The Metropolitan Centre

        The Metropolitan Centres rebirth in 2007 has taken an elegant step into the 21^st century.

The Metropolitan Centre, owned and operated by the Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority (SMHA), located in Canton, Ohio, serves the community and includes a jazz club, restaurant, medical services, conference rooms, business offices and the renovated grand ballroom.  It is the first LEED certified restored building in Ohio.

The SMHA has a solid commitment to energy conservation.  Several local organizations, specializing in energy and environmental conservation, contributed to the buildings overall construction, interior design and amenities, resulting in a cutting-edge facility that is energy efficient and environmentally responsible.

With its commitment to energy conservation and renewable energy, the SMHA designed The Metropolitan Centre based on the stringent standards of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System.  The SMHA used state-of-the-art strategies for the site development, water savings, energy efficiency, material selection and indoor environmental quality.  Using a green building design, The Metropolitan Centre balances environmental responsibility, resource efficiency, occupant comfort and well-being.

The progressive and innovative approach to designing and constructing the Metropolitan Centre included the following robust Green features:

• Solar Power
• Solar Parking Lot Lighting
• Day Lighting
• Geothermal Heat Pumps
• High Efficiency Windows
• Heat Recovery Wheels
• High Efficiency Roofing
• Low Volatile organize compounds (VOCs) in the construction materials
• Water Conserving Fixtures

In addition to energy conservation the SMHA has a strong commitment to its mission statement.  The mission statement includes as an objective that the center should contribute to the revitalization of  Downtown Canton.  The Stark MHA recently spent several million dollars to renovate Cherrie Turner Towers, a public housing senior citizen high-rise with 134 units.  Adjacent to Cherrie Turner Towers were two buildings owned by the Knights of Columbus.  The Knights of Columbus chapter organization still occupied one of the buildings.  The other building had been vacant for approximately 15 years and had deteriorated.  As supported by the demographic assessment, this was determined to be an excellent location for The Metropolitan Centre.

As a result, The Stark MHA purchased both buildings and the adjacent property.  A long-term lease is in place to permit the Knights of Columbus to continue to use a portion of the space for their meetings, etc., thus keeping this activity in the Downtown area.

The Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority is excited to take this elegant step into the 21^st century and affirm its commitment to their mission statement and energy conservation.