The Observation Deck

I received this notice last night related to the ongoing McDonald's controversy.

Many thanks to concerned Woodward resident and regular LO contributor Fran Storch for the info.

For more information about how the McDonald's saga is unfolding, check out the latest coverage from another civic minded Woodward resident, Chris Perry, on page 4 of the November 1 issue (http://lakewoodobserver.com/read/2011/11/01/planning-commission-defers-decision-on-mcdonalds-development).


“McDonald’s – I’m Not Lovin’ It!”

Area residents will hold a demonstration at 5:30 p.m. November 2, 2011 to protest the building of a McDonald’s restaurant at the site of the vacant Detroit Theatre at the corner of Detroit and Woodward Avenues in Lakewood. Protestors are concerned about the increased traffic and safety issues which will result from the construction of a double drive-thru, fast-food eatery with two entrances and two exits on Woodward Avenue, a residential street of over 100 households.

Concerned neighbors have spoken against the project at several public forums including meetings of the city’s Architectural Board of Review and Planning Commission. A McDonald’s site plan was approved with conditions by the review board in September. The next step in the process requires approval by the Lakewood Planning Commission. After hearing comments from both sides at a meeting last month, the commission postponed a decision on the project until their next meeting on November 3. The citizens’ group hopes to gather additional public support and increase community involvement at the meeting this week. They plan to stage another protest prior to the 7 p.m. meeting on Thursday outside of Lakewood City Hall at 12650 Detroit Avenue.

Built in 1923, the Detroit Theatre closed its doors this past January after almost 87 years of operation. It was the last movie house in Lakewood. The building’s owner, Norman Barr, is asking $695,000 for the property located at 16407 Detroit Avenue.

Residents, now Anti-McDonald's and Anti-City Hall Protesters at the Detroit Theater.

Many were asking if you are ready for the city to ruin your neighborhood, and there
was much talk about McDonald's being asked to move by the city to the Detroit Theater.



Just a week ago Mayor Mike Summers spent the afternoon there counting cars and talking
with residents about what a great idea it was for McDonald's to choose this spot.


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The photo on Cleveland.com says "Is Your Street Next"
My answer " I hope so"

Colleen,
I don't understand your post. What do you mean?

I mean that there is an abandoned building anchoring the end of my street, along with the next street over. So I would love to see something built there.

Colleen Wing wrote:I mean that there is an abandoned building anchoring the end of my street, along with the next street over. So I would love to see something built there.

Colleen

We would all love to see Lakewood buildings filled, but considering the economy and the
region, everyone believes Lakewood is holding it own.

So do you want a big box store at the end of the street?

Do you want a drive through?

You really do not care?

I am just curious as you have a view that is often different from my own by well reasoned.

My feeling, and the feeling of Ken who just came through is that Lakewood is losing it
bedroom community charm, and becoming no different from Cleveland.

Ken has been teaching in Austin Texas, and is looking to move back, and we went through
plenty of homes, talked to many a neighbor, and it would seem residents feel the change
from a city of residents to something only representing business.

Just curious.

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Jim,

Just some questions to you on your input and inquiries:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:We would all love to see Lakewood buildings filled, but considering the economy and the region, everyone believes Lakewood is holding it own.

So we are "holding our own" means we do not want businesses to move or be created in vacant building on a commercially lined street?

Jim O'Bryan wrote:So do you want a big box store at the end of the street?

Is McDonlad's a big box store...or is this just taking it to the extreme. Does Lakewood have one big box store?

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Do you want a drive through?

Here's a tongue twister.... whether or not there is a physical drive-though many existing places are a drive-through because people must drive-though to park or other. I live by a establishment on a commercial street where cars are constantly driving to and behind to park, plus with a patio there are often people outside talking, etc. You know what? The kids on the street are fine and the traffic and sound from the establishment does not change the neighborhood IMHO.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:we went through plenty of homes, talked to many a neighbor, and it would seem residents feel the change from a city of residents to something only representing business.

Once again more out of curiousity.... what do you consider many neighbors. Lakewood is about 50,000 residents (I think) and do your inquiries encompass all ends of Lakewood - east, west, north, south?

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Many were asking if you are ready for the city to ruin your neighborhood

Wow, look at the hyperbole on that one. Yikes. This one too, as JHrlec points out:

J Hrlec wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:So do you want a big box store at the end of the street?

Is McDonlad's a big box store...or is this just taking it to the extreme. Does Lakewood have one big box store?

Jim O'Bryan wrote:

Colleen Wing wrote:I mean that there is an abandoned building anchoring the end of my street, along with the next street over. So I would love to see something built there.

Colleen

We would all love to see Lakewood buildings filled, but considering the economy and the
region, everyone believes Lakewood is holding it own.

So do you want a big box store at the end of the street?

Do you want a drive through?

You really do not care?

I am just curious as you have a view that is often different from my own by well reasoned.

My feeling, and the feeling of Ken who just came through is that Lakewood is losing it
bedroom community charm, and becoming no different from Cleveland.

Ken has been teaching in Austin Texas, and is looking to move back, and we went through
plenty of homes, talked to many a neighbor, and it would seem residents feel the change
from a city of residents to something only representing business.

Just curious.

.

Jim,

You're killing me!

Who is Ken?

Scott Meeson wrote:
Jim,

You're killing me!

Who is Ken?

Scott

Sorry, did not mean to make it an inside comment!



Kenneth Warren, ex-Director of the Lakewood Library where he was for 25 years. Also
a member of many groups including Kiwanis, Lakewood Community Progress, Inc.,
LakewoodAlive, Mainstreet, and one of the founders of The Lakewood Observer.

Ken was a semi-well known beat poet, and has been putting out a poetry journal for about
20 years that has some of the best known American poets and song writers in it. Currently
it is part of the University of Buffalo Library.

Was often quoted for either his deep love of Lakewood, or some of the incredible things that
would seemingly fall out of his mouth. Well read, deep understanding of both the world,
the community, and how communities can be moved and or co-opted.

What I loved about Ken was he was the consummate Librarian. He always felt that his job
was to inform and educate. He was a store house for knowledge, not a safe. If you asked,
and he knew he would tell you. If you had a point of view, he could generally argue the
other side as well as the other side could.

Father of many study groups including the now infamous "Visionary Alignment for Lakewood"
which was the birthplace of many of the great things you now love about Lakewood.
While so many others love to take credit, Ken just loved doing the work. Easily one of
the sharpest guys in town, which is probably while he was railroaded and kicked to the
curb by so many helped. You know, Lakewood style.

Has been living in New York and Austin, and traveling all over between times. Working on
a couple books, and I believe one is about the Observer, from inside, and out, and how
the community reacted to getting their every wish. Ken has a very unique perspective,
every mayor, councilman and civic leader went to him for advice for 25 years! He did
charts on all of them, and can apply about 50 different scales to them from Spiral Dynamics
to Stars, numbers and their palms!

He should be back in a couple weeks, looking to move back, and should be at a Tuesday
meeting in the next couple months.

I am just happy to call him a friend.

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Jim,

Just to clarify...Yes, if you could fit an IKEA or a Whole Foods at the corner of my street I would welcome it....shreeeking in the streets commence. I would take an Applebees, a McDonald's Dunkin Donuts, whatever short of a strip club or porn shop...

What about a tattoo shop or a money lender? What difference does it make - a business is a business and if it brings revenue into the city, then why fight it?

So Colleen, if you can say that you have certain businesses that you would not like to live next to, then why can't you understand some other person's aversion to living next to a very busy, noise and smell creating fast food joint? Why is OK for you to have a preference but not OK for some Woodward residents?

I would like to alter my statement. I would accept a strip club with a porn shop off the back.

And I am not saying this to be a jerk. I am serious. I am not discounting the concern just putting it into perspective.

Am I the only one who remembers how the Winking Lizard was a horrible, unneeded addition to Lakewood and now Quaker Steak. There is a long line of unacceptable, successful businesses that fought harder then they should have to locate here. I, for one, appreciate the photo of the Mayor trying to hear from everyone. I still don't understand the extensive criteria of an "acceptable, Lakewood Friendly" business.

Colleen Wing wrote:And I am not saying this to be a jerk. I am serious. I am not discounting the concern just putting it into perspective.

Am I the only one who remembers how the Winking Lizard was a horrible, unneeded addition to Lakewood and now Quaker Steak. There is a long line of unacceptable, successful businesses that fought harder then they should have to locate here. I, for one, appreciate the photo of the Mayor trying to hear from everyone. I still don't understand the extensive criteria of an "acceptable, Lakewood Friendly" business.

Colleen

I never remember Winking Lizard being horrible. I mean the food, yes, the ambiance, yes,
but the thought of them coming to Lakewood, no.

Quaker State and Lube, it will be interesting. Their burger will sneak into the top 20, the
Wings could push into Top 5. Their deep pockets will allow them to stay for longer, than
most, with no real sense of community, like some of the places that are known for their
wings in town. But progress is progress.

However drive-throughs and what is slowly become a war against neighborhoods south
of Clifton is getting a little old for many. One of the more prolific writers in Lakewood has
been under siege for 6 years.And this is not the end of the intrusion.

Funny how Clifton Park loses a McDonald's but gains a condo. Meanwhile LAKEWOOD
loses a theater, a chiropracter, a church, a school, and???? and gets big box stores that
will eventually hurt Lakewood owned businesses and eventually Lakewood.

But the writing is on the wall. Look at the release from the city. "A locally owned
developer from Akron..." Well that is only local in true believers of the REGIONAL FANTASY
that together we have the same buying power as British Guinea before they found oil
and gold. That the CLE+ TEAM NEO footprint could easily be in the top 65 countries in
trade...

No matter what they say, they words and actions give them away. TRUE REGIONALISTS
who care very little for Lakewood, it history, its livelihood, or what others think.

FWIW


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