Development Perking Up in Strongsville

Crystal Conte and her husband, Guerino, did something last month you don't hear too often lately -- they opened a new business.

Conte's Cafe, 11115 Prospect Rd., at the corner of Albion Road, is what Crystal calls an "old school" Italian coffee and dessert shop with homemade breakfast pastries in the morning, sandwiches at lunch and desserts all day, along with imported coffees and teas.

"It's been good so far," Crystal said. "We probably have about 30 regular customers already."

Their confidence in an up-turning economy is being echoed throughout Strongsville as the once-stagnant retail arena is showing new signs of life.

At last week's Planning Commission meeting, five businesses, including the Contes', sought permission to open, build or expand.

"It's a sign that things are turning around," said Carol Oprea, the city's planning secretary. "It's awesome."

Some of the activity:

• Lemonberry Frozen Yogurt, 12927 Pearl Rd., wants to add a 408-square-foot outdoor patio.

• is seeking to move into the lower floor of the former Bally building, 14783 Pearl Rd., filling a two-year-old vacancy in the defunct fitness facility.

• First Federal of Lakewood will build a three-tenant plaza next to Pizza Hut on Pearl Road that will house the bank, and another retailer.

• STEPS Center for Excellence in Autism, 21337 Drake Rd., is enlarging its business to treat older clients and is taking over another unit .

• chose Strongsville as one of its eight Ohio locations when it started selling cars in the United States again.

• An exercise studio called Elevated Fitness is planning to open on the upper floor of the former Bally building.

• An older strip center on Pearl Road that used to house and Page One Realty will be torn down and replaced with a new building.

• The Plaza at SouthPark continues to grow, with a Japanese restaurant opening there soon.

• Iron Chef Michael Symon chose Strongsville for his second t location. The burger-brat-and-beer restaurant opened in the Greens of Strongsville last month.

• opened its first northeast Ohio superstore here last month in the former Rite Aid spot in Strongsville Towne Centre.

On the industrial side, will break ground June 10 on a major expansion that will mean 10 new jobs here.

Strongsville Economic Development Director Brent Painter noted the surge in development here happily.

"This is one of our busiest times in a long time," he said. "It's going very well."