Cardinal Meadow housing development gets final OK

Former elementary school being razed for project on Lake Shore Boulevard

Demolition of a former Mentor school is well underway now that a proposed housing development is nearing construction.

The final site plan for the 20home Cardinal Meadow subdivision received unanimous support from the city Planning Commission on May 7.

The project, on 8 acres at 7640 Lake Shore Blvd., requires removing Rice Elementary School. The school was closed in 2015 because of declining enrollment.

“We are giving bricks away to people that requested them as a memento,” said developer Greg Sommers of Chardon-based Sommers Real Estate Group.

In January, City Council voted 4-2 in favor of Sommers’ request to rezone the land from R-2 Single-family Residential District to RVG Village Green District for the development. Sean Blake

and Janet Dowling dissented on the grounds that such a project should be decided via public referendum.

The commission recommended the rezoning in November after Sommers revised the design to comply with cul-de-sac length requirements. He also eliminated a second access via Rice Drive, requested by the administration but opposed by neighbors. “We worked with the city administration to optimize the plan, open space and landscape, including adding a nice pavilion

with fire pit, walking trails, and various landscaping (and) trees,” Sommers said.

The homes are expected to range from about 2,000 to 2,800 square feet and in price from $250,000 to $350,000.

Construction could begin late next month, he said.

“We are excited about Cardinal Meadow,” he added. “We think it will be a great new community and addition to the city of Mentor.”

SUBMITTED Demolition of Rice Elementary School in Mentor was about 50 percent complete on May 12.