The Observation Deck

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/ ... ity-center

Marc's Plaza sold for 12.3 million. The county has it valued at 5 million. How much tax revenue have the schools missed out on due to this seriously undervalued property?

What in the heck is going on in this city? I have no doubt this sale has to do with the hospital situation in one way or another. It appears, as I have mentioned before, that this goes way beyond Lakewood politics and into the hands of Armond Budish. I think it is time to gather some signatures for support to order a Federal Investigation. Folks, it appears our Mayor and some of his administration are real crooks that have conspired to take down our city!

I predict the Lakewood Board of Education will be sold next. Perfect location. Right behind Marc's Plaza. Great location for a developer.

And they can take the crooks who serve on the Board with them!!

I'm sure part of the development (along with the WRECK Center) is a new City Hall that will be built into the Wreck Center. Kinda like what River has. After all, don't we want to be just like Rocky River?

I can't help but think that if we were to search more deeply into this, it would probably reveal some sort of connection to CCF or their Board of Directors.

Maybe the new owner will bring back Jo-Ann Fabrics.

Maybe the new owner will bring back Jo-Ann Fabrics.
Ohh the temptations

I don't care what development happens to the Marc's plaza, it has already been "done over", I shop there, I enjoy the convenience of it, but I don't want even one more original building or property taken down for new development. If I wanted to live in North Olmsted I would move there, I want Lakewood to remain as much as original as possible. Including Lakewood Hospital. ie: Shaker Square, Medina Square, Chargrin Falls,

The old Bishoff's decorating building was demolished for a new " luxury homes" project. Luxury homes? on Detroit Ave., in that location, that's not my idea of luxury. Conveinent, maintenance free, maybe yes, but not luxury, just because the electric and plumbing are new?

I toured the Bishoff building, it was beautiful, original oak floors, kitchens, skylights, old oak everywhere, 3 vintage apartments, could have been the cornerstone of the new development, made to enhance the original building, ( yes it needed work, but the payoff is priceless ) but no, now it's gone, what will the replacement look like, the ones they already built on Detroit? That's not luxury, I don't care what you say, it is not inviting. unless I spent half my life at the bar across the street.

Who do the developers think they are catering to? Hellen Keller? What is being built on Detroit Avenue, is not luxury, Luxury is Frazier Drive or Avalon Drive in Rocky River, Lake Road in Bay Village, that is luxury, not some new 3 story walk up flat apartment on Detroit Ave. At best, it's a mock Brownstone apartment, convenient, maintenance free, oh yes, if that is what you want, I think better to restore, improve what you already have and enhance it with any new development you want to make, just my thoughts. I get so bothered, folks thinking there improving a site rather than restoring it...

Why don't we just tear down every old home, every old apartment building in Lakewood, and replace it with new! Why have character and historic properties when we could have shiny steel & glass? Plenty of parking, that will make Lakewood a destination. Parking.... I am going to visit Lakewood because they tore down a historic movie theater to build a new McDonalds. Such a waste.

McDonalds should have done whatever it took to convert the old Detroit Theater into what McDonalds needed to operate, with minor alterations, now that is a place I want to visit, an old theater turned into a McDonalds, PRICELESS.

I BOUGHT AN OLD BUILDING, in Lakewood, on Madison, I thought, this will work for me, a single guy, with dog, I worked for 4, four years. renovating, scrubbing, slaving, RE-did everything. top to bottem, with permits, trying to make it my own, all new heat, windows, electric, plumbing, re-did all the old oak wood work, KITCHEN, BATH, when it was about done, just to see what it would bring in, I posted an add, for lease, I ask, $1000. a month, ( WHEN I BOUGHT THE BUILDING, the rent was $500. ) I had so many responces, amazing,

Everyone begged me for it, actually tried to bribe me into giving it to them, WOW, come and see what made my place so desirable, look and see what your place could bring in, lAKEWOOD COULD BE GREAT AGAIN, IF ONLY every PROPERTY OWNER WOULD renovate THEIR PROPERTIES, like I did, to the best they could be, charge whatever rent you want, THEY WOULD BE SO happy . Your properites would be worth so much more, what I did was worth it, LAKEWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS, WAKE UP. MAKE YOUR PROPERTIES THE BEST THEY CAN BE, I'm avalible for free consultation, call me, 216-280-6995, I will give you my advice, and show you what I have done, then you decide. the taste is in the pudding, boy, have I got pudding.

Jackie, That is a GREAT story! You did all the right things, you put your heart and soul and elbow grease and EVERYTHING into renovating a desirable period property in the right way. I too have a terrific 1929 English building that I have done significant renovation/upgrades on. Yes, it is worth it!! Thanks for sharing and offering your help.

Remember when Summers said that saving the hospital would increase our taxes? I believe the reason Marc's Plaza was sold was to give the city some money so that they can prolong the coming tax increase. You can't give up 1.1 million a year by letting CCF out of their contract which should have been in effect until 2026 and the hospital's employee payroll tax and be able to make ends meet. Summers lies like a rug. Does anyone know if his eyes are brown?

Should we take bets on how long it will be before the city asks for more taxes from us?

Maybe-- the sale of Marc's Plaza has no relation to anything else. Let's just wait and see.