The City of Lakewood is an Overachiever

[Bill Call]

Over the last few weeks I have visited some of our job sites in the Eastern suburbs. Many of these towns have a lot of vacant shopping center properties, vacant store fronts and a rather run down appearance. Even new buildings are having trouble finding tenants.

The movement of people and economic activity to the East is slowly draining that area of its vitality.

By comparison the housing and business districts in Lakewood, for the most part, seem more vibrant.

Any ideas on why? Assuming you agree that we are a more vibrant city.

[Stan Austin]

Bill-- It's because of vigorous civic participation--- which includes you, pal!
Stan

[Kenneth Warren]

Bill:

Lakewood Public Library just received the 2006 PRISM cluster segmentation report. I believe clusters tell the tale. I will write a story for the Lakewood Observer to provide the details.

More than 50% of Lakewood's demos are upscale on the socio-economic ladder.

Bottomline on the Wood's vitality - Persons under forty four years of age are heading 55.53% of Lakewood’s households.

There are young upscale families with children - 25.38% - in the American Dreams demo. These are people on the way up. Sure they may move into exurbia at some point in their lives. Despite the economic blows to the industrial American empire, they are living in Lakewood right now.

This is why the public schools build-out and educational programs to fuel social uplift remain key to the overall viability of the city.

Keep the Wood family friendly, with the acknowledgement that physical space might be at a premium but the place is loaded with opportunity to learn, find discipline, and an order of self-improvement and safe exploration.

Though we Baby Boomers have completed the child rearing project for the most part, there are immensely active and bright groups of young families in the Wood, mixing it up with traditional institutions dedicated to self improvement.

Again, Lakewood is retaining a fabulous share of vital Gen X family demos.

From a hook-up in a Lakewood bar to buying a Lakewood house, these are "the Friends" demos, moving from single to couple, and then to just Molly and Me and baby makes three. A blue heavenly order of accumulatining social capital makes the strange urban space welcoming, familiar and safe for the Gen X families and children. These are the hallmarks of Lakewood's vitality, hallmarks that must be sustained.

These families are functioning and creating social efficiencies across a number of institutional platforms here - Public Schools, Lakewood Catholic Academy, Padre Pio Academy, Family Room, Pre-School PTA, Junior Women's Club, Family Room, Lakewood Public Library, YMCA.

Lakewood possesses highly coveted urban upscale demos - childless and empty nest - the kind downtown developers will target. Money and Brains, Young Digerati, and Bohemian Mix are upscale demos Bob Stark covets.

Lakewood was able to hold onto these demos for another year. But we can expect cherry-picking.

In the summer, I conducted a number if anthropological inquiries of new Gen X residents who moved to Lakewood from Ohio City and Tremont. Reasons for moving here: the women did not feel safe or cars were broken into or stolen. Indeed there was a slight uptick in Bohemian Mix and Young Digerati on the latest PRISM.

Safety and a hard line on crime remain the key differentiators. Again I'll pitch the need for a police levy.

The Urban Core demos that grew was the Urban Elder - singles, renters over 55 - now 7.44% of total, (1913 housholds) up from 5.44%. I suspect that migration from Cleveland's West-side by high need elders and the soft rental market are the drivers here.

Given that we are in working class region whose industrial base of employment has been hammered by the unlevel playing field of free trade policy, I have to agree with you, Bill, Lakewood is hanging tough.

We must create the friendships, the neighborhoods, the norms that will battle the disorder of the times and position Lakewood as an affordable, fun, safe and smart enclave.

The news from PRISM about Lakewood 2006 demos is very good.

Kenneth Warren

[Lynn Farris]

Bill, I have to agree with Stan. It is more vibrant in many ways because of the citizens here who are so involved. I am blown away almost every day by people I meet who live here.

Great news Ken. I certainly agree we have to embrace our demographics - all of them. And I agree with you about safety being a huge priority. No one wants to develop or live in an unsafe place so that may be priority 1.

I may be wrong, but you know the story about development staff or sales staff that if they can't be earning their own salary plus they are doing something wrong? Can the same be said for police in Lakewood? I remember when you didn't come in to Lakewood to commit a crime - cause they would "get you". This included even minor violations - like speeding, failing to completely stop at a stop sign, turning without using your turn signal etc. I would think DUI would be a big one on Friday and Saturday night too. While I don't want to be known as Newburgh Heights or to be over the top, wouldn't the increased violations pay for the increase in the police and hopefully save a few lives from the drunks that are leaving bars in no condition to drive?

Regardless, if you are pushing for a police levy. Please consider a roll back on the property tax for the schools and doing a joint income tax. This is much more progressive. And property tax is one of the things that people complain about Lakewood the most.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Over the last few weeks I have visited some of our job sites in the Eastern suburbs. Many of these towns have a lot of vacant shopping center properties, vacant store fronts and a rather run down appearance. Even new buildings are having trouble finding tenants.

The movement of people and economic activity to the East is slowly draining that area of its vitality.

By comparison the housing and business districts in Lakewood, for the most part, seem more vibrant.

