Michael L. Redmond

Ball furniture North and South, plus above Kaldis.

I call it phase two as well most of the time. I will try and get you a technical breakdown as to what buildings are considered phase 3 because there are more buildings than that on Republic and Pleasant.

For this building the demo has already taken place and I will ask about when the const will start. The phase is already underway with new buildings under const on Main as well.

Randy, Isn't there one more?

Understood Randy, but one last thing. They live at the homeless shelter! They do not leave there home at 6:00 at night to go stay in the shelter, they are already there. The real question is how did they get downtown? Answer that question and you will understand my point. Next step is to build the affordable housing component to move them up, kids are closer to better schools, away from negative influences and then perhaps that generation will have a chance. The practicality ends at the reluctance of the current residence to ever consider anything like this. There is no but, they are trying to help and are. This is not about the helpers, it is about the one's who need the help. We have lost sight of this one simple true.

The problem is edale, there is no second step for most of these people beyond the social service, is that selfishly motivated by the service? It is a revolving door, is that what we want? Is that helping or enabling? Are we here to help or enable? HELP! so that means we have to do something different than that which enables, so it isn't a revolving door. (That was meant to be circular-cheesy but circular) Let me copy and paste what I just wrote above "The number of social services in OTR and West End, according to the last count I heard, was 108. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT, yet when other social services are proposed for OTR I am accused of NIMBYism and hating the poor (ask Vlasta Molak) yet the same people who are proposing this are the true NIMBY's. You are correct, I chose to live here, I chose to help better my community so when I say that from my daily experience, I see the same people everyday who can not break out of the cycle and propose that we take a deep look, not at the effort, but the results, am I the one in the wrong." Are we not allowed to challenge something when the results are questionable at best? There will always be a need for charities, I am not saying that we eliminate them as you say but can we do it more effectively?

The number of social services in OTR and West End, according to the last count I heard, was 108. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT, yet when other social services are proposed for OTR I am accused of NIMBYism and hating the poor (ask Vlasta Molak) yet the same people who are proposing this are the true NIMBY's. You are correct, I chose to live here, I chose to help better my community so when I say that from my daily experience, I see the same people everyday who can not break out of the cycle and propose that we take a deep look, not at the effort, but the results, am I the one in the wrong. Who is truly being "helped" here? The ones receiving or the ones giving? You said the same thing I have been saying however you say it dismissively, I say it with a hope of bringing to light a major ongoing problem. Land is willed and donated to churches all the time up there.

^but true

This is why nothing will ever change. I love that these kids or any kids are doing anything, WONDERFUL! I am questioning the majority of people, speaking in the macro, and this really has nothing to do with these kids or this specific article. The only thing this article did was segway into a discussion, thats all, an uncomfortable discussion perhaps but a discussion. If you doubt me, reread and post up anything negative I have said about these kids in particular. To say we can not discuss charitable motivations of the masses because of the "children" is looking for an easy way out of a hard discussion. Bottom line here. Are we effective in helping people break out of the dependency cycle? This is not about Moeller, it is about the people we are supposed to be helping. Help me with the last part. What part of the financing is at issue? The first statement is my point in a nutshell.

I don't know if it should, if they are offering it then great. I would like to question who actually gets the scholarship however. Many OTR and West End students going to Summit through this program? Underprivileged is a relative term, are they truly choosing children from the inner city? I hope so.

So you mean it is true, it can be done. I was responding to this..."they just don't have the ability to do things like "offer scholarships at Moeller"" As for the screaming bloody murder, let OTRCC announce they are building a homeless shelter in Kenwood. Disagree? If not, then why? If so, then lets announce a fundraiser.

Once again, I do draw a distinction between this one story, and the overall philosophy. Where were these same people 20 years ago? Where do you honestly think they will be 20 years from now under the same philosophy? Nor have I questioned it. We are residents, community leaders, fellow charitable givers, we are the one's who see everyday the cycle that is never broken. We have every right to question if we, as Americans are doing the right thing in helping people who we believe can not otherwise help themselves. No one should ever question anything if they never want to see it improve so we are the ones who say there is a better way and this forum is a beginning in the expression of that change.

"if everyone did just a little bit" they could offer scholarships at Moeller or build housing, not away from, but closer to positive influences that can help change the person in a fundamental way. People would scream bloody murder over this idea, don't you agree? But why?

