One of the most historically significant homes in Westwood will be on the block this morning.

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office will auction off the Werk Mansion, , at 11 AM at the Hamilton County Courthouse.

With an appraised value of $399,000 for the 15-room, 5,000-square-foot house, the minimum bid has been set at $266,000.

The sale includes 4.94 acres of property.

The mansion was originally constructed in 1848 by Casimir Werk, son of local industrialist Michael Werk.

Following a fire in 1894, the house was almost entirely rebuilt in the popular Queen Anne style.

It remained in the Werk family until 1988.

Local restauranteurs Ron and Katrina Mincy, of Aunt Flora's Cobbler House and Down Home Diner, purchased the house in 2005.

They had planned to open a non-profit bed and breakfast and ministry/conference center, but were stymied by groups such as Westwood Concern, who feared that a change in zoning for the property could open the door to more multi-family housing in the neighborhood.

Photo credit: Cincinnati Preservation Association

Vice Mayor David Crowley has introduced a motion before City Council that could put hundreds of vacant City-owned parcels to productive use.

Under the Cincinnati Farm program, the City would publish a list of all City-owned parcels for which there is no current use and no interested buyer, then offer the lands at nominal cost to residents who would agree to farm or garden the land.

"Many of these parcels have no development potential because of their small size and irregular shape," Crowley says in a statement accompanying the motion. "Many City residents would appreciate having the use of a parcel of land for vegetable gardens, flower gardens, rain gardens, or neighborhood beautification."

Crowley also says that the currently non-productive land could help interested residents earn a living, among other benefits.

"The use of idle City land for gardening and farming would yield multiple benefits, including beautifying the City, improving the availability of fresh local foods, supplementing the diets of local residents, reducing storm water runoff, reducing the City's costs to maintain vacant properties, and creating local jobs."

A report on the proposal from city manager Milton Dohoney Jr is due before Council on November 19.

Photo credit: "Community Garden - Baltic Street, Park Slope" by Flickr user .

Price Hill Will is beginning the rehabilitation of .

The large 1905 Victorian has fallen into disrepair and would make a suitable location for your Halloween festivities.

The home is listed with Coldwell Banker West Shell for $150,000, but could be had for as low as $120,000 with buydown assistance.

New features will also include a huge 16 x 22 living room, a new back deck and patio, and new roof, siding, and windows.

The house has 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths within 2,189 square feet of living space.

Rehabilitation is expected to be completed by mid-December.

Several things to point out about the photographs:

• Much of the overgrown vegetation has been removed. Price Hill Will plans all-new landscaping.
• The basement is a complete mess, which is why there are no photos. As of now, it is the clubhouse of the local cat population.
• Many interior walls have been removed, giving the house a more open and modern floor plan. It had previously been used as a two-family dwelling.
• The hole in the roof had been cut the day before, and was to be tarped before re-roofing work began.

There are 57 photos in this slideshow.

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.

Multi-family with retail addition
DOB: 1925
Died: October 2008
Cause of death: Destroyed by a fire on January 16, 2008. The one-alarm fire caused approximately $20,000 in damage. The building was apparently vacant and full of debris at the time.

It was purchased in June for $69,400 and razed to make way for the Burnet Avenue Revitalization project.

Two years ago:

• I visited Mount Airy Forest.
  

One year ago:

• Cincinnati City Council approved a rezoning for a Pleasant Ridge diagnostic hospital.
• Cincinnati's Tax Incentive Review Council reported that, in 2006, Enterprise Zone job creation exceeded agreement requirements by 6.9 percent and other tax incentive programs created 183 percent more jobs than required.
• Models were open at Park Manor in Blue Ash, and a second building was under construction.
  
• 609 Steiner Avenue in Sedamsville was entered into HomeVestors' Ugliest House of the Year contest. (It didn't "win".)
• A Corryville house was razed to make way for the 3000 Vine mixed-use project.

Cincinnati City Council has approved the rezoning of the former Gray Road landfill in Winton Hills.

The ordinance changes the from limited manufacturing and single-family zoning to MA Manufacturing Agricultural District, allowing for the development of light industrial and office uses and retaining much of its current agricultural and large-lot residential use.

Property owner Gray Road Fill, Inc. has proposed a light industrial park on an 81-acre portion of the site that could employ up to 3,000 people.

The City estimates that the site could support 50,000 to 70,000 square feet of buildings and is eyeing the project for LEED certification.

City staff is currently working with Gray Road Fill and consultant Menelaos Triantafillou of UC's College of DAAP on a site development plan, with the goal of creating a planned development district (PD) for the industrial park.

Pressure from the City and neighborhood residents, who complained about dust and noise from truck traffic entering and exiting the site, led to the landfill's closure in 2007.

Image credit: Windows Live Search Maps

Previous reading on BC:
EDC to consider rezoning for Gray Road landfill (10/14/08)
How will Gray Road landfill be redeveloped? (6/23/08)

Cincinnati City Council has passed unanimously an ordinance creating a new capital account to pay for lead remediation at the Blue Ash Airport.

The account will draw $200,000 from surplus existing capital accounts to develop a plan to clean up 7.5 acres of contaminated soil from a 130-acre site near .

Remediation work will begin next year.

In 2007, the City sold 130 acres of airport property to the City of Blue Ash for the development of a park.

Cincinnati will continue to operate the airport, which will move to a 100-acre site at the southern edge of the airport property.

Blue Ash, which will take control of the 130 acres in 2010, is awaiting completion of the airport relocation before drafting a final park plan.

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati to create account for Blue Ash Airport cleanup (10/22/08)

The City of Cincinnati has no specific plans for redevelopment of the Consolidated Grain and Barge silo demolition site in South Cumminsville, according to Department of Community Development senior development officer Sam Stephens.

Property owner Mt. Carmel Stabilization Group Inc. plans to complete the demolition it began earlier this month and remediate any environmental hazards before selling the 1.8-acre site.

"Originally, they had planned to reuse the silos, but they were unable to make the reuse project work," says Stephens. "According to them and the City inspector assigned to the project, the silos and surrounding property had deteriorated into a dangerous area that the owners viewed as a liability."

Stephens says that the City might be able to provide assistance or incentives to an end-user.

"The City is very interested in seeing this site returned to productive use," he says. "The property has great redevelopment potential, especially for a light industrial company looking for a central location."

The site is zoned MG Manufacturing General, which allows heavy industrial and manufacturing uses, transportation facilities, and warehouse/distribution businesses that require good transportation access but might generate negative off-site impacts.

Previous reading on BC:
Silos redux (10/23/08)
Mill Creek 'landmark' coming down (10/22/08)

Single-family
DOB: 1875
Died: September 2008
Cause of death: Building code violations issued in January on gutters and downspouts, cornice, soffits, windows, and the front porch. The property was littered with stored items, including an overabundance of used tires. Tenants were moved out in April.

The North Fairmount owner razed a neighboring property during the same month.

One year ago:

• Vitality Over-the-Rhine announced its plans to create a special incentive district in the neighborhood.
• Cincinnati City Council declared its intent to appropriate property for the Colerain-West Fork-Virginia intersection improvement project in Northside.
• Work continued on the parking garage at Kenwood Towne Place.
  
• Skyline and Covedale photos were added to the Building Cincinnati galleries.
• A two-family in Avondale was razed by a neighboring church.
• I visited Mount Washington, Anderson Township, and Mariemont.*
  

* 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.

Cincinnati City Council unanimously approved an ordinance authorizing a development manager agreement between the City and 3CDC for the site Downtown.

The agreement gives 3CDC one year - with two one-year renewal terms - to select a developer for the nearly 2-acre site.

Representatives of 3CDC agreed to the contract language on September 29.

The agreement does not require the City to provide any funding for 3CDC's development activities, but the Business Courier has reported that the non-profit corporation has requested $300,000 to pay for preliminary design, construction, and financing consultants.

A separate funding agreement would have to be passed by council to make that money available.

So far, no ordinance for a funding agreement has been placed on council's agenda.

Upon the approval of a developer and a development plan by council, 3CDC would manage the building project.

The site has been a surface parking lot since 2001, and has seen three development proposals fall through.

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati adopts motion to bring in 3CDC on Fifth and Race (8/11/08)

Cincinnati City Council has unanimously approved a Community Reinvestment Area tax exemption for the rehabilitation of into seven floors of Class B office space and ground-floor retail.

Building owner TBMG Properties will receive an eight-year CRA agreement that would be equal to a 75 percent exemption on the increased property tax value, and the City will gain $73,360 in earnings taxes.

Renovations, estimated at $880,000, would include new mechanicals, elevators, and tenant improvements.

When completed in July 2009, TBMG estimates that the project will create up to 14 jobs, with 2,600 square feet of rentable space on each floor.

In the third quarter of 2008, Class B office vacancy in the CBD stood at 18.40 percent, according to commercial real estate firm Colliers Turley Martin Tucker.

Class B vacancy in the second quarter of 2008 was 16.45 percent.

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati council to consider CRA tax exemption for 18 W Seventh (10/13/08)

Price Hill Will is halfway through the rehabiliation of in East Price Hill's Incline District.

Castle Construction is the contractor on the 2,100-square-foot house, a former three-family purchased by the community development group from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for $17,000.

The house will be available for $120,000, made affordable by construction subsidies and buydown assistance through the Ohio Housing Finance Agency's .

Completion is expected in December.

There are several things worth noting when comparing these photos with the pre-project shots:

• The house has been painted.
• New steps and walkways have been poured.
• The concrete walk to the back yard has been removed and will not be replaced.
• The side entrance has been bricked in - you would never know it had been there.
• New windows have been installed.
• The second story door has yet to be filled in, but will be soon, and the roof porch will be pitched.
• A rear deck has been installed.
• The new HVAC system is in.
• Multiple interior walls from the three-family setup have been removed, opening up several very large rooms.
• Closets have been framed in.
• A half dozen steel rods have been inserted through the masonry and beneath the floors to stabilize and reinforce the structure.

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Previous reading on BC:
Reviving Cincinnati: 723 Mt. Hope Avenue, Part I (8/4/08)

Single-family
DOB: 1928
Died: October 2008
Cause of death: Razed to make way for Xavier University's Hoff Academic Quad project.

