FAIRLAWN: The city is looking to buy 14.5 acres of vacant property along Ridgewood Road to help expand its Fairlawn Corporate Park and improve stormwater retention.
Fairlawn has a tentative deal in place to purchase the land for $805,000 from the Presentation of Our Lord Romanian Orthodox Church at 3365 Ridgewood.
The agreement still must be approved by the City Council and the church.
“It’s a win-win for everybody,” Mayor Bill Roth said. “We see it as a positive step for the city.”
Fairlawn has been developing an office park with a rural feel at the intersection of Ridgewood and South Cleveland-Massillon Road. The area already is home to businesses such as A. Schulman Inc. and Stark & Knoll Co., and additional land would allow for more growth, Roth said.
The city also has been developing trails through the area and has soccer fields along the road.
The property being sold is located to the west and north of the church. The western portion has been used as farmland.
The land to the north of the church would be home to a stormwater retention pond, city officials said.
The Rev. Ian Pac-Urar, parish priest, said the church, which has been at the site since 1971, is pleased with the city’s plans for the property.
“It just seems like good stewardship on the parish’s part to take these resources and put them to use rather than having them sit in the form of empty land,” he said. “God’s blessed us with this and we ought to be doing something with it.”
He noted that any deal is still a ways off, as the agreement has to be approved not only by the council but also by the church membership and the diocese.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ .