Akron鈥檚 North Hill neighborhood is celebrating the opening of a combination and Bhutanese cultural center tonight It鈥檚 believed to be the first-of-its-kind in the country. WKSU鈥檚 M.L. Schultze has more on s 鈥淓xchange House.鈥�
Like a lot of inner city structures, the 1913 frame house a block off of North Main Street stood vacant for years before the nonprofit Better Block bought it for $23,000.
Another $55,000 has transformed it into a three-bedroom hostel open to anyone -- and a gathering place for some of the thousands of Bhutanese refugees who have settled in the area. Better Block鈥檚 Katie Beck says it鈥檚 being marketed as 鈥淟ittle Bhutan in Akron鈥� and the first reservation is already in 鈥� a French family arriving in August.
鈥淭hey can stay in one of the rooms for a good price and then be able walk downstairs where it鈥檚 an arts and culture space for refugees and immigrants in the area. So we鈥檙e tryng to have ESL classes, performances, concerts anything that the community wants to use the space for.鈥�
The rooms are currently listed at less than $30. The first concert will be Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring the
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