 Beginning in 2008 , several redevelopment projects in the downtown area , some of which had been discussed for decades , were put into motion and resulted in nearly $ 110 million in total investment from public and private sources . The first of these was the Phoenix Project , a development privately financed by Kent resident Ron Burbick that renovated and expanded a section of commercial space along East Main Street . Included in the project was construction of a pedestrian alleyway lined with small shops , eventually known as Acorn Alley , which opened in 2009 . A second phase of Acorn Alley opened the next year . Other aspects of the redevelopment , which include a 360 @-@ space parking deck and bus transfer station , a hotel and conference center , and three separate mixed @-@ use buildings , began to take shape in 2010 following the demolition of several buildings in a four block area . New offices for Ametek and the Davey Tree Expert Company opened in late 2012 along with several new small businesses on the first floors of each building . The hotel , operated by Kent State University , opened in June 2013 and the new parking garage , operated by the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority ( PARTA ) opened April 30 , 2013 , as the Kent Central Gateway . In addition to parking , the facility functions as PARTA 's main bus transfer station and has storefronts on the ground level facing East Erie Street . Included in the redevelopment was the purchase and renovation of the old Kent hotel , which first opened in 1920 . After being mostly vacant since 1979 and completely vacant since 2000 , it re @-@ opened on April 1 , 2013 , as the new home to the Kent location of Buffalo Wild Wings and also houses offices , a wine and jazz bar , and apartments . A five @-@ story mixed @-@ use building called The Landmark was completed in 2014 and construction started in November 2015 on an additional five @-@ story mixed @-@ use building featuring microapartments , scheduled to be completed in 2016 . The developments attracted the attention of The Plain Dealer and The New York Times and earned the city and university the 2013 Larry Abernathy Award from the International Town – Gown Association in recognition of the positive town – gown cooperation and collaboration . 
