Movie Theater in the Works for Portage Crossing
According to pending legislation put forth by Cuyahoga Falls city officials, it appears the proposed development plan now calls for the construction of a movie theater.
Editor's Note: Stay tuned to Patch for breaking news coverage following the Nov. 19 Cuyahoga Falls City Council meeting.
Sick of catching flicks at Chapel Hill?
Well, it appears a movie theater is in the works for the proposed Portage Crossing development, according to a Nov. 12 Cuyahoga Falls City Council agenda.
In the agenda, city officials put forth new legislation asking for an amendment to the existing Portage Crossing contract.
As it stands, details are scarce, other than the ordinance asking, “to provide for a movie theater to be part of the development.”
The legislation was introduced at Monday’s Cuyahoga Falls City Council meeting, but not discussed.
Council will publicly review the ordinance at its Nov. 19 meeting.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, “city officials and the developer are staying mum about whether that could mean Menard’s or Giant Eagle, the previously announced anchors, might no longer be in the project.”
On Oct. 31, Patch corresponded via email with Cuyahoga Falls Development Directorwhere she hinted at possible changes to the project, writing, "(Stark Enterprises is) already engaged in the process of closing and things are going well. There are some positive changes in the works that the developers are currently working on but that are not yet finalized, and therefore, not able to be announced.”
As it stands, Portage Crossing is a one-phase, 400,000-square-foot project, which is expected to cost around $60 million.
Menards, Giant Eagle, Michael Symon’s B Spot, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera Bread, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and Pet Supplies Plus have reportedly signed on, according to Robert Stark, CEO of Stark Enterprises.
Plans call for construction to begin where the former State Road Shopping Center once stood at the corner of Portage Trail and State Road; however, the project has been delayed several times as plans continue to be retooled.
Dick Casto
11:35 pm on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
More excuses,more delays,more concessions with the city giving in.Drop Giant Eagle as they already have a spot and Menard's would bring in more clientele to the area anyways
Dick Casto
11:38 pm on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
More excuses,more delays,more4 concession with the city giving in. Drop Giant Eagle before Menard's as they are already set where they are. Besides Menard's would bring in more customers for the rest of the Businesses anyways
Robin Anderson
8:36 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Can the area really support another home improvement store especially given the current economy?
Mike Garrison
10:52 am on Sunday, December 2, 2012
What would have brought more people is IKEA, people, like my family, travel all the way to Pittsburgh to go to IKEA. Nothing, especially menards will not bring new people to Cuyahoga Falls. IKEA would have. So now as CFO has for the past X amount of years will be status quo. Why should we live with the mediocrity, it is in Cuyahoga Falls best interest to get IKEA back on board. We would get so much benefit in it.
Earl Elevant
12:33 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Is this really surprising to anyone?
The general public is tired of their excuses, extensions, and lack of execution. How do they think companies with money on the line are going to view their complete ineptitude to even get this project started, let alone see it through to completion?
And it's all because they didn't buy the land they needed to. This is likely because they didn't want people balking at the initial price (that they were probably going to spend anyway). Like with the BP station. It wasn't part of the initial purchase. That came *after* the cost was announced. Now there are more purchases to be made, but the owners don't want to sell. Think Czar Robart will swing the eminent domain sword *again*?
Seems all the "wait and see what kind of a paradise" supportive fools who usually post on here have even backpedaled from this.
I'll be voting for anyone not named Robart next year. Maybe someone, anyone else can make this work. Robart can't. Truby can't. Get them out and give it to someone who can close the deal in less than a decade.
Roachman
7:04 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
I do not see any comments on additional delays. Any mention of additional spending? Wait till they announce something concrete before getting you panties in a bunch!
Earl Elevant
12:44 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Nah. You never see any mention of additional delays or additional spending...until later.
It's already been, what, four or five years?
The cost has probably made it to $20 million for this $11 million project.
They don't mention additional cost or delays. They try to let them slide quietly through council. Just like Truby knowing exactly who pulled out, yet refusing to say who it is.
There have been enough delays and additional spending already that my panties are no longer visible they're bunched up so much. And those are from the announcements that have already happened.
It's time to stop making announcements about making announcements and to actually build something.
Thomas Sullivan
8:07 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Actually no back pedaling here, I was going to wait until Monday to see what the official announcement was before forming a opinion.
With all the insight you seem to have Earl maybe you need to run for mayor and finish this thing, but then that would require you actually putting your real name on the ballot .
Put up something constructive , get involved in the process, form a citizens group…the list goes on but sitting behind the keyboard with a fake moniker changes nothing!
Earl Elevant
12:38 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
They don't want to hear from the public or they wouldn't have started this mess in the first place.
"Thomas Sullivan," if that *is* your real name...
