{{Short description|Office building in Akron, Ohio, United States}} {{About|the Akron skyscraper|the Detroit|Huntington Bank Tower}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox building |name = Huntington Tower |image = File:Corner view of Huntington Tower.jpg |location = 106 S Main St, Akron, Ohio, U.S. |coordinates = {{coord|41.0823|-81.5184|region:US-OH|display=inline,title}} |pushpin_map = Ohio |floor_count = 27 |elevator_count = |completion_date = 1931 |references = <ref name="emporis" /><ref name="skyscraperpage" /> |roof = {{convert|101|m|ft|abbr=on}} |antenna_spire = {{convert|137|m|ft}}<ref name="skyscraperpage" /> |architect = Walker & Weeks<ref name="emporis" /> |module = {{Infobox NRHP | embed = yes | name = First National Bank Building | nrhp_type = nrhp | architect = Walker & Weeks | architecture = Art Deco | added = June 27, 2007<ref name="National Register Database">{{NRISref|2010a}}</ref> | refnum = 07000633<ref name="National Register Database"/> }} }} '''Huntington Tower''', earlier known as '''FirstMerit Tower,''' '''First National Bank Building,''' the '''First Central Tower''' and the '''First Central Trust Building''', is a skyscraper in Akron, Ohio. The centerpiece of downtown Akron, it sits in the Cascade Plaza at the corner of S Main St and East Mill Street.<ref>{{cite news| last=Warsmith| first=Stephanie| date=October 7, 2013| title=Akron moving ahead with plans to improve Cascade Plaza| url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2013/10/07/akron-moving-ahead-with-plans/10722689007/| newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal| access-date=March 23, 2022| archive-date=December 5, 2024| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205103638/https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2013/10/07/akron-moving-ahead-with-plans/10722689007/| url-status=live}}</ref> The {{convert|330|ft|m|abbr=on|adj=on}} tower<ref name="skyscraperpage">{{skyscraperpage|1207}}</ref> has been the city's tallest building since its completion in 1931.<ref name="emporis">{{Cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/125771 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302171012/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/125771 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 2, 2016 |title=Emporis building ID 125771 |work=Emporis}}</ref>
The 27-story building is art deco in style and is covered in glazed architectural terra-cotta.<ref name="FirstMerit Restoration">{{cite web| url=http://www.westerngroup.com/servicesAndProjects/structures/officeCommercial.jspx?fileName=1120493926173-106-04-01.jpg&id=245| title=FirstMerit Restoration| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060311053532/http://www.westerngroup.com/servicesAndProjects/structures/officeCommercial.jspx?fileName=1120493926173-106-04-01.jpg&id=245| archive-date=March 11, 2006| website=Western Construction Group}}</ref> Its lobby is built of Tennessee marble, white brick, and terra cotta, and features a large banking hall with arched windows.<ref name="emporis" />
The tower is also noted for its role in local broadcasting. Studios for WAKR radio were originally housed in the ground level from 1940 until 1953.<ref name=":0" /> The top of the building also held a television mast originally used by WAKR's TV adjacent, WAKR-TV (now WVPX-TV) and WAKR-FM.<ref name=":0">{{cite news| first=Mark J.| last=Price| title= Scraping the Sky| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98238977/the-akron-beacon-journal/| newspaper=Sunday Beacon Magazine| page=13| date=March 14, 1999| access-date=March 23, 2022}}</ref> Erected in 1953 for WAKR-TV's sign-on<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 7, 1953 |title=Bird? Plane? Nope, TV Show 487 Feet in Air |page=2 |newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal |location=Akron, Ohio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66163721/bird-plane-nope-tv-show-487-feet-in/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121204922/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66163721/bird-plane-nope-tv-show-487-feet-in/ |archive-date=January 21, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{unbulleted list citebundle|{{Cite news|date=June 7, 1953|title='Way Up Here---|page=1|newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal|location=Akron, Ohio|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66163232/way-up-here/|access-date=December 27, 2020|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=January 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121204918/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66163232/way-up-here/|url-status=live}}|{{Cite news|date=June 7, 1953|title=---He Snaps A Picture From WAKR-TV Tower|page=1|newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal|location=Akron, Ohio|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66163354/-he-snaps-a-picture-from-wakr-tv-tower/|access-date=December 27, 2020|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=January 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121204923/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66163354/-he-snaps-a-picture-from-wakr-tv-tower/|url-status=live}}}}</ref> and later donated to PBS member station WEAO, the antenna reached a height of {{convert|134.7|m|ft}} but was removed in 2019.<ref name="skyscraperpage" /><ref name="Huntington Bank Tower">{{Cite news |last=Mackinnon |first=Jim |date=July 11, 2019 |title=Something's missing on downtown skyline |language=en |pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51906136/somethings-missing-on-downtown/ B10] |newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal |location=Akron, Ohio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51905915/somethings-missing-on-downtown/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121204937/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51905915/somethings-missing-on-downtown/ |archive-date=January 21, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
==History== The tower replaced the neo-Gothic Hamilton Building, completed on the site in 1900.<ref name="emporis" />
Around 2000, the tower was given a $2.5 million facelift, including a $1.8 million restoration of the tower's terra-cotta, brick, and limestone facade. The painstaking process involved the removal of some 450 blocks weighing up to {{convert|75|lb|kg}} for cleaning and reassembly. Over 1,100 other pieces of the masonry and tilework were repaired on site.<ref name="FirstMerit Restoration"/> In 2007, the tower underwent another restoration. Completed by Cleveland-based VIP Restorations, it included repointing of all masonry and terra-cotta joints, repairs to the windows, structural restoration, and a restoration of the 13th floor parapet.<ref name="VIP">[http://www.viprestoration.com/firstMerit.html FirstMerit], VIP Restoration {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930045400/http://www.viprestoration.com/firstMerit.html |date=2007-09-30 }}</ref> VIP Restorations also helped to get the building placed on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref name="National Register Database"/><ref name="VIP"/>
The building's name changed after Huntington acquired FirstMerit in 2016.<ref name="PD Jan 2016">{{cite news| last1=Warsinskey| first1=Tim| title=Huntington Bank buys FirstMerit: 12 things to know (photos)| url=http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2016/01/huntington_bank_buys_firstmeri.html| date=January 11, 2009| newspaper=The Plain Dealer| location=Cleveland| archive-date=August 14, 2017| access-date=August 14, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814133818/http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2016/01/huntington_bank_buys_firstmeri.html| url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2019, Huntington announced the building was for sale.<ref name="Tower for Sale">{{cite news |last1=Lin-Fisher |first1=Betty |title=Huntington Tower, Akron's tallest building, for sale |url=https://www.ohio.com/news/20190320/huntington-tower-akrons-tallest-building-for-sale |newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal |access-date=6 June 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.akronlibrary.org/images/Divisions/SpecCol/images/07000633.pdf National Register of Historic Places nomination form for First National Bank Tower] *{{commons category-inline}}
Category:Skyscrapers in Akron, Ohio Category:Office buildings completed in 1931 Category:Terracotta Category:Art Deco architecture in Ohio Category:1931 establishments in Ohio Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Ohio Category:Office buildings in Akron, Ohio