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Moerlein to tap Christkindl Winter Warmer Ale – 11/13

Christian Moerlein in combination with the German-American Citizens League of Greater Cincinnati will be celebrating the coming of the winter season with the annual keg tapping of Christian Moerlein’s Christkindl Winter Warmer Ale (my favorite of the Moerlein bunch). Christian Moerlein owner Greg Hardman says that the Christkindl Winter Warmer Ale is inspired by the German spirit of holiday gift-giving.

The German connections of this event are strong as the Cincinnati Central Turnverein is Cincinnati’s oldest German-American society and was originally founded back in 1848 in historic Over-the-Rhine where Christian Moerlein once called home.

“What better place to enjoy Moerlein’s Christkindl Ale then at the Cincinnati Central Turnverein,” said Don Heinrich Tolzmann, president, German-American Citizens League.

As for the beer, Christian Moerlein describes Christkindl as a large malt-bodied, Winter Warmer Ale with the essence of chocolate sweetness, subtle spice flavors, and a balanced hop finish. I personally love the spice flavors that come through and make for a perfect winter ale. The beer will be available all over town in six packs, draft, and in Moerlein’s Discovery Pack.

The ceremony will be held this Friday, November 13 at the Cincinnati Central Turners Club House (map) from 4pm to 12am with the first tapping at 7pm. All proceeds will go to benefit the German-American Citizens League and the Cincinnati Central Turners. Admission is free and open to the public; free parking is available.

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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.