The City of Cincinnati's Director of Buildings and Inspections will hold a public hearing Friday at 9 A.M. in the Main Conference Room of the Building Development and Permit Center, , to determine if the following buildings should be declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program:

• , Sayler Park (single-family, 1880)
• , Northside (two-family, 1897)
• , Evanston (two-family, 1911)
• , East Price Hill (three-family, 1916)
• , East Price Hill (mixed-use, 1900)
• , East Price Hill (two-family, 1926)
• , West Price Hill (single-family, 1928)
• , West End (three-family, 1900)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1900)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1907)
• , East End (single-family, 1875)
• , East Price Hill (multi-family, 1900)
• , East Price Hill (single-family, 1896)
• , West Price Hill (single-family, 1888)
• , Sayler Park (single-family, 1886)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1900)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1926)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1929)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1892)
• , South Fairmount (three-family, 1885)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1880)
• , Columbia Tusculum (two-family, 1880)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1890)
• , East Price Hill (single-family, 1892)
• , East Price Hill (single-family, 1894)

Anyone with pertinent information or evidence of any building's historic significance is encouraged to testify.

Previous reading on BC:
Public nuisance hearing, 7/27/12 (7/26/12)
Public nuisance hearing, 6/29/12 (6/28/12)
Public nuisance hearing, 5/25/12 (5/24/12)
Public nuisance hearing, 3/30/12 (3/30/12)

NEIGHBORHOOD: South Fairmount
YEAR BUILT: 1916
USE: Detached retail store
OWNER: Robert G. Kircher, trustee and Vernon R. Tinsley
ASSESSED VALUE: $49,850
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: Razed for intersection realignment as part of the City's Harrison Avenue improvement project.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Westwood
YEAR BUILT: 1915
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Westwood Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (WestCURC)
ASSESSED VALUE: $6,000
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: August 2012.
ORDERS: November 2011, ordered vacated and barricaded due to a deteriorated roof, damaged plaster walls and ceilings, defective plumbing, gutters and downspouts, front porch guardrail and steps, structural problems, lack of utilities, and litter and weeds. Acquired by WestCURC in February 2012.
REASON RAZED: Razed by WestCURC to close out orders.

(aka 102-140 Mason St)
NEIGHBORHOOD: Mount Auburn
YEAR BUILT: ???
USE: Parking garage
OWNER: The Christ Hospital
ASSESSED VALUE: --
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: Razed to make way for the hospital's new 332,000-square-foot orthopaedic and spine center, part of a $265 million campus expansion project. A new 900-space visitor parking garage will be built along Auburn Avenue, between Mason Street and Huntington Place.

Corryville's newest apartment development, Euclid Square Apartments, officially opened this morning with a ceremony highlighting Uptown Rental Properties' recent work in the neighborhood.

Built in partnership with North American Properties, the development includes 72 studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units in two newly-constructed buildings and one rehabilitated building on .

The following 18 photos were taken on August 18, 2012, and feature buildings under construction or recently completed in Mount Adams. Unfortunately, I was unable to make it over to , where there are several single-family homes under construction.

Please click on each photo to enlarge to 640 x 480 resolution.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Mount Auburn
YEAR BUILT: 1905
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: HPL Realty Company, LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $31,400
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: Razed for a surface lot for oversized vehicles that cannot fit into The Christ Hospital's West Garage, which will be the only garage open during the hospital's $265M expansion. The expansion project includes a new 332,000-square-foot orthopaedic and spine center, a new materials management building, and a 900-space visitor parking garage. Future neighborhood redevelopment site.

The following 21 photos of the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati construction site were taken August 18, 2012. First, , then from and the in Mount Adams.

Construction is more than 50 percent complete on the $400 million, 354,000-square-foot facility, which is scheduled to open in spring 2013. The casino will feature a nearly 100,000-square-foot gaming floor with more than 2,000 slot machines, 72 table games, a high-limits area, a World Series of Poker room, and a VIP Player's lounge; 33,000 square feet of multipurpose space for business meetings and social events; and three street-side bars/restaurants, including a 400-seat Margaritaville restaurant.

With an estimated $80 million in construction opportunities available over the next year, the City of Cincinnati's Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) wants to make sure local small or disadvantaged business enterprises (SBEs and DBEs) have a chance to bid on the projects.

On Monday, from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. at the --> --> -->Duke Energy Convention Center's --> --> --> Junior Ballroom, DOTE will host a Construction Matchmaker Event meant to develop and strengthen relationships between prime contractors and potential SBE and DBE subcontractors.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Mount Auburn
YEAR BUILT: 1965
USE: Multi-family dwelling
OWNER: HPL Realty Company, LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $216,860
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: Razed for a surface lot for oversized vehicles that cannot fit into The Christ Hospital's West Garage, which will be the only garage open during the hospital's $265M expansion. The expansion project includes a new 332,000-square-foot orthopaedic and spine center, a new materials management building, and a 900-space visitor parking garage. Future neighborhood redevelopment site.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Madisonville
YEAR BUILT: 1885
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Phillip Helgeson
ASSESSED VALUE: $5,000
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: March 2012, following a one-alarm fire that caused $60,000 in damage and took 40 firefighters approximately 90 minutes to contain.
ORDERS: November 2009, ordered vacated and barricaded due to gutters and downspouts, fencing, lack of protective paint, and overgrown brush. The owner had died, and no bidders emerged at sheriff's sale. The building continued to deteriorate, with damage to the front porch, chimney, soffit, siding, windows, and roof. Orders were re-issued to the current owner in November 2011.
REASON RAZED: Razed by the owner due to excessive fire damage that severely compromised the structure.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Mount Auburn
YEAR BUILT: 1885
USE: Multi-family dwelling
OWNER: HPL Realty Company, LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $210,120
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: None since 2005.
REASON RAZED: Razed for a surface lot for oversized vehicles that cannot fit into The Christ Hospital's West Garage, which will be the only garage open during the hospital's $265M expansion. The expansion project includes a new 332,000-square-foot orthopaedic and spine center, a new materials management building, and a 900-space visitor parking garage. Future neighborhood redevelopment site.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Lower Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1900
USE: Multi-family dwelling
OWNER: Fortune Real Estate 888 LLC (West Hills, Calif.)
ASSESSED VALUE: $28,150
HAZARD: June 2012, following a four-alarm fire that took 102 firefighters approximately two hours to control. The building was a total loss.
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: January 2011, for exterior doors, exit and hall lights, lack of smoke detectors, interior litter, plaster, doors, bathroom ventilation, defective plumbing lines, weak structural members, flooring, missing ceiling tiles, and lack of heat. The building was ordered vacated and barricaded in July 2011. Violations and vandalism continued.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance due to extensive fire damage and demolished due to an imminent threat to public safety.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Mount Auburn
YEAR BUILT: 1952
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: HPL Realty Company, LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $82,840
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: May 2008, for roof, soffit, and siding. Some work done in 2009. New orders issued in August 2010 for windows, dryer vent, and hazardous wiring. Purchased by the current owner in December 2011.
REASON RAZED: Razed for a surface lot for oversized vehicles that cannot fit into The Christ Hospital's West Garage, which will be the only garage open during the hospital's $265M expansion. The expansion project includes a new 332,000-square-foot orthopaedic and spine center, a new materials management building, and a 900-space visitor parking garage. Future neighborhood redevelopment site.

More than three years of work has resulted in the final draft of Cincinnati's new comprehensive master plan, just completed and ready for presentation to the City Planning Commission on August 30.

The 222-page Plan Cincinnati, the City's first master plan since the Coordinated City Plan of 1980, focuses on five core initiatives:

NEIGHBORHOOD: Bond Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1894
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Parry Saroya (Detroit, Mich.)
ASSESSED VALUE: $2,700
HAZARD: November 2011, adding chimney. The month before, the front porch had failed and collapsed onto the sidewalk. The house was eligible for historic protection, but was deemed to be in imminent danger of collapse.
CONDEMNED: July 2006. The building apparently was lost in foreclosure, and new orders were issued to the bank in May 2007.
ORDERS: September 2005 for bulging masonry walls, damaged garage roof structure, roof, dilapidated fence, flashing, gutters and downspouts, sewer connections, cornice, tuck pointing, lintels, exterior paint, broken and missing windows, and a failing front porch. City inspectors were unable to get into the building on several occasions due to large groups of people hanging out and selling drugs, requiring a police escort to do their jobs.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Tickets are now on sale for the Cincinnati Preservation Association's (CPA) "Neighborhood in Progress Tour", to be held September 22 at 10 A.M. along historic West McMicken Avenue in Fairview.

The centerpiece of the tour is the Riestenberg House, located , an 1885 Queen Anne brick townhouse being lovingly restored to show off its original woodwork, mantels, and kitchen.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Mount Auburn
YEAR BUILT: 1905
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: HPL Realty Company LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $25,000
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: March 2009, for porch, gutters and downspouts. Reissued to new owner in June 2011, adding roof repairs. Acquired by current owner last December.
REASON RAZED: Razed for a surface lot for oversized vehicles that cannot fit into The Christ Hospital's West Garage, which will be the only garage open during the hospital's $265M expansion. The expansion project includes a new 332,000-square-foot orthopaedic and spine center, a new materials management building, and a 900-space visitor parking garage. Future neighborhood redevelopment site.

An effort to update the branding of Northside is ramping up this week with two meetings scheduled.

Northside Brand Evolution is seeking artists, graphic designers, and others who are interested in developing a new logo and tag line that better reflects the neighborhood and its people.

Westwood's James N. Gamble House has made Preservation Ohio's 2012 Most Endangered Historic Sites list for the third year in a row.

The house, located , is one of 12 sites the organization believes are facing a precarious future due to proposed demolition, disinvestment, or indifference. Sites remain on the list until the imminent danger of loss is lessened.

Three Cincinnati Interim Development Control Overlay Districts (IDCs) got preliminary approval for nine-month extensions by the City Planning Commission on Friday.

The extensions, which must be approved by City Council, would provide additional time for planning activities in Pleasant Ridge, Madisonville, and along the Wasson Way railroad corridor.

The Cincinnati City Planning Commission on Friday unanimously approved the sale of 13.06 acres in the California neighborhood to a developer for the construction of single-family homes.

Harbor View Holdings, LLC petitioned the City to purchase the steeply sloped property for $196,000, its fair market value as determined by the City's Real Estate Division.

The Newport Millennium Housing Corporation III has issued an invitation to bid on a general contract for the construction of five market rate, single-family homes on 19th Street as part of its Summer Hill Addition project.

Bids are due by 3 P.M. on August 30 at the offices of Neighborhood Foundations, located at 30 E 8th Street.

Downtown Cincinnati Inc. (DCI), a nonprofit whose mission is creating a dynamic, safe and clean Downtown, has posted its annual perceptions survey online.

The survey is meant to gauge residents' and visitors' impressions of the neighborhood's cleanliness, safety, convenience, and amenities, and the information is used by DCI to direct its programs and services and to measure its progress in fulfilling its mission.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Oakley
YEAR BUILT: 1906
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: BMF 99 LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $110,000
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: A teardown for the construction of a new house by JCB Homes.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Evanston
YEAR BUILT: 1908
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Harry T. George
ASSESSED VALUE: $48,300
HAZARD: September 2010, adding gutters and downspouts, missing siding, broken and missing windows, and missing egress steps. In June 2012, the current owner got a temporary stay of demolition, allowing him two weeks to register the land contract and post bond.
CONDEMNED: June 2009, vacant and open with a rotting front porch and cornice, litter and weeds. A criminal case was filed against a previous owner in April 2010, but has not progressed.
ORDERS: Dating back to 2002, for litter and weeds.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Riverside
YEAR BUILT: 1885
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: Brea Mancini
ASSESSED VALUE: $21,150
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: April 2009, for roof, flashing, chimney, gutters and downspouts, cornice, soffit, and siding. Some work began on repairs, but by April 2010 had stopped. The house was ordered vacated and barricaded in October 2010, due to broken and missing windows, and electric and water service had been shut off. By April 2011, orders were re-issued to include an unsafe porch. The house eventually was lost to the county in foreclosure, and the current owner received orders to vacate and barricade the premises in September 2011.
REASON RAZED: Razed by the current owner to clear building code violations.

Pendleton officially became the 14th Cincinnati neighborhood to participate in the Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP) with a kickoff press conference this morning at the Pendleton Art Center, located at 1310 Pendleton Street.

The 90-day NEP enforcement blitz brings together City departments, neighborhood businesses and residents to address blight, crime, and other nuisances, helping to forge new partnerships that will facilitate long-term neighborhood revitalization and investment.

The City of Blue Ash has selected MSA Architects to design the first phase of what it hopes will be a world-class park on 130 acres of land at the current Blue Ash Airport.

The firm was one of six to respond to a request for qualifications issued in May and has experience developing in the city, having spearheaded the $12.8 million expansion and renovation of the Blue Ash Recreation Center between 2007 and 2009.

NEIGHBORHOOD: East Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1910
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Julian Rayshawn and Wenona Rodgers
ASSESSED VALUE: $14,530
HAZARD: September 2010. A few days after the declaration, new (current) owners emerged and applied for a Vacant Building Maintenance License. Some work was begun, but by late 2011 the City had lost contact with the owners.
CONDEMNED: October 2009, now open to trespassers and with damaged soffits an cornice, a roof leak, an unsafe deck, hazardous trees, defective metal trim, and hazardous extrior stairs. There was no active agent for then-owner Price Hill Properties LLC, so a criminal case was not pursued.
ORDERS: September 2007, for a defective retaining wall. The property had a history of high grass and weeds, litter, and junk auto storage. In June 2009, orders were issued for broken walks, the retaining wall, gutters and downspouts, exterior paint, and litter.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Northside
YEAR BUILT: 1942
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners
ASSESSED VALUE: $67,770
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: Razed as part of the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati's .

The following photos were taken on July 3 during a special media tour given by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC), showing off the park's new features just three days before the grand opening.

The two-year, $48 million project by the Cincinnati Park Board and 3CDC expanded the park from six acres to eight, refurbished the historic bandstand, and added a 450-space underground parking garage.

The Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) on Friday awarded more than $85 million for 33 local transportation projects.

The funding, allocated through three federal programs – the Surface Transportation Program (STP, $37.6 million), Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ, $37.7 million), and the Surface Transportation Program for Northern Kentucky (SNK, $10.1 million) – was announced by OKI Board President and Clermont County Commissioner Edwin Humphrey.

Following public hearings held on July 27 by the Department of Community Development, Property Maintenance Code Enforcement, the following 14 buildings have been declared a public nuisance:

• , Fairview (mixed-use, 1885)
• , Westwood (retail store, 1946)
• , Clifton Heights (single-family, 1870)
• , West Price Hill (single-family, 1930)
• , Avondale (multi-family, 1900)
• , West Price Hill (commercial garage, 1953)
• , West Price Hill (two-family, 1937)
• , West Price Hill (mixed-use, 1912)
• , Camp Washington (single-family, 1881)
• , Camp Washington (single-family, 1882)
• , Millvale (industrial warehouse, 1924)
• , West Price Hill (single-family, 1900)
• , West End (mixed-use, 1888)
• , Clifton Heights (two-family, 1890)

A public nuisance declaration subjects these buildings to demolition by governmental action, pending historic review, the awarding of bids, and the issuance of permits.

Previous reading on BC:
13 buildings declared a public nuisance at June hearing (7/19/12)
Thirteen buildings declared a public nuisance (6/15/12)
Fifteen more buildings declared a public nuisance (5/29/12)
Fourteen buildings, two garages declared a public nuisance (4/19/12)
Public nuisances declared (3/19/12)

NEIGHBORHOOD: Corryville
YEAR BUILT: 1880
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Gaslight Ventures LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $43,910
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: December 2011, following a suspicious fire that caused $40,000 in damage to structural members, floor joists, roof, and siding.
ORDERS: September 2010, for chimney, gutters and downspouts, exterior paint, masonry repair, and electrical fixtures. The owner of record at the time was deceased, and the owner's son was seeking assistance for repairs.
REASON RAZED: Acquired by the affiliate of Uptown Rental Properties in June 2012 for $37,841 and likely being held for future redevelopment.

A pair of adjacent buildings in Avondale, long a vacant neighborhood eyesore, will soon see new life.

On August 1, Cincinnati City Council approved a $200,000 HOME Investment Partnerships Program funding agreement with Alston Park Limited Partnership to rehabilitate the buildings for low-income households.

As a result of neighborhood planning efforts, a two-way street in Pendleton soon will be converted to a one-way.

will soon be eastbound only, a move that the community council believes will help improve pedestrian connectivity and add on-street parking.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Villages at Roll Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1961
USE: Multi-family dwelling (8 units)
OWNER: Fay Limited Partnership
ASSESSED VALUE: n/a
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: Razed as part of a multi-phased, $36 million redevelopment of the apartment community by Wallick-Hendy Development, which includes the demolition of 17 buildings and the reduction of available units from 893 to 703.

