Boston Heights targets hospital

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by Lauren Krupar

Associate Editor

Boston Heights -- A large portion of the former Boston Heights Country Club could be made into a business district, per an agreement between village officials and developers.

According to documents filed in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas April 14, 100 acres of the 160-acre former country club could include offices, retail or medical buildings with developers and village officials alike seeking to draw a hospital to the site.

Officials with the village of Boston Heights and with the developer Boston Hills Investment Property could not be reached by press time.

Boston Heights Mayor Bill Goncy said the agreement will benefit the village.

"If a hospital comes in, it will be a very good thing not just for Boston Heights, but the whole area," Goncy said.

He noted that the site is in the Hudson School District.

"It's an opportunity to develop that area in a way that would benefit the village and the school district for years to come," he said.

The district would be in the northwest quadrant of East Hines Hill Road and Route 8. Approximately 60 acres along the site's northern and western boundaries would be preserved as dedicated green space.

The site was the subject of a November referendum in which Boston Heights voters elected to preserve the character of the site. The vote overturned two Council-approved zoning changes that would have allowed developers to build "big box" retail stores on the country club land, which was zoned residential.

After voters overturned the rezoning in November, officials with Boston Hills Property Investment -- the developer seeking to build on the site -- said the company planned to continue a $10 million suit against the city, which it had filed after residents placed a referendum on the ballot to overturn Council's decision.

According to the April 14 agreement, which Goncy said supersedes the referendum, officials with Boston Hills Investment Property agree to dismiss all claims for declaratory relief and for compensation for loss or damage against the village.

In the agreement, the former country club would be divided into 100 acres for development and 60 acres for conservation, which could be deeded to the village after construction begins on the other portion.

The development area would be further divided into a retail business district of approximately 65 acres and an office/professional district of 35 acres. No retail buildings would be allowed within 400 feet of the site's western boundary, according to the agreement.

According to the agreement, the office and professional business district could include a full-service hospital of a maximum 215,000 square feet in two stories.

Goncy said developers are continuing negotiations to bring a hospital to the area.

Hudson also hoping
for hospital

A hospital in northern Summit County also has been proposed in Hudson.

After officials with Summa Health System and Western Reserve Hospital Partners announced in January plans to build a full-service hospital in northern Summit County, Hudson city officials have worked to allow a hospital in a business park off Route 303.

Boston Heights officials also are seeking to draw Summa and Western Reserve officials to build a hospital in the village.

In March, officials with Hudson would not confirm which hospital could move to the business park, but public records showed city officials in discussion with Summa and Western Reserve officials.

On April 14, planning commission members recommended Hudson City Council approve rezoning of the business park to allow hospitals. Council could discuss it May 7.

Editor's note: Reporter Laura Freeman contributed to this article.

E-mail: lkrupar@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3146