Although seven local Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts were rejected by the State of Ohio, the City is still pursuing improvement projects in three of them.

Ordinances authorizing the floating of $3.75 million in bonds, or $750,000 per project, had been in Council committee in early September.

Only two of the TIF-based projects, those for Evanston and Walnut Hills, were recognized by the state. Their bond ordinances passed in late September.

In West Price Hill, the City is applying $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to begin public meetings on their project.

Two projects are on the table for Glenway Avenue:

* A full-scale streetscape, which would require some building demolition and would require the addition of $750,000 in TIF-supported bond funds.
* A more limited streetscape, allowing for some or all TIF-generated funds to be steered toward business district development

In Oakley, TIF funds could be used as gap financing for one of two proposed major development projects, or could be used for infrastructure such as a rumored parking garage.

Westwood would like to use the funds to acquire and demolish multi-family housing along Harrison Avenue. The City is planning to work with the neighborhood to study issues such as blight and tenant relocation expenses.


Walnut Hills and Evanston

Design work has begun on a Peebles Corner streetscape. Working with a budget of $1.05 million ($300,000 existing budget), work will improve the four corners as well as portions of Gilbert and McMillan avenues.

In Evanston, TIF funds will fund Phase I of a streetscape that will stretch along Dana Avenue from I-71 to just past the Keystone Parke development. The design has already been funded by Al Neyer, Inc. and Xavier University.

Previous reading on BC:
Council authorizes bonds for Evanston, Walnut Hills streetscapes (9/24/07)
TIFs and streetscapes (9/12/07)
City wants to float bonds for streetscapes (9/11/07)