The Observation Deck

A peak at the Quaker Steak and Lube as presented to the ARB.

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Yes, it does have a peak.... right in the middle, above the signage.

Insert your [does not fit Lakewood's architecture, there are other good wings in Lakewood, no city vision, no concern for residents, chain restaurants are evil, destroy's Lakewood's walkability, etc etc ] comments here

Quite elegant

J Hrlec wrote:Insert your [does not fit Lakewood's architecture, there are other good wings in Lakewood, no city vision, no concern for residents, chain restaurants are evil, destroy's Lakewood's walkability, etc etc ] comments here

I'll bite...

Per my husband: "Do you really think they are going to last in Lakewood? Quaker Steak is overpriced, their wings aren't that good, and there are plenty of places in Lakewood to get good cheap wings."

J Hrlec wrote:Insert your [does not fit Lakewood's architecture, there are other good wings in Lakewood, no city vision, no concern for residents, chain restaurants are evil, destroy's Lakewood's walkability, etc etc ] comments here

J Hrlec

It is an interesting design and much lower key then I had imagined. There are other drawing I will post, but
it should be interesting to see how it fits into the overall new "Downtown."


Looks like a 2010 rebuild of a 60s strip mall. Patios, store fronts, an improvement one would say.

I have not seen the comment about Chains destroying walkability. I have seen some
threads about the massive amount of food places being tough on locals that do not have
deep corporate pockets.

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But, '60s strip malls were a rip off of Lakewood...

Paul Schrimpf wrote:But, '60s strip malls were a rip off of Lakewood...

The were based on chaos theory?


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I frankly don't know what this means and don't really want an explanation, I'll only clarify. The primary design of Lakewood is, indeed, a series of strip malls .. in the '60 they added parking frontage. If you are referring to the tenants that's a different thing entirely.

Paul Schrimpf wrote:I frankly don't know what this means and don't really want an explanation, I'll only clarify. The primary design of Lakewood is, indeed, a series of strip malls .. in the '60 they added parking frontage. If you are referring to the tenants that's a different thing entirely.

Paul

The city was built as a street car community.

It was in the late 50s and 60s that the strip mall and mall concept came forward, in response to the Westgate
Open Air Mall. If you go back and look, every sign rule of the 70s was designed for Lakewood to keep pace
with Westgate.

My comment was there seems to be very little rhyme and reason to it all outside of if its development we want it.


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Actually, if you check out some of the old photos of Lakewood, that particular group of connected stores goes back WAY farther than the 1960's. It well indeed may be one of the very earliest drive-up "mall-type" concepts around here- having at one time, if I recall correctly, a theater complex, and one of the early supermarket chains....

If ever a mall might qualify as a historic edifice, this one just might. Looks like a nice restoration concept so far.


(trivia...which supermarket chain WAS there back then? No peeking! )

Back to the banjo and that second chocolate bunny...not necessarily in that order.

Gary asked---

(trivia...which supermarket chain WAS there back then? No peeking!

A & P was where Discount Drug Mart now is until about 1975. A & P (short for The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company) was probably the premier national grocer from WW 1 until the late 1960s.

The "streetcar suburb" model is actually a walking strip mall .. a strip mall without the parking spaces.

Stan got it!

However....

...regarding that "strip mall without the parking spaces" business...

Hmmmm..................

That particular mall showed ample pull-in street side parking, even in those old historic photos.

I see that the current plans seem to call for parallel street-side parking. If so, that would apparently cut out a number of those street spaces in a city needing as many parking spaces as it can get, at least in my opinion.

Frankly, for people having special walking needs, cities like Lakewood can have a tough time competing with easy-access stores and restaurants available in other locations having more room to stretch out with more close-in parking availability.

In this case at least, hopefully the back parking lot will still be there and businesses will keep those secondary entrances available, or at least, hopefully allow for some kind of a cut through.

Now, if we could only discuss Lakewood's parking meters...

Back to the banjo...

Anyone know how 5guys is doing? I ate there twice i believe..... and I
rarely see anyone in there?