Building Cincinnati

Just a little bit longer....

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Readers,

So March 8 has passed, and there have been several inquiries into when Building Cincinnati will be published again.

It's going to be a little bit longer. I'm still awaiting a couple of agreements that I need to finalize before I can resume work.

Thank you for being patient. I promise it will be soon!

Kevin

P.S. Happy Birthday to my loving mother, who made all of this possible.

Return of Building Cincinnati delayed

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Readers,

Due to some unforeseen personal issues that have occurred over the past week, the return of Building Cincinnati will be delayed until March 8.

The re-launch will include new stories, new photos, and new features.

I'll be working all this week to make this happen.

Thank you, and I'll see you again in a week!

Kevin

Update on the future of Building Cincinnati

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Readers,

I just wanted to give you a quick update on the status of Building Cincinnati and to make you aware that I've been using my time fruitfully.

I have been in several meetings with people who have offered assistance, and I'd like to believe that I'm on the path to saving the website. There are still issues that need to be worked out, but I'm optimistic.

To those of you who have offered donations through PayPal, they are very much appreciated. If I haven't thanked you personally, I'd like to say a big "thank you" here. Your contributions will be put to good use, I assure you.

Thank you also to the many people who called, e-mailed, tweeted, and offered such kind words on Facebook and LinkedIn. Your support has fed my desire to keep this site up and running.

On an unrelated note, I've been tweaking the look of the page to update it. It's still a work in progress, but I'm trying to make it a little less stale and better integrate it with social media. Please let me know if you like it, hate it, or are indifferent.

My goal now...have things in place to resume publication on March 1. I'll do my best to make that happen!

Kevin

Building Cincinnati likely to fold

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:40:00 +0000

Readers,

Over the past three-plus years, I have been working to uncover the development news that you have wanted to read, and I'm proud to say that I believe I've built a pretty good product.

But my savings can't last forever, and, despite my best attempts to make Building Cincinnati a full-time endeavor, it's just not working. Modern life demands a modern income, which this website just can't provide.

It no longer seems economically viable for me to continue spending 50-60 hours a week researching, attending meetings, interviewing, photographing, writing, illustrating, and posting.

It's a very tough decision, whether to continue this website or to end up taking some job for which I have no passion. I am extremely passionate about development news. I love the work. I love the interesting people I've been able to meet and the interesting places I've had the opportunity to explore.

How often do people get to do what they love?

So, I'm mulling it over and spending these next few days making one last-ditch effort at saving this labor of love. I really hope that I can find a solution.

Thank you for your enduring trust and support, and I hope to be back soon.

Kevin

Hudepohl redevelopment still in play

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:10:00 +0000

Cincinnati City Council is considering an ordinance allowing the City to apply for a grant of approximately $300,000 through the Ohio Department of Development's Clean Ohio Assistance Fund for environmental assessments at the former Hudepohl brewery site in Queensgate, a move that could push the complex closer to redevelopment.

The property, at 601 W Sixth Street, is in a partial state of demolition and has been eyed for office, light industrial, or residential redevelopment by owners Hudepohl Square, LLC, which purchased the long-dormant plant in 2004.

But a three-year legal fight against demolition contractor Demetrius Ball, which began in 2005, eventually ended in the owners' favor, but left them without the money to complete demolition or proceed with the redevelopment.

Since then, the building has been open to the elements and has required City barricading on several occasions. Public Services crews have been called out to take care of the abundant weeds and litter.

The building was declared a public nuisance in March 2009 due to "excessive deterioration to the walls, floor, ceilings, windows and roof structures".

In December 2009, brothers Saeed and Safi Safi of Hudepohl Square, LLC were found guilty on three misdemeanor counts for fire code violations and were granted admission to a compliance program, on the condition that they provide a timeline for work that was satisfactory to both the Cincinnati Fire Department and the Department of Buildings and Inspections.

That timeline was submitted just before Christmas and, although details have not been made public, the owners have stated their intent to save as much of the structure as possible – including its signature smokestack.

In the meantime, the City has ordered the 1.6-acre property fenced in and all openings within 10 feet of the ground sealed shut.

If the grant application is approved by Council, a 45-day public review and comment period will be held prior to its submission.

The City has made it clear that environmental assessments must be undertaken before any remediation and redevelopment will even be considered.

Hudepohl photo courtesy of Gordon Bombay/Queen City Discovery.

Previous reading on BC:
Hudepohl property may still be developed (6/15/07)
801 W Sixth Street (2/13/07)

CAC needs outdoor sites for Fairey murals

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:08:00 +0000

In preparation for next month's opening of the Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand, the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) is seeking wall spaces throughout the City for the exhibition's public murals.

By February 4, the CAC is looking to find at least 30 outdoor spaces for the installations, which will consist of long-lasting – but not permanent – pasted paper and wheat paste artworks.

Submissions can be made to CAC Chief Preparator Joel Armor at jarmor@contemporaryartscenter.org and should include an image of the wall, building, or site; the address of the site; the site's approximate dimensions; and the property owner's name and contact information.

Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand will run on levels 4 and 5 of the CAC from February 20 through August.

Best known for the 2008 presidential campaign's Barack Obama "Hope" poster, the exhibition will feature a more than 80-work retrospective of the artist, graphic designer and illustrator's 20-year career.

Fairey, who resides in Los Angeles, last had his work displayed at the CAC during the Beautiful Losers exhibition in 2004.

Images of Fairey's Pittsburgh mural courtesy of the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art.

Christian Moerlein fire photos by David J. Jones

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:07:00 +0000

Firefighters have been battling hot spots at the former Christian Moerlein bottling plant, 1910-1916 Elm Street, since a four-alarm fire that started Friday evening.

No amount on damage has been reported, but the fire was contained to the roof and fourth floor of the 250,000-square-foot Brewery District anchor.

Cincinnati Fire Department (CFD) Captain Michael Washington said that he doesn't believe that the building will need to be torn down.

The following fire photos were taken on Friday evening by photographer David J. Jones, who often photographs fire scenes for CFD.

* Hover over the slideshow to bring up the controls. You may stop the slideshow by clicking on the square "stop" button, allowing you to scroll through the photos at your own leisure. To get a better view, click on each image to enlarge to 800 x 600. Photos will open in a new browser window.

Previous reading on BC:
Mill Creek 'landmark' coming down (10/22/08)
Findlay Market fire photos by David J. Jones (9/17/08)

Cincinnati applying for brownfield job training grant

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:06:00 +0000

Dozens of residents in Hamilton and Butler counties could have the opportunity to gain skills in the abatement of lead, asbestos, mold and hazardous wastes through a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA).

Cincinnati City Council voted unanimously last month to accept the funding for its Brownfield Job Training Program, which is scheduled to be awarded in February or March. U.S. EPA plans on awarding grants to 12 to 13 such programs this fiscal year.

The eight-week program, held in cooperation with the International Chemical Workers Union Council, Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, Butler Technology and Career Development School, and the Cincinnati Job Corps Center, provides environmental technician training to 60 unemployed or underemployed Hamilton County and Butler County residents affected by brownfield hazards.

The curriculum includes approximately 300 hours of classroom instruction and on-the-job training.

No recent numbers are available, but, during the two grant cycles previous to 2007, the City's Office of Environmental Quality estimates that 136 residents were graduated from the program and 87 residents earned jobs with one of more than 40 employers.

$60K grant will study three accident 'hot spots'

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:05:00 +0000

An ordinance passed unanimously by Cincinnati City Council last month means that three of the City's "hot spot" accident locations will be studied by the Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE).

The ordinance approves the acceptance and appropriation of $60,000 in Ohio Department of Public Safety grants to analyze Reading Road, between Clinton Springs Avenue and Paddock Road and between Avon Drive and the Norwood Lateral (OH-562), as well as Glenway Avenue between Cleves Warsaw Pike and Ferguson Road.

Information gathered by DOTE will be used to make immediate, feasible changes to the roadways and to plan longer-term solutions to reduce the number of traffic crashes.

No matching funds are required from the City.

Previous reading on BC:
State grants could improve safety on three Cincinnati corridors (12/7/09)

Homeownership events being held Downtown this week

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:04:00 +0000

Both the theories and the practices of homeownership will be up for discussion this week during a series of events being held Downtown.

This Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 1 p.m., the Fifth Third Banking Center will host First Time Homebuyers Workshops at its City Living Mortgage Office on Fountain Square.

Sessions also will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26 and Wednesday, January 27.

To reserve your space, RSVP to Sonia Schultz at (513) 333-6419 or Sonia.Schultz@53.com.

Also on Thursday, a public forum on inclusion in neighborhood redevelopment and housing will be held at City Council Chambers, Cincinnati City Hall, 801 Plum Street.

Sponsored by the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission, Affordable Housing Advocates, and the Faith Community Alliance of Greater Cincinnati (FCA), panelists will include Elizabeth Brown of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME), Ken Smith of Price Hill Will, Aaron Greenlea of FCA, and Ozie Davis, former program officer at Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Jan Michelle Lemon Kearney, publisher of the Cincinnati Herald, will serve as moderator.

Reception and registration begins at 5 p.m., with the program beginning at 5:30 p.m.

For information, call (513) 910-5985.

Wrecking Cincinnati, 1/11/10

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:02:00 +0000

3505 Burnet Avenue, Avondale
Three-family
DOB: circa 1900-1910
Died: June 2009
Cause of death: Demolished as part of the Burnet Place project, a development by the Model Group to create 62 low-income housing units and 8,000 square feet of commercial space at Burnet and Rockdale avenues.

Remembering Cincinnati, 1/11/10

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Two years ago:

CORRECTION: Neighborhood Grants Program

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:17:00 +0000

Building Cincinnati has just received word that the Cincinnati Department of Community Development's proposed Neighborhood Grants Program, detailed in a January 5, 2010 story, was not funded for 2010 as a result of the late December budget negotiations.

Attempts to verify this evening's meeting were unsuccessful; however, there was no meeting scheduled for tonight.

The City will continue to provide funding to community councils through the Neighborhood Support Program and the Neighborhood Business District Support Fund.

Cincinnati's new matching grant program based on Seattle's

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:10:00 +0000

Cincinnati's Department of Community Development (DCD) has adopted best practices from a City of Seattle program to promote resident-driven, place-based projects in the City's neighborhoods.

Funding was approved for the Neighborhood Grants Program in the Office of the City Manager's 2010 budget. A community match of at least 20 percent of the project's cost would be required to leverage City money.*

The program is modeled on Seattle's Neighborhood Matching Fund Program, which since 1988 has awarded more than $45 million to 3,800 community projects, leveraging $68 million in matching funds and enlisting the help of more than 80,000 volunteers.

That program identifies residents and business owners as the most valuable resources in a neighborhood, arguing that they are the people best able to identify and solve localized problems.

Up to $4,000 for individual neighborhood projects or up to $6,000 for projects crossing neighborhood lines will be made available. The City anticipates funding 28-35 neighborhood groups per year through the program.

Money will be available to any nonprofit project that is resident-driven, implemented by volunteers, open to public participation, and beneficial to the neighborhood as a whole. These include neighborhood improvements; organizational development and capacity building; crime and public safety initiatives; and improvements in recreation, education, and cultural offerings.

Grant cycles end on March 5 and June 4. A scoring and ranking system will be used to choose winning first-round projects on May 15.

Building Cincinnati has been unable to verify, but a draft overview of the program said that a mandatory workshop about the Neighborhood Grants Program's application, review, and reporting process will be held on January 7 at 6 p.m. at DCD's Conference Room, Two Centennial Plaza, 805 Central Parkway.

* I wasn't able to find the exact number in the budget. However, between 28 and 35 projects at between $4,000 and $6,000, averaged out, comes out somewhere around $150,000. This would have to leverage at least $30,000 in community match

Previous reading on BC:
DCD develops action plan for GO Cincinnati report (12/3/09)
DCD will not increase number of properties eligible for rental rehab program (8/4/09)
Cincinnati DCD wants three new inspectors (3/11/09)
$110K, new staffer needed to administer neighborhood support funds (3/4/09)
Hartwell Armory site chained off (5/19/08)

Cincinnati to accept $1.48M in stimulus for solar projects

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:08:00 +0000

Cincinnati City Council has passed unanimously an ordinance allowing the City to accept three grants for the installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic arrays in more than a dozen local locations.

The grants, from federal economic stimulus funds disbursed through the Ohio Department of Development, are:

$775,665 for a 279 killowatt (kW) system at the Greater Cincinnati Water Works facility, 4747 Spring Grove Avenue, part of a $2 million energy efficiency retrofit
$451,418 for a 170 kW system at 13 locations within the Cincinnati Parks Department, to be used as a training and job creation tool for urban youth and an educational tool for the general public
$252,937 for a 93 kW system at the Duke Energy Convention Center, part of an energy efficiency retrofit that's expected to reduce the center's carbon dioxide emissions by 147,422 pounds per year

The funding awards were announced late last year.

Matching funds in the amount of $750,000 will be for the Greater Cincinnati Water Works project and in the amount of $740,000 for the Parks Department projects will be provided from each department's capital budget.

Photo by Mhassan Abdollahi, Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 license.

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati Parks implementing green initiatives (4/24/08)

GO Cincinnati adopted as official development strategy

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:06:00 +0000

Last month, Cincinnati City Council adopted the GO Cincinnati (Growth and Opportunities) report and action plan as the official economic growth strategy of the City of Cincinnati.

The motion to adopt was presented by Councilmember Chris Bortz, co-chair of a steering committee that spent more than a year developing the plan for targeted, place-based development, workforce development, and transportation investments in the City.

In addition to Downtown, Over-the-Rhine and the Uptown neighborhoods, the report identified the Madison Road corridor, the Seymour/Reading corridor, and the Queensgate/South Mill Creek corridor – specifically, large vacant tracts and brownfields – as ripe for new growth.

Originally released in January 2008, the City's Department of Community Development last month fine tuned the GO Cincinnati report, setting 28 short-, medium-, and long-term goals as a way to implement the plan's policy directives, to leverage public and private funds, and to measure the strategy's success.

Chris Monzel was the only councilmember to vote against the motion.

Previous reading on BC:
DCD develops action plan for GO Cincinnati report (12/3/09)

South Fairmount lab gets OK to expand

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:05:00 +0000

A South Fairmount product analysis and research firm will be able to add much needed office and laboratory space – and more jobs – thanks to an ordinance passed by Cincinnati City Council shortly before its holiday break.

The ordinance approves a 15-year, 75 percent Community Reinvestment Area tax exemption agreement with MTK, Inc. for a two-story, 9,000-square-foot addition to the Q Laboratories, Inc. headquarters at 1400 Harrison Avenue.

In return for the exemption in the increased tax value of the property, the company plans to retain 52 employees and to create at least 12 additional positions over the next three years.

Construction on the $1.6 million project is scheduled to be completed in fall 2010.

Founded in 1966, Q Laboratories performs chemistry and microbiology work for the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

The company has been in South Fairmount since 1985 and, since 1997, has occupied the former offices of the Herancourt Brewing Company.

Previous reading on BC:
CRA agreement could aid in expansion of South Fairmount labs (12/3/09)

Hamilton County Parks seek input on mountain biking

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:04:00 +0000

The Hamilton County Park District and the Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance are conducting a survey to further understand the local mountain biking demographic.

The short online survey asks about the availability and quality of local mountain bike trails and on-site amenities, what type of equipment and what skill level respondents have, and how many hours respondents have spent volunteering on local trail projects.

It also asks respondents how much money they spend at mountain bike facilities outside of the county.

The 3.9-mile, intermediate-level trail at Mitchell Memorial Forest in Miami Township is the only operating mountain bike trail in the Hamilton County Park District.

Photo by Andy Armstrong, courtesy of the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 license.

Wrecking Cincinnati, 1/5/10

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:02:00 +0000

2595 Casper Street, North Fairmount
Single-family
DOB: 1937
Died: June 2009
Cause of death: Interior fire damage, plus damage to the roof, siding, gutters, downspouts and windows. The house and lot was littered with debris and abandoned furniture, and the structure was open to trespassers.

The house was condemned in August 2007 and was declared a public nuisance in November 2008. It was razed by the City following asbestos abatement.

It appears that the property was abandoned.

Remembering Cincinnati, 1/5/10

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:00:00 +0000

One year ago:

Greener Stock available for builders next week

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:10:00 +0000

A store that bills itself as the first in Cincinnati to specialize in building supplies made from recycled or rapidly renewable materials is set to open on January 12 in Columbia Tusculum.

Greener Stock, located at 3528 Columbia Parkway, is the concept of architect Heather E. Curless, a South Carolina transplant who specializes in residential remodeling work.

Her store will feature sustainable finishes such as flooring, countertops, light bulbs and paint; consulting, design and permitting services; and waste management and contractor referrals.

"There are some really interesting products out there that we're trying to display," Curless says.

One such product is a line of plasma-induction light bulbs from Blue Ash-based DayLeit, an electrodeless lamp pioneered by Nikola Tesla that lasts much longer and uses much less energy than even compact fluorescent bulbs.

Another featured product, which can be seen near Greener Stock's cash/wrap area, is a Kirei board wood substitute made from reclaimed sorghum straw.

Every item not kept in stock will be available for special-order, and the idea is to source all products locally, Curless says.

"As much as possible, definitely," she says. "We're trying to look at it from a regional perspective."

'Going to be huge'

Curless first started hearing about green building during graduate school in Seattle nine years ago.

"There were some firms there that were working in sustainable projects, but the product was not there," she says.

She came back to Cincinnati and worked at Cole + Russell Architects (now CR Architecture + Design) for a couple of years before starting her own practice, doing mostly residential remodels.

Lookout Terrace, a development of detached townhomes on Athens Avenue, has been her largest project to date.

"I've been kind of thinking about this concept for a year and a half to two years, and then sat for the LEED exam last year," Curless says. "After going through that process, it made a lot more sense to be able to provide something like this locally. And then, once I did more research, I realized that Columbus has a store, and Louisville has a store, and Indy has a store – so it wasn't something that anyone had not heard of."

She originally looked at the Madison Road corridor – specifically Oakley – for a location, but opted for Columbia Tusculum after seeing a sign declaring the building available.

"We were initially very focused on Oakley because of the good traffic," Curless says. "But I noticed the sign on this building, and the storage, loading and parking were big factors. We're in a location that's going to be huge for us."

Building a market

Curless envisions a broad market for her products and services, especially with Cincinnati's LEED tax abatement and the cachet of the LEED label.

"I think it's going to come from a couple of different directions," she says. "Definitely, I'm going to work the architect/developer end of things. A lot of the inquiries I've gotten are from people who are interested in creating their environments more naturally. People who have been afflicted with asthma, or autism, or that sort of thing and feel like it's an environmental issue, so they're looking for natural products to put in their spaces."

Curless will work with one part-time employee to start, and tentatively plans hours of 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Her goal is to get the doors open and get a few projects under her belt, which will help finance even more displays and materials.

"It may be kind of sparse in the early stages, but we'll be building on it as we go, as we learn about more products," Curless says.

Cincinnati USGBC chapter wins national advocacy award

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:08:00 +0000

The Cincinnati chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has been presented with the Award of Excellence for Advocacy & Influence during the USGBC's 2009 Chapter Awards of Excellence presented last month at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Phoenix.

One of seven of USGBC's 78 local chapters to win an award, Cincinnati's was recognized for building the capacity of its Advocacy Circle, which helped to influence local and statewide policy.

"We were the only Chapter to receive an Advocacy Award, so it is a very high honor which sets us apart from the other chapters in the nation," said Chad Edwards, USGBC Cincinnati chapter vice chair.

Shawn Hesse chaired the chapter's advocacy efforts, which led to a surge in volunteerism.

"The dramatic increase of involved volunteers on the Cincinnati Advocacy Committee is really a testament to the strength of the green building movement in Cincinnati," Hesse said. "In 2009, the number of actively engaged volunteers more than doubled for the entire chapter, not just the advocacy committee. All we had to do was write down what volunteer roles were needed, and we immediately had volunteers ready to jump in to support green building policy and legislation at the local, state, and even federal levels."

The USGBC award also highlighted the establishment of 11 specific local initiatives, including:

Ohio House Bill 7, which would require all projects built or renovated with state money to achieve 30 percent saving over ASHRAE guidelines and to achieve LEED Silver certification
Ohio House Bill 1, which would modify residential energy code adoptions in Ohio to adopt the most recent International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) standards
Local advocacy, A pilot project to create and manage a database of interested individuals to testify to or petition City government officials
Campaigning for sustainability on The Banks project, stormwater and rain collection issues, green schools, and green homes
Coordinating with the Blue Green Alliance for a town hall event featuring Cincinnati City Council candidates
Supporting the Cincinnati streetcar, through a letter of support to Cincinnatians for Progress
Engaging Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, getting him to sign the Mayor's Alliance for Green Schools
Assisting in the creation of the City of Wilmington's "Green Enterprise Zone" legislation, which the city later passed.

