A crowd of between 200 and 300 people showed their support for Cincinnati Union Terminal's tax levy campaign during the "Rock the Rotunda" event last Thursday.

In addition to learning about the campaign, attendees could sign up for yard signs, to man phone banks, to volunteer during parades and festivals, and to perform Election Day work.

"There was a lot of excitement," says Douglass W. McDonald, president and CEO of the Cincinnati Museum Center. "Now that we know it's on the ballot, and the amount, now we can move forward with campaigning. Now we can go out and tell our story. I think the people at the Museum Center are excited about that."


Reduced levy, reduced repairs

Maintenance, operation and repair of Union Terminal has been funded by a 1986 bond issue and a 2004 tax levy, both of which expire this year.

This year's levy renewal would reduce the millage by 0.02 to 0.18 mills and provide a basic support "life line" of around $3.3 million per year over the next five years, McDonald says.

He points out that this November's levy is a 50 percent reduction of what Hamilton County property owners currently pay to support the publicly-owned building.

"We want people to understand our key message, which is that the levy is only $4.44 per $100,000 of valuation," he says. "That's half of what people are paying in the current year ($9.09). That money is very important to have to help with the costs of being Union Terminal."

Off the table – for now – is a planned 20-year, $80 million bond issue, which would help fund $120 million in needed repairs to the 500,000-square-foot structure, including repairs to the roofing, steel columns, flashing, masonry, windows, and building mechanicals.

Although a more limited $9 million first phase of the rehabilitation is funded and underway, capital funding for more extensive repairs will have to come from other sources, McDonald says.


County support

Last Wednesday, Hamilton County Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution committing their long-term support, asking county administrator Patrick Thompson to work in partnership with the Museum Center "to assure the preservation of Union Terminal and the success of the vision of Cincinnati Museum Center".

To do so, the commissioners recommend the development of a capital funding plan to implement the repairs identified in the 2007 Union Terminal Master Plan, and to look into the availability of bonds through the Build America Recovery Zone program or the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Proposed by Commissioner Todd Portune, the resolution also requests a review of services that the county might cost-effectively provide for the upkeep of Union Terminal and its grounds.

"We are very pleased with the Commissioners' commitment to this public treasure," McDonald says. "Community support is critical to the future of this jewel in the Queen City's crown."

Cincinnati Union Terminal has welcomed more than 150 million visitors in its 75 years of operation; the Cincinnati Museum Center attracts 1.3 million visitors annually.

In 2007, the American Institute of Architects named Union Terminal as the nation's 45th most-important piece of architecture.

"Cincinnati Museum Center is a treasure that each new generation of Greater Cincinnatians has willingly assumed the mantle of responsibility to preserve," Portune said. "Now is our time to rise up to the challenge and assure future generations that they will be able to use and enjoy this gem of an asset in our community."


Spreading the word

McDonald hopes that this message spreads beyond the core group of employees and volunteers to their friends and families, and then out to everyone who wants to see the building preserved.

To achieve that end, the Museum Center and Union Terminal are using the Internet and social media, through websites such as MyUnionTerminal.org, which not only informs the public about the campaign but also allows people to share their personal memories of the National Historic Landmark.

"The use of social media is very important, because it's a very cost-effective part of the campaign," McDonald says.

Museum attractions like Dinosaurs Unearthed and the upcoming Lost Egypt: Ancient Secrets, Modern Science, as well as OMNIMAX films such as Dinosaurs Alive! and Galapagos, are expected to raise public awareness and keep people focused on the campaign, McDonald says.

He says that the majority of future campaigning will take place out in the community.

This weekend, campaign representatives will be on hand at the Nativity of Our Lord Festival in Pleasant Ridge, the St. John Neumann Festival in Springfield Township, and the St. Margaret Mary Festival in North College Hill.

Previous reading on BC:
MyUnionTerminal.org shares memories, updates on possible levy (6/17/09)
Cincinnati Goes to War at Union Terminal (6/10/09)
Contractor selected, $120M Union Terminal restoration begins (6/8/09)
Museum Center seeking expanded landmark status (5/26/09)
Inside Cincinnati Union Terminal (2/18/09)

With construction bids recently awarded by the --> --> --> (KTC), construction is expected to begin on the 12th Street widening project in Covington.

The $34.1 million project will widen the roadway into a five-lane boulevard with new curbs, gutters and sidewalks and will place all utilities underground.

The project also will include the construction of an additional bridge over the railroad tracks, .

First planned in 1968, the project resurfaced again in the early 1980s; Funds for preliminary design were first allocated in 1992.

Since 2006, approximately 50 buildings have been demolished to make way for the roadway, and two historic houses have been relocated.

Still, historic preservationists, residents, and business owners have continued to complain about the widening, citing increases in noise and pollution, the loss of affordable housing stock, and the creation of a barrier that would split the neighborhoods of Eastside and Westside in two.

"We have been very diligent in our efforts to provide an efficient corridor and still preserve the historical nature of this older urban neighborhood," said Rob Hans, chief district engineer for District 6 of the KTC Department of Highways. "We believe the new roadway will provide the traveling public with ease of mobility while keeping the character of the community and neighborhood intact."

So far, $16.6 million has been spent on planning, utility relocation, and right-of-way acquisition and demolition.

Construction between Interstate 71/75 and Russell Street will begin first, with the section between Russell and Scott streets scheduled to begin in six to eight weeks.

Two lanes of traffic will be maintained during construction, which is scheduled for completion in November 2012.

The majority of the following photos were taken on July 11 during a tour of some of the buildings and paraphernalia related to Cincinnati's brewing history.

Some of these photos will appear in a future Arcadia Publishing book, currently being written by Sarah Stephens.

As always, there are a few extra random shots in there for your amusement!

The 32 photos in this slideshow have been added to the following galleries:

• Over-the-Rhine +16 (278 photos)
• Downtown +6 (261 photos)
• Clifton +4 (54 photos)
• Clifton Heights +3 (43 photos)
• Fountain Square +2 (57 photos)
• West End +1 (40 photos)

These galleries, and galleries for 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 800 x 600. Photos will open in a new browser window.

The results of three months of public meetings and input for the Glendale Village Square Project were shown off to the public on August 20.

Prepared by TEC Engineering, Inc. and Yellow Springs Design, the plan shows options for sidewalk and crosswalk brick pavers, outdoor tables and benches, drinking fountains, bike racks, tree grates, and other street furniture.

The site plan also calls for adding a seat wall at the northwest corner of the site and extending the existing stone wall island.

Improvements are estimated to cost approximately $520,000, with 80 percent of the funding coming from an Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments Transportation Enhancement Grant.

Plans will be finalized late this year, with construction scheduled for spring 2010.

Following six weeks of construction, Krohn Conservatory re-opened with a public ceremony on Saturday featuring keepsake posters and the unveiling of self-guided audio tours.

The $257,000 renovation project replaced the original, collapsed main sewer system in front of the building, rebuilt the Show House and installed a new floor, and installed new metal railing and a new waterfall bridge in the Palm House.

The Show House will remain closed through September 11 for the Fall Flower Show installation.

Previous reading on BC:
Krohn closes today, re-opens in six weeks (7/20/09)
Krohn Conservatory and the Butterfly Show (6/30/08)

Mixed-use
DOB: 1900
Died: June 2009
Cause of death: Razed by the City of Cincinnati as part of the MetroWest Commerce Park project.

The building was condemned in November 2006 due to being in a neglected and dilapidated condition, including faulty roof, cornices, gutters, windows, wood surfaces, and electrical service. The structure had become water-damaged and infested with vermin.

Two years ago:

• The board of Cincinnati Waldorf School voted to sell 18 acres of property near the Star Tower to a big box developer.
• Work was progressing at the Galleries at Pendleton condominium site, a project that would stall soon after.
  
• A large Avondale house, which had been carved up into 27 rooms and once contained a group home for convicted felons, was demolished.

The long-troubled Valley Homes complex in Lincoln Heights can be redeveloped if the village's Department of Planning and Zoning approves of a planned unit development plan submitted by Model Property Management (Model Group) on August 25.

Valley Homes, a 29-acre complex consisting of 55 buildings, was built as temporary housing in the 1941 for workers at the Wright Aeronautical Plant, now the GE Aircraft Engines plant in Evendale.

The heavily blighted complex, currently housing around 122 residents – mostly senior citizens, has been a resident-owned cooperative since 1954.

In 2005, the property fell into receivership, with the utilities turned off, garbage not collected, taxes unpaid, and maintenance deferred.

The complex nearly closed in 2006, but a court appointed Maureen Wood of Northside-based Urban Village Developers, LLC as receiver.

"A more permanent solution has to be found," Wood says. "Without a solution, quite a few people are going to be in a very difficult situation."


Task force appointed

In January 2007, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas judge Dennis Helmick appointed a task force, the Board of Valley Homes Mutual Housing Corporation (VHMHC).

Because of the many problems with the buildings, it became clear to the VHMHC that repairs would be far too costly.

A lack of funding was available for rehabilitation, and the buildings suffer from mold, asbestos, deteriorated water and sewer lines, and a lack of ADA compliance.

Courtyards in between became hotbeds of crime.

In May 2007, VHMHC sent out a request for proposals for the redevelopment, and, in January 2008, the Model Group emerged from the nine applicants as the only bidder with the capacity to complete the project.

VHMHC still owes over $200,000 to Duke Energy and the Greater Cincinnati Water Works, and the utilities on remain on only because the property is in receivership.


Redevelopment plan

Phase I of what will be called Villas of the Valley will include up to 69 senior cottages north of , to be made available to tenants over age 55 and under 60 percent of the area median income.

"It has in it what we wanted, which is senior homes," says Joyce Thacker, treasurer for the VHMHC board. "It's the first thing we wanted to do, taking care of the seniors. Then once we got the seniors taken care of, we wanted to take care of the rest of the population."

Each unit will have between one and two bedrooms and average around 1,000 square feet, with 20 percent of the units being ADA-compliant.

Current eligible residents of Valley Homes will be given first priority in the new cottages.

Rents for the new cottages will be between $508 and $548 per month, which includes utilities.

VHMHC will continue to own the Phase I land, but will sign a 35-year ground lease, at $1 per year, with Model Group subsidiary Villas of the Valley Limited Partnership for the two parcels of land north of Medosch Street.

The developer will own and manage the buildings during the 15-year --> --> --> (OHFA) tax credit compliance period, after which VHMHC will have the opportunity to purchase them.

If VHMHC declines to buy the buildings, ownership will revert to them following the 35-year lease period.

The financing package includes not only OHFA tax credits, but also federal HOME funds, Enterprise Foundation Green Funds, Hamilton County NSP funds, and bank loans.

"It's amazing they were able to secure financing in a difficult time," Wood says. "No one else has come up with anything to date as an alternative."

But to make the Phase I financing package complete, the rezoning needs to be approved within the next two months to attract Tax Credit Assistance Program funding from the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act of 2009.

If the rezoning is approved, ground for Phase I could be broken in October and the units could be ready for occupancy by the end of 2010.

There are currently 11 vacant buildings north of Medosch Street.

Future phases

Phase II will consist of 35 units and be available to people of all ages, as long as they meet the same income requirements.

Demolition for the second phase could begin in spring or summer of 2010, with completion in spring 2011.

A third phase is still under consideration.

Valley Homes photos courtesy of Joe Wessels, CinDaily.com

Cincinnati City council has adopted unanimously a motion directing the City to draft an ordinance to build a retaining wall to save properties along Walker Street in Mount Auburn.

The motion is in response to a petition submitted earlier this month by the street's property owners, asking the City for its help in correcting landslide problems resulting from an absentee landlord's burst water pipe and a --> --> --> project on the adjacent Alma Street.

