Quaker Steak & Lube...

[Ken Lipka]

I prefer to eat and shop local and avoid chain restaurants most of the time. Most people I know do as well, that is why we choose to live in Lakewood. Quaker steak and lube is a silly idea for Lakewood. When I have a hankerin' for wingage I will continue to hit the Riverwood or the Kenilworth, two of the best places to indulge here in Lakewood. Outdoor seating for restaurants here in Lakewood is a great idea, but frankly I would be embarrassed to be seen eating outside at a Quaker Steak and Lube.

[Grace O'Malley]

Here's the thing. Whether or not you like QSL food, which I do not, there are people who DO and I don't begrudge them a meal at QSL.

The focus of the QSL debate would better be spent on determining whether the DM plaza is the best location for the place. If it isn't, then QSL won't last long there and we'll end up back where we started.

In addition, the fact that the developer cannot even find the funds to pay the taxes on the place is sort of comical. We think they'll come in here and transform the place - with what? Do they have the money or will the Lakewood taxpayer be asked to come up with the money?

Funny how the PTB are worried about the "tower" on the plaza and not if the most important part of the plan is in place - the money.

There's more to come on this plan.

[Bill Call]

The focus of the QSL debate would better be spent on determining whether the DM plaza is the best location for the place. If it isn't, then QSL won't last long there and we'll end up back where we started.

In addition, the fact that the developer cannot even find the funds to pay the taxes on the place is sort of comical. We think they'll come in here and transform the place - with what? Do they have the money or will the Lakewood taxpayer be asked to come up with the money?

Well said.

If having the QSL as a tenant will generate enough money to pay $400,000 in back taxes and finance a much needed facelift I guess this is a smart move on the part of the owners.

On the other hand if any City money is involved I would rather pay a little more to have QSL located on W117th or Berea Road. On the other hand the owners can always lawyer up and put a pink bordello if that's what strikes their fancy.

[sharon kinsella]

So if those "$18.00 an hour" jobs are for young women, are they going to hire young men also? Sounds like discrimination to me.

Are they going to put up those "No Loitering" signs. So now they want to "draw people out" as long as it is at their pre-approved place?

Sounds to me like many of the "gifted" may have sub-prime IQ's.

[Jim O'Bryan]

If having the QSL as a tenant will generate enough money to pay $400,000 in back taxes and finance a much needed facelift I guess this is a smart move on the part of the owners.

.

Bill

Go read the MAC quote again, it would seem one of the reasons those in charge at LA have
lobbied so hard to close Grant is looking to change the look on "the way into DowntowN."


Sharon

Those are $18,000 an hour jobs. Not $18.00.

Bikini Contest pays $300 for first, the announcer said, "Do whatever you want for 30
seconds to get the guys votes." I will skip the description of what was going on.

$300 x 120 = $18,000 an hour.

Just the kind of Economic Development we were promised.

Also they had leather fashion shows the er ahhh er "chaps" were interesting to say the least. So maybe there is a tie-in with the schools and Virginia Marti.

So as Bill points out there next move has to be Christie's or similar player's club.

As one pointed out to me, St. James is closing.


FWIW


.

[Dustin James]

So would it look kind of like this?

If you google images, their corporate look is pretty consistent. So I wouldn't count on them changing their formula to look nice and brick bistro-ish.

Quoted from the article above...“We’re encouraging brick and high quality materials,” Kelly said. “It looks good and it complements the architecturally significant buildings around it, but that will make it look so much better.”

lakewood_qs.jpg (57.3 KiB) Viewed 4217 times

[Mike Coleman]

Can't wait til the day all those folks chompin on their wings and drinking their Bud Lights in their sidewalk seats sit and wonder just what the heck is going on across the street at LEAF pickup night.

[Will Brown]

[quote="Kate McCarthy"]Charlie again brings up the most important point ... where does a developer..hiding behind a LLC ... raise capital for signficant renovations when they haven't bothered to pay a dime of property taxes for years?[/quote]

That back taxes are unpaid may or may not be true. But even if it is, that may not reflect the whole story; perhaps the property owner is contesting the amount of the taxes, and that can drag on for years.

Even if the matter is fully adjudicated, we have created a situation where non-payment of taxes may make perfect business sense. The penalties are not very steep, and our elected officials seem to dawdle a lot rather than pursuing the money promptly. So, for example, if you have the money and pay the taxes, you no longer have the money. But if you have the money and don't pay the taxes, you have the use of the money, and businesses don't hold money just to have it; they use it to make more money. So if you don't pay the taxes, put the money into use, and make far more money, you can pay the taxes late, including the penalty, and still come out ahead.

And of course, since you can't seem to find the energy to find out who the developer is, you have no way of knowing what other properties they have, and they could be financing the improvements, if indeed there will be improvements, with money from their other properties.

I'm glad the city finally seems to have found downtown. For years I have thought of Lakewood as a city that has no downtown, and I suspect if we all agreed to meet downtown, we would all end up in different places.

[Dustin James]

Of course something like this would be nice...

wholefoodwood.jpg (35.42 KiB) Viewed 4170 times

[Grace O'Malley]

Will apparently doesn't know how to look up property tax records so here, I'll do it for you:

http://auditor.cuyahogacounty.us/repi/taxbill.asp

One Lakewood owes almost 400,000 dollars in tax, unpaid as of today..

As for contesting valuation, you are also unaware that, like the IRS, you must pay what you owe, or would owe, until the dispute is settled. So even if the developer wanted a lower valuation, they are still required to make a tax payment. Any overpayment would be dealt with at the time of revaluation.

[Stephen Eisel]

Of course something like this would be nice...

wholefoodwood.jpg

I go to Whole Foods (Chagrin) at least 3x's a week.. It would be nice to have on on the west side.. They have a huge selection of organic products...

[Will Brown]

[quote="Grace O'Malley"]Will apparently doesn't know how to look up property tax records so here, I'll do it for you:

[url]http://auditor.cuyahogacounty.us/repi/taxbill.asp[/url]

One Lakewood owes almost 400,000 dollars in tax, unpaid as of today..

As for contesting valuation, you are also unaware that, like the IRS, you must pay what you owe, or would owe, until the dispute is settled. So even if the developer wanted a lower valuation, they are still required to make a tax payment. Any overpayment would be dealt with at the time of revaluation.[/quote]

No thanks. If I need help I'd rather get it from someone who knows what they are doing. Strangely, to you apparently, the Treasurer, who actually does the collection, lists the delinquency as far less, but suggests that his web-site might be inaccurate as the flood of payments they received in January may not yet all have been posted. And another site reports that the appraisals assigned to the properties are being challenged.

And, as I said, the only consequence of late payment is a rather nominal penalty, which could make non-payment a better option than dealing with a lender.

I doubt the owners are losing sleep over the prospects of losing their properties, as those prospects certainly don't appear to be imminent.

[marklingm]

As Promised QSL Ready To Roll It Out Downtown Lakewood!!!!!

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=11786&p=85945#p85945

[Kate McCarthy]

Memories. I will not miss QSL and never went to the Lakewood location but feel bad for people who have lost their jobs. This was such an odd fit for Lakewood from the get go, but I worry with the hospital closing it may be the first of many closings. I had breakfast at Gray Dog on a weekday last summer and although the dining room was pretty quiet the takeout business was very steady, with lots of people wearing scrubs and sporting CCF IDs picking up their orders. How this administration thinks destroying a customer base for existing businesses will promote economic development is beyond me. But luring this business into town didn't add much value. And now soon to be empty store front.