Building Cincinnati: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Wrecking Cincinnati: 3637 Montgomery Rd

NEIGHBORHOOD: Evanston
YEAR BUILT: 1895
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Ajal Properties LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $40,000
ORDERS: November 2008, for exterior paint. Reissued to the lender following foreclosure in February 2009, ordered vacated and barricaded and adding roof damage.
CONDEMNED: September 2009, issued to a new owner for roof, ceilings collapsing from water damage, rotted cornice, and gutters and downspouts in disrepair. Reissued to new owner the following month, then to the current owner two months later. A civil fine was issued in July 2011.
HAZARD: October 2012, adding rear porch roof and weeds.
REASON RAZED: Razed to make way for an expanded United Dairy Farmers store, which will replace the current 31-year-old structure with a new 4,300-square-foot building and up to six gas pumps.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1809 Kinney Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: Evanston
YEAR BUILT: 1893
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Lawn Life
ASSESSED VALUE: $20,180
ORDERS: August 2007, ordered barricaded.
CONDEMNED: February 2008, due to collapsing chimneys, a rotted cornice, gutters and downspouts, and vandalism.
HAZARD: September 2008, adding deep cracks in the masonry walls and overgrown weeds. Acquired by Lawn Life in December 2011.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1759 Dana Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: Evanston
YEAR BUILT: 1900-ish
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Ajal Properties LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $46,700
ORDERS: April 2012, ordered vacated and barricaded due to missing plumbing, an open garage, and litter.
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Razed to make way for an expanded United Dairy Farmers store, which will replace the current 31-year-old structure with a new 4,300-square-foot building and up to six gas pumps.

Registration open for NKY Restoration Weekend, Feb. 22-23

If you're interested in attending the NKY Restoration Weekend this February 22-23, it's requested that you register as soon as possible.

The organizers want to make sure that they have a proper head count and can provide lunch to everyone who plans to attend the event, being held at the Gateway Community and Technical College Urban Center at 525 Scott Boulevard in Covington.

Halfway through program, CUFA wants foreclosure pilot for 52 neighborhoods

Despite the fact that it's a pilot program only halfway through its one-year trial run, a local advocacy group has chosen to put its support behind the expansion of the Vacant-Foreclosed Registration Program (VFRP) to all 52 Cincinnati neighborhoods.

That overwhelming support was made clear during a Saturday membership meeting of Communities United for Action (CUFA), held in South Cumminsville.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 996 Hatch St

NEIGHBORHOOD: Mount Adams
YEAR BUILT: 1884
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: 996 LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $254,170
ORDERS: July 2007, ordered vacated an barricaded due to litter, debris, and a fire-damaged rear porch. Orders reissued in November 2010, now with signs of vandalism. Sold for $38.3K in late 2011. Reissued to current owner in April 2012.
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Demolished to close out orders. Owned by an agent of East Walnut Hills-based , a likely redevelopment site. No plans announced.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Peter Cremer NA receives LEED tax exemption for Sedamsville plant

Last Thursday, Cincinnati City Council unanimously approved the execution of a Community Reinvestment Area LEED tax exemption agreement with Peter Cremer North America affiliate 3117 Southside Realty, LLC for a new office and warehouse building in Sedamsville.

The Cincinnati-based oleochemical supplier plans to build a $3-plus million, 55,000-square-foot building on 9.93 acres just north of its existing facility, or just south of the on a portion of the former Conrail transfer station site.

Public hearing on new District 3 HQ Feb. 6

The nearly 100,000 residents in can have their say on where they'd like to see a new district headquarters built at a public meeting on February 6 at 6 P.M. at Elder High School's Schaeper Center, located at .

Residents, businesses, and community stakeholders will hear the basic specifications and community-oriented criteria for the new facility and the positive and negative aspects of several preliminary sites identified by City staff. Attendees also will be able to suggest additional sites and to discuss potential future uses for the existing District 3 headquarters at .

