Building Cincinnati

Construction photos: Mercer Commons, 4/12/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:00:00 +0000

On April 12, 2013, Luke Field of ‎City Studios Architecture walked me through the rehabilitation project that will bring 11 condominiums to 17-29 Mercer Street, part of the Mercer Commons redevelopment in Over-the-Rhine.

The work is part of the first phase of a three-phased, $62 million project by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), NorthPointe Group, and McCormack Baron Salazar to remake the blocks bordered by Vine, 13th, Walnut and 14th streets into 154 housing units – 126 of which will be rentals – 17,600 square feet of commercial space, and a 340-space parking garage.

The units pictured are scheduled for completion next month. The parking garage opened to the public May 9 and was dedicated during a ceremony held this morning.

Five new construction townhomes on Mercer Street and a 12-unit condominium building on Vine Street will close out Phase I.

The $22 million second phase, scheduled to break ground on May 31, will include a mix of rehabs and new construction that will yield 67 mixed-income apartments and 10,600 square feet of commercial space.

The tour starts with exteriors, then a couple of parking structure shots, then interiors moving from 17 Mercer Street to 29 Mercer Street. Unfortunately, old age and the passage of time have kind of clouded my memory when it comes to which building's which – including the one I had to climb a narrow fire escape and crawl into a third floor window to see because the new exterior staircase had yet to be built!

Please click on each photo to enlarge to 640 x 480 resolution.

1.

2. Staging.

3. Parking structure visible from Walnut Street.

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7. Rough.

8. Closer.

9. !!!

10. Does anyone remember when this building's facade collapsed?

11.

12. A better look at the crumblage.

13. Behind the crumblage.

14. Parking.

15.

16. A side of parking.

17. A rear of parking.

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23. Here you can see the stairs for the third floor unit I was talking about, on site and ready for assembly.

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27. Old woodwork.

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35.

36. Deck.

37.

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39.

40. Great view.

41.

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43. A former courtyard, will now be an entryway.

44. Deck. Hell of a view, due to parking garage encroachment.

45.

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49.

50. This unit is the manifestation of Kramer's idea of "levels".

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57. Great view, again. :(

Previous reading on BC:
More than $14M approved for Gateway's fifth phase (10/30/12)
The payoff: $59M Mercer Commons breaks ground in OTR (6/27/12)
Four ordinances approved for Mercer Commons (6/8/12)
3CDC, Model Group to highlight affordable housing options (3/16/12)
Three OTR projects win $7.1M in state tax credits (12/14/09)

MetroWest's water could drive development

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000

The City of Cincinnati is hoping that an abundance of water will help attract companies to the MetroWest Commerce Park, an 18-acre industrial site located in Lower Price Hill.

The City, Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW), and the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD) has launched a nationwide marketing campaign to lure high volume water users such as food and beverage processors, high-tech firms, and other light manufacturers. Up to 50 million gallons are available daily, with rates significantly lower than some of the City's peers.

"Water is the new liquid gold," said Biju George, GCWW interim director, in a prepared release. "Many communities across our country struggle with being able to provide a large quantity of high quality water at competitive prices. MetroWest provides a great opportunity for a company to reduce its water footprint because the company can use as much reclaimed water as it needs to help meet its sustainability and environmental goals."

The site also offers the potential for reduced discharge rates due to the MSD processing facility, located just north of Gest Street.

"The proximity to our wastewater treatment facility offers a real advantage," said MSD Executive Director Tony Parrott. "We discharge about 180 million gallons of treated wastewater to the Ohio River every day. A potential high-volume user would have access to an abundant supply of non-potable water for irrigation, cooling and other industrial needs at reduced rates."

Part of the site once was occupied by Queen City Barrel, which was lost in a massive fire in 2004. Since 2008, environmental remediation and infrastructure improvements have taken place at the site to ready it for light industrial, flex, and office use.

Centered around Gest, W Eighth, and Evans streets, MetroWest Commerce Park is close to river port facilities, four major railroads, and Interstates 71 and 75. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is only 12 miles away.

"The City of Cincinnati, MSD and GCWW are focused on economic and community development," said Odis Jones, director of the City's Department of Economic Development. "We see MetroWest as an opportunity to attract local, national and even global interest in a site that helps bring high volume water users -- along with jobs and new investment – to our community."

In March, City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. announced the formation of a Global Water Technology Hub, which could possibly take advantage of such a site.

Image courtesy of Google Maps

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati to accept $475K in HUD funding for MetroWest remediation (7/1/09)
Cincinnati seeking more MetroWest funds (6/9/09)
Cincinnati creates MetroWest remediation account (4/28/09)
Council to vote on MetroWest account today (4/22/09)
Cincinnati approves bonds, land swap, lease for new MSD offices (3/20/08)

Metro short-term service changes coming this fall

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Metro has announced a number of short-term service improvements for 2013, all with an eye toward boosting efficiency and ease of ridership through its updated Go*Forward regional transit plan.

The changes were identified during a major transit planning effort conducted last year and were highlighted at a public meeting held May 1 at the Duke Energy Convention Center.

