The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority (Port) on Tuesday applied for a $5 million forgivable loan through Ohio's Logistics and Distribution Program, which could help boost the City's freight capacity by finally tying its vast rail network to the riverfront.
The funding would be used for what's being called the "Port of Cincinnati", tying existing rail to the Ohio River through the Cincinnati Bulk Terminals (CBT) property, a one-mile stretch of riverfront between the Mill Creek and Longworth Hall in Queensgate.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Ohio funds could create true 'Port of Cincinnati'
Discussion of Booth expansion tabled for more neighbor input
The College Hill Forum on Tuesday tabled discussion on the Salvation Army's proposal to construct two new buildings adjacent to its Booth Residence on Townevista Drive, allowing more time for discussion between the project architect and residents of Oakfield Avenue.
The Salvation Army is seeking a letter of support for its two-phased project, which would add two three-story buildings of subsidized senior housing of between 38 and 48 units apiece.
North Fairmount asks for City relief
Citing 30 years of economic development successes, North Fairmount Community Center (NFCC) Co-Director Lois Broerman is asking the City to waive an accumulation of Health Department fees accrued on some of its vacant neighborhood lots.
In a letter to Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, Broerman says that the neighborhood needs relief due to its severe economic situation, brought on by the loss of the Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC), Chatfield College and a charter school from both NFCC buildings and the evaporation of donor dollars.
Bluffs association settles with City Lights, 32 new condos coming
A lawsuit between the board of directors of the Bluffs Condominiums at Devou Park and former developer City Lights Development, its principals, and Premier Real Estate Management has been settled.
Under terms of the settlement, the remaining 32 apartments in three buildings will be converted into condominium units. One hundred twenty-eight units were converted to condominiums after City Lights purchased the Covington property in 2005.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 5/27/10
1740 Harrison Avenue, South Fairmount
Two-family
DOB: 1900
Died: July 2009
Cause of death: A rotted rear foundation sill, holes in the ceiling and walls, missing siding, water damage, a badly deteriorated rear wall, and deficient windows, gutters and chimney. The property required City barricading on several occasions to keep out vermin and trespassers.
The house was condemned in June 2007, declared a public nuisance in January 2008, and razed by the City.
It's likely that either the City could not determine ownership of the property, or the owner on record could not be found.
Remembering Cincinnati, 5/27/10
Two years ago:
- Photos of the current School for Creative and Performing Arts building were added to the Pendleton photo galleries.
- The City of Cincinnati approved the sale of 24 of its Over-the-Rhine properties to 3CDC subsidiary OTR Holdings, Inc. and to Over-the-Rhine Community Housing/Eber Development.
- A panel met at the University of Cincinnati's Niehoff Urban Design Studio to discuss the future of Old St. George Church.
- The Ohio 21st Century Transportation Priorities Task Force was soliciting citizen input on the state's transportation future.
- The City of Cincinnati received $2.1 million in trust funds to maintain the Otto Armleder Memorial Park and Recreation Complex in Linwood and aquatic centers in Over-the-Rhine, Price Hill, and Avondale.
- In South Fairmount, the last remains of the St. Bonaventure Church were razed.
- The Gateway Expansion Tour featured tours of new condominiums in 3CDC's Gateway Quarter project.
- Cincinnati approved a local public agency agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation, solidifying its intent to cooperate on the $6.8 million Harrison Avenue reconstruction project.
- The third floor of Todd McFarland's rehabiliation of 1346 Broadway was inspected and approved for occupancy.
- An additional parcel was added to the Keystone Parke planned development district (PD-44) to provide more parking for the new building for Cincinnati chapter of the American Red Cross.
- Cincinnati Preservation Association and the Greenhills Historical Society sponsored the world premiere of "Green Towns USA: A New Deal" at the Sharonville Fine Arts Center.
- In Avondale, a historic house on Vernon Place was razed to create parking for Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Communities' NSP experiences under City direction vary wildly
Now in its second year of administering Neighborhood Support Program (NSP) and Neighborhood Business District Support Funds (NBDSF), Cincinnati's Department of Community Development (DCD) is still experiencing hiccups.
DCD took control of the programs following the controversial ouster of several members of the board of Invest in Neighborhoods.
LPH school nixes group home, exploring other options
A rumored proposal to bring a group home for troubled boys to the Lower Price Hill Community School campus is dead and the school is entertaining other options, according to school executive director Jen Walters.
