UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — The city’s Planning Commission last week approved plans for the John Carroll University Gateway North project planned for the site at Fairmount Circle, between Warrensville Center Road, John Carroll Boulevard, and Milford Road.
Standing five stories high, the structure will include retail on the first floor and JCU student living accommodations above. The retail floor will include a specialty grocer, and perhaps a restaurant.
The gross building area will measure 157,000 square feet. Included will be one- ,two-, three- and four-bedroom residences totaling 355 beds in 99 units.
The retail space will measure a total of 27,940 square feet of gross building area.
Speaking about the identity of the specialty grocer, Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan said, “I can’t say yet who it is, but it’s a well-known one.”
The coming of another grocer, he said, will “mean that, when the Gateway project is completed, University Heights, at 1.8 square miles, will have five grocery stores.”
In addition to the Gateway store, those would include Whole Foods; Heinen’s; the Target store, which sells groceries; and the Aldi store in the planning stages for the Waterstone Professional Building site at 14077 Cedar Road, next door to Target and University Square.
The development plan also includes two parking lots, one will have 186 parking spaces and will accommodate the retail space shoppers. This lot will eliminate the college’s former commuter parking lot, which had 75 spaces.
The other parking lot will have 224 spaces and will be for students living in the Gateway residences.
Brennan said plans now call for ground to be broken on the Gateway North project in February.
“They (JCU) want to have this open for the fall semester of 2026,” he said.
“And, we’re hoping by the end of this year we’ll be able to officially announce the specialty grocer that will be the anchor of the retail area.”
Included in his weekly email update to residents sent out on Friday (Oct. 18), Brennan stated that the Planning Commission recommended to council the redevelopment plan, with contingencies. He added, “This site is currently home to a closed gas station and a soon-to-be-closed tire shop.
“The proposed project aims to transform the area by adding modern student housing above a boutique grocery store, a restaurant, and additional retail spaces. It will also provide much-needed parking for both shoppers and students.”
Brennan closed his email by writing that the council would have that recommendation on its agenda for Monday (Oct. 21) night’s meeting for a possible vote on approving the plan. That, however, did not happen.
“(JCU) wanted it first to go to the ARB (city’s Architectural Review Board) and the BZA (the city’s Board of Zoning Approvals) before it came to council,” Brennan said on Monday. “They asked for the delay.”
Both boards will be meeting in the second week of November.
JCU representatives first brought to City Council in December, 2022, phased plans for redevelopment of the gateway leading to the front of the school, off John Carroll Boulevard. One of those phases, it was stated at the time, would involve the storefronts on the south side of John Carroll Boulevard that include CVS/Pharmacy, 13956 Cedar Road.
For a complete look at the Gateway North plans, visit the city’s web site.
The Gateway North project map.VOCON
Aldi
Aldi representatives were before the Planning Commission this month with plans for building on the Waterstone Building site, and Brennan said their presentation was “well-received.”
“The variances (Aldi) needs are few, maybe three, all very minor” Brennan said. “And there are additional features they’re willing to put in to increase bicycle parking by pushing back the building (from Cedar Road).”
Brennan said plans would put bicycle parking along the Miramar Boulevard side of the property, as it is believed that most bicycle riders will be coming to Aldi from the neighborhoods south of Cedar Road and using Miramar as a travel route.
Brennan said Aldi has an option to purchase the property that extends to the end of 2024. Huntington Bank has a branch at the building and a lease that doesn’t end until at least the final day of 2025. Aldi could choose to work out a deal to end that lease sooner.
But, speaking of Huntington, Brennan said, ”Until their lease ends, they have a right to be there. They want to be in our community and we want them here.
“So whatever we can do to help them find where they want to be next, we’ll do, so we can keep them in close proximity to their customers.”
Brennan said it appears that the soonest Aldi would have the Waterstone Building demolished so that ground can be broken would be early in 2026.
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