In front of a crowd of supporters, neigborhood residents and government officials at Rookwood Pottery in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati city manager Milton Dohoney Jr. announced that the City has selected Cincinnati Streetcar Development Partners to work with the City to design, build, operate, and maintain its proposed streetcar system.
The partnership emerged as the winner out of four bidders in the City's Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process, all of which had international experience, including URS Corporation, Herzog Contracting Corp., and Bombardier.
Dohoney said that City administration was very impressed with what the partnership brought to the table.
"The competition was very strong," he said. "We were certainly heartened by the fact that organizations with international experience would be interested in working on the streetcar project in Cincinnati, but we were certainly struck by the Streetcar Partners' enthusiasm, the fact that they had thought it through, they talked to us about how they would approach building it. They have expertise in communications and planning. They have an attention to detail."
Cincinnati Streetcar Development Partners is a consortium of 12 companies, including:
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- Burgess & Niple, Ltd.
- DNK Architects
- G.J. Berding Surveying Inc.
- Wordsworth Communications
- PNC Capital Markets
- Property Advisors
- Stacy and Witbeck Inc.
- RailWorks Corporation
- Megen Construction Company
- Jostin Concrete Construction and its subsidiary Brewster Pumping
'A world-class team'
Ten of the partnership's member companies are small- or minority-owned, local businesses.
"This City really does have a world-class team standing before it," Craig said. "You'll notice, however, that most of the people standing behind me are Cincinnatians. And that is one of the things that made us really look at how we were going to do this project. And that is – to do it for Cincinnati, with Cincinnatians."
Craig said that the partnership represents the construction and design capabilities of about 80 percent of the streetcar and light rail projects in the United States, including projects in San Francisco, New York, Atlanta, Portland and Seattle.
Locally, the partners have worked on such projects as Great American Ball Park, Fort Washington Way, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
"That kind of credentials are very difficult to compete with," Craig said. "And we have a City administration, and a city manager, and a mayor, and city council who are taking this City's future seriously.
Next…financingThe next step will involve negotiating a contract with the partnership – and then continuing work on a financing plan.
Dohoney said that the City has $78 million in funding requests submitted to federal programs, including the Federal Streetcar Revitalization Act of 2009, on which City administration has consulted.
"This project cannot be built without federal assistance," he said. "The federal administration has endorsed infrastructure, green development, and training. The streetcar is all of those things. They are allocating money for these projects now. Therefore, it is timely for us to be in pursuit of it."
Donations also are being taken online at , and Craig asked everyone in attendance to "go out and make a convert".
"I believe today that all of you are our partners as well," Craig said. "Because, in order for this project to work, to support the City administration and to help us get the project built, we'll need every one of us and a thousand more. It should be a partnership between our community, a partnership with the City of Cincinnati, and it should be a partnership with the citizens of our community who really want to see this happen."
Bold projects equal growthCincinnati mayor Mark Mallory, noting that he cannot imagine another Midwestern city that is seeing so much progress in such a short period of time, said that it's time to take the next step to building "a greater, brighter future for the City of Cincinnati".
"A new streetcar system in the City of Cincinnati will lead to new development along the streetcar route," he said. "It will bring new businesses, it will bring new jobs, new housing, and new people to the City of Cincinnati. It's really all about growth."
If Cincinnati's going to continue to be a great city in which to live, it's our responsibility to grow it, Mallory said.
"Across the country, the cities that are growing are the cities that take on big challenges, the ones that take on bold projects," he said. "We can't sit back in Cincinnati and expect that to happen. We have to put forth the effort. We have to make sure that we're acting responsibly for future generations."
Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnatians for Progress has new website, endorsements; WeDemandAVote.com two-thirds of way to ballot (6/9/09)
Give Back Cincinnati sessions to focus on streetcars (1/29/09)
City will issue RFP for Uptown streetcar route analysis (1/26/09)
Corryville homeowner says Kroger redevelopment would hinder streetcar (8/6/08)
Streetcar: W Clifton or Vine? (7/29/08)
15 comments:
"Donations also are being taken online at a dedicated streetcar page.." Yeah, the City of Cincinnati's web site. This really bothers me that a government web site has a page for streetcar donations. Have we ever set up a page on the Citys web site to raise funds to keep recreation centers open or raise funds for speed humps? I know some of those things may not be a priority for all....but neither is this streetcar.
I thought we had lots of street cars. They're called Metro Buses!
Mallory's leadership is as bad as his pitching. Screw + Ball. This city is being run by a bunch of unqualified clowns. Sweep 'em all out of office.
Anonymous is out in left field. This project is the most important thing Cincinnati can do to insure success in the future. It is a sure fire way to make us competitive for jobs, businesses, and attracting new residents and retaining college grads. If its not built the city will be left in the dust.
Anonymous is different people Jason. I posted the first comment and someone left the others. Now, if you feel this project is so important, than you find a way to fund it but dont think that just because a few neighborhoods are on board that its such a great project that will "insure the success" of this City. That is a bunch of bull and all the streetcar research that was done by UC is probably about as accurate as the budget research done by UC economists which has this City in a projected DEEP HOLE. Go sell the project somewhere else--people used to be real suckers for sales pitches, but we are not that gullible anymore. People in this City have become very much aware of big project promises that delivered empty hope. I for one am not interested at all.
Are there going to be a lot of overhead wires that come with the street cars?
There will be overhead wires, but they are very minimal and unobtrusive. They can easily be minimized aesthetically with a good streetscape. Any negative that the overhead wires create aesthetically will be offset many times over by the vibrancy and life that the streetcar will bring.
This is the most important project for Cincy in 50 years, and couldn't be happening at a better time with the federal dollars available, the rapidly changing Over-The-Rhine (Thanks 3CDC), and the banks project under way. This will be an even greater place in 5 years!
Modern Streetcars only use a single overhead wire. Check out some of the pictures here
www.cincystreetcar.wordpress.com
you can see the wire against a blue sky, but it is often lost in the cityscape.
This is great news. I'm glad Dohoney et al had the foresight to select a team comprised of minority owned businesses. I hope Smitherman is paying attention.
The streetcar, and the activity it will spur will keep me coming Downtown.
"Have we ever set up a page on the Citys web site to raise funds to keep recreation centers open or raise funds for speed humps?"Perhaps that's an idea that should be explored....
"People in this City have become very much aware of big project promises that delivered empty hope."
So your solution to moving this city into the 21st century is what? Sit around complaining about mistakes of the past? What's your solution for attracting new residents, retaining college graduates, creating new jobs, attracting new businesses? All of these things have been proven to happen in cities that invest in rail transit. Doing business as usual in Cincinnati will obviously not do any of these things. So, are you saying you're content with the way things are?
Jason, I am not content with the way things are but I am more concerned about the people who chose to live in this City than those who work here and want a streetcar downtown. I am a City resident and I do my fair share to help my community, but if you think Streetcars are the soluntion to everything, than I sorry I just dont agree with you. This City needs its neighborhoods taken care of so families feel safe living here--that is what will attract families and retain college students. Do you think West CHester was built up by because they had a streetcar, no, it was because people liked the area, it was safe, clean, and families flock there. I grew up there and I've seen the changes....The Streetcar isnt going to save the City and I for one dont want to say "I told you so" after millions have been spent. Streetcar naysayers need to get off the trolley already. Not everyone is on board. Sorry.
I am also a city resident, but I am confident in saying that I believe that the streetcar is an excellent investment for the city, and will pay off in terms of the amount of urban redevelopment that it will spur within the areas which it reaches. The region needs a healthy core before neighborhoods can be any better.
I am a registered Republican and do not believe in excessive spending. However, I believe that our city needs investment in infrastructure to enhance a vibrant urban core.
Furthermore, please get the terminology straight. "Streetcar" and "tram" (commonly used in Europe) refer to a vehicle that runs on rails within traffic lanes on surface streets. In Cincinnati, the streetcar is proposed to run on rails. It would be ideal if people actually understood what they were criticizing, or were able to travel to other cities in America and Europe (Munich, Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam, etc) before being so negative about a project that might actually ::gasp:: improve transportation in Cincinnati without adding more lanes to the interstates.
I am also a city resident, but I am confident in saying that I believe that the streetcar is an excellent investment for the city, and will pay off in terms of the amount of urban redevelopment that it will spur within the areas which it reaches. The region needs a healthy core before neighborhoods can be any better.
I am a registered Republican and do not believe in excessive spending. However, I believe that our city needs investment in infrastructure to enhance a vibrant urban core.
Furthermore, please get the terminology straight. "Streetcar" and "tram" (commonly used in Europe) refer to a vehicle that runs on rails within traffic lanes on surface streets. In Cincinnati, the streetcar is proposed to run on rails. It would be ideal if people actually understood what they were criticizing, or were able to travel to other cities in America and Europe (Munich, Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam, etc) before being so negative about a project that might actually ::gasp:: improve transportation in Cincinnati without adding more lanes to the interstates.
Robert J --do you know how long our neighborhoods have heard the arguement that we have to "build the core" or focus on downtown development. People are leaving because they are tired of waiting. All the good people who continue to fight for our neighborhoods are leaving...what does that do for the core? And I hope you were not referencing me about the streetcar term usage, I understand the project and how it operates, but thank you.
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