June 2, 201411 yr Update on two new restaurants: Developers plan to invest $2 million building Lakewood brewery and restaurant By Bruce Geiselman, Northeast Ohio Media Group on June 02, 2014 at 2:24 PM Just how much economic development is happening outside downtown Cleveland? To find out, Northeast Ohio Media Group and The Plain Dealer collected more than 100 economic development projects in the suburbs. Here is one of the largest projects in Lakewood. Development: Birdtown Brewery, a brewery and 150-seat restaurant, is proposed for the former St. Gregory the Theologian Byzantine Catholic Church. Address: 2035 Quail St. READ MORE AT: http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2014/06/developers_plan_to_invest_2_mi.html For the record, the Church next to the proposed Microbrewery are fighting this. They are making some pretty ridiculous and frankly even reckless comments to drum up opposition.
June 3, 201411 yr Update on two new restaurants: Developers plan to invest $2 million building Lakewood brewery and restaurant By Bruce Geiselman, Northeast Ohio Media Group on June 02, 2014 at 2:24 PM Just how much economic development is happening outside downtown Cleveland? To find out, Northeast Ohio Media Group and The Plain Dealer collected more than 100 economic development projects in the suburbs. Here is one of the largest projects in Lakewood. Development: Birdtown Brewery, a brewery and 150-seat restaurant, is proposed for the former St. Gregory the Theologian Byzantine Catholic Church. Address: 2035 Quail St. READ MORE AT: http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2014/06/developers_plan_to_invest_2_mi.html For the record, the Church next to the proposed Microbrewery are fighting this. They are making some pretty ridiculous and frankly even reckless comments to drum up opposition. What are they saying and more importantly are people buying it?
June 3, 201411 yr Here's their website. Not sure what kind of reaction this is getting. http://www.nomorebarsinbirdtown.com/2014/05/open-letter-to-birdtown/ READ AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PARENTS AND RESIDENTS OF BIRDTOWN » MAY 14, 2014 SITE ADMIN Dear Parents and Residents of Birdtown, As you may have heard, the city is considering allowing a bar to move in the old St Gregory’s Byzantine Catholic Church on the corner of Quail and Thrush, which by the way is directly adjacent to Harrison Elementary School. We are gravely concerned that money has taken priority over public safety and security of your children. With a bar being located on a residential street, there will be an increase of delivery traffic, and even worse, people driving under the influence of alcohol. How can any amount of money heal the injured, bring back the departed, or restore families shattered by alcohol? While the bar states the hours of operation will begin at 4pm, children will still be living and playing in the neighborhood. Will your child be one of them playing in the front yard or riding their bikes in the street as drunk drivers cruise by? Will your children be playing when the next bar fight spills out into the residential street? Will your children be playing outside when someone comes into the bar to rob it and pulls a gun and shots are fired just like it happened at the TREEHOUSE BAR in Tremont. (The proposed bar owner, also owns the TREEHOUSE BAR in Tremont)? Where will you park when you get home from a long day at work? Will there be any spots available for you and your family? Will you have to park further away and put your family at greater risk because you have to walk further to get to your house? We must stand, we must use common sense and say enough is enough, Birdtown has enough bars already. But to put a bar in the middle of a residential neighborhood just doesn’t make sense, it only promises to make money. Yet… It is statistically proven that when alcohol is brought into a community, the community experiences more crime, more noise and more trouble (recent WHO report worldwide). Birdtown is not perfect, but it is not “infested with crime” as the bar developers have stated. On the contrary, it’s a vibrant, ethnically-diverse and “up and coming” neighborhood. Our own councilwoman, Mary Louise Madigan, was quoted as saying so on Cleveland.com. Wouldn’t common sense dictate that another bar isn’t an appropriate way to stay on that track? Will you take stand for this community and for the children of Birdtown? Please come to the next City of Lakewood Planning Commission Meeting (MAP) on June 5th at 7pm and let your voice be heard.
June 3, 201411 yr While I read that letter, something in my mind kept switching the words around to read something like this (WORDS IN caps ARE MINE: www.nomoreCHURCHESinbirdtown.com/2014/05/open-letter-to-birdtown/ Dear Parents and Residents of Birdtown, As you may have heard, the city is considering allowing a CHURCH to move in ABANDONED STOREFRONT on the corner of Quail and Thrush, which by the way is directly adjacent to Harrison Elementary School. We are gravely concerned that money has taken priority over public safety and security of your children. With a CHURCH being located on a residential street, there will be an increase of delivery traffic, and even worse, people driving under the influence of SOMETHING INTANGIBLE. How can any amount of money heal the injured, bring back the departed, or restore families shattered by RELIGION? While the CHURCH states the hours of operation will begin at 4pm, children will still be living and playing in the neighborhood. Will your child be one of them playing in the front yard or riding their bikes in the street as SENIOR CITIZENS cruise by? Will your children be playing when the next REVIVAL spills out into the residential street? Where will you park when you get home from PARTYING SATURDAY NIGHT? Will there be any spots available for you and your family? Will you have to park further away and put your family at greater risk because you have to ACTUALLY EXERCISE? We must stand, we must use common sense and say enough is enough, Birdtown has enough CHURCHES already. But to put a CHURCH in the middle of a residential neighborhood just doesn’t make sense, it only promises to make money. Yet… Birdtown is not perfect, but it is not “infested with crime” as the CLERGY have stated. On the contrary, it’s a vibrant, ethnically-diverse and “up and coming” neighborhood. Our own councilwoman, Mary Louise Madigan, was quoted as saying so on Cleveland.com. Wouldn’t common sense dictate that another CHURCH isn’t an appropriate way to stay on that track? Will you take stand for this community and for the children of Birdtown? Please come to the next City of Lakewood Planning Commission Meeting (MAP) on June 5th at 7pm and let your voice be heard. Well, it was funny in MY mind anyway
June 3, 201411 yr ^ hahahaha ya know I did the same thing in my head Musky!! Like, I heard once about a church committing mass suicide once.....is that what we want in Bird Town? Mass suicide!!??? I actually tried to engage them in constructive, adult conversation over email. The gist of it is they are Baptists vs. Alcohol. They said they wanted to engage the community to find a better, more suitable use of the church. They do not own this building. Were they were interested in buying it? Nope. Of course not. When I said "with all due respect" that having the "community" come up with a use for someone else's property, that it reminded me a little bit of say, Communist China, they stopped talking to me lol.
June 3, 201411 yr They aren't doing their cause any favors with that letter. If anything the borderline hysterical tone undermines it.
June 3, 201411 yr Here's a snippet Friday 1:36am Me We need less abandoned buildings in Birdtown. Friday 10:42am Nomorebars.com We agree. Our view is that it's a question of highest and best use. If not a church, then let's identify constructive ways to increase the tax base. Friday 10:59am Me Please don't take this the wrong way. I've been to your church and love that you're in the neighborhood, but your opposition is going to lead to this building being condemned. We don't own the building; it's not ours. We aren't the buyers either. We are neighbors in a district that is diverse that has historically supported and benefited from a diversity of small retail. There are laws already in place to make sure the owners and patrons operate and conduct themselves within safe guidelines upheld by the city of Lakewood. The authorities will not tolerate a nuisance business operating in this location. Having a business there actually will slow down the speed of traffic. By every indication this is going to be a place that I can walk to and bring my kids to. It's not going to be a Hells Angels hangout or some late night dance club at all. And think of all the patrons who will see your church right next door. Suddenly our neighborhood and your church are more visible. And you have potential new churchgoers who will want to join your congregation right at your doorstep.
June 6, 201411 yr Michelle J. McFee @mjarboe 3m Lakewood Planning OKs conditional-use permit for church-to-brewery conversion in Birdtown 'hood: http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2014/06/lakewood_commission_grants_its.html#incart_river_default … via @bgeiselman "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 6, 201411 yr Michelle J. McFee @mjarboe 3m Lakewood Planning OKs conditional-use permit for church-to-brewery conversion in Birdtown 'hood: http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2014/06/lakewood_commission_grants_its.html#incart_river_default … via @bgeiselman Think of the children.....that are going to be eating pizza at this place next summer!
