Moral Consequences of Economic Development Decisions

[Mark Kindt]

Economic Development Must Triumph Over All Other Values

Yes, economic development must triumph over all other values, especially if it means shielding local public officials from investigation by outside agencies.

Don't believe me?

Here's what the editorial board of the Plain Dealer is telling the public to think about the Cuyahoga County Executive:

"But we don't believe he is a criminal. What we see as an unreasonable investigation serves to cripple progress in a county working of late to build a robust economic future."

So, building a robust economic future should insulate public officials from investigation (!)

Source: Plain Dealer, February 24, 2019, pp. E1, E2 ("Editorial: Analysis of county probe should guide Yost on whether to end it")

[Stan Austin]

"robust economic future" what kind of PR sandbox did this claptrap come from?

[Mark Kindt]

Documenting an Email Between Lakewood Mayor and Cuyahoga County Executive

Did the Mayor of Lakewood reach-out to Cuyahoga County officials to discourage or impede a revival of the Metro Health System proposal in 2015?

Was Metro the victim of a bid-steering effort to keep it from resubmitting its formal RFP response at the request of council-members and citizens?

Don't forget this was a proposal to right-size Lakewood Hospital and invest $100,000,000 to keep the hospital open and operating.

Was this a behind-the-scenes effort to have the County tell Metro to "butt-out"?

Was the plan always to sacrifice Lakewood Hospital for a misguided economic development agenda?

Here is the email:

Mayor Email To County Executive 5-18-2015.jpg (415.54 KiB) Viewed 7177 times

[Mark Kindt]

Economic Development Must Triumph Over All Other Values

Yes, economic development must triumph over all other values, especially if it means shielding local public officials from investigation by outside agencies.

Don't believe me?

Here's what the editorial board of the Plain Dealer is telling the public to think about the Cuyahoga County Executive:

"But we don't believe he is a criminal. What we see as an unreasonable investigation serves to cripple progress in a county working of late to build a robust economic future."

So, building a robust economic future should insulate public officials from investigation (!)

Source: Plain Dealer, February 24, 2019, pp. E1, E2 ("Editorial: Analysis of county probe should guide Yost on whether to end it")

In The Man Bites Dog Category

The editorial writers at the PD also launch something of an attack on the whistle-blower who had the professional integrity and ethical duty to report on jail conditions to the County Council. This man deserves a medal, not editorial condemnation.

[Dan Alaimo]

I never had many occasions to use Lakewood Hospital besides a couple of outpatient things, so I didn't have the emotional connection to it that many had. But my objection to the "deal" was that the hospital was the economic heartbeat of Lakewood, and they sold it for a dollar. From an "economic development" point of view, the deal is a disaster.

[Mark Kindt]

Another Data Point Establishes Slight Need For New Apartments In Lakewood

Highest Vacancy Rates For Apartments Nationally in 2018

4th Highest -- Northeast Ohio -- 6%

3rd Highest -- St. Louis -- 6.1%

2nd Highest -- Houston -- 6.4%

1st Highest -- San Antonio -- 6.8%

Our ranking is based on our MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area).

(Source: Marcus & Millichap, as cited by Crain's Cleveland Business, Vol. 40, No. 6, p. 1.)

There Was Never Any Need To Demolish The Hospital To Build New Apartment Units!

One Hundred Fifty New Apartments Slated For Empty Land

(Seriously, folks, I don't just make this stuff-up.) Here is the Notice:

Planning Commission Notice 2-27-2019 Lakewood.jpg (625.99 KiB) Viewed 7061 times

[Stan Austin]

Slightly off topic--- but why was it in the interest of CCF to have the former Lakewood Hospital no longer be a CCF facility?

[Mark Kindt]

Mr. Austin, I suggest that you address your question to officials at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation or former members of the Lakewood Hospital Association -- like Mr. Summers, Mr. Bullock, or Mr. Litten.

[Mark Kindt]

Center North Luxury Apartments

Here is the link to another recently completed apartment development in Lakewood:

https://center-north-luxury-apartments.business.site/

Now let me get this straight, the civic leadership of Lakewood demolished our award-winning, heritage, community and public hospital to build upscale townhouses and apartments?

Again, just why are we giving away the hospital real estate for $1.00 to a developer represented by the former mayor?

I must be clueless.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Slightly off topic--- but why was it in the interest of CCF to have the former Lakewood Hospital no longer be a CCF facility?

Stan

Who ever said it wasn't?

They were simple offered a better deal than what they had at the time.

For the Cleveland Clinic just corporate health busine$$. But Lakewood's elected officials, sold us out, lied, misled, and intimidated residents.

.

[Mark Kindt]

Another Data Point Establishes Slight Need For New Apartments In Lakewood

Highest Vacancy Rates For Apartments Nationally in 2018

4th Highest -- Northeast Ohio -- 6%

3rd Highest -- St. Louis -- 6.1%

2nd Highest -- Houston -- 6.4%

1st Highest -- San Antonio -- 6.8%

Our ranking is based on our MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area).

(Source: Marcus & Millichap, as cited by Crain's Cleveland Business, Vol. 40, No. 6, p. 1.)

Gambling On Retail

So as the city administration gambles on retail at the demolished hospital site, the prospects for retail are not much better than the prospects for new apartments.

Here's what David Browning told Crain's Cleveland Business about the retail climate:

"The days of speculative construction or just throwing it out there without tenants in advance are not going to happen again in retail. The developers don't want to take that risk. The lenders don't want to fund it."

Mr. Browning is managing director of CBRE's Cleveland and Akron offices.

The retail vacancy rate in Northeast Ohio is over 12% and has been for a while.

(Source: Crain's Cleveland Business, Vol. 40, No. 9, p. 1.)

The proposed development for the former hospital site is a black-hole that begins with radical public subsidies and then will continue to require on-going tenant subsidies from the public treasury.

Haven't we had just about enough of this idiocy?

[Mark Kindt]

Just how did massive public subsidies for economic development become the primary goal of our municipality?

[Stan Austin]

I think the West End proposal was the big departure from the norm. The norm from the mid 70s until then was modest (in comparison) programs mostly under the community development department. Lakewood was one of the pioneers in using that federal program (which was supported by certain council candidates ) Don Jakeway was the Department Director under Mayor Sinagra. Generally, these initiatives could be called "sweeteners" such as public or sidewalk improvements. But each situation began with an individual entrepreneur. It DID NOT include large scale, planned projects. Any large scale projects such as Lakewood Center North or Marc's Plaza were mostly privately designed and financed projects.

[Richard Baker]

The Plain Dealer aka Kitty Box Liner opinion is of no surprise, they have been ignoring government corruption for years. The land cannot be "given away" for $1.00 without public hearings and the approval of the current city council. The council will approve it like good sheepe to maintain the Democrat's economic policies as explained in detail by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

[Mark Kindt]

More Empty Land For Upscale Development

From yesterday's Plain Dealer:

"Lakewood: WXZ Development of Fairview Park plans to demolish the closed Marathon station on Lake Avenue to build cluster homes. The cluster homes will range from 2,000 to 2,500 square feet with sale prices yet to be determined."

Again, why are we demolishing Lakewood Hospital to build upscale town homes?