Year: 2009

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News

First public Revive I-75 meeting this Thursday

Once in a generation does a city get an opportunity as great as what Cincinnati has before it right now with the redesign of Intestate 75. In the mid-Twentieth Century the interstate ripped through some of Cincinnati’s most densely populated neighborhoods and has permanently cut those urban communities off from one another. When I-75 was built it even destroyed the character of the famous Crosley Field when it ripped through the West End beyond the outfield walls and quickly turned the urban neighborhood into an auto-dependent no-man’s land that left the ballpark isolated.

Cincinnati’s once remarkable West End neighborhood prior to its demolition for I-75

Today, city leaders and urban designers have a chance to finally heal those 50-year-old wounds that are still evident throughout Cincinnati’s West End, Camp Washington, Northside, Queensgate, and western Central Business District. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, Cincinnati City Councilmember Roxanne Qualls has pushed for a comprehensive look at the corridor which has led to the selection of Urban Design Associates (UDA) to develop a plan that will energize and improve the quality of life in the study areas.

“It is important to recognize the opportunity to connect and reconnect the neighborhoods and their assets relative to Interstate 75,” said Charles Graves, Director, Department of City Planning. “By linking the neighborhoods to the interstate, the City of Cincinnati will be able to capitalize on new opportunities and strengthen existing assets.”

The Revive I-75 Cincinnati Focus Area Plans will look to do just this by working with neighborhood leaders on urban design plans that will focus on New Urbanist techniques and attempt to return the neighborhoods to the form they were originally built. In order to accomplish this Pittsburgh-based UDA will rely on heavy public involvement, through a series of public meetings, to get the best understanding for the urban spaces and neighborhoods they are dealing with.

The first of such meetings will take place on Thursday, November 12 from 6pm to 8pm at Cincinnati State (map) in the Advanced Technology & Learning Center Auditorium on the second floor. Parking will be available in the Central Parkway Garage on campus, and Metro bus service is also available. Plan your trip now using Metro’s Trip Planner.

If you’re unable to attend the meeting, and would still like to share your thoughts, then please call the Department of City Planning at (513) 352-4845 or email info@reviveI-75cincinnati.com.

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News

This Week In Soapbox 11/10

This Week in Soapbox (TWIS) you can read about big time money rolling in for two local development agencies, a new vendor at Findlay Market, Cincinnati’s groundbreaking Environmental Justice Ordinance, the $30 million Sharonville Convention Center expansion, a new Thai restaurant in Bellevue, Kroger’s new food tracking service, and the super cool co-working concept that has come to Over-the-Rhine.

If you’re interested in staying in touch with some of the latest development news in Cincinnati please check out this week’s stories and sign up for the weekly E-Zine sent out by Soapbox Cincinnati. Also be sure to become a fan of Soapbox on Facebook!

There is also a really tremendous feature story this week from Casey Coston discussing Cincinnati’s growing center city population that is likewise bringing more dogs. Read all about the growing dog population and the opportunities and challenges that it is presenting our center city.

TWIS 11/10:

  • Cincinnati development agencies secure $75M in New Markets Tax Credits – full article
  • Daisy Mae’s Market opens produce business at historic Findlay Market – full article
  • Cincinnati takes lead, creates nation’s first Environmental Justice Ordinance – full article
  • Sharonville breaks ground on $30M convention center expansion – full article
  • Siam Orchid brings Thai flavor to Bellevue – full article
  • Group brings co-working concept to Over-the-Rhine – full article
  • Kroger launching program allowing customers to track food’s origins – full article
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Business Development News Politics

What happened to the locavore movement?

The news is out that the Atlanta-based Carter/Dawson development team has selected Birmingham-based Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC as the general contractor for the private development portions of The Banks. The Carter/Dawson team stated in a press release that Brasfield & Gorrie is “one of the largest privately-held contracting firms in the nation, and brings their extensive successful experience in building complex, mixed-use, vertically integrated developments in dense urban areas.”

