Giant Eagle Submits New Plans for Market District Store

Giant Eagle has submitted revised plans for its Market District store on Pearl Road that show a smaller store than originally envisioned.

The new plans show a 97,000-square-foot supermarket at 15919 Pearl Rd. -- about 13,000 square feet smaller than the approved design.

Strongsville design engineer Lori Daley said the new plans don't appear to eliminate any features or departments.

"The building is just a little smaller overall," Daley said.

The new plans clear up a mystery about why work has stopped at the Pearl Road site. While site work -- including driveways, parking lot, light poles and a wall to buffer adjacent residents -- has wrapped up, construction of the building itself has not started.

Contacted last week, Giant Eagle spokesman Daniel Donovan said, "The construction of any Market District location is a dynamic process. We continue to work closely with local officials on our plans to make the store a world class shopping experience for area residents, and look forward to beginning building construction later this year, with the store’s opening in 2014."

The new plans must again go through Strongsville's Architectural Review Board and Planning Commission, but officials said the approval process should go smoothly because the changes are mostly minor ones to reflect a smaller building.

"They're not trying to cut any corners," Building Commissioner Tony Biondillo said.

Company representatives said in March that construction was on track and that the new store would likely be open by early 2014.

Officials have said it takes six to nine months to build a Market District store, so an opening in mid- to late-2014 seems more likely now.

Parent company Riser Foods is applying transfer its liquor agency permit from its existing store at SouthPark Mall to the new Market District store. 

Market Districts are larger, more upscale versions of Giant Eagle stores that include a restaurant, a wide array of prepared foods and specialty departments including cheese, bakery and meats.

Strongsville voters agreed in March 2012 to rezone a portion of the Strongsville Golf property for the store.