TIFF to widen road, save some Sawyer history

Developer agrees to save Sawyer House materials for city purposes

Pieces of the Sawyer House will live on after its removal from its home of 178 years.

Pieces of the Sawyer House will live on after its removal from its home of 178 years.

Mentor City Council recently approved an agreement with developer ABC Mentor LLC that will not only fund traffic improvements at the site, but also preserve some history.

The tax increment financing agreement is part of a deal to allow demolition of the 1843 structure in favor of a yet-to-named 13,633-square-foot specialty grocery store.

The plan includes adding a new traffic signal and widening Route 20 in front of the property, at 9470 Mentor Ave., to provide for a leftturn lane.

City Manager Ken Filipiak estimated the project’s cost at nearly $1 million, to be paid for entirely with TIF proceeds.

“I can tell you that the widening portion of that is important to the city,” he said. “It’s a project that we’ve looked at in the past. We actually had some old preliminary plans because this was contemplated a long time ago when that intersection of Mentor Avenue became as busy as it is today.”

The traffic signal will be timed with the Wayside Drive signalization, similar to the lights on Heisley Road at Springbrook Gardens Park and Whaler’s Cove.

He noted that one part of the pact also requires the developer to make available to the city building materials from the demolition of the Sawyer House.

“For the most part, that will include the exterior stone structure on that historic building,” he said. “We would salvage as much of that as we can and have that removed and probably stored at our Springbrook Park to be utilized for some repurposing, some enhancements.”

A couple of Council members expressed support for the project, despite losing the longtime landmark.

“I think the widening alone ... without even starting the building, is an advantage to the city,” Ward 2 Councilman Matt Donovan said.

Ward 1 Councilman Sean Blake referenced touring the Sawyer House in recent weeks.

“The structure’s too far gone; there’s no repairing it,” he said. “So I’m sad to see Sawyer House leave and go away, but at the same time, I’m glad that we’re going to be getting some of the building materials that we can do creative projects with in an effort to honor that historic structure.”

It is unknown whether any of the materials will be offered to the public.

“We are not aware of any plans to do that at this time,” Mentor Economic Development Director Kevin Malecek said.

The 30-year TIF agreement allows for reimbursement of construction costs using taxes on the increased value of the property. The taxes are redirected into a fund created for that purpose. Local school districts’ tax revenue won’t be impacted, Malecek said.

Intersection improvements are anticipated to take place in September and October, with utility relocation occurring in the summer, Mentor Engineer Dave Swiger said.

The grocer will open by late fall, if all goes as planned. The city plans a joint announcement with the proprietor when the latter is ready.

“It is our expectation that the citizens of Mentor will welcome this anticipated Mentor business location with great enthusiasm,” Malecek said.

Saving the Sawyer House was reviewed by the city, but the cost to move the entire building was prohibitive. It has been vacant since 2016, when the Local Tavern closed.

It was built by Daniel Sawyer and used as a residence until Wayside Gardens moved its administrative offices and catalog store there in 1916.

In 1978, Colpetzer-Woods Consulting Company purchased the building and used it for offices. It was converted into Phil Ribs Restaurant in 1989, and multiple establishments have come and gone since then.

Preservation Ohio, a statewide organization, named the Sawyer House on its 2020 Most Endangered Historic Sites list.