buildingcincinnati

From ThisWeek Clintonville, 3/22/07: Homeless told to leave camp near Indianola Thursday, March 22, 2007 By RANDY NAVAROLI ThisWeek Staff Writer A Norfolk Southern Railway official has served an informal eviction notice to the residents of a small homeless camp near the intersection of Indianola Avenue and Morse Road in Clintonville. Two tents, food, clothes, and scattered beer cans litter the site on the east side of the railroad tracks near I-71 where at least two homeless men have set up camp. Clintonville Area Commissioner Dave Southan visited the site March 14 with Columbus Division of Police liaison officer Chris Riley. ... http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/032207/Clintonville/News/032207-News-324354.html

From SNP Newspapers, 3/14/07: Homelessness on the decline, shelter board leaders say But the number of single women who don't have a home is on the rise. By JENNIFER WRAY For the second year, the Community Shelter Board has captured the picture of homelessness in Central Ohio. The 2006 Community Report on Homelessness: A Snapshot was released last week. It states the number of people experiencing homelessness has declined from its high eight years ago, but demand for emergency shelter and supportive housing services remains strong. ... http://www.snponline.com/NEWS3-14/3-14_allfchomeless.html

Link contains a photo. From the 2/1/07 Dispatch: MANDATED ANNUAL SURVEY Volunteers canvass city to make homeless count Thursday, February 01, 2007 Rita Price THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH He didn't bundle up in layers, wear thick gloves or pay much deference to the 14-degree morning. Prowling dark, frigid city streets at 4 a.m. is not a novel experience for Brian Hall. Only now he's on the other end of the flashlight, peering inside the tarp-and-cardboard camps that house, and hide, central Ohio's homeless. ... http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/02/01/20070201-B1-04.html

Link contains photos. From the 5/15/07 Blade: Big retailers bypass Woodville Mall environs By JON CHAVEZ BLADE BUSINESS WRITER The Woodville Mall in Northwood is up for sale, and it is surrounded by plenty of vacant space. But retailers are bypassing Woodville Road near the mall, many of them in favor of Navarre Avenue in Oregon. Among companies making that choice are Meijer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and recently, Menards. The mall area did attract one new retailer, Steve & Barry's University Sportswear, which moved in last fall. Read More...

Link contains a photo. From the 4/4/07 Blade: Owners of 2 1/2 years list Woodville Mall for sale By JON CHAVEZ BLADE BUSINESS WRITER Woodville Mall, metro Toledo's only enclosed shopping center east of the Maumee River, is for sale, and its marketing agent suggests that it could change to offices or even a complex with baseball and soccer fields. The owners of the struggling mall, Californians Jack Kashani and Sammy Kahen, bought the site in 2004 for $2.5 million with plans to turn it around. But after doing little visible work toward redevelopment, they have listed it for sale, with no asking price cited. About 40 percent of the 794,000-square-foot complex is vacant. Its anchors are The Andersons, Sears, Elder-Beerman, and Fox Theaters. Read More...

From the 3/22/07 Blade: NORTHWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION Building standards for business district in works By ERIKA RAY BLADE STAFF WRITER Developers soon may have specific building standards to adhere to if they want to build within Northwood's central business district. The city's planning commission members will be completing their discussions regarding the architectural standards they'd like to see in the city's centralized downtown area, which most likely will include a stricter sign code. "We can't continue to have buildings go up without some sort of standards because [developers] are going to build whatever they want," City Administrator Pat Bacon said. "We want to be proud of our community. We want to be able to drive down Woodville Road and know it's a downtown." Read More...

From the 7/11/07 Urbana Daily Citizen: Shokouhi: 68 bypass 'still at a standstill' BREANNE PARCELS Staff Writer The future of the U.S. Route 68 proposed bypass is unclear, but Champaign County Engineer Fereidoun Shokouhi proposed a new strategy during the quarterly joint city-county meeting on Tuesday. "I hope to get our U.S. representative to champion our cause," he said. "We have done what we can do at the local level and at this point we're preaching to the choir." Shokouhi said the community needs to hold U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) and other elected officials accountable for their campaign promises because the state government has not been helpful. Read More...

