Lakewood: Development and News

[OompaLoompa]

Anyone else see the fugly colors they painted the newest block of 4 condos for the Rockport Square project?  :| I wish I had a digital camera so I could share it.  They should have stuck with a color scheme a bit more like the others IMO.

[Redbeard1969]

Looks like the Rosewood project is going great guns, too ... the building looks nearly buttoned-up, and soon will be finished.  I heard the new YMCA opens up in a couple of weeks, too.

 

Hey, nothing against Ohio City or Tremont, two of Cleveland's most interesting neighborhoods, but Lakewood's a great place.  Move here, get good schools (if you have a family or are starting one, like me), nice small yards (less to cut and rake), a thoroughly walkable community, and close to everything.

 

But that's my opinion, Florida Guy ... and I live in Lakewood, so consider the source.  But I used to live in Cleveland Heights, Euclid, and Mentor, and flopped a bit in Tremont back in the early 1990s when it wasn't as "hip" a place as it is now (sadly, the house we were renting sold a at the time for $13,000 ... and we didn't have the money to buy it, so we moved out)... so I've been around Cleveland, and after looking around and assessing where I thought would be best to live (and it had to be fairly close to my downtown job), Lakewood won out.

 

[OompaLoompa]

Saw the following on the Lakewood Buzz forums:

 

"Just got the word from my contact at Giant Eagle. The company is going to buy the Sunoco at the corner of Detroit and Marlowe, plus the three apartment buildings to the east of it. These will be torn down, and a Get Go will be built on that site. It seems that a new owner (grocer) will take over the old site, perhaps a Rego Brothers."

 

See entire thread here:  (you have to be registered to read)

http://lakewoodbuzz.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/33460472/m/8401027583/r/1561080704#1561080704

[KJP]

There's a Get Go already being built there. But I'd hate to see those old apartment buildings go. If they do get demolished for a grocery store, can we please put some housing on top of the store?

[Map Boy]

What?  knocking down apartment buildings for a gas station?  That doesn't sound like the Lakewood I know!

[KJP]

The demolitions would be for the grocery store. The Get Go gas station replaces a Sunoco.

[3231]

That sucks. This corner of Lakewood is losing the storefront feel that Detroit is so famous for.

[Redbeard1969]

well, at the moment, all that has happened is that the Sunoco there has been converted to a GetGo.  No demolition or anything major, just a conversion.  As for the old Giant Eagle store, I've heard that the Rego family still owns the property and building, so Giant Eagle has nothing to do with it.  Hopefully something will happen to the old store, perhaps demolition and replacement with new retail or a restaurant.  I'd hate to see the building sit empty for months and months into the future. 

[FrqntFlyr]

Has anyone else noticed that they have started clearing ground for the Rockport Square project between Ridgewood and Winchester streets?  According to their site plan, this would be Phase 2.  But they haven't started Phase 1B yet, they are almost done with Phase 1A.  I wonder if they are skipping 1B because they don't have any retail interest?  But it seems a little odd to jump over to that plot rather than build outward from the existing condos and keep the development continguous.

 

Some "intel" on the loft building that should have been started this year and is named Phase 1B:  Apparently there was disagreement between Rysar and FCE over the costs of this building; Now that Rysar is out, FCE did a redesign and is trying to determine the new cost structure.   So, they have essentially started over and don't even have prices yet for this building.  (Before the redesign, there was a published price list with a fair amount of presales.) 

 

Now I hear that they may break ground in the spring.  In the meantime, it sounds like they may go ahead and start the Phase 2 townhomes the next block over.

[jonmoxon]

Is there anything in the works for the monstrous vacant church at the corner of Lake and 117? Last I heard Marous Bros. were looking at doing something with it. I contend to this day that it would make a great bookstore/coffeeshop, something this area sorely needs. However, I'm sure the costs involved with rehabbing that behemoth are prohibitive. I hate having to go to Crocker Park to do some serious book buying/browsing.

[FrqntFlyr]

No news in awhile...  See below....

