structure has been stripped down, and might be getting ready for the same historical
treatment that was applied to the Bailey Building.
While it was refreshing to catch a glimpse of the past, I do have to say it was from a slightly
underwhelming time in Lakewood when civic leaders were rejoicing over the First Strip Mall
in Lakewood, and that it would be a high water mark in Lakewood Development.
Of course I am speaking of "Hoty's Lakewood Plaza" which was some of the first major
development in Lakewood at the time for months. It was not since the covering of the
Bailey Building, and the erection of the INA Building--the first medical building built in
America--that there had been such a historic Lakewood project!
Wow, the original sign for the plaza.
Note the stencil style fonts, which marked the high point of an era.
Even the stars have been saved, preserved, and are now on display. Cool!
It is hard to believe leaders back then would be so giddy about a strip mall, and this signage. I guess
tastes and dreams change. In the 40 or so years since this high water mark, we have
added a glorious new strip mall in the shape of an L, called Marc's that was going to be the
new high water mark for Lakewood, which would define and lead to real development in
downtown Lakewood. And now, there is talk of enlarging that mall to achieve yet another
high water mark in out-of-the-box thinking successes in Lakewood, which will lead to another
massive redevelopment of DowntowN.
Kudos to the City of Lakewood, LakewoodAlive and The Lakewood Historical Society for
preserving our past in the rush to bring more restaurants to Lakewood.
Progress sometimes is truly staggering.
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