"We're pretty much back to square one with the building," Walters says. "The board wants to explore other options."
Cincinnati incentives lead to new HQ, 45 new jobs
A pair of Cincinnati tax incentive packages will lead to a new headquarters, at least 45 new jobs, and tens of thousands of dollars in annual income tax revenue.
Keidel Supply Company, Inc., a wholesale distributor of residential and commercial plumbing products, custom cabinetry and fine appliances, has received a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) tax exemption agreement and a property investment reimbursement agreement to renovate a 135,000-square-foot building at 1150 Tennessee Avenue in Paddock Hills into a new headquarters, warehouse and showroom.
Citirama declared 'special event'
Because this year's Citirama will feature special vendors – including the sale of beer and wine – Cincinnati City Council has voted to declare it a special event.
Special event status allows the City and event partner Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati to set specific rules for the ninth annual home show, to be held from June 3-13 at Rockford Woods in Northside. Hassman Court, which provides access to the seven new single-family homes, will be blocked and gated starting at 8 a.m. on May 26.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 5/25/10
1513 Fairmount Avenue, South Fairmount
Single-family
DOB: 1900
Died: July 2009
Cause of death: Framing, sheathing and siding deteriorating on right side of building; vandalism to the building interior; broken and missing windows; a bulging rear wall; and a defective rear porch and garage. The property also had been used for breeding dogs, possibly by a rental tenant.
The house was condemned in August 2008 and declared a public nuisance in December 2008. A criminal case was filed against its owner, who became responsible for it following the previous owner's death.
The structure was razed by the City following asbestos abatement. Criminal charges against the property owner were dismissed.
Monday, May 24, 2010
LEED status in doubt, Fay developers get new CRA agreement
With its ability to achieve LEED certification uncertain, the developers rehabilitating the 893-unit Fay Apartments complex have received a new Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) tax exemption agreement.
The new eight-year agreement replaces the 12-year agreement approved by Cincinnati City Council in June 2009, providing a 75 percent real property tax exemption equal to approximately $3.5 million. The original agreement provided more than $5.1 million in property tax relief.
Race Street rezoning to restore mixed uses, walkability
In an effort to restore a mix of building uses and Over-the-Rhine's inherent walkability, Cincinnati City Council has rezoned a number of properties along the 1400 block of Race and Republic streets.
The rezoning, from RM-1.2 Residential Multi-Family District to CC-P Commercial Community-Pedestrian District, affects the properties at 1400-1438, 1401-1403 and 1419-1429 Race Street and 1403-1405 and 1409-1415 Republic Street.
Oakley streetscape bonds to take advantage of stimulus
Cincinnati City Council has approved unanimously an ordinance reclassifying bonds for the Oakley streetscape and esplanade project, which could save the City money in the long run.
The $2 million in bonds will be issued as Build America Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds, a type of taxable, municipal bond permitted by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that allows governments to borrow at a significantly lower cost. Forty-five percent of the coupon interest payable on each bond is subsidized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
New parking facilities required to provide bicycle parking
New and expanded parking garages in the City of Cincinnati providing 60 or more additional motor vehicle spaces must include spaces for bicycle parking, an ordinance passed by City Council on May 12 says.
Specifically, the changes require one 2-foot by 6-foot bicycle space per 20 motor vehicle spaces provided – with a maximum requirement of 24 spaces – to be installed on the first available floor at, above or below grade of the garage entrance. A mechanism for securing the bicycle will also be required.
New construction updates for riverfront park
A new video tour of construction progress at Cincinnati Riverfront Park has been released, highlighting a first phase that remains on time and on budget.
Hosted by Project Manager Dave Prather, the "Hard Hat Tour" provides a first look at the design concept for the new Moerlein Lager House and the realignment of Mehring Way.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 5/24/10
1009 Underwood Place, East Price Hill
Single-family
DOB: 1913
Died: October 2009
Cause of death: Missing front steps, a damaged front porch, and deteriorated roof, gutters, cornice, windows and siding. The property had been vacant for several years and was likely abandoned by its owner.
The house was condemned in August 2007 and declared a public nuisance in January 2008. It was razed by the City.
Monday, May 17, 2010
24-hour police welcoming center slated for The Banks
The Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) will have a strong, 24-hour presence at The Banks when the project's first phase opens next spring.
Cincinnati City Council passed unanimously an ordinance creating a new capital improvement program project account for a new Police Welcoming Center, to be staffed by relocated personnel from the department's Downtown Services Unit and Special Events Unit.
