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Heavy hitters oppose redevelopment project
(by Mike Klimko - August 13, 2008)
Heavy hitters oppose redevelopment project
By MIKE KLIMKO
A former councilman and a longtime businessman in Solon joined a group of rezoning opponents late last month to mount a campaign against the Coral Co.'s redevelopment proposal in the city.
Solon Road resident Richard Gortz said Monday he was asked to be a spokesman by Sedlak Interiors founder and owner John Sedlak for the group that opposes the Central Park project.
Mr. Gortz, a zoning consultant, has dealt in public service in Solon since the late 1970s. He spent 12 years on the planning commission, including eight as chairman, and eight years on City Council.
He has advised developers on various projects in Solon, he said, and is a member of a group of residents opposing Central Park, which includes core members of Solon Residents Against Rezoning.
Mr. Sedlak said he refused to participate in the redevelopment of the property adjacent to his store on Solon Road. Purchase contracts pending with other property owners are contingent on approval by voters for planned-unit development covering about 90 acres east of SOM Center Road (Route 91) between Bainbridge and Solon roads.
"Only one man is going to reap the benefit of that project," Mr. Sedlak said. "We don't need it. We have great homes in Solon. We have great schools. The traffic is horrible. The project will just bring in more. The city is full of foreclosures. There's about 600, from what the mayor tells me."
Assurances by the developer of Central Park regarding improved traffic flow, increased property values, uncertainty of financing for the project and a slumping economy boil down to a question of credibility, Mr. Gortz said.
Traffic is already difficult during the daily rush hours, he said. For example, making left turns from restaurants on Kruse Drive aggravates customers, Mr. Gortz said. No one wants to sit through three lights, so they'll stay away, and the restaurants will suffer, he said.
"I got another mailer today from Peter Rubin about how the traffic will improve and property values will go up," Mr. Gortz said of the Coral Co.'s president and chief executive officer. "What they're doing is putting in a magnet that will pull in tens of thousands of cars. Traffic will be impossible," he said.
"They have studies by experts. This defies credibility. They show four intersections. That will slow traffic. Merchants will see what they saw happen on Mayfield Road. There will be all kinds of truck traffic to service the shops and a grocery store," Mr. Gortz said.
Plans to build 555 residential units at Central Park would be a net gain of about 470 units over the number of homes that will be torn down by the developers, he said.
"It's a bad plan," Mr. Gortz said. "My concern is and the concern of a lot of people is they're pushing the retail community to the rear of the bus. This will destroy the character of the community. Residents are concerned with seeing five years of roads being torn up to build a shopping center. I don't see how the other two shopping centers are going to make it if this comes in," he said.
"People have their eyes open for the newest and brightest. No one wants to know what this is going to do to the lifestyle of the community. I moved here when this was a small town. I've seen a lot of changes. We'll lose the uniqueness of the community. This will be just another part of the megalopolis," Mr. Gortz said.
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