buildingcincinnati

From the 1/23/07 Cincinnati Business Courier: Council to consider tax incentive for Restaurant Depot Cincinnati Business Courier - January 23, 2007 A proposal to tear down a building in Winton Place and replace it with a Restaurant Depot warehouse is on Cincinnati City Council's plate this week. RD America Inc., Restaurant Depot's parent, is asking for a 15-year property tax exemption to build the facility on West Mitchell Avenue. The College Point, N.Y. company's plan is to demolish the existing structure and build a 55,000-60,000-square-foot warehouse, costing about $4.9 million, along with an 85-space parking lot. Construction would begin in February with the opening scheduled for September, and the company expects to create at least 40 jobs at the site. MORE: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/01/22/daily21.html?surround=lfn From the 1/7/07 Enquirer: Not all like look of homes Neighbors want subdivision's style to fit BY SCOTT WARTMAN | [email protected] ALEXANDRIA - Some Alexandria City Council members and residents hope Fischer Homes reconsiders its design of a 74-single-family-home subdivision planned for the city's southern border. City council voted 4-1 this week not to annex and change zoning for 15.6 acres of the 35-acre Whistler's Point on Persimmon Grove Pike, south of the Country Grove subdivision. The hope is that Fischer Homes changes the design, said Councilman Stacey Graus. "In the end, we would like Fischer Homes to work with us to develop the property and homes that are more consistent with the surrounding homes," Graus said. MORE: http://news.nky.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070107/NEWS0103/701070388 From the 1/26/07 Enquirer: Apartment site planned off U.S. 27 BY SCOTT WARTMAN | [email protected] Apartments will be built at the site of a former drive-in movie theater in Cold Spring. Crews are starting foundation work for the 72 apartments set to go between Murnan Road and Buning Lane on U.S. 27. The developer will build eight two-story apartment buildings. "We are building another one in Elizabethtown," said David Padgett, managing partner for the developer, Northern Kentucky Properties LLC. "We are looking for areas that are growing, that have a need. We did a feasibility study and found there was enough demand there and a need for an apartment complex." The complex will exit off U.S. 27 and in the nearby Granite Springs subdivision. The first apartments will be available in about six months and the complex likely will take about one year to complete, developers say. The apartments will be two-bedroom with rent at about $800 a month. MORE: http://news.nky.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070126/NEWS0103/701260382

From the 1/12/07 PD: Developers covet land in rural Boston Hts. Shopping, homes, hotel proposed Friday, January 12, 2007 April McClellan-Copeland Plain Dealer Reporter Boston Heights - This rural village of 400 residents could become a shoppers' paradise if officials approve plans to build three shopping centers and dozens of new homes and condominiums along Ohio 8 near the turnpike. This month, a pair of developers told Boston Heights they want to build a 1.3 million-square-foot shopping mall and hotel complex that would also take up a portion of Northfield Center Township and use 77 acres for a 400,000-square-foot retail development. Both come on the heels of - and are just blocks away from - two other pending developments: 100 single-family homes and a shopping center on an old country club site, and a major-league soccer stadium with a retail village that straddles Northfield Center Township and Macedonia. The influx of shoppers and new residents would bring urban hustle and bustle to a country landscape known for its wide-open spaces and wooded lots with mature trees. MORE: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/summit/1168594452278740.xml&coll=2

Also posted in a seperate thread in Ohio Business and Economy. Both are from the 12/22/06 ABJ: Outdoors store could anchor retail area Wadsworth tries to woo Cabela's Troubles for soccer-arena plan put city back in race By Bill Lilley Beacon Journal staff writer Bad news for northern Summit County may be good news for Wadsworth. At least that is what Wadsworth Mayor James Renacci hopes. Renacci is excited about the possibility of outdoors superstore Cabela's coming to Wadsworth. Plans to build a soccer stadium for a Major League Soccer team in northern Summit County are in jeopardy after the Ohio legislature refused to give Summit County permission to seek voter approval of a cigarette tax of 30 cents a pack to help fund a $170 million domed facility. While Renacci isn't interested in bringing pro soccer to Wadsworth, he wants a Cabela's to be the centerpiece of a shopping area on 260 acres at state Route 57 and Interstate 76. MORE: http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/16297518.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_news

