The Observation Deck

http://www.cleveland.com/westlake/index ... cart_river#incart_m-rpt-2

From the article:

"One of the buildings is designed to evoke the feeling of lofts in a converted warehouse with a water tower on the roof and a floor-to-ceiling glass clock face at one end of the top floor that will be the focal point of someone's apartment."

While it's easy to criticize our elected officials and director of development we should keep in mind that they are fighting a two front war. They have to compete with hundreds of millions in tax dollars invested in Crocker Park and Downtown and they must contend with tax dollars being used to relocate the homeless to Lakewood and to convert Lakewood apartments into halfway houses.

They are faced with a sisyphean task.

Tax payer subsidies for new shopping centers might make some sense if the "region" had a shortage of shopping centers

and

taxpayer subsidies for new apartment might make sense if the region had an apartment shortage but as far as I can tell the only shortage the region is experiencing is a shortage in population.

Crocker Park is an abomination.

That said, this increased supply of apartments is not good for Lakewood.
More competition for renters, which means lower rents and excess capacity.
In a perfect world, it would be great if Lakewood could reduce the number of rental units, maintaining proportion with the county's stagnant/declining population.

Cracker Park, oops Crocker Park, is but one "faux" development around Cleveland suburbs. In Avon Lake off of Lear there is a housing development that tries to look like Lakewood or even Cleveland with modest sized brick-clad homes built close to one another and in a turn of the century visual style.

As I drove by the exit at 83 last night around dinnertime, there was a long wait ON the highway to exit. Then, of course, you have to make it to the top of the ramp then make the left and wait to cross the bridge over 90. Its a daily battle, and people sit in cars instead of in their own home.

I have come to the conclusion that what people claim they want when they move out of Lakewood - bigger lots, less congestion, farther from neighbors, lower taxes, etc. is illusory. Most homes are still pretty close together in developments (note the homes just east of Costco), the congestion is WORSE than Lakewood, and the taxes may be lower for the present time, but all that influx requires they build new roads, schools, and infrastructure. Those taxes are going up!

My opinion is that those that move have two reasons for moving and both might be subconscious. First, there is a sense of "moving up" by getting out of Lakewood - what they perceive as an upgrade in the home and community that increases their status. Second, there is the nagging fear that too many non-whites are encroaching upon them. Now, most will totally deny this, but I cannot help but believe this to be true. I've had way too many people ask me when I'm "getting out of Lakewood," and saying things like "Lakewood is getting bad." Those are code for "too many blacks moving in."

The idea that these newer, farther out developments attempt to recreate the look and feel of the inner ring suburbs and urban area totally validates the idea that people like what they had - they just want more "control" over their environment, and by control, I mean the supposed ability to limit somewhat WHO you share your space with.

Grace O'Malley wrote:I have come to the conclusion that what people claim they want when they move out of Lakewood - bigger lots, less congestion, farther from neighbors, lower taxes, etc. is illusory.

I hate to start an argument but...

You're right.

Two years ago a young couple I know moved from Lakewood to Bay Village. The stated reason given by the wife was "a bigger yard" and less congestion. The house they bought in Bay was smaller than the house they had in Lakewood and the yard was also smaller.

Of course the real reason was FOBP.

Communities like Lakewood are competing for responsible, taxpaying residents with enough disposable income to shop at the local store and patronize the local restaurant. It's getting harder to compete for those residents.

There is a national trend for people to self segregate by income and race. The Cleveland area is a leader in that trend. Personally I think its unhealthy on a lot of levels but there is nothing we can do about it.

On one level I can accept that and even see how cities like Lakewood can compete in that environment and even thrive. However, the City is not just competing against a trend. We are also fighting our regional institutions like Tri-C, Cleveland State, The Cleveland Clinic, The Port Authority, Mental Health Services, Lutheran Housing, NOACCA and more. That's a fight that is impossible to win.

How many taxpayer resources are being used to subsidize development in these areas:

According to the 2010 Census:

Tremont - 6,912 residents
Ohio City - 9,210 residents
Downtown - 11,693 residents

How many taxpayer resources are being used to subsidize Crocker Park?

How does Lakewood fight the open hostility of our regional institutions? A start would be for our elected officials to call them out publically. Will that happen? No. Where does that leave us? In a vice grip, caught between taxpayer subsidized downtown development and taxpayer subsidized Crocker Park in a region that is losing population and leads the nation in job losses.