The Observation Deck

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ss ... eland.html

Change West 65th To Madison and the report looks just fine.

Bill, I agree this would be great to have in Lakewood.

Who, in the city, is falling asleep and not submitting these requests? Should you and I (and others) be requesting this from our Councilpeople? Or the mayor?

Why isn't Lakewood submitting proposals?

I really do not know these answers but would be curious?

Matthew Lee wrote:Bill, I agree this would be great to have in Lakewood.

Who, in the city, is falling asleep and not submitting these requests? Should you and I (and others) be requesting this from our Councilpeople? Or the mayor?

Why isn't Lakewood submitting proposals?

I really do not know these answers but would be curious?

NOACA paid 75k for the W65th study. There's no guarantee the project will be funded.

Lakewood has at least a couple of those projects. The Detroit Streetscape project and the Birdtown Action Plan come to mind. These are the feel-good projects that everyone applauds then sit on a shelf collecting dust. It's not that I don't approve of either plan, it's just what good is spending tens of thousands of tax payer dollars on a plan when either no one executes the plan or there's no prayer of obtaining funding?

Bill Call wrote:http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/west_65th_street_in_cleveland.html

Change West 65th To Madison and the report looks just fine.

The plan calls for four feet of tree lawn, 10 feet of all-purpose trail and 6 feet of buffer. That's 20 feet in total...which is impossible on Madison Ave.

Most of the plan seems to be jazzing up dilapidated areas with planters filled with flowers. These require ongoing maintenance the City has to perform. Like the LA flower baskets of a few years ago. How did these turn out?

veneer (noun)

1.thin layer as surface: a thin layer of a material bonded to the surface of a less attractive or inferior material

Charlie Page wrote:

Bill Call wrote:http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/west_65th_street_in_cleveland.html

Change West 65th To Madison and the report looks just fine.

The plan calls for four feet of tree lawn, 10 feet of all-purpose trail and 6 feet of buffer. That's 20 feet in total...which is impossible on Madison Ave.

Most of the plan seems to be jazzing up dilapidated areas with planters filled with flowers. These require ongoing maintenance the City has to perform. Like the LA flower baskets of a few years ago. How did these turn out?

You are correct in pointing out that the City of Lakewood couldn't even maintain flower pots but that doesn't mean flowers are a bad idea.

A few years ago I posted an article titled "The Madison Avenue Café District". The general idea was that since Madison was wide enough to allow wider sidewalks there was room for large patios along the street. The City finally approved a very timid and limited plan that didn't accomplish much.

In areas like Tremont and Ohio City, and Old Detroit in Rocky River and Gordon Square cities have successfully used outdoor amenities to encourage business and pedestrian traffic. That increase in traffic then fed an increase in business which created a vibe that translated into positive press, positive economics and positive attitudes.

There was once a chance to create just such a vibe along Madison. I don't know if that moment has passed but it is passing.

Of course a really successful café district, Victorian district and or business district depends on a housing policy. Since Lakewood lacks a pro-active housing policy there is very little chance that we will be able to compete with Gordon Square let alone the exurbs.

There is a market for more upscale apartments in Lakewood.

Here is an idea worth stealing:

http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/i ... er_default

Can tax incentives be offered for apartments? There is one lot left on Detroit, (well, three if you count Rockport but Rockport doesn't count).