Building Cincinnati

Limited edition scarves, luncheon to benefit riverfront park

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

The Women's Committee for Cincinnati Riverfront Park has commissioned a limited edition silk scarf as part of its fundraising effort.

Only 500 of the keepsake scarves, designed by artist Denise Strasser, will be produced.

"When I first laid eyes on the plans for the riverfront park, the tremendous 'green' area connecting Cincinnati's riverfront to downtown provided the inspiration for the scarf," Strasser said in a prepared release. "I was thinking,'This park is going to put our city on the MAP!' It is so exciting and thus the design!"

Scarves can be purchased for $100 each through the Cincinnati Parks Foundation at (513) 357-2616, or at several Greater Cincinnati locations:

Absolutely Needlepoint, 7117 Miami Avenue. (513) 561-7999.
Alligator Purse, 2701 Erie Avenue. (513) 871-6171.
Arté Nouvelle, 3445 Edwards Road. (513) 841-2783.
Isle of Skye Cashmere, 7801 Laurel Avenue. (513) 271-2589.
Khakis, 3434 Edwards Road. (513) 871-1212.

"These beautiful silk scarves will become cherished mementos of a historic turning point for the Greater Cincinnati region," said Helen Heekin and Debbie Oliver, co-chairs of the Women's Committee. "That's because Cincinnati Riverfront Park is destined to become the region's new 'front door' — attracting up to 1.1 million visitors annually and becoming a dynamic economic engine for business growth, increased real estate values, convention bookings and tourism."

More fundraising

On May 26, the Women's Committee will hold its fifth annual Hats Off Luncheon fundraiser, "We're Making History", the first event to be held at Cincinnati Riverfront Park's Jacob G. Schmidlapp Stage and Event Lawn.

The event begins at 11 A.M. with a champagne reception; the luncheon begins at 12:15 P.M. Former Pittsburgh mayor and Urban Land Institute member Tom Murphy will serve as the keynote speaker.

Tickets range in price from $100 to $1,000.

For tickets and information, contact Gretchen Hooker, development associate with the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, at Gretchen.Hooker@cincinnati-oh.gov or (513) 357-2621.

To date, the Women's Committee for Cincinnati Riverfront Park has raised over $950,000, all of which will go to support the park.

The first phase of the 45-acre park, which will open throughout this year, will feature the stage and event lawn; the Walnut Street Fountain and Steps; the Bike, Mobility and Visitors Center; the 1,100-seat Moerlein Lager House restaurant and beer garden; a labyrinth; a bike trail; donor wall and promenade; a monument to the Black Brigade of Cincinnati; tree groves; and gardens.

Previous reading on BC:
Chicago-based Bike and Roll to operate new bike/visitors center at riverfront park (3/15/11)
Latest riverfront park video details event lawn, fountain (3/8/11)
New video released for riverfront park (8/19/10)
Megen wins $4.9M contract for riverfront park (7/20/10)
Moerlein Lager House: One year 'til beer (7/14/10)

Open houses for East Side commuter rail study begin tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

The first of three open houses for the Oasis Commuter Rail study will be held this evening from 5 P.M.-8 P.M. at the LeBlond Recreation Center, 2335 Riverside Drive in the East End.

The Ohio Department of Transportation study will explore the feasibility of incorporating commuter rail service along a 17-mile-long line from Downtown's Riverfront Transit Center to the I-275/U.S. 50 interchange in Milford.

The idea emerged in 2006 from the Eastern Corridor Study's Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision (ROD) as one of four long-term solutions to address mobility and connectivity concerns in a 165-square-mile area from approximately Downtown Cincinnati eastward to the I-275 corridor in Clermont County.

"Our goal right now is to take an in-depth look at the commuter rail option and determine its feasibility in terms of function, constructability and affordability," said ODOT project manager Andy Fluegemann. "We will examine possible alignments and station locations, and evaluate which rail technologies would best meet the region's needs. We also will be looking at estimated costs and the projected return on investment for the region."

Currently, the project is divided into four segments: one mile between the Riverfront Transit Center and the Montgomery Inn Boathouse; seven miles between the Montgomery Inn Boathouse and U.S. 50 in Fairfax; four miles between Fairfax and Ancor, just northeast of Newtown; and five miles between Ancor and Milford.

Tentative station locations include the Riverfront Transit Center, Adams Crossing, the East End near Torrence Parkway, Columbia Parkway and Delta Avenue, Lunken Airport, Beechmont Avenue and Wooster Pike, Red Bank Road, Newtown Road, Ancor/Broadwell Road, and Milford.

Cost estimates are $411 million.

Alternatives will be refined through engineering, environmental analysis and comparative impact evaluation, with a preferred alternative – or a no-build option – selected early next year.

The project team will rely heavily on public input. Many East Side communities, such as Columbia Tusculum, the East End, Mount Adams, and Newtown, have expressed strong reservations about commuter trains coming through their neighborhoods.

Additional open houses will be held Wednesday from 5 P.M.-8 P.M. at the R.G. Cribbet (Fairfax) Recreation Center, 5903 Hawthorne Avenue, and Thursday from 5 P.M.-8 P.M. at the Milford High School cafeteria, 1 Eagles Way.

For all three open houses, an open comment and Q&A session begins at 7 P.M.

"People living in communities to be served by the Oasis Commuter Rail line have an on-the-ground knowledge of the areas we are studying and may have valuable information that should be considered during the evaluation process," Fluegemann said.

According to the ROD, transportation routes in the corridor exceed their design capacity, and average daily traffic volumes on interstates and major arteries are expected increase up to 81 percent by 2030.

Three other multi-modal components are also under consideration: expanded bus transit, additional highway capacity, and multiple local transportation network improvements.

An updated Eastern Corridor project website was launched in late March, and additional information on the Oasis commuter rail line will be added as the study moves forward.

ODOT will accept public comments on materials presented at the open houses through April 22, either in person or on the project website.

Previous reading on BC:
Streetcar tentatively awarded $15M, other projects recommended (3/22/10)
Caution, communication needed in 3C Corridor choices (8/6/09)
East Row: Keep Ohio commuters in Ohio (3/21/08)
Qualls submits OKI 2030 recommendations (1/8/08)

Incline District closer to formal recognition

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:00:00 +0000

The Incline District, which encompasses parts of the Cincinnati neighborhoods of East Price Hill, Lower Price Hill, and Sedamsville, should soon be recognized as a sub-neighborhood on all City maps and planning documents.

The City Planning Commission recommended the measure at its Friday meeting. City Council still must approve of the change.

Community leaders, developers, and residents sought the change to better promote and market a more focused area, a one mile by three-quarter mile area of 2,500 residents roughly bounded by Elberon, Warsaw, and State avenues.

Current and completed projects in the area include the Elberon Senior Apartments, Incline Village, the Incline Business District Master Plan focused along Price Avenue, a new Kroger store and streetscape, and multiple homeownership rehabs by Price Hill Will.

In 2008, Cincinnati City Council adopted a motion directing the change.

If approved, the Incline District would be the first sub-neighborhood sought and approved for any of the City's 52 neighborhoods.

A gateway sign is planned for the corner of Elberon and Mt. Hope avenues, to be funded by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, Price Hill Will, City NSP funds, and private contributions.

