The Observation Deck

http://www.westlifenews.com/2008/05-07/triccampus.html

Oooppps.The new campus will be in Lorain County. It's kinda like in Lakewood because its only 20 minutes away.

To accomodate the increased traffic the existing exits will have to be widened and extended. The new and expanded exist ramps will highlight Tri-C's focus on the environment. Just as their building their new campus in Lorain County will highlight their focus on the needs of the people who live on the Westside of Cuyahoga County.

Two years ago I sat next to a representative of Tri-C at a chamber function. I asked him about the possibility of Tri-C opening a campus in Lakewood. He said we offer classes here already. I pushed him a little, he looked at me like I was from Mars (I get that a lot) turned away and ignored me. I wonder if he knew what was going on?

If the new Lorain County Campus is such a great idea why didn't he announce it at the chamber meeting?

While I totally agree that Tri-C picked a terrible location for their newest campus, continually stating the location is in Lorain County does not help your argument. The new campus while very near Lorain County is in Westlake, which when I last checked is still in Cuyahoga County.

Westlake is already a traffic nightmare and this development is only going to make it much worse. And because of its location, few students will be able to get there via public transportation. Unless the cost of the land was relatively cheap compared to other potential locations, I can't see how a rational case could have been made for putting it there.

Kate McCarthy wrote:While I totally agree that Tri-C picked a terrible location for their newest campus, continually stating the location is in Lorain County does not help your argument.

You are correct on all counts.

I'm just cranky.

And I guess I'm tired of all of these tax payer funded boards and commissions using taxpayer money to buy massages for their own ego's. Because that is what this building is. And while I'm ranting.... I must have missed the public discusion and debate and vote on funding.

In my defense: the new campus is so close to Lorain County you can put one foot on campus and one foot in Lorain County.

I guess i somewhat understand Tri-C's reluctance to build a campus on Lakeewood. Where exactly would they have enough land to build a campus at?

Part of bringing students to your school is the attractiveness of the campus, putting Tric-C in Lakewood Center North or whatever doesn't really create the type of environment most colleges are going for.

Cleveland State understands this which is why they've been spending millions to transform their campus to attract more students

I would love to have a college here in Lakewood, but the reality of the situation is that there's no where suitable to build it.

What's the attraction of a college in Lakewood?

You take a lot of property off the tax rolls, and gain a lot of people who will need municipal services, only a small percentage of whom will pay taxes. That sounds like a major drain on municipal finances.

Its not as though there are not plenty of colleges within easy commuting distance of Lakewood.

Speaking of waste and lack of productivity, what is the board of education doing with all the properties they are no longer using?

Will Brown wrote:What's the attraction of a college in Lakewood?

1. Tri-C offers degrees in nursing and other medical fields. A Tri-C campus in Lakewood in partnership with Lakewood Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic would offer real world on the job experience for the students, reduced cost for the College and inexpensive labor for the hospital.

2. A certain percentage of those students would choose to live in Lakewood which would
a. reduce rental vacancies
b. increase income tax revenues
c. increase the use of restaraunts
d. increase the general level of economic activity
e. increase the use of public transportation which would increase the need for public transportation which would encourage RTA to reinstate services.
f. increase the potential home buying population by increasing the number of people exposed to the City and its assets.
g. more

3. Use of existing office space would reduce office vacancies (some 30 story office buildings in Cleveland are vacant. Can it happen here?)

4. Use of a current empty school would releave the School Board of the maintenance and repair of those leased facilities. It would also remove the threat of those buildings be used by Clevleland based charter schools (the most likely use at this time).

5. Construction of a new facility would mean tearing down some houses and some four suite apartments. I happen to think that could be a good thing. On the other hand a new campus could easily be be built on the site of the Old Giant Eagle.

6. more


There is more but you get the picture.

Of course there is always the opposing attitude of "Why should anything be here, it's only 20 minutes away if we build it in Avon".

Bill Call wrote:5. Construction of a new facility would mean tearing down some houses and some four suite apartments. I happen to think that could be a good thing. On the other hand a new campus could easily be be built on the site of the Old Giant Eagle.

I don't think that's really realistic. The site would need to house a building, green space, and ample parking. I'm not even sure the old Giant Eagle lot would be large enough for a campus.

1. Tri-C offers degrees in nursing and other medical fields. A Tri-C campus in Lakewood in partnership with Lakewood Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic would offer real world on the job experience for the students, reduced cost for the College and inexpensive labor for the hospital. The students are required to get "real world, on the job training" wherever they go to school. It's called clinicals. Where the school is located has no bearing.

2. A certain percentage of those students would choose to live in Lakewood which would
a. reduce rental vacancies
b. increase income tax revenues
c. increase the use of restaraunts
d. increase the general level of economic activity
e. increase the use of public transportation which would increase the need for public transportation which would encourage RTA to reinstate services.
f. increase the potential home buying population by increasing the number of people exposed to the City and its assets.
g. more
Tri-C is a commuter school. It's not drawing out-of-town students. I don't see a lot of people husting to move next door to Tri-C East.

3. Use of existing office space would reduce office vacancies (some 30 story office buildings in Cleveland are vacant. Can it happen here?) The college would not want existing office space, the layout and amenities of existing offices are not compatible with a college.

4. Use of a current empty school would releave the School Board of the maintenance and repair of those leased facilities. It would also remove the threat of those buildings be used by Clevleland based charter schools (the most likely use at this time). Again, that's not what Tri-C wants, they want a full campus, not a repurposed elementary school.

