Old St. George hotel proposal needs $65K

Old St. George Church  (BC)

A partnership of state and local companies wants to redevelop Old St. George Church in Clifton Heights into a boutique hotel, but needs an additional $45,000 in pre-development funding to make it happen.

HineSite Strategic Services, LLC principal Douglas Hine presented the proposal for the Saint George House last week before community leaders at the Niehoff Urban Studio on Short Vine in Corryville, saying that his group needs the funding to provide and assessment of the building's architectural and functional suitability, schematic designs, a development budget and sources, construction cost estimates, a market study, operating projections, and a strategic development plan.

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Cincinnati leaders to visit Columbus, learn about supportive housing

More than 50 Cincinnati City and community leaders boarded a bus this morning to travel to Columbus with the goal of learning about its success in moving homeless individuals into permanent supportive housing.

Organized by the Cincinnati/Hamilton County Continuum of Care for the Homeless (CoC) and Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, the delegation will visit The Commons at Grant and The Commons at Buckingham, two 100-unit permanent supportive housing projects developed by National Church Residences.

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Cincinnati Development Fund awarded $750K

Cincinnati Development Fund (CDF), a non-profit providing gap financing for projects that are traditionally difficult to finance through other sources, has received $750,000 from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI).

CDFIs are for-profit and non-profit lending organizations for low-income individuals who do not have access to financial services.

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Final master plan learning forum this Thursday

The final in a series of three learning forums being held as part of the development of Plan Cincinnati, the City's new comprehensive master plan, will be held Thursday from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at the Cincinnati Public Schools Education Center auditorium, 2651 Burnet Avenue in Corryville.

Thursday's forum will focus on regional plans Agenda 360, Community COMPASS, and the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments' 2030 Transportation Plan and Strategic Policy Plan. Specific attention will be paid to each plan's relevance to Plan Cincinnati's 12 core elements.

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Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/23/10

2629 Victory Parkway, Walnut Hills
Single-family
DOB: 1890
Died: October 2009
Cause of death: Rotted and failing front porch and soffits, a lack of gutters and downspouts, missing siding, broken and missing windows, a lack of exterior paint, and litter. The City was called to barricade the property on at least two occasions.

The house was condemned in November 2007, declared a public nuisance in July 2009, and razed privately.

A criminal case was filed against the owner in April 2009. Apparently, diversion was granted and the charge later dismissed after the hazard was abated.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/23/10

Three years ago:

• An overview of the Devou Park Master Plan was presented on Building Cincinnati.
• Following the publication of a list of the five best neighborhoods in North America in the Project for Public Spaces newsletter, Building Cincinnati presented its own list of the five best neighborhoods in Greater Cincinnati.
• A long-vacant Civil War-era two-family in South Fairmount was razed by the City.

Photos: Avondale

With no photos waiting in my cache, I present to you an assortment of Avondale photos from my Avondale photo gallery.

To see photos of other Greater Cincinnati communities, look for the drop-down menu in the right-hand column. (If you feel that your neighborhood is under-represented, I'd love to schedule a tour! E-mail me at buildingcincinnati@gmail.com.

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Casino-area study will begin September 1

Bridging Broadway, the soon-to-be non-profit that hopes to insure that Cincinnati's new casino fully integrates into the surrounding community, has announced that the first phase of its full district study will commence on September 1.

Funded by the City of Cincinnati, the six-month study will examine the economics, social issues, transportation, and urban design issues within an approximately half-mile radius around the 20-acre Broadway Commons site.

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New video released for riverfront park

A new "Hard Hat Tour" video detailing the progress at Cincinnati Riverfront Park has been posted online.

In the new video, Project Manager Dave Prather provides updates viewers on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' recent contracts for the Walnut Street Fountain and Stairs and the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Stage and Event Lawn construction; the drilling of a 300-foot-deep geothermal well that will provide air conditioning for the Bike, Mobility and Visitors Center; progress on the Head House connecting the parking garage and park; and the project's incorporation of natural materials.

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Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/19/10

1625 Tremont Avenue, South Fairmount
Multi-family
DOB: 1890s
Died: September 2009
Cause of death: Rotten roof, gutters, downspouts and floors; missing, broken, or vandalized mechanical systems; and litter and debris. Junked cars were found parked on the lawn, and calls for City barricades were necessary on at least three occasions.

