Cleveland Browns announced the redevelopment of their Berea headquarters and associated development, to be called District 46 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. This view looks southeast from above the intersection of Front Street and Lou Groza Boulevard to the lower left and Depot Street at the lower right (Architecture, Design, & 3D Renderings by AODK Architecture). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
Haslams to offer recreation, hotel, housing, retail
ARTICLE UPDATED OCT. 30, 2024
Today, the Haslam Sports Group announced it was teaming up with the Berea City Schools, city of Berea, DiGeronimo Companies and University Hospitals to pursue a long-planned mixed-use district next to the Cleveland Browns headquarters in suburban Berea. Recent estimates are that the new development could cost about $221 million to build.
In calling it “a new neighborhood,” the development, dubbed District 46 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, will measure about 16 acres. The Browns headquarters, named the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, is adjacent at 76 Lou Groza Blvd. The Browns’ existing campus measures 18 acres.
The new development will provide a variety of activities and spaces benefiting the region with an anticipated opening in early 2027. The “46” in District 46 is in reference to the year in which the Cleveland Browns were founded — 1946.
District 46 will be developed by DiGeronimo Companies, currently located in Independence but soon to relocate to Valor Acres in Brecksville. The new Berea development will include a community field lined for multiple sports for youth, high school and adult participation.
This is the north end of what is now Pearl Street, which runs north-south between the existing Cleveland Browns headquarters and practice facilities and Front Street. Front is the main north-south street through Berea (AODK).
It will also have an upscale hotel developed in partnership with Dublin, Ohio-based developer Crawford Hoying and operated by Shaner Hotel Group of State College, PA. District 46 will offer a sports medicine facility operated by the Browns’ health-system partner, University Hospitals (UH).
And it will be a new neighborhood because it will have housing — market-rate apartments. Alongside will be a field house for community use, a parking garage, plus 30,000 square feet of retail space to support the planned pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.
“The city of Berea and Mayor Kleem have been incredible partners to us at the Browns and the Haslam Sports Group, and we’re thrilled to work with them on this expansion project that will benefit so many members of our neighborhood,” said Haslam Sports Group Chief Operating Officer David Jenkins in a written statement.
“We’re thrilled to be working with local developer DiGeronimo and additional partners University Hospitals and Berea City Schools on District 46 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus and know this development will be transformative for this community,” he added.
Looking generally south from the northeast corner of Lou Groza Boulevard and Front Street shows this community athletic facility that will be available for multiple sports for youth, high school and adult participation. Compare this rendering with the next photo (AODK).
“On behalf of the city of Berea, we’re excited to deepen our existing working relationship with the Haslam and Johnson families as well as the Cleveland Browns as we begin to create District 46,” said Berea Mayor Cyril Kleem.
“Johnson” he referred to is James Wood “JW” Johnson III — executive vice president of the Cleveland Browns. He is also a partner of the Haslam Sports Group.
“For our residents and our community, these new spaces will continue to enhance all our city has to offer and will bring new opportunities for growth that we’re extremely excited about,” Kleen continued.
“We’re proud to work with the Cleveland Browns and the city of Berea on this incredible project which will be transformational for the area,” said DiGeronimo Companies Chief Executive Officer Vic DiGeronimo Jr. “With so many great partners involved in District 46 from the Northeast Ohio region, we’re thrilled to help bring this vision to life and see the positive impact it will have for years to come.”
A recent view looking in the same general direction as the prior rendering, at the corner of Lou Groza Boulevard and Front Street. This photo, was taken last May before the Serpentini Collision Center, below the street sign, and two of the last remaining houses were demolished (KJP).
Haslam Sports Group officials said they will released more development plans in the months to come as this project goes through the city’s design-review approvals process. NEOtrans has been reporting on this emerging project for more than a year.
In September, Berea City Council authorized Kleem to execute a temporary lease agreement for the Haslams’ Berea Mixed Use Project LLC use include city-owned land in its development vision. That land represents roughly half of the acreage of the development site. The Haslams’ need the lease in order to seek a Transformational Mixed Use Development tax credit from the state, now pending.
The Haslams have acquired additional properties for their proposed development. At the north end of Berea along Front Street, dozens of single-family homes, a church and the former Serpentini Collision Center, were acquired in recent years by affiliates of the Haslam Sports Group and demolished.
Mount Zion Baptist Church, previously at 572 Pearl, was demolished after a new church was built at 200 Mt. Zion Way, off Emerson Avenue, at the Haslam’s expense. Serpentini Collision Center, formerly at 520 Front, relocated in December 2023 to 6679-6689 Engle Rd. in Middleburg Heights.
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