AKRON, Ohio — Travel down Akron's Main Street and you'll find the Polsky Building. Currently owned by the University of Akron , this brick-and-glass structure may look closed off from the community, but that wasn't always the case. Decades ago, it welcomed shoppers to Polsky's Department Store, a true hub of downtown life.

"And certainly was an epicenter of fashion and retail, for decades until it closed in the mid-70s and then at one point was gifted to the University of Akron,” Robert Nemer, president of the University of Akron, told 3News. “Four of our five colleges currently have operations out of this building, which is tremendous."

Now, the university is leading a $31 million effort to modernize the building, better connecting it to the vibrancy of Main Street.

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