The vacant building was declared a public nuisance in June 2004. The owner attempted to gain a stay of demolition, but he was extremely over-mortgaged and couldn't afford to make the required repairs.

An additional condemnation was issued in late 2008. The building was razed by the City following asbestos abatement.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/19/10

Two years ago:

• Cincinnati City Council was poised to vote on a resolution of support for the cleanup of the Sara Lee/Kahn's property in Camp Washington.
• Cincinnati Metro held an event for public transportation "newbies" on Fountain Square.
• A South Fairmount house that had fallen into disrepair due to its owner's poor health was razed by the City.

Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/18/10

2471 McBrayer Street, South Fairmount
Single-family
DOB: 1880-1900
Died: August 2009
Cause of death: Cracks in the rear patio foundation, deteriorating walls under the windows, broken and missing windows, vermin infestation, and excessive litter. The building was vacant.

In early 2007, the City ordered the house vacant. I appears that the owner was placed in a nursing home. Fifth Third Mortgage Company acquired the property, and sold it two months later.

In April 2007, the house was condemned. The new investors unloaded the property in September to a man who unloaded it just three days after that to an out-of-town owner from Texas. A criminal case was filed in October 2007, but was dismissed due to an inability to serve the summons. That same month, the house was declared a public nuisance.

In August 2009, the property was razed by the City following asbestos abatement. At the time of demolition, the structure had an assessed value of $550.

The house was a neighboring property of the cottage being restored by Paul Willham of Victorian Antiquities and Design.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/18/10

Two years ago:

• A slideshow of 61 photos from my Norwood tour, led by Susan Knox of Citizens for a Better Norwood, Norwood councilmember Steve Thornberry and Norwood Historical Society president Rodney Rogers, was posted to Building Cincinnati.
• City Home, Pleasant Ridge Montessori, Western Hills Target, St. Elizabeth Covington, and Brodbeck Park were evaluated for their walkability using the online Walk Score tool.
• A North Fairmount house was razed, and it appears that criminal charges were not pursued because the owners could not be found.

One year ago:

• Villas of the Valley, a redevelopment of the Valley Homes complex in Lincoln Heights, was awaiting the approval of a planned unit development by the village's Department of Planning and Zoning.
• Cincinnati City Council adopted a motion directing the City to draft an ordinance to build a landslide-correcting retaining wall along Walker Street in Mount Auburn.
• Steven Bloomfield of Bloomfield/Schon + Partners took Building Cincinnati on a tour of the new condominiums at 2801 Erie, and 48 photos were posted to the website.
• The Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission launched its Latonia Small Area Study, a study of the neighborhood's housing, land use, transportation, and community facilities.
• The Hamilton County Park District purchased 184 acres in Colerain Township from Rumpke Consolidated Companies, Inc. for $1.1 million.
• A 39-unit Mount Auburn apartment building was razed by a Christ Hospital holding company for future hospital expansion following a split vote by Cincinnati's Historic Conservation Board.

OTR demolition for Rothenberg project approved

Cincinnati's Historic Conservation Board has voted to approve of the demolition of an Over-the-Rhine building seen as key to the renovation of Rothenberg School.

The demolition of 217 E Clifton Avenue will make way for the expansion of the school's playground, part of a $16 million renovation project that also will include the construction of a one-story gymnasium addition and a new service drive along Hust Alley.

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Cincinnati may get mountain bike trails after all

Thanks to a committed group of local enthusiasts, Cincinnati just may get mountain bike trails in its parks after all.

On August 3, Cincinnati City Council's Livable Communities Committee directed Cincinnati Parks to work with an appointed committee to design and build a mountain bike trail.

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Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/17/10

1900 Fairmount Avenue, South Fairmount
Mixed-use
DOB: 1890-1910
Died: September 2009
Cause of death: A deteriorated rear addition, open and missing windows, weather damage to structural members, defective chimneys, and an overgrown lot.

The building was condemned in April 2007 and declared a public nuisance in July 2008. A criminal case against a prior owner wrapped up in July 2008, with a the owner found guilty and given a ten-day suspended sentence.

In January 2009, the property was purchased for $2,500 as sheriff's sale by Romeo Richardson. In August 2009, the Knox Hill Neighborhood Association learned that workers were cleaning out the building for its use as a motorcycle clubhouse by the "Ruthless Riders", despite the pending demolition orders.

