What's going on at Midway Plaza? Five things to know about the Tallmadge shopping center

Alan Ashworth, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read

Efforts to fix up Midway Plaza may appear to be moving at a snail's pace, but the push for improvements continues on several fronts.

The plaza has been in a decline for decades, bleeding tenants and customers and sparking at least a couple of recent lawsuits.

An industrial sized dumpster sits in front of the former High Point Furniture store at the Midway Plaza on Wednesday in Tallmadge.
An industrial sized dumpster sits in front of the former High Point Furniture store at the Midway Plaza on Wednesday in Tallmadge.

One of those was filed last February by Summit County and the city of Tallmadge, where much of the plaza sits (the rest is in Akron).

That lawsuit will continue, Tallmadge Mayor David Kline said last week, even as new ownership tries to address numerous violations and an order to fix or raze some of the empty shops.

The interior of the former High Point Furniture store is seen through an unsecured door next to a chained door at the Midway Plaza on Wednesday in Tallmadge.
The interior of the former High Point Furniture store is seen through an unsecured door next to a chained door at the Midway Plaza on Wednesday in Tallmadge.

Here are five things to know about what's going on:

Local suit could be heard within two months

The Tallmadge-Summit County complaint is closer to hearing in Summit County Common Pleas Court. A trial date scheduled for last October was converted to a status conference. That's been rescheduled a couple of times and is now set for mid-March.

The Save a Lot store is the largest of the few remaining stores at the Midway Plaza on Wednesday in Tallmadge.
The Save a Lot store is the largest of the few remaining stores at the Midway Plaza on Wednesday in Tallmadge.

Save A Lot owner also files suit against plaza

The owner of the Save A Lot, Sunshine Stores LLC, is also suing the plaza's owners in the Summit County court.

In its complaint, Grove City-based Sunshine alleges a breach of lease, seeking undisclosed damages.

"The present dilapidated and condemned nature of Midway Plaza is due to the longstanding neglect of the plaza by Defendants and their demonstrated unwillingness to maintain theplaza," the lawsuit reads.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 30. A discovery plan — in which both parties exchange information about witnesses and evidence they'll present — is scheduled during the hearing.

What was the sale price for Midway Plaza at auction?

According to the Sunshine Stores lawsuit, the plaza was sold at auction on Aug. 11 for about $650,000 to an Alden, N.Y., company. A phone call to the company seeking comment wasn't returned, and Sunshine's lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.

Chains secure one set of doors for the former High Point Furniture Store at the Midway Plaza on Wednesday in Tallmadge.
Chains secure one set of doors for the former High Point Furniture Store at the Midway Plaza on Wednesday in Tallmadge.

New plaza owner can expect push for compliance

In a telephone interview earlier this month, Tallmadge Mayor Kline said the new Midway owner is taking some steps to address the violations — but if that effort will be enough isn't known.

"I know that they're trying to clean the place up and bring it into compliance," Kline said. "But we are still going forward on compliance."

Kline said he was surprised that the plaza was sold to new owners last year.

"I was shocked that it was (sold), with all the orders put on it," he said.

A desk and chair is set up in an empty store front at the Midway Plaza on Wednesday in Tallmadge.
A desk and chair is set up in an empty store front at the Midway Plaza on Wednesday in Tallmadge.

Plaza purchaser establishes local office

The new owner has opened an office at the plaza. On Friday morning, however, it was not open.

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: What's going on at Midway Plaza? 5 things to know about the center