OTR's Westfalen Lofts lands nearly $1M in TIF funding
Westfalen Lofts, part of the fourth phase of 3CDC's Gateway Quarter, has been awarded $982,182 in tax increment financing funds.
Cincinnati City Council unanimously passed an ordinance approving the funding agreement, which will help finance debt service on the project's $2.1 million Cincinnati New Markets Fund loan over the next six years.
Rezoning means Irish cultural center can proceed
Now that its property has been rezoned, the Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati can ramp up its hard work in converting the former McKinley School in Columbia Tusculum into a new cultural center for the East Side.
The rezoning of 1.5 acres at 3905 Eastern Avenue has been changed from ML Manufacturing Limited District to CN-P Commercial Neighborhood-Pedestrian, allowing for its use as a cultural institution and making its zoning more appropriate for the surrounding neighborhood.
Cincinnati applies for funding for Medpace roadwork
Cincinnati City Council has approved unanimously an ordinance allowing City Manager Milton Dohoney to apply for, accept and appropriate an approximately $300,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) for roadwork and infrastructure improvements at the former NuTone site, 4820 Red Bank Road in Madisonville.
The City already has submitted its grant application. The grant, from ODOD's Roadwork Development Account 629, is funded by the state gasoline tax and can only be used for road and highway improvements that help create or retain jobs.
Public can weigh in on I-75 project through June 12
The Ohio Department of Transportation, in conjunction with M·E Companies Inc. and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), held a public open house on the I-75 Thru the Valley project last Thursday at the Sharonville Convention Center.
The meeting was meant to give the public updates on the ten-year, $472 million project to widen and reconstruct I-75 between the Paddock Road exit and I-275. On display were project timelines, maps, drawings, and environmental assessment documents.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 5/17/10
3094 River Road, Sedamsville
Single-family
DOB: 1885
Died: October 2009
Cause of death: A falling front porch, an unsecured roofing system, missing siding, foundation bowed and cracked along the right side, wood rot, and disconnected downspouts.
The house was condemned in March 2008, declared a public nuisance in November 2008, and razed by the City following asbestos abatement
The property had been lost in foreclosure during 2007. A criminal case filed in August 2008 against new owners Econohomes LLC was dismissed one month later for want of prosecution.
At the time of demolition, the property was assessed at $5,800 and the house itself at $2,320.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Cincinnati approves $64M in streetcar bonds
Construction of the Cincinnati streetcar moved one step closer Wednesday with a 6-2 affirmative vote on three ordinances that will cover some of the project's $128 million first phase.
The ordinances, okayed by City Council's Budget and Finance Committee on Monday, approve the issuance of $64 million in bonds to cover planning and construction, which will cover the Downtown/Over-the-Rhine circulator and connection to the Uptown neighborhoods.
Paint the Town seeks prep work volunteers next three Saturdays
In preparation for this year's main event on June 12, volunteers are needed to prepare houses for this year's Paint the Town this Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Volunteers will be scraping, priming, and power washing houses in Cincinnati's Avondale and Evanston neighborhoods to get them ready for the 9th annual community service event, in which more than 1,000 people will go to work painting the exteriors of homes whose owner-occupants are physically or financially unable to do so themselves.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 5/13/10
2611 Beekman Street, North Fairmount
Single-family
DOB: 1895
Died: May 2009
Cause of death: A dangerous front porch, defective chimney, broken and missing windows, missing siding, and cracked and deteriorating steps and walkways. The property had been vacant since at least 2005.
The house was condemned in September 2006, declared a public nuisance in December 2006, and razed by the City following asbestos abatement.
A criminal case was signed, but it appears that nobody could track down the owner of this building – or the owner failed to take responsibility. Ownership was likely lost in the foreclosure shuffle.
Remembering Cincinnati, 5/13/10
Two years ago:
- The owner of the eight-story Dennison Hotel was looking to sell.
- The City of Cincinnati accepted property donations to add to the recreation areas in College Hill and West Price Hill.
- The Great American Cleanup was held in Northside, resulting in the painting of a dozen building façades, parking meters, poles and bike racks.
- Bumper stickers supporting the Cincinnati streetcar made their debut.
- A burned-out building on Over-the-Rhine's Green Street was razed.
- I visited Queens Tower, where I got some shots of East Price Hill and Lower Price Hill.*
One year ago:
- A hybrid of four Brent Spence Bridge alignment alternatives was presented in a public hearing before Cincinnati City Council's Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee.
- Cincinnati City Council was considering amending its Neighborhood Stabilization Program action plan to better use its $8.4 million allocation.
- Construction photos of the Montgomery Row Townhomes, Sands Montessori School, and 1720-1722 Pleasant Street were added to Building Cincinnati.
- A $1.5 million account was created to allow College Hill to land bank properties between 5943 and 6033 Hamilton Avenue for future redevelopment.
- Burke, Inc. received a Community Reinvestment Area LEED tax exemption for its $6 million renovation of the building at 500 W Seventh Street, Downtown.
- Preliminary drawings for Beechmont Avenue traffic calming measures were on display for the Mount Washington community.
- Give Back Cincinnati was seeking volunteers for prep work for its Paint the Town event in Price Hill.
- An Evanston two-family was razed to make way for expansion of the Evanston Playground and a new building for the Cincinnati chapter of the American Red Cross.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Oakley business owners propose redevelopment of abandoned rail station
John Hutton and Sandra Gross want to make sure that the investments they’ve made in Oakley don't go to waste.
Hutton and Gross, husband-and-wife owners of Brazee Street Studios and Blue Manatee Children's Bookstore and Decafé, have been working to attract businesses and families into what was once "a magnet area for drugs and sketchy dealings", Hutton said in a recent communication to Cincinnati Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls.
Metro, TANK to offer free rides on Bike to Work Day
Metro, TANK, and Clermont Transportation Connection are offering free rides to bicycle commuters on Bike to Work Day, Thursday, May 20.
Bicycle riders can transport their bicycles on bus bike racks, located on the front of all participating buses.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 5/11/10
2338 Wilder Avenue, Lower Price Hill
Two-family
DOB: 1894
Died: August 2009
Cause of death: Structural damage due to water entering broken and missing windows, a collapsing front porch, deteriorated gutters and downspouts, lack of paint, and litter.
The City ordered the property vacant in 2007. Once vacant, it was subject to vandalism, and open windows and doors allowed the property to become a drug house.
The house was condemned in May 2008, declared a public nuisance in November 2008 and razed by the City following asbestos abatement.
The owner appears to have a warrant out for her arrest. A May 2009 "no contest" plea in a criminal case led to a fine of $100 and $94 in court costs.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Porcari: High-speed rail winners must 'have their act together'
Winners in the United States high-speed rail network will be the states and regions that "have their act together", U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary John Porcari said during his keynote address at last week's European-American Chamber of Commerce 2010 Urban and Regional Public Transportation Conference.
Porcari said that, for years, Americans have watched our European and Asian counterparts with envy as they continue to build and improve on world-class transportation networks.
EACC passenger rail conference brings praise, outlines strategies
At the heart of Wednesday's European-American Chamber of Commerce (EACC) 2010 Urban and Regional Public Transportation Conference was strong praise for President Barack Obama's national vision and Ohio Governor Ted Strickland's statewide vision for high-speed passenger rail.
American and European business, government, and policy experts convened at the Westin Hotel for a day-long discussion of economic development, technology, and financing, with a heavy focus on Ohio's 3C Corridor passenger rail project.
Lectures, tours coincide with Betts' multi-family housing exhibit
The Betts House Research Center is hosting a series of lectures and tours in support of its exhibit "From Tenements to Townhouses: Multi-Family Housing in Cincinnati", on view through September 30.
On May 13, Over-the-Rhine Foundation Executive Director Mike Morgan will host "Over-the-Rhine Tenements: Historic Foundations for a Greener Future", a lecture focusing on the changing lifestyle and technology patterns that influenced development in Over-the-Rhine over the 19th and 20th centuries. With the largest collection of 1850-1900 tenement buildings outside of New York City, these three-, four- and five-story buildings with commercial storefronts now are being sought by developers looking to capitalize on the neighborhood's inherent "new urbanist" principles.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 5/10/10
766 Delhi Avenue, Sedamsville
Two-family
DOB: 1895
Died: September 2009
Cause of death: Broken and missing windows, a lack of functional mechanical systems, exposed and broken sewer lines, water damage, a deteriorating front porch.
The house was condemned in May 2007, declared a public nuisance in July 2008 and was razed by the City following asbestos abatement.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Photos: East Price Hill, Over-the-Rhine, and Downtown
The following photos were taken April 19-27, 2010.
The first photos, of Seton Avenue in East Price Hill, were taken during a press conference announcing the first house rehabilitated and sold in the City of Cincinnati using federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds. (Yes, I know. The "houses on the hill" are technically in West Price Hill!)
LEED ratings extended to neighborhoods
A new benchmark for green urban design has been launched with announcement that the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) rating system is now out of its pilot phase.
The announcement was made last week in Washington, D.C. by the USGBC, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU).
Museum Center hosts celebration of trains this Saturday
Celebrate everything trains (in an actual historic train station) during National Train Day 2010, this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cincinnati Museum Center.
Cincinnati Museum Center and the Cincinnati Railroad Club are teaming up for the local celebration of Amtrak's commemoration of the 141st anniversary of the first transcontinental railroad's inception.
Cincinnati places liens for unpaid barricading, demolition
Cincinnati City Council has passed an ordinance that will allow the City to levy special assessments to collect the unpaid costs associated with securing or demolishing unsafe or condemned buildings.
The ordinance allows the City to apply the money it's owed as a lien, or an assessment, on the Hamilton County Auditor's property tax duplicate. The assessments are payable in five annual installments and carry a 9 percent interest rate.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 5/5/10
12 Far Hills Drive, Hyde Park
Single-family
DOB: 1960
Died: April 2009
Cause of death: Razed for construction of a new single-family house by Mark Bradley Homes, but the permit application has expired. The 1.46-acre lot is now for sale through Comey & Shepherd Realtors for $450,000, down from a previous offering of $549,000.
Remembering Cincinnati, 5/5/10
Two years ago:
- I visited Lower Price Hill and took a tour of the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Pendleton.* (see slideshow below)
- Neyer Properties was seeking zoning approval from the Sycamore Township Board of Trustees for a major adjustment to the already approved Kenwood Towers planned unit development.
- Construction began on the Freestore Foodbank's new Cincinnati COOKS! facility in the West End.
- Twenty-two photos of Montgomery, Mount Lookout, Blue Ash, Kenwood, and the Cincinnati skyline were added to the Building Cincinnati galleries.
- The Ohio-Indiana-Kentucky Regional Council of Governments released an update of its 1993 regional bike plan.
- In Mount Auburn, Walker Street residents created a petition asking the City to build a retaining wall to correct landslide problems that threatened their properties.
- A vacant East Price Hill house that had been crushed by a fallen tree was razed by its owner.
- I was in and around Downtown and Fountain Square.*
* 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.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
City approves property purchase for Samuel Adams expansion
Cincinnati City Council has approved the purchase of a piece of contaminated property that the Samuel Adams Brewery Company, Ltd. covets for the expansion of its West End plant.
Part of the much larger Providence North brownfield site, Phase II Environmental Assessments performed on the quarter-acre property at 1660 Central Avenue show that it requires asbestos abatement and soil and ground water remediation. A dry cleaning warehouse once occupied the site.
UC fraternity house wins LEED tax exemption
Cincinnati City Council has passed unanimously a Community Reinvestment Area LEED tax exemption agreement for a new Delta Tau Delta fraternity residence and chapter house in University Heights.
The fifteen-year agreement with Gamma Xi 21, Inc. will allow for the construction of the three-story, 13,335-square-foot building with 24 beds at 2825 Clifton Avenue.
Mount Washington confirms support for Beechmont calming
The Mount Washington Community Council (MWCC) has provided interim Cincinnati City Traffic Engineer Martha Kelly and members of City Council with a letter of support for specific traffic calming measures for its segment of Beechmont Avenue.
The neighborhood has been working with the Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) to redesign the corridor to lessen speeding, lower the accident rate, and make the business district more pedestrian-friendly.
Cincinnati accepts $8.1M for foreclosure remediation
Projects to address the blighting influence of foreclosure and vacancy in four Cincinnati neighborhoods can begin, now that City Council has passed an ordinance accepting $8.1 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 funding.
The federal stimulus funding will be used to create 45 new and rehabilitated homeownership units in Avondale, 24 new and rehabilitated homeownership units in Northside, and 22 new and rehabilitated homeownership units in Evanston. Thirty-six rehabilitated rental units will be created in East Price Hill.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 5/4/10
18-20 E Mitchell Avenue, St. Bernard
Commercial/garage
DOB: 1900-1920
Died: September 2009
Cause of death: Razed by the St. Bernard Community Improvement Corporation for eventual redevelopment. Asbestos removal was required, and, following demolition, the contractor had to remove a layer of contaminated soil.
