Month: August 2010

Categories
Development News Transportation

300′ geothermal wells being drilled at new Cincinnati Riverfront Park

Several components of the first phase of the 45-acre Cincinnati Riverfront Park are nearing completion, or are reaching significant milestones.  The foundation for the Moerlein Lager House and Jacob G. Schmidlapp Stage & Event Lawn are complete, the foundations to the Roebling Suspension Bridge are being reset to accommodate a realigned Mehring Way, and the first section of the Hamilton County-controlled parking garage is now open.

Also underway is the drilling of 300-foot geothermal wells that will provide the air conditioning for the Bike, Mobility & Visitors’ Center.  The geothermal wells will provide a natural cooling mechanism that leverages the 56-degree temperatures found in the ground year-round.

The first phase of the Cincinnati Riverfront Park will also include the Black Brigade Monument, a labyrinth, tree groves, Main Street Garden, first section of an expanded riverfront bike trail, the Women’s Garden, and more.  According to project officials, the first phase of construction is currently within budget and on-schedule for a spring 2011 completion.  Later phases of construction will proceed as funding is available for the total $120 million project.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Downtown Cincinnati eatery to celebrate reopening after complete redesign

On the evening of Friday, August 20, Cincinnatians will have an opportunity to be re-introduced to a local restaurant now known as The Bistro.  The restaurant owners plan to host a party to show off the recent changes that took place following the well-publicized split of Jean-Robert de Cavel from the Relish Group.

With native chef Chris Burns at the helm, owners at The Bistro say that the restaurant will focus on bringing local fare to the dinner table by using ingredients that are locally sourced.  This new focus is complimented by the interior décor which has also been updated with a fresh look.

The owners say that this Friday’s event is not really about the food as much as it is about the space. With The Bistro Bar Bash starting at 5pm and going until close, it is an opportunity for folks to see what the changes are about, enjoy some drink specials, and try out some of the food for free.

The Bistro has always featured a small but tremendous selection of microbrews, and that has not changed with the renovations.  This Friday night, twelve craft beers will be available all night long for $3 each.  There will also be $5 “You Call It” cocktails, as well as food from the bar menu offered up for free the entire evening.  Finally, The Bistro will be hosting DJ Gerald to spin some music and liven up the atmosphere for the evening.

Add in the weekly PNC MidPoint Indie Music Series on Fountain Square for a complete night of affordable entertainment in downtown Cincinnati. As with each and every other Friday night during the summer there will be four bands that take the stage starting at 7pm. This week’s headliner is local favorite Bad Veins who will be spending the fall on a national tour opening for Frightened Rabbit and Two Door Cinema Club.

Located only a half-block from Fountain Square at 413 Vine Street, The Bistro is easily accessible for many in the city. If arriving by car, there is easy parking either in the Fountain Square Garage or directly across the street at the Westin Garage.  Free bicycle parking is readily available nearby, and you can easily access both events with Metro bus service (plan your trip).

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Roll on down the BIG RIVER with Carnegie’s newest production

The Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center will honor and celebrate one of America’s most beloved authors with its season opener of BIG RIVER | The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain may have infamously described Cincinnati as 20 years behind the times, but the Carnegie is both timely and appropriate with its revival of the 1983 musical adaptation of Twain’s most famous novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

A quick review of high school English reminds us that Huck Finn tells the tale of an irrepressible young boy living the dream on the riverboats of the mighty Mississippi River, helping his slave friend Jim escape to freedom, and having quite the adventure along the way.

The musical version, scored by legendary country music writer Roger Miller, stays true to the original story, and the Carnegie’s cast showcases some of Cincinnati’s brightest young talent. There are 11 actors under the age of 22 in this show, and the young man playing the title role is recent Sycamore High School grad and incoming Wright State University freshman Zack Steele, recognized as the “Outstanding Supporting Actor” at the 2009-10 Cappies Awards (honoring local high school theatre) and winner of the city-wide Overture Awards scholarship for college-bound musical theatre students.

Local actor Bill Harnett plays Mark Twain, reprising this character from his run on the Showboat Majestic in “Mark Twain Tonight!” The cast and crew are directed by sensational duo Dee Ann Bryll and Ed Cohen, who have won many awards regionally for their talent and directing skills.

“We feel privileged to be working at The Carnegie with BIG RIVER and a super cast that combines some of the area’s best local talent with six of CCM’s students. To us, BIG RIVER is the quintessential American summertime musical, and we’re excited to bring this unique version of Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn” to The Carnegie’s audience,” the team said.

During the season there will be performances that are accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing through closed captioning and interpretation services offered by the theater free of charge. This is made possible through a collaboration between The Carnegie and the Sign Language Interpreting & Deaf Studies programs at the University of Cincinnati. Captioning has been offered for major theatrical performances at The Carnegie since 2006 thanks to the support of volunteers.

The interpretative performances of BIG RIVER will take place on Saturday, August 21 and August 28.

BIG RIVER opens this Friday, August 21 and runs weekends (Friday Saturday and Sunday) through September 4th. Friday and Saturday evening performances will take place at 7:30pm, and Sunday matinees will start at 3:00pm. Tickets cost $26 for adults; $23 for Carnegie members, Enjoy the Arts members, or WVXU Perks Card members; $21 for groups of 10 or more; and $19 for students. Those looking to take part in a particularly interesting social outing can take part in the tweetup scheduled for the performance on Friday, August 20.

The Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center is located at 1028 Scott Boulevard in Covington, Kentucky. Tickets can be purchased online, or by calling the center’s box office at (859) 491-2030.

“All of us contain music and truth, but most of us can’t get it out” – Mark Twain

Categories
News Transportation

Metro bus service restored to Lower Price Hill neighborhood

Metro is restoring service to the #31 route that had been previously eliminated as part of an effort in December 2009 to balance the transit authority’s budget that resulted in a 12 percent service reduction to Metro’s bus operations. The adjustments, to the route, will provide service along W. 8th Street to the Western Hills Viaduct along State Avenue.

Metro officials say that the addition of 14 trips each direction daily on weekdays, and eight trips each direction on weekends was made to provide greater access to the Kroger manufacturing plant and Lower Price Hill neighborhood. It is estimated that the restored service along this segment will provide 5,000 rides annually, with most of those trips related to employment at the Kroger plant.

“Thanks to the difficult decisions we made last year and effective management of our resources, Metro’s budget now appears to have stabilized,” said Marilyn Shazor, Metro’s CEO. “We are cautiously optimistic and will begin to restore some service as we can afford to do so. We plan to seek the community’s input to help us decide which service to add and in what order.”

The restored service to the #31 route took effect on Sunday, August 15 along with several other service changes to routes #3X, #3, #24, #71X, and #72. New bus schedules are available on Metro’s website, and across the street from the Government Square transit hub inside the Mercantile Building (map) on weekdays from 7:30am to 5pm. More information can be retrieved by calling (513) 621-4455 between 6:30am and 6pm Monday through Friday.

Categories
Development News

Ground broken on $1.2M sustainable learning facility in Avondale

Construction work has begun on the Civic Garden Center’s $1.2 million Green Learning Station at 2175 Reading Road in Avondale. The facility is the first of its kind in the Cincinnati region, and is described as an interactive, state-of-the-art learning laboratory for applying sustainable practices into gardens and the systems that support them.

“The Green Learning Station will be a field trip destination for people of all ages, open to the public for tours, workshops and classes related to green living in the city,” said Ryan Mooney-Bullock, Program Manager.

“Classes who visit the Green Learning Station will be challenged to conduct experiments and solve problems as they learn about urban environmental problems. Back in their schools, students will assess some aspect of their school’s environmental impact and develop a plan to make it more sustainable, whether by starting a compost system, a vegetable garden or capturing rainwater.”

Situated on a former SOHIO gas station, the project will include a variety of green features like pervious paving, rainwater harvesting units, bioswales, green roof systems, energy efficient utilities, and showcase sustainable gardens.

“The Board of the Civic Garden Center identified the need for the Green Learning Station more than two years ago,” explained Betsy Townsend, a volunteer and chair of the Green Learning Station committee for the Civic Garden Center. “Since then we have been diligently working to bring the project to fruition. The start of construction has been made possible by countless volunteer hours and generous gifts from local foundations, individuals and corporations.”

The Green Learning Station was designed by SFA Architects and Martin Koepke Design, and is expected to achieve LEED-Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Cincinnati-based HGC Construction is expected to complete work on the Green Learning Station in spring 2011.

Once complete, home builders, developers, and public officials will be able to use the Green Learning Station as a demonstration site on how to incorporate green technology into residences, businesses, and public spaces.