Trinity Lutheran

[Michael Loje]

Whats this about building a Wendy's on the present site of Trinity Lutheran Church?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Whats this about building a Wendy's on the present site of Trinity Lutheran Church?

Michael

I had heard a different rumor, I thought the reason Starbuck's bought Burger King was because of the moratorium on additional drive-thrus on Detroit.


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[Bridget Conant]

The Trinity property and several adjoining parcels have been for sale for some time.

Is Wendy’s expressing interest?

[Michael Deneen]

My "industry analyst" sense doubts that Wendy's has interest in that lot.
Wendy's targets the middle class...it is too expensive for the poor (who use McD's), but not high-end enough to target the "Summers Demographic".
Lakewood, which is experiencing a shrinking working and middle class, is a poor fit for them.

It would only make sense if the new "Trinity Wendy's" is designed to replace the panhandler-infested W. 117th location.

This area already has enough Wendy's locations.....there is W. 117th, Rocky River, and the one at W. 140th and Lorain.
The Lorain and Rocky River locations have been totally rebuilt within the past few months.
I'm pretty sure the W. 117 location was redone in recent years....but perhaps my memory is faulty.

[Michael Loje]

Seems theres a meeting at city hall auditorium Wednesday Feb 21 at 7pm to present/discuss Wendys/Trinity.

[Bridget Conant]

Oh great, replace another historic structure with ANOTHER generic fast food place.

But hey, we are going to be the fittest city ever!

[michael gill]

Michael, who called the meeting? With whom?

[m buckley]

Seems theres a meeting at city hall auditorium Wednesday Feb 21 at 7pm to present/discuss Wendys/Trinity.

I'm content in the certainty that it will be the best Wendy's ever.

There's no denying that vision thing. Epic in it's scale.

[Michael Loje]

Mike, heard this second hand that some residents on Hall and Cranford were informed of this, presumably by city officials. Also mentioned on the "NextDoorArlington" website, Just wondering if anyone else heard it?

[Bridget Conant]

Seems theres a meeting at city hall auditorium Wednesday Feb 21 at 7pm to present/discuss Wendys/Trinity.

I'm content in the certainty that it will be the best Wendy's ever.

There's no denying that vision thing. Epic in it's scale.

According to Mayor Summers:

“Believe me, it will be tremendous! It will be the hugest Wendy’s anywhere and billions of people will come here. It will make Lakewood great again. It will be incredible. Anyone who says otherwise is giving you fake news.”

[Paul Schrimpf]

The 117th Wendy'shad a fire a few years ago and was reconstructed. Why do I feel like, in the zeal to tear down the administration, that the East End consistently gets the back of the hand? I live there, and it's been a great experience for going on 20 years now. Just saying...

[Bridget Conant]

Where does Wendy’s fit into “the healthiest city in America?”

Where does tearing down historic buildings that give Lakewood its charm and character fit into keeping the city attractive and able to attract visitors and new residents?

Where does making Detroit look like Lorain Rd in North Olmsted fit?

If I wanted to live in a place filled with fast food outlets and “shopping” and traffic, I would have bought a house in that sort of area.

Will Lakewood become Blandwood?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Where does Wendy’s fit into “the healthiest city in America?”

Where does tearing down historic buildings that give Lakewood its charm and character fit into keeping the city attractive and able to attract visitors and new residents?

Where does making Detroit look like Lorain Rd in North Olmsted fit?

If I wanted to live in a place filled with fast food outlets and “shopping” and traffic, I would have bought a house in that sort of area.

Will Lakewood become Blandwood?

Bridget

Once again those that make promises and rules, lie and cheat those rules. No more drive-thrus on Detroit, a promise and regulation made after the nightmares of Dunkin Donuts screwed up traffic and caused havoc on Spring Garden and Detroit, and McDonald's caused on Woodward, Detroit and Hall. Now they are planning to complete screw up the area with WEndy's at the same intersection.

This after Ed FitzGerald, and Mike Summers worked to get McDonald's to leave their neighborhood and old neighborhood.

Just another attack by those that overbought and cannot afford their taxes, broke the city and are now desperate.

I spoke with someone, not connected to anything this morning in the coffee line, and they said, "You know what is going on, is that BS true about turning a Lakewood church into Wendys?" I said there are rules in place, that is why Starbucks had to buy Burger King an existing drive-thru." Her answer, "Oh yeah and Lakewood Hospital is not closing."

,

[Michael Deneen]

Well, I stand corrected....Wendy's is definitely trying to move in.
I stick to my belief that this would mean closure of the W. 117th location.
The swarms of panhandlers on W. 117 (particularly by the convenience store on the Cleveland side, next to the tracks) have made that area feel very unsafe for many people.

Here's how I see it.....

BENEFITS
Lakewood steals a business from Cleveland.
Lakewood turns a tax exempt church property into a taxable commercial property.
Lakewood would add some jobs, albeit most of them very low wage.
Frosty-loving Lakewoodites would no longer need to drive to Rocky River (or dodge the W. 117 panhandlers) for their fix.

NEGATIVES
Traffic will be a nightmare on that stretch of Detroit Ave.
Folks on the adjoining side streets will see a lot more traffic. Woodward already has major issues.
Lakewood loses another piece of its cultural heritage. (Although to be fair, every church can't be saved).
City Hall is bringing in another national chain to undercut our local businesses.
If the fast food industry has its way, most of their workers will be replaced by automation. So most of those new jobs could be gone in a few years.

[Michael Deneen]

One more notable negative.

Closure of the W. 117th Wendy's will fuel the perception of the W. 117th area as being riddled with crime, panhandlers and carjackers.
Although it's on the Cleveland side of the border, this will be a sign of growing blight on the eastern edge of Lakewood.