Does Lakewood need a business/conference center?

[Roy Pitchford]

I and my business partners have been looking for some way to start a business in Lakewood. We've had numerous ideas that we have discussed, from an indoor paintball or laser tag facility at the old Hinckley Distribution warehouse on Berea to a video arcade in one of the various empty buildings on Detroit.
Start-up costs make the paintball/laser tag tough.
Lakewood ordinances make the arcade essentially impossible.

Our latest discussions have been centered around a place where businesses or groups can meet to use private meeting and conference rooms.

But, I realized this morning that we don't know if there would be much demand for such a place.

[Bryan Schwegler]

I believe what you're describing is this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coworking

Now if Jim's theory is right that the number of work-from-home people in the city is growing, this could very well be something the city ultimately needs and could potentially be a good business. Lot's of these types of places exist in other major cities, not so many in and around Cleveland.

The key is you would need to spend the money to make it a nice facility, not just some random tables in a drab converted office space.

Could be interesting.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Our latest discussions have been centered around a place where businesses or groups can meet to use private meeting and conference rooms.

But, I realized this morning that we don't know if there would be much demand for such a place.

Roy

Why not one of the car dealerships? I am willing to bet one of the owners would deal. I
had a friend look into it last week for something, and the prices were around $2 million
going in and they would take a lot of clean-up if not a complete tear-down. Laser tag would
be a happy compromise.

Business Center - I believe this is what Vision 21 is offering, just south of the Post Office
on the first floor of the Howard Hanna offices. There are many spots that could be perfect
for that idea. Vince Frantz has a private one he uses with his crew called the "Foxhole"
which is perfect for meetings of 2-20 with everything someone would need for a presentation.
Might want to talk with him.

Good Luck



.

[Roy Pitchford]

Roy

Why not one of the car dealerships? I am willing to bet one of the owners would deal. I
had a friend look into it last week for something, and the prices were around $2 million
going in and they would take a lot of clean-up if not a complete tear-down. Laser tag would be a happy compromise.

Those locations dawned on us as well. The size of the maintenance bays would be great for laser tag. However, we do not believe those bays are heated/air conditioned. That was a concern to us.

Business Center - I believe this is what Vision 21 is offering, just south of the Post Office on the first floor of the Howard Hanna offices. There are many spots that could be perfect for that idea. Vince Frantz has a private one he uses with his crew called the "Foxhole" which is perfect for meetings of 2-20 with everything someone would need for a presentation.
Might want to talk with him.

Good Luck
.

Thanks for the info. I'll have to look into that.

[Roy Pitchford]

I believe what you're describing is this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coworking

Now if Jim's theory is right that the number of work-from-home people in the city is growing, this could very well be something the city ultimately needs and could potentially be a good business. Lot's of these types of places exist in other major cities, not so many in and around Cleveland.

The key is you would need to spend the money to make it a nice facility, not just some random tables in a drab converted office space.

Could be interesting.

That is similar, but not quite the same as what we hope to do. We wouldn't be directly housing any businesses, just providing the facilities that they may not have. We'd hope to offer teleconferencing services in a couple of rooms.

I agree with your statement that it would have to be a nice facility. Under ideal conditions, I think the place I've got in mind would be excellent.

We would also provide some public space where people can meet, perhaps have a little food, talk casually, read books or the newspaper.

[Stan Austin]

Well now--- I think I detect a possible concurrence of threads---- namely the Detroit Theater and a business center.
I am a regular reader of the NYT. It seems that a commercially attractive use of older buildings, warehouses etc. in Manhattan and Brooklyn is for centers of small entrepreneurs. In the case of Google, they bought a gigantic old building.
The point is, just as the Lake Erie building is uniquely amenable to crafts and artisans, maybe buildings at the Detroit W.117 area with nearby public transportation hubs are suited for this kind of commercial reuse.

[Christina McCallum]

I imagine meeting space could become quite popular. And, if the laser tag place was close to the meeting place, the laser tag business could gain when people in the meetings reach an impasse. They could duke it out in a laser tag match!

Seriously, the closest location for laser tag is in Middleburg Heights. Since Little Links closed and basketball hoops were removed, the availability of activities for tweens and teens has shrunk. I know my sons would be ecstatic if laser tag opened in Lakewood. It would be a draw for families and birthday kids from outside of town as well.

[Bryan Schwegler]

I believe what you're describing is this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coworking

Now if Jim's theory is right that the number of work-from-home people in the city is growing, this could very well be something the city ultimately needs and could potentially be a good business. Lot's of these types of places exist in other major cities, not so many in and around Cleveland.

The key is you would need to spend the money to make it a nice facility, not just some random tables in a drab converted office space.

Could be interesting.

That is similar, but not quite the same as what we hope to do. We wouldn't be directly housing any businesses, just providing the facilities that they may not have. We'd hope to offer teleconferencing services in a couple of rooms.

I agree with your statement that it would have to be a nice facility. Under ideal conditions, I think the place I've got in mind would be excellent.

We would also provide some public space where people can meet, perhaps have a little food, talk casually, read books or the newspaper.

Something like this place in Dayton but without the training mission. I've had a few meetings there and the facilities are amazing. Again, nothing like it in Cleveland that I know of.

http://www.aileron.org/

[Kate McCarthy]

I imagine meeting space could become quite popular. And, if the laser tag place was close to the meeting place, the laser tag business could gain when people in the meetings reach an impasse. They could duke it out in a laser tag match!

