Is Lakewood Also a Market District Site?

Lakewood officials said this week that Giant Eagle is eyeing its former location on Detroit Avenue for a Market District prototype store.

The word comes days after the company announced Strongsville would be the first location in northeast Ohio for from-the-ground-up construction of a 110,000-square-foot Market District.

Lakewood officials said there have been some “preliminary discussions” between the Pittsburgh-based grocer and the city about the future of the company in that city. 

Giant Eagle sold the property at 14013 Detroit Avenue to Urban Active in 2007. However, plans at the site to build a workout facility never came to fruition.

The building has been vacant since 2007, when Giant Eagle finished its move across the street to 14100 Detroit Avenue.

According to city officials, the company is looking to make renovations to the existing store and build a new, “prototype” store — not unlike .

“All of this is in the preliminary stage,” said Dru Siley, the city’s director of planning and development, adding that discussions with Giant Eagle officials revealed that the grocer would like to build a new structure on the corner of Bunts Road and Detroit Avenue.

Then, renovation would begin on the existing store.

Company officials aren’t saying much.

“We have nothing to share about the Lakewood store,” said Giant Eagle spokeswoman Paula DePasquale.

The company unveiled plans in Strongsville on Tuesday to build a Market District store — an upscale supermarket that includes a restaurant, pharmacy and a vast array of prepared foods -- on the and site on Pearl Road.

The plans also include a Get Go gas station, either onsite or nearby.

had previously said it wanted to , but announced last week it would instead seek to build the sixth Market District store in the nation there.

To move forward, Strongsville voters would have to approve a rezoning of part of the property March 6.

Company officials said the existing store at is outdated and too small.