Much to my SHOCK, there has been site clearance for the Clifton Pointe Condos in Lakewood.  I have seen renderings and plans for these units on the Lakewood side of the Rocky River for about 8 years.  I think they were different projects.  Last week when i went to Natures Bin, all of the trees were up, this week, they had shredded the area (sadly) at the curve on Sloane Avenue. 

 

Looks like they we will be building soon.  http://cliftonpointe.com/

 

Good news for Lakewood residents seeking modern living.

Just a construction update with photo......

 

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2012/06/coming_soon_quaker_steak_and_l.html

Just a construction update with photo......

 

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2012/06/coming_soon_quaker_steak_and_l.html

 

I always thought it was strange having such great buildings on either side of that dumb plaza.

Honestly, I don't think Lakewood is a good fit for Quaker Steak and Lube.  Lakewoods a great town, and I would say one of if not the finest Cleveland suburb.  I think the competition is too stiff, and the people going there would be more of a Westlake/North Olmsted crowd.  Those people will continue going to the one in Avon. 

Can't wait to see what Bike Night will look like there

Honestly, I don't think Lakewood is a good fit for Quaker Steak and Lube.  Lakewoods a great town, and I would say one of if not the finest Cleveland suburb.  I think the competition is too stiff, and the people going there would be more of a Westlake/North Olmsted crowd.  Those people will continue going to the one in Avon. 

 

Disagree.  Not about Lakewood being a great town, about Quaker Steak being a bad fit.  We think of these chains as having a suburban crowd, but that's mostly because they've avoided investing in urban locations.  I'm glad they're starting to do so.  I don't see why Lakewood and Westlake can't both have a mix of businesses.

Can't wait to see what Bike Night will look like there

 

When is this going to be?

Can't wait to see what Bike Night will look like there

 

When is this going to be?

 

Well, in Valley View its every Wednesday and literally thousands of motor cycles are there:

 

http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/showthread.php?56608-Bike-Night-in-Ohio-pics

 

(yes, I know these pics are from 2004)

Oh, OK. Yes, I've seen that. Now I comprendo.

Something appears to have just broken ground on Detroit and Grace?

Something appears to have just broken ground on Detroit and Grace?

 

Yep, we're slipping here in sharing this stuff.....

 

New Discount Drug Mart Approved on Detroit Avenue

The meeting lasted nearly five hours, but the drug store chain was granted its appeal, and then the new proposal was approved.

By Colin McEwen Email the author August 3, 2012

 

After getting rejected last month, new plans for a Discount Drug Mart on Detroit Avenue were submitted to the Lakewood Planning Commission for a rehearing.

 

After the rehearing was granted Thursday, the new plans were approved after a nearly five-hour marathon meeting at city hall.

 

With the commission’s OK, the drug store chain will demolish the apartment building that it owns adjacent to the property, but the space won't be used for parking, according to the revised proposal.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://lakewood-oh.patch.com/articles/new-discount-drug-mart-approved-on-detroit-avenue

Rendering is typical but site is phenomenal improvement...kudos to city council for maintaining a high standard this time..

I see the McDonald's is being built on the sidewalk too. Too bad they demolished a theater for it. But just as too bad they couldn't require buildings to be built on the sidewalk near the West 117th Red Line station. I'd love to demolish that entire NW corner of that intersection and start over -- if I had a ton of money.

I use that station several times a day and live in the Birdtown area so I'm painfully aware how bad that stretch of Madison looks. Birdtown is cute/huge potential, but it's disconnected... I wonder if Lakewood could buy an easement from GrafTech and put in some trails linking Lakewood to the Rapid station, also creating a more positive visual sample of Lakewood for passerby.

 

Driving on the Madison potholes is a war of attrition on my car. I can't complain about being a 4 minute walk to Angelo's and a 9 minute walk to the Rapid...but it could be a nicer walk lol

I use that station several times a day and live in the Birdtown area so I'm painfully aware how bad that stretch of Madison looks. Birdtown is cute/huge potential, but it's disconnected... I wonder if Lakewood could buy an easement from GrafTech and put in some trails linking Lakewood to the Rapid station, also creating a more positive visual sample of Lakewood for passerby.