Both from the 12/21/06 Nordonia Hills Sun: Up in smoke? Vote decision may sideline stadium Thursday, December 21, 2006 Nordonia Hills Sun Less than a month after formally unveiling their plans for a retractable-roof soccer stadium and athletic complex with retail and professional office space, developers could be on the brink of taking their ball and going home. A decision Tuesday night by the Ohio legislature to not allow Summit County Council to put a tobacco tax before voters has apparently put the entire project in jeopardy. Developer Paul Garofolo, president and CEO of Wolstein Sports and Entertainment Group, said public financing was necessary to for the $170 million project, which would be located on 450 acres near State Route 8 in Macedonia and Northfield Center Township. MORE: http://www.cleveland.com/sun/nordoniahillssun/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1166723220238920.xml&coll=3 Commission advises against rezoning Trustees have final say on request for retail, residential change Thursday, December 21, 2006 By Pat Salemi, Nordonia Hills Sun NORTHFIELD CENTER Members of the township zoning commission have recommended that the Board of Trustees deny a request to rezone property owned by American Dreams Productions, LLC, along Twinsburg Road near State Route 8. The commission voted 4-1 to deny the application because the Summit County Planning Commission is against it, as are residents of the area. Trustees are expected to vote on the request following a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 2. The 51.32 acres are now zoned R-1. Developer Tony Olszko wants township officials to rezone about 10 acres fronting Twinsburg Road to retail and offices (C-1); 4.3 acres to park; and the remainder of the land to R-2, which allows condominiums. The Summit County Planning Commission recommended that local officials deny the development request because the area is a floodplain. MORE: http://www.cleveland.com/sun/nordoniahillssun/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1166722923238920.xml&coll=3

From the 12/20/06 PD: Without cigarette tax, stadium is just smoke, developer says Wednesday, December 20, 2006 April McClellan-Copeland Plain Dealer Reporter Macedonia - Plans for a multisport stadium and major-league soccer team in northern Summit County could be doomed for lack of a cigarette tax, the developer said Tuesday. Paul Garofolo, president and chief executive officer of Wolstein Sports & Entertainment Group LLC, said his plans hinged on state lawmakers approving a cigarette tax proposal Tuesday, before recessing for the year, but he did not expect them to do so. "We hope the deal is not dead, but this is a major milestone that has not been met," he said. More: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/summit/1166607456238010.xml&coll=2

From the 1/18/07 Enquirer: Licking River bike trail gets a lift BY MIKE RUTLEDGE | [email protected] Prospects for a proposed Licking River Greenway became greener Wednesday when the Northern Kentucky Port Authority agreed to contribute $50,000 toward a greenway study, about half its cost. Advocates envision a 5-mile-plus trail for walking and biking along the Licking River between the Ohio River and Interstate 275, perhaps skipping from one river bank to the other using a new or existing bridge. Advocates "see it going along one part and then crossing to the other side - so we're talking about bridges" across the Licking, said Michael Hammons of the Northern Kentucky Vision 2015 effort, which placed emphasis on developing green space and creating more park areas in the region. MORE: http://news.nky.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070118/NEWS0103/701180384 From the 1/20/07 Enquirer: Light industry in the offing BY SCOTT WARTMAN | [email protected] Silver Grove officials say land across from the Lafarge Gypsum plant might soon be home to light industry. Some residents expressed concern about noise and pollution, but city officials say the businesses would help - not hurt - Silver Grove. Real estate developer Ken Perry approached City Council in the fall requesting a change in zoning of the 25-acre parcel to allow development of a commerce park. The parcel is along Mary Ingles Highway - Ky. 8 - between a bar and a paintball store. Council agreed to apply for the zone change. MORE: http://news.nky.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070120/NEWS0103/701200387 From the 1/12/06 Oxford Press: Oxford townhouse plans shot down by commission By Sean Strader Staff Writer Friday, January 12, 2007 Plans for a new development of townhouse apartments on South Poplar Street were dealt a blow by the Oxford Planning Commission Tuesday. The commission voted 6-1 to deny the application amid concerns about whether it satisfied requirements to be a Planned Unit Development and whether it violated the city charter's three-unit per building limit. "From a conceptual standpoint, it doesn't meet the criteria of a planned development," said Vice Chairman Bill Brewer. Several residents spoke to the commission in opposition, citing concerns about more student housing within Mile Square and calling the architecture "motel-like." The 39-unit complex would have been built on a 7.8 acre vacant site owned by the Paul W. Baer Trust that runs south of Spring Street between Poplar Street and Campus Avenue, behind the Delta Sigma Pi headquarters, Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Campus Courts Apartments. MORE: http://www.oxfordpress.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/01/10/op011207planning.html

