Gilbane Building Company Celebrates Topping Off Van Aken District Phase II Project
New residential towers will add to the growing Van Aken District in the Shaker Heights community
Shaker Heights, OH – November 20, 2023 – Gilbane Building Company recently joined RMS Investment Group (RMS) and Donley’s, Inc. for a topping-off celebration at the Van Aken District Phase II project. The team commemorated this exciting milestone by unveiling the official building name – RAYE. The Van Aken District is a new, mixed-use development that provides the Shaker Heights community with a vibrant urban hub offering space to live and work alongside the best mix of retail, restaurants, and entertainment. Gilbane is proud to serve as construction manager on the RAYE project and is deeply integrated into the community, as many team members are Shaker Heights residents. This project is the team’s second in Shaker Heights after recently completing district-wide improvements for the Shaker Heights City School District, which helped kickstart the ACE Mentor Program in the Shaker Heights High School with Gilbane as the lead firm mentor.
“Gilbane is thrilled to partner with RMS, SCB, and the City of Shaker Heights to bring the second phase of this exciting development to the heart of town,” said Gilbane Building Company Senior Vice President and Shaker Heights resident Kyle Merrill. “RAYE will provide great economic impact to businesses and directly to the men and women who reside in Northeast Ohio. Over 30% of contracts awarded were to minority-owned, women-owned, and small businesses in the greater Cleveland area. More importantly, this investment directly impacts those in our community by providing jobs for skilled tradespeople. The ripple effect of this new development goes far beyond new housing options and supports the economic development of Shaker Heights and Northeast Ohio.”
RAYE adds a unique living option to The District. The project includes the construction of two new residential towers sitting 15 and 18 stories tall, connected by two bridges. The towers will consist of 227 apartment units and a 282-space parking garage adjacent to the first phase of the development.
“RAYE will be the perfect complement to the vibrant town center,” said Jon Ratner, managing partner of The Max Collaborative. “We are tremendously proud to continue developing the Van Aken District and to partner with Gilbane to bring RAYE to life. This topping-out milestone brings us one step closer to making our vision a reality, and we couldn’t be more excited to provide a welcoming home for residents steps from the heart of town.”
RAYE will be available for occupancy in the summer of 2024, with pre-leasing now open to the public. Please visit Raye Living to learn more.