 

Driving on the Madison potholes is a war of attrition on my car. I can't complain about being a 4 minute walk to Angelo's and a 9 minute walk to the Rapid...but it could be a nicer walk lol

 

Good suggestion re: the easement. That would work out great.

 

Madison is such a wide street that the road itself is the dominant visual feature, and imho it's poor condition is a primary reason why the stretch looks ugly.

 

Not sure if you're aware of this:

 

http://www.lovelakewood.com/blog/2010/12/29/design-team-offers-suggestions-to-improve-appearance-of-east-end-of-madison-ave/

 

http://www.onelakewood.com/pdf/BirdtownActionPlan.pdf

No doubt that the action plan is making progress and that it's an alright place to be, even if it's demographics kinda suck..funny thing is the area is mostly students, immigrants, and retired...I myself have no "income" to boost the stats but a good amount of disposable income.

 

Its too bad the community garden on Plover isn't active this year with drought, but urban farming is starting to line streets as well...I'd kill to be able to put a coffee shop in one of the buildings along Plover or Thrush. A very Tremontesque type place, if it could warrant a minor bldg reno.

No doubt that the action plan is making progress and that it's an alright place to be, even if it's demographics kinda suck..funny thing is the area is mostly students, immigrants, and retired...I myself have no "income" to boost the stats but a good amount of disposable income.

 

Its too bad the community garden on Plover isn't active this year with drought, but urban farming is starting to line streets as well...I'd kill to be able to put a coffee shop in one of the buildings along Plover or Thrush. A very Tremontesque type place, if it could warrant a minor bldg reno.

 

My friends on Robin mentioned that they'd love to open a bakery there. That would work well with your coffee shop! And now that bela dubby is transforming into Taco Tonto, there's certainly room for a coffee-centric hangout.

 

It's nice to imagine the neighborhood going the Tremont route, getting back to their mixed use roots.  Maybe not so much bar oriented; perhaps "Tremont-lite" is a better sell.  I suspect there would be some opposition re: scarcity of parking, worries of noise, etc. But believe me, I'd support a re-zoning initiative in a heartbeat. It would make the hood so much more interesting.

I don't even see Tremont as mostly bars, sure there are some, but abundance of coffee bars and lunch cafés like Grumpy's is what I see there...

 

On a side note, does anyone know what's up with the building that was demolished on Detoit between Pepper's and Giant Eagle? They were staging it all last week, if I remember right it was a crappy building...and it looks like the bulldozers, which are staying busy, have moved up Detroit to another building closer to Bunts.

I don't even see Tremont as mostly bars, sure there are some, but abundance of coffee bars and lunch cafés like Grumpy's is what I see there...

 

Tremont has had some history with unruly bar patrons. Today - I agree the place is more well-rounded now.

On a side note, does anyone know what's up with the building that was demolished on Detoit between Pepper's and Giant Eagle? They were staging it all last week, if I remember right it was a crappy building...and it looks like the bulldozers, which are staying busy, have moved up Detroit to another building closer to Bunts.

 

FYI......

 

Demolition of Abandoned Grocery Store to Begin

The former Giant Eagle store at the corner of Bunts Road and Detroit Avenue will be torn down to make way for a new GetGo gas station.

By Colin McEwen Email the author September 1, 2012

 

The demolition permits have been submitted and approved. The bulldozers are standing by.

 

The demolition of the former Giant Eagle grocery store at the corner of Bunts Road and Detroit Avenue is set to begin.

 

The abandoned structure — a grocery store that’s gone by a few names in its history — is gutted and cleared out.

 

Demolition is expected to begin next week.

 

Earlier this year, the plans were approved for a new GetGo, across the street from the grocery store chain's current location.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://lakewood-oh.patch.com/articles/demolition-of-abandoned-grocery-store-to-begin

 

 

And......

 

Detroit Avenue Demolition Derby

March 22, 2012 by gyroscopethattakesyouplaces

 

People who own buildings in Lakewood are not typically allowed to knock them down without having a replacement plan ready to go. That’s true if you want to knock down your garage, and it’s true if you own a commercial building on Detroit or Madison–or anywhere else in town, for that matter.