September 24, 201410 yr The Bevy in Birdtown breathes life into Lakewood's former Winchester Music Hall. http://t.co/UxEsNODt06 http://t.co/WqzBkGfjSO "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 24, 201410 yr The Bevy in Birdtown breathes life into Lakewood's former Winchester Music Hall. http://t.co/UxEsNODt06 http://t.co/WqzBkGfjSO Sounds good!
September 24, 201410 yr Hold up...there's an organization called "No More Bars?" Ugh. Carry on, go Lakewood.
September 24, 201410 yr Hold up...there's an organization called "No More Bars?" Ugh. Carry on, go Lakewood. It's the membership of a very small church in Birdtown. They managed to form a facebook page, and little else.
September 24, 201410 yr There's also a Flat Earth Society -- 522 years after Christopher Columbus sailed. Whaddya-gonna-do? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 29, 201410 yr Lakewood poised to sell former McKinley school to developer planning 40 townhomes By Bruce Geiselman, Northeast Ohio Media Group on October 28, 2014 at 6:23 PM, updated October 28, 2014 at 8:58 PM LAKEWOOD, Ohio – Forty new townhomes valued at about $10 million will be built on the site of the former McKinley school, which the city demolished in June. Mayor Michael Summers announced Tuesday afternoon the city selected Liberty Development Co. of Cleveland to develop the now-vacant land at West Clifton Boulevard and Detroit Avenue. The housing units would be designed for energy efficiency and include first-floor bedrooms, bathrooms and attached garages. The project should be completed in late 2017, five years after Brickhaus Partners began developing its Clifton Pointe luxury townhomes. READ MORE AT: http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2014/10/lakewood_poised_to_sell_former.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 3, 201410 yr clevelanddotcom @clevelanddotcom 21m21 minutes ago New weekend shuttle bus service links Lakewood, Ohio City bars and restaurants /via @bgeiselman http://ow.ly/DLfeQ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 12, 201410 yr Developers unveil plans for Lakewood housing development at former McKinley school site http://t.co/gm5gj87A97 http://t.co/WIETCgpQy5 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 29, 201410 yr World of Beer in Lakewood has closed overnight, without fanfare. Weird, I was just there for the first time ever Saturday night. Great selection of brews and it seemed to be doing well...was this an unexpected closing?
December 29, 201410 yr seems unexpected. here's an article from cleveland scene: http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2014/12/29/world-of-beer-closes-its-lakewood-location
December 29, 201410 yr seems unexpected. here's an article from cleveland scene: http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2014/12/29/world-of-beer-closes-its-lakewood-location I'm not glad, but I'm not upset either. There was a very corporate vibe at WOB. Plus they booked cover bands...I hated that. You have tons of amazing, original music in NEO and instead you would rather have some goofballs playing "American Pie" and "Sweet Home Alabama" not good.
December 30, 201410 yr I had only been there a few times, and for me the lack of food was the real deal breaker. I know you could have ordered and brought in food from surrounding establishments, but with places like Deagan's a minute's walk a way, its a tough sell for me.
January 9, 201510 yr Construction delayed on $1.5 million lake access project at Lakewood Park| http://t.co/RfCLJ1Kfvk "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 9, 201510 yr Construction delayed on $1.5 million lake access project at Lakewood Park| http://t.co/RfCLJ1Kfvk This looks really cool. Have always hated the chain link fence along the top of the ridge there. I'm not understanding the water runoff issue though?? If they put terraced stairs in and the water runs off into the lake, where's the harm?