City inspectors again posted the building, and the signs were immediately removed. But despite claims by the rehabbers that there was a court-ordered stay on demolition (there wasn't), the City proceeded to raze the building in early September 2009.

The building had no electricity or water at the time of its demolition, and it's widely believed that the demolition was fast-tracked to keep the club from establishing itself in the neighborhood.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/17/10

Three years ago:

• Two Lower Price Hill buildings and one North Fairmount building were demolished as a result of abandonment and weather damage.

One year ago:

• The Avondale Community Council, Uptown Consortium, and the Cincinnati Police Department won a $15,000 Neighborhood Revitalization Award from the MetLife Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for it community-police partnerships, which helped reduce crime and spur redevelopment.
• Cincinnati City Council approved an ordinance to transfer federal HOME funding into an account for Forest Square, a 21-unit affordable infill project for senior citizens.
• Ohio was awarded $1.8 million in federal economic stimulus funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program.
• Cincinnati City Council approved two ordinances that were necessary for the state to proceed with work on the $664 million I-75 Mill Creek Expressway project.
• The Society of St. Vincent de Paul purchased a vacant Mount Washington building for $1.05 million, ending a two-year period during which the building's developers could not lure tenants to the new 10,000-square-foot structure.
• A Linwood house whose owners had died was razed by the City.

Washington Park reconstruction to begin with careful excavation

The $47.3 million reconstruction of Over-the-Rhine's Washington Park is expected to begin on Tuesday.

Crews will begin installing temporary fencing around a two-acre section at the north end of the park that currently houses the playground and pool.

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Harrah's selected as minority partner, operator of Cincinnati casino

Harrah's Entertainment has been selected by Rock Gaming LLC to operate the $400 million casino planned for Downtown Cincinnati.

The two parties have entered into a non-binding agreement to form a joint venture to develop and operate casinos both on the 20-acre Broadway Commons site in Cincinnati and between the Cuyahoga River and Huron Street in Downtown Cleveland.

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Construction of unique, state-of-the-art Green Learning Station underway

Construction has begun on Civic Garden Center's Green Learning Station, an interactive, state-of-the-art learning laboratory for sustainable living practices.

Located on the center's grounds at 2715 Reading Road in Avondale, the $1.2 million project will serve as a "sustainability demonstration project", educating and inspiring students, home builders, developers, public officials, and the general public about sustainable practices by demonstrating green systems and technologies that are affordable and can be accomplished at home.

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Greenacres rejects CPA plan for Gamble House

The Greenacres Foundation has apparently rejected a proposal by the Cincinnati Preservation Association (CPA) to purchase and renovate the James N. Gamble House, an 1870s High Victorian Italianate villa at 2918 Werk Road in Westwood.

CPA received the three-page letter, signed by Greenacres executive vice president Carter Randolph, late last week.

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Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/16/10

732 State Avenue, Lower Price Hill
Multi-family
DOB: 1900
Died: October 2009
Cause of death: Deteriorated bricks and mortar joints, cracks in the foundation and roof, a loose cornice, broken and missing windows, interior vandalism, and lack of protective paint. The structure had been ordered vacant in 2002.

A criminal case was prepared against the investment company that owned the property in August 2008. However, the agent representing the company had resigned and the case was reissued as a condemnation in September 2008.

The City declared the building a public nuisance in December 2008, and it was razed by the City.

Ohio awarded additional $148M in Hardest-Hit foreclosure funding

On Wednesday, the Obama Administration announced that Ohio will receive an additional $148 million through the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Housing Finance Agency Innovation Fund for the Hardest-Hit Housing Markets to help stem the tide of foreclosures.

Combined with funding awarded on March 29, the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) now has $320 million to administer through the Ohio Hardest-Hit Fund (OHHF), which will be used to help pay the mortgages of unemployed and underemployed homeowners seeking reemployment or enrolled in job training.

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Four new hybrids replace Park Board SUVs

The Cincinnati Park Board has added four new Toyota Prius hybrid cars to its fleet, part of the Green Cincinnati initiative to reduce the City's carbon footprint.

The new cars, funded by a U.S. Department of Energy Clean City Grant that was obtained in partnership with the City's Department of Public Services Fleet Management Division, replace four SUVs. Each Prius emits an average of 3.4 tons-equivalent of carbon dioxide per year, compared to the 7.5 tons emitted by the fleet's SUVs.