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=925.0

[bizbiz]

There is a new bookstore closer to Lakewood residents than Crocker Park. It's in Rocky River on Detroit, near the Lakewood border. I am running blanks on the name of the bookstore or the name of the new mini plaza that it sits inside of (it's like a baby Crocker Park, and I mean *baby* sized, but it has a # of upscale stores not traditionally found in a normal plaza).

[jamiec]

There is a new bookstore closer to Lakewood residents than Crocker Park. It's in Rocky River on Detroit, near the Lakewood border. I am running blanks on the name of the bookstore or the name of the new mini plaza that it sits inside of (it's like a baby Crocker Park, and I mean *baby* sized, but it has a # of upscale stores not traditionally found in a normal plaza).

 

Liberty News is the name. I've been there a few times since it opened (I'm a Lakewood resident). It's OK. They have an A+ magazine collection. Books not so much. Better than driving to Westlake. I'd like to see a good bookstore around here... I have high hopes for the Appletree store relocating to Tremont.

[OompaLoompa]

Hey, I finally got a memory card for my new digital camera so I am posting my first photos!  Not claiming they are MayDay quality, but I think they turned out okay.  Here are some shots I took today of the Rockport Square development and the surrounding neighborhood.  I walk through here frequently and it is shaping up nicely, the development integrates well with the existing neighborhood and it's nice to see those old car lots filling in.

 

The cool Rockport Square sales center:

 

Townhomes on Hopkins:

 

 

Some retail on Detroit - Diverse Universe, City Dweller, and a diner:

 

The loft condos on Detroit.  A couple "For Sale" signs, most seem to be sold:

 

This is the view from the porch of one of the condos looking northwest along Detroit:

 

...and the scenic view of the lovely Drug Mart looking northeast:

 

Most recent townhomes in back of the lofts on Newman.  I don't like these as well, I think they are a little weird looking, but I think they are all sold.

 

The new branch of the Lakewood Hospital next door.  Just finished, I think it's open.

 

Some more retail next door - a barber shop, Grand Poo-Bahs Records and some type of interior design/tailoring shop:

 

Next to the Drug Mart, Maria's italian restaurant, a neighborhood institution:

 

A little further down, the Phantasy night club and some boarded up storefronts that were until recently a couple of shops that sold goth and hippie type parephernalia, it says "MOVED" on the door, but who knows where to...

 

The lot that seems to be next to be developed for Rockport, between Winchester and Ridgewood on the south side of Detroit, see construction equip in background.  This would be Phase 2 according to the site map on their website.  They seem to be skipping Phase 1B for now?

 

That's it for now!  I got too cold to take any more.

[KJP]

Cool pics.

 

Blue Moon moved because it caught fire about three weeks ago. I don't know where it moved, either.

[MayDay]

"Not claiming they are MayDay quality, but I think they turned out okay"

 

Oh please - I think there are some great shots in there. Would you be interested in adding them to the site? :-)

[MyTwoSense]

those condos look really nice, except for the snow.  I say that cause I know I would not want to shovel that mess or take care of the lawn if there is one.

[mrnyc]

nice job, thx for the update pics. i dont mind any of the new home stuff at all. it all looks like decent & very urban oriented infill to me. i give it all yays!

[MyTwoSense]

nice job, thx for the update pics. i dont mind any of the new home stuff at all. it all looks like decent & very urban oriented infill to me. i give it all yays!

 

I love the four "primary colors" townhomes.  I love the contrast to the home immediately to the left of this development, which looks to be very nice itself.

[3231]

This project is so good for Lakewood. The eastern portion of LKW needs a little help and this project, when finished, should do it. If Rysar redevelops the old Medic Drugstore at 117th in Cleveland, that will also help Lakewood a bunch.

[FrqntFlyr]

If Rysar redevelops the old Medic Drugstore at 117th in Cleveland, that will also help Lakewood a bunch.

 

Where is the old Medic Drugstore exactly?  Is this an existing plan by Rysar or something new?

[3231]

^its on the northeast corner of 117 and Detroit (currently the cudell cdc office). there are no current plans for the building. all i know is that rysar bought it. i would assume that they would want to do something with it once rockport square is built out.

[FrqntFlyr]

Well, that's good news.  There should be nothing stopping them though -- they're no longer involved with the Rockport Square project.

