The Observation Deck

https://neo-trans.blog/2023/02/11/downt ... ing-board/

"After two years of endless deliberations."

The City has spent 10 years or more planning this project and
It eems all the City is left with is a low income housing project.

What a debacle.

Bill Call wrote:https://neo-trans.blog/2023/02/11/downtown-lakewood-back-to-drawing-board/

"After two years of endless deliberations."

The City has spent 10 years or more planning this project and
It eems all the City is left with is a low income housing project.

What a debacle.

Bill, Bill, Bill

What's the issue, the real issue here? I see the community is outraged by this NeoTrans report, which underlines many of the issues with social media today.

This nightmare started in 2010, at least that is as far as we have actively traced back the scheme of a few to monetize Lakewood Hospital, and LHA Funds, aka Pot of Gold.

During the period of time from 2010-2014, a secret group of Lakewoodites schemed to rid the hospital, and it was that group that got their wishes because:
A - They had a great plan for the property. They did not.
B- It would generate $200 million in Downtown improvements. A proven lie as 100% of the funds came from Lakewood sources in Downtown.
C- That project would have failed and bankrupted the community. We all know this.
D- All they really cared about was getting their hands on the LHA Funds. - This was really the only thing accomplished, outside of destroying Lakewood.
E - The current administration with very little hands on knowledge of running a city was given the job. IMHO she has done a better than expected run to date.
F - The group that pocketed the funds and or were used by them, still demand something here NOW!!!! This was not brought on by Mayor George.
G - The economy is not hot, building has slowed, and yes Cleveland is underwriting hundreds of projects building multi-units, while the county loses 13.2 people a day.

May I ask a couple simple question?

1 - Would you prefer we rush into something, anything, even something you yourself have doubts on?
2 - Is something better than nothing? Always?
3 - Why do we always listen to the loudest voice, instead of the most knowledgeable voice?
4 - Roundstone gone? I have not heard that except from the people that brought us: "Health Care Is Changing," and "We must vote for this NOW."
5 - I would hate to see Roundstone leave, over such a petty issue. Especially as they have yet to even reach the full potential of what they could have in that space.
6 - Do you remember how great American Greetings were for Brookpark? How great BP corporate headquarters were for Cleveland?

A side note to underline just how screwed the last two administrations left us, and how out of touch the community is with reality... The Templar Motor Car Company Building hit the market last week. Potentially the most historic building left in Lakewood. Yet not a peep from the people desperate to save the Curtis Block. Not a peep from the art community that have rebranded it "The Screw Factory." Not a peep from anyone, I suppose no one has explained to the masses yet, this is the shiny object of the month, "cry now."

Or the real fact why Lakewoodites should be PISSED OFF STILL... It hit the market at $15 million. Yep $15 million. While the last two administrations squandered a proven $283 million in assets not for $1.00 but $1.00 and we will pay you at least $14 million to build there.

Think about it. Nearly the same size lot, also in a brownfield for $21 million dollars more than prime space in DowntowN Lakewood.

At least this negotiation is being done in public.

Take a breath.

peace

I look forward to learning more.

I am always skeptical when "NeoTrans" publishes on Lakewood.

Why? Because in this article the writer is attempting to tell us that this project had some sort of $100M value.

Bill, we both exploded that number years ago. The development advocates keep trotting it out time and time again. It can't be substantiated. It's still a phony number.

As someone who has spent a career of cleaning-up other peoples messes, I am comfortable in asserting that Mayor George inherited an epic public policy failure from the prior administration and did so on the brink of an international public health crisis.

We owe her our thanks for her hard work and her dedication, even when we disagree with her.

Updates

While Roundstone has indicated they have possibilities in other communities, no solid action has been taken.

It is the hope, of many at City Hall, and many others that Roundstone can be persuaded into sticking with this project. With that said, rumors have their current favorite choice is Rocky River, the home of the owner and many staff members. It would seem that the Mayor and Council for the most part were on board with Roundstone and the project.

