The former Lakewood Hospital site is cleared in preparation for the Lakewood Common mixed-use development, from the corner of Detroit Avenue and Belle Avenue (Harrison Whittaker). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
Work begins on long-awaited development
Though the $119 million Lakewood Common project celebrated its groundbreaking in late September, the former Lakewood Hospital site has remained dormant for more than a month.
Finally, construction crews have begun to clear the site—a large, sunken plot known to locals as “The Pit”—to make way for a new mixed-use development at 14519 Detroit Ave.
Signage advertising Lakewood Common is posted on fencing surrounding the development site (Harrison Whittaker).
In September, the city authorized the sale of the 5.7-acre site for $1.5 million and executed a tax-increment financing agreement. The development will generate new tax revenue to support the City of Lakewood and its schools.
The project is being developed by CASTO, a Columbus-based developer, through affiliate Belle Ave Partners, LLC. They are working with Panzica Construction as a general contractor and Dimit Architects for design.
On Belle Avenue across from the development site, a new emergency clinic was built after the closure of Lakewood Hospital in 2016 (Harrison Whittaker).
When complete, Lakewood Common will activate the heart of Downtown Lakewood with about 25,000 square feet of ground floor retail, 567 structured parking spaces, and over 300 new homes.
A new pocket park and a 17,000-square-foot public plaza on Detroit Avenue are included in the project as well.
The historic Curtis Block building at Detroit Avenue and Marlowe Avenue is to be restored as part of the development (Harrison Whittaker).
At the corner of Detroit and Marlowe avenues, the historic Curtis Block building’s five apartments and ground floor retail will be renovated.
The Curtis Block’s storefronts will complement additional retail space in a new mixed-use building on Detroit Avenue. Behind the historic building, a pedestrian path will connect the public plaza to Marlowe Avenue.
In addition to 31 parking spaces included in the mixed-use building on Detroit, a new multi-level parking garage will add 536 more (Harrison Whittaker).
In addition to the buildings on Detroit, two new apartment buildings, a large parking garage, and seven townhomes are slated for construction to the south.
The southernmost apartment building will wrap around a new, landscaped pocket park open to the public. A “linear park” along Belle Avenue is to be built as well.
On the south side of Detroit Avenue, sidewalks have been blocked off for construction at Lakewood Common (Harrison Whittaker).
Construction of the Detroit Avenue mixed-use building, a multi-level parking garage, and the Curtis Block restoration is expected to wrap up in 2027, with additional apartments and townhomes planned for future phases.
Keep an eye on NEOtrans’ Progress Pics feature for more updates on Lakewood Common and other developments in Greater Cleveland.
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