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Photos: A boat, a crown, and a skyline

This is the second part of last week's post about the Downtown Cincinnati Happy Hour Club's event at Bridge for a Cause, held July 9, 2010 on the Purple People Bridge.

All of these photos were taken from the bridge itself, and feature the Ohio River and the Cincinnati skyline.

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Two College Hill properties up for auction

Two College Hill properties are up for bid this month – one a historic fire station, the other a historic house built circa 1865.

Through noon on August 26, the City of Cincinnati's Real Estate Services Division is accepting sealed bids for 1654 Marlowe Avenue, formerly the home of Fire Station No. 51.

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What is design? Here's your chance to chime in

The newly-formed AIA Cincinnati Committee on Design, formed to foster greater community interest in the realm of design, is inviting you to participate in a personal exploration of the design disciplines.

The committee's first venture, "Design is…", invites the public to participate in a campaign in which people can submit – on a single postcard – drawings, poems, paintings, or other interpretations of what the term "design" means to them.

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Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/12/10

5749 Davey Avenue, College Hill
Single-family
DOB: 1911
Died: July 2009
Cause of death: Slightly blighted but with no outstanding code violations, the house was razed by Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Communities, which operates the adjacent Llanfair Retirement Community.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/12/10

Two years ago:

• Cincinnati City Council approved the creation of a planned development district for Corryville Crossings, a $24 million hotel and retail project at the corner of E Martin Luther King Jr Drive and Vine Street.
• A motion was adopted by Cincinnati City Council to restore more than $176,000 in capital arts funding that had been promised to the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati.
• Forty-four photos of the City Home project were posted to Building Cincinnati, taken during a media event hosted by Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, Eber Development, Schickel Design, and 3CDC.
• In Northside, Cincinnati City Council approved $1 million in capital funding for road improvements to Rockford Place in anticipation of CitiRAMA 2009.
• A dilapidated drug house in College Hill was razed for redevelopment by Working in Neighborhoods.

Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/11/10

4532 Glenway Avenue, West Price Hill
Single-family
DOB: 1896
Died: June 2009
Cause of death: Roof damage caused by the September 2008 wind storm, allowing moisture to damage the structure. The house was vacant at the time, and the property owner was more than $6,000 behind in her property taxes.

Acquired by the City of Cincinnati shortly after ordering it vacant in October 2008, the cleared land will be used for the expansion of the adjacent Fire Station No. 24. The station, built in 1939, has been deemed to be about half of the size required of a modern fire facility.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/11/10

Two years ago:

• Photos of Downtown, Salsa Night on Fountain Square, Over-the-Rhine, East Price Hill and Mansion Hill were added to the Building Cincinnati galleries.
• Cincinnati City council adopted an ordinance allowing the City to craft an agreement with 3CDC to manage the development of Fifth and Race.
• Construction photos were posted of the St. Elizabeth Medical Center project in Covington. the Great American Tower at Queen City Square, Brodbeck Park in Westwood, and the new Target store in Westwood.
• The East Price Hill Kroger, Village at Stetson Square, Carson School, Homes at Hillside Place, and English Woods were evaluated for their neighborhood walkability using the online Walk Score tool.
• A Sedamsville house with severe structural problems was razed by its owner.

One year ago:

• The Northside Business District took its first steps toward getting the neighborhood's business district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Passenger rail advocacy group All Aboard Ohio called Cincinnati's Issue 9 charter amendment "sad and disappointing".
• In Corryville, Cincinnati City Council approved a zoning change for the construction of two new six-unit apartment buildings and the rehabilitation of an existing ten-unit building.
• Cincinnati City Council approved an ordinance that would allow for the addition of three parking decks to Downtown's 7th Street Garage.
• Nine model homes and six lots were available in Silverton's Andrew Acres subdivision, with houses priced from $173,000 to $230,600.
• A fire-damaged Walnut Hills house was razed by the City.

Gateway Quarter rezoning allows for mixed uses

Portions of the 1400 blocks of Race and Republic streets in Over-the-Rhine have been rezoned to allow for a mix of both residential and commercial uses as part of the fourth phase of 3CDC's Gateway Quarter project.

The affected properties changing from multi-family residential to commercial community-pedestrian include 1400-1438, 1401-1403 and 1419-1429 Race Street and 1403-1405 and 1409-1415 Republic Street.

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Goal: Preserve 14,000 affordable housing units

A new statewide database and preservation loan fund for Ohio has launched with the goal of preserving 14,000 affordable rental units over the next ten years.

Produced and operated by the Ohio Preservation Compact, a partnership of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA), the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, and the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH), the website's public database includes a comprehensive list of over 3,000 affordable housing communities in the state and is meant to be a valuable tool for property owners and developers.

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Incentives keep company in Cincinnati

Two tax incentive packages will ensure that a Cincinnati company stays put – and has the room it needs to expand.

Cincinnati City Council has approved unanimously two ordinances authorizing a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) LEED tax exemption agreement and a job creation and tax credit agreement with Links Unlimited, Inc. for a new 70,000-square-foot office and warehouse facility, to be built at 1460 Seymour Avenue in Bond Hill.

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Planning for massive street painting event starts tonight

A massive public art project kicks off this evening at 5:30 p.m. with a community meeting in the Lecture Hall of the Art Academy of Cincinnati, 1212 Jackson Street in Over-the-Rhine.

The Fine Arts Fund is looking for suggestions and design ideas for "Paint the Street", a street painting party that will use 12th Street, between Main Street and Central Parkway, as its canvas.

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Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/10/10

4459 Eastern Avenue, Columbia Tusculum
Single-family
DOB: 1899
Died: August 2009
Cause of death: Rotted and damaged structural members, a collapsing front porch, missing and broken gutters and downspouts, busted out windows, and missing or vandalized mechanical systems. From time to time, the property became a dumping ground and the building often was open to trespassers or used as an illegal rooming house.

City inspectors found that the building had been carved up into four apartments and ordered it vacant in 2002. The house was condemned in June 2007, declared a public nuisance in February 2009, and razed by the City.

It appears that the owner was placed into a nursing home by his brother. A criminal case filed in November 2008 was not pursued.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/10/10

Three years ago:

• The Cincinnati Park Board accepted the donation of nearly 60 acres of property near Mount Airy Forest and near Rawson Woods.
• The Sycamore Township Zoning Commission considered a modification to a planned unit development to bring a four-story office building to Montgomery and Hosbrook roads in the Kenwood area.

Two years ago:

• I visited Pleasant Ridge. (see slideshow below*)

One year ago:

• Cincinnati City Councilmember Chris Monzel submitted two motions asking the City to cease and desist all streetcar-related activity and for a report on all funds the City had spent on the project thus far.
• Potterhill Homes announced that its model home at the Northwind subdivision would be open by wintertime.
• Cincinnati City Councilmember Roxanne Qualls introduced a motion asking for the City to adopt Complete Streets strategies as part of its overall transportation policy.
• River Metals Recycling applied for permits to build a scrap metal yard on State Avenue, but the Lower Price Hill Community Council continued to fight it.
• Ohio Historical Society Executive Director and CEO Dr. William K. Laidlaw Jr., 66, drowned off of Martha's Vineyard during a family vacation.
• A Corryville three-family that had been declared in danger of collapse was razed by the City.
• I visited Over-the-Rhine and Bellevue. (see slideshow below*)

* Hover over the slideshow to bring up the controls. You may stop the slideshow by clicking on the square "stop" button, allowing you to scroll through the photos at your own leisure. To get a better view, click on each image to enlarge to 800 x 600. Photos will open in a new browser window.

With new ownership, abandoned Downtown condo project could see new life

A new developer could be stepping in to rescue the abandoned McFarland Lofts, an eight-unit condominium project at 304 McFarland Street Downtown.

Cincinnati City Council has voted unanimously to allow the City to execute a letter agreement with Southwestern Ohio Capital, LLC that would allow it to take over the property and complete the project.

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Washington Park rezoning allows parking garage

Cincinnati City Council passed unanimously a rezoning of the 8-acre Washington Park site at its meeting last week.

The rezoning, from single-family and multi-family residential to planned development (PD) district, allows for the construction of a 450-space underground parking garage. While parks are allowed in both zoning districts, parking facilities are prohibited in the former and a conditional use in the latter.

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Reviving Cincinnati: 1346 Broadway, Part IV (The Finale)

After three years of blood, sweat, and nearly overwhelming toil, Todd McFarland had completed the restoration of the 1865 Italianate at 1346 Broadway in Pendleton.