Planned improvements, which will be rolled out this August and December, include:

A new limited-stop service called Metro*Plus, a bus rapid transit (BRT) demonstration project that will connect the Montgomery Road corridor from Kenwood to Uptown and Downtown, scheduled to launch in August. Currently, riders must transfer to get from Montgomery Road to Uptown.
Additional service options along heavily-traveled corridors, including Colerain Avenue, Glenway Avenue, Winton Road, Vine Street, and Reading Road.
More crosstown services, which will reduce the focus on Downtown transfers.
Streamlined routes that will shorten travel times.

The new $6.9 million Uptown Transit District, which will consolidate routes to better serve the neighborhood's major employment centers, is scheduled to break ground soon and should be open by the end of the year. Boarding areas, which will feature enhanced shelters and real-time information boards, will be located on Vine Street, between E McMillan and Calhoun streets; at Jefferson and W University avenues; at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; and at Hughes Corner, located at the western end of the Clifton Heights business district.

"Last year, we listened to the community's suggestions and, as a result, are proposing a number of service changes to better meet our customers' needs and attract new riders," Metro CEO and General Manager Terry Garcia Crews said in a prepared release. "We're ready to go forward with improvements that will make Metro more efficient, more convenient, and easier to ride."

Suggested long-term recommendations include full BRT service, additional crosstown routes, neighborhood circulators, more express buses and park-and-ride locations, call-and-ride zones, transit centers and upgraded stops, and additional shelters.

Metro is a non-profit, tax-funded public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, providing about 17 million rides per year.

Its regional transit plan was last updated in 2008.

Previous reading on BC:
Metro: 2012 one of its 'greenest years ever' (4/12/13)
Metro ridership up 4.2% in 2012 (1/25/13)
Metro phasing out tokens for tickets, passes (12/28/12)
Feedback sought for Metro's draft regional transit plan (11/13/12)
Montgomery Road Metro*Plus service to be precursor to bus rapid transit (10/31/12)

Wrecking Cincinnati: 6665 Parkland Ave

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

NEIGHBORHOOD: Sayler Park
YEAR BUILT: 1880
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Lillian Justice
ASSESSED VALUE: $31,960
ORDERS: August 2009, for roof, gutters and downspouts, siding, exterior paint, and windows. A civil fine was issued in July 2010. Water service was shut of in October 2010.
CONDEMNED: April 2011, adding rotten sill plate, a failed rear foundation wall, and weeds. An additional civil fine was issued in November 2011.
HAZARD: September 2012. The owner is deceased.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program. Demolished using Moving Ohio Forward program funding.
MAP

Planning Commission Friday: Goetz House, Oakley Kroger, Brewery District plan

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:30:00 +0000

Six items appear on the agenda of the Cincinnati City Planning Commission's next meeting, to be held tomorrow morning at 9 A.M. on the seventh floor of Centennial Two, located Downtown at 805 Central Avenue.

The agenda includes reports and recommendations on:

A utility easement for Duke Energy Ohio over portions of City-owned property at 6600 River Road in Fairfield, which would be conveyed for $1 and would allow the utility company to install overhead electric utilities that are being rerouted away from the current location, which is vulnerable to erosion by the Great Miami River.
A map amendment and nine-month extension of Interim Development Control (IDC) Overlay District No. 71 CUF Neighborhood Business District, which will allow the neighborhoods to pursue form-based codes. IDC No. 71 went into effect early this month and doesn't expire until August 8, but the extension process must begin now to accommodate Council's summer recess and its inability to use emergency clauses in its ordinances.
A nine-month extension of IDC No. 72 Uptown District, allowing for the continuation of the MLK Strategic Planning Analysis of the effects on the Martin Luther King Drive and Reading Road corridors that will result from the proposed new I-71 interchange. IDC No. 72 went into effect early this month and doesn't expire until August 8, but the extension process must begin now to accommodate Council's summer recess and its inability to use emergency clauses in its ordinances.
A final development plan for Phase 1C and a major amendment to the concept plan of Planned Development District #64 Oakley Station that would permit the construction of a 145,568-square-foot Kroger Marketplace with a fuel center area.
Local landmark and historic site designation for the Goetz House, which is located at 151 W McMillan Street in Clifton Heights. The Historic Conservation Board recommended the designation at its April 22 meeting.
Consideration of the Brewery District Master Plan.

City staff has recommended approval of all six items.

Previous reading on BC:
Development controls established in two Uptown districts (4/29/13)
Goetz house receives initial approval for landmark status (3/27/13)
Oakley Olive Garden gets LEED tax break (1/29/13)
Liberty Street 'road diet', other changes moving forward (12/20/12)

Glendale exhibit highlights four decades of change

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

A unique photo exhibit showing changes in the Glendale Historic District over the past 38 years will be on display this Saturday and Sunday from 11 A.M.-3 P.M. at Glendale Town Hall, located at 80 E Sharon Avenue.

"The Glendale Historic District Then and Now – 1976 to 2013", presented by ‎Glendale Heritage Preservation, features "before and after" images of 500 homes in the village's historic district and shows how many buildings have been lost, built, or remodeled over nearly four decades.

The exhibit is the work of Glendale Heritage Preservation founder Doreen Gove and trustee Bob Galbraith.

