Two public meetings on Northside noise walls this week

Example of rustic ashlar construction

Two public meetings will be held this week to determine if noise walls should be installed along I-74 in Northside and South Cumminsville.

ODOT and the I-75 Aesthetics Committee are seeking public feedback on the walls, which would be installed roughly between the Elmore Street and Colerain Avenue exits (BIRD'S EYE).

The public meetings will be held on:

* Tuesday, February 26 at the St. Bernard Municipal Building, 120 Washington Avenue, from 5 PM-8 PM
* Wednesday, February 27 at the Camp Washington Community Center, 1201 Stock Avenue, 5 PM-8 PM

If built, the walls will use the "rustic ashlar" stencilled concrete look.

The Cincinnati Park Board has opposed the construction of the walls, claiming that they redirect and amplify noise to places a block or two away from where they are located.

Rockford Woods aid passes unanimously

The residents of the Rockford Woods development in Northside will finally receive $250,000 in City assistance.

Cincinnati City Council unanimously approved the funds, which will pay for legal fees, the establishment of a homeowners association, and the upgrading of the subdivision's private streets to public standards.

The subdivision was abandoned in 2001 by developers EEHV, LLC, leaving incomplete property records and inadequate infrastructure.

Residents believed that a homeowners association would pay for basic maintenance and improvements, but one was never established by the developers - leaving homeowners to pay out of their own pockets for streetlights, a sewer system, road maintenance, and property taxes on common areas.

The City funding closes out a 2005 agreement in which EEHV, LLC agreed to pay all outstanding debts on the development.

Previous reading on BC:
City to finally resolve Rockford Woods fiasco (2/5/08)

City to finally resolve Rockford Woods fiasco

Nearly seven years after construction began, the City of Cincinnati will spend $250,000 to complete phase one of the ill-fated Rockford Woods subdivision in Northside.

In 2005, developers EEHV, LLC, owned by Jerry Honerlaw, Rob Etherington, and an unnamed third party, abandoned the CitiRAMA 2001 site before the first phase was completed.

In their wake they left incomplete property deeds, crumbling infrastructure and delinquent property taxes parcels that were meant to become community greenspace.

Many of the problems have been blamed on a lack of oversight resulting from the desire to get CitiRAMA staged as quickly as possible.

As part of the planned development agreement between the City and EEHV, LLC, the developers were required to establish a homeowners association. Even though no association was ever established and property records were spotty at best, the City issued building permits anyway.

When basic maintenance on the subdivisions roads was not performed, residents began to blame the City - when it was the sole responsibility of the non-existent homeowners association to look after the development's infrastructure.

Residents of the subdivision have been forced to spend tens of thousands of dollars just to keep the streets livable, including paying for their own streetlights and maintaining their own sewer system.

At the same time, many residents were threatened with foreclosure or were watching the value of their properties plummet.

In late 2005, an agreement was reached between the City, the developers and the residents that would deed all common areas to the residents and would force EEHV, LLC to pay all outstanding debts.

The agreement was contingent upon all of the property owners signing a Homeowners Association Agreement, which was finally accomplished in December 2007.

One-fifth of the City payout ($50,000) will be used to capitalize the new homeowners association, from which legal fees will be paid.

The remaining money will be used to upgrade the streets to public standards.

Rockford Woods, which was once slated for up to 56 houses, has no second phase planned*.

* In 2005, then-City Manager Valerie Lemmie actually recommended giving the developers more money to complete phase one AND phase two!

New blog highlights Northside green project

Preliminary rendering from Glen Parker Green House

Two transplants from Oakland have started a new blog to document their green housing project in Northside.

Glen Parker Green Home is written by James and Heather Kinsman, who purchased 3.5 acres on Glen Parker Avenue (BIRD'S EYE) for $105,000 in November 2006.

According to Heather, their ideas for the house and land "are shaped by many concepts such as permaculture, alternative energy, peak oil, and sustainability to name a few".

They are currently finalizing their design of the 2,000-square-foot-plus house with Architects Plus, and construction may begin this year.

Graves: Northside proposal likely too costly

Calling funding a "considerable issue", Department of City Planning Director Charles C. Graves III believes that a Northside community proposal for the Chase School site (BIRD'S EYE) is likely unworkable.

In late November, the Northside Community Council contacted Cincinnati City Council to request their help in working with Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) and the Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC) in relocating the new Chase School.

As part if its $1 billion facilities master plan, CPS plans to demolish the 30-year-old Chase School and replace it with a new $14 million building on the same site.

The site is commonly referred to by community residents as "the pit" or "the hole", and the neighborhood would like to see the school built in a more visible location - closer to Chase Avenue and the McKie Recreation Center - to create a community learning center that can be used by people of all ages.

To the NCC, putting an expensive new building in a site that they know doesn't work is a waste of taxpayer money.

But in a report to City Council, Graves says that money for the NCC's idea is probably not available.

"CPS has indicated that there is currently funding for only the replacement of Chase School," Graves said. "CRC has recently made some interior improvements to McKie Recreation Center, and does not have it scheduled for replacement in the near future."

The NCC has offered financial assistance, reaching an agreement with Duke Energy to have a nearby power substation decomissioned and the land deeded to CPS.

They also have an additional $500,000 donation in hand, but it appears that the City is not going to facilitate a deal.

CPS has not addressed the matter in any recent board meetings.

Chase School is scheduled to be demolished within the next six to twelve months.

Previous reading on BC:
Northside council wants CPS, CRC cooperation on Chase site (12/12/07)

Wrecking Cincinnati, 1/17/08

4615 Cresap Ave, Northside
Single-family

DOB: 1910
Died: January 2008
Cause of death: A tree collapse cracked the gable, exposing extensive termite and weather damage to the structural members. The front porch and roof were near collapse, and the yard was full of junk. It was condemned in November and demolished privately.

Wrecking Cincinnati, 1/16/08

4216 Fergus St, Northside
Single-family

DOB: 1886
Died: December 2007
Cause of death: Unsure. The property has been owned by Working in Neighborhoods since 2005. During that time, the house was not kept up to VBML standards and was vacated by the City. It was later targeted by a Neighborhood Enhancement Program code enforcement blitz in November. There is no word on what the owners plan on doing with the vacant lot.

Wrecking Cincinnati, 1/7/08

4211 Langland St, Northside
Single-family

DOB: 1897
Died: December 2007
Cause of death: Rotten floor joists, missing and damaged siding, broken windows and roof/gutter failure. The house was condemned in March 2007 and has been vacant since at least 2005. It was declared a public nuisance in October following Northside's Neighborhood Enhancement Program code enforcement blitz.

Assorted new Cincinnati photos

Here is a random assortment of photos that I had left over from trips taken between November 14 and December 24, 2007.

These 27 photos have been added to the following galleries:

* Northside +7 (69 photos)
* Covington Downtown +3 (27 photos)
* Corryville +2 (41 photos)
* Mansion Hill +2 (27 photos)
* Mount Auburn +2 (38 photos)
* Westwood +2 (33 photos)
* Botany Hills +1 (7 photos)
* Cincinnati Skyline +1 (50 photos)
* Clifton +1 (48 photos)
* Downtown +1 (115 photos)
* Eden Park +1 (21 photos)
* Lewisburg +1 (4 photos)
* Mount Adams +1 (90 photos)
* Peaselburg +1 (10 photos)
* Walnut Hills +1 (39 photos)

Please click on each image to enlarge to 800 x 600. Each photo will open in a new browser window.

Galleries for all of the neighborhoods can be found in the drop-down menu at the top of the right-hand column.

Downtown


Mount Auburn


Mount Adams


Covington Downtown


Botany Hills


Peaselburg


Lewisburg


Mansion Hill


Walnut Hills


Eden Park


Corryville


Northside



Westwood


Clifton


Cincinnati Skyline

Wrecking Cincinnati, 12/31/07

RIP: 1422 Knowlton St, Northside
Single-family

DOB: 1929
Died: December 2007
Cause of death: A decaying south wall, crumbling steps, failing soffits, broken windows and a deteriorating roof. The City condemned the house in April 2006 and later discovered that the owner was deceased. The rotten cornice eventually fell off and the masonry wall was in danger of collapsing. It was declared a public nuisance in October during the neighborhood's code enforcement blitz. This house had been vacant since at least 2004.

OMS Photography moving to Northside

OMS Photography will soon begin remodeling 1636 Chase Avenue in Northside.

The 9,400-square-foot building at Chase and Turrill will include both photography studios and offices.

They purchased the building for $339,000 in February.

After moving to the new building, the business will retain a portion of its current home at 2135 Central Parkway.

OMS Photography is a commercial photography house specializing in food photography, digital retouching, and on-site shots. They have locations in Cincinnati and in Minneapolis.


1636 Chase Avenue

American Can named local landmark

City Council has approved unanimously the designation of the American Can property as a Local Historic Landmark.

Inclusion on a local landmark list makes the project eligible to receive the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit.

The tax credit is equal to 25 percent of the developer's rehabilitation expenditures.

Only 100 tax credit certificates can be issued over any one year period*.

The American Can building, built in 1921, is a nearly unaltered building in the Commercial Style and was home to one of the nation's largest can manufacturers, employing as many as 1,000 people by the early 1950s.

The building is the 29th site to be named a Local Historic Landmark.

Developers Bloomfield, Schon & Partners still hope to have the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A decision on that isn't likely until at least December.

Upon completion, the American Can Factory Square will contain 93 market-rate apartments and 30,000 square feet of commercial space. There will also be a new 20,000 square foot office building, 13,000 square feet of retail on the adjacent Myron Johnson property, and 30 townhomes along Langland Street.

Further reading, photos and maps:
BC: Scooped on the American Can story (7/19/07)
BC: Northside: American Can Factory Square (5/16/07)
BC: Northside: American Can Factory Square (3/17/07)

* Usually issued as applicants come along and not on a specific date.

Scooped on the American Can story

Well, the Enquirer scooped me yesterday on the American Can developers' desire to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

What I had prepared is at the very end of this post.

So to make up for that I have put together a collection of American Can photographs. Click to enlarge. The photo will open in a new browser window.

This series of photos and captions was part of a report prepared by the Department of Community Development and Planning's Historic Conservation Office. I do not know who actually took the photographs.






American Can project seeks Local Historic Landmark designation

In an effort to obtain state tax credits, the developers of Northside's American Can Factory Square project are hoping to have the site declared a Local Historic Landmark by the City.

To receive the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit, a building must be certified as a local landmark by its local government or must be on the National Register of Historic Places.

Developers Bloomfield, Schon & Partners are hoping for the local designation because a decision on their inclusion on the National Register isn't likely until December, or later*, and the state tax credit is a significant portion of their funding plan.

The tax credit is equal to 25 percent of the developer's rehabilitation expenditures. Only 100 tax credit certificates can be issued over any one year period**.

The American Can building, built in 1921, is a nearly unaltered building in the Commercial Style and was home to one of the nation's largest can manufacturers, employing as many as 1,000 people by the early 1950s.

The City's website lists 28 sites as Local Historic Landmarks. The property also abuts the Northside NBD Historic District.

The City Planning Commission and the Historic Conservation Board have endorsed the Local Landmark designation.

A public hearing on the designation will be held in front of the City's Economic Development Committee on July 31.

Upon completion, the former factory will contain 93 market-rate apartments and 30,000 square feet of commercial space. There will also be a new 20,000 square foot office building, 13,000 square feet of retail on the adjacent Myron Johnson property, and 30 townhomes along Langland Street.

Building Cincinnati: Northside: American Can Factory Square (5/16/07)
Building Cincinnati: Northside: American Can Factory Square (3/17/07)

* The National Park Service deemed the project eligible in 2006 and the City's Historic Conservation Board recommended it to the Ohio Historic Preservation Site Advisory Board in June. They will then make a recommendation to the Keeper of the National Register, who isn't likely to make the decision until December.

** These are generally considered on a first-come, first-served basis and not released all at once on a certain date.