Two-Building Apartment Complex Proposed For Lakewood

LAKEWOOD, OH — A $40 million apartment complex project has been proposed in Lakewood. While the project would open up the city's housing market, some feel it would change the fabric of downtown.

The two building-complex would be built at the corner of Detroit Avenue and Bunts Road, Crain's Cleveland noted. The project would include 275 apartments, spread across a five-story and eight-story building.

Lakewood has benefited from a sudden surge in the popularity of inner-ring suburbs. With limited stock, housing prices are up 22.5-percent in the city, cleveland.com noted. The tightness in the market served as a catalyst for the proposed apartment complexes.

Jerome Solove Development Inc., the Columbus-based developer behind the proposal, told Crain's he began exploring the Lakewood area after his son bought a home in the city. His vision for a 2.2 acre apartment complex was shared with the community on Monday.

Several longtime residents balked at the idea of new construction on Detroit. Many expressed concerns about the height and "density," of the buildings.

“I’ve lived here my whole entire life it’s a great place. Why do you want to change something that works?" asked Margo Jones, according to Cleveland 19.

Lakewood's downtown began morphing when Lakewood Hospital closed. Despite several lawsuits seeking to bar demolition of the site, voters affirmed the closing of the hospital in a November 2016 vote. Construction on a new community health center then began in earnest.

City officials said they wanted to get the public involved in this apartment complex proposal as soon as possible. Resident input would then inform the city's guidance to the developer.

To read the entire Crain's Cleveland piece, click here.

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Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch