Architectural Foundation releases Brewery District report

A final 38-page report (PDF) detailing the work accomplished during January's Over-the-Rhine Brewery District Charrette has been released by the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati.

Hosted by the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati, AIA Cincinnati, and the Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (BDCURC) and held at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, more than 100 civic-minded citizens and students and 14 architects took part in the day-long session to brainstorm ways in which to make the Brewery District – especially the area around Findlay Market and Rookwood Pottery – more populated and vibrant.

Planning ideas from the five architect-led teams built upon givens of an operating streetcar system, mixed-uses allowable under the area's Urban Mix zoning, and the use of LEED and green building principles.

Although agreements were reached on creating a central pedestrian spine along Pleasant Street, creating iconic buildings, re-using existing buildings, and creating awareness of the sub-neighborhood, final recommendations focus on the immediate area around the market.

Attracting retail to the storefronts along Elder Street would make Findlay Market more vibrant, the report says.

But the largest problem identified seems to be parking, found to be lacking on the heaviest days and an underutilized space on off days.

As a solution, the report recommends programming events in the parking lot during off-peak hours and providing more parking in the interiors of adjacent blocks.

These ideas, which will be used by BDCURC to frame future planning discussions with City officials, architects, and developers, will be outlined in a future presentation at either the Art Academy or the Mercantile Library.

That presentation has not yet been scheduled.

Previous reading on BC:
Draft Brewery District charrette report available for comment (4/30/09)