Click on photos to enlarge them.
Would you like to donate your front yard to your city?
You could get a tax deduction for it, and would never have to pay taxes on it, mow it, or pay to maintain it in any way.
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The developer and his global investment group are selling 21 acres of Oakwood to South Euclid for $1.
21 acres that they cannot use, and do not want. The developer and his global investment group will: 1.Get a tax write-off for the value of the donated land.
It will contain large amounts of road salt in the winter and petroleum residue from the cars and the asphalt parking lot in the warmer months. Would you want to have this “wetland” on your property? A truly sustainable development would have porous pavement and there would be no need for a retention basin. Thanks to Jim Miller beautiful spring photos of Oakwood. We all have to continue to work hard and spread the word so that Oakwood will not be destroyed and be just as beautiful next spring. For more great photos of Oakwood in spring and fall, taken by supporters Jim and Cindi, click here and here. |
Hey Folks it’s me, jnem17. AKA Jack or Jack jr, or……
I was getting bored with pointing out all of the inconsistenices in reporting on that big 50 foot box and a dog with rat poison story so I thought I would mouse it on over to this post and see what my old friend Fran has to say about the evil Death Star Global Investment Firm.
Nice picture of Oakwood in spring. I can only see the actual thing through a chain link fence. Maybe Jim Miller can sneak me in on his next photo shoot.
Rumor: An un-named real estate development firm loaned the city of South Euclid $1 to buy the 21 acres of land at Oakwood in exchange for a Global financial investment in another retail development taking place south of the proposed Oakwood development. For more information check out Fran’s blog.
Thanks for the tax tip Fran. I could always use another deduction. And now I can save money by cancelling my lawn care service. Oh well, Fran’s tip just led to the eventual demise of another local business.
Hey maybe if we just pave over the entire Oakwood site with porous pavement then we would have no issues with road salt and petroleum residue.
I know what you all are thinking….these are some ridiculous ramblings (except for the first statement about the chain link fence).. I am just trying to fit in.
I saw that phony mailer Fran sent out. She and her cronies have tried to paint thsmselves as some kind of spontaneous “people-power” movement. HA! They’re no more spontaneous than the phony TEA party that was started by ex-Congressman Dick Armey and the Koch brothers. Who ARE these people beating the drum on Oakwood? I’ll tell you who: professional activists from the Heights, a few disgruntled South Euclid taxpayers, bordering property owners who are only thinking about the value of their own homes as opposed to the whole community, entrenched Heights business interests, and naive greenies.
For months, Fran and her cronies have been posting pictures of butterflies, foxes and birds on their webpage, trying to tug on our heartstrings and portraying the developer as some kind of monster who wants to rape the environment and exploit gullible taxpayers. I’d love to know, how are they getting these pictures? If they are on the South Euclid side, Mitchell Schneider should have them arrested for trespassing.
Dear First interstate stop posing as Jack or Ben and just come out and say you can’t stand Fran.
cleveland23, I do not work for First Interestate. I have not met Mitchell Schneider.
I am a lifelong resident of South Euclid and I am sick and tired of the way people from the Heights have been trying to push our town around. You have a problem with the way the Cleveland Heights part of Oakwood will be handeled by First Insterstate? Fine. That’s Cleveland Heights’ concern. As for the South Euclid part, MYOB.
Dear cleveland23,
I feel sorry for you. I feel sorry for your ignorance. I feel sorry for the fact that your lack of intelligence forces you to make decisions based on emotion. I feel sorry for the fact that you are a believer in half-truths and hypocrisy. I feel sorry that you are stuck with the username of cleveland23 (Lebron is now miami6).
I personally do not know Fran. Nor do I have any hatred toward her – personally that is. What I do hate is how she is using this outlet to infect the uninformed with false information. Read her posts. Then read my replies to them. Then re-read them again. Then make an informed decision, not about me or about Fran, but about the validity of both of our posts.
Hopefully I am wrong and you are smart enough to realize then that I am not First Interstate but I am the FIRST to provide anything factual about those opposing First Interstate.
O.K. Jack and Ben I will bite. First off I live in cleveland heights on Bainbridge rd, the part that backs up to Oakwood. I bought my home many years ago, I work hard and pay the insane C.H. property taxes, to have a nice quiet home to come too at the end of the day So before you assume I’m some rich,white ,liberal who lives on Fairmount in a mansion , I can assure you I’m not. Our block is on the lower end of the economic scale but we have pride in it. The South euclid west five neighborhood is right below me and we have friends there who dont want this development as well. So you see on a map if the South Euclid portion is built I will see it every day from where I live. That is why it concerns me , would you agree? I dont want loud truck and noise behind me or the smell of grabage from their dumpsters. I love the peace and quiet I have now. I was here first, and yes I know First Interstate bought it. But the point was it is zoned residential. So you will excuse me if I’m upset that I thought nice homes would be built next to me instead of 325000 square feet of retail along with the people it will bring, and problems that follow . I have made my point to both city councils who could care less. Fran is trying, but you both seem very angry at her. The people of Cleveland heights and South Euclid that I know like their nice quiet Neighborhoods. We dont want commercial development.
cleveland 23,
You have good insight, as do Ben and I. Problem is you are looking at YOUR predicament, not the community’s predicament. Development happens everywhere and there are always some who will not see the reward that others will. The major issue is and should be what is best for the community as a whole. I have stated this over and over.