The "before" images were collected in the 1970s as part of the National Register of Historic Places nomination process. The 392-acre district, which includes 439 contributing buildings, was listed on the National Register in 1976 and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

Formed in 1974, Glendale Heritage Preservation is headquartered in the village square in the former Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad depot.

Previous reading on BC:
Initial railroad quiet zone study includes 6 crossings (2/19/13)
CPA lecture highlights architects of Glendale (4/19/10)
Plans for Glendale Village Square shown to public (8/31/09)
'Historic Glendale' signs make I-75 debut (4/1/08)
Evendale council to discuss Erickson impacts (1/9/08)

Wrecking Cincinnati: 2704 W Eighth St

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

NEIGHBORHOOD: East Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1875
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: Incline Place LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $39,190
ORDERS: February 2012, ordered vacated and barricaded due to gutters and downspouts, exterior paint, broken and missing windows, exterior doors, trash, missing and vandalized mechanicals, and a lack of utilities.
CONDEMNED: January 2013, issued to current owner.
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Demolished by the owner for future redevelopment.
MAP

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1774 Carll St

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

NEIGHBORHOOD: North Fairmount
YEAR BUILT: 1911
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Cross Homes LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $29,260
ORDERS: September 2010, ordered vacated and barricaded due to windows, exterior paint, and absence of utilities. Orders reissued to a new owner in March 2012. The house was approved for occupancy in July 2012. On December 29, 2012, a structure fire damaged a second floor bedroom and the attic. The fire was caused by an electrical short. Four adults and four children were displaced.
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Demolished by the owner to close out fire damage orders.
MAP

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1376 Hopple St

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

NEIGHBORHOOD: Camp Washington
YEAR BUILT: 1895
USE: Three-family dwelling
OWNER: Floyd Chambers
ASSESSED VALUE: $20,430
ORDERS: December 2010, for broken windows and gutters and downspouts. Compliance was achieved in February 2011, when it was discovered that the owner had been placed in a nursing home with Alzheimer's and was likely to remain there. The building was ordered vacated and barricaded in July 2011, citing the windows, gutters and downspouts, exterior paint, and cornice.
CONDEMNED: February 2012, adding soffits, missing doors, a rusty fire escape, cracked masonry walls and foundation, and missing mechanicals.
HAZARD: October 2012, adding rubbish and holes in the walls and ceilings.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program. Demolished using Moving Ohio Forward program funding.
MAP

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1124 Winfield Ave

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

NEIGHBORHOOD: West Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1906
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Roosevelt Elliott
ASSESSED VALUE: $57,850
ORDERS: January 2006, for porch and siding. Orders reissued to a new owner in January 2007, and then again, adding porch guardrails and windows, in April 2007. Orders reissued to new owner in March 2009, adding roof and gutters and downspouts. A civil fine was issued in October 2009.
CONDEMNED: July 2011, to the new and current owner. A criminal case was filed in March 2012. In May 2012, the owner, who was already in jail at the time, was found guilty. He was given a 180 day suspended jail sentence, court costs, and a year of probation, plus required to achieve compliance through a Vacant Building Maintenance License (VBML) or demolition.
HAZARD: September 2012.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program. Demolished using Moving Ohio Forward program funding.
MAP

April 17 ordinances help dunnhumbyUSA, Fifth and Race

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

On April 17, Cincinnati City Council approved three ordinances that will advance construction of the $122 million dunnhumby Centre, already underway at Fifth and Race streets Downtown.

The first ordinance authorized the use of tax increment financing (TIF) funds to pay for the 1,093-space parking structure and the 30,000 square feet of street-level retail space in the development. The improvements, to be financed through federal tax credits and bonds issued by the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, would be exempt from property taxes for 30 years and would be serviced by ‎dunnhumbyUSA and the building's commercial tenants.

The second ordinance authorized a 15-year Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) LEED property tax exemption agreement with dunnhumby HQ Building Company, LLC. The company is seeking LEED Silver certification through the U.S. Green Building Council.

The final ordinance executed a second amendment to the October 2012 property sale and development agreement with Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) affiliate Fifth and Race, LLC and dunnhumby HQ Building Company, LLC that makes five changes from the original agreement, including:

The removal of all references to the residential portion of the project, eliminated due to the end user's office needs and logistical issues;
Clarification that service payments from the end users will be paid to the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, rather than a loan from PNC Bank and Fifth Third Bank;
An opportunity for garage manager 3CDC to purchase the three above-ground levels of the garage from the City, for $1 per level, should dunnhumbyUSA need to expand;
The fact that dunnhumbyUSA intended to seek a CRA LEED tax exemption, which was granted; and
A statement that the lenders are entitled to certain third-party beneficiary rights.

DunnhumbyUSA will occupy 280,000 square feet of office space over five floors, and plans to add 800 full-time positions within three years of the building's completion in December 2014.

The property has been a parking lot since 2000, when the Fifth & Race Tower was demolished for an unspecified redevelopment project, including an unsuccessful overture to retailer Nordstrom. In 2008, following a condominium proposal by Eagle Realty Group that failed to materialize, 3CDC was brought on board to find a user for the site.

Just ten years ago, dunnhumbyUSA launched with four employees.