Three years ago:

• I visited Westwood and Mount Airy Forest to check out the fall foliage.*
  

* 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.

Here are the final 29 shots taken while I was Downtown and in Over-the-Rhine attending the 2008 Downtown Tour of Living.

BTW...the rooftop shots near the end were taken from the rooftop deck at the Renaissance at the Power Building.

These photographs have been added to the following galleries:

• Downtown +13 (179 photos)
• Over-the-Rhine +9 (117 photos)
• Pendleton +4 (54 photos)
• Cincinnati Skyline +3 (67 photos)

These galleries, and the galleries of dozens of other Greater Cincinnati communities, can be found in the drop-down menu at the top of the right-hand column.

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.

Single-family/Commercial
DOB: 1928
Died: September 2008
Cause of death: Razed to make way for Xavier University's Hoff Academic Quad project.

Cincinnati City Council has voted unanimously to expand the Short Vine Vending District all the way north to Martin Luther King Jr Drive.

As part of the Cincinnati Municipal Code, vending districts create a uniform set of rules and regulations for street vendors operating within them.

Last September, council created a vending district extending north from , along both sides of the street.

According to the new ordinance, the change "eliminates less-regulated peddler activity and provides for the uniform treatment of all sidewalk vending activity throughout the entire neighborhood business district (NBD)" and promotes "a safer and more orderly NBD".

The expansion request was made by the University Village Association (UVA).

In 2005, the UVA advocated for the creation of the district when street vending activity started becoming problematic.

Previous reading on BC:
Short Vine Vending District created (9/9/07)
Short Vine Vending District closer (8/8/07)
Short Vine Vending District to be created (6/26/07)

The Mount Washington Community Council (MWCC) has released a survey to gauge public opinion on possible changes to the traffic flow along Beechmont Avenue.

On September 10, Cincinnati City Councilmember Roxanne Qualls introduced a motion supporting traffic calming measures along the section of road that would reduce traffic speeds and create a more pedestrian-friendly environment.

Speeds along Beechmont have steadily risen since the --> --> --> widened the roadway in 2004, eliminating a dangerous "zipper" lane and improving the intersection at .

The survey asks about several proposals, including reducing speed limits, installing landscaped medians "up the hill", adding on-street parking to the business district, providing bicycle lanes, and placing a traffic light at .

It also asks for respondents to rank each of the ideas in order of importance.

The MWCC will consider the responses in future planning efforts with City staff.

Previous reading on BC:
Mount Washington rezonings seek compact, pedestrian-friendly development (9/18/08)

There are various small-scale residential construction projects in various stages of completion throughout Columbia Tusculum:

• , Andrew James Custom Builders. Two of three have sold for $499,000.
• , built on a teardown site and not on the market.
• , built on vacant land and not on the market.
• , built by Boulevard Custom Homes. 3211 has sold, and 3209 is on the market for $649,000.

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.



Previous reading on BC:
Random project photos, 1/16/08 (1/23/08)
Columbia Tusculum: 3629-3633 Woodbridge Pl (10/31/07)

Multi-family
DOB: 1906
Died: October 2008
Cause of death: Razed as part of the Burnet Avenue Revitalization project.

One year ago:

• The Corbin Park townhome project in the East End hit the market.
• Construction at the Villages of Daybreak in Bond Hill shifted south of Langdon Farm Road.
  
• A ceremonial kickoff was held for the Millcreek Valley Habitat for Humanity project on Wilson Avenue in Colerain Township.
• An odd-looking Northside retail building was razed due to rotten framing and falling bricks.

A report on a motion by Cincinnati City Councilmembers Roxanne Qualls and Laketa Cole that would direct the City to create form-based code overlay districts is due back before council by mid-November.

The motion would direct the Department of City Planning to work on expanding the City's zoning code to include the overlay districts and to work with neighborhoods in developing them, and would release $50,000 from a surplus capital account to help fund the process.

The motion was signed by Councilmembers John Cranley, David Crowley, and Cecil Thomas.

While conventional zoning focuses mainly on land use, form-based codes concentrate on each building's form, massing, and relationships to the street and to other buildings.

"Many of our most admired neighborhoods could not be built today under conventional land-use zoning," Qualls says. "That's why cities across the country are adopting a new approach, to reinforce the competitive advantage of their neighborhoods and stimulate new development."

"Form-based codes are a powerful tool for building strong, vibrant neighborhoods, creating a climate for business and residential development, and enhancing the quality of life in our community," Cole says. "They are a response to the sprawl, decline of historic, traditional neighborhoods, and the neglect of pedestrian safety that have resulted from conventional land-use zoning."

Qualls says that form-based code overlays are tailored to address the specific needs of each neighborhood, and involve an intensive and inclusive planning process.

"The form-based code planning process sets out the physical structure of the district in a straightforward way so that planners, citizens and developers can make their shared vision a built reality," Qualls says. "The result is that neighborhoods get what they want – development that is compatible with their history and vision, and results in compact, walkable communities. Developers get what they want – speedy approval of their proposals as long as they conform to the form-based code for the neighborhood."

The idea for form-based code overlay districts was presented in February's Neighborhood Summit.

