buildingcincinnati

Deadline for Wyoming house extended Building Cincinnati, 10/9/07 517 Oak Avenue Due to a lack of interest in the initial bid offering, the City of Wyoming has extended its deadline for the purchase and removal of a historic home near its business district. The original bid deadline of July 31 yielded no takers for the house at 517-519 Oak Avenue. City council decided to extend the deadline at their September 17 meeting. The two-story frame house was built in 1875 and is an example of the city's working-class housing from its time as a railroad suburb. The City purchased the property from Marcella Boland in August 2006 for $80,000. City Council authorized the demolition of the house on June 18 but, following the advice of local preservation experts, created a six-month window to get the property sold and moved. The city will consider selling it for as low as $1 and may even consider donating it to a historic preservation organization if that organization can finance the move. The lot, which is between Sturkey's and the Safety Services Building, will be used to expand the adjacent parking lots and Village Green Park. http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2007/10/deadline-for-wyoming-house-extended.html Vine and Erkenbrecher resolution passes Building Cincinnati, 10/9/07 City Council has passed unanimously a resolution declaring the City's intent to acquire portions of six properties along the eastern side of Vine Street for the Vine Street Improvement Project. The $4.6 million project will rebuild Vine Street between Nixon and Erkenbrecher avenues. A major portion of the job will be the realignment of the Vine-Erkenbrecher intersection. Other work includes the widening of Vine Street to five lanes with a continuous left-turn lane, and new curbs, sidewalks, trees, lighting and traffic signals. Curb lanes will be bike-friendly. Land to be appropriated includes portions of the following*: * 3250 Vine St: 20,258 square feet of 16.66 acres (4 parcels) * Vine St: 1,546 square feet of 0.419 acres (1 parcel)** * 15 Erkenbrecher Ave: 195 square feet of 0.173 acres (1 parcel) The project is funded by a $2.61 million Ohio Public Works Commission grant and City capital funds. Work will begin next spring and should be completed by December 2008. * Source: Hamilton County Auditor records ** Parcel ID 103-0001-0138-00 http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2007/10/vine-and-erkenbrecher-resolution-passes.html

Northside HOME photo update, 10/4/07 Building Cincinnati, 10/9/07 Foundations are completed on the HOME project in Northside. The Cincinnati Northside Community Urban Revelopment Corporation is building two LEED-certified, affordable single-family homes at the corner of Chase and Fergus streets. The homes will be sold for about $180,000 each. The architect was S. Flavio Espinoza, with assistance from Northside resident and architect Alice Emmons. They should be completed by mid-to-late December. http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2007/10/northside-home-photo-update-10407.html

I didn't mean to start a thing about it with my random comment, they just aren't my cup of tea and probably aren't to most people who frequent this board.

No, it was one where Marge and Homer kept trying to get away from the kids for some alone time but Bart and Lisa kept finding them. Marge and Homer told them that they were going to be staying in the Dayton Arms, and the kids watched the hotel get destroyed by a tornado on TV.

Neat-O. I need to go check that out.

I missed this question. I think those are supposed to be Golden Avenue Manor in Columbia Tusculum. However, those aren't sold out--all of them are still available.

It's going to be open during the Ultimate Tour of Urban Living: http://www.toururban.com/properties.html

Park Board may add to California Woods Building Cincinnati, 10/8/07 An ordinance authorizing the Park Board to add acreage to the California Woods Nature Preserve has been passed to the City's Finance Committee. The Park Board is seeking authorization to spend up to $200,000 from its Permanent Improvement Fund to purchase an undisclosed amount and location of acreage that is contiguous with the park. The price of the property is $275,000. To make the purchase, the Park Board plans to combine $184,000 it receives from the fund with $91,000 raised by private sources. The remaining $16,000 from the fund would be used for the demolition of two small structures and a trailhead to access the park's trail system. In the future, this property will have access to the Ohio River Bike Trail and the Little Miami Scenic River Bike Trail and will likely be used as a stopping point.* The California Woods Nature Preserve consists of 113 acres of forest, one acre of prairie, a nature center and miles of trails. The park is located at 5400 Kellogg Avenue. MAP OF CALIFORNIA WOODS (PDF) * Meaning that this property will likely be the strip of land at the northern part of the park, along Kellogg Avenue.

^ I think 1.1 million square feet. But that article wasn't very clear. :D Neville, I couldn't agree with you more. It's just a pain to get around practically anywhere in Colerain and Green townships.

Ugh. Back to nature.

Good news about the building, Michael. Free interior demo!

He noted how "the township is trying for economic development, trying for a higher standard of businesses and housing. But we have this stink. It can't continue." But you sure love their money.

They both started at 8 PM.

Cool, I may be needing it.

You can buy cheap in Forest Park or Springdale. But then you'd have to live in Forest Park or Springdale.

Man, this feels like SSP in 2004. Monte...where's that broom? Can you please sweep this conversation away! :D

I suppose no one called to have the UC game shown on the screen because they just sort of expected it. If I call and request that they show the Florida International vs. Lousiana-Lafayette game, does that mean they have to show it?

UrbanSurfin: There was a ton of stuff in the Blade about the fire. I would try doing a search on their website--they generally do a good job of providing related stories.

