OTR

You should see it at night... pics via Cheriese Lindsey on facebook:

I was at 13th and Vine yesterday when they were on and could see them clearly --- so cool!

It's all political and to make the 'leaders' feel powerful as they manipulate these people who genuinely need help. I'm wondering if there is a good way to mitigate this situation.

nice. thanks for photographing it all, jake! video of the groundbreaking: https://vimeo.com/44748061 pic: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151041100887700&set=a.316738867699.148473.282777447699&type=3&theater

awesome - i was just using bing and didn't notice b/c i was too far zoomed in. you could date these aerials by the progress at washington park in otr. wait, what? im sorry im not familiar but this sounds stupid. what is the reason you can't cross both ways?

Press Release from 3CDC $59M MERCER COMMONS BREAKS GROUND TUESDAY 154 housing units, 17,600 SF commercial space, and 359 parking spaces CINCINNATI – (June 25, 2012) – The City of Cincinnati, 3CDC, and its corporate partners will break ground at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, June 26th, on the first of three phases of construction in Over-the-Rhine that will ultimately yield 28 condos, 126 apartments (30 of which will be affordable to those making 50-60% of area median income), 359 parking spaces, and 26,000 SF of commercial space. The $59 million project, dubbed Mercer Commons, includes the redevelopment of 19 historic buildings and 26 vacant parcels of land on a total of 2.67 acres between East 13th and 14th streets, bounded by Vine Street on the west and Walnut Street on the east. Mercer Commons represents the largest mixed-use project to date for 3CDC. Since 2007, 3CDC has completely restored 57 historic buildings in Over-the-Rhine, creating 186 condominiums that are 97% sold, over 90,000 SF of commercial space that is 85% leased, and 68 market-rate rental units that have been fully leased for years. 3CDC and its partners have invested over $200 million in Over-the-Rhine developments, including the redeveloped Washington park, streetscapes, land-banked buildings, and annual carrying costs associated with future development sites. 3CDC solicited feedback on the Mercer Commons project through a series of community input session held from 2008 to 2011, involving representatives from dozens of organizations. Feedback included the need for more apartments to meet increased demand for rental housing, the need for affordable units to continue developing a mixed-income neighborhood, more retail and commercial space on Walnut to begin to create a critical mass, and more parking and green space needed by neighborhood business owners and residents. The project meets these community needs and creates a connection between already completed projects by redeveloping vacant buildings and parcels into a more unified district. The first phase of construction includes the restoration of 4 historic buildings into 11 for-sale units, and the construction of 5 new townhomes, 1 new 340-space parking garage, and 1 new mixed-use building to include 12 for-sale units and 3,900 SF of commercial space. Tuesday’s groundbreaking will be followed by a 16-month construction schedule, with the garage opening in March 2013. Funding partners include PNC Bank, JobsOhio, the City of Cincinnati, 3CDC, Cincinnati Development Fund, Cincinnati Equity Fund II, and Cincinnati New Markets Fund. Messer Construction is the general contractor, and the design team includes City Studios, and City Architecture.

lots of pics: http://overtherhine.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/the-bellevue-incline-and-elm-street-steps/

Liberty had a streetcar from Elm west to Dalton vicinity then it linked north to Spring Grove. A streetcar spur ran off the Sycamore line to Broadway to Liberty Hill and Highland Ave. The link between Sycamore and Broadway was between Cutter Playground and the old SCPA/Woodward HS. It lines up with Woodward Rd between Sycamore and Main. I believe the name of the street was Franklin --- but my memory is foggy and I don't have my maps in front of me.

Bingo. Best analysis of the streetcar opposition I've heard yet.

They're doing more via facebook now - I'm sure they'll update flickr soon. Here are three sites: http://overtherhine.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/washington-park-grand-opening-celebrations-and-free-concerts/ https://www.facebook.com/WashingtonParkOTR http://thisisotr.com/ Rookwood Pottery tiles on Washington Park pillars:

Some of the pillars at Washington Park will feature tiles by Rookwood Pottery:

Bingo - I get inquiries on a weekly basis from people looking for residential/commercial space in OTR --- and I just run a blog. I hope the demand holds.

What an awful headline. Girl's blood marks Over-the-Rhine dividing line 15-year-old shot in crowd and killed By the noon hour Tuesday, Africa Hope’s blood had been washed off the sidewalk at 1710 Vine St. and replaced with three teddy bears, a candle, bouquet of wrapped flowers and half-inflated Serenity Prayer balloon. ... Crime is down in Over-the-Rhine in the past year, Craig said: shootings, not homicides, have decreased 52 percent, and there has been a 31-percent dip in violent crime. In all of police District 1, of which Over-the-Rhine is a part, homicide is down 88 percent. Yet, Craig said, “We do see violence more in the undeveloped area” north of Liberty Street. ... “The force behind the movement is not going to be easily broken, and I don’t feel this will have a negative impact on us at all,” Altman said. “In fact, I think it will only make us stronger. ... My business [bakersfield] is hopping.” Next door, at the 1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab, business has been robust, too, since its February opening, said coffee manager Alex Stahler. “There’s enough momentum that something like this shouldn’t scare people away from the neighborhood,” he said. http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120619/NEWS/306190009

Agreed. Moreover, subsidized housing shouldn't get trashed by its inhabitants. There should be some accountability. Thanks for sharing. I appreciate updates like this.

More of the same doesn't make it mixed. If OTR has a housing problem, it is in addressing the demand for the vast middle part of the market. A little bit of high end plus a lot of low end isn't sustainable. I'd be curious to know who oversees these projects as they deteriorate overtime and what sort of accountability is enforced. The fact that people are saying these places will be ruined in a few years is deeply troubling and part of the same sad cycle OTR has had to struggle with for years. Frankly, I expect more out of OTRCH and Model. It's tiring to learn of more high density low income development when we know that model doesn't work. 3CDC incorporates affordable housing into its developments without concentrating it. Could Model turn the property into a mix with market rate housing at some point? It's late so maybe I'm not thinking right but this is annoying. I hope the property is taken care of and the people living there appreciate and respect it.

Duke customers could face streetcar tab Utility seeks OK to pass along line relocation costs Duke Energy’s customers in the city of Cincinnati could end up paying to help relocate the utility’s lines for the streetcar, if state regulators allow Duke to recover costs related to mass transit projects. With Duke and City Hall still trying to resolve what initially was a $12 million dispute over relocating utility lines to make way for streetcar tracks, Duke has informed the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio that it intends to seek permission on ways to offset those expenses. Under Duke’s proposal, the company could recover relocation costs stemming from a transit project “from either a local government or its residents,” said Duke spokesman Jason Walls. http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120618/NEWS01/306190008/Duke-customers-could-face-streetcar-tab

On Columbia Parkway driving toward downtown, there's a beautiful view of QCS over Mt. Adams

I read about that in a book - maybe it was in Vas You Ever in Zinzinnati?

^Yeah. It's a shame. Mercer Commons groundbreaking is Tuesday, June 26 at 10:30am Washington Park ribboncutting will take place on the bandstand at 10am, Friday, July 6.

So the streetcar will loop back via Henry Street (per city's website) and not go all the way to McMicken (per cincy streetcar blog), right?

Awesome! I'd love to have all ten too

thanks. I don't know how I forget - I was thinking steps for some reason

I think I knew at one time. But, what is it? street view: http://goo.gl/maps/CKtY

So, are you going to tell us? ...