PARTA breaks ground on transit center: Kent facility cited as an example of the region "roaring back"
Heavy rain drenched Kent on Monday, but couldn’t dampen the spirits of the officials gathered at the groundbreaking for the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority’s new downtown-Kent transit center.
“It may be a little gloomy outside, but the sun is shining on Kent, Ohio today and with good reason,” said Max Blachman, regional representative for Sen. Sherrod Brown’s office.
Blachman said the project was one example of the region “roaring back...despite what others might say.”
“Welcome to Kent on a beautiful, Ohio spring day,” U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan said, drawing laughs from the crowd.
Ryan praised the collaboration between the city of Kent, Kent State University and PARTA on the project, which he called “the premier transportation facility” in the country.
“What we’ve always been trying to do here, working with the city, working with the university, working with PARTA, is to try to create an environment where we can have an economic rebirth in Northeast Ohio,” Ryan said. “We are starting to see the signs of that.”
PARTA General Manager John Drew called Ryan, who worked to secure funding for the project, “my hero.” He also made sure to point out PARTA did not get to the groundbreaking on its own.
“I don’t think people realize the amount of time and effort the city of Kent and Kent State University have put into this project,” Drew said.
According to PARTA, $20 million of the funding for the transit center will come from TIGER grant funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment act, while $4 million will come from the city of Kent.
“We are here in part to celebrate the effectiveness of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” Blachman said.
The proposed bus transfer and parking facility will feature over 300 parking spaces, and space for retail, entertainment other business spaces.
“This is a great day for Kent,” Kent Councilman Erik Valenta said. “It’s opportunity. It’s jobs. It’s job creation.”
(News Source: Recordpub.com, By Thomas Gallick April 5, 2011)
Click Video: Groundbreaking for Kent Central Gateway Transit Center to view the event.
Kent Central Gateway
The Kent Central Gateway (KCG) multimodal facility is a planned transit center that will:
- Increase transit accessibility and emphasize multi-modal transportation.
- Be a catalyst for economic development that will contribute to a vibrant downtown that is seamlessly
connected to the university campus. - Build upon Kent’s heritage of environmental awareness and recreational enjoyment.
- Provide bicycle amenities and be both an entrance to and a destination along the Portage Hike and Bike Trail.
- Be environmentally friendly by incorporating “green” design features.
- Be a model of sustainable development that emphasizes a diverse transportation system.
- Be a vital civic space that will contribute to the health, safety, and sustainability of the Kent community for generations to come.
Project Location
The Kent Central Gateway will be located between Haymaker Parkway (SR 59), E. Main Street (Kent Ravenna Rd), and S. Depeyster Street in Kent, Ohio. This location lies in downtown Kent within one-quarter mile of Kent State University and the Cuyahoga Riverfront.
Economic Impact
The Kent Central Gateway multimodal center will be the catalyst for an accessible downtown experience. Creating a transit-oriented, walkable, vibrant downtown will provide economic development and increase the livability of the area for residents and students.
The Kent Central Gateway will include transit bus bays, bicycle amenities, and 18,000 square feet of potential retail, restaurant, and office space along Erie Street.
In addition, private developers have partnered with PARTA, City of Kent, and Kent State University to plan for revitalization of downtown around the Kent Central Gateway multimodal facility. Fairmont Properties and Pizzuti Group plan to create over 265,000 square feet of mixed use retail, office, residential, hotel, and conference center space adjacent to the KCG.
The Kent Central Gateway and adjacent development will altogether create:
- $105 million total in public and private development
- 266 construction jobs
- 703 new long-term jobs
- $5.8 million in tax revenue annually
- A lasting "halo effect" for existing businesses and the university