Clifton Plaza took the place of the former Bender Optical building along Ludlow Avenue in the heart of Clifton’s vibrant neighborhood business district. Early on in its concept people were concerned whether more open space was needed, or whether more businesses and people were needed in that central location. After seeing the results of a recently completed streetscaping project in combination with the new Clifton Plaza, it now appears that additional public space was very much in demand.
The new public space created along Telford Avenue added simple, yet functional, park benches along with a new community board for event postings and other random information. It took slightly longer to complete the new Clifton Plaza across the street, but the impact appears to be equally strong if early use is any indication.
The problem is not the creation of the new public space, but rather the design of it. The primary design flaw of Clifton Plaza is the fixed seating. Seating is extraordinarily important when it comes to public space design, and this type of seating design is straight out of the urban design playbook of two to three decades ago. Since that time several studies have indicated that users prefer movable seating options where they can assert their control over the space. This might mean the slight adjustment of a chair as one prepares to sit, or it might mean wholesale change to avoid or seek out sunlight.
“The possibility of choice is as important as the exercise of it. If you know you can move if you want to, you feel more comfortable staying put,” explained William H. Whyte in The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. “This is why, perhaps, people so often move a chair a few inches this way and that before sitting in it, with the chair ending up about where it was in the first place. The moves are functional, however. They are a declaration of autonomy, to oneself, and rather satisfying.”
Whyte goes on to discuss how fixed seating is often awkward in public spaces as there is often much space around them as is the case at the new Clifton Plaza.
“The designer is saying, now you sit right here and you sit there. People balk. In some instances, the wrench the seats from their moorings,” Whyte continued. “Where there is a choice between fixed seats and other kinds of sitting, it is the other that people choose.”
Beyond user preferance, fixed seating allows for a less functional space. When planners redesigned Fountain Square, non-fixed seating in part helped to create a more open and flexible space better suited for the many events that attract thousands of people to the public space every week.
What works for Clifton Plaza is its large open area towards the back that will allow for flexible programming. A simple fix could be made by removing these fixed seating options and replacing them with non-fixed alternatives. This would create a more welcoming public space that encourages users to stay longer and take ownership of the space in a truly dynamic way.
One day in 1934, New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia was on a TWA flight back home from Chicago, and his ticket indicated New York as the plane’s final destination. However, the plane landed in Newark, New Jersey, as that was the only airport in the New York region open to commercial aviation at the time. The stubborn mayor refused to get off the plane in Newark, insisting that he be brought to the city indicated on his ticket. “Newark is not New York,” he exclaimed. His flight ultimately continued to Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, and when the plane landed, the mayor — never willing to let a juicy PR moment go to waste — hosted an impromptu press conference to reporters about New York City’s need for its own airport. Within five years, an airport would be built in Queens that would bear Mayor LaGuardia’s name.
A great deal of virtual ink has been expended in recent months regarding the proposed 3C passenger rail line that will link Ohio’s three largest cities and serve as the foundation for future development of a true high-speed rail line across the state. In regards to the station location for the Cincinnati end of the 3C line, we face a dilemma not unlike the one Mayor LaGuardia faced in New York. If the rail line ends in Sharonville, does the 3C line really serve one of its three namesake C’s? Will there come a day when Mayor Mallory refuses to exit the train at Sharonville, insisting that it continue all the way into the city limits of Cincinnati?
There is nothing inherently wrong with having an intermediate 3C station at Sharonville, as it would provide convenient service to suburban riders in much the same way the Route 128 station on the Northeast Corridor gives Boston-area Amtrak passengers a way to avoid having to travel all the way to Back Bay or South Station in order to catch a train going the opposite direction. Assuming we want the 3C service to actually serve Cincinnati, though, the question then becomes: Where does the train go once it goes south of Sharonville?
