The Theken Terminal Building at Akron Fulton Airport is on the market for $4 million, offering a buyer a rare shot at owning a restored piece of Akron's aviation past complete with direct airside access to Akron Fulton Airport. The 15,014-square-foot Art Deco landmark sits on roughly 2.7 acres and has been converted into Class A office space while keeping its original architectural character intact.
According to Crain's Cleveland Business, the owner is asking $4 million for the terminal. The listing, handled by commercial brokerage Hoff and Leigh, was also detailed by Akron.com, which reported that the property at 1800 Triplett Blvd. is being offered at that price.
One of the building's most distinctive features, per the same account, is its direct airside access to Akron Fulton Airport — a rarity among commercial office buildings anywhere. In its original life, the terminal served as an airport administration building, near the Goodyear Air Dock, amid Akron's airship and dirigible history.
A Dirigible-Era Landmark With Disputed Origins
Sources differ on exactly when the terminal was built. Akron.com reports it was originally constructed in 1931, while Ideastream Public Media has reported it was built in 1929 as a terminal for dirigibles flying into Akron. Either way, the building's roots trace back to the city's brief but famous era as an airship manufacturing and travel center.
Current owner Randy Theken bought the property in 2005 and spent two years restoring it, Ideastream reported. The rehabilitation effort, which Akron.com says began that same year, earned a Distinguished Preservation Achievement Award from the Cleveland Restoration Society and a Best Commercial Rehabilitation Award from Heritage Ohio. The restored terminal is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, according to Akron.com's reporting.
Owner Hopes History Stays Intact
Theken has said he hopes to find a buyer who is as committed to preserving this slice of Akron history as he has been, according to Ideastream's earlier report on the sale. That outlet first noted in September that the terminal would cost $4 million to acquire, a figure that has held steady into the current listing described by Crain's Cleveland Business.
For now, the building stands as both office space and artifact — a Class A workplace with a runway view and a past stretching back to the age of airships. Whoever buys it will be taking on not just a 2.7-acre property but a piece of the story of how Akron once helped define American aviation.