Drafted by councilmember Roxanne Qualls, the motion asks the City to consider the petitioners' request to have the City fund 2 percent of the estimated $588,000 retaining wall cost , and to issue bonds payable by the property owners over the next 30 years.

The City would fund its portion of the costs using capital dollars, not money from the operating budget.

To pay off the costs of the wall, City bonds would be serviced by payments of Walker Street property owners over a period of 30 years.

Andy McLaughlin, a Walker Street resident who helped put the petition together, says that it's as much of an investment by the neighborhood as it is an investment by the City.

"Since the city will have very limited financial responsibility of the cost, it really is more an investment by the property owners," he says. "We will have to pay for this project for 30 years."

McLaughlin says that, although the residents of Walker Street were already close, putting together the petition has pulled them even closer together.

"It has been a difficult thing to deal with, but yes, it has brought us closer," McLaughlin says. "It's obvious nearly everyone wants to keep Walker Street a great place to live, and wants to stay in Cincinnati and Walker Street. Of the 20 people who were asked to sign the petition, only three did not sign it, and all three of them are landlords who do not live on Walker Street."

In the motion, Qualls asks in a statement accompanying the motion that petitioning property owners be involved in designing the wall.

"In order to successfully compete in the world economy, Cincinnati needs safe, attractive, and convenient neighborhoods where people desire to live," she says. "Walker Street in Mt. Auburn is such a neighborhood. It makes little sense to let this neighborhood fail when there is a cost effective solution readily available."

A report – and possibly an ordinance – will be available for consideration by council's Vibrant Neighborhoods Committee on September 7.

Previous reading on BC:
Walker Street residents submit petition for retaining wall (8/3/09)
Walker Street property owners still awaiting action on retaining wall (6/16/09)
Walker Street residents craft petition (5/5/09)
Walker Street residents assembling petition for retaining wall assessment (4/23/09)
Walker Street retaining wall closer to Council vote (4/8/09)

Steven Bloomfield, one of the principals at Bloomfield/Schon + Partners, gave me a personal tour of 2801 Erie on July 21.

The four-story, 13-unit building at in Hyde Park is very near completion.

Bloomfield, who is so confident in the project that he plans to occupy one unit, says that seven of the 13 units are sold, with a couple more sales pending.

Four units are already occupied, with two more move-ins expected by September 1.

Remaining units are priced for between $680,000 and $1.1 million.

On September 10, you can see this building and meet project architect José Garcia on during a cocktail reception and tour, benefitting the Contemporary Arts Center's 2009-2010 exhibition and education programs.

Tickets are $40 in advance or $55 at the door and can be obtained by calling (513) 345-8415 or by e-mailing Mike Bourke at .

There are 48 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 800 x 600. Photos will open in a new browser window.



Previous reading on BC:
2801 Erie photo update, 2/11/09 (2/19/09)
2801 Erie photo update, 8/25/08 (8/29/08)
2801 Erie photo update, 1/3/08 (1/9/08)
Tree-clearing for 2801 Erie (10/17/07)
A new four-story residence for Hyde Park? (7/10/07)

The Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission has launched the Latonia Small Area Study, a study of housing, land use, transportation, and community facilities in the Covington neighborhood.

Interns from the --> --> -->Center for Great Neighborhoods --> --> --> and co-op students from the University of Cincinnati will be doing field work through September, compiling building conditions and land use data for each parcel of property.

The market study of demographics, real estate types, business types, housing and land use is expected to be completed before the first public meeting is scheduled this fall.

The study will include a set of recommendations and implementation strategies.

Covington mayor Denny Bowman pushed for the study in an attempt to rejuvenate business and housing investment in the neighborhood.

The Hamilton County Park District has completed the purchase of 184 acres in Colerain Township from Rumpke Consolidated Companies, Inc. for $1.1 million.

Located , the hilly and heavily forested property includes a connection to the Park District's existing Oak Glen Nature Preserve.

The Park District also has been approved for a Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program grant of nearly $918,000 to begin a habitat restoration project on the site.

The Park District has collaborated with Rumpke for several years, working together to preserve a total of 361 acres.

"The Board of Park Commissioners places a strong emphasis on seeking out appropriate greenspace purchases as part of our commitment to Hamilton County residents," said planning director Ross Hamre. "This is a significant land acquisition and we're grateful to our corporate partner Rumpke."

Total greenspace preserved and protected by the Hamilton County Park District is now 16,248 acres.

Multi-family
DOB: 1927
Died: July 2009
Cause of death: Institutional creep. The 39-unit building had become dilapidated, but had no building code violations.

Owned by Christ Hospital holding company Gamble Realty for more than 20 years, the building was razed for "future hospital expansion". The company has claimed that the property will not be needed for at least five years.

The demolition was approved by Cincinnati's Historic Conservation Board in a split vote.

One year ago:

• A slideshow of 61 photos from my Norwood tour, led by Susan Knox of Citizens for a Better Norwood, Norwood councilmember Steve Thornberry and Norwood Historical Society president Rodney Rogers, was posted to Building Cincinnati.
• City Home, Pleasant Ridge Montessori, Western Hills Target, St. Elizabeth Covington, and Brodbeck Park were evaluated for their walkability using the online Walk Score tool.
• A North Fairmount house was razed, and it appears that criminal charges were not pursued because the owners could not be found.

At a ceremony Friday at the , the Avondale Community Council, Uptown Consortium, the Cincinnati Police Department and other neighborhood partners were honored with the MetLife Foundation Community-Police Partnership Award in recognition of their work to reduce crime and spur housing and economic development.

The $15,000 Neighborhood Revitalization Award, sponsored by the MetLife Foundation and administered by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), was one of only 11 presented to the more than 650 applicants from low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, putting the awardees in the top 2 percent of community-police partnerships nationwide.

