The Observation Deck

On March 20th the residents on Bunts road learned Giant Eagle has proposed to put in a 16 car fueling station at the corner of Bunts / Detroit with 63 parking spaces and a 5,581 square foot megamart. This is something Lakewood does not need and does not embody the spirit of the LAKEWOOD COMMUNITY VISION PLAN.
In addition to this -the residents have learned Giant Eagle and the powers that be are trying to get this done as soon as possible - leaving minimal time for anyone to oppose and let the community learn after the fact. They hope to get approval and start as soon as this June.

*******A Meeting of the Board of Building Standards/Architectural board of review- will be held at 5:30 this Thursday, April 12th 2012 in the Auditorium of Lakewood City Hall, 12650 Detroit Ave. Please use the west side entrance.((WE NEED THE COMMUNITY TO FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF LAKEWOOD and oppose this project))))

As a resident of Bunts and a citizen of Lakewood, I am opposed to this project due to the negative environmental impact and the threat to public safety it will pose to both the nearby residents and the community at large.
In addition, this project does not contain anything a pedestrian friendly community needs. It lacks architectural interest and does not match the architectural quality of the surrounding residential neighborhood. Also, the scale, specifically the number and size of the pumps, is far too large for this location. In short, it falls woefully short of the goals outlined in the Lakewood Community Vision Plan and embodied in the ordinances of Lakewood
Furthermore, additional issues include; the property on Detroit Road, where the proposed GetGo gas station is planned, has had soil stability issues in the past, resulting in a sink hole. It will be located on a busy thoroughfare in which emergency vehicles rely on daily. Lakewood High School is a block away and the pedestrian traffic both of students and surrounding residents will be a major issue. Nice single family homes values will be affected all along Bunts and the surrounding streets. This plan appears to pose serious damage to the community surrounding it. This will be a change in a direction that Lakewood will not be able to mend. This plan lacks forward thinking and the project is counterproductive to what Lakewood has been trying to accomplish.

I was just looking at the pdf of this earlier today.

Here's the link if anyone is interested:

http://onelakewood.com/pdf/2012_BBSARBAgenda_0412a.pdf

It's around page 70 or so

The GetGo at Bunts is another lost opportunity.

The original plan for housing and gym would have been a real enhancement for the entire City. That development would have encouraged the development of other housing projects along Detroit from Bunts to 117th, preserved the residential nature of Bunts Road and blended nicely with "Downtown Lakewood". Instead we get an inner city Getgo.

The residential rental market is booming, rents are increasing, construction of new apartments is increasing and the interest in renting rather than owning is increasing. It seems like a perfect environment for Lakewood to prosper. Rather than pursue that opportunity the City is chasing after an inner city Getgo.

An imaginative development at Bunts and Detroit could have provided the impetus for new housing all along Detroit. Instead, the City is pushing for a development that will kill any hope for new apartments along Detroit. Now, the most likely use of the abandoned auto dealerships will be low income housing and various Dollar Stores. Worse, the new Getgo will further weaken the financial health of the Giant Eagle across the street.

Development in other areas of Cuyahoga County is eligible for County development dollars. For some reason Lakewood gets nothing. It is a sad but simple fact that if our County government is spending millions for development of downtown housing and development in Rocky River and Westlake development in Lakewood makes no financial sense.

I have no idea why the City is so eager to push for an inner city Getgo but there it is.

Myra Beckrest wrote:I was just looking at the pdf of this earlier today.

Here's the link if anyone is interested:

http://onelakewood.com/pdf/2012_BBSARBAgenda_0412a.pdf

It's around page 70 or so

Actually all 160 pages are fascinating. Filled with all sorts of projects that will push
themselves a little deeper into the neighborhood around them. Everything from large active
24 hours a day Get-Gos, to area restaurants and bars requesting open windows like Rozis,
of course these bars also feature music. To one fascinating case, when a homeowner is in
for approval of railings, that were already approved.

It would seem like lets punish homeowners, while we bend over and give commercial development
the green light to ruin our neighborhoods.

Again, I would expect nothing less from a group that has preached commerciai economic
development will save our city. Perhaps they could now look to developing their neighborhood
along the lake, which is a proven money maker.


I would also ask, should this signage indicate "DowntowN?" after all this will be the new
Gateway to our multi-million dollar downtown development area which has sucked so
many dollars and city time from addressing the housing for almost a decade.

Bill

You are right housing is GOLD right now, but Lakewood is not onboard. Oh they talk a
good housing game, but there are at least 4 projects in this packet that will reduce the
value of home anywhere near them.

We are on our way to be Belden Village, the city with no residents.

It is what happens, when you are the best suburb in the county 3 years in a road, but City
Hall does not believe it, as it goes contrary to their very narrow vision of reducing tax
burdens on themselves and their neighbors.

.

I hear yet another burger joint is going in at the corner spot on Warren and Detroit. Eddie& Eddies its called.


