Citing poor pre-sales, Al Neyer, Inc. (Neyer) has backed out of the Linden Park mixed-use project in College Hill, a project they have been involved with since 2005.
Unable to secure financing commitments as required by their sale contract with the City of Cincinnati, they decided not to renew their option for the property on the , the former site of Shuller's Wigwam.
"The Linden Park developer, Al Neyer, Inc., was unable to secure the required number of condominium presales and commercial preleases to break ground within an anticipated timeframe," says Mike Cappel, president of the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (CHCURC). "Unprecedented downturns in the housing market contributed to slow sales."
Pre-sales of the 19 units began began March 6, with 9 pre-sales needed for the project to break ground - none of which had sales pending according to a search of the Multiple Listing Service of Greater Cincinnati.
The $9 million, three-story building also would have included 14,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space.
In a letter to director of the City's Department of Community Development Michael Cervay dated August 20, James Neyer, vice president of real estate development for Neyer, says that they chose not to renew their option not only because of the poor sales of condominiums, but also because no retail space had been leased, and that the sales team from Midland Retail had been unable to secure any letters of intent from prospective tenants.
"While we recognize the lack of acceptance of both the for-sale housing and retail as market driven, we do not feel that this type of product can be successful even in the future and encourage the community to consider alternate uses for the site," he says.
But at the March opening of the sales center, James Neyer said that "we believe we will hit our condominium pre-sales goal this year and begin construction as soon as we can".
So what changed in five months, especially considering that the housing slump began well before this year? And what happens now?
"Efforts are already underway and interesting options are being explored," Cappel says. "CHCURC is optimistic about new possibilities which may result in a development project even more beneficial to the College Hill community."
James Neyer says that his company would be happy to assist College Hill with knowledge and resources as they look at new redevelopment strategies for the corner.
"We continue our enthusiasm for the College Hill neighborhood and its dedicated community volunteers," he says.
Image credit: Al Neyer, Inc.
Previous reading on BC:
Linden Park reception to kick off sales center opening (3/6/08)
City to sell land, provide loan for Linden Park (2/1/08)
New rendering, townhome developer for Linden Park (9/24/07)
Community support of Linden Park decisive (9/6/07)
Linden Park meeting tonight (9/4/07)
Friday, August 29, 2008
Neyer backs out of Linden Park
2801 Erie photo update, 8/25/08
Structural concrete shows the mass of the future 2801 Erie condo project in Hyde Park.
Bloomfield/Schon + Partners is building the four-story, 13-unit condominium building at , just a block from Hyde Park Square.
Units in the $10 million project, which was designed by architect José García, will sell for $650,000 to $1.5 million.
Sales for six of the units are pending, including the two huge fourth-floor condominiums.
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 640 x 480. Photos will open in a new browser window.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
City calls Westwood NEP a success
The City of Cincinnati and the community of Westwood have announced the results of the recently concluded 90-day Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP) blitz, and they are calling it a success.
The program, which ran between May 16 and August 15, was a concentrated effort by City departments, residents, and community organizations to address quality of life issues in the community and is designed to jumpstart longer-term neighborhood revitalization and reinvestment by building community partnerships.
Services were targeted to , an area identified for the NEP through the analysis of building code violations, vacant buildings, calls for police service, arrests, graffiti, junk autos, litter, and weeds.
According to the City, the NEP resulted in:
- A decrease in baseline blight index of 23 percent
- Identifying 625 code violations on 272 properties, following the inspection of 726 properties
- The demolition 3 buildings, with 10 more under contract to be demolished
- 325 arrests, confiscation $6,285 and responses to 881 calls for service
- 139 inspections for litter and weeds/tall grass
- 876 fire inspections, fire prevention education, and proper smoke detector installation and maintenance
It has been estimated that the NEP neighborhoods of Avondale, CUF, Northside, Price Hill and Westwood have seen an average decrease in blight of 15 percent, according to the Keep Cincinnati Beautiful Blight Index.
Beginning September 1, the program will move to Evanston's Woodburn Avenue and Montgomery Road corridors.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/28/08
Single-family
DOB: 1961
Died: August 2008
Cause of death: Weak roof, rotting along the roof line, deteriorated drainage system, collapsing car port and overgrown weeds and trash. It was continuously open to the public, no longer had utilities, and had become the home of living and dead raccoons.
The owner had died, and no one stepped up to take care of the property. The house was eventually condemned in October 2007.
It was declared a public nuisance in June and razed by the City.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/27/08
Two-family
DOB: 1924
Died: August 2008
Cause of death: Razed by the St. Michael Ertirean Orthodox Tewahdo Church to make way for a parking lot.
The City had ordered the building vacant in September 2007 due to unsafe wooden stairs, damaged and missing siding, tree damage to the gutter system, and a damaged and tarped garage roof. The previous owner had lost the house to bankruptcy.
The church bought the property in January for $15,500 and began hand wrecking in July.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Hyde Park projects update, 8/25/08
Several smaller Hyde Park projects have wrapped up or are in the process of being completed.
Knox Presbyterian Church has completed its 12,000-square-foot addition that mainly consists of a large stage area, with sound and lighting facilities, rooms for use by the choir, and restrooms.
has been renovated and expanded by 6,200 square feet into Class A office space.
Work is nearing an end on a new single-family home at .
And finally, courtesy of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, a lovely parking lot for St. Mary Church .
