Baque did a year of extensive research, including interviews with Severance's Seattle-based owners Winmar Co. Inc., neighboring residents, and property owners around the ring road. The UDC also conducted concept design workshops with city officials, Winmar officials and their design firm G. Herschman Architects of Beachwood. He gave no price tag. Addressing the present condition of Severance, city Law Director John Gibbon listed several complaints that City Council had about the shopping center. The ring road appears run down and poorly maintained.
Severance needs to compete better to maintain the stable populations around it.
Traffic and pedestrian circulation is ineffective and hazardous. He added that the city has the authority to formally declare it a nuisance, repair it, and bill Winmar. He cited several examples in which public bodies have done that with private property. He said the matter was not put on the Board of Control's agenda because council had not yet taken formal action on the issue. He said the next step would be for Winmar officials to sit down with the city.