A $10 million federal grant to help redevelop a decommissioned portion of Akron’s Innerbelt is at risk of being recalled.
The money, awarded in January from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, is meant to help the city implement its redevelopment ideas for the Innerbelt, which former Mayor Dan Horrigan said caused “lasting harm” to a once-vibrant Black community.
Friday, a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, who championed the grant, said the DOT confirmed that any projects that did not have a grant agreement in place prior to 2025 were subject to review. The Reconnecting Communities grant was announced Jan. 8. No further information about the review process was available.
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said Friday that he went to Washington, D.C., last month to advocate for federal funds for the city. He said he did not meet with anyone from the DOT but has made it clear to elected officials who represent Akron that the Innerbelt project is a priority…