The design plan for The Luxe at Pepper Pike. Brainard Road is to the left.Vocon
PEPPER PIKE, Ohio — City Council, on Wednesday, gave approval to the final plan for a townhome development to be built at the corner of Cedar and Brainard roads.
Developer Jason Friedman said he expects construction to begin “as soon as possible” on the 40 townhomes on what is now largely vacant land fronting Cedar Road, and on the eastern side of Brainard Road.
While the plan is quite similar to preliminary plans council approved in November, Friedman will make a change along Brainard Road, at the entrance to the development, to be known as The Luxe at Pepper Pike.
The northbound Brainard Road lane into which cars enter to turn right onto Cedar Road will be widened to allow for greater traffic flow onto Cedar Road.
“There was some concern that it might be a little difficult making a left turn into the development (while heading south on Brainard),” City Engineer Don Sheehy said. “There might be a backup on Cedar.”
Of Friedman’s plan to widen the road, Sheehy said, “I think it was a great compromise to make the design work better.”
“This is not to say it will cure all of the traffic problems heading northbound (on Brainard),” said Mayor Richard Bain, “but it will help some of the time.”
As for the homes, Friedman said, “They’ll be an average 2,200 square feet, from 19,000-2,500 square feet. We’re not sure yet exactly what they’ll sell for, about $500,000.
“It will be a gated community and the homes will have full basements and two-car garages. There will be a community center (at 2,200 square feet) in the center of the development, with a fitness center and an outdoor seating area. All of the homes will have ground-floor master suites.”
“We’re excited the property has been approved for development and is going forward,” Bain said. “It was a long process to make sure that it was accomplished in the right way.”
The property was rezoned from single-family use to townhomes in 2002 because, city officials reasoned, the eight-acre property fronts busy Cedar Road, making single-family home ownership less desirable.
Friedman, who was raised in the city in which he is building, called the development “the gateway to Pepper Pike.”
Council approved the plan by a 4-0 vote, with Councilman Bob Freed abstaining. Councilmen Tony Gentile and Jim LeMay were not present.
In other news from Wednesday’s council meeting, Councilman Richard Leskovec and Bain spoke approvingly of plans to remodel and upgrade the Landerwood Plaza retail/office strip, both the north and south sides, at Chagrin and Lander roads.
Bain said the center’s new owner, Robert Glimscher, has plans to spend more than $2 million to add new facades to the storefronts and renovate the office spaces.
“He’s interested in restoring the office rental spaces, that have not always received the attention they deserve,” Bain said.
“He owns a number of strips, but Mr. Glimscher considers this the gem of his retail buildings. He’s looking forward to being part of Pepper Pike. It should be a wonderful redevelopment and we welcome him to the community.”
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