Politics & Government
Cleveland Heights Trying To Redevelop Severance Town Center
City officials issued a request for proposals for redevelopment on Friday. The city wants to revitalize the half-vacant shopping complex.
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — Cleveland Heights officials want to redevelop the Severance Town Center shopping complex.
Last week, Cleveland Heights City Council authorized a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the preparation of a redevelopment plan for Severance, the city's largest business district at approximately 57 acres.
Severance is currently home to Home Depot, Dave's Market, OfficeMax and Marshalls, but the mall is only partially occupied. In a statement issued on Friday, city officials said Severance is a, "commercial strip center that has seen an overall decline in economic vitality over a number of years."
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Currently, Severance has about a 50 percent vacancy rate. There are 40 storefronts at the complex, and 22 are empty — representing more than 286,000 square feet of vacant space. Cleveland Heights officials added there are "a number of outstanding property condition violations that have been issued by the City,"according to the RFP.
Cleveland Heights officials have wanted to redevelop Severance since early 2017, when rebuilding and re-branding the shopping complex was added to the city's Master Plan. Officials hope to create a walkable mixed-use complex out of Severance. The city is projecting a gradual population boom between 2019 and 2021, which could increase the chances of success for a revitalized Severance.
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Companies submitting Redevelopment Plans to the city are expected to include recommendations on future land use, zoning, design standards and a detailed market study which can be used to attract a development partner.
"Redevelopment of this critical site is being pursued to provide significant amenities and opportunities for economic growth, and to once again establish Severance Town Center as one of the City's most popular and vibrant commercial areas," the city said in a statement.
Responses to the Request for Proposal are due by July 31. The entire RFP can be viewed online.
According to the RFP, Severance is owned by Namdar Realty and is managed by MasonAsset Management.
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