January 10, 201510 yr For reference. Construction delayed on 1.5 milliion lake access project at Lakewood Park. http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2015/01/construction_delayed_on_15_mil.html#incart_river
January 15, 201510 yr Cleveland Clinic to close Lakewood Hospital; will build family health center in its place By TIMOTHY MAGAW Originally Published: January 15, 2015 11:48 AM Modified: January 15, 2015 1:27 PM Cleveland Clinic will shutter the money-losing Lakewood Hospital once its opens a new hospital in Avon in 2016, though the health system said it would build a $34 million, 62,000-square-foot family health center with a full-service emergency department in its place, officials announced at a news conference this morning. The 233-bed hospital, which is owned by the city and operated by the Clinic, has lost money from its operations since 2005. On average last year, only 54% of its beds were filled at any given time as more and more services were provided on an outpatient rather than inpatient basis. The hospital’s emergency department and many of its outpatient services will continue to be provided until the new Lakewood health center opens — the timeline of which is still fluid, though officials expect they could break ground on the facility as early as fall. The Clinic said jobs would be available within the Clinic system or one of its partner organizations for the 1,018 hospital employees affected by the transition. MORE: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20150115/FREE/150119904/cleveland-clinic-to-close-lakewood-hospital-will-build-family-health "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 17, 201510 yr This land is their land By TIMOTHY MAGAW Originally Published: January 17, 2015 4:30 AM Modified: January 17, 2015 7:56 AM Trustees of the city-owned Lakewood Hospital stressed they had explored the possibility of bringing in another health system to run the money-losing hospital, which has been operated by the Cleveland Clinic since 1997. But now that they've decided it's time to shut the hospital and let the Clinic build a new health center on the property, don't count on any other health systems to make a play in the dense West Side suburb — at least near where the Clinic is plotting its $34 million, 62,000-square-foot facility. Under terms of the deal reached last week, no other health care system would be permitted to operate or manage a facility on the land currently leased from the city to the Lakewood Hospital Association while the Clinic owns and operates the family health center. The Lakewood Hospital Association is the nonprofit governing body that oversees the hospital's operations. MORE: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20150117/FREE/150119871/this-land-is-their-land "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 19, 201510 yr Former McKinley Elementary site development: http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2015/02/lakewood_approves_sale_of_form.html#incart_river
February 20, 201510 yr God forbid a reporter actually includes a numeric street address in their article so those of us from out of town can punch it into Apple/Google Maps. (Sorry to vent...it's a pet peeve.) Maybe I'm missing something...does Detroit Ave intersect Clifton?
February 20, 201510 yr Yes, just south of Sloane where Clifton takes a turn south - the school is at the corner of Northwood and Clifton. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
February 20, 201510 yr God forbid a reporter actually includes a numeric street address in their article so those of us from out of town can punch it into Apple/Google Maps. (Sorry to vent...it's a pet peeve.) Maybe I'm missing something...does Detroit Ave intersect Clifton? Yes, just south of Sloane where Clifton takes a turn south - the school is at the corner of Northwood and Clifton. Detroit and Clifton are parallel and do NOT intersect. Near Sloane, WEST CLIFTON, runs perpendicular to Clifton and Detroit, running north-south.