Earl Elevant
12:52 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Besides, why would I want to clean up Robart's mess?
This may be beyond being cleaned up. It might be too far gone even at this point. They had enough of a hard time getting Giant Eagle to move two blocks. How are they going to attract anyone else?
They failed in hyping this the first time. Generating hype doesn't work a 2nd time.
Thomas Sullivan
2:00 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Yep that’s my real name (and I wish it was more clever like yours so I could troll the blogs also )
I do think you are still missing my point, If you don’t like what your elected officials are doing either vote them out or better yet run for office yourself! Geeze the mayor ran unopposed last term you could have swooped right in there and saved us all.
Also if you do not understand what the “announcement of the announcement is for its so Council, the public, and the media all hear the same thing at the same time. I know it makes it tough on the E-whiners like yourself, but it is a more professional way of making things like this public. Love to chat more Earl but I do have a life away from my keyboard..ta ta
Earl Elevant
12:00 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Hey "Thomas," 1995 called and wants your internet personal attacks back.
Show me one place where I've trolled or even been disrespectful to anyone.
You may or may not be Thomas Sullivan. Who knows. Absolute identification of posters is not mandatory on here, per the terms of service. Calling me a troll when I've done nothing to deserve the title is a personal attack which, in fact, *is* against the rules.
I'm very sorry you need to resort to that when your opinions can't keep up with the facts.
When you have to resort to that, you lose any little bit of credibility you might have had. Calling people names doesn't make you right. It only shows that you're grabbing for straws.
Anyway, moving away from your terms of service violations...
Who in their right mind would want to run for mayor and inherit Robart's mess?
I'm not saying he'll be able to do anything to even clean up his own mess, but I certainly wouldn't want to destroy the legacy Portage Crossing has become.
They can't build the thing, but they sure can make announcements about it.
Andy H
11:40 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
I think an IMAX Theater would be perfect.. let's kick it up a notch!
Andy H
11:46 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Seriously - put Cuyahoga Falls on the map with IMAX.. have you been to the closest IMAX theater? It is at North Coast Science Center or all the way out to Lakeview.. really far and cost prohibitive. There are about a quarter million people in this local area and Cuyahoga Falls could be the place!! Think of all the people who would shop at Portage Crossing and in Cuyahoga Falls if we had an IMAX Theater.. not just another theater option in between Hudson and Chapel Hill area.. Come on Mayor Robart and city council.. let's get this thing planned to lead the community to prosperity with ... think of it .. an IMAX THEATER IN CUYAHOGA FALLs.. attracting upscale movie goers who will have to eat, shop, and play in beautiful PORTAGE CROSSING .. home of the area's only IMAX THEATER!!! I rest my case....
Andy H
12:04 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
OK.. a little more about IMAX.. check out IMAX theaters if you don't know what I am talking about.. at www.IMAX.com..It is the ultimate movie experience. Cleveland has two theaters..always packed.. Omnimax at Great Lakes Science Center and another at Regal Crocker Park Stadium 16. in Westlake OH.. both an HOUR AWAY people!
Cincinnatti area has FOUR IMAX THEATERS.. Pittsburge HAS THREE, Dayton HAS TWO (Dayton.. come on Cuyahoga Falls.. even Dayton has IMAX!!!) and COLUMBUS has TWO.. and Indianapolis has FOUR! So, with all the market research underway.. think FUTURE SUCCESS - AN IMAX IN CUYAHOGA FALLS..would ROCK!!!
Earl Elevant
12:39 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
I've been suggesting that for a long time--even with the Front St. theater.
I doubt we'll see it. It's far too progressive for this place.
Andy H
1:01 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
EARL - You are so right in doing so! Keep it up! Join the call for a new IMAX in CUYAHOGA FALLS - think of the name.. CUYA –MAX!!! That would turn this town on!! Well, can you even imagine people actually wanting to come to Cuyahoga Falls to spend money from Akron, Cleveland, Hudson, Stow, Talmadge, Canton, etc??? .. Why.? .
Because we got there first..!!! Canton will get one if we don't .. or Akron will .. but we have the edge… that big old parking lot is just waiting for all those excellent IMAX movie goers!!!!.. Don't we.. have the edge or are we just status quo .. blocked by Naysayers??
Not me.. Right now is the time to be positive.. call your councilman, EARL and everyone.. come on.. let’s do something worthwhile on our 200th year.. and suggest it again, Earl.. be a leader.. in your heart, you know what you WANT - IMAX!!!!
Earl Elevant
12:09 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
By no means do I think we need another theater around here, but if we're going to do it, we need to do it different than everyone else.
