The Observation Deck

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Today LakewoodAlive is headed by Ian Andrews who has a great record of getting things
going when he was Detroit Shoreway West, one of the hottest sections of Cleveland right now.
So perhaps, we will see more of it.

Sounds promising.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:I would agree with on caveat. They should be looking for any and all, and see if they can get
any THAT FITS WITH LAKEWOOD.

We've seen here and I have seen on other sites that many Lakewood residents have different ideas of what fits Lakewood.

Examples:
Some believe that a hotel is a good idea, others dont.
Some care about a few crosswalks being removed, others don't even notice.
Some will say closing parks early is a bad thing, other don't think so.

I'm starting to think it would be clearer to all if the multiple statements like this on web forums would be prefaced with "that I BELIEVE fits Lakewood".

Sorry it's a peeve of my own, when people try to speak for Lakewood as a whole... other than elected officials of course.

They are all valid points and it is great to discuss as long as one does not "lock" themselves into one way of thinking. Plus, sharing our opinions can then be added to the collective input of the entire city population.

J Hrlec

This is the point of this entire LO project, it is impossible to say without understanding the
community and its people, and then once that is somewhat defined, looking at where
the community needs to go. When I say it was designed to look at the community and
its needs, it was also designed to test residents on so many different levels. This is why
the LO has been successful at throwing off many successful groups, who then went off
on their own. The LO has never been about control, it is about empowering people.

This is not about individual ideas, this is about a vision, that is understood, and respects
what is here now, and allows it to build, in a direction that allows stakeholders like you
and me, to understand if we even want to go on the ride. This is not what you want or I
want, it should be about what the city needs. Damn, we are 90% filled, why reinvent for
10% especially if that means, chasing 40% out! At the same time responsible
development is needed and should be welcomed, 10 more burger place? not so sure.

If you take 100 different ideas, from 50 different sources, and go through them, while you
might get a couple good ideas, I would say you get a much better look into the psyche of
the city. From there you can do wonderful things, with a pretty good success rate.

But 100% respect has to be shown to who is here now, otherwise, how do you expect
anyone coming in to respect the city.

FWIW

Ryan Salo wrote:

Kristen Bindel wrote:I could totally be wrong here, but isn't the $7,000+ through the Economic Development Fund? Isn't that CDBG money, not taxpayer money?

Kristen,

Where do you think CDBG money comes from?

That's exactly why I said "I could totally be wrong here..." I was searching for an answer to that, had some difficulty clarifying. Feel free to inform me, or direct me to the answer..

J Hrlec wrote:

Ryan Salo wrote:

Kristen Bindel wrote:I could totally be wrong here, but isn't the $7,000+ through the Economic Development Fund? Isn't that CDBG money, not taxpayer money?

Kristen,

Where do you think CDBG money comes from?

I was trying to find a decent answer for this question, all I could figure it is from granted monies from the Federal Treasury (probably from national taxes). It was a quick read so maybe someone could understand it better...

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src ... t/programs

Thanks...googling is a downward spiral...how did I get here?

Kristen Bindel wrote:

Ryan Salo wrote:

Kristen Bindel wrote:I could totally be wrong here, but isn't the $7,000+ through the Economic Development Fund? Isn't that CDBG money, not taxpayer money?

Kristen,

Where do you think CDBG money comes from?

That's exactly why I said "I could totally be wrong here..." I was searching for an answer to that, had some difficulty clarifying. Feel free to inform me, or direct me to the answer..

Good for you Kristen! Don't let anyone intimidate you from asking questions. We all have something to learn here.

This wasn't supposed to be a trick question. ALL money from the government has either already been taken from taxpayers or will be taken in the future. It isn't "free" money, it is always taxpayers money.

Speaking of hotels...

What do you think is going to become of the Days Inn after it's sale?

http://www.governmentbargains.com/items ... emId=29017

Myra Beckrest wrote:Speaking of hotels...

What do you think is going to become of the Days Inn after it's sale?

http://www.governmentbargains.com/items ... emId=29017

Which begs the question: If an existing hotel doesn't have enough business to pay the bills what evidence is there that a new hotel makes sense?

The City of Cleveland and County donated millions to the hotel at the arcade. The hotel and arcade sold for $60 million less than than the renovation costs. The company that bought the hotel at the arcade has plans to convert it into a taxpayer subsidized apartment building.

Meanwhile, the County and City are investing millions of taxpayer dollars in a new lakefront development that will consist of:

A new taxpayer subsidized hotel to compete with existing downtown hotels that are facing foreclosure because they have no business.

A new taxpayer subsidized office building to compete with exisintg downtown office space that have a 25% vacancy rate.

Five new taxpayer subsidized restaurants just a stones throw away from the failing restaurants in the warehouse district.

The one word that best describes the economic plans in Cuyahoga County is not socialism or capitalism or fascism or libertarianism or liberalism or conservatism but canabalism.

Myra Beckrest wrote:Speaking of hotels...

What do you think is going to become of the Days Inn after it's sale?

http://www.governmentbargains.com/items ... emId=29017

It might be time to expand and diversify: SUMMERS RUBBER INN

Forget the study, jump in with both feet.



Scott Meeson