Since then, a delegation of neighborhood leaders, City staff, developers, and representatives from organizations such as the local chapter of the Urban Land Institute have visited Nashville, which has implemented the districts in areas throughout the city.

And on October 3-4, a two-day conference was held at the Duke Energy Center that included as speakers Nashville planners and developers, Qualls, and the ICSC Alliance.

Several neighborhoods, such as College Hill, Madisonville, Pleasant Ridge, and Westwood, have begun the process of creating overlays in their business districts by taking an inventory of their current neighborhood plans, identifying key community stakeholders, and finding funding resources for the future planning process.

Representatives of Avondale, Clifton, East Price Hill, Kennedy Heights, Walnut Hills, West End, Mount Adams, Mount Airy and Northside have also expressed interest.

"Cincinnati has always been a city of great neighborhoods," Qualls says. "The city’s original streetcar system created neighborhoods with vibrant business districts, where people could stroll to the store and socialize with their neighbors. Our neighborhoods are what many suburban communities try to create artificially - mixed-use, compact, and walkable."

Learn more about form-based codes here, and ask your questions on the message board. Image courtesy of glaserworks.

The Housing Authority of Newport Kentucky is accepting sealed bids for the renovation of two properties until noon on November 7.

will be open for a pre-bid walkthrough today at 10 AM, followed by a walkthrough at at 10:45 AM.

Information on the bid process can be obtained by contacting procurement officer Randy Schweinzger at (859) 581-2533 x217.

132 16th Street, Newport photo courtesy of Campbell County PVA.

We're down to some of the finishing touches on the exteriors of Golden Avenue Manor in Columbia Tusculum.

Joshua One is building the 4-unit townhome development along the .

Prices for these high-end units are $599,000 and include three bedrooms, a media room, a library, a veranda and attached two-car garages.

Real estate listings show that three are still available, with one having sold for $583,508.

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.



Previous reading on BC:
Golden Avenue Manor photo update, 1/16/08 (1/17/08)
Golden Avenue Manor photo update, 10/4/07 (10/11/07)

In response to yesterday's post about the demolition of the abandoned grain silos and elevator in South Cumminsville, a reader has sent me a few shots he took from inside.

For obvious reasons, he withheld his name.

"The site was really beautiful as a ruin, and hopefully these shots do it a little justice," he says.

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.



Previous reading on BC:
Mill Creek 'landmark' coming down (10/22/08)

Single-family
DOB: 1882
Died: September 2008
Cause of death: The house was ordered vacant by the City in March 2002. It was razed privately by the owner, a South Fairmount resident who has owned it since at least 1970.

One year ago:

• Cincinnati City Council's Economic Development Committee was considering a zoning change to bring a diagnostic hospital to 5500 Verulam Avenue in Pleasant Ridge.
• In Hyde Park, a dumpster appeared at the 3420 Shaw condominium site and structural framing work was ongoing at the Knox Presbyterian Church addition.
  
• The University of Cincinnati Solar Decathlon team placed 15th in the international competition.
• An abandoned house in Northside, which was in danger of collapsing, was razed.

Cincinnati City Council has authorized the grant of an Environmental Covenant and an Operation and Maintenance Agreement with the State of Ohio over the 60-acre Center Hill Landfill property at in Winton Hills, property the City has maintained and monitored for 20 years.

In addition to a No Further Action letter submitted on June 24, the two documents are a requirement under the Ohio Revised Code to receive a Covenant Not to Sue from the Ohio EPA.

The Environmental Covenant provides limitations to the City that would prevent them from accessing the site's groundwater or disturbing any hazardous substances in the solid waste material underlying the site during construction, while the Operation and Maintenance Agreement commits the City to proper funding and oversight of the site's remediation.

Both the City's Department of Community Development (DCD) and the Office of Environmental Quality say that redevelopment would be severely hindered without the Covenant Not to Sue.

DCD estimates that the site could support 500 new jobs as a commercial/light industrial park.

Cincinnati City Council is considering creating a new capital improvement program project account to help fund lead remediation at the Blue Ash Airport, a project that is necessary to put a property sales agreement into effect.

The City would gain access to $200,000 from a surplus account to develop a lead remediation work plan and to pay expenses relating to the $35.7 million sale of 130 acres of airport property to the City of Blue Ash.

Approximately 7.5 acres of the triangular site, which borders , contains lead-contaminated soil.

Soil remediation is scheduled to begin in 2009, and control of the property will be transferred to Blue Ash by August 2010.

Cincinnati will continue to operate the airport, which will move to a 100-acre site at the southern edge of the airport property.

In 2007, Blue Ash announced conceptual plans that included a new park with a performing arts and conference center, but is waiting on the airport relocation before drafting a final development plan.

This is an assortment of photos taken near the end of September.

The Over-the-Rhine and Prospect Hill shots were captured on September 20 following the Blogger Tour of Living and Oktoberfest* and sandwiched around a beer tasting at Market Wines.

The Mount Adams and skyline shots were taken during a trip to the Rookwood Bar & Restaurant for a Soapbox story.