Previous reading on BC:
Model Group wins LEED tax exemptions for Elberon, Woodburn Pointe (3/21/11)
Work on Elberon project officially begins (2/24/11)
Incline District project wins $750K grant (7/7/10)
Price Hill, City celebrate first NSP rehab and sale (4/21/10)
Cincinnati moves to recognize Incline District (3/26/08)

Foreclosure report shows 2010 filings down, losses up

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:00:00 +0000

The economic downturn that began in 2007 continued to affect homeowners throughout 2010, according to a new report by Working in Neighborhoods (WIN).

The Recession Is Over? Hamilton County Families Are Still In Foreclosure (PDF), the eighth foreclosure report produced by WIN, analyzes foreclosure statistics from the Cincinnati Court Index's Sheriff Sale Listing for each of Hamilton County's municipalities and the City of Cincinnati's neighborhoods.

The report shows that while the county experienced a 2 percent decline in the total number of first filings, the number of completed foreclosures rose 11 percent from 2009 levels, with approximately two-thirds of municipalities experiencing an increase.

In Cincinnati, nearly half of all neighborhoods experienced an increase in the number of listings and completed sales. However, over the past six years, the City has seen a decreasing share of foreclosures while suburban municipalities have seen their share increase.

In 2010, the number of completed foreclosures in Hamilton County was 2,940, an increase of 300 over 2009 – but 146 below 2008 levels.

Colerain, Springfield, and Green townships, due to their large size, topped the list of municipalities with the most completed foreclosures. The highest foreclosure rates were found in Elmwood Place, Addyston, and Cleves.

Of the 2,940 completed foreclosures, 1,205 occurred within the City of Cincinnati, an increase of 54 over 2009. The City hit its peak in 2006 with 1,533 foreclosures.

Westwood, West Price Hill, and East Price Hill saw the most completed foreclosures in 2010, but the largest percentage increases occurred in Hartwell, Linwood, and the East End.

Approximately 1.67 percent of the county's housing units, or 5,580 properties, have completed within the past two years.

Most of the foreclosure activity has taken place in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, and can be traced to high rates of unemployment and underemployment, the report says.

Statewide, Ohio experienced 85,483 new foreclosure filings in 2010, a 4 percent decrease from 2009.

Previous reading on BC:
Foreclosed properties getting a makeover in Westwood, Kennedy Heights (3/24/11)
Cincinnati accepts $8.1M for foreclosure remediation (5/4/10)
Ohio land bank bill now law (4/8/10)
Knox Hill neighborhood tour, 3/20/10 (4/5/10)
Neighborhood stabilization funding to be tweaked (5/13/09)

Winburn: Scrap streetcar, look into 'trolley' buses

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Cincinnati City Councilmember Charlie Winburn wants the City to scrap the streetcar and replace it with Downtown 'trolley' buses, a system that could eventually expand to Western Hills, Sharonville, Blue Ash, and other suburban communities.

Winburn introduced a motion before Council asking City Manager Milton Dohoney to study the feasibility of implementing the Cincinnati Downtown Trolley, which would provide free rides between residential, employment, and entertainment centers.

He also wants Dohoney to work with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to determine if some of the funds allocated to the streetcar project could be used to purchase 15 buses, which would look like trolleys but, unlike true trolley buses, would not rely on overhead wires. The City would also work with the private sector, likely through the Cincinnati Business Committee, to secure operational funding.

Winburn thinks that the buses would create benefits similar to those brought by buses operated by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA), such as a greater use of public transportation, a reduction in traffic congestion, improved air quality, a reduction in our demand for foreign oil, and greater connectivity to other City neighborhoods.

Key Cleveland business leaders and representatives from RTA would be invited to Cincinnati to brief City leaders as part of the study. RTA's 'trolley' buses carry more than 4,000 riders per day.

Loss of streetcar funding would leave hole

Winburn's plan comes at a time when the City faces the loss of nearly $52 million in streetcar funding through the ODOT Transportation Review Advisory Council's (TRAC) 2011-2015 Major New Program List.

Although the project scored at the top of the committee's ranking system, a TRAC working group last month recommended removing the funding as part of $98 million in suggested cuts.

The committee will take a final vote on the funding on April 12.

The City has identified more than $150 million in funding for the project, including the TRAC grants, a $25 million federal Urban Circulator Grant, $25 million in special tax assessments along the proposed route, $11 million from the sale of Blue Ash Airport property, $7 million from Duke Energy and private donors, $6 million in restricted City capital funds, and a $4 million Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) CMAQ grant.

If the City doesn't receive the money for the $128 million, 4.9-mile loop between Downtown, Over-the-Rhine and Uptown, it could face a nearly $30 million hole – requiring the City to look at options such as eliminating the Uptown segment or decreasing the number of stops.

A proposed charter amendment that would prohibit the City from building the streetcar until December 31, 2020, spearheaded by a coalition including the Cincinnati branch of the NAACP, COAST, the Cincinnati Tea Party, the Hamilton County Green Party, and the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, will likely be on the November ballot.

Environmental document released

An Environmental Assessment document for the Cincinnati streetcar project is now available for public comment.

Interested parties can view the document online; at Cincinnati City Hall, 801 Plum Street; at the Main, Corryville, West End, and Walnut Hills branches of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County; at the Bond Hill, Clifton, College Hill, Corryville, LeBlond, Lincoln, Mount Auburn, Oakley, Over-the-Rhine, and Price Hill recreation centers; at OKI, 720 E Pete Rose Way, Suite 420; at the Ohio Department of Transportation District 8 offices, 505 S S.R. 741, Lebanon; and at the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, 602 Main Street, Suite 1100.

The City will hold public hearings on the document with project team members on April 13 and April 14, from 5 P.M.-8 P.M., at Cincinnati City Hall.

The 30-day public review and comment period closes on April 21.

Written comments can be sent to Environmental Manager, Streetcar Consultant, Parsons Brinckerhoff; 312 Elm Street, Suite 2500; Cincinnati, OH 45202.

Previous reading on BC:
Streetcar stops announced, advocacy continues (2/21/11)
Contract expiration, FTA require new streetcar bids (1/17/11)
$25M federal grant means streetcar can proceed (7/12/10)
Cincinnati approves $64M in streetcar bonds (5/13/10)
Streetcar tentatively awarded $15M, other projects recommend (3/22/10)

Residence Inn, Downtown's first new hotel in 27 years, opens near Lytle Park

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Cincinnati's first new Downtown hotel in nearly 30 years opened on March 30 at the historic Phelps Apartments, at 506 E Fourth Street next to Lytle Park.

The Residence Inn Cincinnati Downtown, operating under the Marriott brand and owned by Western & Southern Financial Group, features 134 suites in studio and one- and two-bedroom layouts.

Designed for stays of five nights or more, each suite has separate live-work spaces, fully-equipped kitchens, 52-inch flat screen televisions, and high-speed Internet access. Guests can take advantage of a daily housekeeping, grocery shopping, and same-day dry cleaning services.

Other hotel features include Bar 506, offering hand-crafted cocktails and premium wines; an exercise room; a social room; 1,157 square feet of meeting space; a courtyard with a fire pit; and The Market, a 24-7 food and beverage pantry.

Renovation of the 85-year-old building cost approximately $20 million.

"We are pleased to introduce Residence Inn hotels in the Cincinnati Downtown area," said Residence Inn Vice President Katie Tyson in a prepared release. "This new hotel was designed to be a home away from home and provides a residential atmosphere and spacious accommodations for guest comfort."

Marriott's second-largest lodging brand, the company operates nearly 600 Residence Inn hotels in North and Central America and the Caribbean, with another 154 hotels on the way. The hotel is managed by Winegardner and Hammons, Inc.

The last hotel to open Downtown was the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati in 1984.

Two other Downtown hotels are in the works – a Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites on Eighth and Sycamore streets, site of the former headquarters of the American Red Cross Cincinnati chapter; and a 21c Museum Hotel in the former Metropole Hotel on Walnut Street.

Weekly Abandoned/Vacant Building Report, 4/4/11

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Abandoned/Vacant building count

Total as of April 4, 2011: 4,978 buildings
% Change in past month: +1.4%
% Change in past six months: +6.4%
% Change in past year: +15.2%
% Change in past two years: +45.6%
% Change in past five years: +179.8%

Buildings demolished in the past 30 days

4370 Beech Hill Ave, Northside (school, ???). Razed by Cincinnati Public Schools for construction of a new $16.7 million, 86,000-square-foot Winton Montessori school.
2931 Glendora Ave, Corryville (three-family, 1896). Razed by Uptown Rental Properties for the $3.8 million, 16-unit Jefferson/Glendora Apartments project.
512 Enright Ave, East Price Hill (single-family, 1885). Vacant building razed by owner.
535 Reading Road, Downtown (warehouse, 1917). Razed by Rock Gaming LLC as part of the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati project.
1551-1553 Ambrose Ave, College Hill (two-family, 1905). Severe fire damage on a condemned building.
1132 Atwood Ave, College Hill (single-family, 1910). Public nuisance demolition.
7420 Fairpark Ave, Carthage (two-family, 1885). Razed by adjacent New Jerusalem Baptist Church, which purchased the property in October 2010. No code violations.
1539 Knowlton St, Northside (warehouse, 1939). Vacant and dilapidated, razed by owner City of Cincinnati and likely to be incorporated into the Factory Square development.
3500 Burnet Ave, Avondale (commercial, 1928). Razed by Uptown Consortium and Building Value for a planned mixed-use redevelopment.

Board of Housing Appeals meets Wednesday

A public hearing before the Board of Housing Appeals is scheduled for Wednesday at 1 P.M. at the Business Development and Permit Center, 3300 Central Parkway, to consider the building code status of the following properties:

1947 Auburn Ave, Mount Auburn (social service agency, 1880). Appeal of Cincinnati building code violations.
4078 River Rd, Riverside (two-family, 1885). Suspension of Vacant Building Maintenance License (VBML) fee - continuance.
1192 Cedar Ave, College Hill (single-family, 1910). Suspension of VBML fee.
4680 Hamilton Ave, Northside (three-family, 1900). Suspension of VBML fee.
2804 Shaffer Ave, Westwood (single-family, 1915). Suspension of VBML fee.
3319 Warsaw Ave, East Price Hill (multi-family, 1930). Suspension of VBML fee.
1133 Atwood Ave, College Hill (single-family, 1919). Suspension of VBML fee.
4527 Innes Ave, Northside (two-family, 1924). Suspension of VBML fee.
1921 Montrose St, South Fairmount (two-family, 1905). Suspension of VBML fee - continuance.
3 W McMicken Ave, Over-the-Rhine (mixed-use, 1864). Suspension of VBML fee.
135 Mulberry St, Over-the-Rhine (two-family, 1869). Suspension of VBML fee.
1608 Main St, Mount Auburn (mixed-use, 1880). Suspension of VBML fee.
1608 Hughes St, Mount Auburn (three-family, 1870). Suspension of VBML fee.
1617 Waverly Ave, South Fairmount (single-family, 1883). Suspension of VBML fee.
36 E Clifton Ave, Over-the-Rhine (two-family, 1890). Suspension of VBML fee.
4640 Chickering Ave, Spring Grove Village (single-family, 1947). Suspension of VBML fee.
4218 Fergus St, Northside (single-family, 1885). Suspension of VBML fee.
4229 Fergus St, Northside (single-family, 1890). Suspension of VBML fee.
1040 Beech Ave, West Price Hill (single-family, 1922). Suspension of VBML fee.
4141 Gordon St, Northside (single-family, 1921). Suspension of VBML fee.

Board of Building Appeals meets Thursday

The Board of Building Appeals will meet at 1:30 P.M. on Thursday at the Business Development and Permit Center, 3300 Central Parkway, to consider appeals for the following properties:

1408 Elm St, Over-the-Rhine (mixed-use, 1890).
3400 Vine St, Corryville (parking/structures).
5343 Hamilton Ave, Northside (nursing home, 1900).
5021 Whetsel Ave, Madisonville (arts center, 1920).
2918 Werk Rd, Westwood (single-family, 1919).

Port, Hamilton Co, City accepting applications for brownfield cleanup grants

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:00:00 +0000

The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority (Port Authority), in conjunction with its partners Hamilton County and the City of Cincinnati, is now accepting funding requests (PDF) under its U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Brownfield Assessment Coalition Grant program.

The Port Authority has been awarded a $1 million Hazardous Substance and Petroleum Assessment Grant to assess properties whose redevelopment may be difficult due to existing or potential environmental contamination.

Five environmental consulting firms – ATA Associates, Inc.; KERAMIDA, Inc.; PANDEY Environmental, LLC; Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc.; and The Payne Firm, Inc. – have been engaged to develop Voluntary Action Program Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulation Tier I and Tier II Environmental Site Investigations, and Remedial Action Plans.

Brownfield sites located within Hamilton County and owned by municipal corporations, non-profits, private developers, or private property owners are eligible to apply. Costs of demolition, remediation, or reimbursement for work performed is not eligible.

Highest consideration will be given to projects with a plan for economic redevelopment and the removal of any known or discovered contamination. Sites will also be evaluated for their inclusion in community master plans, completed redevelopment plans, location and proximity to existing infrastructure, and overall impact on the environment.

Applications will be accepted through July 2013, or until funds have been expended.

Previous reading on BC:
$627M in Clean Ohio-financed projects viewable in online map (3/3/11)
Ohio Dept of development launches new brownfield program (1/24/11)
Hilton Davis committee to travel to Columbus, pressure for cleanup (7/13/10)
Cincinnati seeks brownfields grant (6/10/10)
Samuel Adams expansion contingent on brownfields grant (6/8/10)

AFC offering tour of Louisville's waterfront, downtown

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Those interested in what Cincinnati's upcoming 21c Museum Hotel may look like will have an opportunity to see Louisville's, thanks to the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati (AFC).

On April 16, AFC will lead a guided tour of the hotel, along with a walking tour along the riverfront and Main Street areas.

The bus will depart at 8:45 A.M. and return at 4:30 P.M.

Tickets are $50 for AFC members, $65 for non-members, and $45 for students.

21c Museum Hotels LLC and 3CDC plan to spend $48 million to convert the Metropole Hotel at 609 Walnut Street into the nation's second 21c Museum Hotel, with 160 guest rooms, more than 8,000 square feet of art exhibition and event space, and a Proof restaurant and bar.

Built in 1912 as a luxury hotel, the Neoclassical style Metropole was added to the National Register of Historic Places last June. Since 1971, the building has served as a low-income, single-room occupancy hotel.

In 2009, Louisville's 21c Museum Hotel was named the number one hotel in the United States by Condé Nast Traveler.

21c Museum Hotels LLC also plans to open hotels in Austin and Bentonville, Ark.

Photo courtesy of the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati

Previous reading on BC:
AFC gallery opening to name, display works of competition winners (2/21/11)
Competition to showcase region's architecture talent (1/17/11)
Federal Reserve, Metropole win state tax credits (6/28/10)
Lectures, tours coincide with Betts' multi-family housing exhibit (5/10/10)
When Cincinnati was 'the Paris of America' (4/19/10)

Rogers, curator of Union Terminal, retires

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Ruby Rogers, a Westwood resident who has worked to protect Cincinnati's history for 23 years, retired on March 18.

Mayor Mark Mallory declared the day Ruby Rogers Day in the City of Cincinnati.

Rogers began her work locally in 1988 as founding museum director for the Cincinnati Historical Society and helped facilitate the opening of the Cincinnati History Museum. In 1999, she was named director of the Cincinnati Historical Society Library and Community History and official curator of Union Terminal.

But Rogers has a far more extensive history in the museum and history field, having received her bachelor's in American history from Earlham College in 1967 and her master's in history museum studies from State University of New York College at Oneonta in 1972.

She then worked in the field as assistant curator at the New York State Historical Association, curator of the Winona County Historical Society, curator of collections at the Michigan State Historical Museum, chief of Lansing Museum programs, and chief of the Museums and Historical Proprieties Section at the Bureau of History at the Michigan Department of State.

Rogers is also the managing editor of the Ohio Valley History Journal, the largest circulating Midwest historical journal. Last fall, she received The Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History.

"For over 40 years, Ruby Rogers has served her community and the history field with a commitment to the principles that made the Cincinnati History Museum and Cincinnati Historical Society Library relevant to our community," said Doug McDonald, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center, in a prepared release. "Through care and stewardship of historical resources, to preserving community stories and historical scholarship, Ruby has advanced the museum and library field with her personal and professional dedication. As Dr. Tonya Matthews, vice president of museums at Museum Center, often says, it will take four people to replace the variety of tasks that Ruby accomplished in her distinguished career."

In addition to the Cincinnati History Museum and the Cincinnati Historical Society Library, the Cincinnati Museum Center includes the Duke Energy Children's Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, and the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater.

More than one million people visit the Museum Center annually.

Photo courtesy of the Cincinnati Museum Center

Previous reading on BC:
Panel discussion makes case for Issue 6; Museum Center wins national award (10/6/09)
Museum Center to host 'historic' meeting (9/30/09)
Museum Center seeking expanded landmark status (5/26/09)

'Genius' to flow again tomorrow

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Another sign that spring has come will take place tomorrow evening on Fountain Square when water again flows from the hands of the Genius of Water.

The fourth annual Fountain Day, beginning at noon, will feature live music, food and beverages, and a dose of Fountain Square history.

Near dusk, emcee Bob Herzog of Local 12 (WKRC-TV) will introduce Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, who will give the signal for the fountain's water to flow.

The event is free and open to the public.

Fountain Day is presented by 3CDC and sponsored by Raymond James & Associates.

Previous reading on BC:
Northside Community Immersion, 4/4/09 (4/23/09)

City to accept up to $12M for Kennedy Connector road project

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Cincinnati City Council last Wednesday passed an ordinance allowing the City to accept up to $12 million in federal funding for construction of the Kennedy Connector road project in Oakley.

The funding, Surface Transportation Program and Congestion Mitigation Air Quality grants awarded through the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, will be supplemented with $3 million in City local matching funds from an un-appropriated surplus in an urban renewal capital improvement project account.

The City also will enter into two Local Public Agency agreements with the Ohio Department of Transportation for the project's first two phases, a condition of receiving federal funding.

The Kennedy Connector will consist of a new, half-mile roadway connecting the Kennedy Avenue/Duck Creek Road intersection with Madison Road near Camberwell Road, with improved access to I-71 and westbound Norwood Lateral (S.R. 562).

Additional improvements include the realignment of Ibsen Avenue, intersection realignments at five locations, new sidewalks, tree lawns, and retaining walls.

Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2012, with completion in November 2013.

The Kennedy Connector is expected to ease congestion along Ridge Road. Studies have found that peak hourly traffic volumes on Ridge Avenue and Duck Creek Road exceed the reasonable capacity of the roadways, and future development in the area, such as the proposed Oakley Station, is expected to cause even more congestion.

These heavy traffic volumes have been cited as the cause of the majority of accidents at the intersection of Highland and Ridge avenues, one of the top five accident-prone intersections in Hamilton County.

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati to apply for federal transportation grants (4/1/10)
Oakley open house shows Kennedy Connector preferred alternative (6/25/09)

City approves agreement to keep First Financial

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Cincinnati City Council last Wednesday approved an agreement with First Financial Bancorp that will help keep the company's headquarters Downtown and add up to 55 new employees.

Under terms of the 12-year Property Investment Reimbursement Agreement, the City would pay the bank 75 percent of earnings taxes generated by its new employees, or up to $2.83 million over the life of the agreement. The City also would provide a $774,450 capital improvements grant if the company invests at least $4 million in its new headquarters.

In order to receive the incentives, First Financial would be required to keep about 95 jobs Downtown and add 55 more by 2014, for a total annual payroll of $10.2 million.

Since late 2009, the bank and its 95 employees have been working from a 45,000-square-foot space at Atrium One while assessing its long-term needs.

The bank is in final negotiations to secure a long-term lease at a larger location, which has not been disclosed.

Operating in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, First Financial Bancorp operates 108 banking centers in 70 communities. In 2010, it reported $6.3 billion in assets and is the second-largest bank holding company in the Cincinnati region.

Previous reading on BC:
First Financial commits to Downtown headquarters (3/10/11)

Entertainment district allows Emanu to stay in Pleasant Ridge

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:00:00 +0000

East African restaurant Emanu has become the first business to take advantage of Pleasant Ridge's Community Entertainment District designation, deciding to purchase its building at the corner of Montgomery Road and Losantiville Avenue.

The restaurant has received one of five liquor licenses allowed under the designation, creating an additional revenue stream through the sale of beer, wine and spirits.

In a prepared release, Emanu owner Sam Yhdego said that buying the building was the logical next step.

"We're investing because our customers and neighbors have shown us so much support," he said. "We want to be here a long time."

Last April, Councilmember Laure Quinlivan met with neighborhood leaders at Emanu to discuss their vision for neighborhood revitalization.

Quinlivan helped guide the Pleasant Ridge Development Corporation (PRDC) through the state's Community Entertainment District application process, and helped change City law to help non-profit groups like PRDC apply for the designation at a significantly reduced fee.

The designation offers entrepreneurs the incentive to open a restaurant and bar without paying an expensive liquor license brokerage fee, typically between $25,000 and $35,000. Applicants still must meet state liquor license requirements, and the licenses cannot be transferred outside of the neighborhood.

"Pleasant Ridge has a great plan in place and committed organizations and residents to make it work," Quinlivan said. "It's terrific Emanu is committed and investing in the neighborhood, and I'm sure more restaurants will soon follow."

The district is expected to build District A, a collaborative arts and entertainment district the neighborhood shares with Kennedy Heights, into a regional attraction that's within a short drive of most Cincinnatians.

"Emanu's success epitomizes the community investment that District A and the Entertainment District works to multiply throughout the Pleasant Ridge/Kennedy Heights corridor along Montgomery Road," said Maria Kreppel, board chair for District A.

The business district continues to work to attract more unique and ethnic restaurants, and hopes that Emanu's announcement is a sign that Pleasant Ridge is worth investment.

Yhdego and neighborhood resident Marta Simmons will address Quinlivan's Quality of Life Committee about the positive impacts of the Community Entertainment District tomorrow at noon.

Photo of April 2010 Quinlivan visit provided

Discover Cincinnati USA during Chamber program

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0000

A month-long series of discussions and tours will examine our region's history and explore the forces shaping its future.

Discover Cincinnati USA, a new program of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, begins the four-part exploration from 6 P.M.-8 P.M. April 4 with "Metropolitan Cincinnati from 30,000 Feet", an introduction to our region and its place in America and the world.

On April 9 from 8:30 A.M.-3:30 P.M., attendees will meet at the top of Carew Tower for "Where the Past and Present Meet", a walking and bus tour of Cincinnati's past, present and future led by noted local historian Dan Hurley.

Sessions 3 and 4 cover "Creating Quality Places in the Center City and Suburbs", to be held from 7 P.M.-9 P.M. on April 25 and on May 2. The sessions, meeting at Molly Malone's Irish Pub & Restaurant in Covington and the Fairfield Town Center, respectively, will look at regional plans such as Agenda 360 and Vision 2015 and the proactive efforts to create livable communities that such plans have helped produce.

Attendees will also learn about local leadership programs offered by the Chamber, such as Leadership Cincinnati, C-Change, WE Lead, Bold Fusion and WE Speak.

The cost for the entire program is $250, and registration is required. Another program will take place this fall.

For more information, contact Lori Salzarulo at lsalzarulo@cincinnatichamber.com or (513) 579-3187.

Previous reading on BC:
Chamber, Agenda 360 win national award (8/4/09)
Agenda 360 announces council to implement regional action plan (7/21/09)
Agenda 360 named finalist for national award (7/13/09)
Agenda 360 in OTR tonight (2/7/08)
Chamber sponsoring photo contest (9/7/07)

Registration open for annual meeting of OKI conservation council

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Registration remains open through Wednesday for the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Conservation Council (RCC) Annual Meeting and Dinner, to be held April 4 at 1 P.M.-6 P.M. at the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) offices, 720 E Pete Rose Way, Suite 420, Downtown.

The meeting's agenda includes:

Welcome and Introductions with RCC Chair Dave Anspach and OKI Regional Planning Manager Travis Miller;
An OKI Update from OKI staff members Travis Miller, Emi Randall and Jane Wittke;
A look at the Ohio Balanced Growth Initiative: Middle East Fork Projectwith East Fork Watershed Collaborative Watershed Coordinator Becky McClatchey and Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District Administrator Paul Berringer;
An examination of how land banking can help preserve green space with Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission Director of Regional Planning Todd Kinskey;
Sustainable Agriculture, with Campbell County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Don Sorrell;
Project Earth: Sharing Environmental News by Television, Website and Social Network with WLWT-TV Chief Meterologist Kevin Robinson and Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District Administrator Holly Utrata-Halcomb;
A look at the Mill Creek Confluence Project with Diantha Decker and Bruce Koehler of the Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities;
Composting on the Farm and Throughout the Community with Don Sorrell and City of Springdale Director of Public Works Jeff Agricola; and
Conservation District Updates, during which each district will report briefly on new projects and priorities.

Following the presentations, RCC will take care of some organizational business, including a report from RCC Treasurer Larry Varney, a look at a draft directory of RCC conservation districts, a discussion of plans for a conservation tour to be held in Butler County later this year, and the election of new officers.

Registration is $15 for the meeting and dinner, $5 for the meeting only. Dinner will be provided by Ollie's Trolley.

For nearly 30 years, OKI has provided staff support to RCC, a coordinating body for the nine soil and water conservation districts of Boone, Butler, Campbell, Clermont, Dearborn, Hamilton, Kenton, Ohio, and Warren counties.

The RCC conducts annual meetings, summer tours, and other joint ventures meant to share information on a variety of conservation issues and management practices.

For more information, contact Gayle Foster at OKI at gfoster@oki.org or (513) 621-6300.

Previous reading on BC:
Kentucky freight conference scheduled for April 5 (3/16/11)
Public gets look at ongoing OKI freight plan (3/7/11)
OKI releases new, updated bicycle map for Northern Kentucky (7/20/10)
OKI director offers idea for transportation funding (9/2/09)
OKI wins international award for use of GIS technology (7/27/09)

Weekly Abandoned/Vacant Building Report, 3/28/11

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Abandoned/Vacant building count

Total as of March 3, 2011: 4,908 buildings
% Change in past month: +1.9%
% Change in past six months: +6.3%
% Change in past year: +15.0%
% Change in past two years: +49.4%
% Change in past five years: +174.7%

Buildings demolished in the past 30 days

535 Reading Road, Downtown (warehouse, 1917). Razed by Rock Gaming LLC as part of the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati project.
1551-1553 Ambrose Ave, College Hill (two-family, 1905). Severe fire damage on a condemned building.
1132 Atwood Ave, College Hill (single-family, 1910). Public nuisance demolition.
7420 Fairpark Ave, Carthage (two-family, 1885). Razed by adjacent New Jerusalem Baptist Church, which purchased the property in October 2010. No code violations.
1539 Knowlton St, Northside (warehouse, 1939). Vacant and dilapidated, razed by owner City of Cincinnati and likely to be incorporated into the Factory Square development.
3500 Burnet Ave, Avondale (commercial, 1928). Razed by Uptown Consortium and Building Value for a planned mixed-use redevelopment.
3403 Ibsen Ave, Oakley (single-family, 1925). Razed by the City of Cincinnati to make way for the Kennedy Connector road project.
3407 Ibsen Ave, Oakley (single-family, 1924). Razed by the City of Cincinnati to make way for the Kennedy Connector road project.
561-565 Reading Rd, Downtown (commercial, 1929). Razed by Rock Gaming LLC as part of the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati project.
24 Forest Ave, Avondale (single-family, 1900). Public nuisance demolition.
1920 Knox St, South Fairmount (single-family, 1915). Public nuisance demolition.

Now subject to demolition

The following properties have been declared a public nuisance and are subject to demolition by governmental action:

965 Elberon Ave, East Price Hill (multi-family, 1880).
963 Wells St, East Price Hill (single-family, 1890).
925 Voss St, East Price Hill (single-family, 1885).
2133 Colerain Ave, West End (single-family, 1895).
921 Foraker Ave, Walnut Hills (two-family, 1890).
817 McPherson Ave, East Price Hill (single-family, 1913).
5017 Kenwood Rd, Madisonville (single-family, 1900).
2324 Glenway Ave, Lower Price Hill (two-family, 1875).
6199 Coleridge Ave, Kennedy Heights (single-family, 1922).
1615 Dewey Ave, West Price Hill (single-family, 1908).
2911 Warsaw Ave, East Price Hill (multi-family, 1900).
4925 Eastern Ave, Linwood (multi-family, 1900).
461 Crestline Ave, East Price Hill (two-family, 1891).
2312 Wilder Ave, Lower Price Hill (multi-family, 1900).
1709 Wickham Al, South Fairmount (single-family, 1920), aka 1709 Montrose Ave.
4265 Williamson Pl, Northside (single-family, 1890).
1228 Sunset Ave, West Price Hill (single-family, 1917).
1113 Gilsey Ave, West Price Hill (single-family, 1911).

Hamilton Co planning director calls 2011 'a prolific year'

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:00:00 +0000

The Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission (HCRPC) and Planning Partnership had "a prolific year", according to HCRPC Director of Regional Planning Todd Kinskey.

These successes were spelled out in its 2010 Annual Report (PDF), released on Wednesday.

Last year, HCRPC and the Planning Partnership engaged in:

The Sustainable Hamilton County: Reinventing Our Communities workshop series, a free, four-part series on sustainability in the built environment, community finances, and emerging trends;
The 2010 American Planning Association – Ohio World Town Planning Day in Amberley Village, a planning charrette that resulted in website improvements, existing conditions reports and maps, recommendations on three potential development sites in the village, and ideas to increase connectivity;
The Woodlawn Housing Plan, part of the First Suburbs Housing Plan, which identified current and future housing needs in the village – including workforce housing;
A Land use plan update for Green Township, guiding future development and redevelopment;
CAGIS support, such as map updates and analysis, census analysis and reports, and database design and management;
2010 Complete Count census preparation, targeting tracts with low 2000 Census mail-in rates, adding new census designated places, and ensuring jurisdictions for accuracy;
Creation of a Transportation Policy Plan, a comprehensive policy statement on transportation for the county and its departments;
The Unified Building Permit Application Project, the conversion of 35 separate permit forms into a single document that can be used by all permitting authorities and the addition of a web portal, which will be launched this year;
Legislative work by the First Suburbs Consortium of Ohio;
Communities of the Future and Project Groundwork, a multi-billion initiative requiring the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati to address combined sewer overflow problems and to engage in watershed planning;
Energy efficiency and conservation programs, including the Energy Performance Contract project, Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance energy retrofits, recommendations for energy improvements to county building and zoning regulations, and a workforce development program for minorities and women to be trained as energy auditors;
The Hamilton County Land Bank, currently under study as a result of the passage of Ohio House Bill 313;
Five Trainings for Planning and Zoning Commissioners, designed to review and reinforce basic principles of planning, zoning, legal and ethical issues, meeting management, and site plan review skills;
Communications and outreach through newsletters, reports, website, and e-mail, in addition to frequent surveys and evaluations;
An Annual Meeting, held in April and featuring Scott Bernstein of the Center for Neighborhood Technology as keynote speaker;
The Frank F. Ferris II Planning Award, awarded jointly to Price Hill Will for its Glenway Market Study and Redevelopment Plan and to the City of Springdale for its Tri-County Retail District Plan; and
Melvin D. Martin Day on April 19, honoring 28 years of service to the HCRPC by the Madeira resident.

In addition to continuing similar projects and workshops, in 2011 HCRPC and the Planning Partnership plan a new housing plan for the Village of Lockland, a zoning code update for the Village of Greenhills, implementation of the Energy Performance Contract and the Transportation Policy Plan, and the establishment of the Hamilton County Land Bank.

An alliance of local planning commissions and governments served by a seven-member board, HCRPC seeks to assist Hamilton County and its communities, agencies and citizens in planning and achieving sustainable development, to build partnerships that promote regionalism, to provide data management and analysis for effective planning decision-making, and to promote an equitable balance of local, county and regional perspectives and interests in community planning forums.

It provides advisory planning and development review services to the county's 12 townships and, upon request, to the 24 municipalities that pay annual dues.

The Planning Partnership is a collaborative initiative of the HCRPC composed of an advisory board that provides longer-range, comprehensive planning approaches.

Previous reading on BC:
Greenhills wins county planning award (3/16/11)
Registration open for finale of Hamilton Co sustainability series (3/1/11)
Nominations for Hamilton Co planning award due next Monday (2/21/11)
Hamilton County sustainability series continues Friday (1/18/11)
New Mercy Hospital rezoning hearing today (8/6/09)

City would have liked to see 142 E McMicken stabilized, saved

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:00:00 +0000

The City of Cincinnati would have liked to see the building at 142 E McMicken Avenue stabilized and secured and worked for years to do so, according to a recent report to City Council by Department of City Planning and Buildings Director Charles C. Graves III.

The report was in response to a January communication from former Over-the-Rhine Foundation executive director Michael Morgan accuses Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) as being "the single largest destroyer of historic properties in Over-the-Rhine".

In the communication, Morgan alleged that the City aided CPS in the demolition of 142 E McMicken Avenue and 217 E Clifton Avenue as part of the $20 million Rothenberg School renovation and expansion project.

But Graves said that inspectors from the now Property Maintenance and Code Enforcement (PMCE) Division had issued orders to successive owners of the property since a major fire damaged the rear floors and roof of the building in 2003.

These damages were not evident from the ground on the outside but were not fixed by any of the series of owners of the building," he said. "So the building stood in serious disrepair with an open roof for approximately seven years."

'A last resort'

Concern stepped up in late 2008 when the City learned that CPS was planning the rehabilitation project at the adjacent school, which could bring heavy equipment, construction workers, and eventually school children near the property.

"Regardless of who owned the subject building, this was no longer going to be a vacant and unsafe structure on a quiet street," Graves said.

CPS submitted an application for permits for the school renovation in October 2010. Two months later, a report by a structural engineer led to the approval of a demolition permit for 142 E McMicken Avenue.

"This was done because another snow season was imminent and the prospect of the building being stabilized and secured from the elements was unrealistic," Graves said. "Emergency demolition was permitted only as a last resort."

Speaking different languages

One the heels of the demolition, City Council considered a set of recommendations developed by the Historic Building Loss Task Force, which sought to better preserve historic buildings through clarification and modification of the City's building codes.

A motion supporting those recommendations was passed on January 26, 2010.

In a March 9, 2010 communication from Joseph Brashear of Over-the-Rhine-based architecture and development consulting firm Brashear Bolton, Inc. to Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, Brashear said that he applauds the task force for recognizing that there's a major problem, but says that more must be done to give the recommendations teeth.

One change would be to expand the various boards making decisions on historic buildings – such as the Board of Housing Appeals or the Historic Conservation Board – to include people with more expertise and experience in construction contracting and in building and zoning codes.

"Some of the boards have good representation in the area of codes, and some do not," Brashear said. "Few if any of them have members with years of day-to-day, in the trenches construction and contracting experience. A better understanding of financial ramifications will lead to better decisions."

Brashear is also worried about the former Building Department, which split its functions between the departments of Community Development and City Planning and Buildings in 2008, and the Office of the Urban Conservator, which is woefully understaffed.

"They are not only administratively, but also geographically, separated, and their leaders do not speak the same language they speak," he said. "How does this improve internal communication and our ability to deal with buildings, old or new?"

Ghosh was 'duty-bound'

The latest "lightning rod", Brashear said, was the "unwarranted attacks from some preservationists" who believe that building officials such as Buildings and Inspections Division Deputy Director Amit Ghosh are unsympathetic to the cause of preservation.

"The Building Official's primary responsibility is to ensure that all buildings are safe for building occupants, the general public, and emergency personnel who might be required to enter on the premises," he said. "At some point in the building deterioration process the Building Official must decide between jeopardizing public safety and preserving the building."

In Brashear's opinion, Ghosh was duty-bound to order the demolition of 142 E McMicken Avenue, and there are multiple culprits who contributed to the building's demise.

"The blame must be laid at the feet of multiple owners who over the years neglected the building and ignored the City's orders to keep it safe, and at the feet of the community at large for our lack of commitment to the preservation of our historic building stock," he said. "If we cared as much about preservation as we care about professional football, the SOS [Stabilization of Structures] program would already be a reality, our building stock would be protected, the preservation debate would be over, and 142 East McMicken might still be standing."

Brashear also blamed the City for a zoning code that was "irreparably broken before the ink dried".

"The Task Force's recommendations are a step in the right direction; however, our zoning code and out Building Department, critical factors both, will, in their current states, act as anchors, dragging down all our best efforts if they are not fixed," he said.

Previous reading on BC:
OTR Foundation creates legal defense fund (2/1/11)
Endangered Cincinnati buildings now easier to find (1/25/11)
City committee to consider task force recommendations on historic buildings (1/17/11)
CPA program to highlight strategy for saving endangered building stock (8/4/10)
Dohoney: Most OTRF preservation recommendations 'probably unfeasible' (8/5/09)

Foreclosed properties getting a makeover in Westwood, Kennedy Heights

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:00:00 +0000

As many Greater Cincinnati communities continue to suffer from the blighting effects of the nationwide foreclosure crisis, two community development corporations are doing their part to turn those effects around by putting homeowners back into the properties.

Westwood Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (WestCURC) has been working over the past year to acquire and rehabilitate foreclosed homes in its neighborhood, selling one last September and recently putting two more on the market. Two additional homes are in the pipeline.

The two recently-listed homes, at 3738 Boudinot Avenue and 3326 Renfro Avenue, were featured in an open house held on March 13.

The home on Boudinot Avenue, listed for $119,900, includes four bedrooms and three bathrooms and has a new roof and mechanical systems. The home on Renfro Avenue, listed at $115,900, features three bedrooms and two bathrooms and has a new roof, new kitchen, and new insulation.

"In less than a year, we have taken 3 homes in poor condition and have given them new life," said Sr. Ann Rene McConn, president and CEO of WestCURC.

Federal funding through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program covers the gap between rehabilitation costs and the sales price.

"Non-profit developers like WestCURC play an important role in revitalizing communities," McConn said. "We're able to take on difficult properties that private developers won't touch. We can breathe new life into these homes and prevent spot blight from spreading down the street or through the neighborhood."

East side action

In Kennedy Heights, the Kennedy Heights Development Corporation (KHDC) is taking advantage of $200,000 awarded by the City of Cincinnati through its Neighborhood Housing Initiative (NHI).

One of five neighborhoods selected for the program, KHDC is working with the City and the Homesteading and Urban Redevelopment Corporation (HURC) to acquire, rehabilitate, and sell four foreclosed houses.

The KHDC Housing Selection subcommittee, chaired by Melissa Wolfe McNally, has studied nearly two dozen properties that fit the federal criteria of being vacant and foreclosed.

Four properties have been selected:

6640 Kennedy Avenue: Substantial renovations have been completed. The contractor is waiting for better weather to complete the driveway and patio, and HURC hopes to sell the property for $95,000.
3922 Odin Avenue: Work has begun, with new HVAC systems and drywall installed. The project should be wrapped up this spring.
3707 Zinsle Avenue: Repair specifications have been completed, and potential contractors are being sought. Work will begin later this spring and wrap up early- to mid-summer.
6508 Iris Avenue: HURC closed on the property on March 7. KHDC hopes to list the property for sale by late summer.

This is the first time in 30 years that a Kennedy Heights organization has been involved in property rehabilitation.

HURC is also working in Camp Washington, North Fairmount, South Cumminsville, and Spring Grove Village through the NHI program.

Photos courtesy of WestCURC

Previous reading on BC:
Five neighborhoods approved for foreclosure initiative (6/10/09)
Cincinnati development director recommends five neighborhoods for foreclosure initiative (5/20/09)
NHI funded neighborhoods in question (4/13/09)
Neighborhood Homes Initiative could begin in April (3/19/09)
Foreclosure initiative presented in Cincinnati council committee (5/14/08)

New section of Ohio River Trail open

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0000

A new section of the Ohio River Trail is now open in Columbia Tusculum and the East End, completing the multi-use trail from Lunken Airport to Schmidt Field.

Walkers and riders can now pick up the trail near the front door of the Lunken Airport terminal building near the intersection of Wilmer and Airport roads, continue westward along the northern edge of the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati plant, and emerge at Carrel Street.

Users then can either continue along Kellogg Avenue to Riverview East Academy, or select an alternate route along Dumont Street to the Eastern Avenue business district, Stanley Avenue, and then Riverview East Academy.

At Riverview East Academy, the new segment connects with the existing riverside trail to Schmidt Field.

A $2.8 million section between Lunken Airport and Magrish Preserve is scheduled to begin next year. A connection with the Little Miami Scenic Trail between the State Route 32/Beechmont Avenue interchange and either the Magrish Preserve or the Otto Armleder Memorial Park/Lunken Airport trail system is currently under study by the Hamilton County Park District.

Eventually, the Ohio River Trail will extend east along Kellogg Avenue to New Richmond. Its connection to the Little Miami Scenic Trail will allow bicyclists to ride continuously from Downtown Cincinnati to Lake Erie.

Photo courtesy of the Columbia Tusculum Community Council

Previous reading on BC:
Open house to share recommendations for key regional bike link (2/28/11)
Congress-Carrel hike-bike trail segment beginning soon (7/7/10)
Cincinnati approves LPA with ODOT for Ohio River Trail segment (11/18/09)
Agreement near for Lunken-Salem section of Ohio River Trail (11/4/09)
Cincinnati says 'yes' to Ohio River Trail funds (5/28/09)

Volunteers sought for Licking trails work day

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Those interested in the construction of multi-use trails in Northern Kentucky are encouraged to participate in a volunteer work day for the Licking River Greenway and Trails, taking place from 9 A.M. to noon on Saturday.

Volunteers will meet in the back portion of the Holmes High School parking lot, Eastern and Levassor avenues in Covington.

The first phase of the project is a 3,756-foot-long, 8-foot-wide paved trail beginning at Clayton Meyer Park, ascending and the following the floodwall along the Licking River and continuing southward through the nature trails at Oakland Avenue to Holmes High School.

When completed, the Licking River Greenway and Trails will extend five miles from the Ohio River to Interstate 275, impacting the communities of Covington, Newport, Taylor Mill, and Wilder.

In 2009, Vision 2015's Licking River project was merged with Southbank Partners' $170 million Riverfront Commons project, a multi-use pedestrian pathway along the Ohio River that would connect residential and commercial locations, recreational opportunities, tourist attractions, and arts and cultural sites.