Oakley Olive Garden gets LEED tax break

Cincinnati City Council on Thursday approved a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) LEED tax exemption agreement for the construction of a prototype Olive Garden Italian Restaurant at Oakley Station.

Property owner USS Realty, LLC and Orlando-based Darden Restaurants Inc. affiliate N and D Restaurants, Inc. will receive a 15-year tax exemption for the $1.59 million, 7,500-square-foot project at Marburg Avenue and Vandercar Way, which is pursuing LEED Silver certification through the U.S. Green Building Council.

East 8 lofts get tax break extension

A Downtown apartment building has received a ten-year extension of its Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) tax exemption agreement, which its owners said was necessary to keep the development viable.

East 8, Ltd., an affiliate of North American Properties, requested the extension for its 45-unit East 8 Lofts at 317 E Eighth Street after concluding that it will not be able to generate enough income to pay the increase in real estate taxes, which would have taken effect this year.

OEQ presents recommendations on Green Cincinnati update

Five years after the adoption of the Green Cincinnati Plan, its advocates are now working on updating the plan and having it approved by City Council.

On January 22, the City's presented to Council's Strategic Growth Committee a on how the City should address energy efficiency, renewable energy, transportation, land use and land management, waste, healthy food and water, and nature awareness.

AFC exhibition documents City's planning history

A popular exhibition documenting the progression of urban planning in Cincinnati opens to the public during a reception Thursday evening from 5:30 P.M. to 8 P.M. at the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati Gallery, located Downtown at 811 Race Street.

ENVISION CINCINNATI, organized by the University of Cincinnati School of Planning and originally shown in the university's Reed Gallery, displays many of the urban planning initiatives that have helped shape the City's built environment – beginning with the 1925 Official Plan of the City of Cincinnati, which made our City the first in the nation to adopt a comprehensive plan approved by City Council.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 338 Erkenbrecher Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: Avondale
YEAR BUILT: circa 1900-1910
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Erkenbrecher Properties LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $35,700
ORDERS: --
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Demolished by the Ronald McDonald House for a future expansion, for which funds are currently being raised.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Wrecking Cincinnati: 3639 Montgomery Rd

NEIGHBORHOOD: Evanston
YEAR BUILT: 1895
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Ajal Properties LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $50,320
ORDERS: July 2010, for a failing porch.
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Razed to make way for an expanded United Dairy Farmers store, which will replace the current 31-year-old structure with a new 4,300-square-foot building and up to six gas pumps.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Metro ridership up 4.2% in 2012

In 2012, ridership on Cincinnati Metro buses increased 4.2 percent compared to 2011, more than the 2.6 percent average increase for public transportation systems reported by the American Public Transportation Association.

In a prepared release, Metro reported that it provided nearly 17.4 million passenger trips last year – nearly 17.6 million when including Access service for people with disabilities.

RFP for Kennedy Heights Cultural Center finishes coming to a close

A request for proposals (RFP) for interior renovation and tenant finishes at the Kennedy Heights Cultural Center will end next Wednesday, just as roof replacement, interior demolition, and asbestos abatement gets underway.

The $3.1 million project will transform the 32,676-square-foot building at , which once housed Kroger and later Furniture Fair, into the Cincinnati Art Museum's first off-campus site, with a gallery, educational space, and storage; event, studio, and gallery space for the Kennedy Heights Arts Center; and a relocated Kennedy Heights Montessori Center, currently in Pleasant Ridge.

Grant could expand CoSign to other neighborhoods

The highly successful CoSign public art and signmaking training project could expand beyond Northside – if the American Sign Museum wins a grant this May.