These photos have been added to the following galleries:

• Prospect Hill +9 (50 photos)
• Over-the-Rhine +5 (108 photos)
• Mount Adams +4 (103 photos)
• Skyline +3 (64 photos)

These galleries, and galleries for other Greater Cincinnati communities, can be found in the drop-down menu at the top of the right-hand column.

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.



* Photos of Oktoberfest can be seen in the Blogger Tour of Living link.

Cincinnati City Council's Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee will host a public hearing this evening to gather community input on bicycle and pedestrian access issues along the I-75 corridor.

As part of the Brent Spence Bridge, --> --> -->Mill Creek Expressway --> --> --> and --> --> --> projects, I-75 will be rebuilt with all new interchanges and overpasses.

The hearing will include an overview of current plans for the corridor by the City's Department of Transportation and Engineering.

Cycling advocates are encouraged to offer testimony about ways to improve safety and promote biking as an alternative mode of transportation.

Ideas from the hearing will be integrated into the projects' planning, design, and construction.

Several group rides are planned:

• Ohio riders will depart from the Art Academy of Cincinnati, , at 5:30 PM
• Kentucky riders will depart from Reser Bicycle Outfitters, in Newport, at 5:30 PM
• MoBo Bicycle Co-op will depart from in Northside at 5 PM

Representatives from Queen City Bike are expected to advocate for safer travel across I-75 and along Central Parkway, and to raise concerns about how bicycle and pedestrian safety will be addressed with the proposed roundabouts at the I-75/Hopple interchange.

The hearing begins at 6 PM at Council Chambers.

Bicycle racks will be provided at the northeast corner of City Hall.

Photo credit: "Summer Streets Bicycles" by Flickr user

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati council opposes I-75/Hopple plans (7/2/08)

The abandoned grain silos are coming down at the Consolidated Grain and Barge Co. site on in South Cumminsville.

David J. Jones has sent along a couple of photos he took of the progress.

As a photographer who sometimes works with the Cincinnati Fire Department (CFD), Jones passed along word that an alarmed neighbor called the CFD thinking it was an unplanned collapse!

The Mill Creek Valley is definitely going to look different without them.

Nationwide Demo is the demolition contractor.

Mt. Carmel Stabilization Group Inc. of Mt. Carmel, IL has owned the silos since 2002.

Two-family
DOB: 1886
Died: September 2008
Cause of death: Vacant, dilapidated, neglected, and possibly abandoned. The exterior was open to the elements, allowing both the weather and trespassers inside. Cracks were visible in the concrete walls and the lot was covered with weeds and litter.

It was condemned in November 2005. The owner showed up to pre-prosecution hearings with plans to rehabilitate the building. Several months later no work had been started, and it was eventually declared a public nuisance.

A criminal case was filed in housing court in July 2008. The building was razed by the City at a cost of $14,927.67, and they're requesting a fine of up to $1,000 and 6 months in jail for the owner. The criminal case has been continued to Friday.

One year ago:

• Twenty-five new photos of Hyde Park and Oakley were added to the Building Cincinnati galleries.
• Structural work was underway at the Lofts at 4120 project in Oakley.
  
• A Downtown building was razed after its façade collapsed into the public right-of-way.
• Safety blunders!

On October 10, over 300 guests crowded the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza's Hall of Mirrors for the Cincinnati Preservation Association's (CPA) thirteenth annual Fall Forum.

Featured speaker Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. of Charleston, SC presented "Preserving and Restoring the American City — Every Citizen's Responsibility", a motivational speech about his city's efforts to preserve its historic districts, thereby revitalizing its downtown.

Riley also provided insight into the lessons that Cincinnati could learn from Charleston.

"Mayor Riley’s talk was refreshing," says CPA executive director Bobbie McTurner. "I left the luncheon inspired, recharged and optimistic. And from the calls that we have been receiving, I was not the only person touched by Mayor Riley’s genuine respect for the historic built environment of Charleston and Cincinnati."

McTurner adds that if Charleston can produce heritage tourism as a byproduct of its preservation efforts, so can Cincinnati.

"Hearing the success story of Charleston only reiterates the necessity of our fight to preserve Cincinnati’s regional identity," she says.

Margo Warminski, preservation director for the CPA, also found value in Riley's message.

"The City needs to learn from Charleston's example and insist on high standards for all renovation and new development," she says. "If it doesn't add to our incredible urban environment, it shouldn't be built. Also, the Mayor's experience demonstrates that even seriously dilapidated buildings can be saved and reused if there is the will to do so."

Currently serving an unprecedented ninth term, Riley is widely considered one of the most visionary and highly effective governmental leaders in America.

Because of his experience, Riley is a frequent speaker on issues of urban design and livability.

Photo caption (L-R): CPA trustee board president Lynn Jacobs, CPA trustee and Fall Forum co-chair Shakila T. Ahmad, Charleston mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr., CPA executive director Bobbie McTurner, CPA trustee and Fall Forum co-chair Margaret Valentine, CPA trustee and Fall Forum co-chair Paul Muller. Photo courtesy of the CPA.

Developer Al Neyer, Inc. has completed the office building at Columbia Square in Columbia Tusculum, and two retail buildings are in the midst of construction.

Sycamore Gas will occupy a portion of the first floor of the 44,000-square-foot office building, and a high-end restaurant is being pursued for the ground floor.

Anytime Fitness will occupy 4,000 square feet of one of the two retail buildings, which are now available for lease.

Two restaurant outbuildings will eventually be built near the Columbia Parkway entrance.

Bruegger's Bagels has signed on to occupy one of those buildings.

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.



Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati to sell streets for Columbia Square (2/26/08)
Columbia Square photo update, 1/9/08 (1/14/08)
Columbia Square photo update, 10/4/07 (10/12/07)
Service agreement, funds for Columbia Square (8/7/07)

Single-family
DOB: 1915
Died: September 2008
Cause of death: Ninety percent of the foundation collapsed into the basement, causing damage and leakage from a fuel oil tank and water lines that was noticed all the way down on Grand Avenue.

The house was condemned in May 2008 and hand wrecked by the owners, who did not live in the house but in West Price Hill.

Three years ago:

• I visited Wyoming.
  

One year ago:

• Trees were being cleared for the 2801 Erie project in Hyde Park.
  
• Construction continued at Alms Gate in Columbia Tusculum.
  
• Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper was scheduled to speak at the Mercantile Library's Cincinnati USA and the World event.
• Queen City Survey reported on Architreks' Moonlight Tour of Mount Adams.
• A South Fairmount home was razed due to neglect and abandonment.

Cincinnati City Council has passed an ordinance requiring development of a new plan for helping single homeless men and women move from homelessness to homes.

The ordinance, introduced by Councilmember Roxanne Qualls, directs the Cincinnati/Hamilton County Continuum of Care for the Homeless to deliver a plan to the mayor and council by March 31, 2009 that ensures that single homeless men and women have access to safe shelter facilities that provide the comprehensive services necessary for them to obtain and maintain housing.

Continuum of Care will be required to create a process that seeks the input of all key community stakeholders, including homeless providers, mental health and substance abuse providers, the business community, government representatives, funding entities, national and regional experts, and others.

The ordinance also requires the plan to use nationally-recognized best practices, and to insure that any new facilities are good neighbors to nearby businesses and residents.

"The new plan should result in a national model that guarantees the highest standards of care for the homeless, and includes case management, medical, mental health and recovery services, so that homeless men and women can successfully move from homelessness to homes and become productive members of society once again," Qualls says in a media release.

Qualls adds that the new plan is not meant to achieve minor reform, but to design a new system from the ground up that will substantially reduce the number of people needing shelter services each night.

In 2007, 3,604 single males and 1,139 single females were served through street outreach, emergency shelters and transitional housing in Cincinnati.

Only 413 emergency shelter beds are available nightly for single individuals, and many could be lost if the Mt. Airy Center is privatized.

The plan will be used to guide the City’s future resource allocation decisions for homeless services.

All service providers will be selected through an objective, competitive process consistent with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines.

In 2007, Cincinnati/Hamilton County Continuum of Care was awarded $10.4 million in federal funds, which it disbursed among 39 different programs and 24 different non-profit organizations.

Photo credit: "Homeless" by Flickr user

A new group of owners including some from Urban Sites Properties has purchased in Over-the-Rhine and has started making improvements on the 13-unit rental property.

The property became available when the City modified a loan agreement with Big Dog Properties, allowing the owners to sell the buildings.

Although Big Dog Properties claimed that they needed to sell the buildings because they had been operating at a loss and had only achieved slightly above 50 percent occupancy since rehabilitation of the buildings started in 2002, the new owners expect full occupancy by year end.

"We have 2 vacant rental units in all of OTR," says Greg Olson, chief operating officer of Urban Sites Properties. "That is a testament to our cool spaces, Kris Sommer’s sales ability, and the splendor of the Q and OTR!"

The buildings are moderately priced between $500 and $675 a month and come with off-street gated parking.

"Our target of young professionals, students and urban hipsters should find a good value, easy transportation options and good services at their fingertips," Sommer says.

Sommer says that the Walnut Street properties are a nice example of urban living.

"They have steel highlights in open spaces, hardwood floors, exposed brick and more," he says. "The buildings are in a good position - the north section of Walnut, opposite the redeveloping Grammers, next to some of our already developed properties - and is a great welcome to Walnut as one drives south."

He adds that this property is another in a long line of projects that is tying the neighborhood's living options together.

"There's a strong link from Sycamore, Main, Walnut and (soon) Vine," Sommer says. "The neighborhood north of 14th is in good hands with a few good developers both large and small."

The purchase price was $450,000, which Big Dog Properties will use to pay off a loan from the Cincinnati Development Fund, fees, and past due taxes.

Previous reading on BC:
Loan forgiveness allows Big Dog to sell OTR properties (9/17/08)
Developer wants out of City loan, sale of Walnut Street properties (9/9/08)

This morning at 10 AM, Ohio Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher will make an important announcement about the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit (OHPTC) program at the corner of in Over-the-Rhine.

On March 13, the Ohio Department of Development announced that the initial $120 million in funding for the OHPTC program had been exhausted and the two-year pilot program would be closed, after only 37 of the 115 submitted applications were approved.

