Cleveland Heights’ Severance Town Center redevelopment project about to hit next

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — City Council on Monday night will consider zoning legislation that could grease the wheels for the plans to redevelop the long-struggling Severance Town Center.

The proposed Severance Overlay Zone would establish a form-based code over the existing zoning at the 40-acre site, offering developers a more flexible framework to build a walkable, mixed-use neighborhood.

The overlay is a key component of a redevelopment strategy led by MPACT Collective, a New York-based firm working in partnership with property owner Namdar Realty Group.

Ryan Porter, principal at MPACT, said in a memo to council that the overlay is essential to attracting private investment and streamlining approvals.

“The current zoning is outdated and fragmented,” Porter wrote. “The SOZ provides a modern, optional path for development that aligns with the city’s goals and community vision.”

The developer’s Recommended Action Plan, submitted earlier this year, calls for the new zoning legislation to be in place by the end of 2025, with construction potentially beginning in late 2026.

The proposed overlay divides the site into three districts — a mixed-use core, a boulevard district, and a neighborhood edge — and includes standards for building design, civic space, parking, and affordable housing. Developers would still be able to use existing zoning, but the overlay offers clearer rules and faster review timelines.

Severance Town Center, once Ohio’s first enclosed mall, had seen decades of decline before MPACT signed the master development agreement l with the city in June 2024. The proposed zoning change is seen as a critical step toward transforming the site into a vibrant district with housing, retail, and public spaces.

The legislation is set to be introduced at Monday’s regular city council meeting at City Hall, which begins at 7 p.m. Council is expected to refer the plan to the city’s Planning Commission.

The commission will set a public hearing on the proposal, likely later this month. Council could vote on the zoning amendments as early as Dec. 15.

This story was written with the assistance of AI.