Is Westgate Mall gone?
By Brad Miklosovic
Rocky River
Published Jan. 26, 2005

Mayor William F. Knoble has informed the Richard E. Jacobs Group that he is opposed to a proposed plan to demolish Westgate Mall.

The Jacobs Group met with Knoble and Economic Director Kory Koran Jan. 5 to discuss the fate of the mall. Knoble said they were told that the Jacobs Group intended to demolish the mall, except for Kohl's Department store. The project would include three large box stores and an "Avon Commons type" of outdoor retail space.

Officially, the Jacobs Group would not comment on any proposed project. Spokesman William Fullington said, "The Jacobs Group has been working a long time on redeveloping Westgate Mall in a way that the residents of Rocky River, Fairview Park and the surrounding area would benefit (from)."

Knoble said the proposed plan would reduce the square footage of the mall from the current 700,000 square feet to approximately 500,000 square feet and that the mall would be torn down in 2006 and rebuilt and reopened in 2007.

The Jacob Group, the mayor said, was making the change because they claim that the upscale shopping demographic has been covered by Crocker Park and Westfield Shoppingtown Great Northern.

Knoble disagrees.

"I do not believe the upscale market is satisfied by Crocker Park and Great Northern, as you have stated," Knoble said in a letter to James F. Eppele, vice-president of real estate development for the Jacobs Group. "Properly marketed, Westgate is an ideal location for small specialty shops, whether local or national chains."

The city also has some concerns about the amount of traffic any redevelopment would have on the city's infrastructure.

Since Westgate isn't located near any Interstates, consumers must travel through Rocky River to get to the mall. There are no Interstate off ramps in Fairview Park.

"All streets leading to Westgate are residential, except Center Ridge Road itself, and even it is residential west of Spencer Road," Knoble wrote. "The increased traffic caused by regional 'big-box' stores would severely impact our fine neighborhoods."

Traffic has been a continual concern for Knoble.

"The number one complaint I receive is from too much traffic," Knoble said. "Residents complain that streets are being used as through streets from I-90 to Center Ridge Road. It has been a continual problem since Target opened."

Knoble said that the streets between I-90 and Center Ridge Road are all residential streets and none are commercial. He didn't believe the city could limit traffic on any of the residential streets, like Shaker Heights attempted to do several years ago.

"Where would the traffic go?" the mayor asked. "There are no commercial streets between I-90 and Center Ridge Road."

The possible increase in crime likewise worries Knoble.

"With increased traffic, there is increased criminal activity," the mayor said. "They will come out on to Center Ridge Road, whether we want them to or not."

Knoble stated that "the ability of our police and fire departments to meet the needs of a 'big-box' center will challenged under our mutual aid pact with Fairview Park, yet the city of Rocky River will receive little if any additional revenue."

Another concern was the impact a "big-box" store would have on established businesses in Rocky River.

"If one of the stores were to be a Lowe's, what would the impact be on Home Depot or Ingersoll's?" Knoble asked. "Why do we need two major retailers within a mile of each other? One would eventually be empty and then we are back to where we started."

Knoble said if a Wal-Mart were to open, it would impact on a variety of stores in Rocky River. But he also pointed out that the Jacobs Group hasn't named any possible tenants for the project and he was only using Wal-Mart and Lowe's as examples.

Jennifer Smith, a spokeswoman for Lowe's, said company policy is not to comment on any development projects until the deal is closed. She said therefore, she can't comment on whether Lowe's is looking at the site.

"We are looking at potential development in the state (Ohio). Other than that I can't say anything until a deal is closed," Smith said.

Wal-Mart officials did not return calls for comment.

There are also concerns about what effect any possible Fairview Park tax abatement would have on the Rocky River schools.

"They have abated their own city for the past seven years," Knoble said. "That would reduce the income for the schools."

Westgate Mall and some of the surrounding area, while located in Fairview Park, are in the Rocky River School District.

Ward One Councilman Robert Frost echoed the mayor's concerns, adding he would like to see Westgate redeveloped and "be a vibrant contributor to our schools' tax base."

But tax abatement concerns Frost.

"That for me is the biggest downside, over and above the other factors," he said. "To have the burden on the infrastructure, the commercial threat to our local businesses and the lack of taxes because of tax abatement makes it all downside."

Council President Pamela Bobst said the city would need to review the impact of any possible redevelopment.

"The health of Westgate is important to both Rocky River and Fairview Park, not to mention the Center Ridge Road corridor," Bobst said. "We would want to look closely at any possible impact development would have."

Fairview Park Mayor Eileen Patton couldn't be reached for comment.

Fairview Park officials indicated the city would take any redevelopment in stride.

"I'm always in favor of economic development in a viable mall," Patton said earlier this month, before the plans for demolition were made public.

Officials recognize the recent store closings and decline in mall traffic. They also acknowledge that the Jacobs Group can make whatever changes they want as long as they comply with the zoning and building codes.

Patton, who noted Westgate was her favorite place to shop, said the decline in the mall's popularity was disheartening.

"It's slowly creeping away," she said. "And it's sad."

Patton said the property is an important source of revenue for the city and that her administration would work diligently with the owner in any redevelopment.

"We're very interested in the site in keeping it retail," she said.

Ward 4 Councilman William Westfall, noting that Westgate began as an open-air strip mall before being covered over, said last week he didn't think there would be opposition to a redevelopment plan at Westgate.

"People take change," he said.

Ward 3 Councilman Fred Gauthier noted that a new Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant is planned for the corner of Center Ridge Road and West 210th Street. "If the thought was that (that location) was going to die, they wouldn't put it there," he said last week.

Knoble said there were other issues regarding noise, aesthetics and community pride he wanted to discuss with the Jacobs Group.