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Giant Eagle gets green light to move ahead
(by Sue Reid - April 05, 2012)
Giant Eagle gets green light to move ahead
By SUE REID
Thank yous and appreciation went all around Monday following City Council’s approval of a site plan for the Giant Eagle redevelopment and associated zoning variances and contingencies.
Mayor Susan A. Drucker expressed appreciation to Echo Solon for making a “huge investment in us.
“It’s a long-awaited project and we are very excited,” Mrs. Drucker said.
“This will spur other redevelopments of our aging shopping centers,” Councilman Edward H. Kraus added.
An expanded Giant Eagle supermarket, measuring 92,000 square feet is slated for 2013 and is the plaza’s anchor tenant at the shopping center at SOM Center (Route 91) and Aurora (Route 43) roads.
A Get-Go gas station, which is associated with the Pittsburgh-based supermarket chain, is also to be built on the site in conjunction with it.
Also as part of the redevelopment, to begin this year, will be a new 11,689 square-foot retail out-parcel building which will be located to the rear of the Fifth Third Bank and DO Sommers building. Approximately 70 percent of the 143,157 square foot plaza will be torn down, and 29,644 square feet will be preserved with a new facade.
Echo will take ownership of the plaza, Phil Bishop, vice president of Echo Development, said. There is an April 12 deadline stipulated by the Perlick-Caplin family, which currently owns the plaza, for its sale to Echo. The contracts will be finalized soon.
“It’s been a lot of hard work to date, and we look forward to being here long term,” Mr. Bishop said.
“This is something I would not think would happen, and it’s such a wonderful thing for the city,” Councilwoman Nancy E. Meany said of the project.
Councilman Richard A. Bell thanked Mrs. Drucker and her administration for all of their work, as well as City Planning Director Robert S. Frankland, City Engineer John J. Busch and Law Director Thomas Lobe.
“This could have gone bad a year or two ago but it all came together and it is a wonderful thing for the city,” Mr. Bell said.
“The city needs it, and it’s great news,” Councilman William D. Mooney said. “It’s a wonderful project.”
Councilman William I. Russo also thanked everyone involved in making the Giant Eagle project come to fruition.
Mr. Kraus gave special commendation to Mr. Frankland for his steadfastness and ability to work with people.
“Thank you for your commitment to Solon,” Mrs. Drucker added to Echo representatives.
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