News of the Week: Traffic Woe Addressed; New Jobs Coming; Giant Eagle on Schedule

Here's what happened in Strongsville in the last few days

  A rundown of the top stories in town this week: Traffic woes at plaza -- The Plaza at SouthPark has gotten permission to add an access road that will give motorists another way to get to Costco, Best Buy, Rosewood Grill and other stores other than waiting in long left-turn line. New business wants to take over gas station -- A Medina company that says it's a one-stop shop for home remodelers has submitted plans to revamp the old service station at Pearl and Westwood. Homes in foreclosure -- There are 12 houses in Strongsville going to sheriff's sale in October. Giant Eagle ready to start -- The company plans to break ground on its new Market District store this month, with a late-summer opening likely. New jobs -- New and expanding …

• Photos (1)

Major Traffic Peeve to Be Addressed

New access road will serve Plaza at SouthPark

  Motorists trying to visit Costco, Best Buy, Rosewood Grill and other businesses in the Plaza at SouthPark may soon be able to get there without waiting in a line of traffic first. The plaza owners are seeking to build an access road that would run behind the adjacent Royalton Road stores and connect with the driveway that serves the former Borders Plaza. It would offer eastbound traffic another point of access that doesn't involve waiting in a long line of cars trying to turn left into the newer plaza. Motorists have listed that area among their top traffic peeves in Strongsville. "Obviously, we need another way to get in and out of there," City Engineer Ken Mikula said. "This is a great project." The access road will run past Rosewood …

•  10 Comments
• Photos (1)

lyn

1:34 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012

If the owners of Borders/Ledgewood Square Plaza don't even want it, can't they put up a barrier at the back of the property where they want to run a new access road to? Then that would prevent any hookup with the Borders drive. I can't blame them for not wanting it. It will definitely have a negative effect on their tenants business. I know I won't want to deal with the added cars coming and …   more ›

New Restaurant Coming to Plaza at SouthPark

Hospitality will announce name, theme in January

Hospitality Restaurants, which operates six upscale eateries in the Cleveland area, will open its seventh at the Plaza at SouthPark next year. The company, which is known for creating restaurants with unique themes and identities, said it will not announce the concept or name of the Strongsville location until January. It expects to open in late 2012. “We are thrilled to become members of the Strongsville business community,” HR President George Schindler said in a news release. “We have been actively pursuing a location on the southwest side of town for quite a few years, and are excited to open a new venture in such a prime spot." Speculation about the project swirled in May after Strongsville Hospitality LLC sought a D5 liquor permit …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Rockne's Has New Owner, New Timetable

Management hires staff as interior work wraps up

A new owner has taken over the Rockne's on Royalton Road and plans to open by the end of October. Dan Mazzola, who owns the Rockne's in Stow, said he got occupancy permits from the city and is wrapping up hiring. "The end of October's looking pretty good," Mazzola said. The casual-style eatery at the Plaza at SouthPark was built by Scott Brown, who owns two Rockne's restaurants, including one in North Canton. But Mazzola said Brown started having second thoughts about running three restaurants and sold the Strongsville store.  This will be Mazzola's second Rockne's. The chain of northeast Ohio restaurants calls itself a fun, casual eatery that offers both dine-in and carryout service. Strongsville's will be the 11th restaurant in the chain…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (6)

Photo of the Day: A Friend for Rockne's

• Photos (1)

New Restaurant is a Secret, But Speculation Abounds

Mystery eatery moving into Plaza at SouthPark

A company has applied for a liquor permit at the last major vacancy at the Plaza at SouthPark, but is keeping the name of the restaurant it wants to put there quiet. Strongsville Hospitality LLC is seeking a D5 liquor permit for the space at 16740 Royalton Rd., next to La-Z-Boy furniture. Economic Development Director Brent Painter said the company does not yet want to reveal the name of the restaurant. But Councilman at large Ken Dooner said the company is part of Hospitality Restaurants of Cleveland, which operates Delmonico's Steakhouse in Independence, Salmon Dave's in Rocky River, The Cabin Club in Westlake, Blue Point Grill in downtown Cleveland and Rosewood Grill in Hudson, as well as the Thirsty Parrot nightclub in downtown …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Kymberli Hagelberg

1:06 pm on Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Silly. If a liquor department application doesn't need a company name we need a change in state and local law. Cities have a fast track application for liquor licenses if they can prove an economic development impact (who can't in this economy). The public should have a right to evaluate whether they would like a business in their city -- and even if they can't stop it, be able to have their say …   more ›

Strongsville Rockne's to Open in July or August

Building on Royalton Road is about halfway done.

The new Rockne's restaurant on Royalton Road in the Plaza at SouthPark is about four months from opening. "It's going to be somewhere in July, maybe August," said Scott Brown, owner. Brown, who also owns a Rockne's in North Canton, said the building is about half complete now, with brick work starting this week. He said the winter weather did not impede construction much. "I was blessed on that," he said. Strongsville will be the 11th location for the northeast Ohio regional chain, which currently operates in Medina, Fairlawn, Brooklyn, Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, Streetsboro, North Canton, Akron, Kent and Massillon. The newest restaurant will have seating for 200 plus an outdoor patio that will be heated from the floor up. In fact, all the …

• Photos (4)

Japanese Restaurant Moving Into Plaza at SouthPark

Samurai sushi and hibachi will open next to Five Below

The Samurai, a Japanese sushi and hibachi restaurant, will open soon in the Plaza at SouthPark. Economic Development Manager Brent Painter said the restaurant will occupy 5,392 square feet at the end of the Best Buy strip, next to Five Below. "It's moving forward again," Painter said. He said Visconsi Companies announced several months ago that Samurai would open there, but the project was delayed. "They're working on it again now," he said. An opening date has not been set.  That leaves only two stores in the Plaza at SouthPark unfilled -- a 5,000-square-foot storefront and a 6,600-square-foot space, both next to La-Z-Boy in the strip that also contains Bed Bath & Boyond and Petco. The plaza is also anchored by Costco, Best Buy, Ulta and …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (3)

Best of the 2010 Businesses

Strongsville Patch was happy to see some of the new retail faces this year

It was pretty hard for Strongsville to follow its own act in the retail arena this year after the splash it made in 2009 with the Plaza at SouthPark. Some huge retailers -- Best Buy, Costco, Bed Bath and Beyond, Petco, Ulta Beauty and Jared The Galleria of Jewelry -- opened their doors,  along with some smaller neighbors.   Still, the city managed to lure in still more places to spend shopping dollars in 2010, some in the Plaza, some in Westfield SouthPark mall and others in various spots around town. A few of our favorite newbies: At the Plaza at SouthPark: DiBella's Old Fashioned Submarines -- Who knew sandwiches could be so tasty?; La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries -- Close-to-home furniture shopping is a bonus; and Five Below -- While …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (2)

Best Bites

DiBella's is the King of Submarines

The Strongsville Gourmet likes the flavorful rolls and tasty fillings

Looking for a real sub? Then dive, dive, dive into DiBella's Old Fashioned Submarines, located at 16758 Royalton Road in the Plaza at Southpark. I first tasted these delicious subs on the eastside of town. I was wowed from my first bite into the solid, crunchy buns that boldly hold the delicious meats, cheeses and veggies. Their flavorful rolls are truly serious, not like the soft, lifeless buns found at other chains. You can pick between sesame, multigrain, everything and apparently even a plain though I've never noticed that one. The first three hearty buns are proudly displayed on the counter where you place your order to help you pick your favorite. When it comes to building your sandwich, you can pick up to three meats or choose one …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (2)