American Greetings Breaks Ground in Westlake

John Beeder, President and Chief Operating Officer; Elie Weiss, President of Real Estate; Zev Weiss, Co-Chief Executive Officer; Dennis Clough, Westlake Mayor; Morry Weiss, Chairman; Michael Killeen, Westlake City Council President; Jeffrey Weiss, Co-Chief Executive Officer; Gary Weiss, Vice President, Papyrus SAM Team & International Development; Erwin Weiss, Senior Vice President

American Greetings celebrated its Westlake ground-breaking in festive fashion last week. Company executives joined with Westlake civic officials in welcoming hundreds of guests to the site of the company’s new world headquarters at Crocker Park.

The Aug. 27 event was a celebration for all in the American Greetings family of associates and their business partners.

Food trucks lined the perimeter of the job site as Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough took to the podium and welcomed AG to the community. “Not only is this a milestone in the corporate history of American Greetings, but it will become part of Westlake’s history as well,” said Mayor Clough

A highlight of the American Greetings ‘Creative Studios’ groundbreaking was the presentation of an oversized greeting card to AG Chairman Morry Weiss by Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough and City Council President Mike Killeen.

Clough was joined by City Council President Mike Killeen in presenting AG Chairman Morry Weiss with a giant greeting card welcoming the company to the community. The mayor drew a laugh when he pointed to the American Greetings logo on the back of the card.

Mr. Weiss said the company is thrilled to become part of the Westlake community and pledged its support as an active community partner.

Guests, all wearing American Greetings Creative Studios pins, then enjoyed lively music, dined on scrumptious selections from the food trucks and mingled with Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bear as they roamed the grounds for photo opps.

The American Greetings Creative Studios world headquarters in Westlake is part of the third phase of Crocker Park development. This includes the new Creative Studios, more than 300 new rental apartments, a new hotel and over 220,000 square feet of new retail and restaurants. The combined project will cost $350-$400 million.

New tenants are expected to begin occupancy of the American Greetings/Crocker Park Phase 3 expansion by summer, 2016. Renderings show what the finished development will look like.

“Projects of this magnitude require foresight and tremendous partnership, and we want to thank all of those involved for making this project a reality,” states Elie Weiss, president of American Greetings real estate. “We would like to specifically recognize the role that Jobs Ohio and the City of Westlake has played in bringing this project to fruition.”

New tenants are expected to begin opening in the summer of 2016. American Greetings’ construction began this summer with an anticipated move-in date for spring 2016.

Crocker Park developer Robert Stark calls the project “the result of 15 years of doggedly pursuing making Crocker Park the best example of a mixed-use community core development anywhere.

“We are extremely grateful to American Greetings, the City of Westlake and all those who have worked so hard to make this a reality,” he said.

Click here for the complete gallery.

: Westlake High School Marching Band

: Officials celebrate with a congratulatory handshake.

: AG employees and families posed for ceremonial groundbreaking photos.

: American Greetings Chairman, Morry Weiss and family and friends.

: Strawberry Shortcake Comes to Westlake – Virginia Clough and Strawberry Shortcake took advantage of a photo opp during groundbreaking festivities for the new American Greetings Creative Studios corporate headquarters going up in Westlake. Mayor Dennis Clough joined with dignitaries to officially welcome American Greetings to the community.

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