CLEVELAND — The Fairfax Market is set to bring a 40,000-square-foot grocery market opening by Meijer and 196 apartment units into an area Cleveland city leaders said is in need of economic activity. 

Leaders from the city of Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic, Meijer, Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation and Fairmount Properties participated in a ceremonial groundbreaking of the new complex on Tuesday. The cost to construct the new complex is estimated to cost $52.8 million. 

The development is part of a $500 million investment in the Cleveland Innovation District. The complex will be located at the corner of East 105th Street and Cedar Avenue in the newly opened Opportunity Corridor. 

The idea for a grocery store in the area was born out of a 2018 community conversation led by Cleveland Clinic CEO and President Tom Mihaljevic and Cleveland City Council President-elect and Ward 6 Councilperson Blaine Griffin, the Cleveland Clinic said. 

“I appreciated that from the start, Dr. Mihaljevic understood the importance of Cleveland Clinic’s role in the neighborhood and that residents had many areas that needed to be addressed,” said Griffin. “The discussion about bringing a supermarket to the neighborhood started early, recognizing the need of the longtime Fairfax residents.”

City leaders said the new grocery store is the first inner-city Meijer location in Ohio. It will also be Meijer’s first small-format market outside of Michigan. 

“Meijer is committed to our communities, which is why we are so excited to continue our investment in the City of Cleveland with the addition of Fairfax Market,” Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes said. “After the success of our four other neighborhood markets, we look forward to providing this great new store to residents of the Fairfax and surrounding neighborhoods.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the residential complex will feature a parking structure, direct connection to Fairfax Market and walkable access to the Cleveland Clinic campus.