Seriously, the closest location for laser tag is in Middleburg Heights. Since Little Links closed and basketball hoops were removed, the availability of activities for tweens and teens has shrunk. I know my sons would be ecstatic if laser tag opened in Lakewood. It would be a draw for families and birthday kids from outside of town as well.

I couldn't agree more. If I had the money I would open a business that caters to families with children. Let's put laser tag into the Detroit theater (though I would prefer it say a theater) and a Pump it Up in one of the old car dealerships. Since both activities tend to not require much parking (kids get dropped off and picked up for activities), there isn't any competition nearby, and Lakewood families alone would probably provide sufficient revenue to sustain the business I think it would be a very low risk venture.

[Paul Schrimpf]

The lack of hotel space nearby really limits you to day meetings. It's intriguing, but I'm not sure you'd get enough business to make a serious go of it.

Perhaps a party center? Maybe the old Giant Eagle? Plenty of parking ... There are private rooms in restaurants, but not really any party space around, is there? (Nicholson House, but size is limited) Would be a good opportunity for local caterers generate revenue ... just a thought.

[Roy Pitchford]

The lack of hotel space nearby really limits you to day meetings. It's intriguing, but I'm not sure you'd get enough business to make a serious go of it.

We didn't expect we'd be having out-of-state businessmen coming to use our facilities...we'd work primarily with small-businesses in the Cleveland area as far as business goes. We also hope to, depending on the number of participants and the facilities we find, provide space to local community groups, organizations, etc. Who knows, maybe we can offer our meeting rooms to the bevy of school tutors I've seen hanging out at the libraries.

Perhaps a party center? Maybe the old Giant Eagle?

I think there's a big enough difference between the two that my business partners and I would be much more out of our league. Business meetings are one thing. Class reunions and wedding receptions are another thing entirely. Besides, Brennan's is not that far away.

We've thought about the Giant Eagle for the laser tag idea, but we've never found any information about its ownership or the potential of leasing it. I've heard its owned by Gold's Gym.

[scott gilman]

The old Giant Eagle site would have lots of repair work to the floors where the old cooling and plumbing lines were for the freezers. There are also lots of other considerations in that building the way it waas cut up for the different work areas. The old car dealerships all had heated bays but no air conditioning. The bay areas are very open wide open and as I recall the floors would require much less repair. There are also some interesting hidden second floor areas in the car dealerships.

[Shawn Juris]

Roy
I'm with you on the possible need for a party center, conference center or family fun center. These along with another grocery store have been the ideas I have heard most often from neighbors in ward 3 when discussing the Bunts/Detroit lots. While there are many options for smaller groups, and Brennan's Party Center just over the border, Lakewood lacks it's own facility to host a group of more than 100. Managing this sort of operation can be a challenge given the large overhead costs of so much space and the day to day nature of the next reservation. If you want to think real big, I'd suggest St James for a place that could be a very dramatic space to use for special events. If I were handed the keys to the St James complex, I could see converting the school to a boutique hotel, maintaining the sanctuary for those who were compelled to have the weddings or funerals there, and open up the back 2/3rds of the church for a banquet/conference center. I can only imagine the cost of operating such a large venue.

You mentioned the number of tutors at the library. If you are looking at a startup business that would likely be less risky, I'd suggest an operation like Kaplan, Sylvan, etc. They just closed the Sylvan center in Westlake recently and with the density of Lakewood, I would think this would be a shorter ramp up period with far less stress. Day Care is another that I have a biased opinion that we could do with more of. http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/franchising.cfm

Look at that- couple ideas that don't involve fast food or pants.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Roy
I'm with you on the possible need for a party center, conference center or family fun center. These along with another grocery store have been the ideas I have heard most often from neighbors in ward 3 when discussing the Bunts/Detroit lots. While there are many options for smaller groups, and Brennan's Party Center just over the border, Lakewood lacks it's own facility to host a group of more than 100. Managing this sort of operation can be a challenge given the large overhead costs of so much space and the day to day nature of the next reservation. If you want to think real big, I'd suggest St James for a place that could be a very dramatic space to use for special events. If I were handed the keys to the St James complex, I could see converting the school to a boutique hotel, maintaining the sanctuary for those who were compelled to have the weddings or funerals there, and open up the back 2/3rds of the church for a banquet/conference center. I can only imagine the cost of operating such a large venue..

Shawn

Always nice to see you stop by...

I would like to remind you of a place that might have slipped your mind as it is not in Ward 3
Around the Corner / Three Birds. Not only did they finish first and second in our best
patio survey, they have thousands of square feet to host almost anything you need. With
the addition of Three Birds, Mickey and Ryan have added a tremendous amount of parking
and some incredible warehouse space that can be used for any number of ventures, parties
or ideas.

FWIW

.

[Shawn Juris]

Around the Corner, particularly the warehouse room is what pushed my capacity listed to 100 (it may go to 125-150 for the warehouse and if you include the patio and other rooms, then it's far bigger). Time will tell if the changes across the street can retain and attract groups that would otherwise be heading out to places like Behind the Woods or LeCentre.
For the mid sized group I would think of; Sweetwater Landing, The Beck Center or armory, the Masonic, and the Library. It gets more challenging is for larger groups or specific logistical demands. Point is that this is a gap that has been discussed in the past and may well be a good venture.
Incidentally, we had my daughters 2nd birthday at ATC and while not traditional, the kids had a great time running around and playing on the stage.