The Observation Deck

In a very sane and responsive move, Lorain Safety Director has demanded a moratorium
on Downtown Construction and Dollar Stores. Realizing the potential for a true long term
negative impact on the community, the safety director has asked for and gotten a
moratorium on new buildings in Downtown. So that they can look at codes, and find a
better way to regulate buildings and what is going on.

They thought that it was more important to look at the entire city, not just Downtown, and
to figure out a vision and then look at better ways for making it happen.

There are many stories online about this:
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2012/09/04/news/doc5045769739a5d162900201.txt

In the Richard Payerchin Morning Journal Article the Safety Director is quoted. “We need
to really kind of take a deep breath and figure out what the vision is,” said Geoffrey
Smith, deputy safety-service director for human resources and risk management. “The
downtown and the lakefront are just critical aspects of the city.”

While Lakewood has ruled out any lakefront development, maybe the city should stop
before it becomes the miracle 2 miles of dollar stores?

What is the vision? To my knowledge there has never been one and it seems that the
recent attempt has also fallen flat, which would be odd, as City Hall chosen people nearly
outnumbered the other City Hall-selected committee participants.

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When did the measure of the success of a City Hall and their running of a city become based on how much money they have to tear down residential structures? The number of dollar stores they worked hard to bring in, even fighting residents in court to tear down historic residential structures? And their ability to limit what its law-abiding residents can do and when in THEIR public parks and homes?

So much for one of the "coolest places to visit."

It is like Bizarro World in Superman where everything is the opposite!





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Jim O'Bryan wrote:When did the measure of the success of a City Hall and their running of a city become based on how much money they have to tear down residential structures? The number of dollar stores they worked hard to bring in, even fighting residents in court to tear down historic residential structures? And their ability to limit what its law-abiding residents can do and when in THEIR public parks and homes?

So much for one of the "coolest places to visit."

It is like Bizarro World in Superman where everything is the opposite!





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Hi Jim,

What are you talking about: "how much money they have to tear down residential structures"?

It seems pretty obvious that the City is at war with the residents. (Some of them.)
But, I must respectfully ask, WTF, re tearing down residences?

Betsy Voinovich

Jim O'Bryan wrote:When did the measure of the success of a City Hall and their running of a city become based on how much money they have to tear down residential structures? The number of dollar stores they worked hard to bring in, even fighting residents in court to tear down historic residential structures? And their ability to limit what its law-abiding residents can do and when in THEIR public parks and homes?

So much for one of the "coolest places to visit."

It is like Bizarro World in Superman where everything is the opposite!

Chill out, Jim.

The Indians are still in the pennant race!



Matt

Jim O'Bryan wrote:In a very sane and responsive move, Lorain Safety Director has demanded a moratorium on Downtown Construction and Dollar Stores. Realizing the potential for a true long term negative impact on the community, the safety director has asked for and gotten a moratorium on new buildings in Downtown. So that they can look at codes, and find a better way to regulate buildings and what is going on.

Governmental involvement in zoning and such is good, but who decides what is good for the community and what is a scourge? Dollar stores are no different than Walgreen's, CVS, Rite Aid, etc., as long as they conform to zoning/architectural standards.

How about Check Cashing joints? Are they better?
I know of a 1/4 mile stretch of Oberlin Ave. in West Lorain that sports no less than 7 Check Cashing joints! (Plus CVS/Rite Aid)

I do not believe the moratorium has been granted, although it is being looked at.

David Westlake wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:In a very sane and responsive move, Lorain Safety Director has demanded a moratorium on Downtown Construction and Dollar Stores. Realizing the potential for a true long term negative impact on the community, the safety director has asked for and gotten a moratorium on new buildings in Downtown. So that they can look at codes, and find a better way to regulate buildings and what is going on.

Governmental involvement in zoning and such is good, but who decides what is good for the community and what is a scourge? Dollar stores are no different than Walgreen's, CVS, Rite Aid, etc., as long as they conform to zoning/architectural standards.

How about Check Cashing joints? Are they better?
I know of a 1/4 mile stretch of Oberlin Ave. in West Lorain that sports no less than 7 Check Cashing joints! (Plus CVS/Rite Aid)

David

I bring this up because in a recent lunch with the Mayor, he said he knew of no way to "stop or control this." At the time I
mentioned the City could have bought the building Dollar General was going into for the price of the way finding signs, and
then control the tenants. His answer was, "I suppose that could have been done." I also point out that we keep Tattoo Parlors
out of Lakewood, Strip Clubs, porno stores etc. All legal businesses. So there has to be a way. Recently Councilman Anderson
successfully implemented a moratorium on Drive-Thrus on Detroit, and then I saw this.

What is amazing to me, is that even with the change in residents, many of the so called "power brokers" remember and still
complain about how Marc's Plaza turned out. We were looking for great shops that would have glass elevated walkways to
the Hospital and Park and the Monorail Ok they never mentioned a monorail, but the rest was promised when it was approved.
Instead we got Marc's, and they claim to hate it.

This time we were promised "High End Shopping" if we were to underwrite the rebuilding of "DowntowN Lakewood" while
many wondered if it was wise to forget about housing, and the rest of Detroit and Madison, we were assured that this money
was being well spent and the "Marc's Debacle" would never happen in Downtown.

Well...

Now we have the city siding with Drug Mart in court against residents fighting for this crap.

Really

What about the promises.

In the classic book "Slaughter of Cities" Developers with the help of local government destroy property values to attract
developers to come in and rebuild. Which is a cycle happening all over. My question is, what happens to the residents that
have lived here for years, live south of Clifton, and love this city, while the slaughter continues?

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I bring this up because in a recent lunch with the Mayor, he said he knew of no way to "stop or control this." At the time I
mentioned the City could have bought the building Dollar General was going into for the price of the way finding signs, and
then control the tenants.

This is assuming the building was for sale, and I don't think it was. I believe it recently sold, but that was before CVS left. Also do you really want the city getting into property management? (I mean this in the sense of buying, renting and maintaining commercial buildings as apposed to the land bank activities) Could it be done, I'm sure. But I'm not sure its a great idea for several reasons.

As for a moratorium, they tend to be temporary. So how long would you suggest the moratorium and what would you use to identify the parameters of the businesses that wouldn't be allowed to come to Lakewood under it?

You are completely right about Lakewood not allowing certain businesses in Lakewood such as tattoo parlors and adult stores (although tattoo parlors are actually not illegal but our code makes them impractical, a medical doctor has to be on hand at all times). I actually asked about this same idea, however you will notice, at least as far as I know, there are no business types allowed in Lakewood that there is a cap as to how many we can have. I'm not sure what the reasoning is, but I imagine it is difficult to write a good ordinance defining this and maybe defend it in court. I don't know if this is the case or not, just throwing it out there as information for you to do with what you want. Just some things to think about.

Christopher Bindel wrote:

I bring this up because in a recent lunch with the Mayor, he said he knew of no way to "stop or control this." At the time I
mentioned the City could have bought the building Dollar General was going into for the price of the way finding signs, and
then control the tenants.

This is assuming the building was for sale, and I don't think it was. I believe it recently sold, but that was before CVS left. Also do you really want the city getting into property management? (I mean this in the sense of buying, renting and maintaining commercial buildings as apposed to the land bank activities) Could it be done, I'm sure. But I'm not sure its a great idea for several reasons.

As for a moratorium, they tend to be temporary. So how long would you suggest the moratorium and what would you use to identify the parameters of the businesses that wouldn't be allowed to come to Lakewood under it?

You are completely right about Lakewood not allowing certain businesses in Lakewood such as tattoo parlors and adult stores (although tattoo parlors are actually not illegal but our code makes them impractical, a medical doctor has to be on hand at all times). I actually asked about this same idea, however you will notice, at least as far as I know, there are no business types allowed in Lakewood that there is a cap as to how many we can have. I'm not sure what the reasoning is, but I imagine it is difficult to write a good ordinance defining this and maybe defend it in court. I don't know if this is the case or not, just throwing it out there as information for you to do with what you want. Just some things to think about.

Chris

I have no knowledge of if it was for sale. None.

The comment was "I know of no way of controlling this."

I came up with one in seconds, which makes me think with smart people there must be more.

Do I want Lakewood in the management business? I believe that is their business, managing the city. I could be wrong.

What I personally would like to see, is the end to the hype that paints us into these corners. It is as silly as saying
Progressive Field, the Rock Hall, Browns Stadium, etc will change Cleveland and ...

I know there is probably no way to make you understand this. But all of this comes from a mindset of a small group of
people that dedicated themselves to the single fact, "commercial development will save the city" ie keep their taxes low.
That was started nearly 15 years ago. Even with the changes of Cleveland, the economy, retail, the internet, this very
small group, has continued to shove this down our throats through a variety of names and civic groups.

The one thing none of them wanted, at least in conversation to me, is another "Marc's Plaza" and that "it would never happen
again." Well, guess what, we have squandered ten years and millions of dollars into the Detroit Avenue Chow Line, where no
restaurant is having a "great time of it." and a miracle 2 miles of low income value stores.

All of this was done as Ed FitzGerald, and now Mayor Summers are cutting labor and positions in housing, and parks. While
we hear, we cannot keep the parks open and we have to tear down homes because they have fallen into disrepair. While
many warned of these very issues for over a decade.

Maybe, just maybe, if we stopped and looked at the forces in the world and area for real, not with Faux study groups that are
steered into thinking "we must continue the madness" we can actually see the future, and a future that works for the
residents, and the voters.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Albert Einstein.

For the record, yes I would take a vacant lot over the 3, 4 and 5th dollar stores. The vacant lot, provides hope for something better.

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Jim O'Bryan wrote:For the record, yes I would take a vacant lot over the 3, 4 and 5th dollar stores. The vacant lot, provides hope for something better.

Tell that to the residents of Beach

Christopher Bindel wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:For the record, yes I would take a vacant lot over the 3, 4 and 5th dollar stores. The vacant lot, provides hope for something better.