The museum is among 104 finalists for a grant from ArtPlace, an initiative to accelerate creative placemaking across the United States through grants and loans, research, communication and advocacy.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 3556 Lossing St

NEIGHBORHOOD: Avondale
YEAR BUILT: 1895
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Benworld Construction LLC (Bronx, NY)
ASSESSED VALUE: $12,450
ORDERS: --
CONDEMNED: November 2009, for cornice, bulging foundation, gutters and downspouts, and high weeds.
HAZARD: May 2010, adding broken and missing windows, allowing for a constant stream of people into and out of the property.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Program set for 2013 Neighborhood Summit

The schedule for the 2013 Neighborhood Summit, to be held February 16 at Xavier University's Cintas Center, has been set.

The annual summit brings City officials, neighborhood leaders and volunteers together to discuss common issues and to hear from local professionals and experts about the resources and strategies that they can take back to their communities to promote change.

First CPA talk to examine City's pre-Civil War heritage

Cincinnati Preservation Association's (CPA) first program of 2013 will examine Cincinnati's pre-Civil War heritage, when the City was one of the wealthiest and fastest-growing cities the Industrial Revolution ever produced.

Tomorrow morning at 10 A.M. at the Carnegie Center, located at 3738 Eastern Avenue in Columbia Tusculum, architect Dave Zelman will present "Antebellum Cincinnati: America's First Boomtown", detailing the remaining evidence of this important and vital time in Cincinnati history – much of which has been lost to progress, neglect, or the advance of time.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 3635 Montgomery Rd

NEIGHBORHOOD: Evanston
YEAR BUILT: 1907
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Ajal Properties LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $45,000
ORDERS: May 2003, for gutters and downspouts, cornice, and exterior paint. Orders were reissued in October 2005, adding windows. Ordered vacated in August 2007, adding flashing, soffit, masonry walls, exterior steps, hand rails, smoke detectors, paint, plaster, water leaks, and inadequate plumbing, electric, and heating systems. Ordered vacated and barricaded in December 2009, then again in March 2010.
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Demolished by the owner to close out orders.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Public nuisance hearing, 1/25/13

The City of Cincinnati's Director of Buildings and Inspections will hold a public hearing Friday at 9 A.M. in the Main Conference Room of the Building Development and Permit Center, , to determine if the following buildings should be declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program:

, Sedamsville (single-family, 1904)
, Sedamsville (single-family, 1921)
, Sedamsville (single-family, 1888)
, West Price Hill (single-family, 1911)
, West Price Hill (single-family, 1905)

Wrecking Cincinnati: 250 Hearne Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: Avondale
YEAR BUILT: 1900
USE: Multi-family dwelling (4 units)
OWNER: Wham Properties V LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $35,420
ORDERS: January 2007, ordered vacated due to a lack of water, gas and electric service. Ordered vacated and barricaded again in October 2007, and ordered vacated again in September 2011 when all four units and an attic dormer were found illegally occupied following the building's foreclosure. City inspectors found extreme roach infestation and raw sewage in the basement and damage to the walls, ceilings, and sinks. Orders were reissued the next month, and the case is in criminal status.
CONDEMNED: November 2012, citing deteriorated stair framing and water damage, damage to the plaster ceilings and walls, and inadequate plumbing, heating, and electrical systems.
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Demolished by the owner to close out orders.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 3633 Montgomery Rd

NEIGHBORHOOD: Evanston
YEAR BUILT: 1907
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: Ajal Properties LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $91,500
ORDERS: September 2008, for gutters and downspouts, masonry, and exterior paint. Orders reissued in December 2009 for box gutters and soffit. Ordered vacated and barricaded in April 2010.
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Razed by the owner to close out orders.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1814 Wyoming Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: West Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1940
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: SLD Properties Inc.
ASSESSED VALUE: $55,630
ORDERS: May 2005, for walkways, porch guardrails and handrails, exterior steps, wall covering, water heater, and electrical fixtures. Following a foreclosure, orders were reissued for the electrical fixtures in January 2008, and orders were issued for the roof, flashing, gutters and downspouts, and windows in October 2008. In July 2009, the house was ordered vacated and barricaded. A civil fine was issued in May 2011, two months after the orders were reissued.
CONDEMNED: May 2011, then again in July 2011. In November 2011, City attempts to reach the owner were unsuccessful. The phone had been disconnected. When offered at two different sheriff's sales, the property failed to sell. New condemnation orders were issued in December 2011. A civil fine was levied in January 2012.
HAZARD: May 2012.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1639 Harrison Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: South Fairmount
YEAR BUILT: 1895
USE: Three-family dwelling
OWNER: Harry A. Simpson
ASSESSED VALUE: $29,180
ORDERS: January 2005, for siding, windows, and trash. Additionally, the building was cited for violations in the basement apartment, including a lack of fire separations, a lack of smoke detectors, plaster, water leaks and damage, doors, shower, sink, and electric fixtures. Orders were reissued in January 2007, adding to the basement apartment issues the floor structure, defective plumbing lines, and a lack of heat. A civil fine was issued. In September 2008, the building was ordered vacated and barricaded. A criminal case was filed in July 2009, and the prior owner was found guilty, receiving a 180-day suspended jail sentence and court costs.
CONDEMNED: April 2010, adding a rotting cornice, a collapsing front porch and stairs, and masonry damage.
HAZARD: October 2010. Two more civil fines were levied. In June 2012, a probation violation case against the former owner was dismissed due to Simpson's purchase of the property.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Cincinnati one of three American finalists in global climate challenge

Cincinnati is one of three finalists in the running to be named the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) Earth Hour City Capital, part of a year-long challenge to reward cities that are taking steps to transition to a climate-friendly future.

Chicago and San Francisco also were selected from a pool of 29 American cities for the global competition. The winning American city will be selected next month and will then compete with cities from Canada, India, Italy, Norway and Sweden.

Public gets update on Hopple interchange

The public got an update on the upcoming reconstruction during an open house and presentation held last Friday at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.

The --> --> --> plans to begin construction next month to add an additional lane to approximately 1.6 miles of interstate and to perform associated work on Martin Luther King Drive, Hopple Street, and Central Parkway.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1942 Fairmount Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: South Fairmount
YEAR BUILT: 1865
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: Mohawk Diversified LLC (Las Vegas, NV)
ASSESSED VALUE: $12,640
ORDERS: November 2002, for roof, plaster, toilet, defective plumbing lines, and worn and broken flooring. In August 2005, the house was ordered vacated and barricaded and cited for its roof, flashing, windows, lack of smoke detectors, trash, and vermin infestation. It was again ordered vacated and barricaded in February 2006, again in September 2006, then again in February 2008. One month later, a tenant was found to be living in the building despite a lack of hot water, heat, and a safe electrical system.
CONDEMNED: December 2010, adding violations for the gutters and downspouts, siding, and windows. Two civil fines were issued, and a criminal case was filed in November 2011. While the property gathered neighborhood complaints about constant drug activity and prostitution, the criminal case was dismissed for want of prosecution. The owner simply didn't show up.
HAZARD: March 2012.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Casino-area development controls extended 6 months

Cincinnati City Council on Wednesday extended a development control overlay around the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati for an additional six months, providing more time for City staff to study the compatibility of the complex land uses and zoning surrounding the $400 million development.

Established a year ago, Interim Development Control Overlay District 66 temporarily regulates the establishment of uses, construction of new buildings, and demolition or alteration of existing structures within one half-mile of the casino.

Short Vine is City's seventh community entertainment district

Seventy-eight acres in Corryville have been designated as Cincinnati's seventh community entertainment district, making an additional 15 liquor licenses available to prospective restauranteurs in and around Short Vine.

