Valor Acres continues to grow by leaps and bounds

by Dan Holland

Valor Acres, a mixed-use development located on the site of the former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, has seen steady growth since development of the initial concept began taking root in 2018.

The city chose DeGeronimo Development LLC in 2018 to build Valor Acres, which covers nearly 200 acres just north of the I-77 and Ohio Turnpike interchange. A ground-breaking ceremony was held in October 2021.

A northbound exit ramp and southbound entrance ramp opened earlier this year at the interchange of Interstate 77 and Miller Road to better accommodate an expected increase in traffic flow at the locale. In February, DiGeronimo Companies received a $10 million Transformational Mixed-Use Development tax credit from the State of Ohio to apply toward the project.

As the main anchor of the new live-work-play real estate development, Sherwin-Williams expects to open its 600,000- square-foot Global Research & Development Center this fall, with an expected staff of up to 900 employees.

Valor Acres will also contain office space, an upscale six-story hotel, shopping and entertainment venues.

DiGeronimo Companies will be relocating its main corporate office from Independence to a five-story office building currently under construction near the Brecksville Road-Miller Road interchange later this year. The building will also contain a restaurant, retail and common areas.

Residential components of the sprawling site include the upscale 157-unit Canvas at Valor Acres, along with The Lofts and Townhomes at Canvas, which offers two- and three-bedroom configurations. The Canvas complex also houses Primer, a coffee and wine bar, along with Limelight, a co-working space.

Memorial Park, which sits at the center of the residential area, contains a display that pays tribute to all branches of the U.S. military. The original chimney of the former VA Hospital, is central to the park, which also features a large pond.

Five additional mixed-use buildings, expected to house office space, restaurants, retail and luxury apartments, recently received approval from Brecksville City Council and the Planning Commission, with construction expected to begin later this year.

Other components include a miniature city safety services station on site to provide adequate coverage for the sprawling development and the city’s south end.

“This type of economic development is one of the ways in which the city has worked to ensure that property tax rates have not increased in nearly 40 years,” said Brecksville’s Director of Planning and Development Monica Bartkiewicz. “Moreover, this project has, and will continue to increase the marketability of our entire south-end district.”

“Additionally, residents will enjoy the benefits of increased retail options and a housing product that does not currently exist in our community,” she added. “Valor Acres will encourage young professionals to reside in Brecksville while also providing a housing option for our Brecksville residents who want to downsize or age in place.”

Mayor Daryl Kingston cited a number of reasons why residents and businesses continue to choose Brecksville. “For some, it may be home to generations of family, while for others it may be accessibility to three highway interchanges, I-77 and the Ohio Turnpike, our position between Cleveland and Akron, high-quality city services and public schools, proximity to the parks and two world-class championship golf courses.”

“Other factors include safety, for which we are consistently ranked in the top 10 for the state of Ohio, or the small-town charm that we still possess, despite our responsible growth,” Kington continued. “Over the last year or so, I have heard the term ‘south side’ used on numerous occasions, and I am confident that this trend will continue as the Sherwin-Williams Global Technology Center, Valor Acres and citywide projects continue to progress.” ∞

Photo: Several single-family homes and a number of town-homes and apartments have been constructed as part of the residential segment of the Valor Acres mixed-use development. Photo by Dan Holland.