"The good news is that, around the country, community groups and police agencies are teaming up and sharing ideas and resources to address this challenge," said MetLife agency sales director Eric Gilliam. "We can all be proud that, here in Cincinnati, partnerships between community groups and police are thriving and building positive results. Equally important, they are building community, opportunity, and hope at a time when they are needed most."

LISC's Community Safety Initiative supports strategic alliances between police and community developers to reduce crime, disorder and fear in troubled neighborhoods. LISC has administered the MetLife Foundation program since 2002.

"We can't do that in places that are unsafe, or even perceived as being unsafe," said LISC president and CEO Michael Rubinger. "And that's why this program – the Community Safety Initiative – has risen to such an important position among the programs that we offer across the country. It really is the foundation of what we do."

Cincinnati city manager Milton Dohoney Jr. said that the partnership, which has grown to include the Avondale Youth Council, Cincinnati Initiative to Reduce Violence, the Department of Community Development, the Community Police Partnering Center, CeaseFire Cincinnati and LISC, was born in 2007 during the City's Neighborhood Enhancement Program.

"It has to be a situation where we work in concert, in a coordinated fashion, with multiple stakeholders," he said. "The City doing things on its own, without a partnership with the community stakeholders, is a model whose days are gone by."


Crime goes down

Through the identification, mapping, and analysis of neighborhood crime "hot spots" – in addition to the placement of surveillance cameras and stepped-up police patrols – the partnership has helped decrease overall crime by 13 percent.

Quality of life crimes in the City's fourth-largest neighborhood have decreased by 17 percent, and serious crimes involving firearms have decreased by 41 percent.

MetLife's recognition is the fourth community-police partnership award for the City in the past four years.

"It's unusual for a City to get two, and this is our fourth," said Cincinnati Police Department chief Tom Streicher. "And the reason for that is because people like all of you that are here today and fully committed understand that there's not a light switch, formula or easy way to get where we want to go. And that is, as a progressive City, a progressive neighborhood and a progressive community, it's success that's celebrated in small steps. Those small steps continue to build on each other and, all of a sudden, we're where we want to be."

Streicher credited the Uptown Consortium with helping to raise $90,000 for City surveillance cameras, and, as a result, Avondale will be the first to receive additional cameras.

Award money will also help fund additional patrols in the neighborhood, Streicher said.

"Lots of people spend a lot of time studying problems, talking about problems, and considering solutions," Hanover said. "But things don't happen unless people act. We will continue to take action where action is needed in order to improve the quality of life in the community."


Senator shows commitment

State Senator Eric Kearney (D-9th), owner of Cincinnati Herald publisher Sesh Communications, refused to let the drug boys run him out of the neighborhood.

Instead, he remains committed to the neighborhood where his wife grew up and where he was baptized.

That commitment can be seen in a brand new office building for the Herald, under construction on Burnet Avenue.

"All of these people coming together, lending their expertise and support and resources and finances, have really changed Avondale," Kearney said. "It wasn't so long ago that, when we moved our newspaper on Burnet, that literally I would walk out the door and run into a drug transaction. But what's happening now is that there's new businesses coming, the area is much safer, and hopefully we'll see new jobs and new families. I'm excited to see how the next few years will turn out."


According to plan

Avondale Community Council president Patricia Milton said that the neighborhood's efforts are all part of the Avondale Vision Plan.

"Safety is at the core of all of the efforts to improve the quality of life for Avondale's residents," she said. "This helps us to implement the vision – to make Avondale a better place to work, live, play, and worship. Avondale is in the midst of a vital revitalization."

Uptown Consortium president and CEO Tony Brown agreed.

"If we fail to address safety, all of the positive things happening in Avondale – the new buildings, the new housing, the new businesses – then all of these wonderful partnerships will fail," he said. "Our efforts in 'bricks and sticks' must be supported and integrated with our efforts to reach Avondale's hearts and souls to make Avondale safer and more welcoming. Those who call Avondale home should expect nothing less."


'A new tomorrow'

"A new tomorrow is no longer just a dream, but a reality, complete with new brick and mortar, revived hope among youth, a regeneration of community purpose," said Ozie Davis, who once headed LISC's Community Safety Initiative and now works with the Avondale Youth Council. "Let's keep at it."

Dohoney pledged the City's help in continuing the positive momentum.

"The neighborhood is on track to bring in new jobs, new investment, new economic development," he said. "And I'm pleased to say that the City will continue to be a partner with the neighborhood, with all of the stakeholders, in order to move things forward."

And, of course, every neighborhood requires a little cheerleading and salesmanship as it tries to turn the corner.

"If you're looking for a community to call your own, check out Avondale!" Milton said. "It's a friendly community with lots of amenities, and the housing stock here you'll find nowhere else in Cincinnati."

Cincinnati City council has approved unanimously an ordinance transferring $775,000 in federal HOME funding from the surplus of three existing HOME project accounts to help fund a new senior infill project in Avondale.

Forest Square, to be built by Model Management at , will consist of 21 affordable two-bedroom rental units.

The project is seeking LEED certification.

A groundbreaking date has not been announced.

Created in 1990 and administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HOME is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households, allocating approximately $2 billion annually.

Previous reading on BC:
Transfer of federal HOME funding could bring senior infill to Avondale (7/28/09)

The Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) has announced that it has received $1.8 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program.

The funding, to be made available to government entities and non-profits as subgrants of up to $200,000, can be applied to the environmental cleanup of shovel-ready sites whose remediation will create or retain jobs.

Subgrants will be distributed beginning in November, with priority given to historic buildings in need of asbestos abatement.

"Investments in brownfield redevelopment have a direct economic and environmental impact and provide our communities with lasting benefits," said Lisa Patt-McDaniel, ODOD interim director. "These American Recovery and Reinvestment funds are critical in not only cleaning up contaminated sites and improving the health and quality of life for Ohioans, but also create good jobs for our citizens."

Locally, David Click of Civil and Environmental Consultants, Inc. has submitted a brownfield funding request on behalf of Bill Sickman, owner of more than 41 acres in Colerain Township.

