Public safety hazard: Akron wants to demolish The Word Church in Kenmore

Akron is home to one of the nation's first megachurches, but the structure will soon be demolished.

Akron Mayor Shammas Malik announced Monday that he's bringing legislation before City Council to fund the emergency demolition of the 263,000-square-foot former The Word Church building at 2324 Manchester Road in Kenmore The goal is to begin demolition in March.

The city intends to aggressively pursue repayment from the property's owner for the proposed $1.24 million for the emergency demolition from The Word Church. Akron also is seeking state demolition funding through the Ohio Department of Development.

The building originally housed the Akron Baptist Temple, one of the nation's first megachurches featuring radio and TV broadcasts nationwide.

Malik said he brought the matter to council because the building is a public safety hazard. He cited frequent break-ins and the building's deteriorating condition. Council approved the measure Monday night.

"Our Akron fire officials have concern that if a fire were to break out in one of the buildings, it may not be safe for them to even enter," Malik said. "We cannot put off this demolition. For the safety of our residents, we need to get these buildings taken down.”

Ward 9 Councilwoman Tina Boyes, who represents Kenmore, said residents and area businesses have been concerned about the site for years.

"It has become increasingly dangerous — not just for those who enter it but also for the community surrounding it," Boyes said. "The safety of the people in and around the area is my No. 1 concern, and for that reason I am supporting this emergency demolition.”

Boyes will have her monthly ward meeting 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 5 at the Kenmore Community Center at 880 Kenmore Blvd. Malik and other city officials will be in attendance to discuss the demolition plans.

The Summit County Continuum of Care is partnering with the city to help work with the area's unhoused population, some of whom have been seeking shelter in the former church building. Representatives will meet in person with those residents to inform them of the upcoming demolition and to make them aware of their shelter options.

Akron police and Akron fire also will conduct a full search of the property and secure the building and grounds in the week before the demolition begins.

History of Akron Baptist Temple

The first iteration of the Akron Baptist Temple was built in 1937 for $60,000 near Rimer Elementary School, where the congregation began meeting. By 1949, the original building was too small to house its congregation, so a new one was built.

Akron Baptist Temple's founder Dallas F. Billington was a pioneer in televangelism, taking his sermons to the radio in the 1940s and 1950s, and by the 1960s appeared on more than 30 TV stations.

In 1981, the 4,000-seat main sanctuary burned to the ground. Fire investigators suspected but couldn't prove arson. It was rebuilt in 1983.

Akron Baptist Temple sold the church and its 29 acres in June 2018 for $1.5 million to The Word Church. Overextended and underattended, The Word put a $3.9 million for-sale sign on the location up in June 2019.

So far, no one has bought the building and it has continued its slide into disrepair.

“We know there are many blighted structures across our community, as evidenced by the recent fire off North Howard Street,” Malik said. “These conditions are unacceptable in any of our neighborhoods. The Word Church site moved to the top of the list due to its rapid deterioration and public safety concerns, but we are triaging our approach to all these buildings and will have more to share with the community in the months and years to come.”

Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com or 330-541-9413

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: City wants to demolish former Akron Baptist Temple building