Planning director reports rising housing and commercial activity; RFPs for city parcels due June 13

Euclid's Planning and Development Department reported rising housing and commercial investment and several active initiatives the administration said are intended to spur development and reduce commercial vacancy.

Director Grogan Myers told the Planning and Zoning Commission the city has three new homes under construction, five homes in plan review and four homes in zoning or design review, and current projections show more than $1,500,000 in new housing investment in 2025. He said the department has issued building permits and is actively marketing several sites to developers, including 10 city-owned parcels on Tyrone, Ormiston and Monterey avenues; responses to that request for proposals are due Friday, June 13.

Myers said commercial building permit activity through May 31 is at a five-year high — about $7.1 million in permits issued — and that the administration is supporting small storefront renovation as well as larger manufacturing expansions. To reduce street-level vacancy in commercial districts, the administration proposed a Euclid "storefront spark" program that would provide incentives for pop-up vendors, markets and small tenant improvements.

The director also noted workforce challenges for local manufacturers and said staff are organizing listening sessions with employers, state and county partners, and higher-education institutions to match candidates to local job openings.

Myers and commissioners discussed grant-seeking, tax increment financing (Harbour Town TIF District) and private fundraising as tools to leverage local investment for projects such as the lakefront trail and park improvements. The director said the city has a team of grant writers working to assemble phased funding packages for capital projects.

No formal action was taken; the report was informational and intended to update commissioners on current projects and near-term expectations.