Rating the Suburbs 2012: For the Business Savvy

Beachwood

The glass façade of Eaton Corp.'s new $170 million headquarters sweeps through the Chagrin Highlands corporate park in a gentle arc. Construction workers and vehicles crisscross the site like a carefully orchestrated ant farm. The building has reached its full height and breadth, as the international manufacturer of electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power systems plans a late 2012 opening.

"When you've got a neighborhood that is being created here with the presence of the world headquarters of the Eaton Corp., we want the development to be progressive and well-thought-out," says James Doutt, the city's director of development.

Buildings in Beachwood are showpieces. Developers Diversified Realty's $25 million, 177,000-square-foot headquarters was a 2009 addition to the company's three-building campus. University Hospitals recently opened its $150 million Ahuja Medical Center, and its $13.5 million UH Rehabilitation Hospital is set to be done in October.

"Beachwood is not satisfied with the status quo," Doutt explains. "They want to aggressively go after economic development."

It's the reason Doutt is here in the first place. The city commissioned a study of its economic development, and one of the suggestions was to hire a director. Before April, Beachwood did its recruiting without one. The chamber of commerce worked with the city and surrounding communities to retain and attract a business base that's invested $325 million in growth within the city since 2008.

The result is a suburb featuring top schools (the high school is currently receiving a new wing), a 2 percent income tax rate and city services such as the Beachwood Family Aquatic Center, which replaced the 1960s-era lap pool with a resortlike 514,000 gallons of water, slides, sprinklers and pools.

"It's a very safe, well-run community," says Doutt. "I think business leadership senses that. The word gets out. That reputation is something that is a great form of advertising for the community. It's one business leader telling another business leader that this is a great little community."

Which, he notes, leads right back to a better quality of life for residents. "The property values of the community are enhanced by the vibrancy of the local economy," he says.

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Good neighbor: Though Pepper Pike is already one of Cleveland's most desirable suburbs with its rolling hills and abundant trees, the city is looking to enhance its green spaces. Mayor Richard Bain has expanded the volunteer-run beautification committee to include conservation. Since natural creeks handle much of the city's storm water, landscapers and residents are being educated about how yard debris may disrupt the waterways. Bain is also inviting businesses to adopt prominent city entranceways to plant and beautify the areas. "It provides a good, overall vibe for what our city's about," he says.

Like-Minded city: Strongsville businesses created more than 400 new jobs in 2011, and more are on the way with HDI Landing Gear, Precision Production and Sentro Tech set to move in this year. "We have a wonderful business base," says Brent Painter, Strongsville's economic development director. "They are the ones creating the jobs." A recent rezoning measure has made way for a new 110,000-square-foot Giant Eagle Market District, the second in the state, slated to open in 2013. The growth is good for residents, too, as the city added three new ball fields and a new playground to its array of services.