From the 7/11/07 Dispatch: Airline's glitches not seen as serious Skybus resolving early problems with delays, food supply, experts say Wednesday, July 11, 2007 3:33 AM By Stories by Marla Matzer Rose THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Skybus Airlines said it is working on a range of problems that have spurred customer complaints, including flight delays and a shortage of food for sale. Airline officials admit the company has suffered some "growing pains" since beginning service May 22, spokesman Bob Tenenbaum said. More at: http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/business/stories/2007/07/11/skybus_glitch.ART_ART_07-11-07_C8_V278HV9.html

From the 7/11/07 Newark Advocate: PHOTO: The Captain Scott House sits in a field in north Alexandria. Morgan Wonorski, The Advocate County foundation aids Scott House work For The Advocate ALEXANDRIA -- The Licking County Foundation has awarded $12,900 to support the relocation expenses of the Captain Scott House in Alexandria. The grant, awarded to the Licking County Historical Society, will pay for expenses of the basement and associated work needed for the initial stabilization of the house in its new location on the west edge of the village. "The Licking County Historical Society has supported our effort to save the house from the very beginning." said Donna Herring, chair of the Friends of Captain Scott committee of the non-profit Alexandria Community Council, the group that organized the house's move. The house was built circa 1870 for Joseph M. Scott, an outspoken abolitionist and prominent farmer and local historian who earned his captainship in the Civil War. A classic example of the Victorian Italianate architectural style, the home was built on a grand scale and includes a hand-carved spiral staircase. For more information, visit www.CaptainScottHouse.org. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070711/NEWS01/707110328/1002/rss01

Link contains a photo. From the 7/11/07 Western Hills Press: Sayler Park school planning for change BY HEIDI FALLON | [email protected] SAYLER PARK - Gary Vale may be enjoying retirement by the time renovations to Sayler Park Elementary School are complete. Vale, who has been the principal at the school for the last 15 years, said the building is on the Cincinnati Public School facility plan renovation list targeted for work in the next two years. http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/C2/20070711/NEWS01/707110307/ From the 7/11/07 Enquirer: Grant expands to more sites THE ENQUIRER Eight more schools within Cincinnati Public Schools will share $3.4 million in federal grant money over the next five years to create after-school and summertime programs, the district announced. The eight will join seven other schools already in the Community Learning Center program. The YMCA of Greater Cincinnati helps administer the programs. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070711/NEWS0102/707110344/

Art As Development Covington looks to artists for urban renewal BY Margo Pierce | Posted 07/11/2007 The city of Covington is trying to make it easier for artists to mix paint, wedge clay, practice scales, choreograph dances, craft dialogue for the stage or string together paragraphs for a chapter in a novel. Plans are underway for the development of a new arts district, the Artisan's Enterprise Center. A clearinghouse for information for and about local artists, the space will also include a gallery, workshop area and meeting rooms. (For an early report on the arts district plans, see "The Art of Urban Pioneering," issue of Aug. 30, 2006.) The center, located in a gritty part of a decaying urban community, will help connect artists with unconventional buy/rehab loans to renovate cheap warehouses and other run-down buildings to create spaces where they can work and live. To draw artists to the area, local government has already designated the qualifying neighborhoods, prepared the zoning and is organizing a host of other services to help make this artist relocation program a success. Read full article here: http://citybeat.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=140189

From BG News, 7/11/07: Demolition plans move forward By: Amanda Hoover Issue date: 7/11/07 Section: Campus In case it wasn't obvious already, the newly erected fence around Saddlemire Student Services building should make it clear to all that the building is coming down. Recently, the University accepted bids from three contractors to carry out the demolition of the building. MORE: http://www.bgnews.com/media/storage/paper883/news/2007/07/11/Campus/Demolition.Plans.Move.Forward-2922382.shtml