The following demolition photos were taken by David Jones.
Remembering Cincinnati, 5/4/10
Four years ago:
One year ago:
- David Martin, president of Bluegrass Farms, said that the 31-acre Queensgate Terminals container-to-barge port proposed for Lower Price Hill would be "something that Cincinnati people are proud of".
- Linda Nassar of Downtown's Linda's Mini Mart said that the business was making incremental improvements to improve the looks of the store and to keep criminal activity away.
- Kenwood Towne Place was a couple of floors shorter, but still looked pretty much the same as today.
- A Westwood resident proposed a "radical, crazy and progressive" idea to increase the number of City businesses and residents by cutting taxes.
- Two open houses were scheduled to present conceptual alternatives for the Brent Spence Bridge alignments.
- In Mount Auburn, a collapsing house was razed.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Preferred alternative for Cincinnati form-based codes discussed
A consultant team from Opticos Design, Inc. and Lisa Wise Consulting, Inc. updated the Cincinnati City Planning Commission on the preferred alternative for implementing form-based codes during a special public meeting Friday morning.
Since a December 2008 motion introduced by Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls and Councilmember Laketa Coke, the Department of City Planning and Buildings, a working group composed of staff from multiple City departments, and a steering committee composed of interested neighborhood stakeholders have been working with the consultants on ways in which form-based codes can be incorporated into the City's zoning code and applied to its various neighborhoods.
Ginsburg to stakeholders: 'Downtown moving in the right direction'
Downtown Cincinnati Inc. (DCI), a non-profit dedicated to creating a safer, cleaner, and more vibrant Downtown, elected its new slate of board members and officers and updated its membership on key benchmarks during its 2010 Annual Meeting last Thursday at The Cincinnati Club.
The meeting coincided with the release of both DCI's 2009 Annual Report and its 2009 State of Downtown Report. While the Annual Report provides highlights of DCI's progress in its three core services areas of safe and clean, marketing, and stakeholder services, the State of Downtown Report provides a more comprehensive profile of activity in and around the central business district (CBD).
Bike Month begins, hopes to change local bicycle culture
Bike Month kicked off on Saturday, the beginning of more than 31 days of events focused on bicycling advocacy and education in Greater Cincinnati.
"More and more people in Cincinnati are discovering that bicycling is a great way to get around town, in addition to being great exercise on the weekend," said Gary Wright, president of Queen City Bike. "It doesn't matter if you are old or young. It doesn't matter if you haven't been on a bike in 20 years. Just about anybody can ride a bike. It's good for the environment, it's good for our community, and it's good, healthy fun for you."
First Lady in town for groundbreaking of green demonstration project
Ohio First Lady Frances Strickland joined local dignitaries and Civic Garden Center staff for the groundbreaking of its new Green Learning Station during a Friday evening ceremony in Avondale.
The $1.2 million project will convert a former SOHIO gas station at 2715 Reading Road into a "sustainability demonstration project", educating and inspiring students, home builders, developers, public officials, and the general public about sustainable practices by demonstrating green systems and technologies that are affordable and can be accomplished at home. A strong focus will be placed on sustainable gardening, from the use of native plants to composting.
Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance begins outreach efforts
On Friday morning, U.S. Rep. Steve Driehaus joined national, state and local leaders in Wyoming to celebrate the Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance's (GCEA) $17 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), awarded just over a week ago.
Part of the Clean Energy Roadshow's Cincinnati stop, the press conference preceded Saturday's volunteer effort to knock on 1,000 doors in Mount Washington, encouraging residents to retrofit their homes by handing out energy-efficient light bulbs. The thirty volunteers also signed up residents for $50 home energy audits.
Wrecking Cincinnati, 5/3/10
214 Southern Avenue, Mount Auburn
Three-family
DOB: 1916
Died: July 2009
Cause of death: A rotten roof, damaged water lines (possibly stolen), broken and missing windows, damaged cornice and gutters, trash and debris.
It was condemned in January 2009. In April, a criminal case was filed against its owner, who had obtained the long-vacant house through foreclosure. In May, a new owner emerged and took over the property.
The house was declared a public nuisance in June 2009, and the new owners applied for a demolition permit. It was razed privately. The previous owner pled no contest and was fined for court costs.
Remembering Cincinnati, 5/3/10
Four years ago:
- I visited Mount Adams and grabbed shots of Over-the-Rhine and the skyline, then went to Norwood and Corryville.*
* 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.
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