“The University of Akron obtained one of the final three pieces of property in the InfoCision footprint last week. Don Mangan of Kent was ordered by the Summit County Probate Court to turn his property over to UA for $315,000. The university originally offered Mangan $308,000 for both of the houses, as well as $1,500 to each of his displaced tenants.”
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The University of Akron obtained one of the final three pieces of property in the InfoCision footprint last week. Don Mangan of Kent was ordered by the Summit County Probate Court to turn his property over to UA for $315,000.

The university originally offered Mangan $308,000 for both of the houses, as well as $1,500 to each of his displaced tenants. Mangan was originally prepared to sell to UA in December of 2007, but rescinded his contract in same month for what he called numerous reasons. Mangan’s saga eventually led to court, where UA lowered their initial offer to only $300,000.

Mangan is one of the many rental homeowners in the area who has been offered money to sell their property in order to build InfoCision Stadium.

Although almost all other property owners have already taken the offers UA has made without much hesitation, Mangan is not pleased with what he has been offered.

This displeasure is not only about the money, but about the history.

Mangan owned two houses, located at 346 and 338 Spicer St., and rented them out.

The house on 346 Spicer was built during the Civil War in 1864, and is home to many of Mangan’s personal memories since he raised his family there.

I raised four delinquents in that house, Mangan joked.

Regarding the $1,500 each tenant was to receive for displacement, Mangan said his tenants took full advantage of UA’s give away. He said they collected the money immediately and then turned to him and said that they were not moving.

They came back to me and told me, ‘hey we didn’t have to sign that we were moving, all we had to do was prove that we were the people the checks were made to,’ Mangan said. There was nothing in there about turning the keys over or vacating the property.

Mangan eventually had to evict his tenants, which cost him more than $100 of his own money.

As months went by, Mangan started re-renting out the rooms to help pay for personal expenses.

Eventually, Mangan said, UA was ready to pay him for his houses. However, Mangan said he had to rescind the contract since he had tenants in the houses that had remained empty in waiting.

The relationship between Mangan and the university began to erode as Mangan looked into the amount which he said UA was paying for other surrounding properties.

Mangan said that through his own investigation, he found the university was paying about $30,000 dollars more for a house right behind his property.

How could the people in the back alley back there get $165,000 when they have three less bedrooms, Mangan said. They don’t have a garage or a shed and they have one half the running length of the lawn size.

The house which Mangan described is located on Thompson court and is smaller than the homes on Spicer Street. Mangan said the appraisal cost of the Thompson Court house was $165,000, while the cost of his own home on 338 Spicer was $132,000.

This research led to even more frustration on Mangan’s side.

As Mangan continued his research, he found that the university was paying other homeowners more than three times as much for loss of profits.

If they can spend millions of dollars for this new stadium, why can’t they pay the people what their houses are worth?, Mangan said.

Money is an obvious reason for this escalating situation, but the history that the house on 346 Spicer Street holds is also important to Mangan.

That house was built during the Civil War, he said, When President Lincoln was still alive walking this earth, that house was there.

Three of Mangan’s daughters were also married in that house that they grew up in.

I wish I could afford to move it, Mangan said.

As for the surrounding area that the university is tearing down, the history is just as rich.

This is interesting, Mangan said, There used to be a farmer Nash (Nash Street) it is called Thompson Court because he used to take that path to court the Thompson sisters.

UA vice president for capital planning Ted Curtis said that UA had no intention to ever move the house.

We have no place to take it, Curtis said. The cost of moving and the cost of renovating to bring it up to university standards makes it not a good investment.

The preservation of this historical area may not be the most lucrative idea for the university, but there are other options for the new stadium, according to Mangan.

I hate to see a part of history, Americana, go down the drain, Mangan said.

Mangan also said he feels UA does not even need a new stadium on campus.

I don’t really think that Akron needs a new stadium, he said. Right across from the Polsky building you have the Aeros stadium. Why can’t it be the Akron and the Aeros stadium?

Mangan said elite owners in that area getting better deals than the average Joes.

Mangan said he is not worried about his reputation following the court appearances and allegations he has said toward the university.

I don’t want to come out smelling like a rose, I just want a fair deal.

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” #1.1361161:3725549280.jpg:20080325_house1_cb.jpg:One of the Mangan homes located at 346 Spicer Street, which will be torn down. :Christopher Bair”