The Observation Deck

DL

I went through that Lake Rd home today.

As I wandered up the staircase to the second floor, I couldn't help but notice the wagon wheel light fixture and wonder if it was original.



Do you remember being in the home when you were young?

Obviously, at one time it was a grand home situated on a spectacular lot. As it stands today, it would require an enormous investment to restore.

I am actually quite surprised that the county tax value is only 230,000 given the large square footage of the home (over 4000 sq ft) and the large lot size (134 x 292), aren't you?

Great uncle Edgar died around 1929. I don't know how much longer great aunt Amanda lived or how long she lived in that house. I have never been in the house and my father's memory of it either isn't particularly clear (he was a child) or he hadn't much thought about it. He said he was rarely in the house after Edgar died.

My father's childhood home is now Marine Towers West.

Dear Jim,

First post for me. I just finished looking at the superb photos of the some of the fixtures being auctioned off at this home. Thank you for posting them. They add a valuable visual to the reality of the condition of the home. If Mrs. Mason spent $15,000 a year in the early part of the last century to maintain these gardens, I can't imagine how much it must cost in today's dollars on the upkeep of this entire home. Also, I anticipate that posting these photos might increase interest in the auction itself, if it does indeed go forward.

All I could think about as I viewed these photos was the law of entropy. We are in an ultimately losing battle here against the decay of our material world. These items are lovely, and perhaps might have value to historic preservationist buffs, but preversving Mr. Lombardo's family and quality of life is a more important goal. How we relate to one another as human beings is more important, has a more enduring impact and value to the community than a few moss covered garden statues.

To put things in perspective, I began to think of the NOVA special about the Mosaics of the ancient city of Zeugma:

"At the height of the Roman Empire an opulent city stood at the eastern frontier on the most important crossing of the Euphrates River. Called Zeugma ("Junction") after the bridge that linked its opposite banks, the city disappeared into history after the empire fell. Now its remains are about to disappear beneath a mammoth reservoir. This program records the frantic scramble to recover the glory that was Zeugma."

A few of the intricate 2000 year old mosaics were rescued, but most will be lost forever underwater. They can be viewed at the NOVA site:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/zeugma/

However, almost lost completely in the discussion was the impact on the current residents of the valley.

"Modern-day residents of the valley are undergoing their own cataclysm. Families that have lived along the Euphrates for generations must now salvage what they can and move to new houses that have been promised by the Turkish government."

I can't imagine how much was spent to meticulously excavate the mosaics - an important investment, yes. But that desire for preservation needs to be balanced with the admonition to "love our neighbor".

I'm so incredibly inspired by this board, The Observer, Lakewood Alive, and all who have contributed here. Reading this thread has been my "morning devotion" so to speak. This discussion is a positive thing, even getting the nastiness of the public meeting out in the open is a good thing. This is the connectedness we all need to be a "community".

Just getting a little philosophical here on a Sunday morning...

Ellen Malonis

First off, I admit that my tenure in Lakewood has been fairly limited, and I know some will consider me disiqualified from this discussion.

However, one thinig I have noticed is that this community has a particularly strong obsession with keeping every exisiting building intact. This, in my mind, holds the city back from developing and evolving as a dynamic community.

It seems that every building, no matter how prosaic or nondescript, is considered sacred. Every home, every generic retaili/apartment building. And now one of our counciilman is talking about codifying things even further. I have never lived in a city where the word "new" was elevated to the level of obscenity.

Even our great historic citiies like Chicago, New York, and San Francisco knock down old buildings and put up new ones periodically. The key is to make sure the new and old are somehow in harmony. But change is what keeps a city vital and alive.

I agree that a city must respect its past. But doesn't a city also have the obligation to considert its future?

I would not support wholesale demolition of Lakewood's heritage homes and buildings. However, I believe this community is in danger of goiing to the other extreme.

Thanks for reading.

