About Us

Summit Artspace’s historic building has been an Akron landmark since 1927 when it was commissioned by John S. and James L. Knight as the new headquarters of the Akron Beacon Journal. Standing three stories tall and boasting a whopping 55,000 square feet, the building has been an epicenter of excitement and creativity for nearly a century. On November 10, 1927, U.S. President Calvin Coolidge started the paper presses using a telegraph key in the White House. 20,000 visitors attended the threeday housewarming event that followed. The Knight brothers relocated the Beacon Journal in 1938 and the Akron Public Library purchased the building in 1940. It was used as the library’s About the Building main location until 1969. Small manufacturing companies used the building until 1976 when it was purchased by Summit County. Summit County has previously leased the building to the Historical Society, the MRDD board, and the Akron Work Center. The building is now leased by Summit Artspace and is enjoyed by resident artists, creative organizations, and the public. The building retains many of its original features, including a manually-operated freight elevator, John S. Knight’s safe, and of course, the ornate art-deco façade.