In the past 10 years the City through the Department of Community Development has master planned two key development areas-- the Upper Black River Master Plan, which was the foundation for developing the Riverbend Commerce Park, and the Black River Lorain Harbor Shoreline Master plan, which is being used to assist the City in determining the redevelopment of the former Lorain Pellet Terminal.

In 1998, the City conducted the first of several Urban Renewal eligibility surveys and planning initiatives. The Urban Renewal designation provides several benefits to the City and the area contained therein. The designation allows the City to issue bonds for public improvements, property acquisition, demolition, environmental clean-up and other activities that are consistent with the plan. The plan is formally adopted by both the Planning Commission and City Council and is a document that guides the redevelopment of the plan area, providing insight to the private development community of the desires of the community for the specific area. It provides additional review requirements to ensure that developments that occur within the plan area are consistent with the plan and require that the developer enter into a development agreement with the City.

Currently the City has adopted 7 urban renewal plans

• Revised Riverfront Urban Renewal Plan
• Colorado Avenue Industrial Area Urban Renewal Plan
• Washington Avenue Urban Renewal Plan
• Central Lorain Urban Renewal Plan
• Lighthouse Village Urban Renewal Plan
• Lorain West Urban Renewal Plan
• South Lorain Urban Renewal Plan
• Lakefront Urban Renewal Plan

The Revised Riverfront Urban Renewal Plan has enabled the City to enter into a development agreement with Spitzer Great Lakes and Zaremba. This project has generated approximately $30 million in investment through 2006.

The Colorado Avenue Industrial Area Plan has enabled the City’s Riverbend Commercial Park to move forward. With support from the urban renewal plan and the Upper Black River Master plan, the City has been able to obtain more than $3 million in grants and $4.3 million in low interest loans. The City has just completed the initial phase of the infrastructure, which is approximately 6,000 linear feet of fully improved street with a naturalized drainage system that eliminates the need for retention ponds. These improvements have opened up approximately 78 acres of land for development, with potential lots ranging in size from three to 40 acres.

The Lighthouse Village Urban Renewal Plan is underway and the initial phase of infrastructure improvements is complete. The City is now planning the full improvement of Jaeger Road. This plan includes Lighthouse Village, which is a 500,000 sf retail center anchored by Kohl’s and Home Depot. Superior Medical is south and Brad Friedel’s Premier Soccer Academy is just east of Lighthouse Village.

Premier Soccer Academy
Lorain, Ohio

Lorain West includes Deerfield development, a mixed-use development with a 250,000 sf retail center on Oak Point Road. This area also includes the Ford Assembly Plant purchased by IRG. The City is planning improvements to Oak Point Road in concert with McGill Development and is working cooperatively with IRG to site a water tower to improve water pressure and allow for continued development of the City’s far west side.