The Politics of Kaufman Park

[Bill Call]

I, and several other like minded people, are organizing a Kauffman Park friends group. We would like to see something done with Little Links besides chaining it up and leaving it to deteriorate. We also believe that if the community comes out to support the park, showing that we value it, the City will be less likely to continue to want to sell it.

There is more here than meets the eye.

Political Motivation?

What persons or persons sent out the original email and to what purpose? There is nothing in raising this issue in such a manner that would benefit Mayor Fitzgerald or City Council. If the motivation was political it would have to have been initiated by those hostile to one or the other or both.

Political Motivation?

The motivation could have been to revenge past wrongs or the opening shot in a Mayor’s race years away or to weaken the Mayors efforts to seek higher office. Maybe, but that seems a bit to clever. Maybe the issue was raised in the context of something more personal and closer to home. Who would want a weakened Mayor? My best guess is the Seven Sisters.

Concern for Kaufman Park?

Not likely. It was reported elsewhere that those seeking to meet to discuss the future of the park did not want the Mayor or his development director to attend the meeting about the park. If this group is interested in the Park for the sake of the Park then they wouldn’t be keeping those in the know from the scheduled meeting.

Anti-Development?

There is a strong element in this town that thinks every commercial building is a treasured landmark and every four suite apartment building a home that must be preserved. They are not opposed to development they are just opposed to any development that might actually happen. This attitude is an individual attitude shared by many but not by an organization that I am aware of.

Pro-Development?

Hmmm. The group that bought Drug Mart Plaza bought the plaza believing that they would also be buying Kaufman Park. They spent nearly $6 million to buy the property and donated $100,000 to the George campaign. They were clearly desperate to see the deal go through. The owners of Drug Mart Plaza owe nearly $160,000 in back property taxes based on the old assessed valuation. The back taxes on the new valuation are nearly $432,000. If they can’t afford to pay the property taxes they certainly aren’t in any position to develop the land themselves. And they definitely wouldn’t do any thing to kill the development of the park. Or would they? Development of the park by someone else would kill any chances for this group to rescue their investment in Drug Mart Plaza. Hmmmm.

For the record, I am in favor of the development of Kaufman Park. I believe such a development could preserve most of the green space that is already there, improve the green space that is left, and encourage development all along Detroit Avenue, increase property tax revenue, increase income tax revenue and increase commercial, retail and residential development elsewhere in the City. And, last but not least, provide the revenue to expand and improve current park space in Lakewood.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Bill,

out of curiosity I have to ask- were/are you in favor of building something like Savannah's Peninsula? Or does that hit "too close to home" for you?

What we're seeing in local development deals is that they are slowly falling apart. Whether it's the development of the Flats coming to a grinding halt due to lack of funding, or the negotiations for a Medical Mart downtown being difficult, it would be a tough call to sell that much land and not be guaranteed something in return.

I mean, who knows, the economy could get worse before it gets better. If we fire away with a development deal right now and things do get worse, we'd be digging ourselves in a hole. That's why I'm glad the Peninsula and the West End project didn't go through, because right now we would have empty storefronts and a ton of debt from the costs of building such projects.

Personally, I would love to see the Peninsula built. Once the economy strengthens and people become more confident in the value of their money, they would gladly walk down to the park and spend it. Lakewood would greatly benefit from a development like that, in the right economic conditions. Right now, it's a tough call to make.

The same thing could apply to developing Kauffman Park.

[Bill Call]

Bill,

out of curiosity I have to ask- were/are you in favor of building something like Savannah's Peninsula? Or does that hit "too close to home" for you?

The peninsula makes a great deal of sense and I would not oppose its construction.

The powers that be understand that we live in a region with stagnant or declining population. In that environment a project that adds 5,000 residents to one area subtracts 5,000 residents from another.

There is a concentrated effort at the County level and in certain organizations to kill and hinder any development in Lakewood. One example: Certain political leaders in Cleveland and working hard to kill any improvements to Clifton Boulevard. (Just an aside, and I'll give no examples so as not to upset people, County and non-profits are engaged in a concentrated and coordinated effort to convert Lakewood apartments into halfway houses. That's not an accident or coincidence).

