Site work has started on Arcadia mixed-use development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Originally posted on The City of Shaker Heights website.

Shaker Heights, Ohio (April 1, 2025) - Columbus-based real estate developer Metropolitan Holdings has started site work on Arcadia, the 250,000-square-foot mixed-use building that will house 141 apartments and more than 15,000 square feet of commercial/retail and office space at the long-vacant southeast corner of Warrensville Center and Farnsleigh roads.

RDL Architects, which recently outgrew its Shaker Heights office spaces, designed the complex and will move back to Shaker as its primary office occupant.

“We are very excited to have Metropolitan Holdings moving forward with this transformative expansion of the Van Aken District,” said Shaker Heights Mayor David E. Weiss. “Arcadia will add vibrancy and density to an already popular neighborhood, increasing the new housing options available. Residents of Arcadia will have easy access to RTA rail and bus routes, shopping, dining, banking, and recreation. In addition, this project will help grow our tax base and enable the City to retain RDL architects, a long-time Shaker business.”

Matthew Vekasy, founder & CEO of Metropolitan Holdings, said “After many months of planning, we are delighted to be starting work on Arcadia. The City of Shaker Heights has been a tremendous partner in bringing this project to fruition and ensuring that Arcadia will serve as a catalyst for continued transformation in the Van Aken District. We look forward to seeing our plans take shape as we blend urban and suburban design to create the next choice for Shaker living.”

Plans call for a mix of apartment and townhouse-style rental units, with 25 units set aside for residents earning 80-100% of the area median income as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The project will feature:

• A signature corner with ground floor retail space and second floor offices
• Different styles of construction including brownstones, townhouses, and traditional flats
• Indoor parking for approximately 200 cars on site

Occupancy is expected in late 2026 or early 2027, upon all final approvals.

The project property was the site of the former Qua Buick-Pontiac until its closing in 2005. In 2015 the City partnered with the Cuyahoga County Land Bank to clear the site in preparation for redevelopment. 

Metropolitan Holdings’ project website includes architectural renderings and will feature monthly construction updates, at buildingarcadia.com