The Redevelopment Process

The problems at the Warrensville/Van Aken intersection didn’t appear overnight and neither did the solution. Redeveloping the area took years of planning, coordination, and commitment from city officials, staff, residents, and private partners.

City leaders and residents saw this as a major opportunity for change. In 2000, the city’s strategic investment plan identified the Warrensville/Van Aken area as a “problem” in need of reinvention. The plan envisioned a reconfigured intersection and a new mixed-use downtown.

The location was ideal. It served as a major gateway to the city. It was connected to transit, and surrounded by residential neighborhoods. But the design and land use no longer worked. Redeveloping the area wasn’t just about attracting new businesses. It was about (a) fixing a dangerous intersection, (b) creating a real sense of place, and (c) building a new downtown that reflected Shaker Heights’ values: walkability, safety, public transit, and local character.

Over the next 15 years, Shaker Heights pursued that vision step by step. In 2008, the city completed a transit-oriented development (TOD) plan, which focused on how to better connect the site to the RTA rapid transit system and make it safer and more welcoming for pedestrians. One of the plan’s key recommendations was to redesign the dangerous six-legged intersection into something simpler and safer.

At the same time, the city continued updating its zoning and land use rules to support mixed-use development—a process that actually started back in 1995, when Shaker amended its zoning code to allow for housing, retail, and office space in the same area. These changes were critical to making a future project like Van Aken possible.

In 2013, the City of Shaker Heights and RMS, the developer, took a major step forward by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU). This agreement created a clear framework for cooperation. It outlined each party’s responsibilities and formally committed them to working together on the first phase of the Van Aken District redevelopment. For the city, it meant moving from planning to implementation. For RMS, it meant investing in design, construction, and leasing to bring the project to life.

By 2014-2015, Shaker Heights had secured approximately $18.5 million in state and federal infrastructure grants, which allowed the city to rebuild the intersection. They reconfigured it into a standard four-way crossing, reduced crossing distances for pedestrians, and improved transit access around the RTA station. This was not just a road project. It was the foundation for everything that would follow. By fixing the layout, the city prepared the site for future RMS investment. Moreover, after Cuyahoga County paid for the demolition of the old shopping center, RMS had a construction-ready site.

The City of Shaker Heights lists the following key milestones for the Van Aken District project. You can explore the links for original plans and project presentations.

• 2021-2024: Van Aken District Phase 2 and the City’s Van Aken District Transit Improvements.
• 2020: The Van Aken District Public Realm Plan (PDF) is completed.
• 2019: The Van Aken District Phase 1 officially opens.
• 2016-2017: The Connections Plan for the Van Aken District is completed. Demolition on Van Aken Center with funding from Cuyahoga County. Construction on the Van Aken District begins in 2017.
• 2014-2015: City completes infrastructure improvements in advance of the construction of the Van Aken District. This included reconfiguring the Warrensville Center/Van Aken intersection. The City received $18.5 million in grant funding for the roadway reconfiguration.
• 2013: RMS Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the City to make the first phase of the district redevelopment a reality.
• 2010: City Council adopts the Intermodal Transit Center Program Plan (PDF).
• 2008: The Warrensville/Van Aken Transit-Oriented Development Plan (PDF) outlines infrastructure and roadwork changes necessary for new development.
• 2007: Public meetings gather input for a mixed-use district.
• 2000: The City’s Strategic Investment Plan (PDF) recommends reconfiguring the Chagrin/Warrensville/Van Aken intersection and developing a mixed-used downtown.

Source: https://www.shakerheightsoh.gov/331/Van-Aken-Redevelopment