From the 7/11/07 Youngstown Vindicator: Society wants to name bridge after educator Renaming the bridge would 'keep the McGuffey legacy alive,' a historian says. By PETER H. MILLIKEN VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER YOUNGSTOWN — Noted educator William Holmes McGuffey is going to be honored once again. The designation of a bridge that spans Crab Creek and connects the city's North and East sides as the William Holmes McGuffey Memorial Bridge would be a fitting tribute to the 19th century educator whose readers were standard textbooks in American schools for many decades, according to the president of the historical society that bears McGuffey's name. "He literally educated millions of illiterate people," said Richard Scarsella, president of the William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society, whose membership includes 10 McGuffey descendants. http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/304321353258362.php Residents keep heat on board Warren Tribune Chronicle, 7/10/07 About 100 people gathered in Courthouse Square Monday once again rallying for equality on both sides of the city and urging the Warren Board of Education to keep promises made when the bond issue passed. All 100 present signed letters addressed to Gov. Ted Strickland, which called for an investigation into the board’s spending of taxpayer dollars, said Darryl Parker, a west-side resident who circulated the letters. Warren Tribune Chronicle: Soil debate raged for nearly a year (7/8/07) Council trying to replace old school Youngstown Vindicator, 7/10/07 After years of discussion, city officials are trying to move closer to replacing the old North Avenue School building with a second facility for senior citizens. Members of council gave a first reading to legislation that would authorize the service director to enter into a contract with Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority and Dr. Chander Kohli, current property owner, for the demolition of the run-down school building on North Avenue. Austintown to OK zone change Youngstown Vindicator, 7/7/07 Township trustees are expected to pass a zoning change this month for about seven houses that are surrounded by business and industrial properties. The lots, on the west side of Lexington Place off Mahoning Avenue, remained residential while those on the east side were zoned business.

Link contains a photo. From the 7/11/07 ABJ: ART LOVERS RAISE $44.3 MILLION Museum exceeds goal for building Director praises Akron's leadership in culture By Elaine Guregian Beacon Journal arts and culture writer Standing in the light-filled glass lobby of the new Akron Art Museum, Director Mitchell Kahan announced Tuesday that fundraisers have exceeded their goal for the museum. Kahan told media representatives that $44.3 million has been raised, including $35 million for the building and the remainder for an operating endowment fund. Sitting next to the 1899 post office building where the Akron Art Museum's contemporary art collection has been shown until now, Akron's first art museum specifically built for that purpose has risen. Maybe "risen'' isn't dramatic enough. With a 300-foot "roof cloud'' extending like steel wings over the building, the museum looks as if it's about to take off. That's by design of its architect, Wolf Prix of the Viennese firm Coop Himmelb(l)au. "We are the architects of no gravity. We know how to fly,'' Prix said in a conversation on Tuesday at the museum. "The wing is a symbol for flight.'' Full story at http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/visual_arts/17480351.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_news

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From the 7/11/07 Sandusky Register: PHOTO: Large columns are ready to be placed into the expansion portion of the Kalahari Resort in Huron Township. Register photo/JASON WERLING PHOTO: Waterslide parts are scattered throughout a front section of land at the Kalahari Resort in Huron Township. Register photo/JASON WERLING PHOTO: Kalahari Resorts Chief Operating Officer Josef Haas stands next to a half section of a water slide outside the Sandusky water park Tuesday afternoon. Register photo/JASON WERLING PHOTO: A glass roof that is almost complete will let the sun in, but stop ultraviolet rays in the indoor waterpark expansion at Kalahari. The view is from what will be a second-floor tanning platform in the park. Register photo/JASON WERLING Kalahari expansion ahead of schedule By JANET NGUYEN | Wednesday July 11 2007, 11:59am HURON TWP. People eager to splish and splash in the soon-to-be largest waterpark in the country might not have to wait too long. "We're ahead of schedule," said Josef Haas, chief operating officer for Kalahari Resorts. ... http://www.sanduskyregister.com/articles/2007/07/11/front/336104.txt

I've been hearing that the building on the corner could possibly be saved, at least as a shell. It was by far the best of the buildings, though the loss of one is too many. For those who aren't from the area, here's a pic. The turreted building is still standing. Those between that building and the large white building are a pile of rubble. Here's today's Enquirer coverage. There are a bunch of photos and some video there. Both from the 7/11/07 Enquirer: PHOTO: At least 70 Cincinnati firefirefighters battled a blaze Tuesday night at the Cincinnati Costume Co. at 2724 W. McMicken Ave. in University Heights. The plume of smoke could be seen for miles. The Enquirer/Glenn Hartong PHOTO: Erik Taylor of Price Hill with Ron Taylor Repair measures a door opening for plywood at the Cincinnati Costume Company in University Heights Wednesday morning. The Enquirer/Glenn Hartong PHOTO GALLERIES * Photos: Fire in University Heights * Photos: Costume company gutted * Video: Fire destroys warehouse Fire damage: $500,000 BY WILLIAM A. WEATHERS AND QUAN TRUONG UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS - A five-alarm fire that gutted the Cincinnati Costume Co. caused more than $500,000 in damage and destroyed “about 20 years of blood, sweat and tears,’’ owner Caren Young said. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070711/ENT/70711006/

From the 7/11/07 Newark Advocate: Buckeye Lake OKs large development By JEN SCHERER Advocate Reporter BUCKEYE LAKE -- Although most people agree The Landings of Maple Bay will be an asset to Buckeye Lake, some residents object to plans for the bridge and temporary road that building the homes will necessitate. More than 30 people filled the chairs and stood at the back of the room as the Buckeye Lake Planning and Zoning Commission discussed whether to approve the largest housing development in village history Tuesday. Over objections of residents who felt the issue should be tabled, commissioners unanimously approved development plans with a number of contingencies. The development will include 176 condominium units and, later, a large number of single-family homes that will be known as The Residences of Maple Bay. Read more at http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070711/NEWS01/707110307/1002/rss01

From the 7/11/07 Dispatch: Police study fuels debate on force size Wednesday, July 11, 2007 3:39 AM By Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Mayor Michael B. Coleman has new ammunition in an election-year debate over whether Columbus has enough police: a federal study showing that the city has added officers at a far quicker rate than others. But hiring hasn't quite kept up with population growth, according to the U.S. Department of Justice report, and union officials say statistics don't reflect reality in the Columbus Division of Police. The study from the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, a quadrennial census of police agencies nationwide, shows that Columbus expanded its force by 1.9 percent from 2000 to 2004. That's nearly twice the national average for all police forces, and much better than big-city forces, which shrank overall by 1.7 percent. Among the nation's 50 biggest departments, Columbus ranked 23rd with 1,777 officers in 2004, the Department of Justice said. Since 2004, Columbus has continued to add police. The city budget calls for 1,909 officers to be on the rolls by the end of 2007. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/07/11/morecops.ART_ART_07-11-07_A1_HL78JLH.html

From the 7/11/07 Hamilton JournalNews: County planners reject land use changes Issue goes before Fairfield Twp. zoning commission next week. By Tim Tresslar, Eric Schwartzberg Staff Writers Wednesday, July 11, 2007 HAMILTON — A proposed rezoning of 187 acres in Fairfield Twp., ensnared in a legal battle for more than a year, was rejected Tuesday by the Butler County Planning Commission. However, the commission's unanimous rebuff of zoning changes proposed for two parcels located at the northwest corner of Hamilton-Mason Road and Bypass Ohio 4 doesn't end the issue. The changes are scheduled to go before the township's zoning commission for consideration July 18. Graceworks Lutheran Services wants to rezone a 76-acre parcel currently zoned as a residential planned-unit development to multi-family housing. It also wants zoning for a neighboring 111-acre parcel changed from business planned unit development to general business use. The county's planning staff had recommended that the county planning commission reject the changes because they go against the current land-use plan for the property. However, Michael McNamee, an attorney representing Graceworks and developer Oberer Cos., said his clients are negotiating a possible out-of-court settlement with the township and Hamilton to end legal wrangling over the property. He said the proposed agreement calls for the commercial acreage to operate under a tax-increment financing agreement, a joint-economic development agreement and zoning rules. All these factors would help control the property's future development, McNamee said. Michael Rahall, township administrator, read a letter to the commission expressing the township's support for the proposed zoning changes. After the meeting, he said the proposed changes are consistent with current zoning because they still will be earmarked for residential and business uses. "It's not a use change," he said. Following a Fairfield Twp. trustees meeting Tuesday night, Rahall said the planning commission turned down the zoning request with the township's best interests in mind. "They felt that because it was such a large parcel, that the township deserved some protection as far as what was going to be there and how it was going to be developed," Rahall said. The property has been tied up in litigation since April 2006, when Graceworks sued Hamilton and the township for the right to seek annexation into the city. Earlier this year, now-retired Butler County Common Pleas Judge Matthew Crehan ruled Graceworks could request annexation. Graceworks has not filed such a request. The township has appealed the decision and the 12th District Court of Appeals in Middletown will hear oral arguments Aug. 13 in the case. Rahall said he hopes a settlement can be reached before the appeals process begins. Graceworks officials declined to say what might be developed on the site. "We don't have any definitive plans for the property, pending the outcome of litigation and the zoning process," said Larry Ramey, spokesman for Graceworks. Fairfield Twp. Trustee Joe McAbee said the Butler County Engineer's Office already hosted a meeting between township officials, Vandercar Holdings and Oberer Land Developers to work out preliminary infrastructure improvements on the site. "If the township is going to be involved in it, it's going to be something that's good for the whole region," McAbee said. In November 2005, Vandercar Holdings nixed plans to develop the site for a 207,000-square-foot Meijer store. The township's zoning commission approved the plan in the summer of 2005 and scheduled a hearing, but Vandercar submitted a letter to township officials withdrawing its plans without explanation. In late June, trustees hand-delivered a proposal to Hamilton officials that, if agreed upon, would forbid most annexations and allow both entities to equally divide tax revenue from specific commercial properties. Hamilton City Council is expected to respond to the proposal this week. http://www.journal-news.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/07/11/hjn071107planning.html From the 7/11/07 Oxford Press: City, Oxford Twp. discuss thoroughfare plan Council to hear first reading of plan Tuesday. By Sean Strader Staff Writer Friday, July 13, 2007 With the controversial Thoroughfare Plan on its way to Oxford City Council, a number of issues with the plan were raised at a joint work session between council and the Oxford Twp. Trustees Tuesday. The two governing bodies met before the first reading of an ordinance to adopt the plan goes to council on Tuesday, July 17. Trustee Larry Frimerman said that while the trustees supported Oxford having a plan for future roadways, there were concerns with a "loop road" that extended into the township. The west side connector would potentially link U.S. 27 from south of town to College Corner Pike, connecting from there to Brown Road. "We believe it actually would contribute to sprawl," Frimerman said. "It has set off a lot of unwarranted fears about what may be coming down the road." Frimerman urged council to table that part of the plan and engage in more discussion about other options while the city and township work on their comprehensive plans. "Delay consideration of the loop road until we go through our planning process and can work through whatever issues we have," Frimerman said. "Have your first phase be within Oxford and the next phase be within the areas that connect up." Vice Mayor Prue Dana said council would discuss these proposals at the July 17 meeting and possibly come up with "a mutual timeframe" to deal with the contentious parts of the plan. However, Councilman Dave Prows said taking links off the west side connector would not make sense from a planning perspective. "I would ask how one would incorporate one key parcel of ground and only plan for that parcel of road and then stop," Prows said. "Without this plan, ... when annexations come we cannot express our desire as to where to put the roads." Trustee Gary Salmon said that many township residents were also alarmed because the plan indicated the road corridors as lines of dots that, in some cases bisected properties. "When they saw the lines on the maps, it was a reaction where they thought the bulldozers were coming next week ... but not all of these are going to be built." Councilman Ken Bogard said that population projections showed that some growth may be coming to Oxford in the next 20 years, so planning for areas that might be developed soon is crucial. "We need to get away from the concept of 'not in my backyard,' " Bogard said. "We have to look at it from the perspective of the entire region." Councilman Alan Kyger said it troubled him when the west side connector is referred to as a "bypass" because it would be built for providing access to developments if the city limits expand in the future, Kyger said. "At one point Locust Street and Sycamore street were our bypasses," Kyger said, "It's a way to get from one side of town to the other side of town." Contact this reporter at (513) 523-4139 or [email protected]. http://www.oxfordpress.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/07/11/op071307trustees.html