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Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/26/08
Single-family
DOB: 1925
Died: August 2008
Cause of death: Heavy damage from a three-alarm fire, deteriorating large sections of the floor structure and rafters. The windows were busted out and required a City barricade.
It was condemned in March 2007, followed by a series of unsuccessful attempts to contact the homeowner.
In January, the owner told building inspectors that she planned to repair the building. The house was declared a public nuisance later in the month, and the owner did nothing to have the building removed from the hazard abatement program.
Remembering Cincinnati, 8/26/08
One year ago today, I visited:
-
God's Bible School and College in Mount Auburn to take a look at the new facilities building
-
Eden Park, where I stopped by the Cincinnati Art Museum
-
The Galleries at Pendleton, a project that was doomed to failure
-
SouthShore in Newport, where construction had reached the fifth floor
- Riverboat Row, where I snapped a photo of the skyline and the Big Mac Bridge
- Klotter Street in Fairview (or OTR, depending on whom you ask), where I took only one shot
Click on each image to enlarge. Photos will open in a new browser window.
Monday, August 25, 2008
OTR, Ridge, Westwood hodgepodge
Here is a short series of photos taken earlier this month while out covering other things.
In Over-the-Rhine, the photos were taken during my trip to the City Home site to cover the story for Soapbox.
The next four photos were taken during a trip to the Pleasant Ridge Montessori open house, again for a Soapbox story.
Finally, I visited Midway Elementary School in Westwood to cover the presentation of the Montana Avenue improvement alternatives...yeah, Soapbox.
These 12 photos have been added to the following galleries:
- Over-the-Rhine: +4 (77 photos)
- Pleasant Ridge: +4 (15 photos)
- Westwood: +4 (38 photos)
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Walk Score, revisited 5
A weekly look at the pedestrian connectivity of our area's featured construction projects using the online Walk Score tool.
Here's what the numbers mean:
* 90-100: Walker's paradise
* 70-89: Very walkable
* 50-69: Somewhat walkable
* 25-49: Car-dependent
* 0-24: Driving only
Harkavy Hall: 97
No surprise. It's a short walk to Downtown, Main Street, and the businesses along Vine Street. More importantly, it's a short walk to other social service agencies located in the neighborhood.
Northside HOME houses: 83
Hamilton Avenue and its eclectic selection of shops and services is just a few blocks away. Houses are densely packed, making popping in to see your neighbors only a short walk. The only amenity the area lacks is a movie theater - the closest being 1.6 miles away on Ludlow Avenue - so hop a bus.
Overlook at Eden Park: 74
While this was built to take advantage of river views and access to Eden Park, most amenities can be found within half a mile. The site is about equidistant between the Walnut Hills business district and Mount Adams.
Volterra Condominiums: 69
Similar to the Overlook at Eden Park, this score is a bit lower due to being just a bit farther from Mount Adams and Downtown.
Baldwin 300: 62
Many amenities are more than a half mile away, and the tangle of highways and ramps can make the walk less than pleasant. Eden Park is right up the hill, and the location is near several major bus routes.
Previous reading on BC:
Random project photos, 11/20/07 (11/28/07)
Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/25/08
Single-family
DOB: 1908
Died: August 2008
Cause of death: Structural failure, collapsing chimney, weathering. The lot was littered and overgrown, and the house was open to trespassers and was heavily vandalized.
The 512-square-foot house was condemned in September 2006. There was no contact between the City and the owner, meaning it was likely abandoned. A two-alarm fire in July 2007 caused further damage.
The structure was declared a public nuisance in January and was razed by the City. Four other homes on this block have been razed in the past year.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Centerpiece of historic Sedamsville threatened
The weathered St. Martin's German Evangelical Church stands as a proud reminder of Sedamsville's heyday, when the neighborhood bustled with German and Irish immigrants and a thriving business district.
But the High Victorian Gothic-style church, designed by Emil Baude and built in 1892, will soon face the wrecking ball.
Developer Arlon (Ray) Brown of Collins Riverside Development LLC had applied for a demolition permit to tear down the landmark to make way for his proposed $50 million Harbor Lights condominium project.
Since mid-2007, Brown has been purchasing property under both his name and under the name of Collins Riverside Development LLC, often for much more than the properties are worth.
Harbor Lights would require the demolition of up to 30 Sedamsville properties - 12 in the initial phases.
In April, Susan Feldman, co-chair of the Sedamsville Historic Committee, asked City Council to delay demolitions in the subject area until a historic district proposal could be reviewed by the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board as part of a process to have it placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In a May report to City Council, City Manager Milton Dohoney Jr. said that there's little the City can do to stop the demolitions.
Because the properties in the redevelopment area are not located within a local historic district, demolitions will not have to be reviewed by the City's Historic Conservation Office during the permit process.
"If demolition permits are filed, the City would be obligated to consider the applications without regard to historical significance," Dohoney wrote.
However, listing on the National Register could make future work on Harbor Lights ineligible for federal funds.
"The city's really hungry for development," Feldman says. "But there are vacant buildings everywhere. What's wrong with preserving the structures that are already on the hillside?"
'It would be like losing a family member'
The stately St. Martin's is widely considered the centerpiece of the proposed Sedamsville River Road Historic District, which includes 58 properties on the northwest side of River Road and southwest of Ansonia Avenue.
The two-story, central-aisle red brick church is capped with a 125-foot steeple and, above an eight light wheel window, a sandstone plaque reads "DEUTCHE VER. EV. PROT. MARTINI KIRCHE A.D. 1892."
Built for just $24,000, it could seat 375 people.
The church has been vacant for nearly three decades and, until Brown purchased it, had been on sale since April 2005.
Feldman can't imagine what its loss would mean to the community.
"It would be like losing a family member," she says. "Like losing an icon. The loss of the landmark would be incredibly significant."
And she says that it's part of a well-orchestrated plan laid out by people who don't live in Sedamsville, and don't care about the community.
"None of the human factor enters into this with the developers," she says. "There are a lot of people all around Cincinnati that have roots that trace back here. And the church itself...peoples' babies were baptized here, people were married here."
Now that the historic district is well on its way to making the National Register, Feldman firmly believes that the demolition is being done out of spite.
"I believe he's trying to beat the clock before the historic district is finalized," she says. "We're only three weeks out from the state hearing, and he's already taken out a demolition permit."
Feldman adds that the demolition permit is viewed by historians and residents as "becoming uglier and more depressing with the impression that the developer will rapidly progress with demolition to foil the listing".
State agrees its historic
On July 21, the City's Historic Conservation Board recommended approval of the Sedamsville River Road Historic District.
On August 1, the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board met in Columbus on August 1 to the district and 15 other properties and districts from throughout the state.
To the Sedamsville representatives' surprise, Brown appeared at the hearing with Cincinnati City Councilmember John Cranley - ostensibly one of his development partners.
Feldman questions why Cranley was there as a representative of the City, since the Historic Conservation Board had already given de facto City approval by recommending the nomination.
"I just thought...we're you're contituents, not the developer," she says. "You're supposed to be there to represent us."
While most of the 16 items on the state's agenda were discussed and passed within 10 minutes, discussion of the Sedamsville district lasted more than an hour and a half.
Feldman says that Brown and Cranley wanted to table the historic district proposal until Harbor Lights was approved.
"The board was wonderful at getting back to the subject at hand," she says. "Cranley appeared to know very little about the nomination or its process. The Chair and several members of the board stated that their role was to decide whether the district met the criteria for listing in the National Register. Their role was not to decide whether a developer has plans to demolish or construct new buildings."
Feldman sent letters regarding Cranley's behavior at the hearing both to Mayor Mark Mallory and to Vice Mayor David Crowley.
In his response, Crowley says that it's his understanding that Cranley was representing himself as a private citizen, and therefore "has the privilege of expressing his opinions".
Mayor Mallory has yet to respond.
The state board eventually voted 8-1 to recommend the district for nomination to the National Register.
Gearing up
Barbara Powers, department head of inventory & registration for the Ohio Historical Society Historic Preservation Office, presented the proposal and has promised that the Sedamsville proposal will be the first one she picks up after her return from vacation.
"She did a walking tour with us in March, and we made her aware of the Brown factor," Feldman says. "Both the City and state have recommended that we shorten the district. We're all geared up for whatever changes need to be made."
After the changes are made, it will be sent on to the Secretary of the Interior, who will forward it to the Keeper of the National Register.
Meanwhile, Brown is now approaching people on the 2400 block of River Road and offering them more than their properties are worth, plus signing bonuses.
And so far, he has torn down four structures.
Feldman says that she and other concerned neighbors will continue to watch and make sure that too many structures aren't torn down.
"It smells of Norwood," she says. "I call this a 'kept' secret, because I hate to use the word 'best'. No one has seen the plans. They've gobbled up our whole neighborhood, and they did it very secretly."
Feldman disputes Brown's claims to the state board that the whole neighborhood is behind him.
"The Sedamsville Civic Association has voted to send a letter of approval to the City once they saw the development plans," she says. "So far, that hasn't happened."
In the meantime, Feldman will continue to do whatever it takes to fight for her community.
"We're going to stay optimistic," she says. "We can't leave any stone unturned at this point."
Despite all of the emotionally-draining work, Feldman continues to enjoy life on the hillside.
"I can't tell you what a wonderful life it's provided us," she says. "I've never felt like I needed more."
Photo credit: Urban Ohio
Previous reading on BC:
City has little say in Sedamsville demolitions (5/14/08)
Sedamsville wants demo delay on possible condo project (4/17/08)
Inside Harkavy Hall
Harkavy Hall, a Tender Mercies building at in Over-the-Rhine, is in the midst of a $4 million rehabilitation project that will increase the building's usable space, add all new mechanicals (including air conditioning), and bring the building up to code and ADA compliance by installing two new sets of fireproof stairs and a new elevator.
All of these improvements will make life better for residents of the building's 30 single-room occupancy units.
The historic façade, which has been covered up for at least 50 years, will be restored, and a new courtyard will be built on the west side of the building.
The project is targeted for a May 2009 completion date.
On August 8, Tender Mercies CEO Bren Blaine and Roger Robinson of Avila Architects treated me to a tour of the construction site.
Demolition is largely completed, with the mechanicals having been stripped, some walls removed, and much of the plaster now gone.
Several back windows have been removed to allow for doorways to be cut for a new staircase, and several more have recently been sealed.
Some of the floors are unfinished due to warped joists.
The tour starts on the first floor and moves up to the third floor, then to an attic that is currently being used as a construction office.
The tour concludes with some shots of the basement, dirt floors and all. (No, those are not graves.)
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 640 x 480. Photos will open in a new browser window.
This slideshow contains 92 photos.
Taft High coming down for new building
Demolition will begin on the former Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School on Monday, clearing the way for a new $14 million facility.
Located at in the West End, the 102,200-square-foot school has won an award from the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for the building's green design features by Voorhis, Slone, Welsh, Crossland Architects.
The new building will feature a three-story academic wing, with first-floor spaces for student and community gatherings and an enclosed outdoor courtyard.
Originally scheduled for renovation, the new school is scheduled for completion in summer 2010 as part of Cincinnati Public Schools' (CPS) $1 billion Facilities Master Plan.
Bricks from the demolished 1955 building will be saved and sold as a fundraiser to support the new school.
Taft IT High School is currently operating in a temporary home at the former Heinold Elementary School at in North Fairmount.
Image credit: CPS and Voorhis, Slone, Welsh, Crossland Architects
Remembering Cincinnati, 8/22/08
One year ago:
- Urban Sites Properties applied for Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits for its project at 1417-1421 Main Street
- After the sentencing of Westwood resident Ron Brown for his many derelict properties, I asked for input on local slumlords and the City's code enforcement efforts
- A North Fairmount house was razed by the City, with a court case still pending
- Building Cincinnati's feed was picked up on Cyburbia's Cities and Places page
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Dohoney says City collections against banks 'successful'
Increased enforcement action by the Cincinnati Health Department and the City's Department of Community Development Property Maintenance and Code Enforcement Division has proven successful, according to a report by City Manager Milton Dohoney Jr.
The report is in response to a March motion by Councilmember Laketa Cole asking the City to begin fining banking institutions that are not keeping their foreclosed properties up to code.
Dohoney says that administrative hearings on building code citations are conducted by the Law Department's Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), established in 1996.
The number of citations handled by OAH began to increase in 2004.
"A total of 1,149 citations were issued during this time period," Dohoney says, referring to the period between the establishment of OAH and today.
But through July 2008, 651 citations had not yet been paid.
"In some cases, the payment of fines and abatement assessments occurs relatively easy," Dohoney says. "For example, fines and abatement assessments are often paid when title companies close out a particular case and transfer the property. OAH receives telephone calls and e-mails on a daily basis from title companies inquiring about outstanding fines on properties that are undergoing transfer. OAH then facilitates the payment process by providing the title company with a copy of the default notice and, subsequently, the title company will pay the outstanding amount."
However, Dohoney points out that the collection of fines and assessments can be problematic in certain situations.
"Determining the rightful owner or responsible party can be difficult during the pendency of foreclosure proceedings," Dohoney says. "Moreover, because the Hamilton County Auditor's records are not dispositive of ownership due to irregularities in how they are updated, more research and analysis of the foreclosure proceedings is needed to identify the responsible owner or person in control of the property."
Dohoney also says that financial institutions often require City assistance in determining if they owned the building at the time of the citation.
And, of course, there is always the issue of paperwork and office bureaucracy.
"Once the City issues violation notices or orders to a financial institution, much time may pass before the appropriate department within the financial institution responds to the City," Dohoney says. "During the interim, it is not unusual for the City to have undertaken its own abatement procedures."
In an effort to step up compliance, Dohoney says that OAH refers a number of outstanding cases to the Claims and Collections Section of the Law Department, which has collected approximately $20,000 in outstanding fines in the past year and a half.
"Further, as the attached report indicates, collection actions are currently pending against various financial institutions, including Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Deutsche Bank Trust Company, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, ABN, JP Morgan, and LaSalle," he says.
The enforcement and collections process isn't successful enough for Price Hill, which led the City with 300 homes in foreclosure last year.
In July, the non-profit community development agency Price Hill Will filed a lawsuit in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court against Deutsche Bank and several other commercial lenders.
Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that the bank's failure to maintain properties at , and is driving homeowners away and hurting surrounding property values.
Deutsche Bank claims that they aren't responsible because they don't own the properties, but act only as a trustee for investors who buy the properties.
County records show that the bank was the owner of record, having purchased the loans and acquired all three properties as a sheriff's sale.
1104 Carson Avenue has since been sold to a Bloomington, Indiana investor for $6,000.
Dohoney's report will be reviewed by council's Vibrant Neighborhoods Committee at their meeting on September 3 at 3 PM.
Photo credit: "Sign Of The Times - Foreclosure" by user
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Ludlow church to be auctioned Saturday
The former St. Boniface Church in Ludlow will be auctioned this Saturday at 10 AM.
Auctions By Maggie (Maggie Beckmeyer, Huff Realty) will be offering the church and school buildings, a four-bedroom single-family home, and a small lot as a package or individually.
Prospective buyers can take a first look at the properties, located at the , at 9 AM.
Buyers will be required to close on the property within 30 days.
The church has been vacant for a number of years and has been off and on the market as a commercial property, with negligible interest.
Dedicated in 1893, St. Boniface served the primarily German-speaking Catholics of Ludlow.
On July 7, 1915, a tornado tore through the church, destroying much of the structure but leaving the steeple intact.
Parishioners and members of the surrounding parishes raised $30,000 to rebuild and the church was re-dedicated in 1916.
In 1980, St. Boniface Church merged with the primarily English-speaking St. James Parish and is currently located at .
Photo credit: Northern Kentucky Multiple Listing Service
Cincinnati Habitat celebrates 150th house with Community Build kick-off
Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity will celebrate the beginning of its 150th house with its Community Build kick-off this Saturday at 8:30 AM in Avondale.
Festivities begin at 8:30 AM at the project site at in Avondale.
This is Habitat's fifth Community Build, which brings together the time, money and labor of corporations, foundations, churches, organizations and other volunteers not only to build a home, but to build a community.
Primary sponsors include Wells Fargo Foundation, The Travelers Companies, Papa John's, and Al Neyer, Inc.
The house will be built in Habitat's Blair design (pictured) with partner family Tawanna and Harrison Jones.
Two additional Habitat houses are under construction at 211 and 213 Northern Avenue, a project led by Jack H. Wieland Builders.
This year, Habitat will build 11 new homes and will complete one rehabilitation.
Previous reading on BC:
Westfed-CCU Habitat build kicks off Monday (8/15/08)
Friday Chatter: Habitat housing in Avondale (8/1/08)
Follow a Habitat rehab online (7/30/08)
Habitat to kick-off two new Avondale homes, dedicate another (5/28/08)
Habitat to break ground on three homes this weekend (4/9/08)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Cincinnati will vote on support for Sara Lee cleanup
When it returns to work in September, Cincinnati City Council will consider a resolution supporting cleanup of the former Sara Lee facility in Camp Washington.
The 15.82-acre property at is owned by Hamilton County, who plans to assess and remediate the property to prepare it for redevelopment.
The county is seeking a Clean Ohio Assistance Fund (COAF) grant to perform a Phase II environmental site assessment of the property, which will allow them to develop a cost estimate and remediation plan.
The Ohio Department of Development, which administers the Clean Ohio program, requires a resolution of support from a project area's local jurisdiction for an application to be considered.
Sara Lee Food & Beverage announced the closure of the former Kahn's meat packing facility in 2006, eliminating nearly 350 jobs, with another approximately 100 jobs being transferred to a facility in Claryville, Kentucky.
In March 2007, the county accepted the site as a gift as a possible location for a new Hamilton County jail - a $3.8 million tax write-off for Sara Lee.
But a tax increase that would have funded the construction of a new jail was rejected in November 2007, the second tax failure in two years.
Learn how to ride Metro this Friday
If you've never ridden a Metro bus - or were afraid of looking like a "newbie" - an event this Friday will teach you all you need to know about Cincinnati's public transportation option.
From 11 AM to 1:30 PM on Fountain Square, Metro will make available a bus on the Walnut Street side of the square, by Fifth Third Bank.
The curious will have the opportunity to practice on a real bus, and a driver will be on hand to answer questions.
Visitors also will be able to get information on bus schedules and the online trip planner, and can register to win a free monthly bus pass.
Metro, a non-profit public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, provides about 23 million rides per year in Greater Cincinnati.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/19/08
Single-family
DOB: 1900
Died: August 2008
Cause of death: Bulging and rotten walls on the rear addition, defective siding, missing gutters and downspouts, and a lack of protective paint. The homeowner became bed-ridden and very ill and went to live with his sister, leaving the house vacant and open to trespassers.
It was condemned in April 2007 and declared a public nuisance in August 2007. The owner's sister asked the City to raze it.
Because of the owner's poor health and lack of funds, the City decided not to pursue criminal charges.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Norwood photos
On August 8, I was treated to a tour of the Gem of the Highlands, Norwood, Ohio.
Susan Knox of the Citizens for a Better Norwood blog was kind enough to put the afternoon together for us.
Steve Thornbury, Norwood City Councilmember representing the 2nd Ward, provided the transportation (and lunch!) and Rodney Rogers, recently elected president of the Norwood Historical Society, was able to fill us all in on the city's fascinating history.
The mostly driving tour focused on some of the City's industrial areas around the railroad tracks and Duck Creek, its many residential neighborhoods, its office buildings, its churches and schools, and its numerous parks.
Per my request, we avoided Rookwood Commons.
Following the tour, I walked some of the 14-acre grounds of Lindner Park and the McCullough Estate Nature Preserve on Cypress Way, one of the City's most beautiful - and unknown - assets.
I have always been a fan of Norwood, and this tour didn't disappoint.
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.
This slideshow contains 61 photos. These have been added to the Norwood gallery, which now contains 122 photos.
Galleries for dozens of Cincinnati neighborhoods can be found in the drop-down menu at the top of the right-hand column.
Walk Score, revisited 4
A weekly look at the pedestrian connectivity of our area's featured construction projects using the online Walk Score tool.
Here's what the numbers mean:
* 90-100: Walker's paradise
* 70-89: Very walkable
* 50-69: Somewhat walkable
* 25-49: Car-dependent
* 0-24: Driving only
City Home, Over-the-Rhine: 94
Access to Downtown and to Findlay Market, most of which is on a street with light traffic. New options are opening on Vine Street at a fairly rapid pace, and even Main Street is a short walk. No surprise...the neighborhood was built for walking.
Pleasant Ridge Montessori: 78
Right on the edge of the business district and surrounded by residential neighborhoods, there are plenty of sidewalks and crosswalks for getting around. The traffic on Montgomery Road can be a bit of a downer, sometimes.
Target Western Hills Plaza, Westwood: 72
I don't buy it. How many pedestrians do you see on Glenway Avenue? This number is the result of the number of businesses along Glenway, not its walkability.
St. Elizabeth, West Side, Covington: 58
Being an ambulatory medical facility and physician offices, it's not really made to be walked. The building is set back from the surrounding neighborhood and has an interstate running alongside.
Brodbeck Park, Westwood: 31
A cul-de-sac development built in the suburban tradition. Walking along Westwood Northern Boulevard and Montana Avenue to get to the Westwood business district has got to be unpleasant.
