The Future Site of a McDonald's?
It’s as if history has a big red target on it in Lakewood. Three significant development proposals in the city so far this year have targeted buildings that have some iconic quality about them—each one a piece of the heritage and physical character that make the city attractive.
All to be demolished. Buildings that are not dilapidated. Buildings that have great possibilities for re-use. And all the while, comparable and truly ruinous properties–even vacant land–lie fallow nearby.
Long-vacant property in Rockport Square
How is it that developers take a look at Lakewood and decide that one of the few remaining lakefront mansions, a handsome church, and a streetcar-era theatre are what they want to knock down, while they ignore empty land and buildings that actually need to be demolished?
The Heideloff House, saved by the zoning code
Early in the year a developer—Adobe Luxe Living– came along with a plan to demolish the lakefront mansion known as the Heideloff house, with the intention of replacing it with 14 lakefront condos. Fortunately the plan was scuttled by zoning that prohibited that number of condos from going into that space.
But the striking thing is that Adobe came up with that plan while another waterfront parcel sits idle on the west edge of the city, already cleared. And this one has easy access to the water and marinas, which the Heideloff house does not have. And it’s positioned at the end of the vast and verdant Emerald Necklace park system.
Waterfront land, zoned for condos, that doesn't require demolition of a great house
Then along comes CVS, looking to demolish the handsome Lutheran church at Arthur Ave. and Detroit, to replace it with a big box drugstore. They have their sites set on this property despite the fact that already-cleared acreage sits to the east on Detroit. Despite the fact that the massive property Giant Eagle vacated to move across the street still sits un-used.
Finally along comes a McDonalds franchise with a plan to knock down the Detroit theater to replace it with a fast food emporium. Even though the inside is undistinguished architecturally, and even though it hasn’t been successful as a theater (and even though the economy and our massive flat screen TVs make the odds of theatrical success there extremely steep), the building is in decent shape. The roof does not leak. The massive interior would be easy to subdivide or redevelop as anyone saw fit. And if you drive down Detroit making a list of distinguished buildings, the white tile front and classic marquee would absolutely put this building on it.
The Hilliard / Westwood, Advanced in its decay, awaiting the wrecking ball
What especially hurts about the proposed demolition of this theatre to build a McDonalds—or for that matter the church to build a CVS—is that about ¼ mile to the south of either of those stands the old Hilliard / Westwood theatre –once truly grand on the inside, but now decayed to such a state that demolition is the better option. The roof has leaked for more than a decade and a half. Daylight shines through the roof in several places.
Knocking down the Hilliard / Westwood to replace it with a drugstore or a McDonalds would do the city a favor. The developer who did that would be praised far and wide. It might even catalyze more investment in the neighborhood.
But demolition of the Lutheran church or the Detroit Theater only ruins possibilities. As Observer publisher Jim O’Bryan observed, (http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10083&start=30 )we stand to lose these pieces of the city—architecture that physically distinguishes our neighborhoods—because we have been asleep at the switch. There is no plan guiding developers away from the demolition of what makes the city interesting, and toward the re-use of our vacant land and seriously decayed buildings.
Massive vacancy ignored while developers propose demolition of a church and theater
I’m afraid the opposition to all this proposed destruction hasn’t been more vehement because people have been worn down by the constant battles of living in a city whose age, economic state, and architectural style simultaneously attract people who want to enjoy all that, and people who want to knock it down because they think that’s the best way to make money.
So when it comes to fighting to keep the architecture that makes the place interesting, do we have it in us to take up the cause, or are we all just too tired?
there are many of us who live in Lakewood that are 100% against the McDonalds and the CVS.
We will be speaking out and we will fight.
That’s good news, tricia. Is there organization? Communication among folks?
Many cities across the U.S. have ordinances which require new developments to either aesthetically look as if they fit into the area, or re-use existing buildings. I don’t have a problem with the concept of a McDonald’s located on Detroit (there’s a BK just down the road, so why discriminate?), but if they decide to go into the theater space, they should have to remodel the existing building. PayLess Drug Stores took over a theater on Capitol Hill in Seattle and kept the marquee, etc. It was a great use of an old building which kept the character in tact. Let’s face it, the Detroit Theater will probably never be an active theater again with the Capitol operating nearby.
Likewise, the CVS could go into the church if it remodeled the building. There are a lot of empty church buildings around and they probably will never be churches again. Finding another use for the buildings is much better than simply demolishing them. On the Alexanderplatz in Munich, the central Cathedral where the famous Glockenspiel is located is now an administration building and a beer stube! Anything is possible if the citizens demand enough. However, we need to be willing to have solutions other than just “don’t tear it down”.
I’m totally in agreement with all your very well stated points, Michael. I can’t believe the city would approve building a CVS at the entrance to one of Lakewood’s most beautiful residential streets, not to mention across from our new library. I thought the library’s renovation would set a new standard for that area….. including upgrading the Drug Mart strip, possibly getting rid of Taco Bell, etc. But this CVS idea steers the plan in the WRONG direction. Now a McDonalds??!! Ugh.
I’ll guess some people are OK with tearing down some things. The cost to rehab many structures is prohibitive. In my opinion they should have never been allowed to deteriorate in the first place. (That’s not my call though.) Some structures have more sentimental value than unique architectural value. If you have an objective standard for making these decisions a lot of energy can be directed to projects that can actually be done. If you want a vibrant healthy city you need to occasionally thin out the chaff.
