Keeping Hudson in quaint character

190,000-square-foot development aimed to fit in

 

Saturday, September 04, 2004

Janet H. Cho

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

You can call First & Main the first mixed-used lifestyle center in Northeast Ohio.

 

You can argue about whether the 190,000-square-foot development will transform historic downtown Hudson into a chic shopping and dining destination or a traffic nightmare.

   

But whatever you do, don't call the $50 million project another Legacy Village, the upscale shopping center that opened in Lyndhurst last year.

 

"The thought behind this is very, very different from the thought behind Legacy Village. That's a stand-alone shopping center. We want this to be a part of downtown Hudson," said Tom Murdough, chairman of the Hudson Village Development Co., and a 31-year resident of Hudson. The development company is a partnership of Tom and Joy Murdough and Fairmount Properties Inc. of Cleveland.

 

"Our goal was to retain the charm of this community and to make sure it was as seamless an extension of the downtown as could possibly be done," Murdough said, escorting a visitor around the historic downtown. "Five years from now, people won't be able to tell the old from the new."

 

READ MORE AT:

cleveland.com

 

Well i have to say, this really sounds like a positive thing happening in a suburb.  I still dont get it though.  I mean is every suburb going to make its own manufactured downtown?  most have village greens or "public squares" anyway.  Hell the stuff they mentioned this development will have is exactly what cleveland, and its inner ring has.  small shops, pedestrian friendly, downtown, mixed use.  heh

My brother's fiancee works for a company that's involved with this project. She's been to the site a few times and has seen the detailed plans. It is going to fit in quite nicely with the existing area.

I see this as a positive for Hudson - I lived there for three years and I loved the historic center of town but you could tell it was lacking a little. This project should help add to the amenities of Hudson without harming the local shops.

 

zaceman, I hear what you're saying but I think Hudson is really too far-flung from Cleveland for this project to exacerbate Cleveland's retail woes. Cleveland and the inner-ring burbs have the infrastructure but unfortunately they don't all have the disposable income of the typical Hudson resident (did you see the movie The Stepford Wives? *Textbook* Hudson housewife)

renderingssss

For those of you who were looking for info on the project....

 

The city of Hudson website claims First & Main is now open:

http://www.hudson.oh.us/news/downtown.asp

 

While the project website doesn't seem to show much at all:

http://www.firstandmainhudson.com/

 

hey people if anyone could (mayday?) might we get some photos up on this? i was very curious about it. from the city website grsscat linked it looks pretty nice in the few photos---maybe just not as cool as i had heard but its hard to tell much about it. i'd like to see more shots of it for sure!

during my visit to Cleveland back last year i made a point of driving through Hudson and was impresed on how they tried to blend this into the existing town.  Its probably the best attempt Ive seen to do this type of integration of new & old....

The First and Main project isn't anything like the larger lifestyle center projects like Easton, Crocker or Legacy.

 

Hudson's downtown basically consisted of a strip of retail on the north-south route of Main Street (aka Rt. 91) which sat west of the village green (town square from the old Western Reserve days). West of that strip was a manufacturing plant that lived out its usefulness.

 

The First and Main project converted that site into another village green with angled-in parking, a small parking deck, and a few blocks of smaller niche retailers. If you go there expecting Easton, you'll be disappointed. It does mesh well with the historic downtown - in other words, it blends well - because on its own, it's not much to write home about.

From the Hudson Hub Times:

 

 

Council to work with Main Street stores on possible renovations

by Laura Freeman

Reporter

 

Hudson - The backside of historic Main Street may receive a new face.

 

Merchants spoke at the Council workshop Tuesday to voice their concerns about promises made during construction of First & Main that the city would make improvements to the back of Main Street buildings.

 

Council President Brian Daley suggested a subcommittee could work with the merchants and named Council members John Jeffers and John Logan to work with City Manager Douglas Elliott and anyone else from the city to resolve the issues.

 

“They can meet and discuss the issues with the merchants and come up with an agreement,” Daley said. “Discuss all aspects including the costs.”

 

A July 2004 list of improvements that the city would fund included storm sewer lines, dumpster enclosures, concrete walkways, concrete curbs, a handicap ramp and line markings added to streets with an estimated cost of $215,000.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/article.php?pathToFile=/articles//news/&file=_news9.txt&article=1&tD=

 

http://www.firstandmainhudson.com/PDF/FM-map.pdf

 

 

Saywell's Drug Store is now closed

 

I was in hudson last weekend sorry no pictures :(

From the Hudson Hub Times:

 

 

Main Street project could start this month

City, merchants to beautify back entrances

by Laura Freeman

Reporter

 

Hudson - Work on Historic Main Street’s back entranceways may begin as early as the end of this month if approval of the project is completed.

 

The city promised merchants during the construction of First & Main that it would help spruce up the back of Main Street business buildings so they would be more attractive on the side facing the new development.

 

Council subcommittee members John Logan and John Jeffers met Thursday morning with city deputy manager Anthony Bales, city engineer Gino Morell and Historic Main Street business owners Harvey “Rick” Hanna of the former Saywell’s Drug Store building, Katie Coulton of the Grey Colt, Alex Piteo of Miracle on Main Street and Kurt Nygaard of the Downtown 140 restaurant.

 

The committee agreed to spell out what the city will do and facilitate the process to accomplish the work.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/article.php?pathToFile=/articles//news/&file=_news9.txt&article=1&tD=

From the Hudson Hub Times:

 

 

Improvement project for downtown stores starts Monday

by Laura Freeman

Reporter

 

Hudson - Merchants on Historic Main Street will have a welcoming new look for patrons in a few weeks.

 

Council approved a $177,285 bid from Vito Gironda Construction Co. to make improvements to Historic Main Street’s back entranceways April 11. Work is scheduled to begin Monday and will continue for three to four weeks.

 

The city’s part of the project is included in the 2006 appropriations for $215,000.

 

In 2003, City Council promised merchants during the construction of First & Main that improvements would be made to the back of Main Street business buildings so they would be more attractive on the side facing the new development.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/article.php?pathToFile=/articles//news/&file=_news3.txt&article=1&tD=

 

From the 7/24/06 Hudson Hub-Times:

 

 

Eatery to join First & Main

by Rachael Biasiotta

Associate Editor

 

Hudson - First & Main representatives say they have found a tenant for the last open retail space on the ground level of First & Main.

 

Luchita’s Mexican Restaurant will lease the space, according to First & Main officials, and the new location will be the fifth store for the local restaurant chain, which is owned by the Galindo family.

 

Luchita’s will open later this year, according to Gretchen Filon of First & Main, in the 3,000-square-foot space on Park Lane between Caribou Coffee and Aladdin’s. The restaurant also will have use of an adjacent patio area.

 

Luchita’s spokesperson Alex Galindo said more details about the new store will become available as its opening date, planned for early October, approaches.

 

According to a statement from First & Main, Luchita’s has other locations in Elyria, Mentor, Cleveland and at Shaker Square. The new store will have a “south-of-the-border” look, with colorful stucco accented by scones and a bar featuring a decorative glass wall.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/article.php?pathToFile=/archive/07242006/news/&file=_news3.txt&article=1&tD=07242006

 

From the 7/28/06 PD:

 

 

Trouble on Main Street

Some Hudson merchants say First & Main district is hurting them

Friday, July 28, 2006

April McClellan-Copeland

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Hudson - The First & Main shopping district was billed at its 2004 opening as a seamless extension of Main Street.

 

The developers said they avoided bringing in stores that would compete with existing Main Street businesses. They also formed a joint merchants' association to promote Main Street and First & Main as one shopping destination.

 

"Five years from now, people won't be able to tell the old from the new," Tom Murdough, chairman of the Hudson Village Development Co., one of the partners in the project, predicted in a 2004 interview.

 

But that "seamless" relationship didn't last even two years.

 

Some merchants contend that competition from First & Main is in part to blame for the closing of nine shops on Main Street.

 

The most recent victim, Hudson Toy Train & Hobby, a Main Street fixture for 16 years, will close at month's end.

 

First & Main also will lose a shop next month. Abigail & Annie's, which sells home furnishings and accents, will close Aug. 4.

 

And in January, First & Main pulled out of the joint merchants' association to do separate advertising and promotions.

 

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/summit/1154075514323710.xml&coll=2

I saw this article too! My folks live in Hudson, and a lot of their favorite places on the "real" Main Street have been closing -- has them a bit worried about their house's value. I don't know if that's something to really fear at this point. I think the retail offerings will just be changing to things they don't like.

 

I don't really understand why they opened this retail development and populated it with businesses that already existed in Hudson, though. It's a capitalist bloodbath, I guess. For example, the new flower shop the woman quoted says killed her business is owned by a local guy. It's not a chain or anything, and he has nice stuff. I don't want to see anyone have to close their business down, but it's not like Wal-Mart came into town in that circumstance.

 

But, anyway, it's almost like the suburbanites are clashing with the small townies, rural leftovers, if that makes sense. I think that for a bagillion years, Hudson has been a pretty insular community of people that either had money or liked old houses. Sort of like the towns you see in Cape Cod. I think over the last 15-20 years, it's been turning into a place like Westlake.

^ did you go to HHS ?

 

^^ Negativo. I went to Cuyahoga Falls. My folks moved after my gradgee-ation.

I went to Hudson High, then transfered to Kent for my JR year when my parents split up.  :wave:

"But, anyway, it's almost like the suburbanites are clashing with the small townies, rural leftovers, if that makes sense. I think that for a bagillion years, Hudson has been a pretty insular community of people that either had money or liked old houses. Sort of like the towns you see in Cape Cod. I think over the last 15-20 years, it's been turning into a place like Westlake."

 

It isn't 'almost like' - the suburbanites ARE clashing with the small town leftovers. I lived in Hudson for a few years and it always amazed me how so many Hudsonites would name-drop where they lived because they knew most people would be thinking "oh, the lovely green and the historic district near the Academy", yet in reality every single one lived in some garden-variety cul-de-sac off 91 or 303 (Chadds Ford, Cantebury, Pinebrooke, etc.). If they ever did set foot in the places along Main Street, it was for a cheap drink at Kepners or maybe taking Grandma to breakfast at Yours Truly. Hudson, Medina, Chagrin Falls - all are historic small towns but share a similar fate from being located within commuting distance of a major metropolitan area. They have to deal with the mentality of people wanting a "genuine small town atmosphere" but also wanting suburban conveniences - I honestly don't think the two can co-exist.

Hey, I know the Hudson reputation. I grew up in Cuyahoga Falls! My mom is always talking about the name-dropping. She hates when people around here ask her where she lives because the whole thing has so much baggage. People automatically think you're a big snob -- I know I would have! My folks live in the old part of town, which is the reason they moved there -- plus it's close to my dad's job in Akron.

 

I like small towns well enough, but the truly authentic, untouched by sprawl small towns can be really creepy. I lived in one in Michigan for a year! I prefer a city like Lakewood, although it could use some real redevelopment of existing space ala Royal Oak near Detroit.

 

Anyway, getting back to Hudson, I think the clash can be illustrated by one example. The Hudson purists enjoy having a small, flourishing, independent bookstore right on Main Street. The suburbanites want the city to open up a big chunk of land on the edge of Stow to open a Border's and Bed Bath & Beyond -- that store isn't even cool!

From the 1/22/07 Hudson Hub-Times:

 

 

First & Main site still undeveloped

January 22, 2007

by Jennifer Reece

Reporter

 

Hudson -- It's been more than two years since the grand opening of First & Main downtown, but there are still no official plans for the last vacant lot, known as "building 7."

 

The area is located across from the new Green at First & Main at the intersection of First Street and Village Way.

 

While developer Fairmount Properties contends it has been trying to come up with the best use for the land, city officials are getting frustrated that it is taking so long.

 

"I view it as the blackhole of Calcutta," said Council member John Jeffers. "I think it would be marvelous if they [Fairmount] would go ahead with plans that they used to have to build condominiums."

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/news/article/1508641

 

For more information, visit First & Main's website at:

http://www.firstandmainhudson.com/