A new logo is just part of the massive changes to make the "CLE" even better!
Now one might wonder what this is doing in the Lakewood General Discussions and I can point out numerous reasons. One, many of our civic leaders and politicians will underline that Lakewood's future is directly tied to Cleveland. How? As Cleveland goes so does Lakewood and the rest of the inner ring suburbs. I being the contrarian like to believe that any community with 52,000 people, is large enough to sort of set their own course, but for this discussion let's pretend the civic leaders and Mayor Summers are correct, as it would appear they are hardcore regionalists.
More about Lakewood in a second.
Cleveland, or CLE, as the hip like to call it, has certainly been doing everything right, if you listen to the leaders there. We paid millions for the Republican National Convention that brought us the most unconventional President ever. And Cleveland is often cited, especially when people speak of the Russia investigation which is a big nothing sandwich, and Carter Page who is often quoted as saying: "...do not deny that .” He adds, “I’m not going to deny that I talked with him. …I will say that I never met him anywhere outside of Cleveland, let’s just say that much.” So that has paid huge dividends in marketing that keeps on giving.
There was the year of Championships, well Championship, that saw the CAVS win big, and the Cleveland Indians, nearly take us all the way.
We have the re-branding of the Horseshoe Casino to "JACK," that is correct. JACK Casino, and with it the millions and millions of dollars poured into not just the new Public Square, which was also re-branded "The Cleveland Foundation Public Square," as they helped to plan it and pay for it. Which brought another slew of great press as the city, designers and RTA fought over why buses could not use the road which goes through the middle. Never mind the people that are taken on a wonderful side trip around Public Square past all of the anchors on Public Square and in Downtown (small n, probably to differentiate it from Lakewood's DowntowN). It is a fabulous trip so that everyone, from the tourists, the conventioneers, to the public can behold, not just one of the longest most costly rebuilding projects in the state, but also see all the great new sites, restaurants and fun things to do since the Republican convention. A key to the hurry up and the latest springboard into CLE becoming the destination city that a few are so desperate to make, and prove they have made it.
Downtown Cleveland (small n) is arguably the fastest growing "section" of the county. Growing far faster than other cool spots(?) like Collinwood, Tremont, Ohio City, the block known as Hingetown, Slovak Village, and also mentioned with these cool and groovy spots, Lakewood, Ohio. Of course the overall population of the county continues to fall, and is progressing if that is even the word one can use, at a much slower rate than other state hot spots like, Columbus, and Cincinnati, which are enjoying massive building and housing booms.
Which brings me back to why this post is in the Lakewood General area, and please continue to read and bear with me. It was just over a decade ago, a small handful of people straight from the defeat of the Westend now WE strip mall project started a group to educate the ignorant people of Lakewood to not just the desperate need for commercial economic development, but why we must partner with and be like Cleveland. That group was called LakewoodAlive. Now I like to call them LakewoodAlive Version 1, but I am told that bristles some feathers, so for this discussion, we will just refer to them as LakewoodAlive. The original purpose of LakewoodAlive as set forth in their own statements, and emails between themselves was a series of 3 educational programs covering housing/commercial development, commercial development, and arts and how arts could lead to commercial economic development.
In the first program, three people were invited to speak, Kenneth Warren, director of Lakewood Public Library, and the architects/planners of Playhouse Square, the largest live theater district between New York and Chicago-- think about it, that covers Erie, Ashtabula, Oswego, Corning, Wellsboro and other cities. And drum roll please, the planners of the ultra successful Cleveland (small n) Public Square. While the planner of Playhouse Square spoke of rebuilding old theaters and what was coming, there was no hint of the Cleveland Chandazzzzlelier, which if you remember completely transformed the district into legitimacy...
A recognized entertainer it its own right: https://www.facebook.com/Chandazzzzlelier/
But the other person, who was heralded by our LA Civic Leaders as a true genius, the man behind the resurgence of Public Square was given prime speaking time, and wove a story of comebacks, and a future that was so bright you would have to wear shades. Again at that time there was no mention of the only real anchor until recently on Public Square, (please forgive me pastor Mark Giuliano, pastor of Old Stone Church) Horseshoe, errrr JACK Casino. Together they painted a picture of resurgence and a comeback from the dead second only to the one Pastor Giuliano celebrates every Sunday. Again our Civic Leaders, names like Crampton, Foran, Summers, Stein, Strachen, Geiger, ??????? stood there applauding and hanging on every word. This was our future.
Then Ken Warren, a person of incredible intellect and common sense stood up, and spoke of the need for rebuilding and honoring, our housing stock. Celebrating our diversity and our dedication to not just raising families, but the education of those families from birth to death. While he received standing ovation after standing ovation for every point made, you could see the dour look on the faces of our "civic leaders." They were desperate for strip malls, commercial economic development, and of course their leadership and only their leadership could lead us to the promised land like the heroes they had brought to that first forum. Honestly, the rudder came off of the LakewoodAlive boat that day, and by their 3rd but not final meeting: "Arts and how that could lead to commercial economic development," the standing room only crowd was reduced to 30 or 40 friends of the civic leaders, all needing to show up for one reason or another. Suddenly a fourth meeting was added "Lakewood Hospital and the need to save it and rebuild it through support for LHF."
And this is why this is in the Lakewood General Section on the Deck. In a 10+ year secret plan to liquidate our hospital, that now appears to put money into the hands of a small group of civic leaders that are hell bent on 1)Making Lakewood “West Cleveland” 2) Following in the grand rebuilding footprints of Cleveland and Public Square. 3) Starting a foundation with our funds to mimic the Cleveland Foundation which has billions not a small handful of millions, but does have high-paying jobs for a select few. I took the time to go Downtown (small n) to see what our civic leaders found so amazing, the pathway for Lakewood’s future. It was empty, lifeless, but did have a brand new anchor, where once stood the May Company, a new place to draw millions in, and to entertain all of those coming here for vacations, conventions and to sample our fantastic diversity of great eating. A new restaurant, built on an old idea, that certainly will be everything the Cleveland Chandazzilier, and JACK Casino is. It is also something that made me glad the Old Stone church is still there, I give you…
Which is like Lakewood’s only with less people in it, and a full service bar!
This is what worries me most about what is going on. One can argue healthcare is changing, but it is hard to argue especially based on past performance that those who ended up with all of the $$$$$ and all of the land from the secret liquidation of our largest employer and 3rd biggest asset are not only small myopic thinkers, but dismally poor in vision and accomplishments.
After all, we had been assured by one of their own, “Lakewood has the Best Taco Bell in the World!”
From our archives, read on: “Best Taco Bell - Step Away From The Smart Phone!”
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... +bell+best
.