The Observation Deck

Apologies for starting a new thread, but didn't want it to get lost in the current McDonald's thread. Here is the text of the note we received on our door regarding the meeting on June 15 to discuss McDonald's (really, this should have gone to everyone in Lakewood as it affects ALL of us):

"Dear Neighbor,

Please join me for a community forum on Wednesday, June 15h 2011, 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library Auditorium (lower level) to discuss the potential redevelopment of the Detroit Theater property.

As you may be aware, McDonald's has been actively looking for a site to relocate the existing Sloane Avenue store to Detroit Avenue. The administration was recently notified by representatives from McDonald's that the Detroit Theater site was their primary interest.

I committed to a group of residents from Woodward Avenue who attended a recent City Council meeting regarding this issue, that if we were informed the project was likely to move forward, my staff would facilitate a community meeting. The goal of the forum on June 15th is to provide clear, factual information regarding the City's role and responsibilities and to allow residents to hear from the developer.

The Detroit Theater has been actively on the market for many months and a restaurant is a permitted use in a commercial district. The City cannot control a real estate transaction between a private seller and buyer, nor can it prevent a property use that is permitted by zoning regulations.

However, the tools we have available to us can effectively manage development and address issues like building design, traffic, lighting, noise, odor and trash. Any development in the City of Lakewood will go through many layers of public input like community meetings and board and commission hearings.

So, please join me on June 15th, 7:00 p.m., at the Main Library. For more information, please contact the Department of Planning and Development at 216.529.6630 or planning@lakewoodoh.net.

Sincerely,

Michael P. Summers
Mayor"

Matthew Lee wrote:However, the tools we have available to us can effectively manage development and address issues like building design, traffic, lighting, noise, odor and trash. Any development in the City of Lakewood will go through many layers of public input like community meetings and board and commission hearings.
Sincerely,

Michael P. Summers
Mayor"

It sure sounds like it is a done deal. Nothing left to do but chose the colors of paint, and
arrange the furniture. Well, probably not the color of the paint.

I always hate to see Lakewood lower the value of their number one industry. That being a
great place to live and raise an educated family. But it is doubtful any other buyer would be found.

David Stein wrote a wonderful letter in this issue of the Lakewood Observer.

Supporting Lakewood
by David Stein

After again reading more comments on the proposed CVS building on Detroit, the rumors of McDonalds and all the concern, I pose this question to the residents of Lakewood- "Do I support Lakewood businesses?"

We are all so quick to make our opinions known when we feel something doesn't meet our standards or expectations. The building of the new CVS, I feel, is a positive move. Replacing an abandoned church and a store front block which hasnt been updated in years will add movement and activity as well as obvious change to our landscape. I have lived and own a business in Lakewood for years- and as I have told so many naysayers over the years- put your money where your mouths are.

[img]First%20and%20foremost%20support%20your%20local%20businesses,%20churches%20and%20organizations.[/img] Through this support we wouldn't have the empty buildings and storefronts to contend with. Secondly, start your own business and fill these empty buildings and storefronts! Until Lakewoodites support and respect the city in which we live we will continue to see these changes. And hopefully with the help and guidance of City Hall these new builds will continue to fit in with our hopefully ever-changing landscape.

Time and time again so many of us are quick to comment without thinking of the whys. What was the last movie YOU saw at the Detroit Theatre? Let us embrace change, continue to have good, intelligent debates and more so, support our local businesses.

-------

As David points out, support Lakewood Business, and in this case both are/were Lakewood
businesses and pointed out in other threads, had more gone to the theater, and/or McDonalds we would not be here right now.

Support Lakewood Businesses. And when you can and when it makes sense, support
Lakewood owned businesses.

.

Someone I know expressed an interest in the building with the (not very realistic) intent to use the space for a view and brew. He was told the business was not for sale. I found that a bit curious.

This has been a done deal for quite awhile. The Detroit Theater was destined to close the day they announced the renovation of the Capital Theater.

The only way to stop the McDonalds is to pass an ordinance banning drive through windows for all new restaurants. Otherwise get use to hearing "do you want fries with that" until 3 AM.

The City does not have to accept whatever McDonalds decides to throw up:

http://blog.timesunion.com/realestate/f ... ness/8289/

Hi,
Mr. Stein is to be commended for his implementation of a business into Lakewood's existing architecture. He is a good Lakewood business owner and "walks the walk". Lakewood needs more business owners like him.

I see both of these projects as "cannibalism" development. Lakewood nets little or no improvement. With both, Lakewood exchanges 1 empty building for another.

I have to ask in both the case of the CVS and the Detroit Theater/McDs, do you see these as a plus for Lakewood? I see them as at best a lateral move. Lakewood has 2 empty buildings now and after both development projects Lakewood will have 2 empty buildings. The empty buildings Lakewood will have are the structures where the 2 businesses are currently located.

I wonder if those 2 empty buildings will be available for development, or like so often is done now days, will the current tenants continue to pay the leases for the empty buildings to keep competition out. Isn't that what we are seeing with Giant Eagle? Look at the big empty plaza where Target used to be in Fairview Park. The building owner gets compensated but the area stagnates and no additional business activity is permitted. An area of possible development becomes an area where development is not possible.

