The Observation Deck

If I could change on thing about the city right now it would be...



Lake Access?



Parking?



Doubles?



Roads?

Housing that is friendly for aging boomers. When they decide they no longer need 4 bedrooms, really need a single floor and don't want a gold coast condo, they're forced to exurbia...Avon. Westlake. Yeah, we need parking, Lake access would be great, but we need to stop the bleeding of solid citizens, usually of some means, who want to stay, but can't find the housing they need.

While I have hundreds of concepts I'd like to see, and many of them more important relative to the scheme of things in the world, I would like to see a public beach, ala Mexico, or Brazil. Well kept, white sands, and as beautiful as the Lakewood image would want it to be.

In the warmer months, various music, ethnic foods, the scent of tropical oils, and that certain something thats generated by the the sound of the Lake. During the breathtaking sunsets we are all given to enjoy many evenings over the lake, add in the ingredients that go with the finest of beaches, beautiful people and a beautiful atmosphere. The positive "vibes" that would result would be, beyond words.

Great topic..



Housing is very important, though I wonder of what age group we are losing the most? From my perspective, it seems we have to find a way to keep families (with kids in school) from going further and further into the exurbs. There is a prevailing view that any remotely urban environment is bad for kids (bad schools, dangerous streets, etc). Is there any truth in that when it comes to Lakewood? If so, what do we need to do to fix the problem. Improving housing standards, a la Cleveland Hts, may be a start.



Lake access is a huge issue as well. Even if we can't get a decent beach, we should at least strive for a boardwalk of some kind.



-Tara

Housing is the obvious common ground that unites the interests of the city around quality of life.



You missed a fabulous presentation by Mike Summers on housing at

this week's Lakewood Alive meeting. Also featured was discussion by Dr. Bier concerning a housing strategy plan, with stricter code enforcement.

It's absolutely critical to step up to this challenge.



Tara, your suggestion about the Cleveland Heights approach to inspection is consistent with the message at this week's Lakewood Alive meeting.



Jim and I talked to Mike Summers about providing source material and access to the Lakewood Observer. We urged Mike to write something himself.



There are multiple issues to organize in this area for both news and feature investigation.



Don't miss: Our Homes, Our Future

Part two April 26th

7:00 p.m., Beck Center Armory.



All reporters aspring to cover housing, restoration and preservation issues need to get up to speed on the context and framework for education proposed by Lakewood Alive's programs thus far.



Kenneth Warren

Ken



Maybe we can get video copies of the Lakewood Alive meeting from Mary Anne Crampton and post the text and even podcast the meetings. Lakewood Alive has really been delivering the good topics, and running with some great information.



I agree with Ken, if you care about housing or Lakewood, be there or be square.





Jim O'Bryan

I agree. The only beach we have in Lakewood is private. The Lakefront is our greatest asset. I see beaches, marinas etc. there ala Lake Forest.



Small things that would be nice would be a book store and a movie theatre like Cedar Lee.



On Berea Rd. I want an Ikea store.



I want us to coax Tommy's on Coventry to open a restaurant over here. Actually I would like to see us steal a lot of Coventry ideas including their parking lots and other restaurants.

Lynn-



We're going to get beach access at Lakewood Park along with a new fishing pier. I just hope the new pier is better engineered than the old one!

Lynn



As for the Tommy's angle...We're probably too late. He opened his new Beachcliff Tavern about 6 months ago, across from Beacliff Mall. Same Tommy's food, and also a very nice small concert venue in the back.



Jeff

Jeff are you talking Rocky River just a few blocks away? This is the vegetarian food from Coventry? Here I thought it was a bar.



Thanks!!! We go over to Coventry fairly often for our favorite restaurant.

Jeff-



Are you sure it isn't Tom Todia in the "new" Tommy's? He's been in the restaurant business, primarily on the west side, off & on for many years.

The Beachcliff Tavern is owned by Tommy Valore. It has nothing to do with Tommy's at Coventry.



Here is more info on the Beachcliff:





http://www.freetimes.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1890

Duplicate.



I cannot find a way to delete an entire post.



Does one exist?

I was confused, as usual. Tommy Valore had the old Tommy's that was in the space now inhabited by Salmon Dave's.



Todia had Toad's Place (and a few others).



Thanks for the link & memory jog, Grace.

I agree that access to the lake and ideally, a beach, would have an immeasurable positive impact on Lakewood's quality of life. Unfortunately, our lakefront cliffs, already subject to critical erosian issues, make the creation of a beach, let alone a marina, a project of substantial proportion. Effectively harnessing the forces of Mother Nature is very expensive and rarely guaranteed.



Exisiting North Coast cliff-side beaches occur where the contour of the surrounding land directs natural forces to leave sand along the shore. Most of those beaches, at this point, have some added manmade piers or breakwalls to protect and enhance them through changes in water levels and sustained adverse weather patterns. Marinas along Lake Erie and those in the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff area on the west coast of Lake Michigan north of Chicago were created in areas which naturally slope to the waterfront, also with added manmade structures to protect the assets and enhance/direct naturally occuring events. Otherwise, North Coast marinas tend to be located on rivers (Cuyahoga, Rocky River, Vermillion, Huron, etc) where boats, docks and buildings are protected from the ravages of wind and water (but not necessarily ice!!).



This is not to say that piers extended perpendicular to the cliffs over time could not facilitate the creation of a sandy beach at the foot of Lakewood Park/St. Augustine, but I think it is helpful for residents to appreciate the complexities our geographic limitiations present. I am a huge supporter of Councilman Fitzgerald's efforts in this regard, and everyone should recognize the value of the persistant resident-based intitiative led by Lou McMahon which got this project rolling in the first place.



FWIW....I saw in the Wall Street Journal earlier this month that the average sales price of a Lake Forest home was $1.4 million last year! Undoubtedly these property values are largely influenced by the spectacular lakefront amentities in the community, which in turn, support the financial demands of maintaining them.



Mary Anne Crampton