NEIGHBORHOOD: West Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1932
USE: Restaurant, cafeteria or bar
OWNER: Mary C Engelhardt
ASSESSED VALUE: $68,580
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: Purchased in February 2012 for $65,000 by the neighboring building owner. The neighboring building houses Natural Life Nutrition Shoppe. No plans have been announced for the property.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Oakley
YEAR BUILT: 1969
USE: Utility shed
OWNER: City of Cincinnati
ASSESSED VALUE: $74,650
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: Razed to make way for the $30 million Kennedy Connector road project, currently under construction.

Part two of "The Art of the Built Environment", a three-part exhibit series examining urban life, begins with an opening reception Friday evening from 5 P.M. to 8 P.M. at the Betts House, located at 416 Clark Street in the West End.

The multimedia Soul of the City exhibit will showcase paintings, sculptures, mobiles, photography and fiber art in an examination of how a city's history, architecture, residents and geography all play a part in giving the place a character all its own.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Madisonville
YEAR BUILT: 1870
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: The Cincinnati Bible Way Church Inc.
ASSESSED VALUE: $84,470
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: September 2009, for gutters and downspouts, soffit, exterior paint, and an unsafe front porch. In 2009-2010, the property spent 270 days on the market at a listing price of $54,900. The church purchased the property in October 2011 for $24,000 and, in January 2012, the building was ordered vacated and barricaded after doors had been kicked in and copper had been stolen.
REASON RAZED: Owners of an adjacent parking lot, it could be a case of the church wanting to close out the building orders, or they could be looking for expanded parking.

At its meeting last Wednesday, Cincinnati City Council unanimously approved a grant application for $3.8 million from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Watercraft for a 1,000-foot transient boat dock at Smale Riverfront Park.

The $5 million facility, meant to accommodate boats staying for ten days or less, will have space for 56 boats and will include water and electric service. A "head boat", Main Street Landing, will house an office, concessions, restrooms, showers, storage, and laundry facilities.

Eighteen more condominium units are coming to The Village at Stetson Square in Corryville, thanks to approval from Cincinnati City Council.

At its meeting last Wednesday, Council unanimously approved a major amendment to the final development plan for Planned Development District (PD) #9, allowing Great Traditions Development Group, Inc. to construct four buildings and 36 parking spaces on Block "I", .

Last Wednesday, Cincinnati City Council unanimously approved a Community Reinvestment Area tax exemption agreement with an affiliate of Urban Sites Property Management for the remodeling of three buildings in Over-the-Rhine.

The affiliate, BSG2, LLC, plans to spend $335,000 on new flooring, bathrooms, and exterior improvements to the apartments at and at and , increasing their marketability.

Three buildings in the Abigail Apartments redevelopment project will be rehabilitated to LEED standards and have been approved for a Community Reinvestment Area LEED tax exemption.

The 12-year, 75 percent property tax exemption will reduce developer Abigail Apartments Limited Partnership's (the Model Group) tax liability by nearly $600,000 over the life of the agreement, helping it rehabiliate the buildings at , , and in the West End into 24 residential rental units for individuals at or below 60 percent of the median area income.

Cincinnati City Council last Wednesday approved the transfer of $15,000 to bolster its outreach efforts.

The funding, which was required to be spent by the end of November, comes from an account established with U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant dollars disbursed through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

UPDATE by City of Cincinnati Director of Communications Meg Olberding at end of article (8/6/12, 5:05 P.M.)...UPDATE on Blue Ash vote at end of article (8/6/12, 9:00 P.M.)

The City of Blue Ash is considering a proposal by the City of Cincinnati to rescind a purchase and sales agreement for 130 acres of land at the Blue Ash Airport, which Cincinnati says will free up $11 million for the streetcar and $26 million for other municipal projects.

In late 2006, Blue Ash agreed to buy the property from Cincinnati for $37.5 million, to be paid over 30 years, for construction of a signature "central" park.

