City plans $35,000 landscaping project downtown

During last week’s council meeting, the city of Kent approved a $35,000 landscaping project on the corner of Haymaker Parkway and South Water Street near Panini’s.

Jim Bowling, engineer for the city of Kent, said the project, which will add flowers, mulch, grass, trees, trashcans and lawn seats to the current green space, is a collaboration between Davey Tree, College Town Kent, and the city.

Davey Tree donated $5,000 as well as free designs to the project, College Town Kent provided $10,000, and the city’s development fund provided $20,000 with property taxes from downtown businesses

Bowling said the money allotted from the development fund can only be used to improve downtown.

“The money is not set aside by city council or the administration, this is determined by the funding set up by the Ohio revised code,” Bowling said. “Even if the city wanted to change it they couldn’t. The money is not from income tax dollars.”

Bowling said although the landscaping will only be placed downtown, it will help improve other parts of the city.

“We’re trying to make Kent a destination for visitors and we have a certain standard of quality we want to present,” Bowling said. “In a small way the landscaping and everything else downtown, brings in more business and revenue to the city, which then allows us to fix their streets and their sidewalks in the neighborhood.

Frank Monteleone, regional business development manager for Davey Tree, said the project, which begins next week and finishes in mid-October, will improve city and Davey Tree’s custom plan for the city’s college town appeal.

“The landscaping will not only be for beautification but set up so there’s a block from the street to enhance view and sound on the sitting area,” Monteleone said. “We’d like to create a hangout spot where people can stop and eat lunch, or just take a break.”

Although the funds used for the project cannot be used for other parts of the city, some Kent residents outside of downtown are not pleased with the project.

Frank Mezzulo, owner of Ambient Heating & Cooling on the corner Longmere Drive and Haymaker Parkway said many people in town aren’t even aware of his business because of the location, and more attention from the city could help.

“It’s a very unfriendly business atmosphere on this side of town,” Mezzulo said. “I’ll be forced to pay $1,000 for a new sign to put up.”

Mezzulo said he feels downtown renovations are hurting other business in the city.

All the city cares about is the new construction downtown and residents voting in the new income tax,” Mezzulo said. The officials are hobnobbing with millionaires and letting small business be vanquished.”

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