dglenn

isn't receivership another option for dealing with an unresponsive owner of a property that has become a public nuissance? my understanding was that if a complainant files a lawsuit, and the property owner doesn't comply with repair orders, the court can place the property in the hands of a receiver (typically a non-profit) for rehabilitation. anyone know anything about this?

right on...why is it that the city of Covington "gets it", and Cincinnati doesn't?

wonderful, two more historic buildings representative of our city's early industrial past going down the tubes...I wonder if we'll have much of anything left in the West End when it's all said and done. yes, I am bitter. I take it this is a buildings and inspections demo, for which there was a public hearing?

Vandercar is still one of the developers, right? to me, that's scary given what they did out in Oakley

Yeah, I actually don't think we should be in as great a hurry as we are...the site WILL get developed eventually, and I'd rather have it done right and finished in 7 years than shitty and done by 2008

you guys have probably already thought about this, but here's another thing to consider: downtown is prime real estate, particularly as condo activity there continues to push land values up. To build an institutional facility there has a big opportunity cost in the form of lost tax revenues for an already cash strapped city. Plus, no matter how well designed the place is, the perception of a jail alone will be enough to negatively affect surrounding property values. So economically speaking, I'm just not sure it makes sense. I agree that the design and density can be done in a contextual way, but I just don't know if that's enough

Wow, I'm so so glad to hear that! With the Quinliven report and now this, my faith in the power of normal everyday citizens to impact big decisions has been increased.

Oh, and don't get me started on the old school buildings (one dating from 1905) that are being torn down in Pleasant Ridge, my old neighborhood, to make room for the new school. The old buildings are the single most impressive piece of the built environment left in PR, and they're being torn down essentially because 40 moms got together and threw a fit to CPS about the school moving to Kennedy Heights. Where was the voice of the other 5,000 or so residents of the neighborhood?

I think this looks like a piece of shit. I don't know if any of you saw the design as it looked in 2003, but it was TONS better. The architects at least attempted to fit it into its context, and it was a fairly impressive structure. Then the project switched architects for some reason. Unfortunately none of those old renderings appears to be available anywhere for comparison. I hate this new design, but that's my historic preservation bias. I just feel that too much of the character that has helped spark investment in OTR in recent years is being destroyed....and my hypothesis is that all this demolition and modernist design is going to inhibit, rather than facilitate, economic development.

how about the idea of putting a 750 space parking garage next to Music Hall? Is that the type of old blending in with new that we want?

I'm just afraid those of us who love OTR could be in for some real shocks and disappointments in the near future...22 demolitions at Mercer Commons, a poorly designed school in their place, 5 demos at 12th and Race, several along Pleasant, several next to Music Hall, ANOTHER giant parking garage, a new SCPA that doesn't fit in whatsoever with the other architecture, a new "Music Hall Square", and the list may go on.

I have some real fears about what "Music Hall Square" could end up being...I'm really not a 3CDC hater, and don't want to be labelled as such, but WHY a 750 space garage ADJACENT to Music Hall?? It's a rhetorical question really, I mean I know what they would say the answer is...but I guess I just don't quite believe that that much parking is necessary to make development in OTR financially viable. I know they have their market studies, but places like Park Slope in New York and Beacon Hill in Boston should demonstrate that you don't HAVE to accommodate people's cars with garages in order to draw them to a place. And if they think they need 750 spaces, then what kind of retail development are they planning on? I can only fear it'll be some newfangled thing with chain stores.

Actually the police dept. released a report showing that calls to the police for various issues (which is a good proxy for level of crime) were something like 6 times higher at Mercer Commons than Washington Park and (I think) Rothenberg

Jimmy: Might I be able to use some of your digital photos of the Mercer Commons buildings? I have written an article relative to all the stuff that's going on to be posted on iRhine (www.irhine.com), and we need some pics. Yours are the only ones I know of. Let me know

the rumor is they're going to do some pretty extensive demolition along Pleasant street...but it could just be rumor

Damn, I missed the radio program...anyone call in, or know what happened?

the meeting last night at the school board went really well...a lot of us got up and spoke, and each speaker received plenty of applause. to my surprise, the board seemed genuinely interested and concerned with what we had to say. so we'll see what happens next. my only complaint is that today's enquirer article (http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050823/NEWS0102/508230332/1058/news01) written on the subject failed to address the issue of WPES and demolition at Mercer Commons, and spoke only to the issue of CPS selling its school buildings to commercial developers...this despite the fact that almost everyone who got up and spoke on the issue talked about demolition of 22 historic buildings.

The answer to your first question is yes, the existing buildings at the new SCPA site will be torn down. Now the question is, will 3CDC/SCPA be able to arrange for the transfer of the three properties on the NW corner, given that they are owned by the drop-in center. To my knowledge, this transfer is not a done deal...and without it, the SCPA school cannot be built -- well it COULD be built of course if they were innovative and found a way to integrate the buildings, but I'm pretty sure they want to occupy the WHOLE site.

I'll let you know when I get a second...but for now, does anyone know where in this forum Nick Spencer made his post about supporting the demolition at Mercer Commons?

BTW, if you come I am the 25 year old guy with braids in his hair

We're starting to get CPS's ear. We have been in contact with board members and the director of the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission. But we have not made a concerted effort yet to air our concerns and get CPS's attention. That's really what this meeting is the beginning of...we're trying to build as big a coalition as possible, and then FORCE them, through the power of an organized angry mass of citizens, to listen. Strength in numbers is what we're after -- indeed it's probably our only hope -- and it starts tonight. So I can't guarantee you that anything dramatic is going to happen tonight as far as CPS scrapping their plans. But I CAN tell you that the meeting will be a stepping stone in building a movement, and that the movement will lead to a fight. Hope you can make it!!

Jimmy -- glad you'll be able to make it! Grasscat -- that's cool, let me know... Anyone else???

Important announcement for all of you Urban Ohioans: As 3cdc and CPS continue with their plans for substantial demolition in OTR, including the Mercer Commons site, the OTR Committee for Preservation is holding an informational, coalition building meeting this Wednesday at 5:30 at Memorial Hall. Anyone and everyone who has a stake in what's happening is encouraged to attend. We are advocating for: - transparent, democratic decision making processes (not the underhanded stuff that's been going on) - the economic best interests of the neighborhood, which means preserving the very buildings that give OTR its economic value - the aesthetic best interests of the neighborhood, which again mean preservation of the built fabric - fiscal accountability on the part of the school board and any other public or quasi-public agencies operating in OTR (which means not spending $15 million on a new school building that, if current enrollment trends hold, could be defunct 5 years from now) I hope that Grasscat, Maximillian, Jimmy, Atlas, Last Don, and any of you others that have expressed interest in this issue will be able to make the meeting. Perhaps we can form a small contingent to come and represent Urban Ohio? Anyway, I sincerely hope to see some of you there. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. 5:30 this Wednesday the 17th at Memorial Hall on Elm Street.

Jimmy, thanks a lot for the pics. Incidentally, the green building -- the most nondescript of them all -- was built in 1851 and use to house the German Herwegh singing society.