Zoning overlay at Midway Mall passes

Elyria City Council officially placed a zoning overlay over Midway Mall on March 15 to light industrial district from business general.

The zoning overlay is the first in the city’s history.

“This marks a new era and opportunity for the mall to be able to attract a new use, including what many see as a golden opportunity for a distribution center,” said Mayor Frank Whitfield. “We look forward to working with the developers to get this site revitalized for Elyria and our surrounding cities.”

An unnamed company expressed interest in the building at the mall, which is owned by

Industrial Commercial Properties.

Talks of rezoning the mall have been happening since the beginning of January when Chris Salata, chief operating officer for Industrial Commercial Properties, told the city’s Planning Commission there was a third-party logistics company, which houses and ships products for a variety of businesses, was interested in the area.

Salata said light industrial companies drive daytime traffic, which he said can improve retail and restaurant business in the area.

Industrial Commercial Properties is in talks regarding rehabilitating the former Sears building at the mall.

The company has worked on and rehabbed several other Sears buildings, officials have said.

Part of the discussions before approval included making sure the language in the resolution was accurate and would give the city enough control to make sure all parties were satisfied.

Additionally, there was a discussion about the integrity of the aesthetic for Midway Mall and the outdoor space.

“We had multiple conversations with the property owners, developers and brokers, and quickly learned that because the zoning did not allow for distribution, warehousing and other related uses, we would have trouble getting commitments from end users,” said Dawn Calvert, assistant safety service director for the city. “The zoning overlay is a critical first step in the redevelopment of Midway Mall.

“Having the appropriate zoning in place will reduce risk and time making the site more competitive.”

During a Planning Commission committee meeting Jan. 11, Industrial Commercial Properties said it voluntarily agreed to put in a deed restriction which would limit the location of any outdoor storage and would ensure proper screening was given to preserve visual appeal.

With all parties satisfied, Council passed the resolution to put the overlay in place.

Midway Mall redevelopment has been a top priority of the administration, and was a leading promise Whitfield’s 2019 mayoral campaign.

“I want to thank you all for moving so expediently on this Midway Mall zoning overlay,” Whitfield said.