Categories
News

UrbanCincy rehab project

I have been unhappy with some features of the layout. Plus I thought that all the dots in the background could be a bit distracting and/or annoying at times (don’t worry those lovely dots are going to stick around in some shape or form). I would also like to add some new features to make UrbanCincy a little more graphical and less wordy than what it is currently. So, you will be seeing some changes over the next couple of days. Some will be temporary as I try to figure out how to do this, and others will stay put.

UrbanCincy is a work in progress and I’m trying to make it the best it can possibly be. What do you think?? Comments and constructive criticism are very much welcome!

Categories
News

Scribble Jam 2007

Scribble Jam 2007 is coming up next weekend! It will start on Thursday, August 9th and last until Sunday, August 12th. This years event will include MC, DJ, B-Boy and Beatbox battles…and also include a graffiti expo. This event is considered “America’s Largest Hip-Hop Festival” and is the largest public display of underground hip hop that is available in the United States.

The event will be taking place throughout the city at locations like: The Poison Room, Annies Night Club, Burnett Woods and Top Cats. You’ll be able to witness, arguably, the most competitive MC battle in the country where competitors have to beat out others, from their region, in order to qualify for the Cincinnati Scribble Jam event.

This event is always a popular one and it’s recommended that you buy pre-sale tickets where you’ll save money and ensure yourself entry. The event attracts tens of thousands of hip hop fans from across the country, and has called Cincinnati home for the past 10 years. Some of the events are free, so it’s best to check the website for more details regarding the schedule, prices and details of the locations.

Categories
Development News Politics

Cincinnati and its long history with Urban Planning

Urban Planning has a long, rich history in the Queen City. You can date this back to the influential and charismatic individual named Ladislas Segoe (1894-1983). Segoe was involved in nearly all types of professional planning…advocating for an increased presence of private planners and even operating his own successful private practice: Ladislas Segoe and Associates of Cincinnati, Ohio. Needless to say Segoe was extremely influential in the great deal of planning that took place, in Cincinnati, in the early 20th Century.

During the early 20th Century you saw a lot of firsts for the planning profession…especially in Cincinnati. In 1923 ground was broken on the planned community of Mariemont; planned by John Nolan the community boasted many concepts (small blocks, mixed uses, mixed owner/rental units) that are now the foundation of what is considered new urbanism.

Shortly thereafter, in 1925, Cincinnati was recognized as being the first major American city to endorse a comprehensive plan. This plan was revolutionary for American cities and was primarily drafted by Ladislas Segoe and Alfred Bettman. This plan outlined park corridors throughout the city, systems of grand boulevards, complimented the Park Plan of 1907, and included the now requisite transportation component of modern comprehensive plans.

General Park Plan: 1907 Kessler Park Plan

Ten years later in 1935 the Resettlement Administration, established under the Roosevelt administration, set forth to build three ‘Greenbelt towns.’ One of those ‘Greenbelt towns’ being Greenhills in Cincinnati. These towns became the case studies for future planned communities like Columbia, MD and Reston, VA. Shortly thereafter, in 1941, Ladislas Segoe publishes the first of his “Green Book” series entitled: Local Planning Administration.

After this frenzy of breakthrough planning activity, taking place in Cincinnati, you have to fast forward to the very recent history. In 2002, Charlie Luken and City Manager Valerie Lemmie were under extreme pressure to make budget cuts…and not surprisingly, Valerie Lemmie pushed to have the Planning Department abolished from the Cincinnati government structure. Combine this with the idea that this move would make the City more ‘developer friendly’ and you have an abolished Planning Department. The move didn’t necessarily have the desired impact and has actually hampered the City’s efforts to update it’s comprehensive plan, and perform long-range planning that is essential for any community.

Five years have past and Mayor Mark Mallory is living up to his promise of re-establishing the Planning Department in Cincinnati. Charles C. Graves III was hired as the director of the re-established department and will start his job on September 4th. Hopefully with the support of the Mayor, City Manager and City Council Cincinnati can return to it’s proud ways of being a progressive area for professional Planning. There is a lot to catch up on first and foremost, but the progressive minds in professional Planning at least have a place to gather again in Cincinnati government.