An engineering report citing serious structural damages, including falling concrete, prompted Akron (Ohio) Children's Hospital to permanently close its 656-space parking deck, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
The engineering report, which was commissioned by the hospital after reports of falling concrete, found several concerns with the 46-year-old parking structure. The hospital had planned to replace the structure in a few years.
To mitigate the lack of parking in the short-term, the hospital plans to expand valet services and is working with the city of Akron to find alternative parking on city-owned lots.
"We regret the inconvenience this causes everyone … whether it is for a doctor's appointment or a lab/radiology test, as well as our nearly 300 employees who park in the Locust Parking Deck," Akron Children's President Grace Wakulchik, MSN, told the Akron Beacon Journal. "But we approached this decision just as we would approach a medical issue — we felt the need to act upon this information as quickly as possible to avoid harm."