The Last Don

Thanks, grasscat. Thanks for making Urban Ohio the great site that it is. :-) Good luck!

Here is a concept by Jeffrey Jakucyk from his portfolio: His concept calls for an open park, but it could theoretically be filled in with Parisian-scaled architecture, at about 6 stories. Note the use of the roundabout, which could be an interesting public space. Something that you can see from this site plan is the vastness of Broadway Commons. It's about the same size as Pendleton.

I like your use of the subway tunnel underneath Central Parkway. I drew up a regional plan in conjunction with my Uptown concept that includes the Central Parkway subway tunnels, and these could use light rail lines. This is essentially a modification of the 2002 Metro Plan. The stations running from Liberty to Northside could be used as Bus Hubs, as you described. Like the Mt. Auburn subway concept, it could emerge above ground partway through its course: Note the Anderson Ferry Bridge and the Maglev lines. This would be something for well into the future, like 50 to 100 years. These lines could run through the industrial areas in the Mill Creek Valley and along River Road. With Maglev, you could be in downtown Columbus in 40 minutes. You could go from Cincinnati to Dayton in 24 minutes, all the way to West Chester in just 8 minutes. And to the Airport in under 4 minutes.

Also, I should point out that the entire line would not necessarily be underground. For instance, the line could go underground at Mulberry and emerge at Short Vine and run above ground from there. If it ran on Short Vine and MLK then it would have stops in Corryville, but it would miss the zoo.

Here are a few ideas on Uptown transit: First of all, when deciding what to do in the Uptown area, our leaders need to consider the wider region and how Uptown fits into the bigger picture. If a regional transit system is ever developed, there will probably be three hubs in Cincinnati. The main hub will be in Downtown, and two secondary hubs will be in Northside and Evanston, respectively. Here is the 2002 Metro Rail Plan: A long term transit plan for Uptown should connect to all three hubs, providing the necessary interconnectivity to this important part of the city. Here is a general concept of what I'm talking about: The key is for the system to flow with as few transfers as possible. The solution may not be for a connector system...perhaps the main rail lines should be brought straight into Uptown. Afterall, this is the second largest employment district in the city, and a geographic focal point. The solution might come from the recent past. Remember the concept of the Mt. Auburn tunnel: From Cincinnati-Transit.net A subway tunnel could provide quick, efficient access between Downtown and Uptown, while moving northward to the Evanston hub: <br> Then a streetcar system could connect Uptown in a loop before moving onto Ludlow and the Northside hub: <br> The two lines together: <br> Anyway...just an idea to throw out there...

"The first segment of the proposed Oasis Riverfront Rail Transit line would extend from the Riverfront Transit Center to the Montgomery Inn Boathouse area." Is this accurate? The first phase is from a transit center surrounded by nothing...to a single restaurant within walking distance!

Something like that should be done between Elm and Main.

Or talk to 3CDC, but most of this is only possible 10-15 years down the line. If they started planning for something like this in conjunction with the city's Central Parkway improvements, then they could make it happen. Since the city is in charge of the streetscape improvements, they really need to do a first rate job by making major changes. The way to exert pressure on them would be through 3CDC and possibly the OTR Chamber of Commerce. I should also add that the county would need to find a funding source for the initial purchase of land and for some of the cost of a Broadway Commons purchase.

Here's my ultimate concept for Central Parkway: Since the county owns property in this area they could be a major force in getting this property redeveloped. Here's an idea: the county could purchase the rest of the Main Street and Central Parkway block and combine it with their Court Street parking lot and sell the site to 3CDC. The county could then put that money towards the purchase of Broadway Commons. This would be a longterm plan. 3CDC is not going to buy a large plot of land such as the Main property right now, but I'm talking 10-15 years down the line, after the Washington Park redevelopment is completed. This accomplishes several objectives: 1. 3CDC would be able to redevelop Main and Central Parkway, which is a key development site that would make Central Parkway a success. 2. The county would own Broadway Commons, half of which could be turned into a major greenspace. This concept is based on the Boston Public Garden: 3. The county could then sell the other half of Broadway Commons to 3CDC to turn into parkside condominiums. 4. The county would use the money from the sale to 3CDC to construct a garage at the corner of Ninth and Broadway, next to the jail. A new parking garage would offset the loss of spaces at Broadway Commons, and partially shield the jail from the new condo property on the other side.

I think you're exactly right Mr. Lyles. The city should definitely do something along that line, at Central Parkway and throughout the city as a whole.

