Cole Avenue Housing Project Historic District
Also known as: Park Lane Manor
Why it's listed
Cole Avenue Housing Project is a 24-acre apartment community in Akron, Ohio, built by the federal government in 1941 to house defense workers. It holds 61 hipped-roof buildings with 300 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, arranged around shared green courtyards, pedestrian paths, and a central administration building with a playground. The design follows Federal Housing Administration guidelines drawn from the Garden City Movement, including large superblocks and separation of cars from foot traffic. After the war it housed returning veterans. In 1952 the government sold it to its tenants, who formed a cooperative known as Park Lane Manor, among the first of its kind in the country. The sale brought the main alterations, including asbestos siding and aluminum storm windows and doors. Mature trees, open lawns, original floor plans, and the Colonial Revival administration building largely survive, which supports its listing for social history, architecture, and community planning.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the project is significant under Criteria A and C for social history, architecture, and community planning and development. It housed defense workers and then returning veterans, and in 1952 it became one of the first tenant-owned cooperative housing communities in the country. Its layout follows Federal Housing Administration garden-city principles, with superblocks, shared green space, and pedestrian and auto separation, and it remains largely unaltered.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 07001090, listed October 17, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 744 Colette Dr., Akron |
|---|---|
| County | Summit County |
| Listed | October 17, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07001090 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1941-52 |
| Architect / builder | Suppes, John F., Architect; Paolano, J.L., Landscape Architect |
| Architectural style | Late 20th Century Revival; Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Original configuration largely unaltered since the 1952 renovations. Many units are described as in disrepair and ready for comprehensive renovation, while the property is still used as multiple dwellings. |
| Acreage | 24.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.04975, -81.50140 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 07001090.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.