Previous reading on BC:
Fifth and Race awakes with dunnhumby Centre groundbreaking (2/1/13)
Agreements approved for Fifth and Race (7/2/12)
New Fifth and Race proposal could reach 30 stories in height (6/15/12)
Amended agreement provides up to $12M for dunnhumbyUSA building, relocation (3/26/12)
dunnhumbyUSA unveils new Downtown HQ (9/30/09)

Duke Energy Garden newest Smale feature

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

This year's additions to Smale Riverfront Park are in full swing.

Twelve oversized family swings, suspended from undulating pergolas overlooking the Ohio River, to be exact.

The attraction, located east of the park's Main Street Fountain and Plaza, is part of the new Duke Energy Garden, which was dedicated yesterday morning by the City of Cincinnati, Duke Energy, and the Cincinnati Park Board. The garden also includes large trees and landscaping, walking paths, and granite seating areas.

The swings received significant funding through a $250,000 gift to the Park Board and the Cincinnati Parks Foundation by Dianne and J. David Rosenberg. The Duke Energy Foundation contributed $450,000 to the garden project.

Cincinnati Park Board President Otto Budig, Jr. joked about the swings' immediate popularity.

"It's very clear that we're going to have to issue 15 minute tickets for these swings," he said.

Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls agreed, saying that the Duke Energy Garden will enrich the lives of everyone in Cincinnati – and the region.

"It took no 'energy' to be able to move it," she said. "We're going to see people throng down to this park due to this newest addition."

"I think it will be a huge success, and one of the most popular parts of the park," said Cincinnati Parks Foundation President Judy Dalambakis. "This is a game changer for this City."

An economic engine

Phase I of Smale Riverfront Park opened one year ago and has already been cited by economists as being a meaningful contributor to the economic growth of the riverfront and Downtown. The United States Army Corps of Engineers estimates that the park will attract 1.1 million new visitors annually.

More than $42 million already has been raised or leveraged to build the park.

"It's already an economic engine," Budig said. "It's bringing people from the City, and from the region. There are numbers we've never seen before."

Additional features scheduled to open this year will more than double the size of the park.

The Women's Committee Garden, located just west of the labyrinth, will open later this month. An extension of the Ohio River Trail to Paddlewheel Park will be completed this fall.

And next spring, the Heekin/PNC Grow Up Great Adventure Playground will open west of the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge. A 1,000-foot transient boat dock is scheduled for completion in May 2015.

Carousel, the future up for view

All of these features are highlighted in a spring 2013 construction update by Project Manager Dave Prather – including the first concept renderings of the glass-enclosed carousel building that will be installed in 2015.

Last month, the City issued a call for letters of interest from prospective firms to develop and manage the two-story 5,000-square-foot building, which would also be used as a 300-seat banquet/meeting center and would include fountains, a plaza, restrooms, and park maintenance facilities. It would be built along the north side of Mehring Way, in the vicinity of the alignment of Vine (Rosa Parks) Street.

Carousel Works, of Mansfield, Ohio is working with ArtWorks on the carousel's design (chime in here), which should be completed later this spring.

Until the park's finished, you can see an animated "flyover" video of what the 45-acre park will look like when completed, narrated by Cincinnati Parks Superintendent of Planning and Design Steve Schuckman.

MORE PHOTOS BELOW.

1. Riverwalk.

2. Awesome. Pay me $63,873/hr to do this.

3. From a swing.

4.

5. Pshtt..."labels", right?

6.

7. Macro attempts....

8.

9. This one turned out best.

10.

Previous reading on BC:
Video: Smale Riverfront Park to more than double in size this May (3/18/13)
Dohoney: Parking Modernization Plan opens revenue stream, keeps City control (2/21/13)
Cincinnati riverfront plan wins national award (1/11/13)
Smale project manager details continuing construction in video update (12/19/12)
Duke Energy provides $450K for Smale garden (10/31/12)

Artists to team with Pendleton for public art input events

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Wowhaus Studios, the award-winning artist team selected to design sculptures for the Pendleton Public Art Project, will visit the neighborhood for a series of collaborative events with residents to inform the final design of its works.

The Wowhaus team of Scott Constable and Ene Osteraas-Constable, along with project facilitator ArtWorks, is seeking ideas, images and stories to inspire a number of elements that will be installed along Pendleton Street, at its intersections with 12th and 13th streets, later this fall.

"We are inspired by the rich history and vibrant sense of community and creativity in Cincinnati, and the Pendleton neighborhood in particular," Osteraas-Constable said in a prepared release. "We see tremendous potential in this project and are excited to begin our artistic collaboration with community members and ArtWorks to create dynamic works that will become beloved icons in the Pendleton community."

