Twinsburgbulletin.com - Fashion Place clears township zoning hurdle

by Andrew Schunk

Editor

Twinsburg Township -- A combination open-air and enclosed mall that developers say could bring 1,200 jobs to the city and township has moved one step closer to a reality.

Trustees on July 16 approved 3-0 the rezoning of 40 acres east of Hadden Road and south of Interstate 480 in the township for the $150 million Fashion Place, a nearly 800,000-square-foot mall that could be home to retail businesses, restaurants and medical offices.

The rezoning changes approximately 20 acres in the township from commercial to interchange mixed use, and 20 acres in the North Park, South Park and East Park roads area from single family residential to interchange mixed use.

The new zoning designation created by the resolution -- interchange mixed use -- also would allow for medical research facilities, as well as government, office and technology uses within the development, said Township Manager Rob Kagler.

"I am guardedly optimistic," said Trustee Carol Gasper. "The economy is awful right now. But we have protections in place for our residents and ... this would be good for the city and the township."

The entire development, Kagler explained, will span approximately 100 acres, with 60 acres of the development located in the city. No rezoning is required in the city, as the land already is zoned commercial and allows for such developments.

"The township has been very proactive for this development to be a good fit," said Trustee Tom Schmidt. "We have put in place a number of safeguards to protect our residents through a grueling and thorough process from our zoning commission."

According to developer Dr. Bahman Guyuron, a plastic surgeon with University Hospitals and chairperson of the Plastic Surgery Department at Case Western Reserve University, the mall will be a state-of-the-art facility.

"A hybrid mall like this in this part of the country does not exist," Guyuron said. "This is an incredible opportunity we want to take advantage of ... and I am very optimistic we will get first-class tenants."

Trustees have said they would like to see a Joint Economic Development District established between the township and city for the property, which is the only way the township could glean a portion of the estimated $570,000 per year in income taxes from the mall's retail and office workers.

The township could see as much as $2.3 million in property taxes, of which $22,000 would go to the city, $274,000 would go to the township and $2 million would go to the Twinsburg Schools, according to Kagler.

Approximately 30 township residents attended a final public hearing to discuss the rezoning and development July 9, voicing concerns about property values, traffic and access roads from the development on to the residential neighborhood on nearby Hadden Road.

"The zoning commission appears to have taken to heart the things we intended for our protection," Eaton Street resident Christ Hill said at the hearing.

According to land developer Stephen Moluse, director of site planning for K.A. Inc. land planners, within six to eight months Guyuron and fellow developer, the Glimcher Co., could present officials in the city and township with more specific plans for the development.

E-mail: aschunk@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3170