Previous generations of Cincinnatians blessed us with a magnificent train station in the form of the Union Terminal complex, which opened for passenger service the year before Mayor LaGuardia’s famous outburst in Newark. As one of the most architecturally-significant train stations in the world, and located within a short distance of downtown, Union Terminal is the natural place to terminate the 3C line. The station is already served by Amtrak’s Cardinal three times a week in each direction between New York and Chicago, and has the facilities needed to serve intercity rail passengers such as a waiting room, ticketing office, baggage service, restrooms, etc. In time, Union Terminal could also easily accommodate additional passenger facilities such as expanded restaurant options, car rental facilities, and a streetcar or light rail connection to rest of the city. Indeed, there is near-universal agreement that in the long term, Union Terminal should once again fulfill its proper role as a stunning gateway to Cincinnati for rail passengers.
In the short term, however, 3C service at Union Terminal faces a number of logistical hurdles. Although the station once boasted the capacity to serve 216 trains per day (108 inbound and 108 outbound), Union Terminal’s current capacity is severely reduced. The Southern Railway demolished the passenger concourse and platforms in 1974 in order to accommodate double-stacked freight trains. Many of the station’s former passenger facilities, especially the concentric ramps used to provide bus and taxi access to the station, are now home to the Cincinnati History Museum and the Museum of Natural History and Science. Most crucially, the railroad tracks that serve Union Terminal through the Mill Creek Valley from the north are heavily congested with freight traffic during most hours of the day and night, and lack the capacity for frequent passenger service. Mitigating these limitations is certainly doable with the right amount of money and creative thinking, but doing so will require several years of planning and construction, and isn’t something that’s likely to happen during the first few years of 3C service.
With that in mind, attention shifts to the location of a temporary station that will serve the city until the capacity issues at Union Terminal can be resolved. Here are a few of the most likely options that have been put forward.
Entrance to the Riverfront Transit Center on 2nd Street
Riverfront Transit Center
Located under Second Street along the downtown riverfront, the Riverfront Transit Center (RTC) was created out of space left over from the reconstruction of the adjacent Fort Washington Way in 2002. Rather than spend the considerable money it would take to fill in the space with dirt, planners wisely decided to create a space that could one day be used for some form of passenger rail service. (In the meantime, the RTC serves as a convenient staging area for charter buses during sporting events at the Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium.) Unlike other proposed 3C station locations, the RTC is within easy walking distance to the Central Business District, and would not require connecting transit service to reach downtown.
However, the Riverfront Transit Center lacks the passenger amenities needed for intercity rail travel such as a climate-controlled waiting area, baggage facilities, etc. The enclosed nature of the station would require costly air handling systems to vent diesel fumes generated by idling passenger trains, and the station lacks the vertical clearance needed to accommodate the double-deck passenger trains that are often used for intercity travel. Additionally, reaching the station by rail from the west would require the same capacity improvements through the Mill Creek Valley needed to provide service to Union Terminal, and reaching RTC from the east would require the complete rehabilitation of the Oasis Line and the construction of connecting tracks along Pete Rose Way. While the RTC is ideally situated to serve as a station for future light rail service, it is not a realistic option for intercity passenger rail service.
Montgomery Inn Boathouse
In light of the problems associated with bringing intercity rail service into the Riverfront Transit Center, a location near the Montgomery Inn Boathouse on Riverside Drive was proposed. While this location avoids many of RTC’s issues, it would still require the rehabilitation of the entire length of the Oasis Line, and possibly preclude the Oasis Line from being used for future light rail service. Additionally, the location is separated from the Central Business District by several blocks and the I-71 / I-471 / Columbia Parkway spaghetti junction, and nearby residents objected to the noise and pollution that would be caused by diesel trains.
Oasis Line running along Cincinnati's eastern riverfront
Lunken Airport
With the Riverfront Transit Center and the Montgomery Inn Boathouse locations apparently removed from contention, officials suggested a site along the Oasis Line east of Mount Lookout, roughly adjacent to Lunken Airport. While this location avoids the issues with the RTC and the Boathouse, it would still require the rehabilitation of many miles of the Oasis Line. Critics rightly argue that the money used to rehabilitate the Oasis Line for temporary 3C service would be better spent toward a more permanent solution to the capacity issues through the Mill Creek Valley toward Union Terminal. Located on the far east side of the city, the Lunken Airport site would also require a lengthy shuttle bus ride to downtown, and be very inconvenient to customers coming from the West Side and Northern Kentucky.
Bond Hill
Within the past few weeks, Cincinnati City Council passed a resolution naming Bond Hill as the city’s preferred location for a temporary 3C station. Like the Lunken Airport location, a 3C station in Bond Hill would also be located several miles from the Central Business District and require a coordinated shuttle bus connection to downtown. Unlike the Lunken Airport location and other proposed locations along the Oasis Line, however, a Bond Hill station would only require the rehabilitation of a significantly shorter distance of the Oasis Line, and offer reduced travel times compared to Lunken Airport or the Boathouse. Bond Hill is conveniently served by the Norwood Lateral Expressway which connects to I-71 and I-75, and is far more convenient to the city’s Western Hills neighborhoods.
The station facilities at Bond Hill need not be extravagant, given that it would be a temporary facility. Unlike the massive amount of construction needed to build Fiorello LaGuardia’s airport on the edge of Long Island Sound, a temporary 3C station at Bond Hill that provides passenger rail service to the city of Cincinnati would merely require a simple building to house a waiting room, restrooms, and ticket office, along with a train platform and parking lot. Once the Bond Hill station is built and in service, our attention can then shift to the larger task of improving rail capacity through the Mill Creek Valley. Is Bond Hill the perfect solution? No, but it’s by far the least problematic of several problematic solutions, and will serve as an important stepping stone toward the ultimate goal of bringing frequent passenger rail service back to its rightful place at Union Terminal. Perhaps there is another solution to Cincinnati’s 3C dilemma that has yet to be explored, but for now, the way for 3C passenger rail service to move forward is through Bond Hill.
David Cole, a native of Fort Thomas, spent several years working for Dattner Architects in New York City, a firm with a strong background in transit and infrastructure design. David is the author of the Metro Cincinnati project in which he proposes an extensive rapid transit system for Cincinnati, and will be starting graduate-level studies for his Master of Architecture degree this fall at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning.
Cincinnati Riverfront Park Project Manager Dave Prather has released the latest construction update on the massive 45-acre public park project. In the video Prather discusses recent progress including the archaeological dig, event lawn, connectivity with The Banks development, bicycle commuter station and a realigned Mehring Way. The video also updates the status of the much anticipated Moerlein Lager House for which several new renderings are displayed.
The first phase of the Sasaki Associates-designed Cincinnati Riverfront Park will also include the Walnut Street Fountain & Steps, the Black Brigade Monument, the labyrinth, tree groves, the Women’s Garden, Main Street Garden, and the first section of the bike trail that will eventually connect with the Ohio River Trail. Construction of the park is currently on-budget and on-time for a Spring 2011 completion.
The Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) and the Cincinnati Park Board will be presenting their plans for the $46.2 million redevelopment of Washington Park on Thursday, May 20 at 6:30pm. The presentation will be made at the Art Academy of Cincinnati just blocks away from the historic park in Over-the-Rhine.
Earlier this month 3CDC released new information on the redevelopment project including new renderings, financing plan and a general time frame for completion. Once complete, the renovated Washington Park will include a 500-space underground parking garage beneath a two-acre expansion of the park north to 14th Street. Other changes include the incorporation of a dog park, upgraded performance facilities, a splash ground to replace the existing pool, and other facility additions.
Some neighborhood residents have expressed concerns over the design of the new facilities in terms of how they relate to the existing urban fabric of one of America’s largest, and most significant historic districts.