From the 7/11/07 Enquirer: County approves bonds for church expansion BY BRENNA R. KELLY | [email protected] The Vineyard Christian Church will get a little help to grow from Boone County. The Fiscal Court approved $2.8 million in industrial revenue bonds to help finance construction of a classroom building at the church at the intersection of Camp Ernst and Pleasant Valley roads. "These are not obligations of the county," said attorney Ian Koffler. "The county is only acting as a conduit to provide a benefit for the church so that they can obtain a lower interest rate." Read more here: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070711/NEWS0103/707110372/

From the 7/11/07 DDN: Accounting error forced Antioch's hand A cash flow analysis last fall found a $5 million 'hole' in the school's finances, forcing trustees to close the facility. By Stephanie Irwin Gottschlich Staff Writer Wednesday, July 11, 2007 YELLOW SPRINGS — Accounting irregularities in Antioch University finances discovered by a recently hired chief financial officer led to Antioch College's projected $10 million deficit, which forced the board of trustees' decision to close the college in July 2008. A cash flow analysis, conducted after financial officer Tom Faecke found a "five-million dollar hole" shortly after he was hired in fall, revealed the university system faced bankruptcy by 2008, board vice chair Dan Fallon confirmed Tuesday. Fallon first made the statements Monday night, when he met with alumni at a New York City chapter meeting. His statements were a topic again Tuesday night at a town hall meeting in Yellow Springs. Nearly 200 village residents, alumni, staff and faculty, crammed into a hot and steamy church hall, criticized the trustees' decision and previous financial arguments for the decision to close the college. Full story at http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/07/11/ddn071107antiochmeet.html

From the 7/11/07 Marietta Times: Real estate company buys former Ormet rolling mill facility By Evan Bevins, [email protected] A new company has purchased Ormet’s former Hannibal rolling mill facility and property and plans to hire about 30 people for a steel plate storage and distribution operation there. Hannibal Real Estate LLC was formed specifically to purchase the plant, said Bob Schaal, one of the company’s owners. The portion of the facility and property not used in the steel operation likely will be leased to other companies, he said. ... http://www.mariettatimes.com/news/story/new77_7112007101402.asp

From the 7/11/07 Marion Star: Tiger Ethanol LLC's pollution control public hearing will be held Aug. 28 Marion Star Staff Report COLUMBUS - A public hearing on Tiger Ethanol LLC's request for an air pollution control permit-to-install for the ethanol production facility it plans to build in Marion County will be held Aug. 28. The hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Marion Harding High School, said Dina Pierce, spokeswoman for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. More at: http://www.marionstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070711/NEWS01/707110314/1002

From the 7/11/07 Wilmington News Journal: Wilmington City Schools OKs agreement with DHL ROB PEIRCE Staff writer The Wilmington City Schools Board of Education approved a tax abatement agreement with DHL at its regular meeting on June 29. The board will be financially harmless in the agreement, Superintendent Philip E. Warner said. The approval was part of an agreement with the state when DHL relocated to Wilmington, Warner said. More at: http://www.wnewsj.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=156689&SectionID=49&SubSectionID=156