From the 1/11/07 Newark Advocate: Local real estate market may defy national trend Agents predict strong 2007 sales By MARK SZAKONYI Advocate Reporter NEWARK -- Low interest rates, more realistic pricing by sellers and numerous homes on the market are expected to spur strong housing sales in 2007 in Licking County, local real estate agents predict. Their optimism is in sharp contrast to national predictions of a foundering housing market, partly because of a gap between buyers' expectations of bargains and sellers' unrealistic asking prices. Low interest rates were a factor in Connie Zang's decision to buy a house and move out of her apartment, but the large number of homes for sale in Newark was the deciding factor. "I decided that I wasn't interested in apartment living anymore," said Zang, who found a moderately priced ranch house in Newark. "I had a very nice selection of homes to choose from." Patrick Guanciale, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker King Thompson, said 1,037 single-family homes are available in Licking County. Full story at http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070111/NEWS01/701110328/1002/rss01 From ThisWeek Reynoldsburg, 1/11/07: ThisWeek Licking County: Judge likely to determine connector's fate this week (1/14/07) ThisWeek Reynoldsburg: Etna trustees concerned about Route 310 traffic (1/11/07) ThisWeek Licking County: Trail East Road access debate escalating (12/24/06) ThisWeek Licking County: Etna Township to consider closing Trail East at 310 (12/17/06 Court hearing could decide fate of connector road Thursday, January 11, 2007 By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Staff Writer Etna Township trustees plan to speak at a hearing in Licking County Common Pleas Court today, Jan. 11, regarding the Pataskala Banking Co.'s request to connect a road from the bank to an Etna Township subdivision. The Pataskala Banking Co. has built at the corner of state Route 310 and Trail East Road, which is an entrance to the Cumberland Trail subdivision. Work was started to connect an access road from the bank parking lot to Trail East but was blocked by a stop-work order issued Sept. 21 by Etna Township zoning inspector Stan Harris. Harris said the road would cross land reserved as green space in the Cumberland Trail subdivision. His ruling was upheld by the Etna Township Board of Zoning Appeals. Full story at http://www.thisweeknews.com/index.php?sec=reynoldsburg&story=sites/thisweeknews/011107/Reynoldsburg/News/011107-News-289801.html

