kendall

I see they aren't wasting any time with that portion under 5th St. I wonder how soon before demo is complete and we see actual construction?

The model pictured in my photos runs from $170-190 depending on finishes. There are three other, larger floor plans that start around $185 and could go as high as $260 or so depending on finishes. Drees is building 176 homes to complement the 40 or so owner-occupieds from City West Phase I that were built by a different builder. Just over 10% of the Drees homes have been sold so far (about 3/4ths of what is built or under construction). Half of the homes are reserved for market rate buyers, which means no downpayment assistance. The other half are reserved for buyers who are eligible for phased downpayment assistance. There are no income restrictions upon resale of the homes. There is also an HOA responsible for all landscaping and exterior work, so you don't have to worry about your neighbor letting their patch of grass go wild or letting the place get run-down. Downpayment assistance does not necessarily mean low income. Currently, a couple with total income of $59k is eligible for a few thousand in downpayment assistance. A couple with $36k is eligible for the most downpayment assistance: $50k, forgiven 10% a year over 10 years. A minimum 5% cash downpayment is required of the assisted buyers. It's kind of an interesting program. They did the same thing in Phase I, and I remember reading that the market-rate units sold fastest (it's first-come, first-serve). I wouldn't consider $59k low-income, and in Cincinnati $36k puts you at or above the average household income too. Here's my take. The more expensive units, even with a downpayment assistance of $50k, are unaffordable to a family with $36k income. They are more affordable to the family with $59k income, but their assistance is much smaller ($4k). So I think the primo units will quickly be snapped up at market rates, and then Drees/CMHA will either have to readjust their assistance program or relax the quotas. When the units resell, they will be market rate by definition, because the downpayment assistance program vanishes with the original owner. The homes really are compelling at their price points, and curb appeal is quite good. While the neighborhood lacks the amenities of downtown or the nicer ones in town, the homes are walking distance to Music Hall, Union Terminal, a branch library, a beautiful new rec center, a PNC Bank, and, of course, Richie's fried chicken. There is also plenty of greenspace. For special events, it is a manageable walk downtown, and an easy bus ride. Once the Drees homes are complete, they will blend in nicely with the historic section of Betts-Longworth.

Nice layout. I like how every part of the plat is accessible by sidewalks, and how the houses front the existing street grid. I hope they manage to vary the facades and use quality building materials throughout. Given the price points, I imagine they will.

The Bromwell Drees model: The community:

The block north of Clark (bounded by Cutter-Ezzard Charles-John) is included in the Drees housing plat. But the area south of Clark St. and east of Cutter isn't, and the Drees guy told me a school was going to be built there, eventually. I'm just not sure if it is Hays (scheduled to begin construction this spring) or Porter (construction postponed indefinitely). It is the former site of Hays-Porter School, which they tore down a year or so ago.

Is it Hays or Porter K-8 that is supposed to be on the site right next to City West, bounded by Clark-Cutter-Court-Mound?

I know I say this every time, but this tiny, disconnected township should be subsumed into its neighboring cities.

It looks like it was taken from Sawyer Hall, which the university is currently demolishing. And there have been some landscaping improvements at the corner of Short Vine & Jefferson since then too.

Quality finishes! Any reason why the sixth one's not attached?

Unless they're going to work, home, a convention, festival, game, unique shopping and restaurants, wedding reception at a hotel or banquet hall, carriage ride, etc., etc. It is not the most compelling retail destination, but the appeal of downtown persists in many other ways. Meijer is open 24 hours. Sadly there are people who go there in the absence of dire need. "Wal-Mart, the downtown of the 21st century." I'll stay in the real one.

KJP, I agree the American middle class is in danger. Advances in technology and outsourcing trends are wiping out good paying manufacturing jobs, shrinking the ranks of middle management, and even shifting skilled technical and professional jobs to other countries. Combine that with the crushing-debt-for-diploma scheme that prevails in our postsecondary education system and even our college graduates that manage to find good jobs will be scraping by for years. The best Ohio can do as a state is make college affordable by increasing funding to its public universities so they can reduce tuition. It also needs to make its cities attractive to educated people by fostering vibrant urban cores in order to retain Ohio grads and attract them from other states and countries. These have not been priorities of the Republican hegemony, so it is time for them to go.

Wow, thanks!! Everything we build these days is so plain...

In that concept drawing it looks like they've added some extra height. Enough to shoehorn in 18 condo? I'm guessing they just had the architect draw up something quickly for the zoning hearing.

Will every bus have to enter off of SB Walnut? The old Gov't Square used to have buses enter from both Fifth Street and Walnut.

The experience in many cities has been that the population centers (and investment) adjusts to the rail.

Wow! :-o Awesome appliances too.

Wow! I'm going to have to go walk through the building again and pay closer attention.

I like the idea of a streetcar up Elm and down Race. It would be especially useful for conventioneers and tourists. Not many suits are going to Music Hall or Findlay right from their office. But I don't think it's the right time to resurrect the Bellevue incline. Heavier-duty light rail is what we need to connect downtown's business core to Uptown and beyond, with no connections necessary.

Holy shit. That is the most comprehensively funny thing I have read in a long, long time. Thanks for posting it!

Wow, some of those suburban house designs are really ugly. They mix architectural styles willy-nilly, most lack porches, and the front elevations highlight the garage instead of the door. It's a wonder anyone is attracted to their schizophrenic, inhuman designs.

^Good brief article. It's good to see citizens organizing events like these to open up generational lines of communication between the city's most at-risk kids and the people who might actually have a chance to help them out. As opposed to just blaming the police like Nate Livingston does.

The new Civics are very cool. A big upgrade from the old econobox styling. Plus the gas mileage is incredible: 40 on the highway with the standard gas engine.

I think those houses look nice and are very appropriate for the city. No front garages, porches, set closer to the street than average suburban development, brick facade, sidewalks. When they sell them all it should be an attractive neighborhood, though it would be nice to see a little more variety in the models.

I agree, the second to last pic is amazing. Thanks!

Not on mine!