No vision.

Bill Call wrote:The original plan for housing and gym would have been a real enhancement for the entire City. That development would have encouraged the development of other housing projects along Detroit from Bunts to 117th, preserved the residential nature of Bunts Road and blended nicely with "Downtown Lakewood".

Was there a original plan for this, I thought these were only rumors and that the housing project was related to the car lot across from this property?

Bill Call wrote:Instead we get an inner city Getgo.

I'm not even sure what this means. This looks no different (maybe nicer) than the Get Go I see in Avon or any other area... are these places considered the inner city?

Bill Call wrote:The residential rental market is booming, rents are increasing, construction of new apartments is increasing and the interest in renting rather than owning is increasing. It seems like a perfect environment for Lakewood to prosper. Rather than pursue that opportunity the City is chasing after an inner city Getgo.

Doesn't Giant Eagle own this property? I am not sure how much the "City" can do, please explain.

Bill Call wrote:I have no idea why the City is so eager to push for an inner city Getgo but there it is.

I do not know either, but I hope it is an effort to help an existing business use and improve a piece of ugly vacant property sitting on one of the more travelled intersections. It is horrid how it looks today.

J Hrlec wrote:Was there a original plan for this, I thought these were only rumors and that the housing project was related to the car lot across from this property?

Doesn't Giant Eagle own this property? I am not sure how much the "City" can do, please explain.

That is correct. I saw the RFP response (singular...as that was the only one they received for that site) that the city posted last year and the senior housing was for the property (the Spitzer site) to the east of old GE site.

Also, the old GE site, from what I have read elsewhere, WAS bought and slated to be an Urban Active Gym and it fell through when the economy went bad... like 10 million other development plans did since 2008-2009. I heard that Giant Eagle bought it back. As far as cutting into the GE's business across the street, from what I understand, this grocery store/get go combo is their standard. If anything, it says to me that they intend on keeping the GE open by planning this.

Grace O'Malley wrote:I hear yet another burger joint is going in at the corner spot on Warren and Detroit. Eddie& Eddies its called.


No vision.

This is a restaurant from the people who run Pizzeria Cerino in Seven Hills. I'm looking forward to it!

Valerie Molinski wrote:

J Hrlec wrote:Was there a original plan for this, I thought these were only rumors and that the housing project was related to the car lot across from this property?

Doesn't Giant Eagle own this property? I am not sure how much the "City" can do, please explain.

That is correct. I saw the RFP response (singular...as that was the only one they received for that site) that the city posted last year and the senior housing was for the property (the Spitzer site) to the east of old GE site.

Also, the old GE site, from what I have read elsewhere, WAS bought and slated to be an Urban Active Gym and it fell through when the economy went bad... like 10 million other development plans did since 2008-2009. I heard that Giant Eagle bought it back. As far as cutting into the GE's business across the street, from what I understand, this grocery store/get go combo is their standard. If anything, it says to me that they intend on keeping the GE open by planning this.

Val

It only makes sense, as GE offers Get Go Discounts, and the lines at the one on Manor Park are always long.

http://lakewoodobserver.com/deck/viewtopic.php?t=5118&sid=66d09b8d6d703088349560d546eda4cf

This is the Deck topic, from the archives about Gold's Gym, then their inner city brand Urban Active and a
Whole Foods slated for the property in 2007.

.

I know someone that works for Whole Foods Corporate. That site was never on the list of consideration for them. I asked her when that topic came up.

But I do know, not from that old thread, that UA was slated to go there and the property was purchased. It just never came to fruition.

Valerie Molinski wrote:I know someone that works for Whole Foods Corporate. That site was never on the list of consideration for them. I asked her when that topic came up.

But I do know, not from that old thread, that UA was slated to go there and the property was purchased. It just never came to fruition.

Valerie

The property was not owned by Giant Eagle, it has remained in the Rego Family hands (Mom) until 2007, when
it was bought by a real estate holding company for the development of Whole Foods, Urban/Gold's Gym. When
that fell through nearly anything was promised to make it seem viable and successful, which is when UA was
brought up.

I do know that group that was successful with inside dog parks in Colorado were also interested in the property
or Ganley.

FWIW


.

Giant Eagle DOES NOT OWN the property as of yet it is all contingent on the GetGo Montrosity plans being approved. It is in contract. Once this is approved were all in trouble. Go Lakewood. Enjoy the portal to Blight.

Notice the beautiful plans -----they do not include the houses or the people that will have to walk past the nightmare every day.................

since I am on vacation, i did not bother to read through the entire thread. What happens to the current getgo at manorpark and detroit?

john crino wrote:since I am on vacation, i did not bother to read through the entire thread. What happens to the current getgo at manorpark and detroit?

I believe it's scheduled to be torn down this summer, property to be sold.



What a terrific improvement for Bunts and Detroit!

Scott