Ram23

If I'm not mistaken, this year-long study recommended the preferred alternative that was arrived at years ago - a new bridge adjacent the existing bridge, with local and thru traffic separated. The developments here are that the proposed Eastern Bypass (and a few other bypass options like extending 471 to the 71/75 split) was determined to have an insignificant impact on traffic, and the media is now finally presenting the project correctly rather than calling it a "replacement." http://local12.com/news/local/study-recommends-a-new-i-7175-bridge-and-keeping-the-brent-spence-bridge

^ Yeah, I agree - it looks like they will build the 8 red colored homes on spec as models for CitiRama, I assume the rest will be built if/when they are purchased.

Some more speculation: Object on tracks may be cause of deadly Amtrak derailment https://nypost.com/2017/12/18/object-on-tracks-may-be-cause-of-deadly-amtrak-derailment/ Monday’s deadly Amtrak train derailment appears to have been caused by an object on the railway, according to a government official briefed on the crash. A preliminary investigation suggests maintenance problems are unlikely to blame because the incident took place on brand-new tracks, the official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

^^ I had read 81 MPH according to Amtrak's online tracker, but who knows if that was accurate or live. That said, it is known that radical Islamic terrorists have issued guidance and suggestions that specifically target rail infrastructure (in fact, this line in particular). This is from August: https://pjmedia.com/homeland-security/2017/08/14/al-qaeda-targets-d-c-to-boston-line-hazmat-cargo-trains-in-diy-derailment-guide/ The latest issue of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's English-language Inspire magazine names Amtrak's D.C. to Boston Acela Express and several other specific passenger rail lines in the United States as prime targets for their new focus on train derailment operations that the group says has been more than a year in the planning stages... Specific U.S. passenger lines discussed in addition to the Acela Express are the Amtrak Cascades in the Pacific Northwest...

^^ In looking at the location on Google Maps, my first guess would be that the train took this curve at too high a speed: https://goo.gl/maps/2aCdLr3BC122

^ I think they will ultimately end up pushing the 0.5% sales tax, essentially flipping the funding from the city to the county. The city will be the real winner as they will keep some or all of that 0.3% earnings tax. I don't know why SORTA is proposing to abandon the earnings tax in the first place. I'd have no problem voting for a 0.5% sales tax in addition to the maintaining the current earnings tax, which would nearly double their budget. If SORTA isn't going to gain much of anything but the city gets a big increase in tax dollars, I'm voting against it. I'll vote to raise taxes specifically for transit, but not to raise taxes to give the city tens of millions to spend as the mayor sees fit.

The feds should cut the aggregate amount of direct student loans down significantly for a four year undergraduate degree. Plenty of colleges would find a way to offer bachelor degrees for whatever price they slashed the loan amount to. These should be cut in half, IMO: source: https://www.edvisors.com/college-loans/terms/loan-limits/ Further, there should be a cap on the total number of people able to acquire these loans - for example a set percentage of the total number of high school graduates in any given year, and they should be awarded based upon high school academic performance. We could couple these cuts with free 2 year degrees/trade school programs.

My bet is that Cranley will push hard for the countywide bus tax, which would eliminate the 0.3% city income tax that goes to Metro. Then he will propose that the city increase its earnings tax by 0.1% to cover infrastructure projects like the WHV. So in the end, city taxpayers and workers will see their income tax rate drop by 0.2%, but of course they will also be paying the new Metro sales tax. Unless the Metro sales tax ballot issue explicitly states that the 0.3% city earnings tax is to be eliminated, would it automatically be removed or would the full 0.3% go directly to the city? I expect the city will try to pull a fast one and keep at least 0.1% if not the full 0.3% - and hide it all in fine print.

^^ So they aren't too broke to spend, at all. If anything, consumers are spending more than they should be. The point being that consumer spending habits are hurting retail, but that doesn't mean people aren't spending, they're just spending elsewhere. In fact, if people are building up record credit card debt they're spending significantly. This is at direct odds with the point that was attempted in the article I was responding to, which claimed people simply didn't have any money to buy things. They do, they're just buying different things than most retailers are selling. Now, building up credit card debt is one of the worst financial decisions a person can make, but that's beside the point - people are spending, some of them are just spending themselves into debt.

^You're right, these older aerial photos from the auditor show what appears to be a pool on the northwest corner of the roof. It looks like it was enclosed under skylights up until 2013 or so, when the skylights were closed up and a new roof was put on. I'm thinking the old photos of this I've seen might have been in a book, maybe the Bicentennial Guide or one of those other old walking tour books.

^ I wonder if that means it will become student housing. I've heard that was a nice building when it first opened, I think it even has a pool. I know I've seen some old photos of it somewhere.

^ I've heard that, too. The parking isn't just level to Central Parkway - you actually drive up a ramp, so it's about 3'-0" above the street at its lowest point. My guess is that the old building was demolished and used as fill, though.

^ I know it was originally built for Milacron in the late '60s - I came across some old photos of it online awhile ago: https://microship.com/cincinnati-milacron-george-your-first-computer/ Growing up I always thought that I-71/SR-48 interchange seemed way oversized, I think they must have assumed more growth would occur there, but in reality it took until the last 5-10 years or so for the sprawl to reach that point. This building and the Fujitech building to the north sat out there relatively isolated for decades. It looks like the developers that did the Rivers Crossing shopping center on 48 now own the old Milacron site.

Boutique hotels tend to have some very small rooms - I don't think the Terrace Plaza rooms are any smaller than rooms at 21C, for example. In bigger cities I've stayed in hotels with much smaller rooms. A mid-century modern themed boutique hotel could probably work well here since the bones are all already actual mid-century modern. A low ceiling works well with that aesthetic.

A Phase 1 Environmental Assessment doesn't take all that long, does anyone know if it has been done or is underway now? That would at least give some idea of what type of remediation would be needed. Since no part of the building itself is going to be reused it might not be all that expensive a process.

She's not pretty, she's just scantily clad.

^^ Is she just wearing a bra as a top? Sue Ellen Mischke?

What was with Seelbach's bizarre anti-stadium rant? I do not like the implication that if the owners happened to be a different race or gender, they might garner his support. There are plenty of reasons to oppose spending on infrastructure for a new stadium... but the fact that the owners are white men is not among those reasons.

Imgur is very easy to use - I usually upload photos there and post links here. Click on"new post" and you can just drag and drop, and then post a link to the gallery here: https://imgur.com

^ She could be the female lead in a Shadowhare: Origins Youtube video.

I like how the reporter is standing there with a can in his hands and could easily put the issue to rest by just opening it to see what's inside. But he doesn't, because "woman claims can of water contains beer, but it's actually just water" isn't much of a story.

^ Is there some sort of standard for what is "routinely covered by governments?" Is he just talking about other stadium developments? I've known developers who wanted to do something as small as add a single traffic light - the government didn't pay for anything. All of the cost is passed on to the developer, in addition to fees.

Maney was a first time candidate with little name recognition and a small amount of fundraising. He went on the attack against Seelbach as an attempt to earn free media time. It worked pretty well. Agree or disagree with his positions or the action itself, at the very least it's undeniable that there was a practical reason for the behavior - to get more attention during a political campaign flooded with a record number of candidates. Seelbach's response, on the other hand, had no reason or justification other than pure pettiness. It's an embarrassing look for him - it instantly reminded me of that hilarious 911 call - "I am punched!" I liked Alex Triantafilou's response to the tweet (most responses, btw, seem to be lambasting Seelbach) - I'd love to see what's in their dossier (I'm sure plenty of us on here have at least a few ideas).

Didn't Children's pay several times the market value for most of those properties? Can you really say you "lost" your house if you sold it for 5X what it's worth? If he's referring to renters, well that's a whole other discussion but not exactly a position most people empathize with.

I agree 3x6 seems right, but exceptions here and there would be nice. I have always loved this image of Vine Street, partially because of some of the great signs: Page 8 of this PDF has the signage guidelines for contributing buildings in OTR: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/buildings/historic-conservation/local-conservation-guidelines/over-the-rhine-historic-district/