 

....Nonetheless, despite the fact that there is no solid plan for the redevelopment of the property at Detroit and Edwards, that beige brick building –a building that was just months ago home to a chiropractor, a hair salon, and a guitar studio–is about to meet the wrecking ball. The demolition permit has been issued. The garage behind it is already gone, its broken bits hauled away in a 40-yard dumpster Buried utilities have been marked.

 

According to the Lakewood Building Department, the city is allowing this because the building has become a hazard. For years, under both the current and previous owner, it has been in court as the city attempted to motivate the owners to fix the problems. Citations were issued. The violations were copious. Nothing was done.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://gyroscopethattakesyouplaces.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/detroit-avenue-demolition-derby/

It really is becoming a demo derby and I'm too new to even know the story behind any of these buildings, I just watch the same yellow bulldozer mosey up and down Detroit at a rapid pace these days...

 

That structure does not need to be demo'd for a gas station though. Sheesh.

 

Another idea that I had is that Lakewood could really benefit from targeting real estate incentives on sites that meet a revamped priority scale, stressing important intersections. It's kinda odd that street walls around town are still fairly contiguous, albeit not like in the city's heyday, except almost always at important intersections..like anything at Bunts for example (Madison, Detroit, etc).. The more important street corner, the more likely you've got a parking lot or a Little Caeser's pizza with parking, or a gas station, or so on...

 

There is definitely a rhyme and a reason to Lakewood's urban fabric (or some place's lack thereof) but not to it's development (which is still mostly quite nice and progressive IMO).

The foundation at Clifton Pointe is currently being laid. There are only 3 left to sell.

IMG_2871 by jjames0408, on Flickr

I saw the picture before I read your text, so my first reaction was: "Where in the hell is that in Lakewood!?!?" :)

The same group is looking to tear down the Irish cottage across the street to make room for six more units:

http://cliftonpointe.com/media/2012/11/7/new-upscale-townhomes-eyed-for-irish-cottage-property.html

City of Lakewood says Madison avenue is next frontier for urban development

 

The City of Lakewood has issued 44 certificates of occupancy on Madison Avenue this year, and nine businesses are participating in the city's storefront renovation program. Planning and Development Director Dru Siley says these numbers show how much business interest there is along this traditional yet funky strip, which is seeing a wave of redevelopment activity spurred in part by Detroit Avenue's success.

 

http://freshwatercleveland.com/devnews/madisononthemove120513.aspx

Cool. They need to develop the NW corner of West 117th and Madison with some transit-supportive density and mixed use. Here is a site across the street from a high-capacity rail transit station with frequent service to downtown, airport, university circle etc. that is also in Lakewood public schools and a short walk/ride to major grocers, Target, banks etc. The way the Fifth Third Bank and Aldi's were designed was a waste of precious land that could be doing so much more to enhance the productivity and vibrancy for that street corner.

Always skeptical of lists like these, but hey.

 

Lakewood deemed a most exciting small city

 

http://www.the-review.com/local%20real%20estate/2014/01/09/lakewood-deemed-a-most-exciting-small-city

 

A pretty wide distribution of cities. I didn't read it that closely but it sounded like they had some interesting metrics they were working with.

 

1. Hoboken, N.J.

2. La Crosse, Wis.

3. Chapel Hill, N.C.

4. Lancaster, Pa.

5. New Brunswick, N.J.

6. Manhattan, Kan.

7. Lakewood, Ohio

8. Royal Oak, Mich.

9. San Marcos, Texas

10. Sarasota, Fla.

 

I'll swear by Lakewood, I just love the place.

 

Hoboken is being ruined as we speak by politicians and gentrification.

 

I dig the architecture in Lancaster but I'm not seeing the nightlife.

 

And I have friends in CLE from Sarasota. They hate Sarasota, it's full of "trust fund kids" and overly generic.

Conceptual video for improvements at Lakewood Park. This would be, to say the least...awesome.

 

 

Also here is a PDF of the proposal:

 

http://www.lovelakewood.com/pdf/planning/131104_lkwdpk_improvements.pdf

I think you just set a record for the longest time between posts in a single thread -- almost eight years!

^And to think MTS once told me I didn't know how to use the search function...pishaw

Need: one long pier/jetty. Add retail to the mix, some lakefront concessions and all of a sudden Lakewood is once again a regional destination.

Was thinking the same thing: Pier

Looks pretty elaborate...is funding in place?

I was just thinking about this today...weird.

