"Babinwood" errrrr Lakewood City Center History.

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Jim O'Bryan
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"Babinwood" errrrr Lakewood City Center History.

Postby Jim O'Bryan » Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:15 am

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I was doing a little research of 50 of Lakewood's finest buildings and when I stumbled on this one, I was amazed at how history repeats itself. Different players, different funding, but the game remains the same.

In what was called “Babinwood” by the locals, the son of a fur store owner Steve Babin (Marwood Inc.) began his construction of the city center. A fad that continues to this day as they sell off city assets making money, to prop up commercial assets doing nothing. Funny how history repeats itself. At least Babin was using his money, the last group used City funds to fail!

In 1963-1966 the INA Building (Insurance Co. North America) one of Babin’s Crown Jewels was built in two parts by the Leo Schmidt Co. with Theodore A. Badowski (1928-1991)as the architect. The east side built in 63-64, the westside 65-66. There is a noticeable seam running down the building where the two parts meet.

The building reflect a Miesian style. Floors two through seven alternating ribbons of blur glazed bricks, and windows. The first floor was stainless teal accented with black granite. The overhang and signage was added in 2007.

The 7-story building was the corner of his flagship project “City Center aka Babinwood” the first piece was the INA followed by Lakewood Center North. By 1975 Babin owned most of the property in the center of the city. Within a year of finishing his empire would start to crumble. His last project Castlewood fell into foreclosure.

To read more about this, check out the information from Lakewood Public Library, and one of their best Andrea Fischer. I wish I had gotten this from the Lakewood Historical Society, but their website and libraries are unusable and unsorted. Though they are having a great contest to find historical things. Thank you LPL.

http://media.lakewoodobserver.com/media/docs_1622639464.pdf

Info gleaned from “Lakewood the First Hundred Years” by Jim and Susan Borchet. The Sun Papers, Lakewood Observer, and Cuyahoga County Records. Thank you all.


Jim O'Bryan
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