THIS POST HAS BEEN MOVED

Gordon Brumm posted
Sat Jul 16, 2005 11:15 pm

This is a tardy comment, but just in case it's not too late to be relevant:

About the controversy over the alleged dismantling of the house on Lake Avenue:

Apparently, neighbors, other residents, and the City itself have a financial interest in the house remaining as is (and perhaps sentimental or other interests as well, all of which could be expressed in monetary terms). Indeed, it is this financial etc. interest that is the cause of the controversy. Therefore, if they want to the house to remain as it is, they ought to contribute to its upkeep, perhaps by asking the owner how much he needs to retain ownership and then contributing the required amount. (An alternative might be to buy him out, if that is possible.) It seems to me that this is only common sense. In addition, if my poor economic undersanding and vocabulary are correct, it comes the concept of incorporating externalities into the price system.

Gordon Brumm

I first noticed this house about 2 years ago when on bike rides and I noted that the property looked in decline. Being a curious individual i searched PUBLIC RECORDS and found that the owners were pulling out all the stops (multiple bankruptcy filings right before Sheriff's sales, switching the names back and forth on the mortgage, numerous leins etc) to hold on to this property. After reviewing the history, the motive behind the impending auction is patently obvious. The people living in the home can't afford to live there and haven't been able to afford to live there for many, many years. That is the bottom line. So why not sell off all the valuable pieces parts in the hope of raisning enough money to pay the home off? (Remember it isn't yours until it is paid for--goes for cars too) But will enough money be raised? And don't forget those pesky property taxes of which 9,000 or so is still owed. Or is it--if i can't have this house, no one else can either? Look--you grow up, take responsibility for your actions, identify your liabilities, and be honest with yourself. The individuals living in the home need to put aside their egos (it is hard to give up such a beautiful home and the prestige) and get honest about their situation. Move into housing that is within their means.

For chrissakes let someone move into the house who can afford it.

If you look at the public record on this home, it is exhausting.

Mr. Farris:
Your words:

"If LakewoodAlive cares about the homes in Lakewood, I suggest they support our efforts to see eminent domain for private development doesn't occur here in Lakewood. That is a threat on everyone's property. "

It's that type of statement that makes me weary and wary of people who employ that tactic. If you will take advantage of my post and read the mission statement of this group, you'll see that that isn't their function.

As far as my own involvement in community affairs, I'm not shy or quiet about my opinions when I have them, nor do I shrink from giving my time or resources when I am able. However, I am deadly serious about Lakewood, thoughtful about my positions and I don't like games. Feel free to call me - I'm not going to continue to waste anyone's time having this discussion here.

This thread has been invaluable to the community. This is a complex and highly personal problem. I suspect that we are at the tip of the iceberg and I so appreciate the thoughtful participation.

Dear Councilman and Lakewood Community,

The "gentleman" Lombardo has been approached by an interested party wishing to purchase the house as it is. He has refused to sell. Therefore, it is clear that the purpose of this planned auction is to strip bare this beautiful work of art prior to the sheriff's sale, so that what a potiential owner might find interesting will be gone at the time of the sale. In essence, he is saying that if he can't have this house, nobody else will have happy times in it either. It will be destroyed. It is a matter of public record that this family has lived beyond its means for decades. They have skirted previous foreclosures with last-minute ownership name changes and bankruptcies. There have been many opportunities for them to have acted differently. This odious destruction springs from a selfish, clever and manipulative heart.


Linda J. Porter

Dear Councilman,

Perhaps the doctor who is interested in buying this house would be able to do so by dealing directly with the mortgage company that now owns it. There is a doctor from Cleveland's East Side who offered to buy the house and was turned down by Otto Lombardo.

Linda Porter

Susan Porter wrote:
If you look at the public record on this home, it is exhausting.

You hit the nail on the head. NO ONE has been able to maintain the home. It has been a true money pit since the foundation was laid.

Jim O'Bryan

Hi,
I'm not a member of LakewoodAlive so I am confused about their purpose/function. You, Ms. Metelko said, "If you will take advantage of my post and read the mission statement of this group, you'll see that that isn't their function." Good point. But then I looked over that group's events and saw this:
LakewoodAlive Events:

"OUR HOMES, OUR FUTURE"
HOUSING FORUM

April 19 and 26 at Beck Center Armory - 7:00pm

------
I don't know if you attended, unfortunately, I could not. But I did hear from others that the forums were quite helpful on options available for Lakewood to preserve it's housing stock.

I don't know for sure what that has to do with economic development specifically, but I think it was good for Lakewood. Therein was why I thought they were involved with Lakewood's housing issues. And anyone that is even slightly concerrned about Lakewood's housing should be informed and involved in limiting eminent domain abuse for private development. Don't you agree?

Don,

Its a shame that you missed the housing forum. I believe it was taped.

Housing is a critical element to the economic development of this community. That is what LakewoodAlive is hoping to provide - educational forums to help individuals understand the many elements of economic development.

Perhaps this discussion would be better held in another thread, or you might try getting a copy of the tape so that you can get a better idea of the subject matter.

Suzanne

Hi,
Maybe, the housing forum could be podcasted here on the Observer.

Let’s face it, Americans are all conditioned to play the real estate market. We are easily subjected to the confrontations and mystifications that spring from economic myths and financial strategies that convince us our homes are our greatest investments.

Rule sets hinge on economic liberalism and philosophic individualism. Under such rule sets, the individual is motivated to seek his own well being by calculating maximum personal advantage.

Sometimes the calculating individual rides the creative cycle of capital to personal advantage. Sometimes the calculating individual rides the destructive cycle of capital to personal advantage.

The individual/neighborhood cohort conflict over the auction of aesthetic objects perceived to support the real property value of a decaying mansion might be considered in light of these dynamics of capital. Each side wants to ride a different wave to profit and security.

Likewise, under the rule sets of economic liberalism and philosophic individualism, some people will regard eminent domain as absolutely threatening to their sense of investment and group identity in a community.

However, others may regard eminent domain as a tool in box that protects their sense of investment and group identity in a community.

This much is clear in Lakewood.

In the broadest sense, each individual is trying to survive while minimizing the threat to one’s sense of investment and group identity in a community.

Disagreements are given.

So there form intact communities of interest, wherein an individual may join in order to seek some personal advantage.

Real estate stakeholders will vary in each situation, perhaps on the basis of the value of their holdings, class or neighborhood identity.

For some, identifications will be made with the evident community of interests at play in game between the market and the state. For others, identifications will not be made.

Given these complexities, it seems pointless to assign malevolence to individuals or organizations which may perceive norms and values differently within the game of asset accumulation and distribution, economic development, finance capital, real estate valuation and taxation.

Quite simply, each individual is trying to survive within the system to their best advantage. The tools and strategies that will serve to an advantage are the ones likely to be deployed.

For some eminent domain is a fatally flawed instrument of the state.

For others such reasoning is impaired, because the irrational individual may stand in the way of the community’s gain from rising market share.

Of course, the developer as opportunist may enter into this dialectical game to pursue their own personal advantage. So there’s the complex rub of calculations.

We know this.

Again, disagreements are given.

Absolutes are difficult sell.

As retrograde economic conditions hit Lakewood, each individual and each community of interest will inevitably face political struggle.

In the face of conflict, the mission of the Lakewood Observer is to provide a larger civic sense of cohort identity for everyone in the city. Even when we disagree we are equals in the city, because we are determined in an unparalleled quest to know ourselves better than any other city.

To do so, we must know how our calculations, histories, interests, motivations, myths and psyches may bump us up, down and around with those of our neighbors.

Kenneth Warren

Posting on the Observer.

We are open to any and all civic groups to post their information at NO CHARGE on the Observer. We realize that many Lakewood groups cannot afford the website or the bandwidth to post video, audio, or even large documents. We do not have that problem.

As far as LakewoodAlive, I have asked for the videos, though it was in the middle of a lunch where many topics were covered. I would also be willing to have the information transcribed into text I feel some of it is so important.

Don, when I went to my first LakewoodAlive meeting I was expecting the worse, what I got was far from it. I have found each and every meeting of LakewoodAlive to be informative, and positive. Do i agree with everything? Heck I rarely agree with myself!

I agree that this is a topic unto itself and will be spun off as separate topic.


Jim