The visit is part of two weeks of project-related events, which includes:

ArtWorks Pendleton Stories Night, Friday from 6 P.M.-8 P.M. at Mr. Bubbles Auto Detailing, 512 E 13th Street. Professional storyteller Omope Carter Daboiku and community expert Dan Joyner will lead an interactive story night to gather and share thoughts on the neighborhood.
ArtWorks Pendleton Photo Safari, Saturday from 10 A.M.-noon at the Pendleton Art Center, 1320 Pendleton Street. Osteraas-Constable and Cincinnati artist and photographer Marc Wavra will take residents and local youth on a walk through the neighborhood to identify and document what is meaningful and significant to them.
ArtWorks Pendleton Public Art Community Workshop, Saturday from 1 P.M.-3 P.M. at Mr. Bubbles Auto Detailing. Osteraas-Constable will offer a hands-on opportunity to the community to share the type of public art it enjoys and what artistic qualities they'd like to see in the design of the project.
ArtWorks Pendleton Cake and Paper Party, Thursday, May 30 from 6 P.M.-8 P.M. at the Pendleton Art Center. Chef Frances Kroner, founder of FEAST and a graduate of ArtWorks' SpringBoard program, will guide community members in shaping paper and food into things that reflect what they love about Pendleton.
ArtWorks Pendleton Block Party, Saturday, June 1 from 1 P.M.-5 P.M. between Spring Street Playground and 13th Street. Part of the SpringFling celebration, the party will include barbecue, live music, chalk art, and other activities for all ages.

Wowhaus was selected from 77 firms that expressed interest in the project. Based approximately 50 miles north of San Francisco in Sebastopol, Calif., Wowhaus has more than 10 years of experience in public art, furniture production, architecture, and environmental design.

"Wowhaus was a natural fit for this project," said Tamara Harkavy, ArtWorks CEO and artistic director. "They are an incredible team of artists who channel their energy and passion into understanding the many forces at play in an area. That perspective aligns perfectly with our vision – ArtWorks is the creative and economic engine which unites citizens to transform our region."

Funding for the $215,000 Pendleton Public Art Project comes from the City of Cincinnati, a National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

Final designs are expected to be revealed in June or July.

Also, ArtWorks is seeking an artist for a new mural that will be installed this summer on the side of the former Pendleton Joe's coffee shop, located at 1321 Pendleton Street.

Proposals are due by May 31 at 5 P.M., and an artist will be chosen on June 5.

Previous reading on BC:
Wowhaus selected to design Pendleton sculptures (4/8/13)
Finalists chosen for Pendleton public art project (2/4/13)
ArtWorks poring over 77 submissions for Pendleton public art project (12/20/12)
ArtWorks accepting applications for sculptural bike rack program (12/19/12)
Pendleton enforcement blitz reduces blight and crime, promotes redevelopment (11/20/12)

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1380 Hopple St

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

NEIGHBORHOOD: Camp Washington
YEAR BUILT: 1882
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Floyd Chambers
ASSESSED VALUE: $16,700
ORDERS: December 2010, for windows, soffit, cornice, and gutters and downspouts. In February 2011, the owner's girlfriend contacted City inspectors and told them that he was in a nursing home with Alzheimer's and was likely to remain there. The house was ordered vacated and barricaded in July 2011, adding tuckpointing, a lack of exterior paint, and no water service.
CONDEMNED: February 2012, adding missing doors, rusting fire escape, masonry damage, missing and vandalized mechanicals, a lack of utilities, and trash.
HAZARD: August 2012.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program. Demolished using Moving Ohio Forward program funds.
MAP

ODOT to take over Lytle Tunnel maintenance following upcoming project

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:00:00 +0000

The discovery of a 1966 agreement between the City of Cincinnati and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) over maintenance of the Lytle Tunnel has required the City to approve an ordinance of support for an upcoming project to upgrade the tunnel's lighting and ventilation systems.

ODOT had been reimbursing the City for its maintenance; however, the agreement specifies that the City is responsible for the costs. But with no money in the budget for the tunnel's ongoing maintenance needs, Council on April 10 approved the ordinance that pledges the City's cooperation with ODOT on the $26.3 million project, a move that will enable ODOT to take over maintenance duties once the project is completed.

On January 26, 2012, ODOT informed the City's Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) that the lighting in the tunnel was obsolete and that three of the nine ventilation fans were inoperable. Preliminary engineering conducted by ODOT found that the entire ventilation system failed to meet current design standards and would need to be replaced.

An alternative for replacement of the ventilation system that would have the least impact on Interstate 71 traffic has been selected, and, since that alternative would require the excavation of portions of Lytle Park, portions of the Cincinnati Park Board's master plan for the park will be implemented as part of the project.

ODOT intends to bid out the contract for Phase I work this August, with construction to begin next spring. Phase I work includes the replacement of tunnel lighting, electrical system upgrades, new tile, the sealing of tunnel joints, and the replacement of curbs with a Type D barrier.

Phase II, scheduled for bid in January 2014 and for construction between late 2014 and late 2015, will include replacement of the ventilation system and park restoration – $6 million in upgrades that will include water features, a garden, and open lawn area, and new stairways.

Approximately one-quarter of the park will be closed during Phase II. ODOT plans to conduct a public meeting on the project in the coming months.

Previous reading on BC:
Back at square one, Anna Louise Inn gets first approval (6/27/12)
Residence Inn, Downtown's first new hotel in 27 years, opens near Lytle Park (4/4/11)
Lytle Park planning this evening (6/30/08)
New Downtown and Over-the-Rhine photos (3/10/08)
Lytle Park gallery added, Downtown updated (4/23/07)

Sale of low-value land banked parcels no longer need Council approval

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000

The City of Cincinnati will now be able to bypass several steps in getting low value, non-productive land parcels into the hands of new owners.

