OCtoCincy

Correct- They are about a decade apart, and in order to show the real space difference, the creator of the image mirrored one. simply googling fort washington way will show the amazing waste of space in most urban freeway designs.

^ I don't think you realize what is easily capable today. Please do some reasearch on how Cincinnati turned the left image, into the right image: They added an entirely new street into the grid and built the highway with the possibility of being capped and developed over for four city blocks. Previously, unthinkable.

I get the feeling that 3CDC will not be involved in the new construction- I think their only role was to help in financing and getting the properties.

^ Wheelchair? Bike?

http://urbanqueer.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/city-home.jpg?w=450&h=298 Units already in existence.

Pretty sure they'll be relatively similar- I know of a few minor changes- The way they do the decks will be a little different this time- Also- it's 4 in a row, then there are two orange orlder buildings, and then three more (at the corner of 15th and pleasant). So at least it's not constant. There will be 5 two story and 2 three story units (one in each of the two groupings). No article in the enquirer- the design office is at Osborne Alley and 14th street and I knocked on the door and talked to the lady who owns it. She said the original goal was March 1 but they're a few weeks behind.

7 new infill properties will be begin construction in the next two weeks! Pleasant street is filling in it's open lots with 7 more of the CityHome infill units- Garages will be against Osborne Alley.

If the streetcar is free the likelyhood of crime and/or disturbances on the streetcar increases dramatically. People don't walk up and down busses panhandling because it takes 1.75 to get on the bus in the first place. If there's 100% no cost, you're more likely to get people just walking on to ask for money- find an air-conditioned place to sleep, etc. At the same time- with a trust system, you might be just as likely to have someone hop on, but technically you can easily kick them off when they can't prove they paid.

Since we now know they are trying for a November ballot vote, and gas might be hitting $4 by this summer, I'm feeling less worried that the anti-streetcar measure will pass every day.

That document came out last year-- I see the 1 most days.

^ that's true- good point. At the same time- if the pension fund needs more city money, they will make cuts in the operating budget to fund increased city contributions to the retirement fund. We should also realize, that once the Moerlein Brew House opens, it's estimated to be the largest fund generator for the riverfront park. The parks department gets rent and a percentage of of the Brew House's profits, and those go directly to operating the park- a minimum of $375,000 a year.

It's a fair debate... but there are no savings when police officers retire... Pension payments are incredibly expensive and the city has a $1 billion shortfall. Additionally, The city of Cincinnati will have to pay $93 Million in saved up sick pay and vacation pay when city employees (police, etc.) retire. There are several police officers who will be paid between $200,000 and $450,000 in sick pay after they retire. Police get 2 hours of sick pay per week (13 full days a year), and it can be accumulated indefinitely. Back to the park... The city was irresponsible for cutting nothing from police (police and fire are 60% of the cities operating budget) and 25% of the parks budget. Very sad. I plan to be there on the Event Lawn's opening day- since it might be another year before I see it open again :(

DAMN- Those were really nice. This is ridiculous. Cincinnati needs to get its preservation act together. That last picture looks like it could be from London or Liverpool. Very disappointing.

I'm sorry but I have to correct some misinformation here. Starting police salary is $52,790 not including benefits as stated by the Enquirer last week. That other number is wrong. "Top Base" salary (the most you can make at the bottom level) is $63,140 not including benefits. So cutting anyone in the bottom bracket (including Top Base Salary paid police) and their benefits (easily an additional 5,000-10,000 with pension, etc) is closer to 4 police officers (I guessed 3 originally, my bad!) cut to fund the operating expenses of the park. The ~$40,000 number is what the county pays its starting deputies.

^ crazies.

I think a huge part of why he is so publicly making the Riverfront park seem dire is the hope for private donations. A lot of people have wanted this park for years, and he's going to hope they step up and get some more private money in the parks. It's really amazing how shitty how parks might become- No trash collection in city parks?! Cutting 3 of our 1000+ police officers would have basically funded all of the riverfront parks operating costs.

^ I also think a huge part of the GOP support for amtrak is an interest in getting high speed rail across all of northern Ohio- and they were still against 3C. I WISH we had support for HSR from Cincy to Chicago and additionally across northern ohio- unfortunately, our congressional representatives don't give a damn, and even the GOP up north do.

Ya I get that-- I just don't see who would use it. Springfirled people would fly out of St. Louis. Blooming-Normal could benefit...but thats such a small population. Anyone near downtown would probably still just take Metra, or not see the benefit of building the line. It's interesting... who knows. On the other hand-- What's the status of the Chicago to St. Louis rail upgrade (barely HSR). Has it actually started? Local news reports seem to imply it hasn't

^ Not sure how I feel about this. two Metra Lines already stop right next to O'Hare and have connections to Union Station. Wouldn't it make more sense to just upgrade/improve those connections? Not sure why someone would take a plane into O'hare and then need the line to be connected to St. Louis via HSR...

My guess-- In 10 years Cincy has the completed streetcar line with several spurs/additions (east-west, etc)-- The NKY streetcar connections under construction- two lines of a light rail plan that are in the process of being funded, and a ~150 mph HSR line to Chicago via Indianapolis that will be opening soon.

Pshhh- all that growth through government subsidies*... what a welfare society the suburbs are!!!! *Interstate system

^ I actually agree on this- Just like uptown is bunch of neighborhoods (CUF, Corryville, Mt. Auburn, etc), "little d" downtown is Queensgate, CBD/Riverfront, Pendleton, OTR & the West End. "Capital D" Downtown is basically what most people (including myself) refer to as the CBD. But that's semantics... So, about the streetcar... I love the whole "we had streetcars and we got rid of them"- Brad had a great point recently- The last streetcars basically ended in the 50's. The 50's were the beginning of a 4 decade long trend in population declines. I guess all this ties back to that stupid 1948 master plan...

^ hahaha.

^ Awesome!!! Where does Chris Finney live.... is he collecting signatures?!

Just curious, what would be the point of having a stop on the bridge? No matter what when they get off they'd have to cross either 2nd st. or 3rd. st to get to where they are going. If anything I would think you'd put one on the north side of 3rd st. since there is already one planned by GABP and that would cover everyone going that direction. I don't know nearly as much about this as you so that's why I was wondering. As strange as that large gap looks... when looking at it, until FWW gets capped and something gets built on top, there's no point to putting a stop between there. If you're at 3rd, cross FWW and walk towards the freedom center and you'll hit a stop. If you're at 4th 1 block up gets you to 5th. Plus, since only one side of 3rd is developed, it lowers the demand potential for that intersection. They can add a stop to FWW whenever the caps get built and they structures go up.