The downtown Akron skyline got a little bit of orange added to it on Friday.
Workers for PNC Bank began hoisting part of the Pittsburgh-based company’s logo and name to the top of the 23-story dark-brown building at South Main and Bowery streets in Akron.
The plan was to continue bringing up the individual letters on the Bowery side Friday — and continue for the next two weeks — but strong winds caused workers to stop installation, said PNC spokeswoman Kelly Amen.
The PNC building at Cascade Plaza is the second tallest in downtown Akron, but never had a bank’s brand atop it in its 47 years. It started out as Akron National Bank, which affiliated with BancOhio in 1970. National City Bank acquired BancOhio in 1984, and PNC acquired National City in 2008. Company officials received approval from the Akron Planning Commission this spring to install 10-foot-tall and 30-foot-wide skyline white lettering and the bank’s orange logo, or “powerlink” on all four sides of the building.
The bank operates its Akron market regional headquarters, which include a bank branch and six floors of employees including corporate and wealth bankers, in the building. The bank does not share the number of employees working in the downtown location.
The absence of skyline signs for PNC hasn’t been for lack of trying or desire, said Kevin Thompson, regional president for the Akron region and an Akron native. It’s actually been a technological issue — and came down to window-washing for the building that has no ledges. The bank worked with the sign and gondola company to design a gondola that will go over the building and stay over the building until it drops below the sign.
Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com.