Start Downtown

Start Downtown was a 6-month program providing site selection assistance, rent subsidies and marketing support to qualifying new and expanding business locating in retail or office space in the downtown Akron 49-block Special Improvement District. The program is no longer accepting new applicants.

With the support of Burton D. Morgan Foundation, the program was managed by Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP) and led by DAP President and CEO, Kimberly Beckett.

 Interested in site selection or doing business downtown? Please contact Caleb Thurman at cthurman@downtownakron.com.

Visit the Greater Akron Business Navigator for direct connection to business resources in Summit County.

The application for this program is now closed. 

Read the Start Downtown press release.

How we help:

Interested in locating your business downtown?

Contact Kimberly Beckett today!