The Observation Deck

Valerie Molinski wrote: For that reason, I dont think the Old recruiting office site would work. Plus, that building sucks. The owner needs to do some serious work on that facade.

That building and its owner serve as the perfect poster child for what is wrong with some of Lakewood's commercial property.

It's an ugly, unsafe, unrentable, unimproved eyesore that has suffered from years of neglect. Of course, if the City would choose to buy it and tear it down as part of a general expansion of retail/living/office/restaurant space it will become the owner's pride and joy easily worth 10 times its taxable value.

Perhaps the City should propose just such a project. When the project is still born because the current owners have demonstrated that the property is worth 10 times its current taxable value at least the City will be able to collect 10 times more in property taxes.

After all, if it's worth $3 million at development time it must be worth $3 million at tax time.

Note the time and date Mr Call.

I totally agree with you.

The building serves no purpose in its current form. The owner benefitted from the lack of critical oversight in federal (especially military) contracts. No retailer or restauranteur will touch it because the parking is across the street behind another building.

Its between two new projects (the library and Rosewood) but it might as well be in another state.