Previous reading on BC:
Walk Score, revisited 3 (8/11/08)
Walk Score, revisited 2 (8/4/08)
Walk Score, revisited (7/28/08)
Newport quite walkable (9/5/07)
Outside of Covington, Kenton largely unwalkable (8/27/07)
Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/18/08
Single-family
DOB: 1890
Died: August 2008
Cause of death: Rotted sill plates, missing gutters and downspouts, and missing siding. Missing windows also allowed water to get in and damage the ceiling and walls, and a tree smashed the property as well. The yard was overgrown and full of trash and the house was open to trespassers.
The owners did not reply to orders and did not show up for pre-prosecution or hazard abatement hearings. It was condemned in April 2007 and declared a public nuisance in August 2007. The building eventually was razed by the City.
As of January 2008, the City was preparing this case for court, but it appears that they're not pursuing it.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Evanston apartment complex uses CLRP to get more parking
A vacant piece of property that was part of Cincinnati's Land Reutilization Program will be sold to provide parking for an Evanston apartment complex.
Cincinnati City Council agreed to sell the 0.2 acres at to Downtown Property Management, Inc. (DTPMI), who owns the adjacent 86,600-square-foot apartment building at the corner of Gilbert Avenue and St. Leger Place.
The property will be sold for $10,000, its appraised value.
As a condition of the sale, DTPMI will consolidate the property with its apartment parcel.
CLRP, established by city council in 1996 to return abandoned property to tax-generating use, is managed by the Department of City Planning.
The program has acquired approximately 68 parcels of land since its inception.
Previous reading on BC:
CLRP land could be used for parking lot (6/19/08)
Inside Pleasant Ridge Montessori
Last Sunday, the Pleasant Ridge Montessori School threw open its doors to invite residents, parents, students, and other interested parties to explore their new school at .
Steed Hammond Paul and DHArchitects designed the 75,310-square-foot building, which is going for LEED Silver certification and would be the first LEED-certified public school in Ohio.
The building itself is situated slightly askew from the roadway to take advantage of natural light.
One thing that is striking is the nice, clearly marked crosswalk from the intersection of Montgomery and Lester that's in alignment with the building's front door.
One also notices that the entrance to the building is clearly defined, unlike the multiple mish-mash of non-descript doorways seen on a lot of recent school designs.
The building has three floors of classrooms, all ringing a common area that can be used for group activities. Windows between each classroom and the common area allow natural light to filter in.
All non-classroom activities are located in the one-story wing, which extends northward toward the Pleasant Ridge business district. Here you'll find a massive art room (including a kiln room), a music room and stage, the cafeteria and kitchen, and the gymnasium.
Be sure to check out my companion piece in this week's issue of Soapbox for more details on the building's LEED features.
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 640 x 480. Photos will open in a new browser window.
This slideshow contains 78 photos.
Westfed-CCU Habitat build kicks off Monday
The Westfed Coalition of Churches and Cincinnati Christian University (CCU) volunteers will begin work on a new Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity house on Monday at 8 AM in East Price Hill.
The house, to be built at for partner family Te'Anna and Curtis Jones, represents the first-ever build involving both groups.
The house, on a lot that has been vacant since at least 1996, will be built utilizing Habitat's Blair model, a two-bedroom, 1,320-square-foot structure with four bedrooms and a basement.
Westfed and CCU volunteers will be joined by Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity Young Professionals.
This will be the twenty-first build for Westfed, a collection of eight West Side churches.
Photo credit: The Blair model, Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity
Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/15/08
Single-family
DOB: 1920
Died: August 2008
Cause of death: A collapsed roof that pushed the rear wall out, deteriorated gutters, eaves and downspouts, and a failed chimney. Due to an incomplete roof, the house was condemned in July 2007. The house was declared a public nuisance in July and razed by the City. The owner, who lives in California, never appeared for pre-prosecution hearings may be subject to criminal charges.
Remembering Cincinnati, 8/15/08
One year ago:
- Tender Mercies announced plans for a $4 million rehabilitation of Harkavy Hall at 24 W 12th Street
- The Hamilton County Rural Zoning Commission considered a site plan adjustment to convert the Imperial House Hotel at I-74 and Rybolt Road into a Holiday Inn Express
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Evanston to receive additional $423K in CDBG funds; Walnut streetscape fund established
Cincinnati City Council has approved the transfer of $423,334 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to aid Evanston's homeowner rehab loan program.
In 2005, council approved $2 million for Evanston capital improvements, $723,334 of which Evanston community officials have earmarked for a program that will provide forgivable deferred loans of up to $5,000 for owner-occupants in the neighborhood to correct code violations and to make other exterior improvements.
Because a portion of the funds in the capital project account aren't compatible with the scope of the homeowner loan program, the CDBG funding will be combined with $300,000 from the capital account to close the financing gap.
Evanston representatives are currently working with the City's Department of Community Development to develop projects that will utilize the remainder of the $2 million in capital improvement funds.
Evanston's CDBG funding will be taken from an account originally established for streetscape improvements around Peebles Corner in Walnut Hills, which is still in the design phase.
The Walnut Hills funds will be replenished by money from the Evanston capital account and, when combined with $750,000 in economic development bond proceeds from the Walnut Hills tax increment financing district, will create a new Walnut Hills streetscape capital account.
Previous reading on BC:
Finance Committee discusses changes on streetscape TIFs (12/26/07)
City taking action on streetscape TIFs (11/1/07)
Council authorizes bonds for Evanston, Walnut Hills streetscapes (9/24/07)
Cincinnati finalizes details of Old Engine 9 sale to African American firefighters
Cincinnati City Council has passed unanimously and ordinance approving the sale of the Old Engine 9 firehouse to the Cincinnati African American Firefighters Association (CAFA).