February 20, 201510 yr Detroit and Clifton are parallel and do NOT intersect. Near Sloane, WEST CLIFTON, runs perpendicular to Clifton and Detroit, running north-south. If you're a traditionalist, Clifton Boulevard and its busy streetcar/interurban electric railway bound for Toledo turned south for 60+ years at the Clifton Park section of Lakewood and went underneath the Nickel Plate RR. Meanwhile Clifton Road meandered southwest from the boulevard's turn through Clifton Park. Clifton Boulevard east of Clifton Park was widened by Cuyahoga County Engineer Albert Porter (a Lakewood native) from two lanes to seven in 1948 and removed the curbside streetcar tracks. But Clifton south of Clifton Park wasn't widened because of Porter's long-range plan to build the Clifton-Lake bridge over Rocky River. It would have razed numerous Clifton Park homes. Lakewood fought it all the way to the Supreme Court and obviously lost. Clifton and Lake were linked up about 1964 and the north-south Clifton Boulevard was renamed West Clifton. Fifty years later, the Clifton-Lake roadway and the traditional Clifton Boulevard east of it are a seamless through route and few give the changeover a second thought. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 5, 201510 yr Lakewood's Madison Avenue to be reduced to one lane in each direction LAKEWOOD, Ohio - Madison Avenue is about to change, with travel lanes reduced from two lanes to one in each direction, with a center turn lane. Parking lanes will remain on both sides of the street, and bike lanes will be added. http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2015/03/lakewood_plans_to_begin_resurf.html#incart_river
March 5, 201510 yr Lakewood's Madison Avenue to be reduced to one lane in each direction LAKEWOOD, Ohio - Madison Avenue is about to change, with travel lanes reduced from two lanes to one in each direction, with a center turn lane. Parking lanes will remain on both sides of the street, and bike lanes will be added. http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2015/03/lakewood_plans_to_begin_resurf.html#incart_river Birdtown was supposed to get a really great looking "brick" street makover. I wonder if that's still part of the plan?
March 25, 201510 yr Lakewood breaks ground on Lincoln Elementary School construction By Bruce Geiselman, Northeast Ohio Media Group on March 16, 2015 at 11:45 AM LAKEWOOD, Ohio - Lakewood school officials mark the start of construction at Lincoln Elementary School, and Lakewood firefighters practice ice rescues. The are two recent events from Lakewood, Fairview Park, Olmsted Falls and North Olmsted. Lincoln groundbreaking: Lakewood city schools held a groundbreaking ceremony March 14 for the new Lincoln Elementary School, 15615 Clifton Blvd. Superintendent Jeff Patterson, school board members, Mayor Michael Summers and school Principal Sandy Kozelka participated. The district posted photos on its Twitter account. Roosevelt demo starts: Crews have begun demolishing Lakewood's Roosevelt Elementary School, and the district plans to sell school bricks on March 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Roosevelt parking lot, 14237 Athens Ave. The district is replacing Lincoln, Roosevelt and Grant elementary schools, constructing new buildings beginning this spring. MORE: http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2015/03/lakewood_breaks_ground_on_linc.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 1, 201510 yr Whatever... Get your picture taken w/ the 8ft gorilla at The Gorilla in #Birdtown. Opening mid-April @ The Gorilla https://t.co/r3pKiJfbw8 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 3, 201510 yr New Asian Fusion Restaurant to Open in Lakewood: Build-out has already begun on a 3,000-square-foot restaurant… http://t.co/7EY4tzTBOr "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 12, 201510 yr Lakewood, partners renovate 110-year-old Lakewood home (photos) By Bruce Geiselman, Northeast Ohio Media Group on April 09, 2015 at 4:34 PM, updated April 09, 2015 at 8:53 PM LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- A boarding house on Mars Avenue that fell into disrepair has been saved and renovated thanks to a partnership between the city, two nonprofit economic development groups, and private investors. The 110-year-old house at 1446 Mars Ave. was a burden to the community just a few years ago; the city received numerous complaints from neighbors, including calls to police about disturbances. Now modernized with a new kitchen and bathrooms, new and refinished hardwood floors, as well as structural improvements, the home was open to the public Wednesday for tours. "It was as extensive as you can get with a remodel," said Darren Mancuso, president of Relief Properties Inc. "Every aspect of the house has been touched." MORE: http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2015/04/city_and_partners_save_renovat.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 14, 201510 yr I'm about 10+ years late for this, but I was wondering if anybody here lived in Lakewood when the "West End" project was proposed. I never heard of it before a couple days ago and found a few articles that were interesting. Just wondering if anybody has some local flavor to add. How did the developers start this project? Was the Lakewood government/mayor ever implicated in shady backroom deals? Did anybody see potential renderings? Sorry, I don't like bumping threads without actual info, but I just found this project and neighborhood fight interesting. I couldn't find a "West End" thread in the abandoned project forum. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-11-10/news/0311100205_1_eminent-domain-lakewood-public-projects http://www.clev/elandmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=E73ABD6180B44874871A91F6BA5C249C&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=1578600D80804596A222593669321019&tier=4&id=17D0F0D43A294EBA9D36CE8B3F3197AA
May 14, 201510 yr ^ One amusing thing was that the set of criteria used to demonstrate the neighborhood was "blighted" was so ridiculous that by those standards just about every house in town should be torn down. By their logic, even the mayors house was blighted lol.
