Euclid Looks To Its Waterfront, Should Lakewood?

[Bill Call]

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/08 ... _publ.html

[Jim DeVito]

Yes, Lakewood should. Where's the news?

[Jim O'Bryan]

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/08/euclid_draws_up_plans_for_publ.html

Bill

During the "Peninsula Days" one well known Realtor said at one of the discussions. Real access
to the lake would increase property values for all of Lakewoodites by as much as 20%.
While they did not like the peninsula mostly because of the person's name that came up
with it. They had to admit, water access, especially if done like Cahoon "residents only,"
would add good value to all homes in the city.

So that could be a great starting point, to the revitalization of Lakewood.

We have a very easy way to start to achieve that goal. Make Clifton Beach public to the
residents. Now I sat through many meetings where many of the now Board of Lakewood
Alive told me and Lakewood how needed eminent domain was. Well making public parks
is LEGAL use of eminent domain. I would think that the group that accused the residents
of Lakewood for being NIMBY, would gladly help the city gain value by working with the
city to make Clifton Beach public to the city. I guess it made some sense(NIMBY) when
they stopped the hotel from being built to close to the Park. But this could be a chance
to really make the city better at very little expense to the Lakewood tax payer.

Well LakewoodAlive? Ready to work together with the rest of the city to make Lakewood
better for all? It could be done with a pen in seconds. Costing the residents nothing.



Part of a wonderful public access beach in Collinwood that is leading the revitalization in that city.


At the end of almost every street, more public access to the lake.

Almost all of them are tied together with and erosion project that allows residents to walk
along the lake to Wildwood Park.

.

[Donald Farris]

Hi,
I really don't think the inaction on the peninsula was a reaction to who developed the idea into a vision.

I think the following quote more accurately covers the situation:

You can lead a politician to water, but you can't make him work.

The peninsula would be hard work. It would take time. Far longer that the 2 year vision period of Lakewood's current Administration and Council. When one of my Councilman explain this to me and I ask: "Why does it have to fit into a 2 year window? I know you will be in Lakewood far longer than that. You will probably be on Council far longer than that." The answer is then something like, "You don't understand how it works." Well, whatever.

Your idea of just switching Clifton Beach from private ownership to a public beach would be a must easier process for them and does fit into the "2 year" vision window, so it's a idea much more likely to happen.

[Bill Call]

Yes, Lakewood should. Where's the news?

The news is that the Plain Dealer has rediscovered the Lakefront.

A few years ago the PD was in full support of shoreway development. At the time they said such a plan would revitalize the City of Cleveland. They have been strangely silent until now. Apparently lake front development in Euclid is not a threat to other plans.

What other plans?

The Opportunity Corridor for one. The people who planned and supported the Shoreway project were hired by supporters of the Opportunity Corridor.

What other plans?

Well, there is this idiotic idea to move the port of Cleveland at a cost of $ 1 billion dollars.

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008 ... d_por.html
http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2009 ... uld_c.html

Moving the port would open up 100 acres of land for development behind the Cleveland Browns Stadium. The general idea is that the Port Authority will issue bonds to finance the move of jobs from Cleveland to Beachwood. Then the port authority will finance the construction of new condos behind Browns Stadium. Then the people who live and work in Beachwood will move behind Cleveland Stadium and drive to their jobs in Beachwood. Then Cleveland will be revitalized.

Who is the Cleveland Port Authority?

They are the people who pad their salaries and payroll:

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008 ... igher.html

They are the people who have so mismanaged their business that their bonds are no better than junk bonds:

http://www.cleveland.com/editorials/pla ... xml&coll=2

Of course Lakewood officials have to put on their dancing bear outfits to get some support for Lakefront infrastructure where people actually live:

http://www.cleveland.com/sunpostherald/ ... top_l.html

Here is what they killed:

http://www.cleveland.com/lakefront/inde ... 19191.html
http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/cwp/pdf/det.pdf
http://www.ecocitycleveland.org/ecologi ... ousing.pdf

What would mean more for the Region? 100 acres of new development behind Browns Stadium at a cost of $1 billion that will take 30 years to complete or $50 million on Shoreway development that could be completed in 3 years?

Which do you think will be built?

Now that’s news.