The building that previously housed Rite Aid has now been demolished and the beginning of construction of something new can be seen. The Rite Aid property, which is located at the corner of Royalton Road and State Road is where this has been taking place, and will be changing from a retail store to the home of a bank.
Rite Aid vacated the property when they closed down that store’s location last year. Rite Aid was built in 1997 on the 1.37 acre parcel. The existing 11,316 square foot building was demolished recently and a new building housing Chase Bank is being constructed.
The Architects Partnership, LTD addressed the North Royalton Planning Commission last October on behalf of JP Morgan Chase Bank, and property owner Rite Aid Royalton – OH on the project. They were seeking final building and site plan approval to redevelop the retail lot to a financial institution, a Chase Bank location. The scope of the project includes the demolition of the then-existing Rite Aid building, a complete site redesign for a new bank building with a 30 car parking lot and remote, one-lane drive-through for ATM usage only. There also will be an ATM in the vestibule of the building. The site is located at 13955 State Road also known as PPN: 488-19-001 in Town Center (TCD-2) District zoning. The Planning Commission unanimously voted to approve the final building and site plan with the contingency of a landscaping plan that was to be submitted to the city’s Building Department for review.
Tim Meseck, with The Architects Partnership, made the presentation to the Planning Commission that evening, stating that the building would be consistent with the Western Reserve style of architecture. He stated that the building is one and one-half stories with large brick banding above the store front. Samples of the building material they presented included modular brick and cast stone, similar to Indiana limestone, for the detailing. Decorative fencing with masonry piers will be installed along Royalton and State Roads. Traffic will be brought to the back of the building, where the main pedestrian entrance is located, allowing for safe and convenient access for customers where they have a 24-7 ATM, according to Meseck. The building will be closer to the street, with the parking in the back. There will be 20-foot light poles through the parking field behind the building. The style is said to be similar to the Chase Bank that was built last year in Brecksville, located at the corner of Royalton Road and Brecksville Road.
They were required to receive variances from the Board of Zoning Appeals, regarding signage. Since the building is on a corner parcel, more signage was necessary. Metis Construction Services of Kent, Ohio is handling the construction of the bank. They have pulled the appropriate permits and construction is underway. They have a year to finish.
By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer