AndrewN

This was a hypothetical exercise that was done to discuss how different places affect neighborhoods. There is no real discussion about this; I'm assuming that you just got done discussing this with Auffrey. What a great example of how rumors can take on a life of their own.

I read in Cheryl's post a concern about connecting downtown with areas up on the hills using streetcars because streetcars don't have the ability to go up the hills. Doesn't San Fransisco have a streetcar system built largely on hills?

Spot on! In Ohio's case, it has a lot more to do with the populist, leveling policies of Jim Rhodes than it did with any reaction to Sputnik. Until the mid-1950s, Ohio State was the only public university allowed by law (Eagleson Bill of 1906) to offer doctoral education or conduct basic research. While population growth and the post-war boom in higher education certainly dictated that those restrictions be eased, what followed in the 1960s under Rhodes and the first higher education chancellor (Millett) was a completely unregulated system where every regional state college was allowed to indulge their institutional egos and chase the dream of becoming a "research university." To name just one ridiculous example, Ohio's public universities offer 9 Ph.D programs in history. Six are ranked in the bottom third nationally, and only Ohio State's is has a national ranking. Not only is the system utterly redundant and ridiculous, siphoning off funds that could be better spent on the stronger programs but the mass of unnecessary doctoral programs draws money away from the undergraduate subsidy resulting in Ohio ranking 47th in the affordability of its public universities. Undoing this mess of a system the was created under Rhodes is one of the primary goals of the higher education restructuring that Strickland is attempting. The Plain Dealer put it best in their editorial on the subject when they stated, Keep in mind that UC offered doctoral programs and did research back in the fifties and before. UC wasn't a public University in Ohio at that time. It was city university. Because of its storng history as a research institution, it should retain its doctoral programs.

Minzer Park is more of an example of the new urbanism movement vs a life style center. A life style center focuses on the retail mix and being an open air shopping center. Rookwood and Stone Creek centers in Cincinnati are considered lifestyle centers. I would argue that neither meet the deliberate creation of an urban village like Minzer Park. New urbanism blends a life style center with a large residential/office component creating a viable place to live work and play similar to what downtowns provided before the retail left. I would enjyo seeing more new urbanism developments like Minzer park or Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. The plaza in Kansas city is the oldest such develoment. It was built in 1923.

As an avid reader of this forum, I have a concern about the posting of copyrighted articles. Are the forum participants getting permission to post the full artcicles from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Business Courier, ect. I would hate for one of these papers to shut the forum down because of copyright violations. It other cities, participants post the links to the articles in the forum. I could see the Business Courier having a fit if they new articles were posted on Friday from the paper when only those with subscriptions are to have full access to reading them. I just want this forum to continue without any worries about operating legally.

I am concerned about the idea of having commercial units on the first floor of every building that gets built. It is not practical. You end up with a bunch of empty offices/retail. It you look at big cities, they have specific areas that have commericial spaces in first floor buildings (i.e. Michigan Ave or State Street in Downtown Chicago). Those areas are surrounded by office or residential buildings that have no retail on the first floor or very limited retail. The important thing in any urban planning is to have desireable commercial space balanced with residential. too much commcercial space and you can end up with a bunch of empty windows which would make a street look dismal as you walk down the sidewalk.

Is this a joke? I don't think that the county will ever build a light rail system that runs along I-74. They can't even build a jail. There is no demand for this light rail system. Seriously, traffic is a problem and there is no easy solution. Given the terrain, Rybolt would be almost impossible to widen all the way from Taylor to Harrison. It will be interesting to see how the new turn lanes will work out. Have you seen how they dig into the hills here to build everything else??? Terrain is NOT an issue.

I guess you have never seen multitudes of college students text messaging each other while they are standing just a few feet away from each other. I think the definition of real life interaction has changed. The TV creates "Myspace" opportunity for new generations.

Rybolt between Harrison and Wesselman needs at least two lanes going each way. The only other option is to develop light rail from Rybolt to downtown. I would walk to a light rail station to avoid the traffic here. I will ever ride a bus---I have seen how those drivers drive.

Actually, it is a two story retail office complex. That doesn't mean retail will go into it---look across the street where Coldwell banker took up the whole strip center and uses it for offices. The condo complex is done. Now then if you drive way back on Ruwe's oak, you will see another condo complex and another housing subdivision being built that will make you squeemish.

Are there some more current statistics that can be used? A lot has changed since 2001.

I am not sure how you can say they are having trouble with th owner occupied units. It seems they are selling. I know several poeple who have moved down there recently. Are they selling like a hot cakes no--but it is not as if none are selling. The people I know who live down there are very happy. Drees has been doing well with this project since they took it over. I know they are getting ready to build a building that has 9 more of the largest floor plan with 4 of those under contract.

There are several units from the Betts-Longworth neighborhood on the MLS but very few from City West. Drees is being fairly conservative and only building as they have demand. The good news is they keep building.

I got an e-mail last week saying their were breaking ground on my building this week ( finally!!!). As they build, I will take picturesto post.

Public funds are necessary to build the garages which are controlled by the county. The buildings will be built on top of the garages which will serve as the foundation. The development does not get the proceeds from the garages. They have not asked for public funds for the buildings themeslves as far as I know.

The prices start at 160,000 - 225,500 depending on the size and model. The price would go up as you customize. We customized our home with hardwood flooring and mid-range cherry cabinetry plus some other odds and ends and we found the pricing to still be reasonable. I have found the most expensive are going for right around 250,000-260,000 and that is for the largest (the Morlein plan). I don't think the pricing is out of line at all. Currently you get a 15 year tax abatement which is a nice bonus.

Another aspect about the low-income housing in City-West: As a Hope IV project the applicants for the low income units must pass a criminal background check. What is being developed is a truly diverse mixed income neighborhood. I know some of my future neighbors in City-West work for UC, 5/3, and P&G. I will be living in one of the future buildings along Cutter.

I think it is important to consider the costs savings of operating in a semester system. You have one less term each year that requires billing, scheduling, planning, ect. Sure the initial switch over would have costs associated with it, but in the long run it could benefit students with more competitive tutition costs.

Isn't it a state law?

UMmmm.... Does the Freedom Center count as a culturally significant part of this development? If you haven't been, it is a very powerful museum.

Didn't Eisenmann design the Convention center in Columbus? It is also pastel colored which leads me to draw the conclusion that the DAAP building was built and painted/colored as designed.

I have a thought---I have noticed the reatiler H&M seems to be slowly moving Cincinnati's direction. They have stores in Indy, Columbus, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. They have opened stores in downtown areas. Could this be a youthful new store that would attract people to downtown? It seems plenty of retail space is being developed around fountain square that could accomodate this retailer. It would be unique to the Cincinnati area.

I will be moving in there! I just have to wait for my home to be built.

Because Von Maur is upscale and expanding. Nordstrom slowed it's expansion for awhile...that may have changed. Von Maur is building in Dayton so having a store in Cinicnnati soon is not to far out of the question.

I tend to disagree. I lived in KC for 4 years near the plaza. The number of residents in the plaza area of KC is subtantial with its number 10-20 story apartment and condo towers. Downtown KC continues to gain in residents with new condo towers. The plaza are continues to be a very strong business district that would rival if not surpass the uptown business district with the number of residents and employeees. The land area for the plaza is larger and more dense than uptown cincinnati . In between downtown and the plaza are numerous 10 story apartment buildings being renovated and numerous six-plex brownstones. None of the apartment buildings were vacant before the revonvations. KC may not have rowhouses but it does have dense housing in its core. The biggest difference between KC and Cincinnati is that the area between downtown and the second business district in KC is not full of vacant buildings like OTR. My hope is that recient efforts change this for OTR. I think both cities can and should have light rail transit.