Politics & Government

Revised Drug Mart Plaza Renderings Presented to the City

The revised multi-million-dollar plans for Lakewood Plaza — also known as the Drug Mart Plaza — went "back to the drawing board" last month.

The revised multi-million-dollar plans for Lakewood Plaza — also known as the — went “.

Architects are set to present the new, revised plans to the city’s architectural board of review this Thursday.

But officials say there are still some improvements that need to be made.

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In a departure from the original plan — because of an immovable gas line under the sidewalk along Detroit Avenue — architects presented new plans last month.

The board wasn’t impressed.

Find out what's happening in Lakewoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The renderings showed structure lacking the architectural design that city officials had hoped for. 

The towers were removed. The landscaping changed. The buildings all had the same height with few differentiating features. 

Several board members said the new plan looks like a “strip mall” in outer suburbia.

The new drawings set for review on Thursday show some improvement, said Dru Siley, the city’s director of planning and development.

In a work session last week, the board examined the drawings and gave some feedback to the architectural firm for Levey and Company, the firm that bought the building from Giltz and Associates last year. 

“We look forward to seeing an improved and updated version,” said Siley.

The new drawings show some relief and texture in the bricks. Parapets, included in the original design, were put back. And the buildings had different height, with variation in the masonry and cast stone.

“They still have more work to do,” Siley said. “The board will get them to a new building. We’ll see what improvements and revisions they make.”

An extensive renovation — already under way in the back of the building — was expected to wrap up by next summer.

 will be the anchor tenant in the new space — and will expand it size by 30 percent, moving into some of the space formerly occupied by the Sakura Japanese Restaurant.

Officials from the city and from developer Levey and Company met .

When it's finished, the plaza will be without longtime tenants and , with in Lakewood.

The Blockbuster in the plaza 


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