Any ideas on why? Assuming you agree that we are a more vibrant city.

Bill

While you have just discovered this, many of us have known it for some time. Ask Mr. Warren about his trips all over, even the eastern seaboard. Lakewood is a damn nice place, right now, and for the future. ALL of my friends come back to Lakewood and talk how nice it is compared to where they are at now.

This is the basis for MY fear against regionalism. Lakewood is a very unique place, a very very unique place.

Lakewood has a very fragile eco-systems like no other city. Again my fear with people planing things that do not live here. Take a guy from Dallas to the Everglades and he sees tremendous future. Drain the swamp and put up oil wells.

We, all of us, have a very unique chance. We must try not to blow it for trinkets and shiny objects.


.

[Bill Call]

Ask Mr. Warren about his trips all over, even the eastern seaboard. Lakewood is a damn nice place, right now, and for the future. ALL of my friends come back to Lakewood and talk how nice it is compared to where they are at now.

I used to have a job that required a lot of travel, Pittsburgh, Memphis, Chicago, Philly etc. I saw very few areas that I would want to call home. I liked North Carolina and Tennesee the best but even their larger cities had problems.

In no particular order I think Lakewood has dodged the bullet, so far, because of:

Safety - GOOD: Lakewood has everything Ohio City and Tremont and Little Italy have but generally people feel safer. BAD: I have noticed fewer police patrols. We have more police but less police presence.

Library - GOOD: Lakewoodians love their library with good reason. I don't know for a fact but my guess is that a lot of people stay here, locate here because of the library. BAD: The library should pay more.

Housing - GOOD: A lot of classic homes that if cared for will have much more appeal than a 1950's bungalow or a 1960's ranch and (maybe) a 1990's McMansion. Sales are better than you think. BAD: Houses that if renovated or converted will still be substandard. Tear them down.

Lakewood Hospital - GOOD: The Clinic is doing a good job of managing this very important city asset. The 1,500 or so hospital employees are vital to the health of the City. BAD: I think there is a tendancy on the part of the Clinic to shift paying customers to other hospital's. It's new building in Rockport is to small to have an impact.

Schools - GOOD - Within limits their are no good school districts or bad school districts, there are only students who are ready to learn and students who are not ready to learn. The district does a good job with the raw material at hand. I was a poor student and I don't blame the teachers, much. BAD - The district only pretends to control costs.

City Government - GOOD: Overall the city workforce does a good job. BAD: The City doesn't even pretend to control costs.

Lakewood Observer - GOOD: A great venue to discuss the City. The internet has made people more involved in national politics and the Observer has made people more involved in local politics. BAD: It's has the appearance of being the Mayor's paper. How about some critical analysis?

There is more but I guess I have agitated enough people for today.

[Charyn Compeau]

..

[Jim O'Bryan]

Bill

Missed one.

The People - Many Lakewoodites have been energized to take part. In the full LO Project we passed the 3% mark a couple months ago. there was a time when people were positive it would be a miracle to get 1% actively involved. The project was designed to empower residents, businesses and politicians.

Which brings me to "The Mayor's Paper" Bill you are killing me, you of all people. when we started the paper it was decided very early on that we would respect ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS. The entire advisory board together, if we could even agree on anything would be but 6 votes in a city of 50,000. It was also decided that we would not be so arrogant as to TELL PEOPLE who or what to vote for!

If a majority voted for them, then we must respect the majority. So we created a device for all elected officials to kick it with the voters, OR they can post to the council section will does not allow comments to be tagged to a comment. A simple very easy way to allow the residents to know what is going on in their city. A place where they can post information needed about their programs, city or ward. Conversations with REAL people. the paper also provides ANY elected official as much space as needed to post their information. We did this to make sure that even people without computers would get important information from their elected officials.

Well...

So much for engaging the populace, residents and voters.

Could be waiting for Lightspeed!

Those that support Open Civic Journalism have been able to make it look like the Observer supports them, when in fact, it is they who have embraced the project, and the members. While it seems that I am a shill for the mayor, Tom George, Ryan Demro, Mike Skindell, Sherrod Brown, Kevin Butler, Mike Dever and Ed Fitzgerald to name a few. The truth is they support open dialogue and citizen journalism. so they appear more often than not.

Another perfect example is LakewoodAlive, they partake, send in stories, releases, and write. So it would appear we support them, while I am a member, and support their work it is their effort that makes it look like the paper is a shill for them.

Let's look at The Beck Center. While it appeared the paper was not supporting the Beck Center, the fact was they stopped sending in information. I never stopped them posting or writing, it was their fear of the open dialog with the city that has supported them for 75 years that kept them away. Now they post and the website and paper is full of Beck items.

As the director of the most successful institution in Lakewood would say, to paraphrase, "Put up of shut up." I love it when Ken Warren talks tough.



.

[Bill Call]

Bill

Missed one.

The People

Ahhhh yessss the people. The quality of the citizenry is the most important attribute of a community. Marco Polo said he could determine all he need to know about the population of a city or town by its design, energy and condition, all before he passed through the gates.

