The Observation Deck

STATUS UPDATE ON PROJECT & DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT

Color it beige.

I’m referring to tonight’s Committee Of The Whole Meeting. No ups. No downs.
Just beige. Very vague.

I made some sketchy notes, and I'm simply going to share them with you, as I took them.

1. Director of Planning and Development Bryce Sylvester said the ‘generators being removed will be fascinating.’

2. There will be a meeting with the residents of Marlowe/Belle Aves. At 7 pm on Tuesday November 13, City Hall Auditorium.
NOTE: This meeting is to be added to the onelakewood.com calendar. Bryce said they are ‘thoroughly documenting all concerns’ that the residents have been been asking.

3. When asked about Tenant & Business Attraction,George Papandreas, Executive Vice President of Carnegie Management and Development Corporation of Carnegie said. “Awesome”. In fact, he is very excited.

(It was like listening to Dr. Brian Donley of Cleveland Clinic, all over again. Very much a deja vu evening for me.)

4. With this revised agreement, George also thinks that Carnegie now has the flexibility needed to go forward. He again mentioned being excited.

5. He alluded to having a prospective tenant that needs to move out of its current location in 2021.
He also mentioned a fitness center, grocer and boutique hotel.
(That's right..... a boutique hotel is back in discussion.)

6. Now, back to this 2021 date. If you refer to Exhibit E on pg. 63, line 48, you’ll see that the Construction of Commercial component & Garage are to begin on Friday May 1, 2020 and be completed on Saturday April 1, 2023.
(I know nothing about construction, but this looks like a tight squeeze to me.)

7. Bryce said, that they will make sure to deliver a transformative project at this site.

8. Law Director Kevin Butler said, that they were exceptionally careful to only magnify, where necessary, some terms in the term sheets. Otherwise, they would be back before council with another agreement. (So…. if you’re comparing this document to the former one, just look for the areas of magnification.)

9. City council will vote on the rezoning, and only on the rezoning. (I guess that there’s nothing else for the members to vote on.)

10. Thought process is ongoing for mid-rise vs. high rise. The number of bedrooms in the residential suites is undecided.

11. George again mentioned, that he is “strongly committed and very excited.”

12. Bryce brings up the 2014 study that mentioned a boutique hotel. 50-100 rooms.

13. A member of council asked if it will it be independently-owned or part of a chain?
George responded, that it could go either way. They are looking at all options.
(Personally, I don't think he has a clue.)

14. And then, just to wrap up ‘the vague, color it beige’ evening, Mayor Michael P. Summers said, that he is “counting on a rational market place.”
He recounted the Rockport project, and how that got delayed for 8 years. Things could take a nosedive.

I guess that that is one way to absolve oneself….

PJ

Thank for the report. Of course the head of Carnegie said "Awesome" If he sits on it and does nothing but fail, he will make another $5-$10 million from Lakewood.

Of course there is a client that needs to be out by 2021. This group does everything by pushing dates that mean nothing on the public as "we have to hurry"

The Hotel study as pointed out here and in council was a flawed study where they paid a group to "prove we needed a hotel." I am sure with the long wait and the desperation, they figured Lakewoodites would forget it was a highly flawed study.

Tans-formative?! A mixed use mediocre strip mall. Hardly. Especially when the real money is in health care.

Let's not forget that most of the money that would have kept the Hospital making money through 2026 has been siphoned off into a private foundation, that is taking it out of the area.

.

pj bennett wrote:12. Bryce brings up the 2014 study that mentioned a boutique hotel. 50-100 rooms.

The same crowd that preached "the nature of healtcare is changing" is apparently unaware of the existence of Airbnb.

Michael Deneen wrote:

pj bennett wrote:12. Bryce brings up the 2014 study that mentioned a boutique hotel. 50-100 rooms.

The same crowd that preached "the nature of healtcare is changing" is apparently unaware of the existence of Airbnb.

They are always a day late and a dime short.

That’s why we need new blood, preferably YOUNGER blood in leadership positions in Lakewood.

Old white men have held their grip far too long.