In April, council adopted a motion approving the sale of the building at in Avondale to CAFA for $1, to be used as a meeting facility for members and as a community-based learning center for area adults and children.
Because the property has been appraised at $175,000, terms of the sale require CAFA to maintain ownership of the building or five years, or ownership will revert back to the City.
The sale will put the building in the hands of CAFA in time for a regional conference of African American firefighter chapters this October.
Built in 1929, the City vacated the building for a new LEED-certified facility at , which was dedicated in February.
Renovation work will be paid for by federal grants.
Photo credit: CFDHistory.com
Previous reading on BC:
City to prepare Old Engine 9 for sale (6/5/08)
Old Engine 9 to be sold to African American firefighters (4/29/08)
Inside Cincinnati Fire Station No. 9 (4/1/08)
Cole wants Engine 9 sold to African American firefighters (3/6/08)
Cincinnati's first LEED-certified public building opens today (2/27/08)
Landlord program begins in CUF today
An outgrowth of the City of Cincinnati's award-winning Neighborhood Enhancement Program begins today with a ceremony at 10 AM in Clifton Heights.
City Manager Milton Dohoney Jr, members of City Council, community and University of Cincinnati student leaders will help kick off the Landlord Accreditation Program at , the first property to take part in the program.
Designed to help students locate decent and safe housing in the vicinity of campus, the accreditation process requires participating rental properties in the CUF neighborhoods to pass City inspections for crime prevention, fire prevention and building safety.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/14/08
Single-family
DOB: 1895
Died: August 2008
Cause of death: Stripped of siding and lacking an adequate roof, allowing water to enter and damage the structure. The front porch was also collapsing and the lot was continually filled with trash.
Trespassers had easy entry and the structure became a neighborhood hangout. The original owner died in early 2003, and the City officially vacated the property in late 2004. For some reason, City inspectors continued to send him notices for three years after they noticed his death.
The house was condemned in December 2006 and declared a public nuisance this April. It was razed by the City.
Remembering Cincinnati, 8/14/08
One year ago:
- Cincinnati's City Planning Commission disapproved of a four-story, 12-unit condo project proposed for 2106-2110 Columbia Parkway
- Cincinnati City Council approved of a $881,000 forgivable loan for McMicken Transitional Housing, a 12-unit building rehabilitation at 45-47 E McMicken Avenue
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Cincinnati adopts Mount Lookout design standards
Cincinnati City Council has approved unanimously an ordinance codifying standards for the urban design overlay district at Mount Lookout Square, also known as Urban Design District #12.
When the City adopted a new zoning code in 2004, districts that had been known as environmental quality-urban design (EQ-UD) districts were contacted to verify if they wanted to be included in the new overlay districts and which of 14 standard design guidelines they thought would be most appropriate for their district.
Mount Lookout, along with Hartwell, did not respond to the initial contact or to any follow-up requests, so the City included both in the new zoning code without adopting any guidelines.
On April 14, the Mount Lookout Community Council (MLCC), in conjunction with the Mount Lookout Business Association, contacted the City Planning Commission with a request to amend the zoning code to ask that guidelines be set that would subject permits for the following to review:
* All signs
* All awnings
* Exterior mechanical equipment and utility connections
* All replacement windows
* Exterior renovations, alterations, or additions
* All new construction
* All demolition
These permits will be subject for compliance review by the director of the City's Department of City Planning - except for demolition and new construction, which will be subject to approval, approval with conditions, or disapproval by a zoning hearing examiner.
Urban Design District #12 encompasses all of the commercial development surrounding Mount Lookout Square and extending along Delta and Linwood avenues.
Photo credit: Jayson, Cincy Images
Cincinnati supports Harrison Terminal apartment project
Cincinnati City Council has approved unanimously a resolution of support for an industrial re-use project in Camp Washington, a move that is necessary for projects to qualify for Clean Ohio funding.
E&T Real Estate Holdings has applied for a Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grant to rehabilitate the 60,000-square-foot Harrison Terminal Building at into market-rate apartments with ground-floor commercial space.
E&T would use the Ohio Department of Development grant, which is capped at $300,000, to work with the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority to perform a Phase II environmental site assessment on the 2.4-acre property, helping the developers prepare cost estimates and a site remediation plan.
E&T Real Estate Holdings purchased the 1885 warehouse building a year ago for $75,000.
Harrison Terminal sold the building in 1990.
Previous reading on BC:
Apartment re-use for Camp Washington? (7/29/08)
Cincinnati backs Boston Beer remediation money
Cincinnati City Council has approved unanimously an ordinance backing the Boston Beer Company's Clean Ohio Fund request for the remediation and expansion of its West End plant.
The new ordinance allows the City to submit a Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund (CORF) grant application for up to $3 million from the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD).
The ordinance became necessary after it was discovered that cleanup of the contaminated property at would cost much more than the $750,000 Clean Ohio Assistance Fund (COAF) application approved by council last May.
COAF grants are capped at $750,000.
The deadline for CORF Round 5 applications is August 25, with a total of $17 million in grants available through the statewide competitive program.
Grants will be awarded by ODOD in December, and Boston Beer Company will pay the required 25 percent in matching funds.
