Eaton Corp. and Richard E. Jacobs Group, the lead developer of the project, submitted some site renderings of the proposed project at a Council meeting this past Monday night, per Plain Dealer
reporting. As most know, Eaton has bailed on downtown and is developing a new 53-acre campus in Chagrin Highlands. They are seeking a variance to eliminate nearly 1,300 parking spots required under current zoning. The two site renderings submitted by Eaton are posted here. With some 2 miles of trails, it looks like a pretty nice campus (though one commentator suggested the giant pond made the campus look like a big toilet, which I'm sure is not the concept the design team had in mind). It's just too bad our Central Business District pushes companies like Eaton away. The crazy thing is that Cleveland will still get 50% of the tax revenue. This is what a PD reporter had to say in the comment section of the article:
From reporter Michelle Jarboe:
.... under a preexisting joint economic development agreement, Cleveland will receive a 50 percent cut of the income tax revenues generated by Eaton from the Chagrin Highlands campus, even though the property is in Beachwood.
But in reality, how much is Cleveland really losing from employee income tax, meals tax, hotels and entertainment, etc., etc. Not too mention the fact yet another major corporate business is leaving the CBD. At least it's still in Northeast Ohio.
(Photos courtesy of The Plain Dealer/cleveland.com, as obtained from Eaton/Richard E. Jacob Group)