Uptown Consortium affiliate CVP Redevelopment Holdings, LLC sponsored the application for the district, which it believes will help create jobs within the commercial areas along Vine Street and Jefferson Avenue from University Plaza to Ruther Avenue. Corryville Community Council and the Short Vine Business Association both support the measure.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1662 Iliff Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: West Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1910
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: John Luallen
ASSESSED VALUE: $1,100
ORDERS: --
CONDEMNED: September 2009, citing a rotten roof, structural damage, deteriorated siding, and trash.
HAZARD: August 2010, adding damage to gutters and downspouts.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Wrecking Cincinnati: 947 Elberon Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: East Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1890
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: Robert R. Gannon
ASSESSED VALUE: $53,930
ORDERS: Lotsa litter. Orders in April 2007 for roof, chimney, cornice, and gutters and downspouts. Ordered vacated and barricaded in June 2008. Reissued in July 2008. A criminal case was filed in April 2009, but dismissed due to a new owner. Except it was the same owner.
CONDEMNED: April 2009, adding siding damage and an overgrown lot. The roof tarps had blown away.
HAZARD: May 2010.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Mill Creek trail wins $25K grant

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory yesterday won the Gro1000 Gardens and Green Spaces Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, bringing $25,000 to Groundwork Cincinnati/Mill Creek for its edible forest garden.

The award includes $15,000 in funding and $10,000 in Scotts Miracle-Gro organic products, and recognizes outstanding mayoral leadership in restoring urban green space and best practices that provide models for other cities to replicate.

Blight and crime reduction program coming to Mount Airy, Carthage

Cincinnati's Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP) is coming to Mount Airy and Carthage in 2013, making them the fifteenth and sixteenth neighborhoods to receive the benefits of the 90-day enforcement blitz.

The program brings together City departments, neighborhood businesses and residents to address blight, crime, and other nuisances, helping to forge new partnerships that will facilitate long-term neighborhood revitalization and reinvestment.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 4700 N Edgewood Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: Spring Grove Village
YEAR BUILT: 1904
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: Arnold J. and Mary A. Suer
ASSESSED VALUE: $106,820
ORDERS: --
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: ??? Spring Grove Village folks, you read BC...what happened?

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Mount Healthy hears details of 40-unit project for people with disabilities

Residents of Mount Healthy heard the first details of a proposal for a 40-unit community for persons with disabilities on Monday evening at the Reserve on South Martin.

Medina Creative Housing, in cooperation with the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), is proposing to build ten ranch-style units on the former Matthew Duvall Elementary School property at , and HealthCare Connection has expressed interest in opening a community health center.

Second phase of Stetson Square breaks ground

Ground was broken this morning on the second phase of the Village at Stetson Square in Corryville, just off of .

Being developed by Great Traditions Land & Development Co., Stetson City Homes will consist of 18 attached condominiums in four buildings, with prices ranging from $200,000 to $275,000 for one- or two-bedroom units. Each unit will include an attached one-car garage, private balcony, and access to community amenities.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 6221 Desmond St

NEIGHBORHOOD: Madisonville
YEAR BUILT: 1905
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: The Greater Liberty Baptist Church Inc.
ASSESSED VALUE: $38,920
ORDERS: September 2009, for gutters and downspouts, exterior paint, a rotting porch, and soffit. Orders were reissued in April 2011 for the roof, windows, exterior steps, a cracked foundations, lack of smoke detectors, plaster, water damage, missing bedroom door, bath/shower and bathroom surface repairs, electric fixtures, water heater, wall framing, and hazardous wiring. Two months later, the orders from 2009 were reissued.
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Razed by the neighboring church shortly after it purchased the property in October 2012. No plans have been announced. A neighboring property, at 6217 Desmond Street, has remained green space since the church demolished its two-family house in 2009.

Planning Commission Friday: Kirby Road School, Wasson Way, land sales

Ten items appear on the agenda of the Cincinnati City Planning Commission's first meeting of the year, to be held tomorrow morning at 9 A.M. on the seventh floor of Centennial Two, located Downtown at .