Photo credit: user
Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati looking to up Boston Beer grant money (8/1/08)
Clean Ohio grant could aid in Boston Beer expansion (5/23/08)
3000 Vine renderings
Reader Peter Dryer, whom you may remember from the story surrounding Kroger's redevelopment plans for their Corryville store, has pointed out that the Corryville website has several renderings of the 3000 Vine development, which I reported on yesterday.
Other renderings are available on the Corryville website, including ones for a new cinema and for the aforementioned Kroger project.
Click on each image to enlarge to 1000 x 570. Photos will open in a new browser window.
Rendering, looking southwest from E Martin Luther King Jr Drive and Ahrens Street
Rendering, looking southeast from E Martin Luther King Jr Drive and Vine Street
Rendering, looking southeast from E Martin Luther King Jr Drive and Vine Street
Rendering, looking northwest with intersection of E Rochelle and Ahrens streets in foreground
Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati approves zoning change for 3000 Vine project (8/12/08)
Zoning change sought for Corryville hotel, commercial project (7/1/08)
MLK and Vine photo update, 12/17/07 (12/21/07)
Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/13/08
Single-family
DOB: 1880
Died: August 2008
Cause of death: Severe instability of the hillside in front of the house put the entire structure in danger, as sagging of the front porch and cracks in the foundation were noticed by inspectors. There was also a threat of several large trees falling onto Delta Avenue.
The collapsing front retaining wall gave way in earnest in April, spilling onto the sidewalk and causing the City to schedule the house for hazard abatement. The house was in foreclosure and had been vacated by the City in February. No maintenance had been done on the house in quite some time, and the City pulled the trigger on demolition.
Incidentally, orders to repair the retaining wall date to 2003, and inspectors signed off on the work and closed the case that same year. Apparently, the work wasn't very good. Inspectors even noticed as much in orders issued years later.
Remembering Cincinnati, 8/13/08
One year ago, I debuted my Walk Score series by analyzing the walkability of Cincinnati's neighborhoods.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Cincinnati approves zoning change for 3000 Vine project
Cincinnati City Council has approved a zoning change from residential to planned development (PD-54) use that will allow for construction of the $24 million 3000 Vine project in Corryville.
The project, to be developed by 3000 Vine, LLC on cleared property at the , will include an 82,204-square-foot, 134-room Hampton Inn & Suites hotel; a 5,000-square-foot US Bank branch; and two restaurants of between 5,000 and 7,500 square feet.
Starbucks and IHOP are the likely restaurant tenants.
The hotel, along Vine Street, and the restaurants, along E Martin Luther King Jr Drive, are planned to be built to the lot line, with a grand stair descending from between the two restaurants to the new bank branch and a 219-space surface parking lot.
A single-story underground parking garage will be accessible from Ahrens Street.
The targeted groundbreaking date for 3000 Vine Street is September 1, with buildout scheduled for late 2010.
The parking garage, restaurants and bank would be built first, followed by the hotel.
The project is likely to create up to 150 jobs, most of which will be filled by residents from within the surrounding Empowerment Zone neighborhoods.
Previous reading on BC:
Zoning change sought for Corryville hotel, commercial project (7/1/08)
MLK and Vine photo update, 12/17/07 (12/21/07)
Cincinnati passes motion to restore Ensemble funding
Cincinnati City Council has passed a motion that would restore more than $176,000 in funding to the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati (ETC) to aid in their Over-the-Rhine expansion.
The funding is the remainder of money originally granted in March 2004 as part of a $50,000 capital arts grant and a $200,000 challenge grant that was contingent on ETC's expansion in the neighborhood, as the City of Covington had been working to lure the theatre out of the declining area.
Because the money had not been spent, the contract expired and the City took back the funding in June.
Earlier this year, ETC embarked on a $6.5 million capital campaign to finance the renovations of its current space at and a newly-acquired 15,000-square-foot space at 1117 Vine Street.
Improvements will include a renovated performance space and seating, an outside courtyard, an on-site scene shop, new office space, a renovated box office and lobby space, and private meeting rooms.
GBBN Architects has been hired to do the renovation, which is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2010.
Councilmember Roxanne Qualls introduced the motion.
"The Ensemble Theatre has remained committed to bringing world and regional premiers to Over-the-Rhine for more than twenty years, despite attempts to lure the theatre to locations outside the city," says Qualls in a media release. "With the expansion plans in place, a surge in attendance over the previous year, and the revitalization of Over-the-Rhine, now is the perfect time to move forward with the expansion."
The Ensemble Theatre opened in 1988 with 134 seats and expanded to 202 seats in 1993.
City Home photo update, 8/4/08
On Monday, August 4, Over-the-Rhine Community Housing (OTRCH), Eber Development, Schickel Design, and 3CDC held a media event at the site of the new City Home project in Over-the-Rhine.
Crews were busy preparing footers for new townhomes on the site of demolished buildings at 1406-1410 Pleasant Street, while other contractors were busy working within the buildings that will be rehabilitated into new single-family and condominium units.
When I arrived, only a cameraman from FOX 19 was on hand, but I did notice Rich Jaffe from Local 12 and a crew from News 5 as I was leaving.
Some of the people pictured in these shots are: Kelly Leon of 3CDC (green/yellow top and flowered skirt/shorts), Karen Blatt of Eber Development (green top and black pants), Sarah Allan of OTRCH (pink top and skirt), Martha Dorff of Schickel Design (black suit).
Be sure to read the companion piece in today's Soapbox.
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 640 x 480. Photos will open in a new browser window.
This slideshow contains 44 photos.