KJP for president! Then again, he seems too sensible to ever want a job like that.

I love it when montecarloss posts a photo and links of commonly known objects.

Ah, the old "Parking as a Birthright" argument. I knew we'd see it sooner or later. Missing from the story above (and maybe in an earlier or later edition of the story) is a (not so) veiled threat about "this is why companies are heading to the suburbs".

Pretty homes.

Council approves of parks master plan Building Cincinnati, 10/5/07 City Council has passed a resolution naming the Cincinnati Parks Centennial Master Plan as its guide for future decisions involving the City's parks. The master plan, which has been in the works for two years, represents a vision of the City's parks and greenspace for the next 20 years. The plan has already been approved by the Cincinnati Park Board. This is the second major piece of parks legislation this year. In June, the City passed an ordinance establishing a new zoning designation for park land which would protect it from being developed without a public hearing. http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2007/10/council-approves-of-parks-master-plan.html

UC begins fifth Habitat house Saturday Building Cincinnati, 10/5/07 Although the foundation is poured and some framing has begun, the University of Cincinnati's next build with Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity formally begins Saturday at 10 AM at 3570 Haven Street in Avondale. The new home is being built with future homeowner Simone Edwards, an employee at the Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services. Edwards has a three-year-old son named Myron and a one-year-old daughter named Simya. Edwards will put in 500 hours of sweat equity and will then be able to purchase a 25-year, interest-free mortgage made payable to Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity. The home will be built using Habitat's "Avon" model, which features 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths and a full basement. Construction will be completed next spring. This is the fifth build involving UC faculty and students, whose volunteer effort is steered by the university's Center for Community Engagement. The most recent project was dedicated on May 19, just down the street at 3556 Haven Street. UC also partnered on two homes on Winkler Street between 2003 and 2005 and on another home on Haven Street between 2005 and 2006. Habitat, in conjunction with local sponsors and homeowners, have built over 130 homes since 1986. http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2007/10/uc-begins-fifth-habitat-house-saturday.html

UPDATE: I'll be posting a couple of construction pics on my blog tomorrow morning. Northside HOME project to be first in nation Building Cincinnati, 10/5/07 S. Flavio Espinoza's "Suburban Loft" design Two new single-family homes at Chase and Fergus streets in Northside will be the first of their kind in the nation. The Cincinnati Northside Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (CNCURC) project is a result of David Brown's HOME House Project, a national design initiative aimed at providing well-designed, environmentally-friendly affordable housing. Brown launched the project at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem. In 2003, an open competition for the best design drew 400 entries from the United States and six other countries. Soon after, a travelling exhibit was arranged with the hope of teaming with local community development corporations in each city where the exhibit was hosted to build at least one of the designs. The Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, which hosted the local exhibit, chose to sponsor the CNCURC as its local development corporation. The Northside homes will be the first two HOME House Project designs to be completed in the nation. Five other designs have been chosen to be built in Winston-Salem and one has been chosen to be built in El Paso. This project is also one of the two projects in the City of Cincinnati participating in the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED pilot program. Construction began in late August. On September 6, the City hosted a ceremony celebrating the kickoff of Phase I of the Fergus Street Homeownership project and the beginning of the Northside Neighborhood Enhancement Initiative (Blitz). The design, by architect S. Flavio Espinoza, is called "Suburban Loft" and features a two-story stairway atrium and a butterfly-shaped roof with solar collectors to generate electricity. Espinoza worked alongside local Northside architect Alice Emmons to refine his design. Each home will be two stories and approximately 1,400 square feet in size. Each will include three bedrooms, two baths and a detached garage. The homes will cost $226,000 apiece to build but will likely be sold for around $180,000. The CNCURC plans to have the homes ready for sale by mid-to-late December. During construction, the CNCURC will be conducting instructional on-site tours about green building. To date, those participating in the tours include the USGBC, the American Institute of Architects and the Congress of Residential Architects. A third environmentally-friendly house, to be desiged by Alice Emmons and to be built at Chase Avenue and Mad Anthony Street, will round out Phase I. As a condition of CNCURC's construction loan with North Side Bank & Trust, construction on the third house will not begin until one of the HOME houses is sold. Current sponsors of the Northside HOME project are the City of Cincinnati, the Contemporary Arts Center, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, the MetLife Foundation, Pella, the Habegger Corporation, the Ed and JoAnn Hubert Family Foundation and an anonymous donor. The CNCURC is seeking more sponsors. The Fergus Street Homeownership Project was designed to boost homeownership and to stem the tide of foreclosures, vacancies and crime in the area bounded (roughly) by Pullan Avenue, Knowlton Street, Mad Anthony Street and Langland Street. Phase II of the project will be the acquisition and rehabilitation/demolition of 20 properties in the target area. The CNCURC purchased six of these properties from the City earlier this year for $1. Building Cincinnati is currently awaiting architectural sketches. Those will be posted as soon as the are received. Photos of the building site will be posted next week. WINDOWS LIVE BIRD'S EYE VIEW GOOGLE AERIAL MAP http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2007/10/northside-home-project-to-be-first-in.html