[OompaLoompa]

Oh please - I think there are some great shots in there. Would you be interested in adding them to the site? :-)

Feel free to use them however you like! 

[OompaLoompa]

^its on the northeast corner of 117 and Detroit (currently the cudell cdc office). there are no current plans for the building. all i know is that rysar bought it. i would assume that they would want to do something with it once rockport square is built out.

Is Cudell Improvement no longer in there?  If not, where did they go?

[3231]

I think that they are still there. Rysar bought the property for the future. I would think that redevelopment is a long way away.

[gavster]

Is Forest City waiting for some handout from the tax payers to keep building here... nothing more has been done since Rysar split. that company is such a joke.

[3231]

^they are probably waiting for the weather to break. most developers take a break over the winter.  I know that Rysar just broke ground last week (and then again today after the cold and snow had passed) on a project across the street from my house.

[KJP]

^its on the northeast corner of 117 and Detroit (currently the cudell cdc office). there are no current plans for the building. all i know is that rysar bought it. i would assume that they would want to do something with it once rockport square is built out.

 

I found out today that there is a design charette on Friday for a TOD on West 117th. To my knowledge, the only TOD discussed for this area is one in the city's Connecting Cleveland plan, and is generally in the area between Detroit and Clifton. It is tied with the proposed West Shore Transit Corridor.

 

Ironically, I cannot attend since I will be at the West Shore Corridor stakeholders meeting on Friday at NOACA. I don't have any other information on the design charette.

[MyTwoSense]

^its on the northeast corner of 117 and Detroit (currently the cudell cdc office). there are no current plans for the building. all i know is that rysar bought it. i would assume that they would want to do something with it once rockport square is built out.

 

I found out today that there is a design charette on Friday for a TOD on West 117th. To my knowledge, the only TOD discussed for this area is one in the city's Connecting Cleveland plan, and is generally in the area between Detroit and Clifton. It is tied with the proposed West Shore Transit Corridor.

 

Ironically, I cannot attend since I will be at the West Shore Corridor stakeholders meeting on Friday at NOACA. I don't have any other information on the design charette.

 

this Charrette is only one day?  I was under the impression they were 2-3 day planning events.

[KJP]

It may be. I don't know too much about it.

[musky]

^its on the northeast corner of 117 and Detroit (currently the cudell cdc office). there are no current plans for the building. all i know is that rysar bought it. i would assume that they would want to do something with it once rockport square is built out.

 

I found out today that there is a design charette on Friday for a TOD on West 117th. To my knowledge, the only TOD discussed for this area is one in the city's Connecting Cleveland plan, and is generally in the area between Detroit and Clifton. It is tied with the proposed West Shore Transit Corridor.

 

Ironically, I cannot attend since I will be at the West Shore Corridor stakeholders meeting on Friday at NOACA. I don't have any other information on the design charette.

 

this Charrette is only one day?  I was under the impression they were 2-3 day planning events.

 

This is the long awaited partnership Cleveland and Lakewood have talked about so each city's plans for the West 117th corridor are in sync. The meeting in question is the kick off meeting for the two cities and their stake holders. Too bad they did not have this discussion set up before the crap being built at 117 and Madison started.

 

KJP, do you have anyone you could send as a proxy?

[Map Boy]

^its on the northeast corner of 117 and Detroit (currently the cudell cdc office). there are no current plans for the building. all i know is that rysar bought it. i would assume that they would want to do something with it once rockport square is built out.

 

I thought the bought the property directly north of this.  I didn't think it included the Cuddell offices (which SORELY need an update!), but I could be wrong.

 

Thanks for the update snaps, Oompa!

[Map Boy]

Sorry, but I also meant to add that the Rosewood project (also discussed on this thread) is looking complete and lovely.

 

That, and I couldn't help but notice that this Cleveland Clinic building in Lakewood actually acknowledges that it exists in a neighborhood with a street grid and pedestrians.  Too bad it's a lesson they haven't applied to Fairfax yet!

