It is funny, a month ago I laughed at Meg over the thought. She might be on to something.
The FEDS are about to release $2 trillion for infrastructure. Like roads, EPA project, Bridges, Government Buildings, Hospitals, etc.
If the right deal could be put together, I could see Metro, the VA, or even CCF getting a new full service hospital to run in Lakewood.
I must apology to Meg, ever time I post something like this for laughing.
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I am not going to lie, it was humiliating getting laughed off the The Observation Deck like that! Especially when a week later a couple of the guys here raised the suggestion of a hospital at the site in other threads and were treated with the utmost respect for their opinions.
I am often frustrated by government's/authority's slow response to opportunity. One of my favorite quotes is "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison
I felt this way about the reaction to my suggestion of considering only six elementary schools if located properly during Phase III of the Lakewood City Schools' Master Facilities Plan. I feel this way now.
I am not the least bit surprised that the developer backed out. In fact, might I suggest that it was their intention from the beginning? Who would have known of the problems (built in exit strategy) hidden beneath the hospital before its demolition and written an agreement with such perfectly aligned loopholes? Not many...but I can think of a few.
It was never really the land/development they were interested in, (although it's easy to get greedy when times are good) it was the public foundation money they wanted control of and got by privatizing via closing the hospital.
I remain hopeful that something good will rise from the tragedy of Lakewood Hospital's demise. At the very least I am hopeful that we have learned something as a community from the experience and will steer clear of such shortsightedness in the future.
I am not the least bit surprised that the developer backed out.....
It was never really the land/development they were interested in, (although it's easy to get greedy when times are good) it was the public foundation money they wanted control of and got by privatizing via closing the hospital.
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The less polite way to say it is that it was all about looting the City of its assets.
All but a few of the board memers of LHA have left town.
The City employees who supported the deal have moved on to better paying jobs.
When they started their scheme the City had a profitable Hospital with $100 million in cash and investments. 1,500 high paying medical jobs and $140 million in revenue.
When they left town they left behind an empty treasury and a hole in the ground.
Whatever happened to Build Lakewood?
It was important to a lot of people to move all of that economic activity to Lorain County. For that reason those same people will quietly kill any plans for a hospital in Lakewood.
Bill Call wrote:The less polite way to say it is that it was all about looting the City of its assets.
All but a few of the board memers of LHA have left town.
The City employees who supported the deal have moved on to better paying jobs.
When they started their scheme the City had a profitable Hospital with $100 million in cash and investments. 1,500 high paying medical jobs and $140 million in revenue.
When they left town they left behind an empty treasury and a hole in the ground.
Whatever happened to Build Lakewood?
It was important to a lot of people to move all of that economic activity to Lorain County. For that reason those same people will quietly kill any plans for a hospital in Lakewood.
Funny you should mention that. A month ago I took a drive and ended up going through DowntowN Lorain. Ans as I pulled up it was completely cleaned up. There were arches just like the ones on Playhouse Square. It said welcome to DowntowN Lorain. To the right was a massive building, used to be the town's bank. A sign fluttered in the breeze, "We buy Gold." The rest of the stores, empty. Like a ghost town. Before the COVIDs. It was like an empty movie set. Indeed Cleveland Foundation money along with their ilk, set to rebuild a city with no jobs or people.
Meanwhile, you want to laugh until you cry. Bay Village City Website, "Stay in Bay" Dru Siley and crew are trying to talk Bay Village in to building, re you ready for it? A DowntowN and make Bay Village walkable, and green. SWEAR TO GO. What is even funny is that Dru has salted various boars with people that have either worked for him or with him. He has Jason from the building department out there on a task force suggesting Liberty! A council member didn't even realize the connection between them! Meanwhile 3 Arches is dropping funding in city where members or their family members have investments. aka "Bike Lanes in Old Brooklyn" you know to grease the skids for what comes later, if you play ball with them.
"Evidence" from the lawsuit to silence the Observer during our uncovering of the looting of Lakewood.
Meg Ostrowski wrote:
I am not going to lie, it was humiliating getting laughed off the The Observation Deck like that! Especially when a week later a couple of the guys here raised the suggestion of a hospital at the site in other threads and were treated with the utmost respect for their opinions.
Meg I have never blamed you for taking it that way. The difference was not who said it. It was not a Fedex ad moment.
That would upset me too.
But there was talk out of Washington of $2 trillion dollars for shovel ready projects, roads, bridges, electrical grids, parks, HOSPITALS, sewer...
Personally, I would have been surprised if the development of One Lakewood Place had actually come to fruition. From the beginning, I felt that Carnegie Development was clueless as to how to bring this all together. Sure, the firm went through the steps of saying the appropriate buzz words and presenting power points of designs, pavers, functional art, the winter garden, etc., but I never heard or felt confidence in their voices. Plus, they lacked experience in this kind of project. Actually, make that 'NO experience '.
Perhaps, that is why the costs kept escalating, hoping to reach a point, that they knew the city would have to say 'no'.
I think Carnegie wanted out. And had been wanting out for a long time. They knew they couldn't delivered.
Maybe, they're all sleeping better knowing that the ties are cut.
I know I am.