An ordinance passed by City Council on April 10 allows the City to work with the Hamilton County Reutilization Corporation for the disposal of abandoned or tax delinquent parcels valued at less than $25,000. These property sales will no longer be subject to City Planning Commission review and Council approval.

Previously, the properties had been added to the Cincinnati Land Reutilization Program (CLRP), established in 1996 to facilitate the return of these parcels to productive use. Parcels in the program failed to sell at two sheriff's sales offerings and have been forfeited to the State of Ohio, which makes them available to the City at minimal cost.

However, staff costs associated with getting these properties into the hands of responsible citizens for new development, side yard expansion, or community gardens, often exceeds the value of the lots.

Councilmembers Chris Smitherman, P.G. Sittenfeld, and Charlie Winburn voted against the ordinance.

Previous reading on BC:
City to sell three land-banked OTR properties (2/26/13)
Planning Commission Friday: Kirby Road School, Wasson Way, land sales (1/17/13)
New Port strategic plan focuses on targeted investment, stabilization (11/20/12)
Hamilton County land bank has new blog, better info (7/16/12)
Land-banked Mohawk parcels could be sold for $1 (2/22/11)

Construction photos: Cintrifuse, 4/12/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Well, not so much construction photos, per se...but pre-construction photos....

On April 12, 2013, Luke Field of City Studios Architecture took me on a tour of a couple of his firm's Over-the-Rhine projects.

The historic Cosmopolitan Hall at 1311-1313 Vine Street, built in 1885 and most recently the home of the Warehouse Nightclub from 1989 to 2004, will soon be home to startup incubator and accelerator Cintrifuse. The $13.6 million rehabilitation, being led by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), is part of a project to make available nearly 40,000 square feet of space in three buildings, including a sub-basement that could house a restaurant or bar.

There are 13 photos in this tour. Please click on each photo to enlarge to 640 x 480 resolution.

1. Exterior.

2. Ground floor.

3.

4. Keep your eyes peeled for rot and bulging brick walls.

5. Exhibit A.

6.

7. I've always loved this space...the beer hall.

8.

9. Rickety stairs. No waiver was signed.

10. Top floor. In some cases, the term "floor" can be used very loosely. Pun intended.

11. But a great view, once the sign comes down.

12. Ladder to Heaven.

13. This the the basement. I was offered a climb to the sub-basement, but, between my extreme momental wussitude and the encumbrance of my camera, I declined. But then for some reason I entered the third floor of a building through a fire escape like an hour or so later, so go figure.

Previous reading on BC:
City supports tax credits for Emanuel; Startups, squash planned (3/27/13)
Three OTR projects win $7.1M in state tax credits (12/14/09)
Gateway III funding agreement to be amended (3/24/09)
Random project photos, 11/20/07 (11/28/07)
Random project photos, 11/20/07 (11/28/07)

Wrecking Cincinnati: 901 Blair Ave

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

NEIGHBORHOOD: Avondale
YEAR BUILT: 1925
USE: Three-family dwelling
OWNER: Marcus E. Burnett
ASSESSED VALUE: $65,880
ORDERS: --
CONDEMNED: March 2010, for a rotten and collapsed roof, gutters and downspouts, broken and missing windows and doors, a deteriorated fire escape, defective stucco, hazardouse front porch stairs and decking, and trash. The interior of the building had been gutted of its plaster. The owner told the City he planned to sell the building, but apparently had no success. Condemnation orders were reissued in September 2011. A criminal case was filed in January 2012. Two months later, Burnett was found guilty and placed into a housing compliance program.
HAZARD: July 2012, adding cracks in the foundation and masonry walls.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program. Demolished using Moving Ohio Forward program funding.
MAP

Cincinnati moving closer to solar rooftop program

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

On April 10, Cincinnati City Council adopted a motion directing the administration to establish a solar rooftop program and a new financing mechanism that would enable the bundling of residential and commercial properties to facilitate power purchase and lease agreements for solar energy installations.

The motion, drafted by Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, requests that the City partner with the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, Green Umbrella, and the Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance to develop the program.

The goal is to have solar energy installed on at least 20 percent of the City's buildings by 2028, which was one of the goals set in the 2008 Green Cincinnati Plan.

"Buildings in the United States account for 72 percent of electricity consumption, 39 percent of energy use, and 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions," Qualls wrote in a statement accompanying the motion.

Interested property owners could finance the renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades through a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, which would allow them to pay off the cost through a 20-year property tax assessment. This makes energy retrofits more viable not only for homeowners, but also for smaller businesses, which may not have access to the commercial loan market, Qualls wrote.

Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia have adopted PACE-enabling legislation. Ohio passed its legislation in 2009.

"The assessment mechanism has been used nationwide for decades to access low-cost, long-term capital to finance improvements to private property that meet a public purpose," Qualls wrote. "The PACE financing mechanism provides a strong credit that is attractive to private sector investors and without government subsidies."