May 15, 201510 yr I'm about 10+ years late for this, but I was wondering if anybody here lived in Lakewood when the "West End" project was proposed. I never heard of it before a couple days ago and found a few articles that were interesting. Just wondering if anybody has some local flavor to add. How did the developers start this project? Was the Lakewood government/mayor ever implicated in shady backroom deals? Did anybody see potential renderings? Sorry, I don't like bumping threads without actual info, but I just found this project and neighborhood fight interesting. I couldn't find a "West End" thread in the abandoned project forum. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-11-10/news/0311100205_1_eminent-domain-lakewood-public-projects http://www.clev/elandmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=E73ABD6180B44874871A91F6BA5C249C&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=1578600D80804596A222593669321019&tier=4&id=17D0F0D43A294EBA9D36CE8B3F3197AA Not only did I live in Lakewood at that time, but I worked across the desk from the Lakewood reporter for Sun Newspaper who covered the story closely. And in fact, Lakewood followed the lead of the community I covered -- Fairview Park -- in redeveloping a series of old road-side motels along Lorain Road east of FP's City Hall. I covered FP's efforts and how they made the blight case against the motels and included all of the structures in between them (including a nice house and a viable business) in a redevelopment district. The difference in what FP did vs. Lakewood is that while FP created the redevelopment district to target blight, the city did not use eminent domain to acquire every structure. Instead, it used eminent domain only to acquire the motel properties and negotiated for purchase with the owners of the viable structures in between them. Even so, only one motel property owner fought the city's eminent domain proceedings through the entire court process. That's a two-step process to establish the public purpose justification for appropriating a private property and then determine fair value. The city began eminent domain proceedings against the other two motels which forced the private owners to the negotiating table. Further court hearings were suspended and finally terminated when deals were reached. Furthermore, the city never went to the voters to create the redevelopment district nor to seek funding. Instead, the city got a large Community Development Block Grant (for some reason $1 million sticks in my head but it could have been even larger) and used it to acquire the properties. Once the city acquired the properties, it used a mix of CDBG and city funds (I think some county money was used when purchase/demo costs went slightly above budget) to demolish the structures and conduct environmental remediation. Then the city sold the cleared and cleaned properties to new users. But it did not have a private end user identified before entering the whole process, so no one could say the city was acting on behalf of a private interest, but rather to redevelop underutilized/blighted properties for a public purpose -- the betterment of the community. Lakewood went to the voters to create the rezoning/redevelopment district for a previously identified private party using a district so large and with deficiencies so broad that it set a precedent that could be used if not abused citywide. Going to the voters, seeking such a physically large district, acting on behalf of a private end user, and the liberal use of the blight definition all doomed the West End project. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 15, 201510 yr ^ One amusing thing was that the set of criteria used to demonstrate the neighborhood was "blighted" was so ridiculous that by those standards just about every house in town should be torn down. By their logic, even the mayors house was blighted lol. Agreed. That is pretty ridiculous. But I wouldn't expect anything else if they are trying to take property from somebody. They need some kind of justification, even if it's flimsy. Not only did I live in Lakewood at that time, but I worked across the desk from the Lakewood reporter for Sun Newspaper who covered the story closely. <snip> Thanks for the insight. It sounds like these large scale eminent domain cases are difficult to swallow if there is no crime or other drug activity involved in the properties, which there didn't seem to be in this case.
May 15, 201510 yr It's hard for me to imagine how that development could have existed without creating major traffic headaches for the West End. To me it was just another short shighted example of people trying to turn Lakewood into something it clearly is not.
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