LAKEWOOD, Ohio — It's been a roller coaster ride for over seven years since the Cleveland Clinic replaced Lakewood Hospital with a family health center across the street.
Plans for the future of the old hospital site took shape but then went nowhere. New plans emerged, but they still haven't become reality years later.
It's been seven years since the Lakewood Hospital closed, and many have been asking, what will finally be built there and when?
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Monday, Downtown Lakewood developers CASTO and North Pointe Realty presented an updated plan stating that if all goes well, they could break ground as early as this year.
Everybody calls it something different: A pit, a hole or even an eye sore, and everyone News 5 talked to is fed up with seeing it.
It's that vast fenced-off 6-acre property off Detroit Avenue that once was the Lakewood Hospital, and it sits right across from The Tea Lab.
“I saw it getting torn down. I saw it get dug up and I’ve been waiting and waiting,” said Carlos E. Ramos, the owner of The Tea Lab.
That property has sat vacant for seven years, and neighbors ask the same question: Why is it taking so long?
“Projects like this of major scale like this that are north of $100 million. They're complex projects. We had a great office tenant involved in the project; unfortunately, they decided to go elsewhere,” said Shawn Leininger, Lakewood director of Planning and Development.
Last night's city council meeting came with hopeful progress when the developers presented renderings and an updated plan.
Those renderings include more than 200 apartments, office space, a grocery store, a parking garage, homes, and a plaza and park.
“There is lots of housing. So, quite a few units. A percentage of that would be priced for middle-income earners,” said Lakewood City Council President Sarah Kepple.
Before proceeding with the project, it still needs to go through a few board approvals, and the city has to figure out the finances.
“We have a number of incentives that we've already had talked about previously. We're working from that same framework,” said Leininger.
Leininger is optimistic, adding that this is the most feasible plan yet. If all goes well, they could break ground before the end of the year.
Residents are relieved to hear about the progress.
“We're all happy that it's being done, but I think like everybody says it's about time,” said Ramos.
But they'll believe it when they see it.
“We've seen plans come, and we've seen plans go; the hang up the banner, like this is going to be it, and then you know six months, nine months later the banner is gone,” said Kathy Rafferty, a Lakewood resident.
