Progress Through Preservation

OUR HISTORY

Progress Through Preservation of Greater Akron (PTP) was organized formally in July 1984 in direct response to the ongoing urban renewal policies continuing to change the faces of cities across the country as well as in Akron. Its mission remains to serve Akron and Summit County by actively encouraging and promoting the preservation, maintenance, restoration, and adaptive reuse of buildings, sites, and neighborhoods that are of historic or architectural significance. PTP is a volunteer-led 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Our Mission

PTP actively promotes and encourages the preservation, maintenance, restoration, and adaptive reuse of buildings, sites, and neighborhoods that are of historic or architectural significance in Akron and Summit County. They continually work to inform and educate the public on historic preservation issues.

Monthly meetings feature visits to a variety of historic preservation and adaptive reuse sites throughout Summit County and beyond and include presentations by guest speakers. The organization publishes a newsletter, provides speakers on various historic preservation topics, co-sponsors with the Summit County Historical Society an ongoing Architectural Heritage Awards program honoring outstanding preservation, restoration, or adaptive reuse projects in Summit County, and for more than 25 years led an annual clean-up of the Glendale Steps.

Founding Members

Founding members include:

Membership Tours & Partnerships

The First Annual House Tour featured the Simon Perkins Mansion and restored homes in the Highland Square area of West Akron. In the same year a walking tour along North Portage Path concluded with Irene Seiberling Harrison reminiscing in the old "chicken house" of her family's Stan Hywet estate. In 1986, a ”Stamp Out the Wrecking Ball" symbol designed by F. Eugene Smith was incorporated in the PTP logo as members protested the demolition of the 1906 Park-view Apartments listed in the Akron Historic Landmark Survey.

Since that time, PTP, a volunteer-led organization that now includes more than 250 members, has moved on to initiate or support a variety of historic preservation efforts in Akron and Summit County.  In the process, PTP has worked in cooperation with the City of Akron, Akron Public Schools (APS), The University of Akron, Keep Akron Beautiful, as well as local, state, and regional community and historic preservation organizations including Cascade Locks Park Association, Summit County Historical Society, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Cleveland Restoration Society and its Preservation Resource Center of Northeastern Ohio, Heritage Ohio, the Ohio Historical Society, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) through its Midwest Office in Chicago.

Projects

Preserving Akron Public School Building History

During the past several years, PTP has actively participated in discussions with the Akron Public Schools, the City of Akron, and neighborhood residents on the future of Akron's historic schools. 

Most Recent Projects

Preservation House

Preservation House is the former Portage Township Schoolhouse, built in 1870 and located near the corner of West Market Street and White Pond Drive. It operated as a schoolhouse from 1870-1930, then served as a City of Akron Public Library Branch from 1932-1958. From 1959-2008, the building was home to Fairlawn Park Garden & Civic Center. In March 2009, PTP signed a 10 year license agreement with City of Akron to manage and restore the schoolhouse. The restoration of Preservation House was completed in 2014.