Entertainment facility passes with city planners

Round 1 reps provide more detail about plans for Great Lakes Mall site

It’s game on for Round 1 at Great Lakes Mall.

The entertainment concept got the go ahead from Mentor Planning Commission on Oct. 19. The commission unanimously approved re-imaging plans and a conditional-use permit to allow a commercial recreational facility in the B-2 General Business District at 7850 Mentor Ave.

“The Dillard’s Men store at the mall was recently acquired by our company,” said Matt Jurkowitz, representing the Mall at Great Lakes/Washington Prime. “We were able to get control of that so we could facilitate what we think is a very exciting new addition to the Mentor community: a large format entertainment use. … This will be the first large-format operator on our property.”

A new restaurant is part of the $15 million project, though a user hasn’t been identified.

“We’re in negotiations with several tenants,” Jurkowitz said. “One, in particular, we’ve got hopes we’ll be able to finalize a deal with soon.”

Round 1 is proposed to occupy more than 45,300 square feet of the ground floor of the two-story, 118,300-square-foot space on the mall’s west side. The facility will offer activities including laser bowling, arcade games, billiards, darts, ping-pong and karaoke.

The restaurant will use about 5,000 square feet at the northwest corner of the building.

The 65,000-square-foot second floor is leasable space. Commission members asked about plans for that area. The design includes provision for access to the second floor, but a tenant hasn’t been determined for that space either.

“We would build it out and potentially put a vertical transportation tower there with elevators, potentially escalators — stairs, for sure — to facilitate (access), whether that’s an office or banquet/ event-type facility or, more likely, office/medical officetype use,” Jurkowitz said.

Commission member Katherine Cimperman indicated that she would prefer brick for facade materials at the facility entrance.

Jurkowitz said, “It’s a matter of cost at some point. We certainly can take a look at the brick possibility.”

Mark Poltorek with RDL architects said a thin brick covering could be created.

“To go that high with standard brick, you start getting (into) large structural implications,” he said.

Cimperman also questioned the 17-foot-high bowling pin that will be on the front of the building.

“It’s 2 ½ times the door (height),” she said.

However, Assistant City Law Director Joseph Szeman noted that it is considered signage and meets code.

The floor plan indicates 12 bowling lanes, six tournament-standard billiard tables, two party rooms, a game room with 340 arcade games, and a kitchen with a snack bar, bar and seating areas for 126 customers.

Round 1 Entertainment was established in Japan in 1980. The company was represented at the meeting by Shane Kaji.

This will be Round 1’s first location in Ohio and 23rd in the United States. No timeline has been given for the project.

SUBMITTED This is the west-side view of the entertainment center proposed at Great Lakes Mall in Mentor.