Organizations like the Cleveland Clinic are working behind the scenes to halt the Shoreway project and to kill any efforts to develope the Lakefront. Their vision of the future flows along I-90.

Your point about stillborn development is well taken. My optimistic view is that there is room for such development but that officials are developing in the wrong places. They are also concentrating on bring housing downtown while letting the jobs move to Beachwood and further out. One project that comes to mind is Eaton Corporation. The CLEVELAND port authority is spending $150 million to move Eaton to Beachwood to Save? 450 jobs.

$50 million in well placed developments could change the entire dynamics of the City of Lakewood. Another $50 million spent along 117th and the near West side would do more than $150 million spent in the flats for the City of Cleveland. Development efforts in Cleveland seem to be focused on starving areas where people live to fund efforts to bribe people into living where they don't live and don't want to live.

The frustrating thing to me is that a $50 million investment in Lakewood is doable with local dollars over a 10 year period. The Seven Sisters will make sure it never happens. Their interests lie elsewhere.

[Dee Martinez]

The "peninsula" is a wonderful idea, as is universal health care, free beer on demand, and the retirement of Paul McCartney.
Something are going to happen and somethings arent.
Regarding Kaufman Park it is a largely underutilized space other than softball season. Lakewood Park and Madison Park are jewels and I would fight to the death for them.
If they put up a Lowes where Kaufman Park is now (and remember I live in that neighborhood) I wouldnt lose a minutes sleep.

[Christopher Bindel]

That is of course until the all night security lights of the parking lot shine in your window keeping you awake.

[Christina McCallum]

Has anyone heard about a meeting regarding Kauffman Park?

Tomorrow, July 8, at 6 p.m., Nate Kelly will talk about the property in the Main Auditorium of the Library.

I could not find this meeting listed on either the City or Library websites, but when I called to confirm it with Nate (yesterday), his assistant checked a flier. The information above is what she told me.

FYI!

[Jim O'Bryan]

Christina/Others

Anyone go to the Kaufman Park meeting?

What was discussed.

I am tending to agree with Dee on this one. Any use of this space has to be
better then renting it to St. Eds for pennies.

A school would be nice.

Taxable buildings would be nice.


.

[Christina McCallum]

Hello,

Yes I did attend.

Mayor Fitzgerald did a nice job, using a PowerPoint presentation and slides showing aerial photographs and schematic drawings of development proposals.

He provided an historic overview of the park and development suggestions for the past 10+ years. His basic message was that the City will not consider any development ideas until land parcels and financing are in place. Since no one has all the ducks in a row, nothing is happening with Kauffman.

Ed also reviewed the protocols for City approval. Because public land is potentially involved, numerous meetings for public input would be required. Some out of necessity (ie City Council meetings and required 3 readings prior to a vote) and some that just make political sense (ie neighborhood meetings for input and feedback).

Ed said he welcomes input from citizen groups, like Friends of Madison Park and the newly forming Friends of Kauffman Park.

So nothing is happening currently. Dr. Madak was/is to meet with the Mayor today to discuss a number of things.

Also, Ed said time is of the essence, for Giltz & Co, the Schools, or whomever, because he is intent on developing a City-wide plan for our parks, including Kauffman. The City has an employee in the Development Dept., whose name I have forgotten, who has park development experience. So that's good news, as some things can be done internally.

Lastly, the City delivered fliers about the meeting to streets within a radius of the park. Despite living .5-.75 miles from this park, I used to go there frequently with my kids and am interested because green space is crucial to urban areas like Lakewood. That plus its location at the City center makes me think its future is of interest to all Lakewood residents, regardless of which street is home.

That's the gist of it!

Christina McCallum

[Jim DeVito]

hmmm... Sounds like it is too soon for speculation and/or fear mongering. Sounds like everybody has a plan and the buck stops with the mayor has stopped the buck until he is confident everybody is on the same page.