Tell that to the residents of Beach

Chris

So according to you, we fold for any piece of crap that could go in there?

That is what they want?

Really?

When I did the story on Beach Ave about 4 years ago, they just wanted something their that wasn't an eyesore.

The very real truth is if the City ever tried to hold businesses to the same accountability as residents, those lots would have
should have been plowed over and planted with grass, much like Rick Foran did on Sloane.

I am willing to bet, Beach Ave residents would love a little grass park at the end of their street, and Detroit would look a
hell of a lot better coming in from the east.

But alas it is not in the miracle .8ths of a mile that we have piled millions in to, closed our
parks to afford, and throw all common sense out over. So screw the East Side and screw the residents, again.

How long do you think you could get away with that yard at your house?

FWIW

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Jim O'Bryan wrote:How long do you think you could get away with that yard at your house?

A long time.

Matthew John Markling wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:How long do you think you could get away with that yard at your house?

A long time.

How so? The city has as many employees citing residents for grass, paint, yard sales, etc.
As they have in the housing department looking over plans for building. If you mean there
is someone on your street that has a over grown, broken down house that would be
unsafe, then I am sure they know someone, somewhere.

The residents of Scenic Park area, complained and complained that the Foran Group had
ghettoized their neighborhood with the tear down the shut down of the Cliffs Project, while
the Foran Group chased greener pastures in Ohio City. They demanded that the lot be
made "park-like" and the outcry was finally so loud, that it was done. This was the entry
point of Lakewood from the West and the Foran Group had left it looking like a dying city.

Why couldn't the same pressure be applied to the Rockport Development lot. This is not
only at the entry point of Lakewood on the East, but the lead in to the very development
we have all spent millions and millions on Downtown. Of course the east side of
"Downtown" is marked by DrugMart, Dollar Store, 20 island gas station and Moon's. Last I
heard Forest City Enterprises had taken it over. Hell I believe the Parma Observer
reported on Sam Miller building a rec center and park in Parma. All we are asking for is
some grass and maybe a bench or two. It would certainly be better for the narrative being
sold in other cities, that Lakewood has replaced their car dealerships with high end
housing. You know, I hate to bring politics in on this, but as our Republicans
become "democrats" and take over the helm of the city, there does seem to be a lot of the
Bush/Orwellian comments like that coming to the surface. Don't describe it honestly,
describe it the way you wanted it to be.

Anything is not better than nothing, when the Anything keeps others from wanting to move
in, and or define the area as a failing neighborhood. Especially as in this case, when the
talk on the streets of the residents is, "Really 5 Dollar stores? This is just terrible."

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I wouldn't worry about it Jimmy...

I mean, the way things are, and all....

If business interests continue to have their way, you probably won't have five "dollar-type" stores for very long...

Instead, you could quite possibly have five $5 stores.

Back to the banjo.

Just a thought though....In your very building, where Rozi's is now, there was once a 5&10 cent store, and there were others around town too. How were they so different from a dollar-type store, and why should those kinds of business be politicized these days? Businesses go where demographics and the economy take them, and last I heard, Lakewood's Mercedes dealership was not coming back soon.

Besides, dollar-type stores were my dear late mom's favorite places to shop. There are tremendous deals to be found in those kinds of places.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:In the Richard Payerchin Morning Journal Article the Safety Director is quoted. “We need
to really kind of take a deep breath and figure out what the vision is,” said Geoffrey
Smith, deputy safety-service director for human resources and risk management. “The
downtown and the lakefront are just critical aspects of the city.”

City leadership hasn't had a "vision" since ... well since forever. The real problem is that other people outside of Lakewood have a "vision" for Lakewood and it isn't pretty. The recent articles and editorials on regionalization in the Plain Dealer contained the quote "if I have my way Cleveland would extend to the Rocky River". A quick look at the map tells you that fully translated that means "Lakewood should be part of Cleveland" That's the offical attitude and that is the goal. Understand that and you know all you need to know.

It all ties together nicely if you consider:

Five or so years ago some public agency was advertising in various venues that "Lakewood is a great place for Section 8 Housing.

Publically funded institutions are using taxpayer dollars to convert Lakewood apartments into half way houses.

Institutions like Mental Health Services is continuing its homeless resettlement program; a program that loads Clevelands homeless population onto buses and movies them to Lakewood.

Remember the efforts to move Beck Center to Westlake? Remember the efforts to kill the redevelopment of the Detroit Theater? Remember the efforts of CSU and Tri-C to kill Akron University's plan for a Lakewood campus? The reason given at the time was that they had something planned for Lakewood. Really?

Ed Fitzgerald has just killed efforts for streetscapping and development along Madison Avenue. If Fitzgerald is working against the City what chance is there of getting the same development dollars the County gives to Rocky River, Fairview Park and other cities in the region? In a region with declining population development is a zero sum game. If the only people with a vision for Lakewood are people who want to see Lakewood as Clevelands dumping ground I guess that's the vision that will prevail.

Of course some of the damage is self inflicted. In any other City the neighborhood by Grace would be the "Historic Victorian District". In Lakewood it's just an extension of Dollar Tree Way.