Solar Center, Giant Eagle Plans Passed To City Council

The Solon Planning Commission passed plans for a new and redone Solar Shopping Center on to City Council despite acknowledging a number of details still had to be worked out.

The project is under a time crunch because developer Echo Solon must receive city approval by April 12 as a condition to buy the shopping plaza from the current owner.

Chairman William Mazur said the commission is giving the developer "an exception" for items that would normally be worked out with the planning commission because of the deadline.

As a result, the commission attached a number of technical conditions that the developers must meet, including details pertaining to landscaping, pedestrian access, stormwater and signage.

"I think we’ve done our due diligance," he said. "This is not a typical project in that we want to pass it along so the city council will have a fair opportunity to provide their input."

City Council will begin deliberations on the project in March.

Phil Bishop of Echo Solon said that the developer and Giant Eagle both agree to the conditions.

"We’re willing to do almost anything that’s requested and reasonable," he said. "We’re not the kind of developer that comes in and develops and sells. We’re in for the long haul."

If the developer obtains city approval by its deadline, work is expected to begin almost immediately, working around some existing tenants and leaving the existing Giant Eagle operational while the new store is built.

The new Giant Eagle is expected to be .

The commission has been considering the project for the last month, going over traffic studies, landscape plans and considering a slew of variances developer Echo Solon needs before it can build.

The Solar Shopping Center sits in the middle of town at the SOM Center and Aurora roads intersection.

Echo Solon, a local arm of Echo Realty, wants to build a new, freestanding 92,000 square foot Giant Eagle, a new GetGo station and redesign the rest of the plaza.

Solon officials are supporting the project, calling it the first major upgrade of a shopping plaza in Solon history and a key part of the city master plan.