And although he has a small punch list to complete such as finishing a shower, installing a few doorknobs, and pouring a parking pad on property he purchased from the City, he's finally reaping the benefits of his endeavor. All three units have tenants.

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New Quebec Heights school on track

Once slated for permanent closure, construction of a new Quebec Heights School is on track to begin in May.

Cincinnati Public Schools' (CPS) Board of Education approved schematic designs for the new $16.5 million, 76,529-square-foot building following a presentation by Derek Howard of DHArchitects last month.

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Conversion of Taft and E McMillan should wait, report says

The conversion of Taft Road and E McMillan Street to two-way traffic through Walnut Hills should be addressed as part of an ongoing access study, Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) Interim Director Michael Moore said in a report to City Council.

The report is the result of an April motion by Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls – co-sponsored by five additional Councilmembers – directing City staff to come up with a four-year plan for converting the roadway between Interstate 71 and Victory Parkway back to its historic traffic pattern, using Complete Streets principles.

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Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/9/10

4108 Eastern Avenue, Columbia Tusculum
Multi-family
DOB: ???
Died: June 2009
Cause of death: Heavy damage from a one-alarm fire on April 14, 2008, causing damage to the structure's roof, stairs, walls and floors. Mechanical systems were missing or vandalized. The four-family was vacant at the time, and firefighters fought the fire defensively.

The building was condemned in May 2008 and declared a public nuisance in April 2009.

Emerson Place Apartments, LLC razed the building as part of its rehabilitation of a three-story, ten-unit apartment building next door.

A criminal case against its former owners was filed in March 2009, but never progressed.

At the time of demolition, the property was assessed at $4,170 and the structure itself at $170!

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/9/10

Four years ago:

• I grabbed a shot of the Cincinnati skyline while in Covington's Ohio Riverside neighborhood, then passed through Walnut Hills.(see slideshow below*)

Three years ago:

• Cincinnati City Councilmember Chris Bortz introduced a motion asking the City to cease court-ordered lease negotiations with Queensgate Terminals for 30 acres of land in Lower Price Hill, asking for City staff to look into using the land for residences or a public park instead.
• Walnut Hills Redevelopment and Tender Mercies, Inc. won federal tax credits through the Ohio Housing Finance Agency for the development of affordable housing.

Two years ago:

• I was treated to a tour of Norwood, then passed through Pleasant Ridge on my way home. (see slideshow below*)

* Hover over the slideshow to bring up the controls. You may stop the slideshow by clicking on the square "stop" button, allowing you to scroll through the photos at your own leisure. To get a better view, click on each image to enlarge to 800 x 600. Photos will open in a new browser window.

Vacant Northside lumber yard eyed for microbrewery

A once-contentious piece of Northside property may see new life if a local partnership has its way.

The partnership, so far working only under the name of "Cloister Brewing Company", is eyeing the former Myron G. Johnson & Son Lumber Company site at Hamilton Avenue and Blue Rock Street for a microbrewery and beer garden, and has presented plans to the Northside Community Council to invest $500,000 to rehabilitate the existing two-story building using green technology.

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Metro adds three hybrid buses to fleet

This afternoon, Cincinnati Metro unveiled three new hybrid buses yesterday at Downtown's Government Square and at the Ault Park pavilion.

The new buses were purchased with federal funding made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

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Photos: Drinking on a bridge...for a cause

The following photos were taken July 9, 2010 during a Downtown Cincinnati Happy Hour Club (DCHHC) stop at Bridge for a Cause, located at the south end of the Purple People Bridge.

Proceeds from the bar, open Wednesday-Saturday from 4 p.m.-1 a.m., benefit the Northern Kentucky Children's Advocacy Center.

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Ohio one of five states to receive federal foreclosure funds

The State of Ohio is one of five states awarded federal foreclosure prevention funding in the second round of HFA Hardest-Hit Fund allocations.

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) will administer the $172 million award through its Ohio Hardest-Hit Fund (OHHF) program, set to launch on September 27.

Read more »

Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/5/10

3213 McHenry Avenue,Westwood
Two-family
DOB: 1912
Died: August 2009
Cause of death: Building pulling apart causing severe structural issues, masonry walls in danger of collapse, collapsing chimney, and litter and debris.

The house was condemned in August 2006, was declared a public nuisance in April 2008, and razed by the City following asbestos abatement.