The motion also supported the development of a workforce skilled in sustainable energy trades, providing jobs for City residents in the emerging green building economy.

"Cincinnati's education infrastructure is well-placed to achieve these goals," Qualls wrote.

A report on the motion and enabling ordinances are expected before Council by mid-June.

Previous reading on BC:
Qualls motion would establish new financing for solar (4/3/13)
CPA annual meeting, awards to highlight Zoo's stewardship initiatives (11/15/12)
Park Board completes solar installations (3/16/11)
United Way completes $16M renovation, conference center (3/3/11)
Parks solar project wins state award (2/14/11)

'Prep the Town' seeks volunteers to prepare 40 houses for painting

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Paint the Town is seeking volunteers for this Saturday to prepare approximately 40 houses for the main event, which will take place in Norwood on June 8.

Sanding, scraping, priming, and power washing activity will take place between 8:30 A.M. and 2 P.M. Breakfast, lunch, and an after-party will be provided.

Organized by Give Back Cincinnati, the single-day event brings together more than 1,000 volunteers to paint the exteriors of houses for owners who are physically or financially unable to do so themselves. Houses are selected through an application process, with the goal of acting as a catalyst for the beautification of the entire community.

Now in its twelfth year, Paint the Town has painted more than 350 houses in the communities of Avondale, Bellevue, Carthage, Cheviot, College Hill, Covington, Dayton, the East End, Evanston, Hartwell, Madisonville, Northside, and Price Hill.

Previous reading on BC:
Registration open for Paint the Town in Cheviot (5/30/12)
One week left for Paint the Town nominations (2/8/11)
Final day for Paint the Town registration (7/7/10)
Paint the Town seeks prep work volunteers next three Saturdays (5/13/10)
Volunteers needed for Paint the Town prep work (5/13/09)

Urban Conservator hearings today; 49 properties on agenda

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

The City of Cincinnati's Urban Conservator, Larry Harris, will hold a public hearing today at 2 P.M., Centennial Two, 805 Central Avenue, Suite 720, to determine the historic significance of 49 buildings that have been condemned and/or declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

All of the following buildings are more than 50 years old and subject to review under Section 1101-57.1(1) of the Cincinnati Municipal Code:

2805 Baker Ave, North Fairmount (single-family, 1964)
1909 Baymiller St, West End (single-family, 1882)
2634 Beekman St, North Fairmount (two-family, 1913)
6413 Bramble Ave, Madisonville (single-family, 1935)
3733 Cass Ave, South Cumminsville (single-family, 1890)

1225 Chapel St, Walnut Hills (single-family, 1895)
1227 Chapel St, Walnut Hills (single-family, 1895)
1229 Chapel St, Walnut Hills (two-family, 1895)
2730 Coy St, University Heights (two-family, 1890)
1815 Freeman Ave, West End (church, 1850)
720 Grand Ave, East Price Hill (single-family, 1915)
580 Hale Ave, Avondale (two-family, 1913)
825 Hutchins Ave, Avondale (three-family, 1865)
279 W McMicken Ave, Over-the-Rhine (mixed-use, 1855)
289 W McMicken Ave, Over-the-Rhine (multi-family, 1882)
316 W McMicken Ave, Over-the-Rhine (two-family, 1852)
222 Mohawk St, Over-the-Rhine (two-family, 1865)
2112 Ohio Ave, Clifton Heights (single-family, 1900)
309 Purcell Ave, East Price Hill (single-family, 1923)
1016 Purcell Ave, East Price Hill (single-family, 1900)
2830 Robert Ave, Westwood (single-family, 1951)
2833 Ruberg Ave, Westwood (single-family, 1957)
4247 Williamson Pl, Northside (single-family, 1886)
3669 Alter Pl, Avondale (two-family, 1920)
1522 Blair Ave, Evanston (two-family, 1890)
1524 Blair Ave, Evanston (two-family, 1890)
2442 Bloom St, South Fairmount (two-family, 1895)
1310 Boyd St, Northside (two-family, 1890)
4264 Carlin St, Northside (single-family, 1900)
2512 Chatham St, Walnut Hills (two-family, 1893)
1831 Forbus St, South Fairmount (two-family, 1900)
610 Forest Ave, Avondale (nursing home, 1900)
3117 Gobel Ave, Westwood (multi-family, 1949)
2202 Grand Ave, South Fairmount (single-family, 1890)
4563 Hamilton Ave, Northside (single-family, 1953)
1631 Harrison Ave, South Fairmount (single-family, 1875)
1637 Harrison Ave, South Fairmount (two-family, 1888)
1694 Harrison Ave, South Fairmount (single-family, 1880)
533 Hickman Ave, Avondale (single-family, 1900)
1846 Huron Ave, Evanston (two-family, 1880)
3007 Kerper Ave, Walnut Hills (three-family, 1900)
306 W McMicken Ave, Over-the-Rhine (single-family, 1895)
2634 W North Bend Rd, Mount Airy (single-family, 1941)
2280 Quebec Rd, South Fairmount (office, 1900)
2289 Schoedinger Ave, South Fairmount (single-family, 1929)
1419 State Ave, Lower Price Hill (single-family, 1908)
1597 Summit Rd, Roselawn (multi-family, 1942)
3150 Sunshine Ave, Westwood (single-family, 1912)
3560 Washington Ave, Avondale (multi-family, 1965)

Anyone with pertinent information or evidence of any of these buildings' historic significance is encouraged to testify. A finding of historic significance can prevent a building from being demolished.