Southbank Partners and Vision 2015 estimate that the entire project could stimulate $1.5 billion in private investment and create 4,000 permanent jobs.

For more information, contact the Covington Parks and Recreation Department at recreation@covingtonky.gov.

The next volunteer work day is scheduled for May 14.

Photo courtesy of Licking River Greenway and Trails

Previous reading on BC:
$350K grant to aid Northern Kentucky riverfront project (6/8/10)
Riverfront Commons project receives $25K, closer to goal (6/18/09)
Public hearing seeks Licking Greenway ideas (1/21/09)

Spring brings highway cleaning

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 10:00:00 +0000

With spring in full swing, both Ohio and Kentucky are gearing up for annual roadway cleanup efforts.

In Ohio, the Ohio Department of Transportation and Keep Cincinnati Beautiful are seeking volunteers to clean up litter along interstate highways and ramps during this year's State Roadway Cleanup.

The event begins Saturday at 8:30 A.M. with volunteer registration at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal.

Volunteers will be assigned and driven to designated locations inside the Interstate 275 loop.

To participate, online registration is required prior to the event.

Thanks to a new partnership, the first 500 volunteers will receive free admission to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

In Kentucky, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is seeking volunteers groups to join its Adopt-A-Highway program during its annual Spring Clean Week, taking place from March 20-26.

Any permanent established business, association, community or public organization, or government entity is eligible to adopt a two-mile section of highway, under a two-year, renewable contract with KYTC.

More than 900 groups participate in Kentucky's Adopt-A-Highway program, cleaning approximately 6,800 miles of roadside annually. Litter pickups are held at least four times a year, with the KYTC coordinating three annual cleanup efforts.

"The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet appreciates the efforts of our Adopt-a-Highway volunteers who help keep our highways and communities beautiful and litter-free," KTYC Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said in a prepared release.

Photo courtesy Lucio Eastman via Flickr, CC BY 2.0

Previous reading on BC:
Urban beautification project seeks $50K, your votes (1/18/11)
Covington's newest pocket park features tributes to artist Farny (7/1/09)
City calls Westwood NEP a success (8/28/08)
Great American Cleanup in Northside (5/13/08)
A City-wide bridge beautification effort? (4/29/08)

Park + Vine exhibit shows artist's support for streetcars

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:00:00 +0000

An month-long exhibition featuring poster art depicting the Cincinnati streetcar project opens tomorrow during Final Friday, from 6 P.M.-9 P.M. at Park + Vine, 1202 Main Street in Over-the-Rhine.

"Streetcar Desire" shows Cincinnati-based artist Aaron Wood's love for city living and multiple color schemes, representing a period of change in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine in which Cincinnatians are choosing to adopt a more urban, car-free lifestyle.

Through his art, Wood shows his support for the streetcar by showing how it can spur development while creating a stronger link between Cincinnati's events and landmarks.

Admission is free. Music will be provided by DJ Seb.

Wood, originally from Florida, holds a bachelor's degree in graphic design from Northern Kentucky University and has worked extensively as an illustrator, and exhibiting artist, and host of a Psychedelic music show for WAIF-FM.

Image courtesy of Park + Vine

Parks director says Mount Airy Forest 'not ideal' for mountain biking

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin LeMaster) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Mount Airy Forest is too environmentally sensitive and not ideal for a mountain bike trail pilot project, according to a recent report to Cincinnati City Council by Cincinnati Parks Director Willie F. Carden, Jr.

The report comes a month after Council adopted a motion directing Cincinnati Parks to work with the Cincinnati Off Road Alliance (CORA) and other volunteers to develop up to 20 miles of trails in the western portion of the 1,459-acre park, west of Interstate 74.

Instead, Carden said that the Park Board has proposed a pilot project in West Price Hill's Miles Edwards Park, which has less sensitive soils, slopes, and plant and animal communities.

In 2001, a consultant studying the plant communities of Mount Airy Forest found a wide variety of wildflower habitat including rare plants such as ginseng green dragon and goldenseal. Other wildflowers such as black cohosh, trout lily, trillium and dutchmen's breeches were also in abundance.

Soils within the park are comprised of Ava, Eden, Pate, and Switzerland, all of which are highly erodible, Carden said.

"Because of these weaknesses, many of the soils are moist almost year round and not conducive to trail riding, no matter how trails may be built," Carden said.

Diverging ideas

The Park Board's view on mountain biking trails in City parks was outlined in June 2010 in a report to Council, by Carden, in which he said that empirical evidence suggested that the trails caused environmental damage, lead to crime and vandalism, and were far too costly given the City's budget constraints.

In August 2010, Council's Livable Communities Committee directed Cincinnati Parks to work with a by-then committed group of biking enthusiasts to design and build a trail somewhere in the City.

The Park Board selected Miles Edwards Park.

"The Park Board never heard back from CORA but apparently CORA proceeded to develop a trail proposal for Mt. Airy Forest and presented this directly to City Council," Carden said.

In November 2010, CORA submitted a full proposal for the Mount Airy Forest Backcountry Trails, which would begin with a 7.5-mile loop for various skill levels, designed and constructed to sustainable, International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) standards.

Damage a concern

Carden maintains that other park users, from hikers to horseback riders to environmentalists, oppose mountain biking in City parks.

The Park Board continues to view mountain biking as an activity that could damage the parks and would be "an inappropriate use", he said.

"Research in the field is somewhat contradictory as there is evidence of resource damage due to mountain biking even on appropriately built trails, as well as studies claiming this not to be the case," Carden said. "There is no question, however, that some people do not observe rules about when to ride and that people will also ride off of mountain bike trails and in restricted areas, and this causes damage."

CORA has pledged to build and maintain the trails, but Carden remains unsure about its ability to do so.

"Park staff visited trails that CORA maintains at East Fork, Mitchell, and Caesars Creek and found examples of poor maintenance such as washed out culverts, severe erosion, injured trees and vegetation, litter, and failure to abide by signage," Carden said.

Carden said that is appears that riders are using wet trails and creating new trails where the existing trail is not challenging enough.

"And this all occurs at these trails which CORA built and maintains," Carden said.

Pilot project conditional

CORA has also offered to identify donations and grants to install signs, trailhead features, barricades, and other capital improvements, which it has done at other parks.

"However, if they were to do this at Miles Edwards Park, or any other city park site, there would be no Park Board staff available to inspect the work or to assure it met appropriate standards," Carden said. "Furthermore, enforcement of trail riding rules would be problematic."

But Carden did say that the Park Board would be willing to work with CORA on a pilot project at Miles Edwards Park, given several conditions.

CORA would be required to develop timetables for construction; have firm volunteer commitments for trail construction, maintenance, and public education; and show a commitment to meet with the West Price Hill and Delhi Township communities on issues arising from trail construction.

"If CORA steps up to take on this task they would be asked to first address the community council and neighbors before Parks would allow the project to proceed," Carden said. "CORA would also be asked to commit to construction, maintenance and enforcement in a memorandum of understanding with the Park Board."

Previous reading on BC:
Mountain bike trail coming to Mount Airy Forest (2/21/11)
Cincinnati may get mountain bike trails after all (8/17/10)
Mountain bikers expected to advocate before council committee (8/2/10)
Mount Washington resident questions mountain biking research (7/7/10)
Mountain biking not coming to Cincinnati parks (6/15/10)