The Plaza theater is owned by the same group that owns the Cedar-Lee theater. They show some very different movies there. They bring back the old films (80s) for another run on the big screen. Sometimes they show artsy things. The Plaza theater even runs the Rocky Horror Picture Show. They succeed because they do it uniquely different than everyone else.
Yes, an IMAX theater would definitely be different and I think it would succeed as well as, if not better than Super Mega Multiplexes like Valley View.
Good name, BTW. drop the A though. CUY-MAX. It's a little closer to the real name & rolls off the tongue easier.
Maybe they could even take some of the parking lot space & make a modern drive-in theater on one of their back walls. Not IMAX, of course, but use the parking lot constructively. Do it uniquely. That's what's going to work.
Andy H
8:44 am on Friday, November 16, 2012
Cuy - Max! Cuyahoga Fall's IMAX Theater.. can someone start a petition? Let's get this movie theater moving -to be IMAX!!!
Kathy Moffet
5:27 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Word on the street is that Menards will not be coming because promises were not kept ( building in place by a certain date) Will wait until Monday to see if community gossip is correct
Howie H.
4:41 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Plant grass and trees there and call it a day.
Kelly Powell
3:09 am on Friday, November 16, 2012
Yes let's have a IMAX in Cuyahoga Falls!
Andy H
8:45 am on Friday, November 16, 2012
Right Kelly - get your friends on board with this.. PLEASE GET someone to get a petition started and make IMAX in Cuyahoga Falls the NEW REALITY!!!
Earl Elevant
2:26 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Andy...are you working for Stark or the city? Heh.
Andy H
2:36 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Earl... come on, are you even serious? .
Think.. would anyone from the city want an IMAX? They should be thinking this way.. ..but they are not and won't ... not unless the people start pushing for it.. so come on and help! Ask for what the people want and need!
Give me a break.... I just think it would be great and it would help this city and everyone, really. Don't be like everyone on this post - so negative.. forget that .. be positive and work hard for what we all want.. IMAX!! IMAX!! IMAX!! IMAX!!
Come on Earl.. start shouting!!! IMAX!!!!!!!
Earl Elevant
3:02 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Nah. The "Heh" should have tipped you off that I wasn't serious about you working for the city.
Kristy Lynn
10:13 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
We totally need an iMax wow talk about a lot of business! I'm sick of driving to Macedonia to watch shows!!!! Being it on! Please :)
Kristy Lynn
10:14 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
I'm starting a Petition Monday morning who's in?
wmfr
11:49 am on Sunday, November 18, 2012
HORRIBLE IDEA IMHO - We don't need a bunch of kids and to come here and that's what packs up movie theaters, also the sales tax base will shrink compared to a Menard's etc...
It's very clear that the Developer on cares about what's in their best interest and not this community. They have broken several promises to us already. 1st - They have not kept the time frames that they promised 2nd - They did not keep their word on when they would make announcements of retailers and kept us in the dark for far too long. They claimed that through social media ( twitter and facebook they would keep residents up to date on progress ) those pages have not been updated in months.
Another issue is OUR OWN CITY COUNCIL does not respond to our emails, phone calls or letters regarding smaller issues than this, so I can't imagine they will be a voice for us on this project either. We need to rid ourselves of city council members and somehow function and make decisions as community by all voting. This project has been plagued by red tape and issues from day 1 and I think this developer is a very unprofessional by the way they have handled this entire ordeal and they along with the mayor need to shoulder the blame on this.
I wish our elected officials, some that have been in their positions too long anyways, would do their jobs.
ATTN TOM SULLIVAN - Earl is an ignorant little TROLL on this board and I don't think anyone takes that clown seriously.
John Tussey
8:48 am on Monday, November 19, 2012
I certainly hope Menards remains in the mix here as while they are a home improvement store they create a very competitive atmosphere and have an expanded selection over the He Depots and Lowes. I am curious though why there's not been any mention or attempt to get a Kohls in this development. I think Kohls would be great in that development and the Falls could definitely use one. At present they have to go to the Stow/Kent store or Macedonia. Kohls should have been a 'no brainier' for this line up, who fumbled that ball?
o
1:56 pm on Monday, November 19, 2012
This whole project is a waste of money. I would not shop at any of the proposed new stores, and the Giant Eagle move defies logic. And what I don't understand is why the City buys land at $11 million, sells it for $3 million, and gives a ton of perks at the taxpayers' expense. The project is suspiciously nebulous, and Susan Truby isn't helping with secrets and no real facts. I say pull the plug and plant some trees.
Earl Elevant
3:04 pm on Monday, November 19, 2012
With the latest rezoning, I wonder if they opened it up to the Section 8 housing everyone feared and Robart claimed wouldn't happen, but was in the works the entire time.
It's not like anything about this project has ever been on the level from the beginning.