Trinity Lutheran

[Michael Loje]

Michael, I agree with you. Lets spread the word.

[Brian Essi]

Would anyone object to condos at Trinity Lutheran? Would that be worse than a Burger King or a dollar store?

Mr. Loje,

I think that is a great idea.

Let’s for a group and propose to our welcoming city leaders that they provide us with a $7M subsidy for asbestos abatement and TIFF and see what they say.

If that fails, let’s hire Ed Fitzgerald as our lobbyist and resubmit.

Perhaps we can call the project “Two Lakewoods”?

[Brian Essi]

Would anyone object to condos at Trinity Lutheran? Would that be worse than a Burger King or a dollar store?

Mr. Loje,

I think that is a great idea.

Let’s form a group and propose to our welcoming city leaders that they provide us with a $7M subsidy for asbestos abatement and TIFF and see what they say.

If that fails, let’s hire Ed Fitzgerald as our lobbyist and resubmit.

Perhaps we can call the project “Two Lakewoods”?

Oh, And if Tom Bullock and Mike Summers are on the board of the selling non profit, let’s offer the seller $1.00 to take this pile of “bricks and mortarl” off their hands —-I’m sure Tom and Mike will cheer us on for the “greater good.”

[Missy Limkemann]

I have the best idea for that location. A dog day care. A huge dog day care mixed with the rescue. But here is the cool part, special needs kids/adults can work there. Like an indoor dog park but day care. Swimming area, lounge area, heck even a bar for the adults if they need to relax (they have one in Seattle...). But something fun where our special needs community can also enjoy. I know it is a crazy idea, but I think it could be something.

[Michael Loje]

Missy, ask the church if they'd want to partner with you on that. You never know...

[Jim O'Bryan]

I have the best idea for that location. A dog day care. A huge dog day care mixed with the rescue. But here is the cool part, special needs kids/adults can work there. Like an indoor dog park but day care. Swimming area, lounge area, heck even a bar for the adults if they need to relax (they have one in Seattle...). But something fun where our special needs community can also enjoy. I know it is a crazy idea, but I think it could be something.

Missy

You know that was once proposed for the old Spitzer lot, by a friend who you know who could have afforded to do it, Goldie, and the city shot it down.

She had a grand idea, that included all of that and more. There was even talk of a laundromat, and bar!

City thought it was a dumb idea, meanwhile they are popping up all over the country.

Missy if you could just find someone who loved dogs with the funds. You know someone that walked their dogs for hundreds of blocks a day while checking out the city, that was desperately looking for a new project to take him out of early retirement. Someone that had a deep love of Lakewood and the history of Lakewood only matched by their love of animals. You know someone like Mike Loje!

.

[Michael Loje]

Jim, I wish I was as capable as you say. If anyone could put this together, it would be Missy.

[vernon sendelbach]

Well, I stand corrected....Wendy's is definitely trying to move in.
I stick to my belief that this would mean closure of the W. 117th location.
The swarms of panhandlers on W. 117 (particularly by the convenience store on the Cleveland side, next to the tracks) have made that area feel very unsafe for many people.

Here's how I see it.....

BENEFITS
Lakewood steals a business from Cleveland.
Lakewood turns a tax exempt church property into a taxable commercial property.
Lakewood would add some jobs, albeit most of them very low wage.
Frosty-loving Lakewoodites would no longer need to drive to Rocky River (or dodge the W. 117 panhandlers) for their fix.

NEGATIVES
Traffic will be a nightmare on that stretch of Detroit Ave.
Folks on the adjoining side streets will see a lot more traffic. Woodward already has major issues.
Lakewood loses another piece of its cultural heritage. (Although to be fair, every church can't be saved).
City Hall is bringing in another national chain to undercut our local businesses.
If the fast food industry has its way, most of their workers will be replaced by automation. So most of those new jobs could be gone in a few years.

with all the churches closing, what exactly can you do with such a large space,at expensive lead/asbestos abatement, unless you want brewery there

[Michael Loje]

Churches are usually wide open spaces without complex heating systems, so there is probably not a great deal of asbestos in there. And that would only become an issue if the building is razed. Lead, as in paint, is contained safely in countless restored buildings. Remember, too, lead paint was used into the 1970's As far as other uses of the present building, Missy's idea of dog services is one idea. Mine, Cleveland Hts. type condominiums, is another. Restaurant type establishments abound in former churches. Michael Gill also brought up Nottingham-Spirk Design's offices in a former church in Cleveland Hts., up the hill from Little Italy. And, we can't forget Mike Schroeder's Roundstone Insurance Co. offices in the former Christian Science church. There are probably dozens of other potential uses other than brewpubs, but, judging from most comments on this thread.....................DO ANY OBSERVER READERS EVEN CARE ABOUT THIS SUBJECT??????

[Dan Alaimo]

Is there any need for another civic auditorium type space/venue? The library has a small one, there's one at city hall mainly for government business, and the Masonic Temple gets heavy use. Then there's the Beck center, but that's not really public although it has been used for public gatherings.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Is there any need for another civic auditorium type space/venue? The library has a small one, there's one at city hall mainly for government business, and the Masonic Temple gets heavy use. Then there's the Beck center, but that's not really public although it has been used for public gatherings.

Phantasy Theater, with great acoustics, not a bad seat in the house, large stage. I think second largest venue in the city after the Civic Theater.



It was 1,800 seats, I removed some during my days running it, and House of Blues removed some when they came in after that.



.

[Michael Loje]

Problem with an auditorium without a specific tenant or purpose have one thing in common: they all lose money. Let me rephrase my earlier post: Lets talk about alternative uses that don't lose money.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Problem with an auditorium without a specific tenant or purpose have one thing in common: they all lose money. Let me rephrase my earlier post: Lets talk about alternative uses that don't lose money.

Well, King's Church could look at moving from the Masonic Hall to a more permanent purpose built location. Likewise we have a couple churches renting spaces in schools and elsewhere that could take on Trinity and St. Clemens, to name but two now empty churches in Lakewood.

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[Mark Kindt]

Churches are usually wide open spaces without complex heating systems, so there is probably not a great deal of asbestos in there. And that would only become an issue if the building is razed. Lead, as in paint, is contained safely in countless restored buildings. Remember, too, lead paint was used into the 1970's As far as other uses of the present building, Missy's idea of dog services is one idea. Mine, Cleveland Hts. type condominiums, is another. Restaurant type establishments abound in former churches. Michael Gill also brought up Nottingham-Spirk Design's offices in a former church in Cleveland Hts., up the hill from Little Italy. And, we can't forget Mike Schroeder's Roundstone Insurance Co. offices in the former Christian Science church. There are probably dozens of other potential uses other than brewpubs, but, judging from most comments on this thread.....................DO ANY OBSERVER READERS EVEN CARE ABOUT THIS SUBJECT??????

Adaptive reuse of this building for housing would be significantly less public subsidy intensive than the proposal at One Lakewood Place. However, the city administration has chosen its favorite project. Thus, impeding the kinds of creative projects that you are writing about (by establishing excess capacity). I am addressing many of these issues in "The Vision Thing". Please drop-by that thread.

[Kate McCarthy]

Problem with an auditorium without a specific tenant or purpose have one thing in common: they all lose money. Let me rephrase my earlier post: Lets talk about alternative uses that don't lose money.

Apologies if mentioned earlier but how about a party center? If you leave the churchish elements, it could be a one stop for weddings followed by a reception. Ideally, it could be catered by a choice of all of the local restaurants and caterers that come on board. We are doing better for party venues, but since Brennan's closed down I don't think we have had a dedicated party center in town.