First renderings released of one Avon Lake power plant redevelopment possibility

AVON LAKE — Residents got their first look Tuesday at the potential appearance of future development at the Avon Lake Generating Station site. Avon Lake economic development director Ted Esborn presented a rendering showing one in-progress framework plan designed by the Gensler design and architecture firm during his remarks at the livestreamed citywide ward meeting. Gensler was hired by the Kentucky-based company Charah Solutions. Charah, via its subsidiary Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG), will acquire the lakefront property at the beginning of April from current owner GenOn Holdings with the intention of redeveloping it. Composed of about 120 acres to the north and south of Lake Road, the property is part of a broader nearly 600-acre area that is viewed as an opportunity for possible transformation in connection with the power plant project, due to being mostly commercial and industrial rather than residential, Esborn said. The plan is for more public engagement opportunities about the plans to be held after ALERG officially acquires the power plant property, so residents can weigh in on multiple redevelopment ideas. The proposal presented at Tuesday night's meeting showed a striking change to the area. Describing them as "one bona fide way that the redevelopment could look," Esborn cautioned that the renderings were just one framework that has been designed. "It is not the single working plan for site redevelopment. Gensler is working on other frameworks as well," he said. In the rendering, Lake Road is shown to be curving closer to Lake Erie, with everything north of the road becoming 17 new acres of parkland including a public beach. Not all of the framework plans may show Lake Road moving closer to the lake, Esborn said. The images showed a marina built in what is now open water just north of the power plant. Historical preservation was also a focus in the proposal discussed Tuesday, with the original plant building including turbine hall and three smokestacks shown to be kept intact. Mayor Greg Zilka said some of the historical preservation elements drew mixed reaction from City Council members who viewed the renderings. "At least two people don't want them to be kept, and others are very interested in that," he said. "There is also divided opinion on the turbine room, which is incredible to see. It is quite large, and the cost of building something like that today would just be prohibitive, so there is great potential there." Beginning last fall, Esborn said Gensler did an existing conditions analysis and market analysis in Avon Lake to help determine what could work on the site, including potential for residential, retail, office and mixed use. These initial analyses are now nearly completed. The city has been engaged in a "collaborative planning effort" with ALERG and Gensler, Esborn said, and a focus group of residents has given additional input. Esborn also shed light onto the expected timeline for the project. He said it will take between two and three years for ALERG to "decommission the plant, remove asbestos, demolish the majority of the power plant and remediate the property" on both sides of Lake Road for future redevelopment. In 2022, ALERG is expected to set up temporary construction facilities at the site. New signage will be displayed, permits will be transferred from GenOn to ALERG, the plant will be depowered and plant operations materials will be removed. "ALERG is going to increase its workforce in order to do abatement activities, such as asbestos abatement," Esborn said. "We're going to start to see the demolition of the outer buildings … and we're going to see recycling of materials wherever possible." The city has applied for a combined $500,000 in brownfield assessment grants from both the federal and state governments that would help with necessary testing on the site, Esborn said. If awarded the grants, he said the city could also "leverage them for larger demolition and remediation grants down the road." Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.