Akron is making six pre-approved home designs available to developers in an effort to reduce the time and expense involved in building new housing in the city.
The Made in Akron designs already meet city construction requirements, allowing builders to start with plans that have gone through the municipal review process.
The designs range from a cottage to a three-unit building. They were created to work on different types of city lots, including narrow properties and sites that can support multiple households.
Six Designs Are Ready for Builders
Architect Ryan Grass of Grassroots Architects designed the plans. He previously estimated that using the approved designs could save a builder three to eight months that might otherwise be spent waiting for plan approval.
The initiative is intended to encourage infill construction in established Akron neighborhoods, where vacant lots remain after older houses have been demolished.
City officials say building on those properties can make use of infrastructure that is already in place, including streets, water lines and sewer systems.
Akron’s housing stock is relatively old. Census data cited by Signal Akron shows more than 40 percent of the city’s homes were built before 1950.
Program Targets Vacant Neighborhood Lots
In 2025, the city received 64 applications for tax abatements on newly constructed homes. Akron also demolished 96 blighted homes last year and owns hundreds of vacant lots where houses once stood.
Officials hope the combination of pre-approved plans and existing neighborhood infrastructure will make those sites more attractive for new housing while reducing unnecessary delays for builders.
Add comment