5. Construction of a new facility would mean tearing down some houses and some four suite apartments. I happen to think that could be a good thing. On the other hand a new campus could easily be be built on the site of the Old Giant Eagle. The new Tri-C campus is almost as large as Lakewood Park, it's not going to fit in here.

6. more


There is more but you get the picture.

No, not really. Why would I want to give up significant amounts of tax-producing real estate for a non-profit institution that doesn't cause anyone to move into town?

Bob Mehosky wrote:1 The students are required to get "real world, on the job training" wherever they go to school. It's called clinicals. Where the school is located has no bearing. ]

Why not a partnership with Lakewood Hospital and Tri-C? Tri-C is already discussing such a partnership with St. Johns Westshore. That’s the reason for the post. Why not have that program here?

Bob Mehosky wrote:2.
Tri-C is a commuter school. It's not drawing out-of-town students. I don't see a lot of people hustling to move next door to Tri-C East. ]

Actually, a great many of the downtown students live very close to school.

While Tri-C is a commuter school transportation time and cost are a factor in deciding where a student lives, works and goes to school. If the school is in Lakewood and the clinical’s are in Lakewood some students would choose to live here. Throughout the day and night students and employees would use the stores and restaurants or at the very least spend a few bucks.

Tri-C has been encouraging its students to use public transportation. How many will take the bus to the border of Lorain County? MUST we surrender to the Cleveland+ concept that if it happens between Toledo and Youngstown it is good for Lakewood? Think of the carbon foot print of all of that freeway travel!

Bob Mehosky wrote:
3. The college would not want existing office space, the layout and amenities of existing offices are not compatible with a college. ]

Space in those buildings could be remodeled for a fraction of the cost of new construction. Of course the “college” wouldn’t want it in existing building. No ego gratification there.

Why not use a vacant school here in Lakewood? I can hear it now: “Use a school for a school?!!! How absurd!”

Bob Mehosky wrote:4. Again, that's not what Tri-C wants, they want a full campus, not a repurposed elementary school. ]

They want a 30 acre campus to massage their egos. Most of the space will be for parking.

Bob Mehosky wrote:
5. The new Tri-C campus is almost as large as Lakewood Park, it's not going to fit in here. ]

There is no reason in the world while Tri-C shouldn’t have a presence in Lakewood. “33 acres or nothing” is a feeble excuse.

Bob Mehosky wrote:No, not really. Why would I want to give up significant amounts of tax-producing real estate for a non-profit institution that doesn't cause anyone to move into town?

This City will not survive if our taxpayer institutions continue to subsidize development along the freeways from Toledo to Youngstown. How much in taxes is paid by a vacant office building or an abandoned house? Is Westlake opposed to the construction of the campus because it will lose tax revenue?

Tri C has a campus in Brunswick. Have you heard anyone in Brunswick complain about it? Why is a campus in Brunswick a good idea? It’s not even in Cuyahoga County. What is motivating Tri C to locate a campus in Brunswick but not in Lakewood?
How long will this City survive when the attitude is: Build it somewhere else?



One more thing. Tri-C will construct several buildings over the whole 30 acres. Why not several buildings located across Lakewood? At an empty Giant Eagle, an empty auto dealerships, an empty real estate development, an empty apartment building or a 50% empty office building?

Or an empty school building? Ooops I forgot " A school in a school building??!! How absurd.!!

Bob Mehosky wrote: Tri-C is a commuter school. It's not drawing out-of-town students. I don't see a lot of people husting to move next door to Tri-C East.

First, I forgot to thank you for the thoughtful replies. Thank you.

Cleveland State is investing more than $50 million to build apartments and retail/restaraunts near its campus:

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index ... rhood.html

So.... downtown apartments are vacant, the newest are facing forclouse, downtown retail is dead and the government is going to spend $50 - $100 million to build new apartments and new retail. They think that there is a market for that type of thing.

The frustrating thing for me is that the apartments and retail are already here in Lakewood; along with easy access to public transportation and building sites that are within walking distance of 5,000 students. But building a campus here is a bad idea. (CSU already has a campus in Westlake. It's in an office building).

Tri-C's plans make sense only if they have abandoned the concept of a central core City and embraced the concept of Cleveland+ from Youngstown to Toledo!

Although I still can't figure out why a college paid for by Cuyahoga County has a campus in Brunswick. I guess it's only 20 minutes from Lakewood so it's kinda like in Lakewood which means it's kinda like in Cuyahoga County.

This post isn't all whine and no cheese. The cheesey part is: "Downtown is Dead and it is not coming back, plan accordingly".

Bill Call wrote:Cleveland State is investing more than $50 million to build apartments and retail/restaraunts near its campus:

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index ... rhood.html

So.... downtown apartments are vacant, the newest are facing forclouse, downtown retail is dead and the government is going to spend $50 - $100 million to build new apartments and new retail. They think that there is a market for that type of thing.

Downtown retail and housing might be dead, but CSU is not downtown.

The campus district (as the area around CSU is now known...used to be the quadrangle) is actually pretty booming with people, new housing, and retail. This will become even more true as CSU continues to transform itself into a residential campus. I don't see them having any problems.

Bryan Schwegler wrote:The campus district (as the area around CSU is now known...used to be the quadrangle) is actually pretty booming with people, new housing, and retail. This will become even more true as CSU continues to transform itself into a residential campus. I don't see them having any problems.

Good point.

Areas around a college campus usually are booming with people and commerce and housing. Millions in government subsidies will certainly support that activity around CSU.

Since this area is losing population and economic activity I wonder which cities in this region will lose commerce and population and economic activity as a result of those subsidies?