Lakewood To Redevelop Former Hospital Site

I am excited to share some important updates on the downtown development process for the former Lakewood Hospital site. On Monday, Lakewood City Council approved a formal development deal negotiated between the City and the private development team of CASTO Communities and North Pointe Realty. This agreement spells out the final terms of the project and will allow construction to begin in the first half of 2025.

This agreement is a significant win for Lakewood on multiple levels, meeting the goals that our community set out during the initial visioning process. This development will bring with it hundreds of housing units with diverse options; thousands of feet of new commercial space; new jobs and income tax revenue; a welcoming public space; high quality architectural and environmental design; historic preservation of the Curtis Block; and increased activity in the heart of Downtown Lakewood.

Key aspects of the development include:

Housing: 305 total units of housing, including 293 new apartment units (including a number of affordable units) spread across three buildings, five fully renovated units in the Curtis Block, and seven townhomes on Belle Avenue;

Commercial: approximately 25,000 square feet of new ground floor retail in addition to the renovation of the Curtis Block historic first floor retail space, all of which will add new energy to Lakewood’s already bustling downtown business district;

Outdoor Community Space: a 17,000 square foot plaza and community space (situated between the Curtis Block and the five-story mixed-used building at Belle and Detroit) that will be used for frequent public events and gatherings. This plaza is in addition to a similar sized new public pocket park further south in the development and a linear park along Belle Avenue;

Parking: a total of 567 structured parking spaces, including a 536-space parking garage that will serve the development and also provide additional public parking, and another 31 garage spaces in the five-story mixed- use commercial / apartment building;

Design Aspect: key elements of the design will promote downtown vitality and walkability, including a pedestrian walkway behind the Curtis Block that connects the public community space and another new connection between Marlowe and Belle Avenues.

I want to thank City Council President Sarah Kepple and all the members of Council for their partnership in evaluating and approving the agreement with the developers. Their input and feedback over time was essential. I also want to extend my gratitude to the Lakewood City Schools for their role in supporting this agreement, especially Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki, Treasurer Kent Zeman, and Board of Education President Michael Callahan. I also must thank the members of our team at City Hall who worked so hard on this project over many years, especially members of the Planning and Development Department, the Public Works Department, and the Law Department.

Finally, I want to thank you, the members of the public, who attended multiple planning meetings that devel- oped the original community vision and helped shape the final plan. Many voices were involved to ensure that this project was a success and aligned with that community vision set out years ago.

With the final development agreement now approved, the City and CASTO expect construction work on the site to begin in the first half of 2025. We all look forward to seeing the site come to life again as construction begins in the new year.