The program was reinstated as part of Governor Ted Strickland's economic stimulus package and the next funding cycle is reported to begin on July 1, 2009.

Projects that were not funded before the original program closed will be given first priority, and the "first-come, first-served" aspect of the program have been removed.

Each funding cycle will be funded with $120 million, with a $5 million cap per project.

Previous reading on BC:
ODOD: Forcing tax credit approvals would 'offend constitutional separation of powers (5/16/08)
Working group makes recommendations on state tax credit program (4/28/08)
Ohio developers file writ with Supreme Court over tax credit program (4/11/08)
Cincinnati, SW Ohio projects may receive historic tax credits after all (4/3/08)
SW Ohio largely bypassed by failed tax credit program (3/18/08)

The Kennedy Heights Community Council board adopted a new neighborhood logo at its September meeting.

Following a committee-led design phase and several public workshops, the new logo was selected from three concepts for its simplicity, its ties to the original logo, and its representation of the neighborhood's values and ideals.

The logo will appear on new gateway signage to be installed along Montgomery Road by the end of this year.

The original yin-yang logo had been in use for more than 30 years.

Previous reading on BC:
Kennedy Heights seeks input on logo (3/18/08)

Nursing home
DOB: Unknown
Died: October 2008
Cause of death: Foundation cracks, a poorly maintained fire protection system, and open windows causing weather damage and requiring multiple City barricades. The building was a major center of drugs and prostitution, which the neighborhood had fought for years to remove.

Located in a SF-4 Single Family District, the building sat vacant for over a year and lost its legal non-conforming use status. The owners did not show up for pre-prosecution hearings, and a criminal case was filed in March 2007. The case was dismissed in April 2007 for want of prosecution and a lack of service on the summons.

The City condemned the building in May 2007. It was declared a public nuisance in April 2008, and razed by the City as part of a media event highlighting the Neighborhood Enhancement Program.

One year ago:

• The Barracks in Mount Adams received its certificate of occupancy.
• New townhomes at the corner of Columbia Parkway and Stanley Avenue were receiving their brick cladding.
  
• The Cincinnati Preservation Association was preparing for their Fall Forum, which featured Portland metro councilor Robert Liberty as the featured speaker.
• A Northside burn-down was razed to expand the neighbor's yard.

The developers of the Lofts at Harrison Terminal have submitted their application for Clean Ohio Fund dollars to perform a Phase II environmental site assessment on the property at in Queensgate.

E&T Real Estate Holdings needs the funding to proceed on conversion of the 60,000-square-foot building into 18 market-rate apartments with ground-floor commercial space.

Although they plan to finance the construction through a conventional loan, the site assessment will help them to prepare cost estimates and a site remediation plan.

In 2007, a limited Phase II environmental assessment of soil samples from the property showed semi-volatile organic compound (SVOC) levels that exceeded Ohio Voluntary Action Program direct contact soil standards for residential use.

A smaller rear building, one of two others located on the property, is currently leased by a company that recycles semi-tractors, semi-trailers, delivery trucks, and vans.

E&T is terminating the lease and the property will be vacant by January, giving better access for environmental testing.

So far, E&T has installed a new roof, replaced windows, constructed fire stairs, and performed Phase I environmental assessments on the five-story building.

Built in 1885 as a warehouse, the Harrison Terminal Building has been used for furniture manufacturing, bakery supply, trailer sales and rental, advertising, music recording, and several transportation companies. Harrison Terminal sold the building in 1990.

Plans for the surrounding area, including the West End Comprehensive Plan, envision a "Loft District" that would turn vacant industrial properties into residential apartments mixed with commercial studio, office, and limited retail and commercial spaces.

Key selling points for the property include views of the skyline from the top floors and a short commute time to Downtown.

One of the development partners has stated that he'll live in one of the completed units.

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati supports Harrison Terminal apartment project (8/13/08)
Apartment re-use for Camp Washington? (7/29/08)

The Clean Ohio Fund has launched a new inter-agency website designed to improve public access to information on its programs and services.

Content is organized into the four core areas of brownfield revitalization, farmland preservation, green space conservation, and recreational trails.

Users can see before and after photos of Clean Ohio project sites, grant information and applications, maps, and other environmental information.

Press releases, news, and related legislation is also made available.

Ohio voters approved the creation of the $400 million Clean Ohio Fund in 2000.

To date, its various programs have been responsible for $200 million in brownfield remediation, the preservation of 23,000 acres of agricultural land, 533 green space projects, and more than 223 miles of recreational trails.

A $400 million renewal of the Clean Ohio Fund will appear as Issue 2 on the November ballot, part of Governor Ted Strickland's $1.6 billion economic stimulus package.

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati supports Clean Ohio Fund ballot initiative (6/19/08)

The final part of a three-part series on September 27th's 2008 Downtown Tour of Living includes one property located in Over-the-Rhine and my return to the Central Business District.

A short bus ride from Vernon's Corner was the Pendleton Glass House Lofts, being developed by Fat City Properties and designed by Patrick M. Korb Design Consultants.

Located at , the industrial-styled units range from between $200,000 and $310,000.

Only one unit currently has drywall, while the others are framed in.

