant was originally built as a log cabin in Portage Lakes State Park in 1850.
Credit: Chambers, Murphy & Burge Restoration Architects
In Akron, Ohio, a turn-of-the-century hotel and restaurant sits vacant in Portage Lakes State Park, awaiting its fate. The future of Young's Restaurant, the last of its kind in the area, has yet to be determined, but thanks to a concerned citizen and historically conscious city leadership, the building will likely remain to tell the story of the once-thriving Ohio and Erie Canal community
Last month the city, which bought Young's Restaurant in 2007, signed a development agreement with the nonprofit Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition to collaborate and generate ideas for the lakefront site of Young's Restaurant, located near the canal and towpath trail.
"The site is what is most important to us," says Dan Rice, president and CEO of the Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition. "The challenge that we're facing is a property that has had a lot of deferred maintenance. I can't tell you that this building will be saved, 100 percent. We will work to preserve and save as much as we can."
For the last several years, the city and the coalition have worked to connect downtown and suburban Akron via the canal towpath trail. Young's is located in a National Scenic Byway and in one of the nation's 37 National Heritage Areas.
"The canal has a really important role in the city's history, and when Mayor Plusquellic came into office, he understood this," says Plusquellic's spokesman, Mark Williamson.
Originally built in 1850 as a log cabin for John Young and his wife, Young's evolved into a restaurant for canal travelers. In 1905 a descendent of Young replaced the log cabin with a grand, 100-room hotel in response to the popularity of Portage Lakes as a vacation spot. (Two years later, the hotel was lost in a fire, but it was rebuilt that same year on its 1905 foundation.)
This year Akron resident R.C. Norris started a grassroots effort to save Young's Restaurant. As an owner of a similarly historic property in the Portage Lakes area, Norris became concerned for the future of Young's Restaurant after it closed in 2004. After nearly a century of family ownership, the building was left empty and vulnerable to vandalism, and Norris fears that it could accidentally burn down. He wants to host a clam bake or "steak-out" at his restaurant to raise money to preserve Young's.
In the meantime, the coalition is working on its own ideas for the lakefront property. "This is a site that should have activities during all four seasons," Rice says. He suggests an office, a canoe-rental outpost, a youth hostel, or a restaurant and bar. "The key here is having a mixture of activities to complement what's already going on there."
For more photos, stories, and tips, subscribe to the print edition of Preservation magazine.
Subscribe to the Today's News RSS feed
Comments
Submitted by dishwasher at: December 21, 2010
washed dishs at youngs when i was a kid inakron its a shame history has to go and could of been saved if it wasnt for city greed
Submitted by Ann at: December 18, 2010
Who is to blame for not restoring this 150 yr. old historic part of Portage Lakes history? Why didn't Dan Rice, Mayor Plusquellic do something in an effort to keep this building alive? They had the money to build Lock 4 - a cement park built over the sewers - how much did this project cost?? The city has Lock 3 - why did it need this expenditure that NOONE uses? It stinks there. Why wasn't that money earmarked to help restore Youngs? Especially when there was an offer to replace the roof on Youngs free of charge? I took pictures of the building right before it was demolished after the aluminum siding was torn off. The wooden framework of the building did not look unrepairable. You could even see the words YOUNGS HOTEL on the front of the building. Was Youngs Hotel/Restaurant a victim of greed?
Submitted by katiemichelle23 at: December 7, 2010
Youngs Restaurant is no longer. Yeasterday 12.6.2010 they took it to the ground. I loved that building. I wish they would have kept up with it and was able to restore it. What a shame. =(
Submitted by LindaLou at: November 19, 2010
I grew up eating at that restaurant, I was home recently (I live in TX now) and almost cried when I saw what it looked like. I hate to see nostalgic places like this just bulldozed over. I sure wish someone would come and save this place and bring life back to this part of Akron.
Submitted by Anna Banana at: June 29, 2010
This place looks horrible and I have to go by it twice a day. We had friends from Florida and they though it was a haunted house!!! Sure looks like it! Come on - - enough said - - do something!!!!!
Submitted by tuna at: February 5, 2010
the owls were there to scare off the pigeons. didn't work well
Submitted by sunbeam at: October 28, 2009
My family and I have been enjoying Thanksgiving dinners at Young's for many years. The ambiance, and location of that historic site are truly memorable. I hope that it can be saved in SOME form, so that others can make their memories at that place.
Submitted by Sunny at: October 12, 2009
I live real close to Young's. I think it should be saved. Smores my grandma who lived in the neighborhood behind Young's most of her life said he had to do something with boats when they used to go up the canal and they just keep it up afterwards. I heard it signaled the boaters about who knows what.
Submitted by Smores at: May 28, 2009
Does anyone know the deal with the owls in the windows upstairs? They were always rearranging them - rumor was it was a signal to drug dealers or something sinister.
Submitted by Vanessa at: May 10, 2009
I was a cook at Young's about 10 years ago. I also have fond childhood memories of going there as a child. Young's is a deep part of my life and I want to do what I can to help preserve it. Funny I just spent 2 hours talking about Young's and its past and pending future with my neighbors, then I came home and happened upon this article. Young's should be saved.
Submitted by Brian at: May 7, 2009
That building has 100 rooms?