Reviving Cincinnati: 1407 State Avenue

Kent Evans believes in rehabilitation, not demolition.

In 2005, Evans and his wife purchased the home at 1407 State Avenue in Lower Price Hill for what he calls "a pittance", and it was a mess.

"We acquired this 'house' from the Sheriff's sale on back taxes in the summer of 2005 for $700," Evans says. "It was filled with junk and stuff. They used it to house dogs while vacant. While 'occupied' it was used as a base for selling surplus clothes."

After hauling out four dumpsters of clutter and demo material, work began on the improvements.

Evans says that a lot of the extra, non presentable work involved repairing the foundation, piecing-in siding, de-foliating, and doing other prep work, yet his costs of $65 per square foot was still much cheaper than the $100 per square foot required of new construction while arriving at the new-construction look.

"In these times of national housing crisis, local leaders need to fashion policy with the most bang to the buck in the program cost and a more prudent choice in cost for the area's homeowners - individuals' wishes notwithstanding," he says. "Go with a program which targets existing structures. It's the best, most economical way."

Evans claims no such program exists.

"The improvement abatement the city gives is nice but it's no incentive. The 20-25 percent of the bill abated gets filled in by the county when they race to apply, in our case a re-assessment more than wiping out any tax savings. They don't get how to resurrect housing, therefore the city's situations of substandard housing stock persists."

Evans says that the county assessed his property at the $99,000 asking price, not on the value of the surrounding housing.

"They came at this much too soon, the area needs nutured attention, not hastily applied assessments," he says. "This ignorance is plaguing housing renewal. In my opinion, working people deserve housing that's nice, not overtaxed, and not substandard. They've written off entire areas as poor/non-working and have little imagination that working people do live in these areas too and have to wrestle with less liquid value."

After ten months on the market by two separate listing agents, Evans began renting the house out to tenants who he says are respectful and appreciative of the property.

Evans hopes that both leaders and citizens take notice of his project and see that a good rehabilitation project is economically feasible.

Also, by buying in areas which are merely unfashionable, the perks can be had while pocketing cash from the sale gain on a suburban home - which federal tax laws now allow.

"But the lure has to have a standard people want and deserve," Evans says.

Just a couple of weeks ago, he took a prominent Cincinnati official on a tour of the project.

"I tried to stress the city needs to upgrade the housing stock," he says. "I know this leader knows what I was saying and undoubtedly had mulled this over prior to this tour. Housing is a need, more than a want. But thinking outside convention allows for both. Demolition costs the city $15,000. Rehabbing a demo slated house like this saves the city that money...why not start by giving that amount up for a future homeowner to resurrect it?"

In a turbulent housing market, Evans contends that a house such as 1407 State Avenue is a much more stable investment than a high-end home.

"I contend even in its perceived undesirable location, it is less a risk by far than the units in Mt. Adams," he says. "You could arguably lose $10k perhaps buying our house in five years but this would pale to the possible $100k loss by buying a $500k house in a speculative area like Mt. Adams."

While most people only see the negative aspects of State Avenue and Lower Price Hill, Evans contends that there are some definite pluses to buying in the area.

"This area defies unwarranted connotations of social profitlessness, crime bound, stagnant prospects, and unfashionableness," he says. "Overlooked is the serenity, affordability, nearness to downtown and it's view, and upward momentum...as well as the people...don't forget the people."

The following photos were taken by Kent Evans.

Please click on each image to enlarge to 640 x 480. Photos will open in a new browser window.

Before & After











Some other shots