Politics & Government

Plans for New Giant Eagle Before Solon Planning Commission Tonight

Echo Solon will present its plans to the Solon Planning Commission tonight at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Plans to redevelop Solar Shopping Center and build a new will require as many as 20 variances and approvals from the Solon Planning Commission, which will begin its consideration of the project tonight.

The commission will receive its first presentation on the plans from developer Echo Solon at its meeting tonight, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at .

Despite the high number of variances - for setbacks, green space, sign locations and others -- planning officials are supporting the project, seeing it as a way to redevelop one of Solon's aging shopping plazas and accomplish one of the goals of the city's master plan.

Find out what's happening in Solonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"If approved, the proposed Echo/Giant Eagle project would be the first redevelopment of a major shopping center in Solon's history," writes planning director Rob Frankland in a memo to the commission, later adding: "Projects of this type are not only desirable in order to adequately serve the long-term needs of the community, but are also essential, if the City is to address the growing problem of an increasingly aging commercial infrastructure."

Echo Solon's plans call for demolishing about 70 percent of the existing plaza and building a freestanding, 92,600 square foot Giant Eagle at the south side of the project site, located at the corner of SOM Center and Aurora roads.

Find out what's happening in Solonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The other 62,000 square feet of the plaza woud be upgraded and given a new facade and three new buildings will be constructed, including a Get-Go Gas Station.

Echo Solon, the developer of the project, has to move fast. The company has a purchase option for the site that expires in April.

Come back to Solon Patch tomorrow for more coverage of this development.

MORE COVERAGE:


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Solon