Retail history is rarely as clean as the brochures make it look. If you’ve ever driven through Lorain County, Ohio, you’ve seen the sprawling concrete footprint of the Avon Commons. It's a massive shopping hub. But what most people don't realize is that the story of Avon Richard E. Jacobs isn't just about a guy building a mall; it's a case study in how a single developer’s vision basically forced a sleepy, rural town to wake up and become a commercial powerhouse.
Richard E. "Dick" Jacobs was a titan. Period.
You might know him as the former owner of the Cleveland Guardians (then the Indians), but in the world of real estate, he was the guy who saw a patch of dirt and envisioned a billion-dollar tax base. When he set his sights on Avon, Ohio, he wasn't looking for a small win. He was looking to shift the gravity of Northeast Ohio retail.
Why the Richard E. Jacobs Vision for Avon Actually Worked
People often get it wrong. They think developers just pick a spot on a map and start digging. That’s not how Dick Jacobs operated. He was a master of the "long game." In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the intersection of I-91 and State Route 83 was essentially just a lot of grass. It was quiet.
Jacobs saw the path of progress moving West from Cleveland. He knew that if he built something big enough, the people would follow the asphalt.
The development of Avon Commons was a massive undertaking. We’re talking over 800,000 square feet of retail space. It wasn't just another strip mall; it was a "power center." Jacobs Group—the firm he led with his brother David—specialized in these high-traffic, high-value assets. They didn't just want a grocery store; they wanted the Costco, the Target, the Home Depot, and every major "category killer" brand in the country.
Honestly, it was a gamble that paid off because of the timing. The population in Avon was exploding. Families were moving out of the inner suburbs looking for more space. Jacobs provided the infrastructure for their lifestyle. Without the Avon Richard E. Jacobs influence, that city might still be a series of cornfields and two-lane roads. Instead, it’s one of the wealthiest and fastest-growing municipalities in the region.
The Strategy Behind the Man
What made Richard E. Jacobs different from your average developer? Precision.
He was known for being incredibly detail-oriented. He didn't just outsource the planning; he was deeply involved in the zoning battles and the architectural nuances. He understood that a mall is a living organism. If the traffic flow is wrong, the stores die. If the tenant mix is off, the value drops.
- The Anchor Strategy: Jacobs knew you needed a "hook." In Avon, he didn't just settle for one anchor; he created a cluster of them to ensure that no matter what you needed—from lumber to milk—you had to go to his site.
- Infrastructure Synergy: He worked closely with city officials to ensure the highway access could handle the volume. It's one of the few massive retail hubs in Ohio where the traffic, while heavy, actually moves.
- Brand Reputation: When Richard E. Jacobs called a national retailer, they answered. His reputation for high-quality, well-managed properties meant that Avon got the "A-list" stores before neighboring cities did.
It’s easy to look at a parking lot and see pavement. But if you look closer, you see the tax revenue that built Avon’s schools. You see the job market that didn't exist thirty years ago. That’s the legacy of the Avon Richard E. Jacobs partnership—even if that partnership was sometimes a tense negotiation between a fast-moving developer and a cautious local government.
The Baseball Connection
You can't talk about Jacobs without mentioning the Cleveland Indians. He bought the team in 1986 when they were, frankly, terrible. He turned them around, built the stadium that bore his name (Jacobs Field), and oversaw the legendary 455-game sellout streak.
Why does this matter for Avon?
Because the same discipline he used to build a championship-caliber baseball team was applied to his real estate. He didn't like losing. He didn't like mediocrity. When he developed land in Avon, it had to be the best. He brought that "big league" mentality to a small-town planning commission meeting, and it changed the expectations of what the city could become.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Jacobs Legacy
There’s this idea that developers just come in, build, and leave. That wasn't the Jacobs way. His company, The Richard E. Jacobs Group, maintained a massive portfolio for decades. They were long-term holders.
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In Avon, this meant the quality of the build was higher because they planned on owning it for a long time. They weren't "flipping" properties.
However, it wasn't always smooth sailing. There were critics. Some locals hated the loss of the rural "feel." They worried about the "mall-ification" of their home. And you know what? They weren't entirely wrong. Avon changed forever. But from a business perspective, the Avon Richard E. Jacobs era was the catalyst for the city's economic survival. Without that commercial tax base, residential property taxes would have likely skyrocketed to pay for the necessary services of a growing population.
A Look at the Numbers (No Perfect Tables Here)
If we look at the scale, Avon Commons represents hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment. The project brought in over 50 different storefronts. At its peak, the employment numbers for that single development site reached into the thousands, considering both full-time management and part-time retail staff.
It’s also about the "halo effect." Once Jacobs built the Commons, other developers rushed to the surrounding parcels. You got the Cleveland Clinic Avon Hospital, the Menards, and the massive car dealerships nearby. It all started with one man’s map and a very specific vision for Lorain County.
The Richard E. Jacobs Philosophy: High Stakes and High Quality
Jacobs was a private man in many ways, but his work was incredibly public. He once famously said that he liked real estate because it was "tangible." You could touch it. You could see the results.
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In Avon, those results are visible from space.
He didn't believe in cutting corners on the "unseen" stuff. Drainage, foundation work, and utility routing were just as important to him as the signage. He was a perfectionist. That’s why, decades later, the properties he touched in Avon still look relatively modern and well-maintained compared to the "dead malls" of the 70s and 80s that were built by less meticulous hands.
Facing the Reality of Modern Retail
We have to be honest: retail is changing. Amazon and e-commerce have killed many of the malls Jacobs built in other states. But the Avon Richard E. Jacobs project has proven remarkably resilient. Why?
Because it’s a "lifestyle" and "necessity" center. People still need to go to Costco. They still want to walk through a Target. By focusing on "big box" utility rather than enclosed fashion malls (which are struggling), Jacobs future-proofed the Avon development more than even he might have realized at the time.
He stayed away from the "food court and fountain" model that is currently dying across America. He built a place where people actually do errands. It’s functional. It’s practical. It’s very Ohio.
What You Can Learn from the Avon Development
Whether you're a real estate investor or just a curious local, the story of Avon Richard E. Jacobs offers a few clear takeaways.
- Location isn't just about where people are—it's about where they're going. Jacobs didn't build for the Avon of 1995; he built for the Avon of 2025.
- Infrastructure is the secret sauce. The reason Avon thrives while other exits on I-90 struggle is the ease of access.
- Mix your tenants wisely. By blending high-end retail with everyday essentials, you create a destination that people visit three times a week, not once a month.
Richard E. Jacobs passed away in 2009, but his footprint is permanent. He was a man who understood that "business" isn't just about money—it's about shaping the physical world to fit the way people live.
Practical Steps for Real Estate Enthusiasts
If you’re looking to understand the "Jacobs Method" or how the Avon commercial landscape continues to evolve, here’s how to stay informed:
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- Monitor the Lorain County Auditor’s site. This is where the real data lives. You can see the valuation shifts of the Jacobs-developed parcels over the last twenty years. It's a masterclass in appreciation.
- Study the "Zoning Maps" of Avon. Notice how the commercial districts are buffered from the residential ones. This was intentional planning to maintain property values for everyone.
- Follow the Jacobs Group. The company still exists and manages a massive portfolio. Seeing how they renovate and "refresh" older properties like Avon Commons will tell you everything you need to know about modern property management.
The story of Avon Richard E. Jacobs is a reminder that cities don't just grow by accident. They are built, one brick and one negotiation at a time, by people who aren't afraid to see a field and imagine a city.