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Downtown showcases business strength
Downtown showcases business strength
Historic markers preserve downtown's past
Historic markers preserve downtown's past
First Night 2008 Family
First Night 2008 Family

Special Improvement District

Special Improvement District
Success at a Glance
2005 – 2009 Services Plan
2010 – 2014 Services Plan
SID FAQs
2010 SID Annual Report
2012 SID Annual Report

Special Improvement District (SID)

Under a management agreement, the Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP) administers the Services Plan for the Downtown Akron Special Improvement District, Inc (SID).

The SID is a private, not-for profit organization through which property owners assess themselves to provide funding for district-wide marketing and promotion, business resources, physical environment enhancement services, safety, residential and parking programs, as well as advocacy services.

SID Map

   *Downtown Akron Special Improvement District

SID Success at a Glance

  • More than $1 billion has been invested in the Downtown footprint in the past 15 years
  • Since 2000, county recorded property values have increased $51 million dollars
  • Downtown has drastically increased its number of visitors, hosting more than 3 million last year
  • Income tax collections within the SID footprint have risen more than 141% since 1991; 25% since 2000
  • Nearly 30,000 people work Downtown. Since 2002, we have seen an increase of 3,000 jobs
  • In a Toledo Blade article, Down but not Out. The downtowns of Ohio’s cities tell a story of plight and promise by Gary T. Pakulski, Akron was cited as the only major Ohio Downtown whose workforce grew from 2000-2005. It also had the most business growth as well
  • Since 2000, vacancy rates have decreased by almost 3%. Downtown occupancy is among the highest in the county
  • DAP has established an e-mail network of more than 10,000 people to share information bi-monthly
  • In conjunction with Metro Regional Transit Authority, the Downtown Ambassador program was launched in January 2009, adding 9 ambassadors on the streets, dedicated to clean and safe projects within the SID
  • First Night® Akron has hosted more than 220,000 to a clean, safe and fun Downtown New Year’s Eve celebration of the arts since its inception