The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Euclid Avenue planning to start
Wickliffe’s mayor and City Council have agreed to commission a strategic planning analysis for revitalization to be done to the city’s portion of the Euclid Avenue Corridor.
“There’ll be a firm looking at Euclid Avenue businesses and storefronts and vacant buildings,” Mayor John Barbish said in an interview. “I think those will be three key aspects. We’re going to have some parameters that we want.
“We’ve got some pockets of vacant buildings and the owners don’t do anything with them.”
Barbish highlighted a number of parameters that they will have to consider before work can begin. These include potential rezoning issues, where and what to focus on, as well as funding sources.
Barbish explained that, depending on the final analysis that comes from their strategic planning, the resources required may vary from what they envision at this time.
“Council has been a bit complacent in that manner on what to spend on and what we should do, but I’m hoping some strategic planning will give them a little peace of mind with those decisions,” he said.
Barbish underscored the importance of Euclid Avenue to the city. Not only does it contain multiple local businesses, it serves as a thoroughfare in and out of the city for commuters.
“It’s a long street, but I think we can have some form of uniformity from one end of the city to the other so when you hit those (city) borders you know you’re in Wickliffe,” he said
“This is a piece we need,” he added.
“It will help us be more competitive throughout the county and help us attract more businesses and hopefully build Euclid Avenue back up.”
The mayor stated a desire to focus on the area of Euclid
Avenue and East 290th Street.
“There’s a high concentration of vacant, rundown buildings and all of that is right next to a wonderful restaurant, Casa De Vino, right next to Ganley and AutoNation.
“Those are all beautiful, but then we’ve got, I think, seven vacancies right there. I think that area will be a certain focus.”
Barbish stated that they are currently in the initial stages of commissioning strategic planning for the area, but he looks forward to moving ahead with the revitalization of Euclid Avenue as soon as possible.