LAKEWOOD, Ohio — Mayor Meghan George recently presented City Council with a plan to relocate City Hall to the former Lakewood Board of Education buildings on Warren Road.
“We laid down the reasons why this move is important, so we’re moving forward with that process,” she said.
“We recently signed a letter of intent with Liberty Development so that we can begin the due diligence period of looking at the former board of ed building.”
The estimated $23.9 million effort includes rehabbing the former board of education building, as well as modernizing the Lakewood police department and municipal court.
“The police department is in drastic need of an overhaul — we’re completely out of space,” George said. “Back in 2023, we had a space assessment of the entire City Hall, which includes the police station.
“At that point, it became very clear that the police were really out of room and we need to find a way to right-size that and give them the space that they really need to do their jobs.”
Lakewood Police Chief Kevin Fischer said he’s heard talk of the city building a new station dating back more than a quarter of a century when he joined the department.
He called the idea of adding more space exciting, largely due to female officers and staff members who comprise more than 20% of the department.
The detective bureau is also squeezed.
“It’s long overdue,” he said. “Back when I was hired, we were slated for 88 officers.
“We’re now up to 99 full-time, six part-time and 12 dispatchers — not to mention three jailers. We’re right around 27 total females, so almost a quarter of the entire workforce.”
Lakewood Police Det. Ariana Zuk said locker rooms were a big issue when she started with the department in 2012.
“At this point now, females are sharing locker rooms in the detective bureau with males,” she said. “That’s an issue in itself.
“Anytime that we do hire a new female, typically a senior female officer has to give up her locker, like I just did for this past hire.”
Privacy is also an issue with Zuk having to kick out male officers when changing.
“The same with the showers in the upstairs locker room, we really don’t have any privacy,” she said.
“I’m forced to go downstairs and use the gym facility. That’s not really adequate for us.”
The mayor noted many local police departments are triple the size of Lakewood.
The proposed new City Hall, which is also the former and original Grant School, would be located at 1470 Warren Road with the mayor noting it’s a perfect spot for folks using public transportation.
Built in 1899 and expanded in 1905, the recently rehabilitated 31,759-square-foot building would accommodate the city’s administrative side.
“We’ve worked with our bond counsel,” she said.
“We’ve reviewed our finances and we’re definitely within our financial capacity to move forward.”
In terms of a timeframe, the mayor said after going through a due diligence period, the plan is to present a purchase agreement to City Council.
“If City Council approves, then we begin working through a design-build process,” she said.
“It’s my understanding that’s a 12 to 18-month build out.”
Read more news from the
Sun Post Herald
here.