Hi Donald,

I completely agree. This also calls into question a recent quote from Mayor Summers in the Lakewood Observer about the potential McDonalds move. The Mayor says:

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/read/20 ... iders-move

"The studies are so thorough that a new McDonald’s in the area is a signal to the rest of the business community that this is a viable area to do business in,” explained the Mayor. “This happens all over the country and I would see the move as a strong vote of confidence for the area, should McDonald’s choose to relocate on Detroit.”

So, is the converse also true? Is this a very strong vote of no-confidence for the Sloane area? You can't use the argument that it is a strong vote of confidence if they are relocating. Maybe, if they were building a second store, but not a relocation.

And how, exactly, does this help Lakewood?

This whole thing is decided, so maybe there is no point worrying, but the spin is horrendous and the lack of any of our officials yet standing up and saying "this is not what we want for Lakewood" is disconcerting. At least to me.

Bill Call wrote:Someone I know expressed an interest in the building with the (not very realistic) intent to use the space for a view and brew. He was told the business was not for sale. I found that a bit curious.

This has been a done deal for quite awhile. The Detroit Theater was destined to close the day they announced the renovation of the Capital Theater.

The only way to stop the McDonalds is to pass an ordinance banning drive through windows for all new restaurants. Otherwise get use to hearing "do you want fries with that" until 3 AM.

The City does not have to accept whatever McDonalds decides to throw up:

http://blog.timesunion.com/realestate/f ... ness/8289/

Hi all,

I wanted to bring this back up to the top because the meeting at the Library is this Wednesday night, the day after tomorrow.

Bill,

I wanted to ask you for more details about your friend who wanted to open a "brew and view" and was told that the business was "not for sale." Who told him this? The Detroit Theater's owner? The real estate agent? The City? Did they tell him why?

When was this?

Thanks.

Betsy Voinovich

.

Betsy Voinovich wrote:Bill,

I wanted to ask you for more details about your friend who wanted to open a "brew and view" and was told that the business was "not for sale." Who told him this? The Detroit Theater's owner? The real estate agent? The City? Did they tell him why?

When was this?

Thanks.

Betsy Voinovich

A couple of months ago he called the broker and asked a few basic questions. He didn't make an offer and didn't have the resources to do the project himself. His interest was more along the lines of "wouldn't it be great if...."

When he asked the broker about the theater he was told the business was not for sale. Maybe the owner thought the building would have a better chance of being sold if the new owner thought it was generating rent and was doing just fine.

If I was a consipiracy theorist I'd say the owner of the theater, who also has an interest in the taxpayer subsidized Capital Theater, didn't want the competition. The Capital Theater does a lot of marketing in Lakewood and there is only so much business to go around.

If you owned one business that was on its own and another that received millions in taxpayer subsidies which business would you close?

Bill, for the Capitol and Detroit to be in direct competition, wouldn't the have had to show the same movies at the same time?
You state that the owner of the Detroit is also part owner of the non profit Capitol. Could you please explain that. I always thought that non profits, by definition, did not have specific owners.

Michael Loje wrote:Bill, for the Capitol and Detroit to be in direct competition, wouldn't the have had to show the same movies at the same time?
You state that the owner of the Detroit is also part owner of the non profit Capitol. Could you please explain that. I always thought that non profits, by definition, did not have specific owners.

I should not have used the term "owned". A year or so ago I was told by someone with ties to the Detroit Shoreway CDO that the Capital Theater is operated by the same people who operate Cedar Lee and other theaters. I did not verify that. I was also told that "we" guaranteed the profitablity of the Capital Theater.

I should point out that I go to the Captial Theater rather than Crocker Park, Lakewood is better off with a vibrant Gordon Square and I don't think anyone has done anything nefarious or underhanded.

I just think it important to point out that tax payer subsidized development in one area canablizes business in another area and that when the Gordon Square project was announced the Detroit theaters days were numbered. What was done at Gordon Square could have been done in Lakewood. I'm disappointed that it wasn't.

I guess its just sour grapes. Gordon Square gets the new theater, new street scapping, new live theater options and subsidies, support for new restaurants and housing and Lakewood gets the new McDonalds. I'm not all that opposed to McDonalds I'm just disappointed that we can't do better. Kinda like Tremont gets tens of millions in subsidies and lots of free press about how great it all is and Lakewood gets Mental Health Services' homeless resettlement program.

The sad fact is that a McDonalds is the best we can do in this environment.

Bill Call wrote:

Michael Loje wrote:Bill, for the Capitol and Detroit to be in direct competition, wouldn't the have had to show the same movies at the same time?
You state that the owner of the Detroit is also part owner of the non profit Capitol. Could you please explain that. I always thought that non profits, by definition, did not have specific owners.

I just think it important to point out that tax payer subsidized development in one area canablizes business in another area and that when the Gordon Square project was announced the Detroit theaters days were numbered. What was done at Gordon Square could have been done in Lakewood. I'm disappointed that it wasn't.
.

Except that cannibalization only happens if the target market is the same and in this case it wasn't. There was no crossover between the movies shown at the Capital and the Detroit theater. Your premise is false logic.

The Detroit Theater's days certainly were numbered, but not because Gordon Square, but because of Netflix and Apple.