Middleburg Heights is slated to witness the revival of its Southland Business District with the entry of Meijer, a Michigan-based retailer, to replace the long-vacant former Sears property. In a unanimous decision announced on November 26th, the Middleburg Heights City Council approved the purchase agreement for Meijer to take over the nearly 15-acre spot with plans to develop a 160,000-square-foot supercenter and a 20,000-square-foot garden center. "We’re extremely excited to welcome Meijer to our community and give our residents what they have been consistently requesting ever since Sears and Kmart closed, a one-stop shopping experience in Middleburg Heights," Mayor Matt Castelli expressed in a statement obtained by News 5 Cleveland.
According to a report by News 5 Cleveland, the city purchased the West 130th Street property last year for $1.8 million. Now, Meijer is set to pay $5.5 million in the deal, including the building and an additional garden center. This project is part of a larger $20 million investment by Meijer. The former Sears building currently occupying the lot will soon be demolished, setting the stage for Meijer's construction.
This redevelopment marks a significant economic push for the area, with Meijer promising to offer a comprehensive array of services and goods, including groceries, organics, a floral department, pharmacy, clothing, and more. The plan also involves the creation of a gas station within the site. As Cleveland19 reported, Mayor Castelli views this move as an anchor for Southland and the multi-use Main Street development on Smith Road, anticipating the store to foster further business interest and development in the region.
An essential factor in securing Meijer for the site was a $5.5 million Ohio Department of Development brownfield grant earmarked for demolishing the former Sears department store and the defunct auto center. This financial aid was a crucial enabler, as Cris Jones, Meijer's Senior Real Estate Manager, revealed in an interview with cleveland.com, explaining the cost barrier of "environmental remediation and asbestos containment" and the subsequent demolition were significant hurdles that the grant helped to overcome. Jones further expressed excitement about the partnership with the city to bring forth "a really beautiful project," promising to provide between 275 and 300 jobs for the local community.
