AKRON, Ohio — The LeBron James Family Foundation announced on Tuesday it has purchased Akron's iconic Tangier Restaurant & Cabaret on West Market Street, to create a multi-use complex that dovetails with its I PROMISE School offerings.

What You Need To Know

  • The LeBron James Family Foundation purchased Akron's iconic Tangier Restaurant & Cabaret to create a multi-use complex that dovetails with its I PROMISE School offerings

  • Named “House Three Thirty,” the former banquet facility will offer space for family programming, community gathering, and financial services programming, as well as a sports complex and dining, retail and event space

  • The foundation is partnering with JP Morgan Chase, the J.M. Smucker Co., Old El Paso and the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation to develop the complex

  • House Three Thirty, I PROMISE School, I PROMISE Village and I PROMISE Housing are all situated within a one-mile radius

Named “House Three Thirty,” the former performance and banquet facility, just west of the school, will be transformed to offer space for family programming, community gathering and financial services programming, according to a press release.

A sports complex will be built on the top tier of the former parking deck, while the new dining, retail and event space is planned to double as a job-training platform, the foundation said.

 

 

In a video released with the announcement, Lakers basketball star LeBron James says the new space will put everything the foundation wants to offers students and families under one roof.

“From getting them hands-on job training and financial guidance to having a space for important community events and safe physical activities, this is what we’ve learned our community needs” James said. “I can’t wait to see this come to life.”

To provide services and programming, the foundation works in conjunction with myriad area partners, many of whom will be involved with House Three Thirty:

  • JPMorgan Chase – Chase bankers will have a dedicated space in which to offer specialized financial advice and products to families.
  • DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation – The top level of the parking deck will be converted into a sports complex for students, families and the community.
  • Old El Paso – An Old El Paso full-service dining area will offer food and hands-on job training.
  • J.M. Smucker HomeTown Hall – An indoor dining space will accommodate large gatherings, and host family meals and community conversations.

Foundation Executive Director Michele Campbell said the amenities in the new complex are a result of “years of listening to our families and learning what they need.”

 

 

“It’s addressing their financial health and giving them the skills they need to contribute to the workforce for a lifetime,” Campbell said in the release. “Most importantly, it will be a source of pride and sense of belonging for our I PROMISE family and everyone who wants to be part of our movement to create positive change for generations to come. This concept is a game changer for our families, our community and every community it touches.”

 

The foundation opened the I PROMISE School, near downtown Akron, in 2018 in partnership with the Akron Public School system. The I PROMISE School provides at-risk Akron students and their families with an array of wrap-around services, from family-first programming to academic interventions, to give kids greater opportunities for success.

More than 1,500 students now attend the I PROMISE School. The foundation also runs the nearby I PROMISE Village by Graduate Hotels, which provides homeless students and their families with transitional housing. An I PROMISE Housing service is also in the works, and will be designed to assist families in owning their first homes. The facilities are all situated within a single mile.

Renovation of the former Tangier is already underway, with House Three Thirty expected to open in 2022.