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UPDATE Mount Washington: 2312-2316 Beechmont Ave The rezoning of 2312-2316 Beechmont Ave will have a public hearing before the Economic Development Committee on February 13, 2007, at noon. The rezoning would rezone the vacant land from residential to commercial and open the lots up for business development. LAST UPDATE (1/2/07) Round-up: City of Cincinnati CARTHAGE 209 W 70th St has been rehabbed. COLUMBIA TUSCULUM A brand new $425,000 home is being built by Boulder Construction at 467 Missouri Ave. It has no permits yet. There are also three vacant parcels in the 467-471 Missouri area that are for sale. These range from approximately $67,000 to a little over $100,000. Two of these properties are pending. EAST END LeBlond Center will reopen today Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/27/07 After a $2.8 million makeover, the LeBlond Recreation Center is ready to unveil its new look today. Since the center at 235 Eastern Ave. closed in November 2005, it has gained an addition to the gym, a new electric, plumbing and security system, a new pool-entry pavilion and several other aesthetic improvements. The center will reopen at 2:30 p.m. with a special re-dedication ceremony and an open house 2-8 p.m. For more information, visit www.cincyrec.org. KENNEDY HEIGHTS The home at 6257 Beech View Cir has been rehabbed. Oh, yeah, and now you can see the front of the house! OAKLEY There are plans to convert the 16 apartments at 4011 Allston St into 10 apartments. However, as of a few of days ago, the building plans were denied. Work would start once the permits get issued. PLEASANT RIDGE The multi-family at 6255 Cortelyou Ave has been rehabbed for resale. The asking price is $179,900. SOUTH CUMMINSVILLE 3733 Borden St was razed by the City. I believe it has been vacant and open for a very long time. There was a fire in 2004, possibly caused by squatters. The building was collapsing on itself and very unsafe, and the City took it criminal. It was discovered that the owner was dead. Nobody had the money to raze it, so the City stepped in. Round-up: Metro ANDERSON TWP New facility builds on life skills Forest Hills Journal, 1/22/07 St. Joseph Orphanage will offer a taste of home to boys living on the Altercrest campus. Construction will begin on a new facility at Altercrest, located at 274 Sutton Road. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new 10,000-square-foot building was Jan. 14. According to its Web site, St. Joseph Orphanage is a comprehensive children's mental health, educational, and residential treatment agency that helps abused, cognitively challenged, and/or emotionally disturbed children and their families on the road to recovery and success. St. Joseph is currently involved in a $3.2 million capital campaign to fund the project. The new facility will provide residential and educational space for eight additional boys at the Altercrest location. The current facility has 24 beds. BETHEL Two more presentations made for city hall contract Clermont Sun, 1/25/07 The Bethel Village Council heard the second and third presentations concerning the proposed construction of a new municipal building. The presentations, given Jan. 22 by K4/Stine and Brandstetter Carroll Inc., respectively, presented the village with a range of options for the new building, which is hoped to be completed sometime over the next year. Previously, the village heard a presentation by CDS Associates. Leading off the Monday night meeting, K4/Stine presented a plan based on their unique business model of a total-service firm, offering architectural, engineering and contracting services in one stop. As part of their presentation, K4/Stine listed a series of past projects in the area, including the Ripley Library expansion, the Western Brown school board office, the Union Township fire station located in the base of a water tower, the Brown County Regional Health facility located in Bethel and the 5/3 Bank regional office located in Milford. The presentation included a couple of different design ideas, each placing the new structure on the corner of the Bone Street and Main Street, featuring a bay for police vehicles in the basement section with access to Bone Street and a plaza in front of the structure, facing where the current municipal building currently stands. It also included more parking, as well as the possibility of creating a park and ride facility to entice bus service to Bethel. Brandstetter Carroll followed, emphasizing their 28 years of experience, largely in construction of municipal buildings, and highlighted some local structures they designed, including the Cincinnati Police headquarters, the DHL headquarters, the Williamsburg Town Hall and library and the Clermont County Engineer's Office. In all, they estimated that they have designed over 100 public buildings. BROOKSVILLE Bracken extension office addressing growing pains Maysville Ledger Independent, 1/25/07 With a growing need for its services, the Bracken County Cooperative Extension Service is going forward with plans to triple the size of its facility, said officials Wednesday. With blueprints in hand, Dave Appleman, extension agent, explained the costs and design to Bracken County Fiscal Court members. "The meeting room will have a capacity of 125 for banquet style occasions, or 175-200 in meeting style chairs," said Appleman. "There will also be a kitchen, improvements to the entire facility to bring it into Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and storage space." So far, $154,000 has been accumulated to fund the project, plus another $100,000 for the project is being funneled through the fiscal court, at no expense to the county, said Appleman. "Homemakers, 4-H groups and others have been holding fund-raisers in support of the project," said Appleman. COLD SPRING New school on track in Cold Spring Campbell Community Recorder, 1/22/07 Construction of Crossroads Elementary School is on schedule and school district officials are working to hire a principal there. In the Fall of 2006 students at Campbell Ridge Elementary School started school two weeks late because the school building wasn't finished. This year should be different, said Campbell County School District Superintendent Anthony Strong. Construction on Crossroads is at the same state of progress as Campbell Ridge was in March of 2006, Strong said. The $18 million school is on budget, he said. COLD SPRING Cold Spring Roadhouse will be rehabbed, not redeveloped Campbell Community Recorder, 1/22/07 Speculation about the Cold Spring Roadhouse closing to be redeveloped is false, but the owner is planning to rehab the building. "The rumors that are floating around of tearing the building down, there's no truth to that," said Roadhouse owner Ron Rosen. Rosen said he considered a development proposal from an architect who is building a 72-unit apartment complex behind the Roadhouse property, but decided against it. "Our intentions are to improve what we've got," he said. The apartments are being built on land not owned or affiliated with the Roadhouse property. COVINGTON (Latonia) Company moves, but stays Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/26/07 Some of a city's development successes happen not when a business moves in, but when longtime companies decide to stay, Covington Mayor Butch Callery told an audience Thursday. That was the case with ACB American Inc., a 70-employee, 45-year-old firm that has been at the same Scott Boulevard address since 1982. In early March, rather than moving to Fort Thomas, the firm will relocate to the former Johnny's Toys space at Latonia Centre, between the vacated Frank's Nursery location and the Dollar Tree store. "We kept after them for probably the most part of a year," Callery told a Covington Business Council audience at The Madison banquet center in a state-of-the-city speech. ACB, a collections company that also handles insurance billing and statement processing, hopes to reach 100 employees within about a year and already needed more parking. "We originally looked in Covington, but because we're so labor intensive, there are not a lot of places that can accommodate our parking needs," confirmed ACB President Tony Faeth. "We looked to build, we looked to buy - everything." The nearly 26,000 square feet at the new location can accommodate up to 250 employees, Faeth said. EDGEWOOD Company to build preschool on St. Elizabeth campus Cincinnati Business Courier, 1/22/07 A private company will build a $1 million preschool on the St. Elizabeth Medical Center campus in Edgewood. Little Red School House hopes to open a nearly 11,000-square-foot building in the Freedom Park area in June or July. St. Elizabeth will provide about $1 million over four years to help the preschool get started and provide services the hospital considers crucial, including infant care and an "as-needed" room where employees can drop their children off when they're called to work at the last minute. EVENDALE Evendale seeks meeting facility Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/26/07 The village is looking for a non-profit organization to build a meeting facility adjacent to the Gorman Heritage Farm in exchange for leasing the Reading Road property for only $1 a year. The village is advertising for requests for proposals, due by noon Feb. 23. The village wants the building to be at least 25,000 square feet with at least one room where a minimum of 150 people can gather. And officials want it to work with Gorman by allowing some programs by the working, educational farm to be conducted there. The Gorman property has been farmland for more than 120 years. Leaders at the farm, now subsidized by the village, are working to make the farm self-sustaining with an endowment goal of $10 million. FAIRFIELD Land deal provides for Marsh Park expansion City of Fairfield The year was 1955. Fairfield had just established itself as a village. It was also the first year for mining operations of the Ohio Gravel Company in the sand- and gravel-rich deposits north of what is now Marsh Lake. The permit was part of a deal between the new village and the company, which agreed to donate the land to the community when operations ceased. A quote from the agreement