Arcadia — Mixed-Use Development of 3393 Warrensville Center Road

Arcadia is a mixed-use, mixed-income development proposed for the former Qua site at 3393 Warrensville Center Road. Image credit: RDL Architects

In August 2022, the City of Shaker Heights entered into a preliminary agreement to create an architecturally distinctive, mixed-use, mixed-income building on vacant City-owned land across Warrensville Center Road from the existing first phase of the popular and award-winning Van Aken District.

The developer, Columbus-based Metropolitan Holdings Limited, intends to purchase the 2.4 acre site at 3393 Warrensville Center Road and construct an approximately 250,000-square-foot building to house approximately 140 rental units including a mix of market-rate and affordable apartment units, townhome-style rental units, and more than 18,000 square feet of active commercial/retail and office space. Shaker-based RDL Architects will design the new development and be the primary office tenant.

Background

The City has long recognized the importance of developing both sides of Warrensville Center Road to create a dense, walkable, and connected mixed-use District on the east side of Shaker Heights.

In 2013, the City purchased two vacant buildings at 3393 Warrensville Center Road. In 2015, the buildings were demolished in order to create a 2.4-acre site that was ready for development. This site is directly across Warrensville Center Road from the first phase of the Van Aken District and surrounded by public and private recreational facilities, a residential neighborhood, and a local community church.

In July 2021, the City released a request for proposals seeking qualified development teams to propose innovative mixed-use projects for the site. The City encouraged submissions to include creative ideas that would complement and connect with the surrounding area, including phase 1 of the Van Aken District, while also building on Shaker’s sense of community.

In August 2022, after a robust proposal review process, the City entered into the preliminary agreement with Metropolitan Holdings, a Columbus-based commercial real estate developer, and RDL Architects.

Metropolitan Holdings and RDL Architects first presented the proposed project at a City Council work session immediately following Council's regular meeting on August 22, 2022. For more detail on the history of the site and the RFP process, view the August 22, 2022 staff memo to Council.

Rendering of the Arcadia mixed-use development from the intersection of Farnsleigh and Warrensville Center roads. Image credit: RDL Architects 

The Proposed Project 

The Metropolitan Holdings-RDL Architects proposal best meets the City’s redevelopment objectives. It is a mixed-use, mixed-income project that will:

• Activate the street level 
• Retain a current and growing employer in Shaker Heights
• Add to Shaker’s diversity of housing with mixed-income new construction (including a portion of units set aside for households with incomes at 80 percent of Area Median Income)
• Provide the greatest projected economic benefit of all submitted proposals, and more

Rendering of the intersection of Farnsleigh and Helen roads. Image credit: RDL Architects 

The construction will blend urban and suburban design with:

• A signature corner with ground floor retail and amenity spaces, second floor offices, and three floors of multifamily apartments facing Warrensville Center Road 
• Five floors of multifamily residential apartments facing Farnsleigh Road
• Two-and-a-half story townhouse-style construction facing Helen Road and complementing the existing single-family homes located on Helen Road 
• Parking for approximately 200 cars, largely contained within the building

Rendering of the townhomes facing Helen Road. Image credit: RDL Architects 

Public Meetings & Documents

• 3/7/23: City Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Appeals meeting (View agenda and meeting recording)
• 1/17/23: Architectural Board of Review meeting (View agenda and meeting minutes)
• 1/3/23: City Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Appeals meeting (View agenda and meeting recording)
• 12/14/22: Thornton Park Community Association meeting with developer
• 11/21/22: Developer presented to the Architectural Board of Review for preliminary review (View agenda and meeting minutes)
• 9/21/22: Developer held a community meeting with neighbors.
• 9/19/22: Developer presented to the Architectural Board of Review for preliminary review (View agenda and meeting minutes)
• 9/6/22: Developer presented to a City Planning Commission Working Group meeting (View agenda and meeting recording)
• 8/22/2022: Developer presentation to City Council (View agenda and meeting recording)
• 8/19/2022: Press Release: Shaker Heights enters preliminary agreement for dynamic mixed-use, mixed-income development to enhance and expand the greater Van Aken District

Media

• 3/14/23: Shaker Planning Commission forwards Arcadia development, Lee Road Action Plan to council
• 1/11/23: Shaker planners see updated — but not final — designs for Arcadia mixed-use development on Qua site
• 1/10/23: Mixed-use development eyed for former Qua Buick site
• 12/28/22: Here's a first look at The Arcadia, a mixed-use project planned in Shaker Heights
• 8/23/2022: Public meeting held on $47M mixed-use development proposal in Shaker’s Van Aken District
• 8/21/2022: Shaker Heights enters preliminary agreement for mixed-use development of Van Aken District’s Qua site
• 8/19/2022: Shaker Heights picks Columbus developer to build near Van Aken District

Public Comment

If you have any comments that you would like to share with the Economic Development and Planning departments, please submit your feedback using our comments form .