Bud, Lakewood has had some success like that, too–especially new construction made to complement the existing architecture, like the Rosewood Place storefronts and condos, and the red brick building that was an I-HOP and is now a Cozumel.
Much as I’m repelled by McDonalds’ standardization of food, and so many other things, and much as I’d prefer something that was not an omnipresent international chain adding to the atmosphere on Detroit Ave., I agree that a McDonalds in a renovated Detroit Theatre would be distinctive and far better than a demolished theater, replaced by one of those dime-a-dozen food huts.
Carol, yeah, it’s just too much, isn’t it? I was driving west on Detroit, crossing St. Charles this morning, when I noticed that all the way from there you can see the Lutheran Church’s green copper steeple, rising up at what would be the vanishing point of the road.
Hey Pat, I agree, things shouldn’t be allowed to deteriorate, which amounts to demolition by neglect. It’s an especially big deal in a place like Lakewood, where its original, streetcar era architecture is a significant selling point to new residents. Churches and theatres do have a lot of sentimental value, but they were built to inspire, as well–and so their architectural value is also real. In the Detroit’s case, as Michael Loje noted, it’s not much on the inside, but the white tile face of the building makes it one of the more distinctive properties on Detroit. THe big hollow interior would be easy to work with. If McDonalds would capitalize on the distinctive exterior, they’d be heroes. Well, maybe that’s exaggerating. But they’d get a much warmer welcome than they will if they tear the place down.
The school attached to the Lutheran church is in near perfect condition and would serve the community perfectly as a day-care or charter school.
Lakewood needs to be pro-active in preserving and transforming the many churches with aged congregations. We will be seeing many on the selling block in the next few years.
How hard would it be to turn the old Rini-Rego/giant eagle into a farmers market with inside stalls/
Does the Architectural Review Board work from a set of standards that new construction be in an architectural style compatible with the area? I would prefer a reuse of both structures but if they need to knock them down do we have to put up with an out of the box look like Taco Bell, Dairy Queen and Burger Death?
This city is littered with buildings that were allowed to be built over time with no consideration to the style of the surrounding structures — with one particularly hideous apartment building coming to mind. I think the city really needs to set standards that would make it more cost effective to reuse, and if not, give very clear standards on the style of new construction.
For what it’s worth, this theater, which was shutdown for years, was brought back to life and is a great asset to a great community where friends of ours live: http://www.therexberkhamsted.com/listings.asp
I was hoping that someone would save the Westwood but I’m afraid that is probably too far gone. Can the community come together to save the Detroit?
Hey Kate. As I understand it, ARB has some persuasive ability when it comes to building styles, but they don’t get to simply prescribe. But ARB and neighborhood demand was why the IHOP / Cozumel is a nice red brick building on the sidewalk with real windows facing the street, and likewise so much of the recent new construction on Detroit. Some of it sucks (the Walgreens Phantom Menace with its blank, fake windows on 117th) but all of it shows an attempt to replicate the streetcar era proportion and style. So we’ll see what happens here. I don’t know that the city or ARB has the power to not issue a demolition permit because the city likes the neighborhood, but neighborhood pressure has halted the demolition of plenty of buildings before.
I think–I fear–you’re right about the Westwood, though Michael Loje is right that it is by far the more spectacular building, especially inside. It’s just in spectacular decay, too.
The city needs some entity that is positioned to identify and fight for its iconic structures. The Historical Society tried with Hall House. We’ll see what comes of this.
Watch this space next week for conversation with Northeast Shores CDC director Brian Friedman about that organization’s purchase and hopes for the LaSalle Theatre on East 185th. The CDC bought it. Owns it. Now what?
Tell me where I can sign/sit/shout to make sure that none of these things happen??!! I don’t like to hold on to the past too much, I’m for change that improves and enhances. but tearing down historically significant buildings or aesthetically seamless areas for things we HAVE ONE OR TWO OF IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD makes no sense.
I see a Save the Detroit Twin campaign coming on!!
I have it in me to “take up the cause”! Where do we start? City Hall? Let me know, somebody!
Hi Risa. I think I’m with you: We can’t and don’t want to save everything, but there are certain buildings which make the neighborhood look the way it does, and that have connections to the past and local culture that are worth preserving.
I think there may be a Save the Detroit campaign in the works. I’m not sure who’s leading the charge, but there’s a lot of interest in keeping this building. We won’t know how loud our voice is untill we all get together and shout.
I have lived in Chicago for the past several years. There is a music/movie venue called the Vic Theatre/Brew and View, where both concerts and second run movies (with beer served) are shown. Obviously much larger than the Detroit, maybe this would pique the interest of some Cleveland entrepreneur…Here is the website for the Brew and View: http://www.brewview.com/…and wikipedia site for the venue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vic_Theatre
Thanks for the Link from Chicago! Here’s hoping some kind of plan evolves that takes advantage of the existing building’s look and history. I’m also a big fan of the Liberty Brew Church in Pittsburgh.
I’m hatin’ it!
Me too, Jack. But check out this week’s post on some locations where folks have gotten between old buildings and the wrecking ball.
And who knows: Maybe–with attention captured by the crisis–someone will think of a business plan or find motivation they didn’t have before, and the good old fashioned market will come to the rescue. Anything, I suppose, could happen.