The Observation Deck

That's a lot of money. That's more than 1 years income tax revenue. What should the City do with that windfall?
Anyone out there?


768 Columbia Road, Westlake Ohio

PP# 213-06-009

What, Nobody takes the bait?

The Columbia Road property was owned by the City of Lakewood until 2015. The property was sold to the Cleveland Cinic in 2015 as part of the Hospital deal.

At that time the County appraisal was around $16 million.
The City "sold" the property for about $8 million. Sold is in quotation marks because the Cleveland Cinic used City money to pay the City for the property.

A lot of new Lakewood residents are unaware of the Hospital debacle and many of the rest don't care. The architects of the Hospital deal counted on that.

This post is just a gentle reminder to everyone to remember just how dirty the Hospital deal was.

Bill,

Yes, I noticed this when I read the article in the PD a day or two ago!

I knew you'd take the lead on this! So, thank you!

I will only comment that the City of Lakewood has been on the wrong path for a number of years now and most of the writing that I did here has substantiated that
...at least in my mind (!).

My primary issue now is to convince residents that the City of Lakewood should systematically (over time) reduce the number of "after-hours" liquor licenses. These are the D3A licenses that allow service until 2:30am.

Mark

The City of Lakewood did not own this property directly, it was a satellite facility associated with the former Lakewood Hospital and sold to the Clinic in 2017 at the same time the City Council was tearing down a hospital that provide health care from the residents for the clinics consolidation of service. For what, if any, personal gain has never been revealed.
The city's illegal refusal to release or hide documents during the sale hindered any meaningful investigation. However, the taxpayers did payoff the attorney's fees as a settlement for the parties requesting the documents after losing a long court battle. Corruption is easy to hide in Cuyahoga County including the justice system since its abound.
The Cleveland Clinic sold the property at 768 Columbia Road in Westlake, Ohio, in September 2025 for $36 million. Part of "The Cleveland Clinic has sold 24 properties in Ohio and Florida to a for-profit company in an arrangement that will generate cash for the "health system" and new property taxes for cities, while allowing it to stay in those buildings".
The Clinic, like many of the major "not for profits', is distancing itself from federal, state and local pressures that is being exerted towards these entities using their status to avoid taxes, while paying huge salaries, benefits, etc. and providing minimal charitable or pubic benefits.