One of the things Roundstone wanted was to own the building, and or control the building. This would not be an uncommon approach for a company growing as fast as Roundstown. The city's plan called for them owning/controlling 4 floors in the office building. This was agreeable to Roundstone, though not really want they wanted. Then came more requirements and demands from the city. Some needed, some window dressing. Access, residential, affordable housing, and the Curtis Block, saw the plans going back and forth, all the while everyone knew that Roundstone was looking for space. While the back and forth went on, offers came in from outside of Lakewood to Roundstone. As was pointed out to me this afternoon, "Roundstone was a 21st century unicorn. A very rare beast, a quickly growing local company looking to invest in their community."

I write this because, even with the Mayor, Council, and residents on the same page, we could not deliver the final paperwork in the time needed to lock up the deal. There is no sense in blaming anyone, we simply weren't wired for that outcome at this time. Today I spoke with all sides of this issue, and all are taken back, and all refuse to point fingers.

Most are happy that we still have a plan, and are moving forward, though this is a bump in the road.

But in the future, the city has got to be prepared to act quickly.

.

Noting that the last published update from the City on "downtown development" is three months old.

Nothing related to this in the February city council agenda.

City newsletter received this week was silent also.

Thank you for the clarifications.

Mark Kindt wrote:Noting that the last published update from the City on "downtown development" is three months old.

Nothing related to this in the February city council agenda.

City newsletter received this week was silent also.

Thank you for the clarifications.

Mark

A wild story summed up mostly as "Shit happens."

I have spoken with many of the players in the process. Over 57 reasons why this has happened, many we spoke about over coffee.

But this time it will come down to "Shit happens."

.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:
1 - Would you prefer we rush into something, anything, even something you yourself have doubts on?
2 - Is something better than nothing? Always?
3 - Why do we always listen to the loudest voice, instead of the most knowledgeable voice?
4 - Roundstone gone? I have not heard that except from the people that brought us: "Health Care Is Changing," and "We must vote for this NOW."
5 - I would hate to see Roundstone leave, over such a petty issue. Especially as they have yet to even reach the full potential of what they could have in that space.
6 - Do you remember how great American Greetings were for Brookpark? How great BP corporate headquarters were for Cleveland?

1. The destruction of the Hospital was planned 10 years ago. It's a little odd that the City still has no idea.
2. No deal is better than a bad deal.
3. It depends on your definition of loud. In the case of the Hospital fiasco the loudest voices were those of major media outlets that refused to give voice to the other side and regional "leaders" who suddenly discovered that urban sprawl is a wonderful thing.
4. They are going, going... Many years ago some university analyzed why companies relocated. They examined the studies done by those companies. The companies examined each city in terms of education levels, local financial support, strength of the local economy etc.. What the university found was that if you wanted to know where the company was going to move it was best to ignore the expensive studies financed by the company. All you needed to know was: Where does the CEO want to live?
5. See number my #4
6. I remember. I remember civic leaders in Cleveland hounding BP, harassing Cleveland Trust and other banks and business. They all eventually got the message.

It's unfair to blame Mayor George for this (well, maybe a little). The real problem is that development on that site never made any sense. Mayor Summers knew it, Build Lakewood knew it and City council knew it. They never bothered to explain why it was such a great idea to move the Hospital to Lorain County and donate its assets to the Cleveland Clinic. I don't count their lies as an explanation.
HOSPITALS ARE OBSOLETE!
THEY WILL NEVER BUILD ANOTHER HOSPITAL!
THE HOSPITAL IS BANKRUPT!
PRIVATE COMPANIES WILL INVEST $120 MILLION IN THE SITE!

It a moment of accidental honesty one member of the Hospital Board told me that "None of my friends want to go to Lakewood Hospital. I don't want to go to Lakewood Hospital". Too bad the Hospital Board was dominated by people who had long wanted the Hospital assets for other communities and organizations.

The whole Summers Hospital scam was a house of lies built on a foundation of lies.

What now?

Mayor George and Council should forget about saving the Curtis Building and forcing the developer to finance affordable housing. They add additional costs without adding additional value.

It shouldn't be that hard should it?

Nothing about this deal made any sense. Oh well, the older I get the less I know. I wish I was sixteen again so I would know everything.