Taco Bell, Outback projects progressing

Fast food eatery gets final OK for Diamond Centre

After many months and changes, it appears that Taco Bell is finally a go on Diamond Centre Drive in Mentor.

The final piece in the approval process — the architectural review — was passed by Mentor Planning Commission 6-1 at the December meeting. Commission member Joseph Sidoti dissented.

While other initial critics of the project voted in favor, it wasn’t before asking developers to tweak the design a tad more.

Katherine Cimperman noted that the building would be sitting out in front of the adjacent retail center and that the sides would be highly visible.

“Taco Bell is going to be prevalent,” she said. “Can we do something to jazz them up a little bit?”

GPD Group Project Manager Ryan Oyster responded, “These elevations were not in question before. The materials were in question. … I don’t know what else we can do.”

Cimperman suggested canopied faux windows.

Oyster instead recommended recessing the brick to provide some visual interest.

“I think that adding windows doesn’t really add to the character of what this building lends itself to,” he said. “I think they’ll be out of place on the sides of the building.”

Commission member Geoffrey Varga said he appreciated the use of brick.

“I would not be a big fan of fake windows, but the idea of recessing those panels slightly might give it a little more life,” he said

The condition was added to the motion for approval.

The final site plan was backed by the commission 5-2 (Sidoti and Varga opposed) in November, but the architectural review had been tabled because of the plan to use fiber cement brick on a portion of the exterior.

In March, the conditional use permit for a drivethrough was denied 4-3 and the request for an outdoor patio was dismissed without prejudice. The preliminary site plan was tabled.

In July, the conditionaluse permit request was denied 3-2 and the preliminary site plan remained tabled.

The next month, City Council “called-up” the CUP and approved it after a revised site plan for traffic circulation was submitted.

The commission initially voted down the preliminary site plan 4-3 in September, but the vote was retaken after legal counsel determined that the traffic access was no longer within the commission’s purview. Chairman William Snow changed his vote to support the preliminary plan on the subsequent motion.

A GPD representative in September said the company hopes to break ground within a year on Diamond Centre or the one on Tyler Boulevard in the City Market development.

Building materials also were an issue for the Outback Steakhouse project, planned in the Great Lakes Mall parking lot.

At the Dec. 21 meeting, commission members said they would like to see more brick on the finished product.

“We need to have a campus atmosphere up there,” Snow said.

Architect Neal Kanite indicated that it could be revised. The commission then approved the preliminary site plan.

Sidoti asked about the timeline to move the restaurant from Market Street to 7785 Plaza Blvd., in the Dillard’s lot.

“From Outback’s perspective, they’d like to be open tomorrow in this building,” Oyster said.

Mall representative Matt Jurkowitz, real estate developer at Washington Prime Group, said pad construction for the building would begin in late March or early April, as soon as the ground thaws.

Based on that information, Kanite said the restaurant could be finished by fall.

He also was asked about the fate of the existing Outback property, at 8595 Market St. between two Penske Automotive dealerships. He said he wasn’t aware of the plans.

“It’s a lease by Audi,” he said.

Outback Spokeswoman Elizabeth Watts said she couldn’t comment on such details at this time.

In June, the commission approved a minor subdivision creating the parcel for the restaurant in the mall lot. Outback’s final site plan is on the January agenda.