Mike Deneen wrote:The same crowd that preached 'the nature of healtcare is changing' is apparently unaware of the existence of Airbnb.

Then don't remind them (click here)

Michael Deneen wrote:

pj bennett wrote:12. Bryce brings up the 2014 study that mentioned a boutique hotel. 50-100 rooms.

The same crowd that preached "the nature of healtcare is changing" is apparently unaware of the existence of Airbnb.

Ah ..... the 2014 study: http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... udy#p85043

Reminds me of the old adage " “what is old is new again.” (btw, old adages are old adages for a reason!)

Peter Grossetti wrote:

Michael Deneen wrote:

pj bennett wrote:12. Bryce brings up the 2014 study that mentioned a boutique hotel. 50-100 rooms.

The same crowd that preached "the nature of healtcare is changing" is apparently unaware of the existence of Airbnb.

Ah ..... the 2014 study: http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... udy#p85043

Reminds me of the old adage " “what is old is new again.” (btw, old adages are old adages for a reason!)

Peter

Great call up from the past.

In the past they argued a "boutique hotel" for families with family at the Hospital.

Now we need it for the crowds at One Lakewood Place, and their possible ice cream store, pet store, and dry cleaners.

By the way, what ever happened to the second best idea to ever happen in Lakewood?



Hotel/Apartments along the river and lake at the new Clifton Beach Condos.

Wasn't that supposed to bring in 200 Union Jobs, and $100 million in new property taxes?

.

This "proposal" tells me we hit the high point with Marc's Plaza

In my hurry, to type my notes from this past Monday evening’s COW meeting, I forgot to mention, that I too, am excited about this upcoming project.

You see, Carnegie Development will be cutting their 'mixed-use land development' baby teeth on One Lakewood Place.
Lakewood gets to be their guinea pig.

To the best of my knowledge, Carnegie has never worked on this scale of a project before.
(Just think…. no previous mistakes to have learned from.)

Well, there was that barn (somewhere in the state of New York) that was put to mixed use. But, that was some time ago.
(I could not find any mention of it in a google search.)

So….. yeah. I’m excited about how all this plays out.

Can you imagine the------the RAPTURE when you go in to buy your dog food and pick up your dry cleaning

Thank you for that, Stan. I was in need of a really good laugh.

For the insanity of all this - no matter the direction one looks - is near to overwhelming.
None of this needs to be happening. None of this should be happening.

It's bad enough to lose the hospital, but why put the property, that once belonged to the people of Lakewood, in the hands of a firm that doesn’t even present itself honestly on it’s own website?

I’m referring to the weaseling of verbiage in the bio of Rustom R. Khouri, President and CEO. http://www.carnegiecorp.com/team


Dr. Rustom R. Khouri is President and Chief Executive Officer of Carnegie. Under Dr. Khouri’s guidance, the Company has rapidly expanded into a multi-state developer of a diversified real estate portfolio….
…..Dr. Khouri’s education includes undergraduate work in science, with a major in Environmental Biology, focusing on public health issues. He pursued his medical education, receiving degrees in Medicine and Podiatric Medicine. Upon completion of his medical training, Dr. Khouri became a physician for a large group of privately-owned outpatient clinics. He subsequently purchased the group practice, converting it from a three-clinic practice to an eight-clinic practice over a two-year period. In 1984, he sold his medical business, but continued in private practice on a part-time basis until 1993.


Upon reading this, you’d think that he holds two degrees. No, I’m pretty certain, that his degree was that only as Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM). He did not acquire a degree in general medicine. The 8-clinic practice that is referenced, refers to the string of Family Foot Care Centers. After being sued by Aetna Insurance Company, Dr. Khouri stopped practicing podiatric medicine.

(Bridge Conant’s post ‘Carnegie Management Our Best Choice? of Oct. 18, 2017 goes into really great detail.)

My point is…. why does he continue to make himself out to be more than what he really is?
However, this is minor compared to other lawsuits, that he and his wife, Mary have been involved in.

Yes, Stan….. I was in need of a good laugh, as I find all this to be downright scary and pathetic.