Mall renovation plan moving forward
By Jeff Gallatin
North Olmsted
Published Aug. 12, 2009

A multi-million dollar proposal for renovating the Westfield Great Northern Mall cleared another hurdle after the Board of Zoning Appeals approved variances for signs for the project.

Board members last Thursday approved a compromise measure on the proposal after about three-and-a-half hours of discussion on the proposal. When it was apparent some BZA members had specific concerns about the size and placement of different parts of the sign package, Evan Vlaeminck, the corporate development manager for Westfield, asked for a five-minute recess so the mall officials could consider possible compromises.

Corporate and area Great Northern officials adjourned to the City Council caucus room to discuss possible options. After the recess, the mall officials altered the size of the “W” and other related portions of a Westfield sign.

They also dropped a sign below the roofline. Several BZA members had expressed major concerns about both issues in the discussion prior to the recess.

Vlaeminck later said the mall officials felt the need to make the compromises and get the sign package approved.

“Compromises happen as part of negotiations,” he said. “This is something that we could do to try and make this work.”

In the proposal, mall officials will relocate the food court to the area outside Dick’s sporting goods. In turn, a big-box store is slated to go onto the area where the current food court is. All the existing businesses and offices above the food court as well the eateries can go to other locations in the mall. Mall General Manager Kurt Reddick said the businesses have all been offered other locations if they want to relocate.

“We’re trying to make this the best possible situation for everybody,” Vlaeminck said.

He again declined to cite a specific business for the big-box store, citing the delicate nature of ongoing negotiations.

By dropping one sign below the roof line, mall officials stopped the need for a specific variance for that.

By altering the size of the “W,” mall officials took away one of the concerns expressed by board members about how  the sign is viewed and perceived. Some board members said the larger sign was too much and unnecessary for letting motorists and other people know they were coming to a Westfield Mall.

With the compromise, city building officials will have to review portions of the new plan. Dale Mitchell of the building department noted earlier in the meeting that variances have been granted for other development at the mall in recent years, such as when Macy’s was added or the Hairy Buffalo restaurant. After the change, Mitchell said he would be reviewing the changes.

Vlaeminck said he would be discussing the changes in the proposals with the one possible tenant as part of the negotiations and said he couldn’t tell at this point if it would affect negotiations.

With the approval, the matter returns to the Municipal Planning and Design Commission for further consideration at its meeting slated for 7:30 p.m. tonight in the City Council Chambers at North Olmsted City Hall.

Chairman John Lasko said with the BZA approval, he would expect the proposal to keep moving forward.

“We’ll be discussing it again at Wednesday’s meeting, and I would have every expectation that the mall officials have discussed some of the concerns and issues that we addressed in the first meeting,” said Lasko. “I would expect a good discussion and have every expectation that ultimately we will be moving this matter forward for full consideration by the City Council.”

Mall officials have said if they gain full city approval, they would like to begin actual work by the end of the year.

On the Web:

• Westfield Great Northern Shopping Mall

Previous West Life article:

• Mall proposes multi-million-dollar upgrade (July 29, 2009)