A dense, walkable square mile
Highland Square is about one square mile northwest of downtown, and more than 7,600 people live in it. That density sets it apart. Wikipedia’s neighborhood article notes that its many historic and modern apartment buildings make it more crowded than the rest of Akron, where single homes are the norm, and many of those apartments line West Market Street.
The commercial strip is anchored by the Highland Theatre and a branch library, with Angel Falls Coffee, Mary Coyle ice cream and Square Records, a long-time record shop, nearby. A co-owner there called the neighborhood a “microcosm of Akron.”
The oldest feature is the Portage Path, the route Native Americans used to carry canoes between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers. A statue placed by real estate developer Gus Kasch once stood at the curb on West Market and now stands at Portage Path and West Market.
Arts, porches and a changing street
Each summer, PorchRokr brings thousands of people to hear bands play on residential porches and lawns. Highland Square has long been home to artists, musicians and a large LGBTQ+ community, and many businesses are gay-owned or gay-friendly.
Residents interviewed for Signal Akron’s profile noticed change on the strip:
- More chains like Chipotle and Domino’s alongside the mom-and-pop bars.
- Older businesses gone, like a tailor, a shoe store that is now a parking lot, and Dodie’s diner.
- High school kids drawn to “the cool part of Akron,” and a wish for more things for all ages to do.
- Neighbors “from homeless to wealthy and everything in between.”
Selling a Highland Square house or rental
In a neighborhood this dense, the property for sale may be more than a single-family house: an up-and-down double, a house split into units, or a rental held for years. That changes what you need to have ready.
| If you own | Gather before you sell |
|---|---|
| A single-family house | Repair history, any city orders |
| A double or small multi-unit | Leases, rents, deposits, unit registration |
| A vacant rental | Utility status, insurance, keys |
For tenant-occupied property, read selling a rental property in Ohio and check the city’s requirements in our Akron rental registration guide. For a two- to four-unit building, our page on selling a duplex or multi-family property covers how buyers look at the numbers.
A renovated single-family house on a quiet side street will usually do well listed, since buyers come here for the walkability. An older rental with deferred maintenance, long-term tenants or a tired furnace is where a direct sale can save you months. Bob can walk it and give you a written number; send us the address.