The School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and the Audiology and Speech Center are housed in the Polsky Building, located on West Campus, at the corner of Main and State Streets. The Polsky Building was formerly one of two major department stores in downtown Akron.
The Polsky Building site had originally been intended for a hotel planned by a group of investors headed by F.A. Seiberling. They had cleared the existing buildings from the land and blasted through solid rock to excavate the basement when the depression of 1921-23 scuttled the hotel plans. Bert A. and Harry O. Polsky, who operated their late father's store further North on Main Street, bought the famous hole in the ground and began construction of the present building on October 20, 1929, completing the structure late in the Summer of 1930 for a reported $2.1 million. Polsky's opened for business September 16, 1930. The store went out of business in 1978. The University of Akron acquired the building in 1987.
The renovated building is the largest academic building in Ohio and the largest construction project ever undertaken by The University of Akron. More than 5,000 people visit the building daily for classes, business, and services.
The School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Audiology and Speech Center occupy a large section of the first floor. The facility is three times the size of the School's former location in West Hall. The new space offers faculty and students many new opportunities for teaching and providing clinical services.
There are 15 treatment and consultation rooms, three audiology suites for testing patients, two suites for teaching and research, space for hearing aid fabrication lab and repair shop, a clinic business office and numerous faculty offices and meeting rooms.
Among the new features are:
