It has recently been announced by the City of University Heights, Ohio, that Trader Joe’s will be the specialty grocer anchoring the new JCU Gateway North Development currently under construction at the entrance of John Carroll University. “The addition of Trader Joe’s at Fairmount Circle is part of our continued work to re-envision Warrensville Center Road in University Heights as a true main street and center of town, as well as bring the presence of John Carroll University up onto that main street in the best way.”, said University Heights Mayor Michael Brennan to Crain’s in a recent article.
The development is located on Fairmount Circle and will serve as the Gateway to the University. JCU Gateway North is a mixed-use retail and residential five-story complex with additional retail spaces available for restaurants, retail, and service businesses. This project embodies John Carroll University’s goals for on-campus living and bringing synergistic retail to campus. In addition to this development, JCU has recently completed several other campus developments, including The Field House, which opened in September 2025.
Goodman Real Estate Services Group LLC agents Zachary Sogoloff, Richard Edelman, Seth Marks, and Tristan Palmieri have been working with John Carroll University since 2021 to acquire property, develop a retail marketing plan, and assist in the design and planning for the Development. Trader Joe’s announcement is the first of many for the development, with much more to come in the upcoming months.
The site of the JCU Gateway North project is on land that Goodman helped JCU acquire. It was previously occupied by a BP gas station and Mr. Tire. Additionally, JCU has acquired about a dozen homes around the site to create a large campus parking lot separated from the development for students and faculty. The JCU Gateway North development will include 157,000 square feet of gross building area, with 27,940 square feet of retail space and 351 beds in the residential units, according to a previous Crain’s report.
In September 2025, John Carroll opened the Athletic, Wellness & Event (AWE) Center. “Those in attendance at the 125,000-square-foot AWE Center were able to view, for the first time, its gleaming new courts, expansive indoor track, modern spaces, and other features.”, according to Cleveland.com. Together, these projects support John Carroll University’s continued growth and strengthen its presence in University Heights.