Ground broken on Washington Elementary site for new development in Eastlake …Washington Place in Eastlake on schedule to be completed by spring of 2022

The grand opening of Washington Place, which will be built by Ryan Homes, is expected to be sometime in the spring, said Mark Holz, president of Frontier Land Group, the project’s developer. Earlier this year, demolition, asbestos remediation and an environmental cleanup was completed at the site.

“Things are going great. We have a great partnership with the city and it’s starting to come together,” Holz said. “The sanitary sewers are in, the water (lines) is going in this week and will be followed shortly by a storm sewer, curbs and pavement. We expect to pave right before Thanksgiving.”

Frontier Land Group was the winning bidder for the sites of the Willoughby-Eastlake Schools former Washington and Taft school buildings when they were auctioned off in 2020. Holz said that  the response has been overwhelming in terms of Eastlake residents who have reached out for more information.

“This is the first, new residential development in Eastlake since I believe the mid to late-’90s, and the excitement has been overwhelming,” he said. “People are calling almost every day and stopping at the job site to ask questions, and inquire about when the model will be open.”

The builder is projecting the subdivision to be sold out within a year after opening. By the end of November, plans will be submitted for the former Taft Elementary School site.

“The plan is to go right from Washington into Taft, a 29-lot, single-family home subdivision,” Holz said. “Our feeling is that it’s needed in Eastlake, wanted in Eastlake and as we broke ground, people are seeing that it’s actually happening. We anticipate a brisk pace.”

Ryan Homes plans to do both a two-story home and a ranch model. The ranch will start at 1,400 square feet and the single-family homes will be between 1,800 to 2,200 square feet. Houses are expected to cost around $200,000 to $250,000.

At both sites, there will be a homeowners association. Buyers will be able to do their customization in terms of patios, stone fronts and rear porches. Holz said the projects may appeal to both an older couple who have raised their family in Eastlake and someone young who is starting a family.

“This is good for the city, especially in the areas where the schools are — Longfellow and North,” Mayor Dennis Morley, of Eastlake, previously told The News-Herald. “It’ll be an opportunity for kids who move into the neighborhood.”

Ground is expected to be broken on the Taft site in the spring with a pave and model opening sometime in the summer.