The Observation Deck

Charlie Page wrote:If you look at where the money is going, its all to alleviate clogged traffic. The Clifton bus project is a boondoggle that would constrict traffic like the Euclid Corridor boondoggle. Why do we need $20,000 bus stops? Why do we need a tree lined median that leaves the annual maintenance to the City? A huge waste of taxpayer money. I’d rather have the local portion go to re-pave our crumbling roads.

Cities don't have to be ugly. People like to live in nice, quiet pleasent surroundings. A boulevard project on Clifton would have done much to enhance the desireability of living on the street.

All over the country local communities are using similar projects to maintain and enhance the marketablity of neighborhoods and attract new residents. Of course, I also envisioned a larger development and improvement project including some of the out dated and underutilized apartments that could be replaced with modern apartments that would appeal to empty nesters and others seeking something beside a four story walk up.

Bill Call wrote:Money for new CSU Campus in Medina
Money for new Tri-C campus in Brunswick.
Money for new Tri-C campus on the border of Lorain County

But no money for a campus in a City with 55,000 people with access to affordable housing, jobs, public transportion, fine library, bars and a jail; everything you need for a modern campus.

The City with 52,131 people, affordable housing, etc is 15 minutes from the downtown campus of Tri-C. Why would you build a campus 15 minutes away from the main campus? Westlake, Brunswick and Medina are far enough away to not cannibalize the existing customer base.

Most students are commuters who live with mom and dad or people with jobs trying to better themselves. Unless Tri-C starts offering 4 year degrees, there is no sense pushing for a campus in Lakewood. Besides, where could you locate a campus of any decent size in Lakewood? Scenic Berea road? [/quote]


Perhaps a vacant school? vacant lot on Bunts and Detroit? Vacant lot on Detroit across from Garfield? Nearly vacant high rise office building?

The people of Westlake and Brunswick and Avon are very pleased to have the jobs, dollars, convenience and action that the new Tri-C facilities bring to there Cities. The project in Westlake will supposedly attract 4,000 students. If that facility were in Lakewood how many would choose to live here, shop here and work here?

Officials in Brunswick think the new Tri C campus will be a big economic plus to the City. Why wouldn't it be a plus here?

Anyway, I don't subscribe to the argument that just because everything is 20 minutes from Lakewood there is no need for anything to be here.

Bill Call wrote:

Charlie Page wrote:If you look at where the money is going, its all to alleviate clogged traffic. The Clifton bus project is a boondoggle that would constrict traffic like the Euclid Corridor boondoggle. Why do we need $20,000 bus stops? Why do we need a tree lined median that leaves the annual maintenance to the City? A huge waste of taxpayer money. I’d rather have the local portion go to re-pave our crumbling roads.

Cities don't have to be ugly. People like to live in nice, quiet pleasent surroundings. A boulevard project on Clifton would have done much to enhance the desireability of living on the street.

All over the country local communities are using similar projects to maintain and enhance the marketablity of neighborhoods and attract new residents. Of course, I also envisioned a larger development and improvement project including some of the out dated and underutilized apartments that could be replaced with modern apartments that would appeal to empty nesters and others seeking something beside a four story walk up.

That’s exactly my point. Practical investment versus nice to haves. Getting traffic moving versus slowing it down to a crawl during rush hour. As a country, we are long past the point where we should be investing in prettying things up rather than spending to alleviate real problems. I’m not moving away from Lakewood because the Clifton boondoggle is dead. At the same time, I would think people aren’t saying “well, we were all set to move to Lakewood but the Clifton project was killed”.

Bill Call wrote:

Charlie Page wrote:The City with 52,131 people, affordable housing, etc is 15 minutes from the downtown campus of Tri-C. Why would you build a campus 15 minutes away from the main campus? Westlake, Brunswick and Medina are far enough away to not cannibalize the existing customer base.

Most students are commuters who live with mom and dad or people with jobs trying to better themselves. Unless Tri-C starts offering 4 year degrees, there is no sense pushing for a campus in Lakewood. Besides, where could you locate a campus of any decent size in Lakewood? Scenic Berea road?

Perhaps a vacant school? vacant lot on Bunts and Detroit? Vacant lot on Detroit across from Garfield? Nearly vacant high rise office building?

The people of Westlake and Brunswick and Avon are very pleased to have the jobs, dollars, convenience and action that the new Tri-C facilities bring to there Cities. The project in Westlake will supposedly attract 4,000 students. If that facility were in Lakewood how many would choose to live here, shop here and work here?

Officials in Brunswick think the new Tri C campus will be a big economic plus to the City. Why wouldn't it be a plus here?

Anyway, I don't subscribe to the argument that just because everything is 20 minutes from Lakewood there is no need for anything to be here.

I understand what you’re saying. What it comes down to is space. Lakewood is built out. I don’t think there is anywhere in Lakewood that you can fit 4,000 students, even if you take all the empty schools combined. Empty office buildings are not built for high traffic of people going in and out every 45 minutes and parking is non-existent.