Year: 2013

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Up To Speed

The Myth of the Suburban Revival

The Myth of the Suburban Revival

Recent economics data released from the Brookings Institute have shown that job sprawl has spread outside of metro downtowns, including Cincinnati. Planning theorists however are at odds as to what this means with New Geography’s Joel Kotkin claiming the “triumph of suburbia” over the center city. However; his assertions seem to be based on several false assumptions in the market and does not take into account the millenial generations preference for walkable neighborhoods. Is this a City vs. Suburb debate or as Robert Steuteville claims a walkable vs. auto-dominated debate? More from Better Cities & Towns:

In his analysis, Kotlin ignores many inconvenient facts and trends that don’t fit his narrative of an inexorable, historical march to lower density in generation after generation. Real estate values have declined in the automobile-oriented suburbs relative to compact, mixed-use neighborhoods. There’s a growing preference for rental housing, and multifamily development has recovered far more quickly than single-family development. Multifamily development has taken on a new character in recent years. In the 1990s it was garden apartments in the suburbs. Now it is being built in urban, transit-served neighborhoods.

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Arts & Entertainment Business News

Via Vite to Open New Rooftop Piazza Today

Via Vite PiazzaVia Vite will host a grand opening party for their new rooftop bar and dining space overlooking Fountain Square. The new space, referred to as a piazza, features an outdoor bar and unobstructed views of Fountain Square and video board.

The piazza will naturally expand the outdoor dining options Via Vite has been adding in between its main entrance and the Fountain Square Garage headhouse, and follows the same general design concepts used on the existing Via Vite structure.

Managers say that the new space can handle approximately 40 to 50 people, and guests will be able to get both drinks and light food served there. Management also says that the piazza can be reserved for special events.

Via Vite opened in 2007 following the $49 million renovation of Fountain Square and its underground garage.

The restaurant sits directly above the parking garage entrance along Vine Street, and was opened by the son of Nicola Pietoso who continues to run the acclaimed Nicola’s Ristorante Italiano in Over-the-Rhine.

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Up To Speed

Parking Demand Map Aids Planners

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/04/mapping-subtle-science-parking-demand/5402/

As Cincinnati planners continue to study and move forward on eliminating parking requirements in the urban core, planners in the Seattle area have devised a way to track the supply of parking in parts of the Seattle region. Seattle planners conducted the study by doing parking counts in the middle of the night and matching them up with rental rates and unit affordability. Could a similar map for Cincinnati shed more light on whether the region is providing for more parking than it needs? More from the Atlantic Cities:

On average, these buildings were supplying about 1.4 parking stalls per housing unit; residents were only using about 1 stall per unit. And that oversupply extended across the region, from the central business district to urban neighborhoods to the suburbs. The project also collected information from each of these buildings on how the parking was priced, how the rental units were priced, and whether those two costs were bundled together. All of that information from this building survey was then used, alongside data on land use, demographics, job locations, and transit to hone a model capable of estimating the parking demand on a given property, accounting for factors like its proximity to transit and the price of parking relative to rent.

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Arts & Entertainment News

PHOTOS: 2013 DAAP Fashion Show Dazzles Sold-Out Crowd

When the College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning puts on their annual DAAP Fashion Show at the University of Cincinnati, it is the hottest ticket in town. The region’s best fashion designers show off their work to their families, friends, and potential employers as they make their fabulous exit from DAAP, and sometimes Cincinnati.

This year’s DAAP Fashion Show was the 62nd year of the event, and it was held last Friday inside the University of Cincinnati’s architecturally acclaimed Campus Recreation Center.

Hundreds packed the event, which was hosted by 1985 DAAP graduate David Meister. and featured the work of the School of Design’s Fashion Design and Product Development departments. All 52 of the following photographs were taken by Jake Mecklenborg for UrbanCincy.

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Arts & Entertainment News

This Month’s URBANexchange to Take Place Tomorrow Evening

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The biergarten doors will swing open this Wednesday evening at 5:30pm at the Morelein Lager House for our third URBANexchange of the year.

The goal of the URBANexchange gatherings is to maintain a monthly event where fellow urbanists can gather to discuss what’s going on in the city, and meet others with similar interests as their own.

The event is a casual way to unwind from the day and an opportunity to meet similar like minded people. There is no formal presentation or formal anything. And as always there is no cover charge for attending.

We encourage people to come out, bring some friends, and make some new ones.

“Its exciting to see newcomers at these URBANexchanges because they frequently come not knowing anyone and make some great connections with some of our more regular attendees,” noted Randy Simes, founder of URBANexchange. “I take every chance I get to come to event and I am very impressed with the way it has been able to bring people together and foster the exchange of different ideas about Cincinnati.”

At this month’s event we’ll be giving away two signed copies of James Jenkins’ Photography for the People coffee table book. The book, which is part of a limited series of 100 copies on first printing, features many stunning and vivid color photographs of downtown and Over-the-Rhine. Mr. Jenkins’ will also attend on Wednesday to discuss his book and other topics.

A percentage of all purchases at URBANexchange go to support the operations of the adjacent Smale Riverfront Park. We hope to see you there!!