The City of Cincinnati's Urban Conservator, Larry Harris, will hold a public hearing today at 2 P.M., Centennial Two, , Suite 720, to determine the historic significance of 16 buildings that are condemned and/or were declared a public nuisance on June 29 and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

All of the following buildings are more than 50 years old and subject to review under Section 1101-57.1(1) of the Cincinnati Municipal Code:

• , Spring Grove Village (single-family, 1890)
• , West End (single-family, 1875)
• , Avondale (three-family, 1916)
• , Mount Auburn (multi-family, 1910)
• , Walnut Hills (multi-family, 1895)
• , East Price Hill (single-family, 1913)
• , Northside (single-family, 1883)
• , East Price Hill (two-family, 1904)
• , Avondale (three-family, 1925)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1900)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1900)
• , Northside (commercial warehouse, 1900)
• , East Price Hill (single-family, 1885)
• , West Price Hill (single-family, 1915)
• , South Fairmount (single-family, 1865)
• , South Fairmount (two-family, 1889)

Anyone with pertinent information or evidence of any of these buildings' historic significance is encouraged to testify. A finding of historic significance can prevent a building from being demolished.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Villages at Roll Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1961
USE: Multi-family dwelling (7 units)
OWNER: Fay Limited Partnership
ASSESSED VALUE: n/a
HAZARD: --
CONDEMNED: --
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: Razed as part of a multi-phased, $36 million redevelopment of the apartment community by Wallick-Hendy Development, which includes the demolition of 17 buildings and the reduction of available units from 893 to 703.

The Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA), in partnership with the Cincinnati Development Fund (CDF), has won the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) 2012 Excellence in Energy Finance Award, awarded yesterday evening at the CDFA National Development Finance Summit in Washington, D.C.

The award recognizes GCEA's commercial Building Performance Program, which helps building owners in the GCEA service area of Boone, Campbell, Hamilton and Kenton counties identify ways to make their facilities more efficient.

A proposal for a multi-use trail along Cincinnati's western riverfront should proceed to the design phase, according to the City's Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE).

The Western Riverwalk, envisioned by the West Side Summit's River West Working Group, would connect the 13 miles between the Mill Creek and Fernbank Park. From a proposed park at the confluence of the Ohio River and Mill Creek, it would continue eastward to --> --> -->The Banks --> --> -->, tying in with the Ohio River Trail.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Evanston
YEAR BUILT: 1881
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Frederick Jones
ASSESSED VALUE: $45,120
HAZARD: March 2010, adding disconnected or missing gutters and downspouts. The building required City barricading on at least two occasions.
CONDEMNED: May 2008, for extensive structural rot, a collapsing side deck and front porch, lack of paint, broken windows, water damage, and lack of electrical service. A criminal case was filed in February 2009, and Jones was entered into a compliance program. After getting bids for rehabilitation of the property, Jones decided to raze the building. In December 2009, Jones was removed from the compliance program and given a 180-day jail sentence (suspended), two years of probation, and court costs.
ORDERS: --
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

The team behind the development of Cincinnati's form-based code presented a summary of April's five-day planning charrette to City Council's Livable Communities Committee on Tuesday.

"Paradigm Shift Back to Urbanism: Complete Neighborhoods for Cincinnati", developed for the City by Opticos Design, Inc. with assistance from glaserworks, Urban Advisors, Hall Planning & Engineering, Inc., Brandt Retail Group, and Wise Economy Workshop, presents the results of the sessions, attended by more than 700.

An attorney representing the North Fairmount Community Center (NFCC) believes that the City of Cincinnati has taken a "heavy-handed" approach when it comes to more than $16,000 in accrued fines and penalties, and have proposed an alternative settlement to a lawsuit it filed in May 2011.

In a letter to City Council, attorney Charles F. Hertlein, Jr. of Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP, which is representing NFCC on a pro bono basis, said that the nonprofit does not dispute $15,337.50 it owes for trash cans and dumpsters, long grass, and litter on the 130-plus properties it owns.

An implementation plan for a bike sharing system in Cincinnati's urban core could begin next month.

An update on the Bike Share Feasibility Study, launched in November 2011 and being conducted by the City and Alta Planning + Design, was presented to City Council's Major Infrastructure and Transportation Projects Subcommittee on Monday.

At its meeting yesterday, the full Cincinnati City Council approved a Community Reinvestment Area LEED tax exemption agreement with Charlotte-based SREE Hotels that will bring a dual-branded hotel to the historic Enquirer Building .

The $27.3 million project will convert the 14-story, 288,000-square-foot building into a 238-room hotel and 12,000 square feet of street-level retail space. The hotel will be branded with two of three Hilton Hotels & Resorts brands – Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, or Hilton Garden Inn – the Cincinnati Business Courier reported on Tuesday.