This may be all well and good but the issue I have is that they’re based out of Birmingham. It’s not that there is anything wrong with Birmingham, or Atlanta for that matter, but there are huge sums of public money going into The Banks development. These tax dollars should be spent in the taxpayer’s best interest, and with unemployment hovering around 10 percent, we should be demanding that these contracts be awarded to local companies who will be employing Cincinnatians.

The Banks development plan – rendering provided.

It’s much like the rationale behind shopping local. When you award contracts to local companies they’ll hire people in the region, those people will take that money and upkeep their homes, go shopping, eat out, and support the local economy. When we give these contracts away to someone else there goes much of that money.

I can’t say for sure whether Brasfield & Gorrie is the best firm for the job, because they very well might be, but I do know that there are qualified companies here locally that would have loved the opportunity to not only get this contract, but also make a lasting impact on the city they call home. The one bright spot is that Brasfield & Gorrie has committed to achieving the development team’s goal of at least 30 percent SBE participation, and committed to utilizing a “significant amount of local talent to get the job done efficiently and effectively.”

Phase 1A of The Banks development – rendering provided.

Brasfield & Gorrie is expected to start assembling their team on site almost immediately and will begin construction on the overbuild of Phase 1A in December with a set completion date of Spring 2011. Once complete, The Banks will represent a total private investment around $600 million. Paul Brown Stadium, Great American Ball Park, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Riverfront Transit Center are all complete and part of Cincinnati’s Riverfront Master Plan developed by Urban Design Associates. The Central Riverfront Park is under construction now and will compliment the entire development.

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News

City of Cincinnati wins OEC’s coveted Public Servant award

Each year the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) recognizes individuals, groups, and businesses that have made significant contributions to improving Ohio’s environment at their annual Environmental Achievement Awards ceremony.

At this year’s Environmental Achievement Awards, the City of Cincinnati will receive the “Public Servant” award for the implementation of several environmental initiatives in Cincinnati, which includes re-establishing the Office of Environmental Quality. At the same time, Communities United For Action (CUFA) will receive the “Environmental Watchdog” award for their work on spearheading the passage of the first environmental justice ordinance in the country.

The 40th Anniversary Green Gala dinner and awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 14 at the Columbus Athenaeum (map). Tickets can be purchased from $30 to $40 with group discounts available. To purchase your tickets today call the OEC at (614) 487-7506, or place your order online.

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News

New UC President Dr. Gregory Williams to keynote Triumph Awards

The Emanuel Community Center is hosting their annual Triumph Awards on Thursday, November 12 at 6pm. The Triumph Awards ceremony is one of Emanuel’s primary fund-raiser events throughout the year, and take time to honor the hard work people have put into the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.

The University of Cincinnati’s new president, Dr. Gregory Williams, will serve as the keynote speaker while Joe Pichler, William Mallory Sr., and Kathy Wade serve as the 2009 Triumph Honorees. Tickets are $50 and can be reserved by calling Jenny Mendelson at (513) 241-2563, ext. 20, by emailing eccinfo@emanuelcenter.org, or by purchasing your tickets online.

The Emanuel Community Center was founded in 1871 to help serve the expanding German immigrant population in the neighborhood. Today Emanuel is well-known for their childcare and youth programs serving neighborhood residents. And as the neighborhood continues to change, so does Emanuel, as they now act as a complete “center for the community” and are working hard to create programming and shared experiences in the neighborhood to ensure that capital investments evolve into a diverse and eclectic community.

“My time as an Over-the-Rhine resident has convinced me of the importance of this fantastic neighborhood in the future growth of our region,” said Emaneul Board Member Colin Groth. “At the start of this year I joined the board of the Emanuel Center after recognizing the critical role that community cohesion will play in the long-term sustainability of OTR.”

The Emanuel Community Center will host the Triumph Awards at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza’s famous Hall of Mirrors (map). The Hilton is within a block and a half of Metro’s Government Square bus hub. Plan your trip now using Metro’s Trip Planner to find out which route and time works best for you.

Hall of Mirrors photograph by Daniel Michael.