Finally, I headed Downtown to a couple of rental properties - the Renaissance at the Power Building and Sycamore Park at St. Xavier Place.*

I didn't take many photos of these properties because they were occupied, and I felt kind of funny walking into someone's home and photographing all of their stuff.

The Renaissance has a fantastic rooftop deck (photos later), and Sycamore Place provided a nice spread of food, drinks, and Big Ten football.

There are 31 photos in this slideshow.

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.



Previous reading on BC:
Downtown Tour of Living, Part II (10/14/08)
Downtown Tour of Living, Part I (10/13/08)

* The Renaissance also contains for sale units

"Kennedy Heights and Fair Housing in Cincinnati", the latest in the Seminar on the City series will be held tomorrow evening at 7:30 PM at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal.

Dr. James Cebula of Raymond Walters College will discuss the efforts by Kennedy Heights residents to maintain an integrated community.

Also, Erinn Green of Wilmington College and Elizabeth Brown, president of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME), will talk about fair housing in Cincinnati since 1968 when the U.S. Fair Housing bill was passed and HOME was founded.

The lecture is free and open to the public.

Seminar on the City is a collaboration between the Cincinnati Museum Center and the University of Cincinnati Department of History.

Three-family
DOB: 1876
Died: September 2008
Cause of death: Vandalism caused by vagrants and deterioration caused by weather. The property was subject to City barricade on numerous occasions, and was the dumping ground for litter and other debris.

The house was condemned in July 2006. There was no contact between the City and owner Semme Holdings of Clearwater, Florida, including pre-prosecution hearings. A criminal case was filed in March 2007, and the City declared the house a public nuisance in April 2007.

In July of 2008, the owner did not show up for an arraignment hearing and a $5,000 bond was ordered. Semme Holdings is currently involved in 9 lawsuits in Hamilton County Courts involving warrants for their arrest. The house was vacant and condemned when they purchased it.

Semme Holdings has the same address as Shorefront Ventures, at 515 Florida Avenue in Clearwater, 33756. Take a look at some of the shenanigans these people are pulling off, and ask yourself why these people aren't in prison:

• A Rapid Rise (Tampa Tribune, 10/22/06)
• Two agencies will examine (Tampa Tribune, 10/24/06)
• Home sales draw more scrutiny (Tampa Tribune, 10/25/06)
• Underwriter launches inquiry (Tampa Tribune, 10/26/06)
• Foreclosures leave Clearwater's Island Estates Residents disenchanted (St. Petersburg Times, 4/6/08)

Three years ago:

• I visited Rehabarama along Pike Street in Covington, then made my way into Covington's downtown for several shots.
  

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.

One year ago:

• Twenty-four new photos were added to the BC galleries.
  
• The City of Cincinnati released its Quality of Life Index for the second quarter of 2007.
• Phase I of Cottage Hill in Columbia Tusculum was nearing completion.
  
• An absentee lender led to the demise of a North Fairmount two-family.

Cincinnati City Council has authorized a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) tax exemption agreement with Masi Realty to aid in the relocation of an art gallery from Hyde Park Square to Oakley.

Sylvia Rombis of Masi Realty plans to build a new two-story, 1,850-square-foot building at for her Malton Art Gallery, which features year-round exhibitions of contemporary sculptures and paintings that are free and open to the public.

The gallery, which was founded in 1974 and is currently located at , also offers custom framing services and provides corporate and residential consultations.

The fifteen-year CRA agreement would be equal to a 75 percent exemption on the increased property tax value.

In giving up $19,200 in property taxes over the life of the agreement, the City hopes to gain $28,350 in earnings taxes.

Malton Art Gallery has two full-time employees and one part-time employee, and represents dozens of local, national, and international artists.

The total cost of the project, including site acquisition, is estimated at $704,000 and is expected to be completed by December 2009.

The site was originally owned by Dr. David Dahlman, who proposed a 3,500-square-foot office building on the site.

He eventually sold the property to Rombis, who razed the site's single-family home in November 2007.

Previous reading on BC:
Wrecking Cincinnati, 11/13/07 (11/13/07)

On October 21, Cincinnati City Council's Economic Development Committee will consider a zoning change for land that includes the former Gray Road landfill in Winton Hills.

The change would rezone the from ML Manufacturing Limited District and SF-20 Single Family District to MA Manufacturing Agricultural District, eliminating most future commercial uses while allowing for clean light industry and office uses.

The new zoning would also allow for the large-lot residential and agricultural uses that now make up most of the site.

The City Planning Commission recommended the zoning change on July 25.

Property owner Gray Road Fill, Inc. has proposed a light industrial park on an 81-acre portion of the site that could employ up to 3,000 people.

The City estimates that the site could support 50,000 to 70,000 square feet of buildings and is eyeing the project for LEED certification.

After several tumultuous years and a lawsuit against the City, the landfill finally closed at the end of 2007 as a result of a consent agreement between Gray Road Fill, the City, and Gray Road reisdents.

City staff is currently working with Gray Road Fill and consultant Menelaos Triantafillou of UC's College of DAAP on a site development plan, with the goal of creating a planned development district (PD) for the industrial park.

Previous reading on BC:
How will Gray Road landfill be redeveloped? (6/23/08)