The agenda includes reports and recommendations on:

Wrecking Cincinnati: 3806 President Dr

NEIGHBORHOOD: Villages at Roll Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1961
USE: Multi-family dwelling (12 units)
OWNER: Fay Limited Partnership
ASSESSED VALUE: n/a
ORDERS: --
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Razed as part of a multi-phased, $36 million redevelopment of the apartment community by Wallick-Hendy Development, which includes the demolition of 17 buildings and the reduction of available units from 893 to 703.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Photos: Pendleton!

The following photos were taken on August 15, 2012 and on December 11, 2012.

The August photos were taken following the beginning of the 90-day Neighborhood Enhancement Program blitz, and the two December shots were taken following an appointment that failed to materialize.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 2549 Warsaw Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: East Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1901
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: Hamza International Inc.
ASSESSED VALUE: $60,070
ORDERS: August 2001, ordered vacated and barricaded. A rehabilitation was undertaken, but was never completed to the City's satisfaction. Orders were reissued in December 2002 for plaster, water leaks and damage, doors, and floor structure. The building was again ordered vacated and barricaded in April 2003. In March 2004, the orders were reissued to the bank after the property was lost in foreclosure. In September 2004, the orders were issued to Fannie Mae. In September 2006, orders to barricade the building and to repair the flashing, gutters and downspots, and exterior steps were issued to the current owner. In February 2008, orders were reissued, adding broken and missing windows, trash, cornice, and a hazardous tree.
CONDEMNED: September 2008, adding a rotting front porch, stolen copper piping, a cracked foundation, and damaged siding. A criminal case was filed in March 2010, but was later dismissed for want of prosecution. That same month, new condemnation orders were issued.
HAZARD: May 2010.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Kirby Road School recommended as local landmark, apartments proposed

Cincinnati's Historic Conservation Board on Monday recommended the designation of the Kirby Road School, located at in Northside, as a local historic landmark – bringing the property closer to a proposed residential rehabilitation.

Developer Bloomfield/Schon + Partners has prepared a concept plan for Kirby Lofts, which would create 37 apartments within the 50,910-square-foot structure. The concept plan also proposes a new building on the site, which would add an additional 40 units and would be built based upon market demand.

OTRCH gets tax exemption for senior supportive housing

Last Wednesday, Cincinnati City Council approved a Community Reinvestment Area tax exemption agreement to aid Over-the-Rhine Community Housing's (OTRCH) rehabilitation of a long-vacant building.

OTRCH is planning a $3.9 million project to convert the 13,795-square-foot building at in Over-the-Rhine into 15 units of supportive housing for low-income seniors, the first of its kind in the neighborhood.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1010 Rosemont Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: West Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1918
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: Stephen W. Douglas
ASSESSED VALUE: $56,430
ORDERS: April 2007, for gutters and downspouts, exterior paint, and broken windows. Orders reissued in August 2009, adding soffit and trash.
CONDEMNED: March 2011, adding a hazardous rear porch, defective chimneys, failing mortar joints and brick, and defective guardrails. A criminal case was filed in January 2012.
HAZARD: May 2012.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Wrecking Cincinnati: 4312 Hamilton Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: Northside
YEAR BUILT: 1890-1920
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: James L. and Gloria D. Walker
ASSESSED VALUE: $40,300
ORDERS: --
CONDEMNED: September 2012, for a fire causing $90,000 in damage to the roof decking, shingles, rafters, gutters and downspouts, cornice, siding, windows, wall and floor framing, and mechanicals. An elderly resident was found exiting the structure, and two dogs were injured. One cat was killed.
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Razed by the owner to close out orders.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 917 Grand Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: East Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1905
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: B&B Real Estate Investment
ASSESSED VALUE: $5,000
ORDERS: August 2009, for flashing, gutters and downspouts, cornice, and soffit. Very little progress made on repairs. Ordered vacated and barricaded in February 2012, citing weather damage and additional damage to the chimneys, siding, windows and front steps. The building had no utility service and many of its mechanicals were missing or vandalized.
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Razed by the owner to close out orders.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Wrecking Cincinnati: 4415 Eastern Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: Columbia Tusculum
YEAR BUILT: 1900
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: MGDK Investments LLC
ASSESSED VALUE: $24,840
ORDERS: April 2005, ordered vacated and barricaded due to its illegal use as storage for commercial carpeting and other rubbish. Orders were reissued in June 2007 due to the passage of time. A criminal case was filed against the former owner in November 2008, and he later plead no contest. Sentenced to a pittance.
CONDEMNED: December 2010, with the interior completely gutted. The porch on the left side of the structure collapsed, allowing water damage. Additional problems included open mortar joints in the foundation, broken and missing windows, defective gutters and downspouts, and missing siding.
HAZARD: May 2011. In August 2012, the property was acquired by the current owner at sheriff's sale.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Nominations being accepted for Hamilton County planning award

through February 28 for the 2012 Frank F. Ferris II Community Planning Award, an annual recognition of local planning commissions or committees whose plans "have contributed to the elevation of planning principles, greater awareness of the value of planning, and improved quality of life".

The will judge the nominations based upon such criteria as the advancement of the science and art of planning, the role of the planning commission or committee in the planning process, public participation and outreach efforts, collaboration, implementation, and plan effectiveness.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 1786 Townsend St

NEIGHBORHOOD: South Cumminsville
YEAR BUILT: 1895
USE: Single-family dwelling
OWNER: Tyrone and Sherie A. Broadus
ASSESSED VALUE: $4,870
ORDERS: --
CONDEMNED: July 2006, for a leaking foundation, a missing portion of the roof, and unsafe framing members. The owners purchased a Vacant Building Maintenance License (VBML) and did some work, but it was never brought back up to code. It was ordered vacated and barricaded in May 2010, needing window and porch repair, tuck pointing, and paint. In October 2011, Mr. Broadus alterted City officials that he had cut off part of his thumb while doing repairs and would have to alter his timetable, despite having promised to take down the building two months earlier. In June 2012, the owners were hit with a $500 civil fine.
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Razed by the owners to close out orders.

Cincinnati riverfront plan wins national award

The transformation of 195 underutilized acres into new housing, retail, and recreational opportunities has led the American Planning Association (APA) to present the with its 2013 National Planning Excellence Award for Implementation.

The award recognizes long-term projects that demonstrate a significant achievement for a single community or region in accomplishing positive changes as a result of planning.

Wrecking Cincinnati: 2923 Glenway Ave

NEIGHBORHOOD: East Price Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1900
USE: Two-family dwelling
OWNER: Raymond Lovette Jr.
ASSESSED VALUE: $63,740
ORDERS: September 2007, for plumbing, water heater, water damage, plaster, smoke detectors, windows, and exterior paint. Orders reissued in January 2008, adding cornice, electric fixtures, and gutters and downspouts.
CONDEMNED: June 2008, adding a crumbling retaining wall, roof, and roof structure. Orders reissued in July 2009. A criminal case was filed, but the owner failed to show.
HAZARD: June 2011, after the interior ceilings began to fall.
REASON RAZED: Declared a public nuisance and entered into the City's hazard abatement program.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Wrecking Cincinnati: 2461 Sunnyhill Dr

NEIGHBORHOOD: Villages at Roll Hill
YEAR BUILT: 1961
USE: Multi-family dwelling (8 units)
OWNER: Fay Limited Partnership
ASSESSED VALUE: n/a
ORDERS: --
CONDEMNED: --
HAZARD: --
REASON RAZED: Razed as part of a multi-phased, $36 million redevelopment of the apartment community by Wallick-Hendy Development, which includes the demolition of 17 buildings and the reduction of available units from 893 to 703.

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