The Mentor Planning Commission on May 1 approved both a conditional use permit for an outdoor recreational facility and a preliminary site plan for a new Dick’s House of Sport at 7850 Manor Avenue.

Dick’s representative Brian Thomas described the House of Sport concept as experiential retail with an outdoor field that can be used for events, a seasonal ice rink and rentable simulators and cages. “This gives our athlete, our customer, the chance to really connect with the product and test it out,” Thomas said. He told commissioners the company currently operates 21 House of Sport locations and planned additional openings.

Administration recommended two conditions for the conditional-use element (the outdoor recreation area); the commission approved those conditions. The commission then approved a preliminary site plan for a new, ground-up prototype building with approximately 120,000 square feet of sales floor and the outdoor field; the site-plan approval carried ten conditions, including screening for rooftop equipment, architectural refinements and detailed final elevations.

Commissioners and staff discussed the north-facing elevation along Mentor Avenue and asked Dick’s to increase architectural interest on that façade so the building does not read as a plain warehouse from the city’s main street. Thomas said the design team will review additional architectural treatments and noted the applicant closed on the property and intends to demolish the former Macy’s building to construct the prototype.

The commission also confirmed that a conditional use permit for the building height will be required at final site-plan review because the structure exceeds the 35-foot threshold in the zoning district. The applicant said the facility will include family restrooms, rentable golf simulators and other test-and-try amenities and that portions of the store may host youth programs and community events.

Both land-use approvals require compliance with the listed conditions and final engineering and site-plan review before permits are issued.