OCtoCincy

^ I agree- Gateway quarter thread has a decidedly 3CDC tilt due to their involvement there. This thread, on the other hand has a much broader OTR development focus.

I don't believe 3CDC has an interest in going north of Liberty Street for the foreseeable future. I bet you'll see them start to hit cross streets south of Liberty before they move north. Remember, they want to achieve the all important "critical mass" before they move on. Randy's right- In my my most recent conversations with 3CDC excecs there really is NO focus past liberty right now. It's not even on the long range plan yet. They are strictly just Main-CenPkwy, CenPkwy to Liberty. ALTHOUGH-- they were given, by CPS, two properties adjacent to the Rothenberg building that is being renovated. They are two incredibly cool looking properties and I'm curious as to what 3CDC will do with them- I'm under the impression they will find a private developer and basically hand them over. They're in a good location too- Only a few feet away from the Vernon's corner development that has spruced up the northern side of Main & Liberty.

^ agreed- Rookwood exchange is still good for the region... but not as good for the city. Either way, it's benefits will ripple throughout all neighboring communities- anyone have any renderings of Rookwood Exchange? I'd love to be able to compare them to the Oakley Station development.

^ haha I was just thinking the same thing.

^ exactly! And they have started that now. that's what 'ParkHaus' is. It's for individuals who want to renovate homes around Washington Park but need help with the financing. 3CDC has about 15 individual homes that they are looking to pair up with individuals and help with financing.

The concept of the Americana could absolutely work here. Yes- its WAY too fancy for Cincinnati- but it's garages instead of surface lots, all buildings face inward to a large public pedestrian plaza. Rather than the silly sprawling development that Oakley station is, take those same buildings... The same apartments, same buildings and bring them together- creating a small public area instead of these small islands surrounded by surface lots. The original Millworks design was closer to the concept of the Americana. Cars on the outside- public pedestrian centered design in the center. This design will have people driving from one store to another. I really hope John wasn't one of the votes for this project.

^ last I heard amtrak plans to make Cardinaldaily- but there is no capital campaign to upgrade track and increase speed yet. The Pacific Surfliner has, for the last several years, been replacing bridges, doubling track, and replacing wood ties with cement ties. All with the goal of bumping speeds up or being able to pass freight trains with added lines. We can only hope for the same here someday.

As much as I'm not a big fan of Rookwood projects, I have to completely agree.

Totally agree- and letting this site go to waste like the planning commission has decided to do will continue to hurt this city.

The design is absolutely horrible-- The place will be a huge failure--- really pathetic that anyone would vote to support this in the middle of an urban environment. There are DOZENS of cities that have pulled off great developments in locations just like this-- NONE of them have these massive sprawl parking lots. Very disappointed in the commissioners who voted for them. Truly disheartening. Here's what is most reprehensible about this- It will be a failure because we're not in the suburbs and developments like this are so 1990's and no longer wanted in urban centers... BUT because it fails-- suburbanites will say-- see- cities are bad- you can't build anything there or it fails. The sprawl of this development makes Rookwood look urban! That's shocking. Everyone on this page should do some research on the Americana At Brand in Glendale CA (near Pasadena & LA) which opened in 2008. It was the same situation- massive site that had a complete ground up redesign/redevelopment from industrious to residential & commercial. The place is all parking structures that are hidden behind the developments-- and the place is insanely packed all the time. They brought in major major retailers, movie theaters and great residences. If the planning commission really served a purpose they would be pushing for developments like the Americana at Brand and not this crap. In Oakley Station.. people will move their parked car from the retail block to the movie theater block. That's ridiculous. Such a great opportunity wasted.

Most politicos consider that to be true- he really really dislikes the mayor- it's hard to emphasize how much they disliked each other by the end.

I'm excited for the ParkHaus project. A friend of mine is getting started on the first one (the house closest to Music Hall along Elm). It seems that 3CDC plans to help individuals get financing and work with a contractor etc acting as a facilitator to get these single family homes fixed up. Pretty interesting. Also- it seems their land banking may be slowing. At the same time, they have an amazing amount of land as is. Several years worth. Looking at the number of properties done per year- I'd say 3CDC has... 5 years worth of property currently bring held.

Can we all just agree to do a No on Streetcar Ban/Smitherman campaign? take them both down at once?

Haha- as a proud "real" Clifton resident, I find myself constantly explaining to lifelong Cincinnatias (mainly eastsiders) that UC isn't in Clifton- that corryville isn't Clifton and that CUF is it's own neighborhood- seperate from Clifton. Does anyone know for a fact that Trader Joes looked at the IGA? I've heard it a few times- but i can't tell if it's just a rumor or not. If they really did thats a big deal- just for them to come look at it means they're considering a second, more urban location in the city.

I'm not personally moving in, but one of our new Downtown Residents Council board members will be moving in shortly. He's been at our meetings for at least a year even though he does not live downtown yet. He's been giving us updates almost every month. I couldn't imagine a bigger cheerleader for this development. He's even promised to set up an event for the membership to tour the development. :-) Awesome! sounds like a great guy.

I really hope whoever goes in there puts in windows- that place is an eyesore.

Ya- that was great news- But I'm sad it won't be open till August/September :(

I thought I read somewhere that all of the $800 (bottom price) units were gone and most of the $2,200 (top price) were gone- and the remainder were the middle units. Not sure how correct that is- but I did read it somewhere...

Anyone on this blog moving in soon??

Ridiculous. This city needs major preservation reform.

Agreed. Vine Street can be put off as a future phase, but the Banks - Findlay Market loop is critical. I've heard some talk in the grapevine about cutting off the southern end at Fifth Street instead of the Banks, but IMO, that would be counterproductive and wouldn't save as much money as postponing the Vine Street segment. I truly believe that would be a horrible and incredibly short sighted idea. I spend 90% of my week going from the banks to clifton and at a million stops in between. The corryville stop will have minimal traffic at first- . Once it is extended to the zoo, hospital, etc, it will be VERY busy- until then, if we can't afford it, don't do it- focus elsewhere! The Banks stop, however, are key to the potential of the Streetcar, are opening right now with more units scheduled for 2013. I, as much as anyone, know the benefits of the streetcar go far beyond transportation- BUT transportation is still a key part of it- and since a dozen bus lines go from corryville or north OTR to 5th street (govt. square) while none go from north OTR to the Banks- the "5th street" stop idea will take a lot of heat from the media, critics and skeptics. In my opinion, it will incite more attacks/criticism than simply doing the downtown loop without Vine St.

Via WLWT: "We're going to go forward," City Councilmember Laure Quinlivan. "There will be a plan announced next week, I believe, on the new route, which is not going to be as long as what we were going to start with." If it doesn't go from the Banks to Findlay Market I'd rather just wait. I'm fine with losing the Vine St. connector- but changing much else makes me very weary.

^ Agreed! Send it in.

we are so far off topic now-- You had said that highways were a viable business model because they had a specific tax (gas tax) and joked that if streetcars were the same companies should be building them- I know all about cashflows and i also know that democracy isn't fair to everyone, but it is more fair to a larger portion than any other form of government- Of course there are 80,000 people who didn't want something. I don't get that argument with regard to the streetcar-- Either way I'm going to get back on topic- How many people have heard back from TRAC members? Ray seems to be the only person who emails back- Anyone have conversations?

^ Even positive cash flow doesn't apply to highways. The cashflow is still negative. User taxes does not cover expenses in EITHER model. (gas tax for highways, fare for transit).