City chooses developer for McKinley site

[Betsy Voinovich]

Here is the latest from Colin McEwen:

The city of Lakewood has chosen Liberty Development Company of Cleveland to build an expected 40 town home units at the site of the former McKinley Elementary School in one of the city’s largest land redevelopment projects of the year.

The selection comes after a comprehensive search during the request for qualifications process announced in June.

The proposed for-sale housing units will be designed for energy efficiency and will include elements such as first-floor bedrooms, bathrooms and attached garages.

“This exciting news means that Lakewood will continue to further strengthen our already diverse housing stock,” said Lakewood Mayor Michael Summers, who attended elementary school at McKinley.

The project is expected to be completed in the Fall 2017 and be valued at more than $10 million.

“This is the second major new residential development in Lakewood in recent history and a nice complement to the $90 million in private commercial investments during the past five years,” Summers said.

Liberty Development President Tom Kuluris, a resident of the neighborhood and also a former McKinley student, said he is looking forward to working with the mayor and the administration.

“We believe McKinley Place is the exact type of new residential community Lakewood needs with a combination of first-floor living and townhouse-style homes,” Kuluris said. “It will be a great place to live for both empty nesters and for young professionals who flock to Lakewood looking for convenient, high-quality housing.”

The 2.9-acre site was cleared over the summer to make way for development after the city purchased the property from the Lakewood Board of Education in October 2013.

“With the proposed first-floor amenities, this development will encourage older residents to stay in town,” said Linda Beebe, president of the Lakewood School Board. “It will certainly benefit the school district in the form of a new tax base and I think it will also be a great addition to the neighborhood.”

City council will have final approval on the sale of the property to Liberty Development. The project also still needs approval from the city’s planning commission and architectural board of review.

Liberty Development hopes to break ground on McKinley Place in the summer of 2015.

A public meeting to present the design concepts is slated to take place in the auditorium at Horace Mann Elementary School at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11.

[Grace O'Malley]

I'm waiting to see the plans before I decide, but many people claim they leave Lakewood because there are no single floor residences, yet most all of the new developments are multi-level units. Some of the first Rockport condos were three stories and the Clifton Pointe is also multilevel residences - bedrooms on an upper floor can still be a problem for the elderly. There are people who want single floor living but don't necessarily want huge, impersonal apartment complexes like on the gold coast. I'm not seeing this need being addressed.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I'm waiting to see the plans before I decide, but many people claim they leave Lakewood because there are no single floor residences, yet most all of the new developments are multi-level units. Some of the first Rockport condos were three stories and the Clifton Pointe is also multilevel residences - bedrooms on an upper floor can still be a problem for the elderly. There are people who want single floor living but don't necessarily want huge, impersonal apartment complexes like on the gold coast. I'm not seeing this need being addressed.

Grace

I added technical drawings to Betsy's post.

More images coming I'm sure.

The future for Lakewood is in families, in my humble opinion.

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[Grace O'Malley]

That's great, thanks Jim. I'll look them over. Your point about families is well taken.

[Kyle Weigand]

Sorry, but that looks terribly cramped. Clifton Pointe, River South etc. work because there is variation in height, depth etc. and views of the river and lake (in some instances) and at least trees. This line up of townhouses works in Middleburg Heights...and, wait for it, Avon. I, too, will reserve final judgement until I see more, but so far, so unimpressed.

Also, how much abatement did we promise them - seven years? ten?

[Grace O'Malley]

According to Liberty CEO Tom Kuluris, the units will be marketed to "empty nesters and young professionals." That means people without children so I guess the units will be one and two bedrooms - not family friendly.

If Jim is right about families, then this development is not in line with that goal. Though possibly it will open up some single family homes if older residents decide to move to Mckinley. Again, though, I must point out that "empty nesters" tend to want one floor living in anticipation of the afflictions of old age. Not sure this will appeal to them.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Grace

I wish I was kidding. While talking with someone at City Hall about the plans they assured me...

"The Planning Department has assured me they will be nice."

I then pointed out, "Drus Siley the head of the 'Planning Department*' told everyone
we just got 'The Nicest Taco Bell in the World." So to hear these are only nice, leads
me to belive not as nice as "The nicest Taco Bell in the World."

As pointed out in the thread, "City Hall Step Away From The Smartphone."
http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12261&hilit=taco+Bell



So if you want to see what the "Planning Department*" deems as the nicest, stop in
at Taco Bell and check it out.

I am willing to see what develops and how much money they will generate for the
Lakewood Schools. One of the caveats for the city getting the property was "NO ABATEMENTS"

After all, A man starving on a life raft thinks a soda cracker is the best meal ever,
and those without ideas are easily impressed with very little.

