The story started with: "When building anything, stop by the Building Department, it pays." But then you read this kind of sick hyperbole from a City Hall official who is so desperate to make friends and followers on his personal FB and Twitter accounts that they have become "official" news sources from the Planning Department. You know the kind of over-the-top self-back-patting self-grandiosing BS that makes you yearn for the retyped conversation of mom, dad and baby that normally permeates FB and Twitter. If Facebook is the low bar for a knowledge base, Twitter must me its ignorant inbred cousin-- so many people using personal accounts to make themselves sound important in business.
The three walls worth over $100,000.
So the story started with Three Walls. Three little walls that were so insignificant they had to be held in place with supports. As some of us watched the Taco Bell come down in preparation for it becoming "The World's Nicest Taco Bell" right down from the "World Class Baseball Field, Our Field of Dreams (Edward's Field)" and "The Fastest Growing Burger Chain in America's Corporate Offices" (5 Guys regional training office for 1 year), a mile and a half from Lakewood's historic Victorian Home areas recently capped off with "Lucky for us Family Dollar and Drug Mart were willing to build to 'streetcar' city specs."
Why were these three walls so important? Why did they have to encase them, protect them, and honor them in such a way? Then it became obvious!
With at least 3 load-bearing walls still standing, this construction could be swept under the rug as a renovation, not a rebuild. Not only could this potentially save Taco Bell hundreds of thousands of dollars ($150,000 was casually mentioned) it would allow them to rebuild there and keep their drive-through. After all, since the last time Taco Bell was built on that location, City Council, under the direction of our Ward 1 Councilman and our Ward 2 Councilman had made it illegal to build a drive-through on a lot that small in that configuration. So the only way to keep this "World's Best Taco Bell" at the gateway to DowntowN in a city of 238 places to get prepared food including 32 that serve better tacos and burritos (including Taco Tontos--locally owned, Merry Arts--locally owned, Mahalls--locally owned, Riverwood--locally owned, Deagen's--locally owned, and on and on) was to keep those 3 walls up.
Now I am sure many restaurant owners and property owners are saying, "WTF? I didn't get a $125,000 savings nor was I allowed to break city laws to get my place up and going."
Well, my point, until the little bluebird (not from Birdville--the historically correct name for Birdtown) started tweeting about how great he was doing, was, "Well, you might have gotten a break if you had worked with the building department on your project." The building department is a great place to start any rehab to build out. Not only will they make it legal, they can save you all sorts of money. When I rebuilt my back porch they told me to leave 3 pillars the same, and the porch would be a rehab, not a build-out, even though it was twice as large. Of course I was not trying to get around laws that had been put in place to retain Lakewood's value as a community. I was just trying to get my porch to a point where I could do it myself, and they helped me.
Taco Bell in Pacifica, California. Generally regarded as the "nicest Taco Bell in America."
But to me, the over-the-top backslapping on mediocre project after mediocre project-- "World's Best Taco Bell!"-- shepherded into what was once a great bedroom community is just getting sick, and proves that "smart phones" do not make you smart-- more often than not they make you look like a fool, and this was another perfect case.
Whenever City Hall comes up short, and it is happening all too often now-a-days, they send out a Facebook Blast or Tweet about how good they are doing.
Now both the City and the little bird have less followers than people in their offices, but it makes all of us look like stupid hillbilly rubes if we actually believe this crap tweeted our way. When the facts are completely different. Mostly during work hours. Perhaps, they could have spent the time looking for something better, much better instead of the lazy route going against the spirit of laws for this city to bring more low end development so they can trumpet their successes!
Lakewood is cool and the best place to live in spite of City Hall continuously screwing it up with crappy ideas, bad laws, selfish ideas to serve their friends and neighbors, and the general ransacking of residential neighborhoods south of the William Sonoma Line. When will City Hall look at developing their neighborhoods? Oh never, the Gold Coast can't grow, best (financially best) thing ever to happen to Lakewood. Hell, City Hall even expedited the McDonald's move because one County Executive could hear the trash cans being emptied in the morning.
If you want to see what is the best in Lakewood, don't look at the tweets and FB posts from City Hall. Get in the streets and see what real Lakewoodites are doing in their stores, on their streets, and in their groups. That is what has always made Lakewood the best, and I pray City Hall will recognize that and stop screwing it up.
So now here is the "Nicest Taco Bell in the World" and I am sure we all understand those that need hyperbole to feel secure in their lives, or we all have that cousin that when you want great sea food and suggest Pier W he demands Long John Silvers. Here is the magic trick with disappearing $100,000 walls.
Nice "restored look" like they needed to brick in windows because of crime.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm no sign of the walls?
One is left wondering if it will even be as nice as the Taco Bell on W150th.
What we did find out yesterday is new or old, the same great food that will be a great addition to the Lakewood Foodscape!
"Best Taco Bell in the World" you decide.
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