If you ask Wickliffe Mayor Joe Sakacs about economic development in the city he leads, be prepared to listen for a while.
There seems to be a lot going on right now in Wickliffe, when it comes to current and proposed efforts to bolster the city’s business and residential sectors.
For example, Online Liquidation Auction LLC will be opening a location in the west end section of the city.
According to Sakacs, OLA will be located at 28801 Euclid Ave., formerly the old drive-in, Palisades Palace bowling alley and RollHouse property.
“This is a big win for our city,” Sakacs told News-Herald reporter Marah Morrison. “This company happened a few years ago when three brother-in-laws started off in their garage. It exploded from there.”
A multimillion dollar renovation of the building inside and out, as well as redoing the road and driveway, is underway, Sakacs said, noting it could be a few months before OLA’s opening.
OLA sells more than 35,000 items per week, Sakacs said.
“They are the Amazon of auctions,” he said. “You get the OLA app on your phone and there are three-day auctions where you can get brand new items at a low price. They only ship their high-priced items, but it is mainly all pickup.”
Sakacs anticipates the location will see between 800 to 1,000 cars on a daily basis, as customers will be coming to pick up their items.
“This is great for the surrounding businesses,” he said, noting that OLA should also employ between 30 to 40 people within its first year and grow rapidly from there.
“I want to thank (OLA) for wanting to make our city their new home for many years to come,” he said. “This has been a very long process for myself along with the owner of the RollHouse property who I met back in early 2022. Since then, we have been trying to find the best fit for that location. After a lot of hard work, it finally paid off.”
With new homes being built in the city, as well as the 55 and up community by the former Ponderosa property, this area is going to be rejuvenated, Sakacs said.
In addition, Sakacs said that a New York-based company has purchased the former McDonald’s at 28711 Euclid Ave. in hopes of opening a standalone restaurant there.
“Finally, after all these years, they’re going to fix it up and sell it to hopefully be something food or beverage-related,” Sakacs said, noting that it won’t be a chain.
In addition, Sakacs expressed optimism that the former ABB Inc. site someday will be bustling with business activity again.
Premier Development Partners is awaiting funding to redevelop the property.
According to Sakacs, the project has been at a standstill, as Premier had intended to secure funding last year.
“This year, they are 90 percent sure they will be getting the funding to tear down that front building,” Sakacs said. “It’s riddled with asbestos.”
Sakacs said this will be about a $3 million project.
“If they get the funding, that building will come down, a spec building will be built and a new facility will be built,” he said. “There is heavy interest in that location for many jobs. I am at every meeting and on every phone call, so I know the process step by step. There’s definite hope ABB is not going to sit there empty forever.”
Premier Development has been looking to fill the ABB buildings in the city since 2018. The company, through an auction, purchased the property, which consists of two buildings adjacent to each other on 29801 Euclid Ave. and 1400 Worden Road, equaling 570,000 square feet.
The purchase also came with a lot across from the building on Worden.
While ABB has some activity in the building at 1400 Worden Road, it will come into play when there’s a new building on Euclid Avenue, Sakacs said.
“That whole area will be ready to rock and roll,” he said. “So much is happening in this city and it’s crazy.”
The News-Herald admires the enthusiasm expressed by Sakacs about the variety of business and residential projects either taking place or being on the horizon in Wickliffe. We encourage city government leaders and private developers to work together to keep this momentum going.