“While this project has the potential to be a major boon to the community, and while the design of the garage and the redesign of the park are the result of lots of planning and hard work by 3CDC, the Park Board, and some community members, there are reports that certain aspects of the design still leave something to be desired, and that they may include some features that are gaudy and/or badly out of context with OTR,” explained Danny Klingler in an email sent to UrbanCincy. “For those of us that haven’t had a chance to participate in the planning process or see the designs, this is our opportunity to show up, view the plans, and express our opinions on the way Washington Park will look and feel, and the way it will interact with and affect the surrounding neighborhood.”
Since 2006, there have been six Steering Committee meetings and five general public meetings on this project. Over that time, there has also been a number of organizational meetings including the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, Cincinnati Park Board, Over-the-Rhine Community Council and the Historic Conservation Board.
Officials working on the project hope to finalize financing and design plans soon so that construction work can begin this summer, with an expected completion in fall 2011.
The Art Academy is located on Jackson Street (map) near the Know Theatre. Free bicycle parking is available in the immediate vicinity, on- and off-street automobile parking is available for free and for payment, and the Art Academy can be reached by Metro bus service (plan your trip).
The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) board of trustees voted today to authorize the transit authority to serve as a partner in developing an operating plan for the Cincinnati Streetcar system. The plan is to eventually have SORTA serve as the operator for the modern streetcar system operating in Cincinnati’s Downtown, Over-the-Rhine and Uptown neighborhoods.
There are still several items to be worked out between SORTA and the City of Cincinnati in addition to formal approval from the City. Once an agreement is reached, the two organizations will work together to develop a comprehensive engagement program. There is the opportunity for the City to select a different operator for the system should an agreement not be reached.
Last week the Cincinnati Streetcar secured $86.5 million of the total $128 million needed to make the initial part of the Cincinnati Streetcar system reality. So far the State of Ohio has contributed $15 million, OKI Regional Council of Governments has allocated $4 million of CMAQ federal funds, the City of Cincinnati has approved $64 million in bonds, and another $3.5 million came via contributions from Duke Energy.
“With more than two-thirds of the funding for the streetcar system in place, we are in a good position to further develop the operating plan for the streetcar system’s long-term sustainability,” said City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr in a press release. “We are glad to pull on SORTA’s transportation expertise and resources to make that happen as quickly as possible.”
SORTA officials tout several advantages to an expanded transit operation partnership between the City and the transit organization that runs the Metro bus system including coordinated planning efforts between bus and streetcar operations that will maximize efficiencies and reduce costs. SORTA officials also state that Metro’s proposed Uptown transit center near the University of Cincinnati can be developed to operate as a connection poitn for the Cincinnati Streetcar, Metro bus service and the various Uptown shuttle services.
“The streetcar is a city economic development tool of regional importance, but it’s also a transportation mode that must be integrated with current transit service and operated efficiently and effectively,” said Melody Sawyer Richardson, chair of the SORTA board. “SORTA will bring extensive transit expertise and understanding to the project, as we work with the city and the community to develop the best possible streetcar operating plan. The City Manager has assured SORTA that his recommendations for funding will not include taking City earnings tax revenue that SORTA receives to operate Metro and Access.”
SORTA is also designated as the region’s federal transit funding recipient. This relationship could allow the agency to leverage federal grant dollars for the Cincinnati Streetcar project and even serve as a conduit for those funds.
In March, SORTA’s newest, and youngest-ever, board member spoke to the potential benefits of larger, more comprehensive transportation system overseen by one transit authority.
“Our area is overdue for new transportation alternatives, and I plan to work very hard to help create solutions to transportation issues that fit realistically within the available resource base,” said J. Thomas Hodges. “A comprehensive multi-modal transportation system is vital for the health and success of our City and region.”
Clifton Plaza took the place of the former Bender Optical building along Ludlow Avenue in the heart of Clifton’s vibrant neighborhood business district. Early on in its concept people were concerned whether more open space was needed, or whether more businesses and people were needed in that central location. After seeing the results of a recently completed streetscaping project in combination with the new Clifton Plaza, it now appears that additional public space was very much in demand.