I don’t want to speak for Ben, but it seems to me that both he and I are not waving the First Interstate flag, but are simply pointing out that the arguments against the development have little merit and are wrought with deceiving information. When one can see past the inconsistent arguments of the opposition, he/she will understand that there are few options available for the development of this property that are both realistic and benefit the entire community.
From what I understand, if the Oakwood site is not rezoned and stays residential that there will be approximately 160 acres to develop and build houses on. So lets throw out 40 acres for roads and neighborhood greens pace. Now you have 120 acres to develop. I would have to bet that a sensible developer would try to build as many homes as possible on the 120 acres. So lets say the average lot becomes 1/4 acre. Now you have upwards of 800 or more new homes being built. Now this might make sense if there was a housing shortage, but frankly in this residential property market, people just are not buyong and selling. So you would have this development drag out for say 10 maybe 20 years until final completion of all 800 houses. During that time you would have numerous unfinished lots, unpaved roads, unconnected sewer systems. Don’t believe me? Just open the Sun Messenger and read about unfinished developments in Highland/Richmond Heights that are costing the city (and taxpayers) more money because of the unfinished properties.
And I know that storm water runoff is a big arguing point for the opposition. Well runoff comes from rooftops also, so do you think the roofs of 800 new homes are going to be any better regarding storm water runoff?
The other option voiced would be to keep the entire area as a park for everyone to enjoy. I just don’t see this happening. First off, the property is private to begin with and has been up for sale for years (I think I read as early as 10 years ago, but not 100% sure). That means that for the last decade (again just a guess, no hard fact on this) both cities, the metroparks, the state, the county, had a chance to bid on and buy this property to keep as public land. Yet none of these entities acted on this opportunity. Why is that? I have no idea. I can guess that it may have to do with money – like none of these entities had the financial capability to make such a purchase, unless of course they borrow it …from the taxpayers. Or they realized the cost in maintaining the property and did not have the ability to justify the increase in annual expenses, unless of course they were to…raise taxes. So it probably was a matter of them understanding that most residents of CH/SE/CUY/OH/USA already felt that they are being bled dry by the tax man and decided to pass on the opportunity to purchase the land and keep as public green space.
I think it is unfair for you to state that you were here first. You were not. I could give you a lesson in American History and how it became that you are now able to own your own little slice of the United States, but that would take a lot of typing and I would surmise that you already have an idea about most of the details.
I also think it is unfair that you feel that the council members do not care about your dilemma. I believe they do care. But they must do what is best for the COMMUNITY as a WHOLE.
And finally, I will restate again that I have no anger toward anyone who opposes this development. I am angry that those who oppose this development allow their spokespeople to provide misinformation about the proposed development and the developer. It speaks volumes to me about an organization when a lack of honesty and integrity are so prevalent in their printed and spoken word.
Thank you for your comment.
You wrote ” I am angry that those who oppose this development allow their spokespeople to provide misinformation about the proposed development and the developer. It speaks volumes to me about an organization when a lack of honesty and integrity are so prevalent in their printed and spoken word.”
All of the emails and posts that I write are substantiated with sources, most of which are from the South Euclid website. The map in the post was published by First Interstate–click on the picture and you can see that for yourself. I downloaded it from the City of South Euclid’s website.
I appreciate a spirited exchange of ideas and opinion. But, there is nothing dishonest about anything I post. Citizens for Oakwood is being held to a higher standard than the developer or the city officials, and we are meeting that standard.
And that is all well and good if I had posted comments about the information that you are posting from the SE website or from the FI Map.
But I have never once questioned that. I have questioned why you post rumors about supposed back room deals. I have questioned why you post pictures (and their captions)of a Wal Mart but then say you are not speciffically talking about a Wal Mart. I have questioned why you would state that the developer only wants to make a quick dollar and then leave the area but that you feel it necessary to work with them in some capacity because of their expertise.
Typing that I now question why if you feel the developer has is an expert, you wouldn’t trust their judgement in developing this property.
I question how you post pictures of private property and state that no one will ever get to enjoy the property if it becomes BIG BOX infested (my words not yours). When in reality, no one except a select few have ever been able to enjoy the property. I question why you have not posted any facts about First Interstate from their web site. I question why you feel that the developer does not care about this community.
I do not question your right to have an opposing view on this matter. I do however question your methods in delivering that opinion to the community.
Why don’t you start interviewing and posting artices about every development that First Interstate has in Northeast Ohio. You seem to have the resources to do so. Why not talk to community leaders, have finacial impact studies done, find out which residents were grossly affected ny the development and have them chime in. Talk to people who moved into the area because they were able to get a local job with a national retailer. Find me more negatives than positives in those situations and I will pay attention. Find more more positives than negatives and I will ask you to do the same.
I suppose by caring for my own quality of life I am being selfish. Jack and Ben where do you live in realtion to this development? Will you both be backing up to it? If this development would some how save S.E. AND C.H. i would support it in a minute, but it wont. Both cities lost population in the census not gain. So why more retail? Cedar Center North if it;s ever finished will add additional retail square footage. How much can all these communities support? By the way if you would like to start a trust fund so when I sell my home the 25 too 30 percent depreciation from being next to a shoping mall is covered? I should remember it’s for the greater community good that i should enjoy the increase in traffic, noise, garbage, loss of wildlife, depriciation of my houses value if I can sell it all when the time comes. For what ? A costco, Walmart supercenter, a Red robins? Oh the 20 acre park where some of the neighborhood kids can burn it down like they did at bexely park? No thanks, i guess I’ll stick to being selfish and hoping even though I know it’s a done deal.