Sheetz, O'Charley's Get Green Light
City Council agrees to rezone land at Whitney and Pearl for both businesses
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Plans for a Sheetz gas station and O'Charley's restaurant got a stamp of a approval from City Council Monday.
Council voted unanimously to rezone land at the corner of Pearl and Whitney roads for the new restaurant, and 6-1 in favor of rezoning another parcel for Sheetz.
"Despite a lot of fears, there will not be adverse impacts" on things like traffic, said Bruce Rinker, attorney for the developers.
A number of residents have objected to Sheetz, saying the gas station and car wash will add to traffic problems on Pearl and Whitney. Others said a gas station is not consistent with the original plans -- and their hopes -- for that corner.
At least one city official agrees. Councilman at large Joe DeMio voted against the Sheetz rezoning, saying the new plan is "a step down" from what was initially envisioned there.
"The original concept that was laid out there is what I'd like to see," DeMio said. "I think it was the way to go."
Residents were initially promised a major retail project, to be called Renaissance Park, that would include a grocery store and a mix of other retail and restaurants by original developer David Lewanski, who in late 2005 said he had commitments from Lowe's, Bed Bath & Beyond and Circuit City to locate there.
The concept was a smaller version of a development like Crocker Park.
Lowe's and GFS have been constructed so far. Circuit City is out of business, and Bed Bath & Beyond built a store at the Plaza at SouthPark.
Lewanski ran into financial trouble, as did his successor, the Toledo-based Timberstone development group, which also abandoned the project when it ran into financial obstacles in 2009.
The land sat idle, tied up in foreclosures, until January 2012, when WXZ Development Inc. introduced the plans to develop the vacant land in front of Lowe's.
Rinker said traffic studies show that Sheetz would capture passing traffic, but would not add to the number of vehicles at the corner.
He also said the Sheetz and O'Charley's would "lay the foundation for future development in that area," with another 110,000 square feet of retail stores expected there.
The Nashville, TN-based O'Charley's chain is seeking to construct a 6,400-square-foot eatery that would seat about 200 on the other side of the access road from GFS.
O'Charley's operates more than 230 restaurants in the United States, including one in Cuyahoga Falls. There are also O'Charley's restaurants in Canal Winchester (just outside Columbus), Boardman, Niles and Cincinnati.
Sheetz would go at the corner of Whitney and Pearl. Another Sheetz already operates on Prospect and Royalton roads.
Timberstone's other Strongsville project, a Kindercare on an outlot at SouthPark Mall, was also abandoned mid-construction. The property has since been purchased by a restaurant owner.
In This article
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Sheetz
21034 Royalton Rd, Strongsville, OH -
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Gordon Food Service Marketplace
8789 Pearl Rd, Strongsville, OH -
Bed Bath & Beyond
16700 Royalton Rd, Strongsville, OH -
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Lowe's
9149 Pearl Rd, Strongsville, OH -
O'Charley's
283 Howe Ave, Cuyahoga Falls, OH -
SouthPark Mall
500 Southpark Ctr, Strongsville, OH -
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rollington
11:03 am on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
"Rinker said traffic studies show that Sheetz would capture passing traffic, but would not add to the number of vehicles at the corner."
The issue isn't so much additional cars as it is where those cars will be going. There will be a deceleration lane on Pearl to turn right into Sheetz, which is good. But coming the other way there will be cars stacked up in the middle turn lane, which is already crowded with people waiting to turn left onto Whitney, and already presents a problem during rush hour with opposing traffic wanting to turn left at South Drive or Gas & Food.
If you're at Sheetz and need to go south on Pearl, you will have to exit the gas station onto Whitney Rd and immediately jump over to the left turn lane. And again, especially during rush hour there is already a good amount of traffic backed up at this light. I'm not looking forward to the addition of Sheetz's entrances to this area I drive daily.
Strongsvillite
8:00 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Sheetz will be better than shady Gas N Food USA which Strongsville will not give a beer permit to bc of their failed building inspections.
You won't be able to turn into sheetz directly from the Southward side of pearl, the entranced is sloped to only allow north flowing traffic, there will be a back up at the seldom used light infront of GFS.
As to Whitney, when did it have 2 lanes of traffic going west? The single lane does divide near the light for a left turn and a straight/right turn lane. I don't see where the 2 lanes of traffic will be an issue.
Trust me you'll love sheetz, stop in and get a coffee on your way to work, or pick up some MTOs for dinner when you are running later and no one wants to make dinner.
It is a different day and age from what was promised. I don't see many new retailer building spaces and tenants actually filling them, if you want retail space unfilled go to the other side of Strongsville on Pearl.
lyn
8:09 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Maybe on the southwest corner they could get a BP and that could handle cars going the other way. That corner is really much better suited for a gas station and accompanying convenient store. Its more isolated and off by itself. That would have been much better for Sheetz.
rollington
9:50 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
@Strongsvillite -- The left turn lane from Whitney onto Pearl beings as far back as Chestnut Lake Apartments, and the multi-direction center turn lane goes all the way to Cherry Tree Village, so that's the lane I was referring to; I didn't mean to imply there were two full lanes of steady traffic heading west.
According to the rendering posted with this article, Sheetz will have an exit across from the driveway for Rose Garden Apartments. So to head south on Pearl, you'll have to cross cross the through/right-turn lane. Not a big deal IF traffic isn't heavy or cars aren't backed up at the light, as people do that on 4-lane roads all the time. Of course another option would be to exit over by GFS and wait to turn left there (and personally, I'm hoping that's the option most people choose!).
Also, I've been to Sheetz plenty of times, so you don't need to try and sell me on that. ;) And I'm not a fan of Gas & Food either, even though they now feature gas pumps manufactured in this century. I was merely speaking to the volume of traffic on Whitney Road combined with the proximity of the Sheetz entrances. In looking at the rendering again, it's good to know people won't be able to make a free left turn into Sheetz from Pearl and will instead have to use the Broxton light.
Jean Williams
10:19 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Yes Lyn I agree A BP would be a good fit across the street< The city should get rid of all the trash from the north end no more blight and no more riff-raff (that would make that Lisa Happy)
Pete
5:02 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
As someone who lives in this part of town I don't want a Sheetz. I think Circle K could expand to be like other stores and demolish the motel right next door to make it happen. Then this lot and sots where the motels are could be used for retail or restaurants since we don't many eateries in this part of town. Baskin Robbins and Dunkin Donuts could still be built. Since we have no restaurants over here I'm fine with O'Charley's going across from Circle K on the Whitney side and retail places going on the Pearl side..