FWIW

* It has come to my attnetion that the term "Planning Department" in Lakewood is
merely a metaphor for the office at the end of the hallway in the basement. Though
it could be the "nicest office in the building."

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[Bill Call]

Here is what is being built at the taxpayer funded Gordon Square:

http://townhomescleveland.com/townhomes-condos.shtml

Lakewood must compete with taxpayer funded development at Gordon Square, downtown and Crocker Park in a region that continues to lose population. It's and uphill climb.

[Grace O'Malley]

Tremont, Detroit Shoreway, Gordon Square, Herman Ave - you couldn't GIVE me a house in those areas. Sorry, I grew up in one of them and it wasn't pretty then and it isn't pretty now. I have friends in Tremont - trust me, they don't go for a walk after dusk, if then. I don't know, I get that "young professionals" are naive enough to think its cool to live there, but as everyone knows but won't admit, as soon as kids come along they are out of there.

Of course we can debate all day about this but I'm more interested in Lakewood development and if this plan is the best we can do. It seems a bit crowded to me, and I have some other reservations. I AM glad there is no tax abatement but didn't Clifton Pointe get abatement?

[Danielle Masters]

They say no tax abatement but every other new build has them. I can see in the future when sales are slow them demanding tax abatements to compete. I have lost all trust in what comes out of city hall.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Grace

There are many ways to measure a community. One of the favorites is in property for sale or rent. Sales are up, rental
is the same nearly full. I hear tales as I have mentioned of people getting 20% over asking. I hear stories of people
fighting over good rentals on "show" day. This would certainly indicate the city is hot, as it has always been.

But the other is in people willing to take the money and run, or stay in the community they love.

This issue of the Observer talks about coming back to Lakewood, and I have a neighbor that left to the
promised land of Vancouver and has come gladly come back to Lakewood.

A city needs to progress, but the question is at what cost? I was recently told that the city is willing to do
ANYTHING to make Birdtown a success, as they said about "DowntowN" in an effort to prove they are right.
I hear tales of "modernization" of the newly discovered "Birdtown."

Ever since my brief involvement with the Cleveland Foundation I have struggled with "Gentrification."
Everyone wants a better neighborhood. But at what cost? It even gets creepier in my humble opinion
when one leverages unfair advantages to put into play a single person's vision that takes little more
into account than, "I know what they need..." This is how Cleveland managed to lose 50% of their
population while making great strides in playing city dudes.

I hope this project is better than ever envisioned and allows me to believe the city thinks nice is
more than pointless hyperbole to coverup a pet project that was allowed to exploit every hole
in the city laws.

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[Kyle Weigand]

Is no one else appalled by the use of the words, 'marketing to empty-nesters and young professionals' by the public faces of this project?? It's completely illegal and discriminatory. That's not my opinion, it's a fact. Age and familial status are protected classes at the federal and state level. Jesus...SOMEONE take control of this city and hire professionals that know what the F they're doing. Please.

[Grace O'Malley]

Wow. Kyle is absolutely correct. Just did a Google search for "empty nester" and found it is a real no-no to use that word in the real estate world. In fact, agents and brokers are cautioned with a long list of forbidden advertising words and that is on every list I saw. It has gotten more than one agency, landlord, and developer sued. So is the term "young professional" because it, too, implies childlessness and a particular demographic based on age, which is against fair housing law.

So, what does this mean for Lakewood? Do we have people in charge and making decisions that are unaware of federal law? Should the developer be aware of that law, as well?

[Scott Meeson]

Is no one else appalled by the use of the words, 'marketing to empty-nesters and young professionals' by the public faces of this project?? It's completely illegal and discriminatory. That's not my opinion, it's a fact. Age and familial status are protected classes at the federal and state level. Jesus...SOMEONE take control of this city and hire professionals that know what the F they're doing. Please.

Kyle,

Not sure I understand the concern. They have a proposed development that may be attractive to "empty-nesters" and/or "young professionals." That doesn't mean there will be any discrimination towards the people who may not fit those particular segments of the population.

Has there been any indication that they will discriminate based on what might be their initial marketing research findings? I can't find any advertising that uses such words for this proposed development. It may turn out that most buyers of the proposed homes do represent the findings of their market research...then again,maybe their market research findings will be wrong!

[Jim O'Bryan]

I take it all back, Liberty Development looks pretty good with a wealth of experience.

Check out their website! Great photos!
http://liberty-development.com/

Under testimonials...

“Tom is the model of discretion and understands that trust and the client
relationship are the most important parts of any business transaction.”
Earl M. Leiken / Mayor, City of Shaker Heights

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