I was one of those kids that grew up in Amberly Village, had a sports car at 16, went to Walnut Hills, had pretty much whatever I wanted. It was my moving to Over the Rhine from Mt Adams that changed my perception of OTR. I do not think that everyone should move here, it isn't for everyone. It is just the opposite that I believe should happen. This is not about what someone thinks of the community, but how they choose to "help" the people.

You are commenting about a story, I am commenting about an entire philosophy of charitable work. This is not being negative, but positive in that these people do have hope and can break this cycle. The philosophy that states that these people have no hope other than the one we give them once or twice a year severely underestimates the power of people to raise out of their situation. My question is, if you have a drug addict trying to rehabilitate themeselves, is it wise to keep them in the same block that is a drug hotspot? Is that enabling?

We could probably start a whole thread on this but let me just say this, you should get "started". Because it is just far enough away from the daily lives of the vast majority of people that they never even think this out, or truly analyze their own motives. As long as we continue on the "Buddy Gray" route, then we will never solve the problem for these people. They will never get the real help that they need. They will live out the rest of their lives bouncing from social service to social service and in reality, as long as it is way down there in OTR, thats ok to most people.

^so true. Drive 20 minutes south, drop off some clothes at the free store or if they are closed dump them in the park. Or you can serve dinner for 2 hours a year at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Or simply do the easier thing, write a check to the charity before Dec. 31 so you can still write it off. Step up! If you really want to help them then help them. Send them to school with your kids, involve them in the social functions that you yourself are involved in. Help build housing away from the crushing negativisms of an area riddled with crime, drugs, and poverty. Offer scholarships to Moeller for at risk children from OTR or the West End. Then you can really say you did something other than enabling the very things you are trying to help them out of.

Excellent point. This is why I believe if OTRCC really wants to bring to light the plight of these people, then why not focus on building subsidized housing in places like Montg. or Blue Ash. This would solve two problems simultaneously, first it does show that these are people and now neighbors, just like you and I. Second it gives them an opportunity to break out of the cycle that keeps them poor, alchoholic, criminal and drug abusers. Why build housing for a drug addict next to the corner of E. Clifton and Lang that is the hottest drug corner in the city if you truly want to help them, why not the corner of Kenwood and Montgomery Road? Give them a hand up not a hand out.

I am excited about the day when we can send students from OTR into Montgomery to do the same charity work with their Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.

And the building across the street as well will be coming down. The chicken shack as we call it. Model has this as well I believe. Watch Keep Cincinnati Beautiful's website or call Cheryl Curtis at the OTR chamber to be put on the email list to get more info on the Great American Cleanup and Safety Sector meetings. 241-2690

No, I was beaten to the punch on posting Trinity Flats. I posted Tridecka, which is just north of Duveneck. Trinity Flats is a new const piece where they just took down a block building at the corner of 14th and Vine. It will continue to get a bit more confusing as more and more buildings are announced. I do not know if has been mentioned on here or not but a new store, I believe simply called outside, will be opening on the 12th street side of 12th and Vine. They will primarily focus on outdoor furniture. I do not know of the opening date yet. Great writeup UncleRando, "It is hard not to get wrapped up in the vibrant, effervescent reaction that these developments give off. I feel confident that the work will continue, that the momentum is gaining, and that even now, this is a neighborhood that we should be proud of."

That is an Urban Sites building. You recieved one of the first inside glimpses of what is coming so you will not find it anywhere yet. The name comes from the triangular decks that will be on the building, they are not installed yet. To get the others take on the tour, here is a list provided by Kevin. Some have posted, others we are still waiting to see. There are some great accounts of first impressions in these post and I encourage everyone to comment on the various threads so that we may hear some feadback from you. I am hoping to do one of these for every time a new phase is announced. * Building-Cincinnati * Buy Cincy * Cincy Images * CityKin * ekalb * Get Cincy * Jackie Danicki * Joe Wessels * Northern Kentucky News * Queen City Survey * RRD Photo Blog * The 'Nati Life * Urban Cincy (sorry I could not figure out how to provide a link on these)

Model is doing Trinity Flats where the tear down just took place at 14th and Vine and part of the Q. I will make sure the renderings get posted on here. Mercer Commons?

Traffic gave a detailed, inside look :wink: kidding people, just kidding.

Good point, and we could even get a Dubai architect, Denny, to help you design it!