Lakewood plans to break ground this year on $1.5 million Lakewood Park improvement

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2014/03/lakewood_plans_to_break_ground.html#incart_river_default

New cool place coming to Lakewood:

 

http://www.columbusunderground.com/16-bit-bararcade-expanding-to-cleveland

 

At the corner of Sloane and Sloane Subway, formerly the entrance to the Irish Cottage, is one end of the clifton Pointe development in Lakewood's west end. Overlooking the Rocky River

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An old viaduct of some sort, at the bend in Sloane Subway

 

 

 

 

 

 

Across the river is RR's '11River'

 

 

 

down the slope from The WestLake (pink bldg above)

 

 

 

Looking back at the Bridge Bldg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driving back up to Detroit Road/Old River area, part of Clifton Pointe is seena cross the river

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"An old viaduct of some sort, at the bend in Sloane Subway"

 

That's the bridge for the railroad tracks that run through Lakewood and continue through the West Shore suburbs.

 

Wonder how far down they had to sink caissons to support these structures? The shale in the hillsides above the Rocky River is notoriously unstable. There was a condo complex in Fairview Park that had to be shored up during construction as the foundations began to move the moment they were poured.

Nice area to live. I wonder if the Rocky River side of the river will ever get to be more "walkable." It's really built around auto traffic. It's really unsafe to walk, jog or bike.

Arguably off topic - I'll call this "Info" request:

 

I've always been fascinated with the Bridge Building. Never knew there was more of the building under the bridge deck until the picture posted by Cluless.

 

What is the history of the bridge and the building?

 

Thanks

That building is cool--and honestly I never noticed it before.  Would love to hear about it.

I did an illustrated article for Sun on the bridges over the Rocky River (very underrated, BTW). The old Detroit Road bridge (on which the Bridge Building was constructed) is from 1910 and had the longest unsupported concrete arch span in the world when built -- 280 feet long! Consider that this bridge also carried trains of the Lake Shore Electric Railway, which operated on a dedicated right of way west of here to Lorain and Toledo at 80 mph. East of there, it joined the streetcar tracks of the Cleveland Railway into downtown (the streetcar car barns were where the apartments are today just on the east side of the Rocky River valley). Anyway, the old Detroit Road bridge was demolished in the late 1970s and replaced in 1980 by the current steel girder and concrete deck bridge just south of the old bridge. The bridge building was proposed before the old bridge was demolished, hence the reason why it wasn't all dynamited. Some history and more photos..... http://www.lakeshorerailmaps.com/rockyriver.html

 

Here's some historic images, including this one which shows the bridge which preceded the 1910-built Detroit Road bridge

 

 

 

Terrific old bridge.

As much as i dont like the dated Bridge Bldg, 1980s-vintage stuff...i love the foresight and creativity in keeping part of the bridge for something unique.

Amazingly this was the 4th bridge at this location.  Here is a nice view of the construction of Rocky River Bridge #4, with bridge #3 in the background.

 

I love the chicks in dresses fishing in the river.

 

The 3rd & 2nd bridges are documented in photos, the first bridge has no known photos.

Wonder how far down they had to sink caissons to support these structures? The shale in the hillsides above the Rocky River is notoriously unstable. There was a condo complex in Fairview Park that had to be shored up during construction as the foundations began to move the moment they were poured.

Honestly, probably not far.  You can see rock out-cropping on the slope.  A project like this would be cost-prohibitive if deep caissons would have been in call.  Foundations would have possibly cost more than the house.

I'm pretty sure that rock outcropping is the crumbly, water-logged shale I spoke of earlier. It is not suitable to build on.

 

Nice area to live...

 

Coming soon a comprehensive photo thread on LW and RR, on the commercail districts and residential & parks. Try to focus on the historic aspects of these suburbs.

^ Special request: BIRDTOWN :-)

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

 

 

Bob Evans restaurant soon will open on Detroit Avenue in Lakewood

By Bruce Geiselman, Northeast Ohio Media Group

on June 02, 2014 at 2:18 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: Bob Evans restaurant. Built on one-acre of land, the building is 4,274 square feet with seating for 131.

 

Address: 14115 Detroit Ave., Lakewood.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index.ssf/2014/06/bob_evans_restaurant_soon_will.html