Cleveland Heights Looking To Develop More City Property

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — Cleveland Heights city officials would like someone to develop a plot of property on Lee Road, near Meadowbrook Bouelvard. City council, last week, issued a Request for Qualifications and Preliminary Development Proposals (RFQ/RFP) for 2223 Lee Road, property currently owned by the city.

The city wants the area to be used for a pedestrian-friendly commercial, office, residential or potentially mixed-use development, according to the RFQ, but remains consistent with surrounding architectural choices in terms of style.

Historically, the site has been home to gas stations. In the 1940s, there were actually two gas stations on the lot. In the 1950s and 1960s, one of the gas stations was replaced by a bank and a parking lot. That building and the parking lot were removed in 2005, the city said.

To read the city's full RFQ, click here.

This development would be part of the Cedar Lee District, which features a variety of stores, restaurants and entertainment options, as well as the CHUH Lee Road Library. The city said it thinks this development could enhance the Cedar Lee District's prestige and business opportunities.

Proposals for the plot will be accepted until April 16, 2018. "At the conclusion of the evaluation process, which is to include interviews with selected development teams and presentations by finalists to City Council, the City anticipates entering into a Memorandum of Understanding followed by a Development Agreement with the selected development partner that will outline the roles and responsibilities of each party and establish timelines for completing the development," the city said in a statement posted to its website.

The city is hoping to ride a development wave into the next few years. Cleveland Heights recently announced that the $75-million Top of the Hill project is moving forward. That project will develop a four acre site at the corner of Cedar Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard, at the top of the Cedar Hill. The city believes this area is a gateway into Cleveland Heights and its development could benefits both the city and neighboring communities.

The developed site could include market-rate luxury apartments, retail and restaurant space, a nationally branded or boutique hotel, structured parking and possibly town homes or Class A office components.

Photo from Google Earth