The question is how do we keep the people?

[Stephen Gross]

My impression is similar--vacancy rates seem to be low. But are they? Are there any real estate agencies that track this information?

--Steve

[Kenneth Warren]

It's good to see you on the Deck, Steve.

Here's an immediate real estate market report from Belle Avenue between Clifton and the tracks, my part of the Wood, where a house auction was held around 11:00 a.m. today

The bidding opened at $100K. There were no bidders. The house was listed prior to the auction at $149,000.

I passed the word onto two Lakewood Observers that a potential bargain on a pretty good and convenient part of the Wood might be had.

The house looks like a 3 bedroom, with an attic - not sure if it's finished, nor the condition, whether the roof will need a tear-off etc.

It looks like an affordable housing value if you and Tara are ready to take the plunge....

We'd love the brain gain on Belle.

Kenneth Warren

[Tom Bullock]

Picking up the thread on the 2006 PRISM report, per Ken's discussion here and full story in the current Observer.

It seems the lessons are of the PRISM analysis are:

1. Lakewood is privileged to have a reliable (for now) supply of young and lower-middle income renters. That, plus the affluent (esp. the Lakewood Alive civically-engaged types) keep the city vibrant.

BUT

2. It's the affluent third of Lakewood who are our especially critical segment of our "customer" base since they could leave if they want to--to Crocker Park, Avon, Medina, or a downtown condo. They don't have to be in Lakewood for family budget or market reasons.

So the "business plan" for Lakewood is to make our amenities even better so the value-add of living in Lakewood, rather than 30 minutes' commute further out, is that much more compelling. In my mind this means:

A. SPRUCING UP MAIN STREET COMMERCE (we ought to be as pretty, clean, pleasant, and offer as much variety as Crocker Park);
B. holding the line on safety
C. holding the line on tax costs
D. continuing to improve schools from very good to excellent.

Am I barking up the right tree here, or am I missing something?

[Kenneth Warren]

Tom:

Who exactly is executing this business plan?

If you become the authorized agent for such an execution, your business plan needs to consider ownership stakes deeply and complexly along the class grid.

For lessons of class are tucked neatly within a geo-demographic tool such as PRISM. These lessons are: 1) You are what you own and what you buy; 2) What own and who you are is located in relation to others who buy.

PRISM is simply a marketing tool that provides a somewhat robust set of descriptors based on who owns what - scaling up by class and distributing across from urban to rural along the spatial density grid.

The identities people try on through the aura and shimmer of upscale amenities, commodities and shopping ala Crocker Park might not properly inflate from Lakewood’s present built environment.

Think about the Burger King drive-thru situated in the middle of Main Street, not to mention the downscale urban identities on display there, described in another thread.

The up-charge is a tough sell along the current construction of Main Street.

That’s why Marcs seems nearly perfect for the meeting place of people savoring the identities formed in the rough and tumble of Lakewood’s mixed economy immigrant Mecca.

However, some people have expressed feeling deprived of the upscale retail platform designed to mount new chi-chi identities, if only for a day.

The way Beachcliff goes one-up on Marcs is an apt progression of the class grid along the west side.

The point I am making is the suburban elite and urban upscale demos may never find the upscale retail corporate driven platform they desire in Lakewood.

Identity in the Wood must, of necessity right now, run along a counter-cultural line that resists the craving for upscale corporate retail platforms in the immediate neighborhood.

Take the delights of small ethnic restaurants coming into the Wood as good signs.

Vibrancy, churn and stability all seem to hang with Lakewood hanging tough as an inner ring, street car burb of mixed economy.

I’d say the vibrancy of youth in Lakewood often comes from not owning so much, but still presenting the image of having potential to own something, later, like say, the house I may one day sell to someone seeking greater ownership in Lakewood. The vibrancy of youth comes more from having a job, which is to say, owning your labor – deploying your time and skills to produce income and spending some on rent and nightlife. Though there are some caffeinated slack zones that exude vibrancy that springs from devil-may -care lack of ownership.

Such youthful vibrancy comes from not carrying the burden of real property ownership into the apartments, the oversupply of which hangs anxiously over the city inviting visions of disorder spilling from those who own so little they have nothing to lose.

Lakewood needs to make density work as a positive and realize owning such a dense prospect is not for everybody.

You want to own an acre on a cul de sac in Lakewood? Home owners will have to own much less real property valuation to create such possibility. That’s the vision of the downward spiral, the tipping point from the capitalist economy of growth that marks the destruction of valuations and the coming of disorder that reigns from those who own so little they have nothing to lose.

The evidence from PRISM is Lakewood is still hanging tough with a relatively affordable and stable community, despite Cleveland’s de-industrialization, stagnant population, the continued sprawl into exurbia, and the economic shocks that have accrued to the region.

People with choices and means are watching and waiting, perhaps for forever. But again for the minimalists here in Jimmyville the Joan Roberts Law of the Wood still obtains: Lakewood: It’s Good Enough for Now.

Kenneth Warren