In early 2007, the rear third of the structure was demolished with the goal of rebuilding. In February 2008, a criminal case was filed against the owner. That case has not proceeded.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/5/10

Two years ago:

• DCI Properties released updated renderings of Manhattan Harbour, its 142-acre mixed-use project proposed for the Dayton, Kentucky riverfront.
• Construction on the Homes at Hillside Place development in Lower Price Hill stalled for a short time.
• The City of Covington was seeking public input on local points of interest as part of a Preserve America program to create walking and driving tours.
• Despite numerous efforts to save it, a Main Street building owned by one of the basin's largest holders of blighted buildings was razed.

One year ago:

• A memo to Cincinnati City Council said that most of the preservation recommendations made in a 29-page report submitted by Over-the-Rhine Foundation executive director Mike Morgan were likely unfeasible due to the economic climate.
• Cincinnati City Council was considering an ordinance that would restructure the $100 million Cincinnati Housing Development Fund into a new Go Cincinnati Development Fund, which would provide more financing for market-rate housing and commercial development in some of the City's underserved neighborhoods.
• A City study indicated that selling permits for two-wheeled vehicle parking would not offset the cost of building and maintaining the spaces.
• In its mid-year office reports, Colliers Turley Martin Tucker predicted that office and industrial vacancies would rise.
• A Camp Washington warehouse was razed following the filing of criminal charges against its owner, who claimed he couldn't afford to maintain or demolish the building.

What is 'The Future of Water'?

A new exhibit now underway at Krohn Conservatory highlights Project Groundwork, a $3.2 billion, multi-phased project by the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD).

"The Future of Water", jointly presented by MSD and the Cincinnati Park Board and on display through August 15, is designed to raise public awareness of the issues an overabundance of storm water can cause – from flooded basements to impaired water quality to sewage overflows in local streams.

Read more »

CPA program to highlight strategy for saving endangered building stock

A successful strategy to save, renovate, and sell blighted and endangered buildings will be highlighted during a Saturday program presented by the Cincinnati Preservation Association (CPA).

"Saving Buildings with Receivership", to be held at 10 a.m. at 2951 Sidney Avenue in Camp Washington, will feature speaker Paul Rudemiller, executive director of the Camp Washington Community Board.

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Three-week River Cities Photo Contest kicks off Saturday

A photography contest featuring three Northern Kentucky river cities begins this weekend in Dayton.

The River Cities Photo Contest, to take place over the next three weekends, will feature the natural and man-made assets of Dayton, Bellevue and Newport. Photography will take place in Dayton this Saturday-Sunday, in Bellevue August 14-15, and in Newport August 21-22.

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Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/4/10

3002 Euclid Avenue, Corryville
Single-family
DOB: 1915
Died: August 2009
Cause of death: No idea. City records show no building code violations, although there have been several zoning code violations over the past few years for the storage of junk vehicles on the property.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/4/10

Two years ago:

• Price Hill Will began its rehabilitation of 723 Mt. Hope Avenue, part of its Buy-Improve-Sell program in East Price Hill's Incline District.
• The walkability of Saratoga Liberty Housing, SouthShore, the Burnet Avenue redevelopment, 723 Mt. Hope Avenue, and Seneca Place was evaluated using the online Walk Score tool.
• Matt Strauss, director of the Price Hill Housing Resource Center, gave his opinions on saving urban housing stock.
• A condemned and abandoned house in the West End was razed by the City.
• I visited Over-the-Rhine.
  

One year ago:

• Cincinnati's Department of Community Development decided it would not increase the threshold of units eligible for the City's Rental Rehabilitation Program from ten to four.
• Cincinnati City Council was considering accepting $600,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation for the relocation of City public services facilites necessitated by the I-75 Mill Creek Expressway project.
• Cincinnati City Council was also considering the Downtown Cincinnati Improvement District's 2010-2013 services plan.
• The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and Agenda 360 won the 2009 Organizational Championship Award from the Alliance for Regional Stewardship.
• Minority-owned design firm WA Inc. joined GBBN Architects at its headquarters at 332 E Eighth Street, Downtown.
• A Northside home, whose owner had passed away and left the structure to vermin, was razed.

Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/3/10

2818 Harrison Avenue, Westwood
Single-family
DOB: 1925
Died: October 2009
Cause of death: Severe fire damage, leaving it open to the elements. Further damage was caused by a car plowing into it. The structure was vacant at the time.

The house was condemned following the fire in October 2008, declared a public nuisance in June 2009, and was razed privately by Fannie Mae.

It appears that foreclosure put this property in limbo for quite some time, leaving the corner blighted and filled with debris for an extended period of time. A new owner, who has owned the property for three months, already has been cited for operating an illegal yard sale and for overgrown grass and weeds.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/3/10

Three years ago:

• In Hyde Park, the building that formerly housed the Mairose Grocery was razed by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for a parking lot.
• The Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners approved the annexation of a portion of Springfield Township into the City of Forest Park to make redevelopment of the former Kmart site easier.
• Building Cincinnati was not named as the best local blog by Cincinnati.com, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, and CincyTechUSA.

One year ago:

• In Wyoming, Building Value began its first full-house deconstruction project.
• Cincinnati City Council was considering creating a new capital improvement account for the construction of three new parking decks at Downtown's 7th Street Garage.
• In Mount Auburn, residents along Walker Street submitted a petition to the City asking it to fund a retaining wall that would correct severe landslide problems.
• Al. Neyer, Inc. was seeking a lease agreement for one-fifth of an acre to provide better access to employee parking at 444 W Third Street, the future American headquarters of dunnhumbyUSA.
• A memo from Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney addressed several residents' ideas for spending the City's share of federal economic stimulus money, including historic preservation, a new public safety facility in East Price Hill, and improvements to the Peebles Corner neighborhood business district.
• A Sayler Park house was razed, the result of negligent property owners, an estranged marriage, and fears of prosecution.

Bridging Broadway steps in to address casino issues

Imagine it's October 2012, and you're standing with your back to a sparkling new casino at Broadway Commons.

What will the surrounding neighborhoods look like?

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State grant for Federal Reserve subject of public meeting

The public will get a chance to comment on a grant application that could lead to new luxury apartments Downtown this Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at 1014 Vine Street, Suite 1600 (The Kroger Building).

Meeting host the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority is applying for a grant of approximately $300,000 through the Clean Ohio Assistance Fund (COAF) for the removal of asbestos and universal wastes at the former Federal Reserve Building, 105 W Fourth Street.

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Cincinnati master plan forum to examine local planning efforts

The first of three learning forums scheduled by Plan Cincinnati will take place Wednesday from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at the CPS Education Center auditorium, 2651 Burnet Avenue in Corryville.

Several of the comprehensive master plan's working groups have requested more information on local and regional planning efforts and how they might relate to each of the master plan's 12 elements.

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Mountain bikers expected to advocate before council committee

The debate over whether mountain bike trails should be built in Cincinnati's parks will continue at a meeting of City Council's Livable Communities Committee, to be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. in Room 205 of the Duke Energy Convention Center.

At least two council members, including Roxanne Qualls and Chris Bortz, have requested more information about research presented in a June report by Cincinnati Parks Director Willie Carden Jr., who recommended that the park system forego the creation of trails due to environmental damage, high maintenance costs, and illegal activity.

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Kearney bill could generate funding for foreclosure prevention

Ohio State Senator Eric Kearney (D-9th) has introduced a new bill aimed at reducing Ohio's foreclosure problem.

Senate Bill 286 (S.B. 286) would require real estate brokers to establish a separate interest-bearing trust – or other special account – for the deposit of earnest money connected to real estate purchases.

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Wrecking Cincinnati, 8/2/10

2795 Montana Avenue, Westwood
Single-family
DOB: 1900
Died: July 2009
Cause of death: Deteriorating gutters, garage roof collapse, defective chimney, a lack of protective paint, missing siding, and an accumulation of trash and discarded furniture.

The house was condemned in January 2006, declared a public nuisance in June 2009, and razed by owner WesBanco Inc. following asbestos abatement.

A criminal case against the person who owned the property prior to WesBanco resulted in a 180-day suspended sentence, two years of community control, $50 in fines, and $85 in court costs. The property was purchased by a Verona, Ky. resident on July 20, 2010 for $3,200.

Remembering Cincinnati, 8/2/10

Three years ago:

• In Avondale, Redman Properties completed a condominium conversion, with four units hitting the market for between $172,000 and $178,000.
• Building Cincinnati was named one of the top ten local blogs by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, CincyTechUSA, and Cincinnati.com.
• I grabbed a couple of shots of the Cincinnati skyline.