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Arts & Entertainment Development News

9th annual Paint the Town to impact 59 homes in two neighborhoods

After suffering a cancellation due to weather on Saturday, June 12th, more than 1,500 volunteers will spread across Avondale and Evanston to paint 59 houses as part of the 9th annual Paint the Town service event organized by Give Back Cincinnati. This year organizers expect approximately 7,500 man-hours to be donated during the single day of service activity.

The volunteers will work to improve the appearance and value of each home in the neighborhoods selected according to current needs. According to organizers, the increased value and improved appearance then help to improve each individual community. Each home to be painted has been sponsored by a local business, and the services are provided at no cost to the home owners. In 2009, more than 1,200 volunteers participated in painting 42 houses. Since the event’s first year 212 homes have been painted throughout Cincinnati in Price Hill, Northside, East End, Madisonville, Hartwell/Carthage, College Hill, and Covington.

“Painting a home for a community member is a great way to improve their lives, and serve others. It is a simple way for groups to actively engage and enjoy serving,” stated Give Back Cincinnati leaders. “We envision a day when we will paint 100 homes in a day with over 3,000 volunteers.”

Registration will begin at 7:45am on the day of the event with painting beginning at the houses at 9:30am. Following the service activity, volunteers will be treated to a post-event celebration that will include food, drink and music from 3pm to 7pm. Volunteers will also be treated to breakfast during registration.

Those interested in participating can register online. Paint the Town will be meeting in the northeast corner of the Norwood Plaza parking lot (map). Parking is expected to be tight, so organizers are asking those participating to carpool, bike or take public transit (plan your trip) to the event.

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News

This Week In Soapbox 1/12

This Week in Soapbox UrbanCincy has the following eight stories that you must check out. You can read about the Model Group’s Forest Square development in Avondale, Revive I-75’s Charrette Week, CPA’s program on sustainability, the city’s ongoing efforts to develop a form-based code, B-Books relocating to expanding digs in Covington’s arts district, and CNATI’s influence on the local sports reporting scene. Plus there are two tremendous feature articles this week – one on Downtown’s historic Court Street district and another on the up-and-coming Brighton area of town.

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!

TWIS 1/12/10:

  • Charrette Weeks kicks off for Revive I-75full article
  • Model Group breaks ground on $4.2M Forest Square developmentfull article
  • Cincinnati Preservation Association to host first-ever sustainability programfull article
  • Cincinnati’s form-based code effort to take city leaders back to Nashvillefull article
  • B-Books to open up expanded operations in Covington’s arts districtfull article
  • CNATI website adds independent, local sports reporting voice to cityfull article
  • The Bright Side (feature story)full article
  • Courting a Vision (feature story)full article
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News

Cincinnati Zoo goes platinum, grows attendance

It doesn’t take a die-hard Cincinnatian to know that the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens is one of the region’s real assets. The Zoo provides a tremendous learning opportunity for children, terrific family outings, and so much more. And while the Zoo is one of the best in the country, it is also a community leader.

The Cincinnati Zoo was just recently deemed “America’s Greenest Zoo” by the green building community. It is the first zoo in the country to have multiple LEED projects, and is the second zoo in the country to attain the prestigious LEED Platinum certification for one of its buildings. As the zoo continues to grow and improve itself, Zoo leadership has pledged that all future projects will pursue the LEED certification – a first of its kind commitment in the country.

Vine Street Village photo courtesy of the Cincinnati Zoo.

What is even better news is that while the economy continues to slug its way out of hibernation, the Cincinnati Zoo is posting record attendance numbers. Zoo officials will welcome the 1 millionth visitor to the zoo this year sometime this week. The attendance numbers represent a 23 percent increase over the same time in 2008, and also is higher than total attendance numbers posted over the past four years.

The Cincinnati Zoo (map) is open daily from 9am to 5pm for the rest of the year (except Christmas), with tickets starting as low as $13 for adults. Metro provides bus service to the Zoo via the #1 (directly serves the Zoo…this is your best option), 46, 51, and 78 bus routes (plan your trip now); bicycle parking is also available.

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News

Metro receives $700k grant for Uptown Crossings transit hub

Representative Steve Driehaus (D-OH) has announced another large chunk of money for transportation projects in the Cincinnati region. Funding in the amount of $677,160 has been awarded to the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) for a new transit hub in Uptown Cincinnati.

SORTA operates the largest transit service in the region, Metro, and will be using the nearly $700,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for their planned Uptown Crossing Project that will construct a new transit hub with restrooms and facilities for bus drivers, shelters, and a pavilion located near the Cincinnati Zoo.

Representative Driehaus believes strongly in the transit investment saying that, “as we work to improve our transportation infrastructure, we need to modernize transit facilities and expand access for riders. This funding will help SORTA move forward on this critically important project.”

Image provided by Metro

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News

This Week In Soapbox 8/25

This Week in Soapbox (TWIS) you can read about a new housing development in Avondale, green roof design and business news, a new gourmet pretzel shop in Bellevue, an expanded CRA program for Hamilton County, and 25 new green homes coming to Northside.

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!

TWIS 8/25:

  • $4.7M Forest Square Senior Apartments development to start this October in Avondalefull article
  • UC landscape architect becomes one of first accredited green roof professionals in the worldfull article
  • Twisted Sisters Cafe brings pretzel bliss to Northern Kentuckyfull article
  • Northwind development to bring 25 new green homes to Northsidefull article
  • Hamilton County Commissioners look to expand Community Reinvestment Area programfull article
  • Northern Kentucky Sanitation District’s green roof a regional modelfull article