Previous reading on BC:
Urban Conservator hearings today; 20 properties on agenda (4/15/13)
Today: Urban Conservator, Board of Housing Appeals, Abandoned/Vacant report (4/1/13)
Urban Conservator meets today; 24 buildings declared public nuisance (3/18/13)
Urban Conservator, Board of Housing Appeals meet today (3/4/13)
Urban Conservator, Board of Housing Appeals hearings today (2/4/13)

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1378 Hopple St

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

NEIGHBORHOOD: Camp Washington
YEAR BUILT: 1881
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Floyd Chambers
ASSESSED VALUE: $14,580
ORDERS: December 2010, ordered vacated and barricaded, citing damaged siding and an unsafe side porch, in addition to windows, exterior paint, soffit, cornice, gutters and downspouts. A civil fine was issued in March 2011. A second civil fine was issued in July 2011. By December 2011, it was discovered that the owner was in a nursing home with Alzheimer's and there was a rumored family dispute over the property.
CONDEMNED: February 2012, adding roof failure, water damage, missing doors, masonry and foundation damage, and lack of utility service and mechanicals. By December 2012, squatters had taken up residence in the home.
HAZARD: August 2012.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program. Demolished using Moving Ohio Forward program funding.
MAP

Wrecking Cincinnati: 3431 Vine St

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Fri, 03 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

NEIGHBORHOOD: Avondale
YEAR BUILT: 1917
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Zoological Society of Cincinnati
ASSESSED VALUE: $45,120
ORDERS: None since 2003.
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Adjacent to the Zoo's main parking lot, the house was demolished as part of the its strategy of acquiring surrounding real estate.
MAP

Wrecking Cincinnati: 49 Glencoe Pl

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

NEIGHBORHOOD: Mount Auburn
YEAR BUILT: 1870
USE: Multi-family dwelling
OWNER: Leroy Glen Investment LLC (Eagle Realty Group)
ASSESSED VALUE: $37,150
ORDERS: July 2001, ordered vacated and barricaded due to non-compliance on orders issued in May 2000. Ordered vacated and barricaded in August 2003, then again in November 2004. Orders issued for exterior paint, windows, exterior steps and exterior hand rail in December 2005. Again ordered vacated and barricaded in January 2007. In October 2008, it was discovered that high winds from the remnants of Hurricane Ike had damaged the roof and left a portion of it hanging over the public right-of-way. The building again was ordered vacated and barricaded in March 2009. The roof was replaced and the cornice was rebuilt, but then owner Dorian Development made no attempt to purchase a Vacant Building Maintenance License (VBML) and was depending on City support for a redevelopment project, which never came. Eventually, all attempts to clean up the property, keep it barricaded, and abate graffiti were abandoned.
CONDEMNED: November 2011, for broken and missing windows, vandalism, graffiti, weeds and litter. In May 2012, the current owner petitioned the City to block off traffic into and out of the complex to cut down on illegal dumping and vandalism, and soon began cleaning up the site.
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Demolished by Eagle Realty Group for future redevelopment as workforce housing. The building was part of the Glencoe-Auburn Hotel and Glencoe-Auburn Place Row Houses, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in December 2003.
MAP

Planning Commission Friday: dunnhumbyUSA, Fire Station No. 35, land sales and rezoning

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Five items appear on the agenda of the Cincinnati City Planning Commission's next meeting, to be held tomorrow morning at 9 A.M. on the seventh floor of Centennial Two, located Downtown at 805 Central Avenue.

The agenda includes reports and recommendations on:

A plat of subdivision record plat for dunnhumby Centre, located at Fifth and Race streets Downtown.
Utility easements for Duke Energy to service the new Fire Station No. 35, currently under construction at 2487 Harrison Avenue in Westwood.
The sale of three slivers of land at 3556 Dawson Avenue and 3600 Roll Avenue in South Cumminsville, which will be added to 8.1 acres on which Truckway Leasing and Rental plans to expand its business. The company will add 25 new jobs and retain 85 positions.
The relocation of Fifth Third Bank's drive-through ATM at 6057 Montgomery Road in Pleasant Ridge, which currently operates as a non-conforming use and is subject to review under the terms of Interim Development Control Overlay District No. 69.
A zoning change at 3630 and 3634 Boudinot Avenue in Westwood from single-family to office use, which will allow owner Grace Lutheran Church to rent one building for office use and demolish the other for a parking lot. The Westwood Civic Association voted against the zoning change due largely to the net loss of single-family zoned parcels, which clashes with the Westwood Strategic Plan's goal of raising the neighborhood's housing stock to at least 60 percent owner-occupied.

City staff has recommended approval of all five items.

Previous reading on BC:
Fifth and Race awakes with dunnhumby Centre groundbreaking (2/1/13)
Three development control districts extended nine months (9/24/12)
New station to bring CFD Engine 35 'into the current age' (7/26/12)