says, “As work on a portion of the property is completed, we will put that land in condition for the development of a recreation area. When the entire operation on East River Road is complete, the land will be deeded over to the Fairfield Village.” The words in the agreement are soon to be a reality after 52 years. The City of Fairfield and the current gravel company owner Martin Marietta Aggregates (MMA) in 2004 agreed to negotiations about Marsh Lake operations and remaining mining area. During the 2 year time period, a study was conducted to evaluate mineral reserves, and how long it will take to extract them. The Fairfield Parks staff also toured MMA representatives around Marsh Park to share the many success stories about the lake. (The current arrangement for City use of Marsh Park is via a 99 year lease agreement, of which 91 years remain.) In August 2006, MMA announced the beginning of final mining operations this year. Two lakes currently exist on the site. The current mining plan is to connect the lakes by removing the land in between, possibly leaving an island. The existing bodies of water will grow by almost 10 acres and, upon completion, about 139 acres will be deeded to the City of Fairfield for recreational use. The target date for completion is summer of 2011, or sooner. GLENDALE 181 ramps to be replaced Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/27/07 Glendale will replace 181 sidewalk ramps to make them meet standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Village Administrator Walter Cordes said Friday that Glendale is getting a $74,000 Community Development Block Grant through Hamilton County to pay for the work, which should start this summer. The sidewalk ramps will be made flush with the street and get raised pads for blind people. HEBRON New hotel opens near airport Boone Community Recorder, 1/28/07 Business travelers and others stopping by Northern Kentucky have another place to stay in Boone County. A new Comfort Suites hotel opened on Jan. 12 at 775 Petersburg Road in Hebron. The hotel, called Comfort Suites Cincinnati Airport, is near several other hotels in the area including the Airport Marriott, a Country Inn & Suites and a Hampton Inn. Nick Schira, director of sales at the new Comfort Suites, said 50 percent of the hotel's business will be from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Corporate travelers are the hotel's target customers because of its location near the airport, several industrial parks in the area and local businesses, Schira said. "The ownership wanted an airport location," he said. "And with the way the Cincinnati airport's going, it made sense. There's not enough accommodations in this area." INDEPENDENCE Library celebrates new branch Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/28/07 The Kenton County Public Library will celebrate the grand opening of the William E. Durr branch at 2 p.m. today . The branch is at 1992 Walton-Nicholson Road near the intersection of Ky. 16 and Ky. 17. Simon Kenton High School's band will perform during a ribbon-cutting, and a dedication ceremony follows at 2:30 p.m. The event also features "Chris the Whip Guy" and free goodie bags while supplies last. Visit www.kentonlibrary.org. LEBANON Pile of rubble will one day be park Western Star, 1/25/07 It's one down and one to go for the Lebanon Public Library. The building the library owns at the corner of Main Sycamore was torn down Monday. Library Director Julie Florence said the lot will continue to be leveled off over the next few weeks. "We'll be planting a little grass as soon as we can after that," Florence said. The library is still looking for someone to take the adjacent building, which was built in the 19th century and once served as a doctor's office . The library had hoped to move the building to a vacant city-owned lot south of the old post office on South Broadway earlier this year. The move was opposed by the historical society, and eventually the private developer offering to move the building free of charge pulled out because a deed restriction on the vacant lot made moving the building there all but impossible. LOVELAND Commissioners OK Mather property annexation to Loveland Loveland Herald, 1/19/07 In the less than 60 days, 15.2 acres of Symmes Township belongs to Loveland. With that annexation, city officials can further their endeavors to develop a Loveland recreation center. Hamilton County Commissioners unanimously approved Loveland's petition to annex the acreage into the city. The acreage is known as the Mather property. City officials reached a maintenance agreement with Hamilton County Engineer William Brayshaw, according to the commissioners' Jan. 17 meeting minutes. The agreement says Loveland will maintain all of Rich and Fallis roads once the annexation commences. Rich and Fallis roads cross into Symmes Township. LUDLOW Ludlow H.S. gets $1 million Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/16/07 Ludlow High School is set to receive more than $1.1 million in state money for a renovation project, state Sen. Jack Westwood, R-Crescent Springs, announced Tuesday morning. Westwood, who represents Ludlow and is a member of the Senate Education Committee, said in a statement that legislators set aside a pool of funds during the 2006 General Assembly Session for schools that had special infrastructure needs. MARIEMONT Lindners donate $500K for barn Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/24/07 Cincinnati financier Carl H. Lindner and his family have donated $500,000 for the restoration of the historic Resthaven Barn, an architectural relic here. As boys, Lindner and his two brothers, Robert and Richard, helped their father, Carl Sr., operate the Quality Milk Co. from the barn, which was built during Mariemont's founding in the 1920s. That small company grew into United Dairy Farmers. The Lindner donation to the art club's foundation ensures that the barn will avoid demolition and will become the new home of the Women's Art Club of Cincinnati. Carl Lindner said through a spokeswoman that he made the donation because of his family's past ties to the historic structure. "When I was a boy, my dad rented the dairy barn and ran a little milk-bottling plant," Lindner said. "My two brothers and I worked in the plant and helped him in his business. All of us have fond memories of our first job, and I am happy to help preserve the barn." MIAMI TWP (Hamilton County) Zion Hill bridge work is almost completed Western Hills Press, 1/19/07 Hamilton County Chief Deputy Engineer Ted Hubbard said it should be open by the end of the month. Bennet won't be the only person happy to have the bridge back in service. The bridge closed in August for a $700,000 bridge replacement project, Hubbard said. Miami Township Trustee Paul Beck said that while two traffic signals on Bridgetown Road have helped with traffic, the bridge closing has diverted motorists to the area. "Once the bridge opens, we expect to see some relief in traffic on Bridgetown," Beck said. MONROE New trails may be added at Monroe Crossings Park Middletown Journal, 1/23/07 The city would like to add recreational trails to Monroe Crossings Park. City Council will vote tonight on whether to authorize City Manager Bill Brock to submit grants to both the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the state's Recreational Trails Program in hopes of obtaining funds for the park with 16 acres of passive park space with hiking trails off Ohio 4 and Ohio 63. "(This is) for a grant application to receive some grant funds to build a recreational trail at Monroe Crossings Park. We are doing it for both because we've been assured we would get it from one or the other," Brock said. "You have to apply for both." The council also is set to vote on a funds transfer of $275,360 from the 2000 Levy Fund to the General Obligation Fund. "It will be used to pay down the debt relating to the building of the fire station," Brock said. MT HEALTHY Mount Healthy unveils road map to the future Hilltop Press, 1/22/07 Residents had a chance to see how their hometown might change at a recent public forum. Members of the city's comprehensive land use committee unveiled their ideas asking for reaction and input. The long-reaching proposals include ambitious ideas such as routing traffic differently on Hamilton Avenue, Compton Road and Perry Street. "The idea is to make the business area more accessible," Councilman Joe Roetting said. While specifics, particularly funding, for that and other ideas are down the road, others might be more readily achievable. SPRINGFIELD TWP (West College Hill) 6401 Betts Ave has been rehabbed into a unit of affordable housing. SPRINGFIELD TWP Money approved to put Winton Road project in gear Hilltop Press, 1/26/07 Work is expected to start in earnest next month on the next phase of the Winton Road Corridor project. Hamilton County has received the necessary funding in State Capital Improvement Program grants, coupled with Springfield Township money, to move the long-awaited project forward. The county will receive $1,275,773 this year and next to complete the stretch of Winton Road in 2009. Township Administrator Mike Hinnenkamp said the next phase starts at Reynard Drive and ends at Fleming Road. It includes, as does all of the corridor plan, widening Winton Road to add a fifth lane for dedicated turns, including one at Fontainebleau Terrace. WYOMING Wyoming commission to beautify city one picket at a time Tri-County Press, 1/17/07 Instead of just giving beautification awards to people who have immaculate properties, the Beautify Wyoming Commission wants to help make their city beautiful, too. The commission was previously known as the Beautification Committee until Jan. 16, when council voted to make it more official as a commission. But now, the commission is changing from a group of people who met a couple times a year to select properties for the annual Beautification Awards to meeting more often and taking a more active role in improving the aesthetics of the community. And they want to start with a fence. The six members of the commission recently took a tour of Wyoming public property and decided that the parking lot where Jerry's Trackside once stood on Wyoming Avenue needs a fence.

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From the 12/19/06 Zanesville Times Recorder: Six properties to be sold for Potter's Alley By BRIAN GADD Staff Writer ZANESVILLE - A 12-screen movie theater could be in the works for the proposed Potter's Alley in downtown Zanesville, members of the Zanesville Community Improvement Corporation learned Monday. http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061219/NEWS01/612190303/1002/rss01

From the 12/19/06 Port Clinton News Herald: Fenner Dunlop project gets $8M boost News Herald reports ERIE TOWNSHIP -- The State Controlling Board approved more than $8.2 million in loans and grants Monday to help provide Fenner Dunlop the infrastructure and capital it needs to carry on with planned expansion at the plant, according to state Sen. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green. The expansion is expected to bring 75 new jobs over the next three years to Ottawa County, Gardner said. Fenner Dunlop is a world leader in reinforced polymer technology and the No. 1 producer of heavyweight and lightweight belting commonly used for conveyor belts. The company has 12 manufacturing facilities in eight countries. http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061219/NEWS01/612190304/1002/rss01

From the 12/19/06 Enquirer: County administrator gets bonuses BY KIMBALL PERRY | [email protected] Hamilton County Administrator Patrick Thompson got high marks in his job evaluation Monday - but he didn't get all of the bonus money possible. All three county commissioners - Pat DeWine, Phil Heimlich and Todd Portune - gave Thompson high marks for performance in his first year in the $210,000-per-year job. Thompson, 47, of White Oak, came to Hamilton County from Jefferson County, Colo., just outside Denver... http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061219/NEWS01/612190335/1056/COL02

From the 1/26/07 Blade: 1 OUT OF EVERY 60 Toledo ranks 30th in U.S. for most foreclosures By JON CHAVEZ BLADE BUSINESS WRITER Mired in a housing slowdown and a battle to keep local jobs, a new study shows that one out of every 60 houses in the Toledo area was in foreclosure last year. It was enough to rank the metro area 30th-worst among the nation's largest 100 cities. Detroit was No. 1, and four other Ohio cities had more home repossessions than Toledo. Michigan was the fifth-worst state, and Ohio was eighth. The study, released yesterday by RealtyTrac Inc., an Irvine, Calif. firm, said foreclosures nationwide were up 42 percent last year, with 1.26 million, or 1 for every 92 houses. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070126/BUSINESS05/701260378/-1/BUSINESS From the 1/26/07 Celina Daily Standard: Losing the American dream Ohio leads the nation in home foreclosures; Auglaize numbers skyrocket over 6 years By Shelley Grieshop Editors note: The actual name of the foreclosure victim who resides in Auglaize County was withheld at her request for privacy reasons. Janet and her husband raised their children, celebrated family milestones and built memories in their cozy, three-bedroom home. Now it's someone else's. Like thousands of Ohioans last year, Janet lost her house to foreclosure when she no longer could afford her high-interest mortgage payments. Health reasons forced the 64-year-old widow to quit her job at a local hospital, and when money became tight, she refinanced her home. ... More at: http://www.dailystandard.com/archive/story_single.php?rec_id=2003

From the 1/25/07 Dispatch: HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Lenders preying on easy targets? Dubious refinancing promoted, critics say Thursday, January 25, 2007 Tracy Turner THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Lower-income families who own homes that were built with the help of Habitat for Humanity have become attractive targets for predatory lenders. The offers seem attractive: Refinance your mortgage and cash out the equity in your home. They become even more attractive when homeowners face financial challenges brought on by illness or job loss. ... More at: http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/01/25/20070125-A1-02.html

From the 1/24/07 Dispatch: AVOIDING FORECLOSURE Billboard advice may help some keep homes Wednesday, January 24, 2007 Barbara Carmen THE COLMBUS DISPATCH Loretta King hears the desperate stories: "I’m getting divorced." "I’m sick." "I lost my job." Last year, a young mother of two came into King’s Columbus Housing Partnership office saying she’d had brain surgery and was forced to quit work. Now, the Franklin County sheriff’s office had set a date within weeks to sell her home. Those facing similar foreclosure threats can now look up, literally, for help. ... More at: http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/01/24/20070124-D1-04.html

From the 1/23/07 Youngstown Vindicator: Area's state senators learn committee assignments The Valley senators each received three committee assignments. By DAVID SKOLNICK VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER When it came to getting appointed to Senate committees, the three Mahoning Valley state senators received almost everything they requested. Committee assignments for the 33 state senators — 21 Republicans and 12 Democrats — were announced Monday. Senate President Bill Harris, a Republican, made the committee selections with recommendations for Democratic appointments from that party's Senate leadership. State Sens. John Boccieri, Jason Wilson and Capri Cafaro, all Democrats and new Senate members, wanted to serve on the energy and public utilities committee, which seats only three Democrats. Read More...

From the 12/22/06 Dispatch: DEATH OF A BILL It was just too much for the legislature Friday, December 22, 2006 James Nash THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Sorry, pawpaws. Too bad, bullfrogs. And in perhaps the unkindest snub of all: Better luck next year, Ohio veterans. The pawpaw fruit, bullfrogs, tomatoes, the Buckeye Trail, the Great Serpent Mound and veterans all lost a chance for official recognition during the chaotic twilight of the 126 th Ohio General Assembly this week. Blame it on a pawpaw-tomato rivalry, a smear campaign that cast bullfrogs as carnivorous predators or the sheer volume of legislation moving through the House and Senate this week in sessions that stretched into pre-dawn hours. Whatever the cause, the Senate failed to act on a 65-part bill passed by the House last week that would have designated an official state fruit and native fruit, amphibian, state trail, effigy mound, children’s author and dozens of other titles. Read More...

From the 12/20/06 Dispatch: Campaign-finance bill hits snag with provision on unions Wednesday, December 20, 2006 James Nash and Jim Siegel THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Officeholders who receive significant donations from labor unions would be disqualified from voting on labor contracts under a last-minute addition to a campaign-finance bill proposed by Ohio Senate Republicans last night. By treating unions the same as companies that build schools, pave roads and provide consulting services, Republicans insisted that they are attempting to curb fundraising influences on the contracting process regardless of the donor. The bill passed the Senate’s Rules Committee last night 7-4 on a party-line vote with all Democrats opposed. It was headed to the full Senate and House, both of which are controlled by Republicans, after press time last night Read More...

Where the hell would they put a new arena?

Over-the-Rhine Housing Network is working on a rehab of 530 E Thirteenth St. In fact, they've been working on this for quite a while. The property is a two-family built around 1885. I'm not sure if this will be market-rate or rental housing. Model Management should be starting soon on a total renovation of 1344 Vine St. I don't know how many units will result. 1518 Race St was supposed to be razed, but I'm not sure if it's down yet. The building was condemened and has been vacant since at least 2003. Bricks and boards (from windows) were falling off of the building and it was deemed a danger.