Thanks for posting that study...it brings up alot of interesting points. One great thing that is happening along Central Parkway is the development of the Gateway Quarter, which has filled in the parking lot on Vine Street. When the new School for the Creative and Performing Arts is completed, the Over-the-Rhine side will have a largely intact streetwall. They identified a key corner in that study: Main and Central Parkway behind the County Administration building. There is an L-shaped plot of land that stretches to Court Street and is a very important development site. If I remember correctly, doesn't the county own some of the property in this vicinity?

Yeah, the original version was pretty impressive, especially in later photos when the double row of trees grew in. Also...my suggestion for the wide 3-lane median would be for the four middle blocks between Elm and Main. Alot of the major traffic is at each end of the street, from Reading Road to Sycamore and at the bend by Plum. The many traffic lanes are needed only in those focal points.

Brian Tiffany and Jim Moll were discussing this project on City Talk Radio earlier this year. They indicated that the project would be starting soon. The city has a webpage dedicated to Central Parkway here: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/transeng/pages/-7059-/ Right now the street has 6 lanes of traffic, 2 lanes of parking, and in some areas a turning lane. That's 9 lanes...more lanes than on many Interstate highways. I really think that two lanes should be taken out of Central Parkway. If the median was 3 lanes wide, it could feature a lush parkspace right down the center of the street. The second step would be for 3CDC to get developers to put in rows of residential as a solid streetwall along the boulevard. And to top it off, it should be renamed Park Avenue. A model for Cincinnati: If this was done right, it would be one of the most desirable addresses in the city.

The city has a plan to improve Central Parkway! My hope is that they integrate it with the streetcar system effectively and widen the medians.

Todd Portune has said that he wants to cap the portion of FWW directly above the Freedom Center. He hasn't said how he will obtain the funding. The article doesn't have any news other than an update of its funding status. I believe that it's comparing the current park plan with the one that was planned for the 1999 Banks concept. Here is the earlier plan: There are some minor changes from this plan. Theodore Berry Way will essentially be turned into a yoke at the base of the Roebling Suspension Bridge. This street, which is currently a east-west connector, will be removed and the Banks development will come closer to the riverfront. It looks like Race Street will be turned into something of a cul-de-sac with a roundabout at its south end. The changes are minimal. All of the attractions such as the carousel are intact and will remain as part of the park.

Race Street will now feed traffic to the Suspension Bridge via Freedom Way. The headline says that the park is shrinking, but that will be almost imperceptible, as the article states:

Over-the-Rhine Community Housing is featuring some of their past and present projects on their website: http://www.otrch.org/programs/projects.html

Last year City Beat ran an article about Operation Vortex in Over-the-Rhine. Here is a quote from the article: "According to Cincinnati Police Department records, 286 individuals with the Drop Inn Center address have been arrested this year so far," says Pat Clifford, general coordinator of the homeless shelter. "However, Drop Inn Center records show that only 93 of them had, in fact, been residents during that time period. Therefore over 67 percent of those arrested with our address were not really our residents." Only 93 of their residents had been charged with committing crimes over a five month period? With that type of philosophy, could the Drop Inn Center be prosecuted under RICO statutes? [EDIT: It should be noted that the number of crimes quoted in the story were from 2006. The number for this year could be significantly different.]

^ :lol: I guess it does make sense in being strict when it comes these type of crimes. Giuliani cleaned up New York by cracking down on the small crimes that affect quality of life.

Here is a map of the proposed streetcar line:

I just walked across the street from the guy using drugs. Perhaps I should have called the police, but the only victim of his crime was himself.

Clifford doesn't cite any examples. Does anyone know how successful the Drop Inn Center has been at getting homeless people back on the right track? Recently I saw a guy sitting on the front steps of one of their buildings drinking liquor covered with a brown paper bag. It doesn't strike me as an effective policy to allow people to drink alcohol right on their property. I walked up the street to see another guy using some kind of drug right in front of me on Elm Street. Joe Wessels took this photo from his apartment window overlooking Washington Park. A suburban heroin user overdosed by the park:

Deal may pave way for new SCPA By Joe Wessels Post contributor City of Cincinnati and Cincinnati School Board officials are near an agreement with the Drop Inn Center to sell buildings standing in the way of a proposed relocated School for Creative and Performing Arts. The Drop Inn Center, Cincinnati's largest homeless shelter and located at 12th and Race streets, has been reluctant to sell the buildings - used as transitional housing for 16 people - in the northwest corner of a parking lot on two blocks between Central Parkway, Elm, 12th and Race streets. http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070616/NEWS01/706160337

LOL, yeah that does help. And a strong backing from civic leaders.

That was the brilliance of what 3CDC did...they went into the most difficult areas first.