ICYMI: City of Lakewood Community Bulletin, Issue No. 5

LAKEWOOD, OH — The City of Lakewood often distributes community information along with the water bill. If you don't receive the water bill or missed the information, it's printed and available for download below.

City of Lakewood Community Bulletin, Issue No. 5

While the Cleveland Clinic moves forward with its plans to construct the state-of-the-art Lakewood Family Health Center (pictured above) — complete with a 24/7 emergency department — we thought we’d provide an update on the master agreement signed between Lakewood Hospital Association, the Cleveland Clinic and the city of Lakewood, unanimously approved by Lakewood City Council last year.

Many elements of the deal to ensure high-quality health care in Lakewood are already underway. Meanwhile, be reassured that the existing emergency department remains open and operational 24/7. This new healthcare platform, which represents more than $100 million dollars of investment, reflects current trends in health care: prevention and early detection; increases in primary care; and easier links to specialty care. Lakewood residents have local access to the entire Cleveland Clinic network and a ready supply of physicians. What remains is the opportunity for independent doctors and other systems such as University Hospitals and MetroHealth to continue to serve Lakewood residents or expand within the city.

Here’s how the parties to the new agreement on health care in Lakewood will benefit and contribute:

City of Lakewood

… Will receive under the master agreement:

• $19.7 million in cash, including $7 million in a rehab/demo fund; $8.2 million for sale of Columbia Rd. facility; $2.88 million in lease payments through June 2018; and $1.7 million in a land sale to Cleveland Clinic.
• Between $40 and $80 million in potential development value at former hospital site.
• Full ownership of and rent from the Community Health Center on Belle Avenue.
• Full ownership of nine rental homes on Belle and St. Charles, estimated at $1 million.
• Ownership of the Curtis Block for possible reuse or redevelopment.
• Control and ownership of current hospital site. The city won’t be left with abandoned land in the center of downtown.

Lakewood Hospital Association

… Is contributing $24.2 million toward the community wellness foundation, focused on improving the health and wellness of all Lakewood residents, and $23 million of its assets in transition costs.

In addition, LHA will contribute $7 million toward the rehab and demolition fund and $8.2 million for the sale of 850 Columbia Road property in Westlake.

Lakewood Hospital Association has already transferred the Curtis Block building and several residential properties to the city.

Cleveland Clinic

… Will invest $36 million of its own money for the development of the land and building at the southwest corner of Belle and Detroit into a 3-story, 62,000-square-foot family health center including a full-service emergency department. The Clinic bought the land from the city this year.

In addition, the Clinic is contributing $8 million to the new community wellness foundation; assuming more than $7 million in transition costs; and paying $2.88 million worth of lease payments to the city through 2018.

Together, the Clinic’s contributions under the master agreement represent approximately $54 million in investment in Lakewood.

What’s next: The family health center, to be operational in 2018, will replace Lakewood Hospital, which closed earlier this year following seismic shifts in healthcare delivery and after sustained financial losses. The new, modern facility will incorporate the currently-operating emergency department and will feature primary care and specialty programs including cardiac care, diabetes and geriatrics, among many others. Services will be determined based on community needs.

What the family health center does not replace is the local availability we each have to multiple hospital options should we need it, including Fairview Hospital (3 miles away), recently ranked the 4th best hospital in Ohio by U.S. News & World Report.

What’s more, the Lakewood Hospital Foundation has remained independent of the parties to the master agreement but has publicly committed to supporting programs and services that make a difference in the health and well-being of individuals and families in Lakewood and the surrounding communities.

Stay tuned, and visit www.onelakewood.com, for further updates.

Lakewood Community Bulletin 5