From the 12/30/06 Newark Advocate: New official: Pataskala has potential Administrator says city must find balance between new, old By CHAD KLIMACK Advocate Reporter PATASKALA -- Pataskala's new city administrator thinks the western Licking County community is poised for great things. Tim Boland, who starts his job Tuesday, said Pataskala has "tremendous potential." "I think the community is at a great point in its development," Boland said. "I guess the challenge we have is to manage the growth." The Pataskala City Council voted in early December to hire Boland. At the time, he was working as economic development director of Delaware County. Boland replaces Jim Koshmider, who resigned in June. Aside from overseeing economic development strategies in Delaware County for eight years, Boland previously served as planning and zoning administrator of Perrysburg. He also spent time as Powell's planning and zoning administrator. Full story at http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061230/NEWS01/612300317/1002/rss01

From the 1/5/07 Enquirer: Housing project gets go-ahead Arcadia in Alexandria concerns some BY SCOTT WARTMAN | [email protected] ALEXANDRIA - An anticipated surge of residents in southern Campbell County in the next 10 years has some residents eager while others brace for the growth. Driving much of the future influx will be a 916-unit housing development with townhomes, condos, single-family homes, parks and lakes to be built off U.S. 27 behind a car dealership across from Alexandria Village Shopping Center. Alexandria City Council night unanimously approved the annexation of 260 acres and a zone change Thursday night to allow for the joint development by Drees Co. and Fischer Homes known as Arcadia. MORE: http://news.nky.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070105/NEWS0103/701050392 From the 1/10/07 Enquirer: Golf course may be sold to developer Officials considering change in Hillview zoning status BY CLIFF RADEL | [email protected] GREEN TWP. - Better not delay booking a tee time at Hillview Golf Course. The 90-acre, par-71 on Wesselman Road could one day be replaced by a housing development. "A developer is exploring his options," said Paul Macke, co-owner of the family-run course and son of its founder, the late Robert Macke. "We are going to be open for the 2007 season," Macke said. "In fact, with this mild weather, we're open right now." He would not predict whether the course would be open for golf in 2008. The developer is Towne Properties. The Mount Adams-based company has an option to buy Hillview if the necessary zoning changes can be obtained. MORE: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070110/NEWS01/701100353/1056/COL02 From the 12/25/06 Cincinnati Business Courier: Home builder sets sights on office space Cincinnati Business Courier - December 22, 2006 by Laura Baverman Although known for his custom luxury homes, Camden Homes founder Dutch Cambruzzi is banking on commercial development in 2007. He'll break ground on $16 million worth of office space in January, in areas he calls "niche in-fill." The first is a 30,000-square-foot office building on Cornell Road, visible from Interstate 275. Called Northpointe, the site is just off Montgomery Road in Sycamore Township, which falls in a zone with no earnings tax. The second, called Greenridge, will total 75,000 square feet and will be built on Ridge Road at its intersection with Interstate 71. It's an $11 million project, and its Columbia Township location also has no earnings tax. MORE: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/12/25/newscolumn2.html

From ThisWeek Licking County, 12/24/06: River Road Granville wants revenue estimates on annexation Sunday, December 24, 2006 By LORI WINCE, [email protected] ThisWeek Staff Writer Granville Village officials are trying to determine how much the village would have to pay to extend services to 85 acres on River Road that could be annexed from Granville Township into the village. During a joint meeting of the village's planning and zoning committee and the economic, finance and personnel committee Dec. 19, village officials also requested figures on the amount of revenue that development could produce for the village. Several property owners are requesting the village split the cost of extending utilities to the land and help building a road that would connect the area to state Route 37 farther north of the existing intersection of River Road and 37. Rodger Kessler of the Kessler Sign Co. of Zanesville, is one of the property owners' representatives. He said Dec. 19 that the total estimated cost of extending water and sewer lines and building the road could be $2-million. He said property owners are requesting the village pay $1.4-million of that. Full story at http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061220/NEWS01/612200314/1002/rss01

From the 1/25/07 Sun: From trailers to offices Hospital to build at site of former mobile home park Thursday, January 25, 2007 By Kim Guffey The Sun NORTH RIDGEVILLE The former site of a dilapidated trailer park will soon hold a myriad of medical offices. Fairview Hospital announced plans to build a 20,000-square-foot, two-story building on Lorain Road near Interstate 480. The hospital is affiliated with Cleveland Clinic, and a variety of services are planned for the new facility, including family practices, internal medicine and obstetricians, as well as on-site imaging and laboratory services. Until last fall, a portion of the property housed 16 trailers as Gibson's Mobile Home Park. Residents found out in March that former owner Bill Gardner sold the property and they had four to six months to get out. Gardner sold the three-acre property to North Hero Land Co. owned by Gardner's daughter, Megan for $300,000, according to county auditor records. Developers of the new project are Sean Brady and Bob Campana or Brady-Cam, which previously worked with Fairview Hospital to develop a primary care site at Avon Pointe in Avon. http://www.cleveland.com/sun/sun/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1169747007227960.xml&coll=3