Hesse said that the chapter has been making inroads nationally as well. This past September, he traveled to Washington, D.C. with two other chapter members and representatives from Columbus and Cleveland to meet with Representatives Steve Driehaus and Jean Schmidt to discuss national building energy efficiency and green jobs.

"It's really an exciting time to be part of the chapter's advocacy role because it really does feel like we are making a difference," he said.

"Our chapters are the driving force behind USGBC's efforts to make green building a reality for everyone within a generation," said Heather Tomlinson, USGBC vice president of community. "Chapter staff and volunteers dedicate time and resources to take important action locally through advocacy, outreach and education in order to produce positive results globally, and their work certainly deserves recognition."

In addition to the 78 local chapters, USGBC is made up of more than 20,000 member companies and organizations and more than 131,000 LEED Accredited Professionals.

Forest Square wins LEED tax exemption for 21-unit project

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:06:00 +0000

Cincinnati City Council has approved the execution of a Community Reinvestment Area LEED tax exemption agreement with Forest Square Apartments Limited Partnership (the Model Group) for a 21-unit senior housing infill project in Avondale.

Construction began last month at Harvey and Rockdale avenues on the $4.2 million Forest Square Senior Apartments, a 26,000-square-foot building that has been registered with the U.S. Green Building Council under the LEED for Homes program. Completion is scheduled for fall 2010.

The agreement will reduce the property tax liability of the project by nearly $900,000 over the next 15 years.

Forest Square Apartments Limited Partnership already has received $1.2 million in federal economic stimulus funding through the Ohio Housing Finance Agency and $775,000 through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's HOME program.

Previous reading on BC:
Avondale senior project seeking LEED tax break (12/3/09)
OHFA announces $1.2M for Forest Square senior infill (11/9/09)
Funding for Avondale senior infill project approved (8/17/09)
Transfer of federal HOME funding could bring senior infill to Avondale (7/28/09)

USGBC Cincinnati to host tours of Herald Building, DeSales Flats

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:04:00 +0000

The U.S. Green Building Council Cincinnati Regional Chapter will hold a free tour of the LEED Gold Cincinnati Herald Building this Thursday from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

The three-story, 46,000-square-foot building at 3440 Burnet Avenue in Avondale was designed by DNK Architects, Inc. and serves as the headquarters of the Cincinnati Herald. The building also houses offices for Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and street-level retail space.

In addition to earning LEED Gold certification last year, the structure was selected as a Green Building of America Award-winning project and was featured in the Real Estate & Construction Review Midwest "Green Success Stories" edition.

Designer Raffi Tomassian of DNK Architects, Thomas Stinger of developer Al. Neyer, Inc., and Franz Stansbury of the Uptown Consortium and Burnet Avenue Association will be on hand to answer questions.

RSVP to communication@usgbc-cincinnati.org or (513) 260-9025 to have a copy of the LEED checklist reserved for the tour. Registration is appreciated, but not required.

On January 14, a tour will be held at DeSales Flats, Woodburn Avenue and Chapel Street in East Walnut Hills. Materials also can be reserved for that tour.

Photos courtesy of Chuck Lohre, chair of USGBC Cincinnati Communications Member Circle.

Previous reading on BC:
Avondale, Uptown, CPD win $15K national revitalization award (8/17/09)
Burnet Avenue photo update, 7/6/08 (7/9/08)
Model hired to plan Harvey Commons (2/19/08)
Herald Building granted CRA exemption (2/18/08)
Council to consider CRA LEED tax exemption for Herald Building (2/12/08)

Wrecking Cincinnati, 1/4/10

buildingcincinnati@gmail.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:02:00 +0000

4108 Witler Street, Northside
Single-family
DOB: 1874
Died: June 2009
Cause of death: Water damage due to deteriorated roof, gutters, and downspouts. Insect rot. The siding had been stripped off.

It was purchased in 2006 by an investor for $5,000. Barricades on the building were removed and it was illegally occupied during 2007. The City vacated the building, and it was identified as blighted during the 90-day Neighborhood Enhancement Program blitz later that year. The property became a neighborhood dump site.

The house condemned in August 2007 and was declared a public nuisance in April 2008. It was razed by the City following asbestos abatement.

A criminal case against the owners was dropped after an inability to serve summons.