[FrqntFlyr]

New Website for Rockport Square -- http://www.rockportsquare.com

 

Specifically make sure to check the site plan which gives details for the North side of the site (for the first time I believe).  Be prepared to spew though -- The design for the north side looks as if it might as well be a strip mall in Aurora.  It seems to be completely contradictory to the rest of the site.  Essentially, a pedestrian will have to wade through a "mini-park" and a parking lot to get to the ground-floor retail in this building, as opposed to the other side of the street, where the building is right up on the sidewalk.

[3231]

What the hell! How is Lakewood's planning department allowing this to happen? Why so much parking? Why is the loft building set so far back? This is ridiculous.

[OompaLoompa]

That isn't anything like the original north side site plan.  Not happy.

[w28th]

After contacting the Forest City Land Group about the disappointment of the surface parking lot in between the "park" and loft building, I received this extensive email in response.  Apparently I wasn't the only one to abhore this part of an otherwise quality urban project and contact them(although I do have issue with the aesthetics of the actual buildings). 

I particularly have a problem with the comparison of Philadelphia is Cleveland, except with people.  What has Forest City done in the last 50 years to remedy such a situation in our city?  I could go on and on...

 

 

 

OC,

    Sorry to learn of your disappointment.  Due to it's initial lack of success, we spent some time meeting with neighbors and other perspective stake holder's to understand how best to approach a very tight urban redevelopment site in the most densely populated city between New York and Chicago (Lakewood).  When we began to imagine what it would be like for a couple of hundred people to live, work and play in our community, we considered other successful communities.  What we arrived at was that all communities need a place; a public and accessible place where residents and non residents can interact and share.  The more urban the setting, the more necessary the space and the more important for it to be "on the street" and not tucked in and behind where it becomes a dark dangerous.  We considered our own experiences and reflected on what made "great places" in great cities.  In Paris, London, Rome, Washington, D.C., and Boston,the very intense urban areas are all relieved by small parks, plazas or greens.  In Philadelphia, which is very much like Cleveland (with people), Rittenhouse Square and other small public parks punctuate a city filled with a similar mix of town homes, mid rise and commercial and live/work buildings.  The thing that make all these places special is a sense of place.  Thus was born the idea of Rockport Square, an alee of trees and a plaza that will allow the center of the very intense development to shift away from the street and onto the square and plaza where a transition between living, working, and playing can occur.  We are fortunate to be building in Lakewood, Ohio.  One of the key elements of life in Lakewood revolves around a healthier, pedestrian and fitness focused lifestyle.  Additionally, in our meetings with neighbors and Lakewood residents, we heard three words loud and clear: parking, parking , parking. We understand that it is currently in vogue to ignore the reality of cars, but we feel we have a duty to consider our neighbors as well as our customers.  We have  incorporated structured parking in our plans where it makes economic and lifestyle sense, and the more traditional forms where the commercial or retail spaces made it necessary or desirable.  Our commitment to the community is to provide 2 parking spaces per residential unit and enough on grade parking to accommodate guest, visitors, customers and tenants; and to provide an organized way of moving through the site to the different areas of use without disrupting the strictly single family residential neighborhoods that surround Rockport Square.  We think we have developed a plan that will give life and space to Rockport Square, but ultimately, the market will determine if we will be successful in our vision.  Based on our recent sales success, we are encouraged that others are willing to share our vision and join us in the redevelopment of this great inner ring suburb.  There are a few town houses for sale that are hard against Detroit Avenue and the phase 2 townhouses also share a proximity to the street, with the relief of a small private park to provide some  transition from the multi-story building to the lower density town homes.  To be frank, the most common sales objection is the fact that the phase 1A townhouses do not have more private space between the street and the homes.

    At the end of the day, if the gritty urban experience is what you are seeking, there are plenty of opportunities for that type of living in the City of Cleveland.  Coupled with their generous tax abatement and other incentives, I am surprised that you have been unable to find a suitable home.  Our destiny is  to try to provide a living experience that combines the best of both worlds while being true to our core values of sustainability, adaptive reuse, conservation of resources (including land), diversity and community involvement.  Only time will tell if we are able to translate our vision into motion, but our team is committed to helping our customers achieve the American Dream of new home ownership.

 

Bill Sanderson

Forest City Land Group

[FrqntFlyr]

Ok fine FC -- so people want parking.  But why sully the "sense of place" (small park) that you deem so important by separating it from the primary use of the site (retail/residential) with a F-ING PARKING LOT.

[3231]

At least put the parking behind the building and connect the loft build to the park. This would open up some great outdoor cafe opportunities that don't currently exist in Lakewood.

[FrqntFlyr]

^Totally

[KJP]

Additionally, in our meetings with neighbors and Lakewood residents, we heard three words loud and clear: parking, parking , parking. We understand that it is currently in vogue to ignore the reality of cars, but we feel we have a duty to consider our neighbors as well as our customers.

 

I would love to know who they interviewed. I live in the neighborhood and I wasn't interviewed. And what the hell does "it is currently in vogue to ignore the reality of cars" mean?? I assume that to mean ensuring that parking is available in the quanity demanded by the market?

 

One of the key elements of life in Lakewood revolves around a healthier, pedestrian and fitness focused lifestyle. 

 

So how does putting parking between the buildings and the park help this? So we can lie on the grass in the park and sniff carbon monoxide from a car's engine being started up? So we don't have to walk more than a feet from our cars to reach the park? Geez, why don't we just put in a moving sidewalk in the name of that "fitness focused lifestyle"? Or are we really that lazy that we can't walk from a parking lot on one side of a building, through a well-lit portal, to the park-side of the building? If that's the case, this country will be comprised of a bunch of overweight, arthritic slobs. Whoops...too late! Developments designed like this don't help turn back that trend.

[Map Boy]

Which loft building is slated to be built first?

[Jax]

^^ maybe they were talking to the Gold Coast people? I never lived there but it does constantly seem to be overflowing with cars and is probably the type of people they consider their market. 4 out the 5 places I've lived in Lakewood, parking was consistently a struggle. Personally I always just chalked it up to one of the costs of living in a pleasantly crowded area, though.

[KJP]

I live midway between Rockport Square and Gold Coast. It's an easy walk or ride on the Circulator from the Gold Coast.

[Redbeard1969]

if you look at the Rockport website, and go to the section about Lakewood, it's pretty funny, because it lists some restaurants and stores that are long gone and no longer exist ... and also doesn't list some places that have been around a while. 

 

Makes you wonder if the people putting the website together have actually ever BEEN in Lakewood.

 

 

[jmjr]

So, what is Rockport Square like?  We are considering a move from Euclid.  We looked at Rockport but then got caught up in possibly Battery Park or a place in Ohio city.  Kind of moved Rockport out due to eventual high taxes but not sure about Batter Park either.  The place in OC would require lots of renovation and time and of course $$$.  Not sure we want to do that! :|

[3231]

So, what is Rockport Square like?

 

you can check out the website at www.rockportsquare.com  Its a nice project, but I think that Battery Park offers so much more. Heck, if my wife and I weren't planning on having 2-3 more kids, we'd seriously look at Battery Park (we need more living space than would be available at BP).  Also, you'd save A LOT of money on taxes if you chose Battery Park over Rockport.

[jmjr]

Thanks!  That is what we quickly realized about the tax abatement difference.  We actually did visit Rockport Square and we did really like the units.  The units on Detroit seem slow to sell.  The units across the street from the sales office are nice and have a basement so extra space.  They don't plan to build more of those models (there are only 5 or 7 of those) and no more units with basements so we were a little disappointed in that.  The modern units are okay but don't offer much more space than we currently have.

 

BP it may be but we have an opportunity to renovate a building in OC, just haven't made that commitment yet.  We like our house in Euclid but want to go to a neighborhood that might be on the come back, so to speak.  Euclid may be going the other way but we have put a lot of sweat equity into the place in the last 7 years so it it tough to move!

 

Thanks again! :-)

[X]

"In Paris, London, Rome, Washington, D.C., and Boston,the very intense urban areas are all relieved by small parks, plazas or greens.  In Philadelphia, which is very much like Cleveland (with people), Rittenhouse Square and other small public parks punctuate a city filled with a similar mix of town homes, mid rise and commercial and live/work buildings.  "

 

Great text, but they obviously don't have the foggiest notion of why the public spaces in those cities work so well.  You can't just set back a building and call the grassy strip out front an urban park.  An urban park needs to be integrated with its surroundings.