The site of a gun club and shooting range prior to Sickman's purchase in 1970, the property contains approximately 8,500 tons of soil and sediment impacted by high lead concentrations.

Cost estimates to remediate and prepare the property for redevelopment as park land or homes are $800,000.

According to ODOD Urban Development Division director William Murdock, the Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund has leveraged $24 million in public and private cleanup and has created more than 200 jobs in Ohio.

Two ordinances that were necessary for the --> --> --> (ODOT) to proceed with the $664 million --> --> -->I-75 Mill Creek Expressway --> --> --> project were passed unanimously by Cincinnati City council at its meeting August 5.

The first ordinance would allow the City to enter into a contract for right of entry with the State of Ohio to allow ODOT to have access to City-owned land in and around the in Camp Washington, part of a $6.5 million reconstruction of the bridge and roadway scheduled to begin next year.

Appraisals of the City-owned property are currently under way.

A second ordinance authorizes the City to accept an appropriate $600,000 from ODOT to offset the possible loss of the Department of Public Services' Valley View salt dome loading area and bulk construction material storage bins – and possibly the salt dome itself – when the bridge is reconstructed and the Interstate is widened.

Scheduled to begin next spring and to be completed in May 2020, the I-75 Mill Creek Expressway project includes the addition of one traffic lane in each direction between the Western Hills Viaduct and Paddock Road and reconstruction of the interchanges at Hopple Street, I-74, Mitchell Avenue, the Norwood Lateral (OH-562), and Paddock Road.

The partial interchange at Towne Street will be eliminated.


Other road funding

In other action, council approved unanimously an ordinance allowing the City to apply for grants and loans from Hamilton County's Municipal Road Fund and the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC).

An application for the county funding is due this month. Applications for OPWC State Capital Improvement Program, Local Transportation Improvement Program, and Revolving Loan Program funding are due in September.

If received and approved by council, the grants and loans will be applied to projects around Anderson Township and St. Bernard, along roads where the City of Cincinnati shares jurisdiction.

Previous reading on BC:
ODOT funding could offset losses of Cincinnati service facilities (8/4/09)
'Right of entry' ordinance for I-75 project in Cincinnati committee (7/2/09)
With finding of no impact, $664M Mill Creek Expressway project advances (6/9/09)
I-75 environmental document now available (1/29/09)
Cincinnati council opposed to I-75/Hopple plans (7/2/08)

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has purchased a vacant Mount Washington building for $1.05 million, with plans to open a thrift store this December.

The 10,000-square-foot commercial building at , known as Corbly Station and constructed on speculation by Cole Realty Associates, has been vacant since its completion in 2008.

Last November, Cincinnati city council approved a rezoning request by Cole Realty Associates that would allow them to add a drive-through to the building, a feature that the developer said would help it attract such high-profile tenants as Starbucks, Donato's, Bruegger's Bagels, Skyline Chili, Widmer's and Little Caesar's.

Midland Retail had been marketing the up to six tenant spaces in Corbly Station since December 2006.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul's current Mount Washington retail location at 2129 Beechmont Avenue likely will close.

The non-profit operates a superstore in Spring Grove Village, in addition to smaller thrift stores in Colerain Township, Evendale, Mason, and Milford.

Previous reading on BC:
Mount Washington drive-through approved, but not unanimously (11/24/08)
Rezoning for drive-through could bring tenants to Corbly Station (11/17/08)
Mount Washington rezonings seek compact, pedestrian-friendly development (9/18/08)
Beechmont and Roxbury photo update, 10/29/07 (10/31/07)
Retail space to begin soon at Beechmont and Roxbury (7/26/07)

Single-family
DOB: 1910
Died: May 2009
Cause of death: A rotted rear wall, rotten and missing siding and sheathing, missing and vandalized mechanicals, disconnected downspouts, and litter and debris. The City had to barricade the property on several occasions. Rats had made themselves at home. It had been vacant since at least 2007, when one of the owners moved into a nursing home and the son, who claimed responsibility, was sentenced to 180 and court costs.

The house was condemned in August 2008. Both owners died, and there were no probate records. A local relative was found, but told City inspectors that she had no interest in the property.

The house was declared a public nuisance in January 2009 and razed by the City.

Two years ago:

• Two Lower Price Hill buildings and one North Fairmount building were demolished as a result of abandonment and weather damage.

The Northside Business Association (NBA) is taking its first steps toward getting the neighborhood business district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and NBA president Bruce Demske says it's "pretty much a lock" that his group will pursue it.

At a meeting on August 3, Cincinnati Preservation Association preservation director Margo Warminski gave the NBA a basic overview of the designation process.

"She has been very helpful," says NBA president Bruce Demske. "Based on what I've heard so far, I would say that adding the Northside Historic Business District to the National Register is attainable."

A local historic district already exists – along Spring Grove Avenue from Cooper Street to Hamilton Avenue and Hamilton Avenue from Knowlton's Corner to Hobart Street – which the City designated in 1982.

Warminski says that the local historic district was certified by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office (OHPO) – making it eligible for federal and Ohio Historic Preservation tax credits – but there are problems with the way it was established.

"The district has strange boundaries," she says. "It goes only 200 feet deep on either side of the street, so only portions of parcels are included. So it would be hard to use the credits for some buildings."

"Our business district is of limited length and there are several buildings which could benefit from rehabilitation," Demske says. "This will be one more factor that could cause existing owners to undertake rehabilitation projects or building purchasers to pursue building they may not have been interested in otherwise."

Warminski says that a listing on the National Register could help clean up those boundaries, although those boundaries have yet to be decided.

"They could also take in some key buildings that are presently left out, such as the former railroad building – the Former Myron Johnson Lumber – next to American Can, which I've heard the developers may be interested in using for their office, and the recently endangered 1608 Hoffner Street," she says.

1608 Hoffner Street, declared a public nuisance in June, has recently had its demolition put on hold.

Demske says that the NBA will consider extending the City's local historic district for any application for the National Register, including parts of Hoffner Street extending down to Apple Street.

Whatever the boundaries, Demske believes a listing on the National Register could help the business district in a number of ways –most importantly, by raising its profile.

"Although Northside is well known throughout Cincinnati, businesses from outside of the area may not have heard of us and the fact that our neighborhood has a National Register listed business district may be the thing that sets us apart in an increasingly competitive marketplace," he says.

There are other benefits to national recognition, Warminski says.

"In the very unlikely event that Cincinnati's historic conservation ordinance is repealed, the local district would cease to exist," she says. "But the national district would remain in place unless it had massive demolition."

To begin the process, the NBA will be required to complete a National Register questionnaire, a four-part form required by the OHPO as the first step.

"The nomination itself should be relatively simple to write," Warminski says. "We'll be happy to guide them through the process as we've done with other neighborhoods."

Still, Demske says the NBA will take the process slowly to make sure that it does it right.

"Probably not until early 2010," he says. "If the NBD Grant program continues we will likely use funds from that to hire a consultant to help us complete the application and go from there."

At its August 8 meeting, the board of directors of passenger rail advocacy group All Aboard Ohio unanimously passed a resolution opposing a possible November 3 charter amendment that would require a public vote before Cincinnati could spend capital funds to acquire right-of-way or construct improvements for any passenger rail project.

In its resolution, All Aboard Ohio noted the high costs of owning a car, the large number of households in Cincinnati that don't own a car, the inaccessibility of suburban jobs to low-income urban residents, and the region's high ozone pollution.

"The board opposes the proposed City Charter amendment as it is punitive and discriminatory against a city-building mode of transport like passenger rail service while other modes of travel that siphoned jobs, residents and wealth from the city will continue to be funded by taxpayers in the City of Cincinnati," the resolution said.

The board believes that all types of passenger rail address these issues, and All Aboard Ohio president Bill Hutchison says that the Southwestern Ohio Green Party and the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP – part of the WeDemandAVote.com coalition that gathered signatures for the ballot issue – should take these social and environmental arguments into account.

"This is very sad to see this happening," he said. "They're really not thinking this through. Passenger rail has a strong record of bringing economic vitality and environmental quality to urban centers throughout the world. For groups who claim to want these characteristics for Cincinnati yet seek an anti-rail charter amendment is very disappointing."

The board also objected to the amendment's language, which could derail the state's 3C Corridor high-speed passenger rail plan, already under study.

According to All Aboard Ohio, passage of the charter amendment would create a barrier to investing in rail passenger and transit services that have brought billions of dollars in new investment, created jobs, and enhance livability in over three dozen cities and metropolitan areas in the United States over the last three decades.

"If the proposed amendment is approved at a time when federal and state of Ohio transportation policies and Amtrak are committed to improving and expanding the nation's intercity rail passenger network Cincinnati may be reducing its opportunity for growth of rail service and placing the present limited Amtrak service to the city at risk," the resolution said.

Earlier this month, WeDemandAVote.com submitted petition forms containing 11,530 signatures, but the charter amendment has yet to be approved for the ballot.

Previous reading on BC:
Monzel asks Cincinnati to cease and desist all streetcar activity (8/10/09)
Partnership selected to manage streetcar project (6/15/09)
Cincinnatians for Progress has new website, endorsements; WeDemandAVote.com two-thirds of way to ballot (6/9/09)
Give Back Cincinnati sessions to focus on streetcars (1/29/09)
City will issue RFP for Uptown streetcar route analysis (1/26/09)

An ordinance approving a zoning change for student apartments in Corryville has been passed unanimously by Cincinnati City council.

The project, to be developed by Daniel Schimberg of Uptown Rental Properties along , will consist of two new six-unit buildings with basement parking and the renovation of an existing 10-unit building.

Ground will be broken by the end of this month and the buildings should be ready for occupancy by the 2010-2011 academic year.

The project still must receive variances for front and side setbacks.

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati EDC to consider rezoning for UC student apartments (7/28/09)

Cincinnati City Council has approved unanimously an ordinance that will allow the City to expand Downtown's .

The ordinance creates a new capital improvement program project account for a construction project, scheduled to begin in October, that would add three parking decks to the garage in anticipation of an additional 650 Procter & Gamble support services employees.

The account will be funded with an unappropriated surplus of $110,000 from Parking Facilities Fund 102.

In early 2010, the new employees will be moving Downtown from the company's Governor's Hill facility in Symmes Township, where Procter & Gamble chose not to renew its lease.

The move will increase the number of employees at the company's Downtown campus to nearly 4,750 and will add about $30 million in annual payroll, resulting in nearly $630,000 in annual tax revenue for the City.

Previous reading on BC:
Downtown garage expansion could begin this October (8/3/09)

Nine model homes and six lots are in pre-sales in the Andrew Acres subdivision, to be located in a cul-de-sac at the end of in Silverton.

St. John Designs is developing the project, consisting of stone and brick ranch houses priced from between $173,000 and $230,600.

Houses range from between two to three bedrooms and between one and two-and-a-half bathrooms.

Homebuyers can receive a ten-year tax abatement and an $8,000 tax credit.

Sales are being handled by RE/MAX Preferred Group.

Single-family
DOB: 1888
Died: April 2009
Cause of death: A rotting and failing roof, rotting and insect damage to the rear sill and support walls, open cornices, broken and missing windows, failing siding, and fire damage. It has been vacant since at least 2006.

The house was condemned in April 2007 and was declared a public nuisance in July 2008. It appears that the owner failed to shop up for pre-prosecution hearings, and the case is currently in criminal court.

The house was razed by the City.

One year ago:

• Photos of Downtown, Salsa Night on Fountain Square, Over-the-Rhine, East Price Hill and Mansion Hill were added to the Building Cincinnati galleries.
• Cincinnati City council adopted an ordinance allowing the City to craft an agreement with 3CDC to manage the development of Fifth and Race.
• Construction photos were posted of the St. Elizabeth Medical Center project in Covington. the Great American Tower at Queen City Square, Brodbeck Park in Westwood, and the new Target store in Westwood.
• The East Price Hill Kroger, Village at Stetson Square, Carson School, Homes at Hillside Place, and English Woods were evaluated for their neighborhood walkability using the online Walk Score tool.
• A Sedamsville house with severe structural problems was razed by its owner.

Cincinnati City councilmember Chris Monzel has submitted two motions pertaining to the City's streetcar proposal – one asking the City to cease and desist all activity related to the planning, building operation and establishment of the streetcar proposal "until such a time as the issue is decided by the voters", and one asking that City administration report back to council on all funds that the City has spent thus far on engineering, planning, and promotion.

Monzel has opposed the streetcar proposal since a press release issued in March 2008, shortly before council authorized city manager Milton Dohoney Jr. to study whether the then four-mile, $102 million circulator could be financed.

He has maintained that it's a bad plan because the citizens don't want it, telling WCPO in May 2008 that "if you really went out there and polled the citizens, then it would be overwhelmingly against the idea of streetcars."

Instead, Monzel said that the City should focus its money on The Banks project to generate economic development.

"There are a lot of other worthy projects that are either in the pipeline or under consideration that will surely get postponed or cancelled if this project goes forward today," Monzel said. "We owe it to the taxpayers to step back and take a good look at the best way we should be spending precious city resources. There are 50 other neighborhoods which all deserve economic development considerations."

Monzel repeated that opinion following Mayor Mark Mallory's State of the City speech in February.

The Banks is projected to take nearly a decade to complete, while the streetcar, now priced at $185 million with the inclusion of a connector to the Uptown neighborhoods, could be running by 2011.

WeDemandAVote.com, a coalition composed of the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP, the Coalition to Oppose Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST), the Southwestern Ohio Green Party and the Cincinnati Libertarian Party, have submitted petition forms containing 11,530 signatures to have a charter amendment placed on the November 3 ballot that would require a public vote before the City could acquire rights-of-way or construct any improvements for any passenger rail project.

Monzel was the first to sign a COAST pledge to not vote to increase taxes or fees during his 2010-2011 council term, if elected, and appears prominently on the WeDemandAVote.com website. The COAST pledge also is the main feature of the front page of Monzel's campaign website.

In June, the City selected Cincinnati Streetcar Development Partners to design, build, operate and maintain the streetcar system, and council gets the final say on what language would be used if the amendment is placed on the ballot.

Mallory and seven of the nine council members support bringing streetcars to Cincinnati, while councilmember Leslie Ghiz and Monzel oppose the project.





Previous reading on BC:
Partnership selected to manage streetcar project (6/15/09)
Cincinnatians for Progress has new website, endorsements; WeDemandAVote.com two-thirds of way to ballot (6/9/09)
Give Back Cincinnati sessions to focus on streetcars (1/29/09)
City will issue RFP for Uptown streetcar route analysis (1/26/09)
Corryville homeowner says Kroger redevelopment would hinder streetcar (8/6/08)

Carolyn Rolfes, president of Milford-based Potterhill Homes, has announced that her company will soon begin building at Northwind, a new single-family development in Northside.

The 7.1-acre development, to include 25 houses of both traditional and neo-traditional design, will be built .

Houses will be priced from the $140s.

"I am particularly excited about this because the Northside community as a whole seems to really 'get green'," says Rolfes in Builders Gone Wild, the Potterhill Homes blog. "People who live there put their money where their mouths are by buying green and eco-friendly not because it's trendy but because it's the right thing to do."

Each house will be eligible for the City of Cincinnati's 10-year tax abatement. Those wanting to have their homes LEED-certified will be eligible for a 15-year tax abatement.

Green features include geothermal heating and Energy Star appliances.

"Our homes are 50 percent more energy efficient on heating and cooling than other builders, and we have a third-party certifier to verify this," Rolfes says. "There is no question our homes will save you money on your utility bills when compared to other builders."

Potterhill is currently accepting lot reservations, and the company expects to open a model this winter, Rolfes said.

The Northwind property is part of a right-of-way originally set aside for the Colerain Connector project, a scaled down roadway proposal that would have connected the I-74/Colerain/Beekman interchange with Kirby Avenue at North Bend Road.

Fierce neighborhood opposition to that proposal, and to subsequent --> --> --> proposals, successfully stopped the land from being used for future roadways.

In December 2008, Robley I, LLC (NorthPointe Group) emerged as the only bidder with the capacity to develop the land, which City council sold to them for $1.


Citirama infrastructure approved

At its August 5 meeting, Cincinnati City council approved unanimously the creation of a capital improvement program project account to pay for public infrastructure to support , tentatively scheduled for next June as the site of Citirama 2010.

Because of the timeline, infrastructure work is required has to begin this fall. However, funding for the infrastructure is part of the 2010 budget and cannot be spent.

The ordinance allows for the transfer of $700,000 from surplus housing development accounts, with next year's housing development accounts to be replenished with Citirama funds.

2010's home show will be the ninth held by the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati.

In addition to Rockford Woods, past Citirama events have been held at Betts-Longworth and St. Ann's Common I and II in the West End, Brodbeck Park and Woodcrest Park in Westwood, Spencer Hill in Mount Lookout, and the Villages of Daybreak in Bond Hill.

Previous reading on BC:
Ordinance would fund infrastructure for Citirama 2010 (7/28/09)
Cincinnati approves $1M for Rockford Woods improvements (8/12/08)
Cincinnati to vote on Citirama road improvements (7/30/08)
Land sale could bring 25 homes to Northside (12/2/08)
Northside: Colerain Connector redevelopment update (3/28/07)

Cincinnati City councilmember Roxanne Qualls has introduced a motion calling for the City's streets policy to be inclusive of all forms of transportation, which she says will make streets safer and more accommodating and will lead to economic development.

Known as Complete Streets, the policies provide the framework for user-friendly streets, promoting transportation solutions that better integrate land use and transportation investments – thereby leading to better placemaking.

Fifty-four government entities across the country, including the City of Columbus, have implemented Complete Streets legislation or policies, Qualls says. Council passed a resolution supporting the federal Complete Streets Act of 2009 in April.

"Streets are the public living room of a community," she said in a statement accompanying the motion. "If designed for people and community, they create the public spaces that create neighborhood identity and character and support economic activity and social interaction."

The City's Department of Transportation and Engineering is currently preparing a city-wide streets policy, using funds allocated in the 2009-2010 biennial budget for the Neighborhood Transportation Strategies and Innovative Transportation Strategies projects.

Qualls wants the new streets policy be integrated into the Copmprehensive Plan, Bicycle Plan, and Form-Based Codes initiatives, all currently under development.

In the motion, Qualls suggests the following guiding principles for the development of a new streets policy:

• "All users" includes pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transportation passengers of all ages and abilities, in addition to trucks, buses, and automobiles
• The safety, convenience and comfort of motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, transit riders and members of the community will be accommodated and balanced when planning and designing streets, except where the use of modes of transportation are prohibited by law or deemed unsafe or impractical
• All types of transportation and development projects will be considered through all phases of the project, including design, planning, maintenance and operations for the entire right-of-way
• Transportation improvements will include facilities and amenities recognized as contributing to Complete Streets, including street and sidewalk lighting, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements, access improvements (such as ADA compliance), public transit accommodations, street trees and landscaping, drainage and green infrastructure, and street amenities
• That Complete Streets be achieved through single projects, or incrementally over time through normal maintenance and replacement
• All sources of transportation funding should be drawn upon to implement Complete Streets, in order to leverage existing transportation dollars, minimize the cost of new facilities, and reduce the need for retrofits

According to Qualls, modern street design has emphasized moving cars through neighborhoods, instead of treating neighborhoods as destinations.

"Cincinnati's streets policy should work to preserve and enhance the unique compact, walkable competitive advantage of Cincinnati's neighborhoods by recognizing that city streets are more than corridors for traffic flow," she said. "Streets are valuable public spaces that must be designed and managed to allow access to pedestrian, bicycling, and public transportation users; support neighborhood business districted by reducing real – not posted – traffic speed and enhancing pedestrian access; and improve safety."

Qualls hopes to receive a report from City administration by November.

"Complete Streets policies can transform a corridor into a place that is memorable, compelling, and desirable to visit, and reposition the street as a vital neighborhood asset," Qualls said.

Sacramento Midtown photo courtesy of via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0. Manhattan photo courtesy of team_klzwick as part of the Wikis Take Manhattan project, October 4, 2008, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0.

Previous reading on BC:
Cincinnati passes support for complete streets (4/13/09)

Now that River Metals Recycling has applied for permits to make site improvements for its planned scrap metal yard at , the Lower Price Hill Community Council (LPHCC) has shifted its focus to petitioning the source of those permits.

Following its meeting on August 3, LPHCC president Dr. Jack Degano drafted a letter to Business Development and Permit Center director Amit Ghosh, reiterating community concerns that had previously been directed to the Cincinnati Health Department and members of City council.

"In our Community Council's one year of work to stop the opening of a junkyard at 1951 State Avenue, we have received excellent cooperation from other city, county, state and Federal departments, plus specialized groups, and from Lower Price Hill businesses," Degano says. "We will share this letter with our partners, since the 'Great Junkyard Debate' has now entered the permit stage."

He says that it's the LPHCC's united belief that the remedial work described on the company's eight permit applications falls short of its previous promises to the community.

"The 'retaining wall repair construction, storm detention, paving, fencing,' and 'miscellaneous repair...gutters...doors...facade repair and painting,' slabs, a small foundation, et cetera, sound like DIY handyman specials," Degano says. "That proposed work in no way resembles the artist renderings and virtual designs for property improvement displayed by River Metals' representatives at the three city hearings."

And he still questions if the 7.8-acre site can even handle such a heavy, industrial operation, which would store ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metals and junk cars for one to three weeks at a time.

"That hillside is collapsing on both sides," Degano says. "After rain or snow, there is massive water runoff on both State Avenue and Ernst Street. There is an underground creek that rises above ground after heavy rain. There are man-made, malfunctioning pumping stations beneath that ground. Plus, there is the already high traffic volume on State Avenue, a north-south gateway street."

There is also concern about a business that could attract less-than-savory individuals to the neighborhood, Degano says.

"Residents fear inadequate security at the junkyard," he says. "River Metals spokesmen, in private and in public meetings, have never addressed crime problems rampant at junkyards."

Degano cites a recent job fair in Kentucky as yet another example of how the company has failed to be honest with the neighborhood.

"Curiously, the company only advertised the job fair in LPH by taping one photocopied notice to a corner of the window of the largest abandoned building at 1951 State Avenue," he says. "The Community Council Newsletter would gladly have advertised jobs available."

Even though the site's zoning supports its proposed use, the River Metals Recycling operation is "in reality, a junkyard in a residential area of this neighborhood," Degano says.

And he says that his community will remain vigilant, and won't rest until the threats are gone.

"When more than tidying starts to happen at 1951 State Avenue, the LPH Community Council is ready," he says. "We are grateful to all the generous residents and volunteers for joining forces to defend the rights of LPH people to live in peace and safety."

Fort Mitchell-based River Metals Recycling, a subsidiary of the David J. Joseph Company, is the largest scrap metal processor in Greater Cincinnati and Kentucky with 11 facilities between Paducah and Xenia.

Previous reading on BC:
'Even larger junkyard' proposed for Lower Price Hill (6/16/09)
Health Department replies to LPH concerns about junkyard licensing (2/24/09)
Lower Price Hill seeks Cole's help in stopping junkyard (2/17/09)
River Metals to apply for junkyard use (11/13/08)
Lower Price Hill fighting proposed junkyard (10/9/08)