AKRON, Ohio — A project to restore and expand the Akron Civic Theatre will continue in March with a groundbreaking for PNC Plaza, a large outdoor deck.

The plaza is part of the theater’s $8.5 million “Staging the Future” initiative, which kicked off in late 2019, completing a large restoration project that ended in 2002, just shy of finishing the front of the theater and its Grand Lobby. The current project completed that work.

What You Need To Know

  • PNC Plaza is part of the theater’s $8.5 million “Staging the Future” initiative, which kicked off in late 2019

  • Planned to be built on the Civic’s south-facing wall overlooking Lock 3 Park, PNC Plaza is expected to host events for all ages

  • The theater’s renovation included a new box office and administrative offices, a restored entry arcade and expanded performance space

  • Prior to the expansion, the Civic Theatre generated about $8.1 million in economic activity for the city

The PNC Plaza is planned to feature a mural by local artist Scot Phillips on a wall that will run along the plaza, situated beneath the Civic’s new outside video screen. The outdoor amenities are intended to make the exterior of the Civic as much of an asset as the inside, Executive Director Howard Parr said in a release.

Planned to be built along the Civic’s south-facing wall overlooking Lock 3 Park, PNC Plaza will host a series of events for all ages beginning this summer, including parties on the plaza on Fridays, events paired with movies in the Civic’s main auditorium and family activities.

“Downtown Akron has experienced a remarkable redevelopment that returns the Rubber City, in its original splendor, to the residents who call it home,” said PNC regional president Joe Luckring. “The Civic Theatre and PNC Plaza will be among the attractions that will bring people back downtown to enjoy the outdoors and support local businesses.”

The Civic Theatre, known locally as “the jewel on Main Street,” is a featured component of the newly redeveloped Bowery District, a block on South Main Street in the city’s central business district between Bowery Street and Lock 3 Park. The Bowery redeveloped the historic 12-story Landmark Building and five smaller buildings just north of the Civic.

The Civic Theatre, known as “the jewel on Main Street,” is featured in the redeveloped Bowery, a block on South Main Street in the city’s central business district. (Courtesy of Akron Civic Theatre)

“PNC Plaza will contribute to the creation of an exciting atmosphere in the Bowery neighborhood and increase foot traffic and economic activity in downtown Akron,” Parr said.

Part of an initiative to boost residential offerings downtown, the Bowery includes apartments, restaurants and retail businesses. The project was designed to feature seating and walkways on the banks of the Ohio & Erie Canal, which flows behind the business district, through and under Akron’s downtown.

The Civic’s project included building a new box office and administrative offices, and restoring the entry arcade. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation provided $4 million to repurpose the historic Whitelaw Building next door to the Civic into the Knight Stage, a 220-seat performance venue.

Prior to the expansion, the Civic Theatre generated about $8.1 million in economic activity for the city, according to a study by Americans for the Arts. Extending the venue to include the Knight Stage is expected to raise the theatre's impact to more than $9 million per year.

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