The Observation Deck

I was in a station the other day and it was 75 cents for air...

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Heather

The Millers still own that property and it was merely on lease to Get-Go. The contract is for another 4 years
I believe, and one of the stipulations is that Get-Go digs up the tanks, and returns it to "pristine condition" so
that it can be built on and is green.

So it'll remain a closed gas station for just shy of 4 years, then?

Heather Ramsey wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Heather

The Millers still own that property and it was merely on lease to Get-Go. The contract is for another 4 years
I believe, and one of the stipulations is that Get-Go digs up the tanks, and returns it to "pristine condition" so
that it can be built on and is green.

So it'll remain a closed gas station for just shy of 4 years, then?

Heather

The short answer is. After talking with Ralph who is a friend, and takes care of most of the cars of the Observer staff, as
he is possibly the best and most honest in town. I doubt that anyone could assume the lease for the price paid, so that
it would seem doubtful that anyone moves in, in the short term.

On the flip side there has never been a gas leak on that property so that the sooner Get Go cleans up the property and
digs up the tanks, the cheaper it is for them. However, there is 4 years on the lease and they are only obligated to pay
the lease and return the property to pristine condition upon the end of the lease.

Could they do it sooner and release Ralph so that someone else could move in? Who would they want? They sell gas and
food, and it would appear that anyone else in those fields would compete with them. While others not understanding of
leases and laws are loving to speculate what is going on there, it would appear to be frozen for the time being.

Let's just be happy for Ralph and Miller's Sunoco, as they are truly great partners in Lakewood.

.

I'm trying to imagine how sweet a few basketball courts would look on the NE corner of Detroit and Manor Park. Fenced in for the safety of all involved; perhaps a grassy area next to the courts with a few benches so the elderly who walk from The Westerly Apartments to Giant Eagle have a spot to sit and chat with friends (or dare I suggest have an inter-generational conversation with the hoopster?)

Oh Peter, if only wishing made it so.

Somebody sound the alarm, put up the spotlights, buy another brick, any means necessary to get Nadhal's attention so he can put on his cape and push for more courts in Lakewood.

Heidi Hilty wrote:Oh Peter, if only wishing made it so.

Heidi - that sounds like a challenge!!! Anyone want to brainstorm on how to make it so.

For folks that like free stuff... I just stopped there tonight and went in to buy some mints and the cashier offered me free candy coffee or tea and said it was a coupon promotion for the next week. Free tea at night is great, they even have some caffeine free options.

Well, as a fellow Deck poster I feel that it's my duty to report that the new Get Go is giving away free sub sandwiches right now and for the rest of the week and that they were pretty good. It seems that you have to be there getting gas because we were approached by a Get Go person with sandwiches on a tray. They were extremely fresh. They had ham, roast beef and vegetarian. So today no tacos were bought at La Plaza, but next week we'll be back there, even though they don't sell gas, but for today, they lost our business to the monster chain gas station down the street.

Betsy Voinovich

I stopped by for my first visit today.
The place was clean and convenient. Plus, it helps GE to be more competitive against the growing threat of Walmart.

I don't understand why some people hate this so much.
That land sat empty for six years....this is a good use for it.

Mike,
Agreed!
Heidi

Mike

I stopped in the other day, and the place was clean, well thought out and convenient. The pumps were busy, and the
deli was jumping with people at every ordering panel ordering food. A couple of the people said it was the best sub
in town, and they would be back and loved the salads too.

I did have to smile that they had a full rack of gas station sushi, after seeing the ad on TV that also features gas station
sushi in a very uncomplimentary way, but even saw some of that fly off the shelf.

However I would say, that the only real outcry has come from neighbors of the development. I did not hear anyone that
could not see the lights from the gas pumps in their backyard or bedroom window complaining. Knowing the proximity
that the three of us live to this, it might be hard for any of us to be upset to the level the neighbors are.

The rumor on the street is that Get-Go, McDonald's, the new Bob Evans, and a couple other locations on Detroit are
asking for 24 hour permits and though the city has not granted them in the past, the sheer number of requests at some
time will probably mean some of them will get them. After all it is hard to say yes to BP, and no to Get-Go.

So while I understand just how successful Get-Go is, and it is amazing and would indicate it was needed, I can also
empathize with the neighbors that now never see the stars in the night sky.

Myself, I would hate to see any Lakewood business close its doors once it has arrived in Lakewood.

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Jim O'Bryan wrote:... the neighbors that now never see the stars in the night sky.

Jim - "stars" do not pay the municipal bills; tax revenue does!

Peter Grossetti wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:... the neighbors that now never see the stars in the night sky.

Jim - "stars" do not pay the municipal bills; tax revenue does!

Economic Development does not vote, residents do.

When you add up the residents of Bunts (Get-Go), Hall/Woodward (McDonald's) Nicholson (St. Ed's), Grace/Cohassett
(Drug Mart/Family Dollar), Clifton Park (Clifton Pointe), and very soon Manor Park (TBA), you're getting to a pretty amazing
level of frustration that many people who are not near Detroit Avenue cannot understand.

The city is changing, we have been discovered, and our brand has brought them here. It remains to be seen is it a plus
a minus, have any impact on taxes, revenues, or schools.

But, City Hall is busy, Planning Development is cranking, and even if some of the names are troublesome we are finding
out they are adding to the Lakewood landscape.

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Jim O'Bryan wrote:Economic Development does not vote, residents do.

Agreed ... but unless I missed someone, we vote for only 14 elected positions in this city: 1 mayor, 1 judge, 7 city council and 5 board of education.

How many of those have direct impact on economic development? Most of the folks in Lakewood who have a direct impact on economic development are city employees (planning & development department); non-profit employees (LakewoodAlive, Chamber of Commerce, etc.), business themselves; and appointees to various board and commissions (Board of Building Standards, Architectural Board of Review, Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals).