A successful transplant
Ken Babby lives and works in downtown. The 35-year-old owner of the Akron RubberDucks moved to Akron in 2012 from Washington D.C. “I’m accustomed to living in big cities. I’m from Washington D.C., I spent time living up in Boston earlier in my career and literally moved from an apartment where I was living downtown in Washington D.C., a few blocks from the White House, to an environment like Akron and it was a little scary at first,” says Babby.
A few years down the road, Babby feels fully at home in his place at Northside Lofts and in Akron. “Northside Lofts is a wonderful community. I was fortunate enough to learn about it when I moved to Akron and I’m just very thankful to be part of such a great community downtown.”
Babby now lives and works in downtown, where he says he is happy to have landed. “I’m very proud to be a resident of Akron, Ohio.”
Describe your home for us.
I was really looking for a modern feel and found that in the Northside Lofts. Not only was the building created with tremendous amenities — a world-class restaurant downstairs with DBA, plans for a hotel [that will be] terrific for guests that I have coming from out of town and friends that occasionally come visit me — but also the apartment that I live in is perfect. It has a large, spacious living and dining area.
It’s fun and overlooks the parks, so it’s really the best of both worlds for me.
What drew you to the downtown area?
First and foremost there’s sort of a wonderful revitalization and vibrance that has played out downtown in a really meaningful way. I think that part of what we’ve been able to do at Canal Park is to really restore entertainment and make it a destination for people in the community. I really wanted to be part of that not through just my work commitment, but also through my personal commitment. I’m very lucky to be in a community that really values the importance of having a vibrant and fun downtown. I really couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
What are a few of your favorite spots to hangout?
It has to be Canal Park and the RubberDucks games. My favorite restaurant in town is the Game Grill+Bar.
Would you encourage people to move downtown?
The proximity to what’s happening downtown between Lock 3, the new hotels, wonderful restaurants, the entertainment options, the new Mustard Seed [location], there’s so much happening in our community. In my opinion there’s no better place to be than downtown and the Northside Lofts provides you with wonderful urban downtown living.