CincyGuy45202

No one else was going to run an ad against Cranley. If people wanted it, she had to do it herself.

As someone with friends very close to the project, 8th has one thing correct. Utilities are the biggest thing that would slow things down, and really, it's just Duke. Duke has held out for several reasons, one being $$ one being that they enjoy a bit of bill through the ignorance of what is beneath Cincinnati streets. We are the 2nd oldest City in the country building a modern streetcar (DC being oldest). I have heard through multiple reliable sources that Duke has a mishmash of contradictory maps from CG&E days about exactly what is under the downtown streets and where. Many of the electrical systems are certainly outdated, but since they are working they haven't been replaced. That is why OTR will go so much more quickly. It's basically a neighborhood grid. Downtown serves the office buildings, etc. and has many more relays and other transmission apparatus that are complicated and will take time to replace/move/protect. THAT BEING SAID. That is the reason why they have scheduled an entire extra year between OTR's completion and downtown's completion. They are confident that extra year will ensure everything is done. Something that is being understated is the massive advantage we will have since we put our order for streetcars in ahead of time. We will have the streetcars for nearly a year before service starts. That is a massive bonus. DC and Tuscon completed all construction of the system prior to receiving a single streetcar. Tuscon just received their first streetcar this week. 1 year later than they were supposed to.

Really? How many streetcar systems have you designed? This is generally true. Just from looking at the RFP, and then the Contract with Messer and the timelines, it's pretty clear that the downtown section will be opening 1 year later than the OTR section almost exclusively because of utilities.

No developer would ever consider keeping that garage. It doesn't meet most codes, it's not up to standards of any kind. If they demolish the buildings (which they totally should) that thing is going away.

They've been talking about it for years. And I think they want money from the City. The City just signed a deal that will have the port build a 600 space public garage at 7th and Sycamore. The W&S new garage would be at 7th and Culvert. They originally were going to build a 1000 space garage and wanted the City to put a bunch of money in (around 2009) but the City wasn't interested. then they announced a 700 space garage that they would build. I bet they will start the new garage some time next year.

Apparently they are suing Seelbach? And they're about to sue the city again on Parking.

Here's the one thing that may have saved that entire side of the street. In 2009 the Martino's owners (Anguilli family) plan was to demolish everything on the east side of the street (across from Bogarts). They didn't get funding. Plan died. In 2011, the Anguilli family bought the HIDEOUS crap development just north of Charlton on the east side of the road (for $1.5 million!) Now, if they want to build a big massive new development, they may be more likely to take that down as it has a much larger footprint for a larger garage and more apartments and is hideous and in need of massive repairs to that garage. Here's to hoping that hideous 80's thing comes down and the historic part of the block stays.

^ correct.

Has everyone on here already voted in the Primary? If roxanne loses the primary by more than 1-2 points then she may be finished in the general. Cranley will see money POURING his way if he wins the primary by a 3+ point margin. Roxanne's money will dry up. GO VOTE AT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

^ correct. I've heard they want something like 5-10 million from the City just for the hotel. That's insane. they only needed $4 million from the city to build the entire 300 apartment second phase of the Banks.

At least it's not Mexicantown like in detroit...

Definitely has influences of modern and brutalist architecture.

Correct. All the more reason for us not to freak out about it. Ohhmmmm. Let it go. Out with the bad...

It's a dark colored prefab concrete with glass. The windows are all staggered to give it an uneven "data like" feel. It looks ok.

Guys- We may hate the Enquirer right now, but trust me, they will be getting a lot worse as construction happens. They will find one or two businesses downtown (who are likely already struggling) and then try to pin their problems on the streetcars construction. It's happening in Tuscon and it will definitely happen here. http://www.wildcat.arizona.edu/article/2012/08/streetcar-construction-slows-downtown-tucsons-nightlife

Even if they are some huge crazy idea to trick people to opposing the streetcar: why post your operating costs as HIGHER than the streetcars (3.5 million vs 4.5 million). If your goal is to trick people to hating the streetcar just say "oh it's only 1.5 million!!" no one in Cincinnati's media is gonna check! Additionally, as they do real research like they will have to people will say "who funds it" "4.5 million is a lot!", etc. They will start seeing a lot of the same criticism we see. Finally, let them keep working. It doesn't stop the streetcar. Let them do the hard work of applying for federal funds. Invest hundreds and hundreds of hours. If they win something I'll be shocked, but impressed. Let's not freak out over this. It's beneath us. Let's keep focussing on the good work happening on the streetcar project.

It's the same group, sponsored by John Cranley/Christopher Smitherman/Charlie Winburn, that spoke up at meeting after meeting trying to kill the streetcar. Their ultimate goal is to take funding from the streetcar to their project I know Greg Fusaro (loosely) through some business associates. He is not "sponsored by John Cranley/Smitherman/Winburn". Cranley "hopped on" the hop on band wagon totally separately for political purposes and was never part of the creation of Hop On's proposal. Yes, originally some of the people in this wanted to do this INSTEAD of the streetcar. Several of them, including Greg now publicly say, "we are no longer expressing any opinion of the Streetcar and wish it well, we still want to do this because we really think it could be good". I've talked to him, stated I am a strong streetcar supporter and he said that's fine, if it gets all the way done great (which i said, it will), and he said, don't think of this as an either or related to the streetcar, think of it as complimentary. Whoever Craig Hoeschlkend (i don't remember the spelling) and a few other supporters of the streetcar who post on the Enquirer all the time are making us look bad with these incredibly mean spirited, angry attacks.. These insane attacks over this idea are totally uncalled for. All we need to do is sit back and say: Ok, decent idea, I wish them luck proposing it, studying it, finding funding and selling it to the public. (HINT: They will never find $4.5 million a year to fund it or the $12 million for capital costs) Their goal could very likely be to make streetcar supporters freak out and then say: See, they are against all ideas except the streetcar! they are extremists and roxanne is one of them! But if that's the intent (which I don't think it is) then why are we fueling the fire? Just say- Ok, it serves a different purpose than the streetcar. There is a reason we have both busses and rail. Rail gives permanence leading to investment. This Hop on thing would be a nice little movable option thing that people could also use sometimes if they want. I wish them luck. If they find a funding source in federal dollars awesome! If the County funds it great, good for them. Lord knows SORTA doesn't have the money and the current council isn't going to fund it over the streetcar. That being said, It's more likely we could end up with our own Southbank shuttle in 10 years than it is that the Oasis line opens, but no one is freaking out over that idea. Heck- If this group gets a federal grant to buy little trolley busses and partners with SORTA to remove the One for Fun (complete failure) and replace it with one little Hop on Cincinnati route, GREAT! who cares! doesn't hurt me. Definitely doesn't affect the streetcar. Hell, if we REALLY want to kill this idea, all streetcar supporters should start calling it the streetcar compliment that is meant to exist in the shadow of the streetcar as something streetcar users can also take for other reasons. Then anti-streetcar people will start hating this as a big waste of money meant to support the streetcar :P Let's all relax a little and not let little things freak us out. If there is a streetcar in 5 years and a trolley bus that goes on a different route, that's fine with me.

It is not an option. Streetcar would have to take Clay Wade Bailey or Taylor Southgate. there is a SMALL chance that it could take Purple People bridge... but highly unlikely. Either way, a Kentucky connection is a decade away at soonest.

Why are Streetcar supporters freaking out about the Hop On Trolley? I see the comments on the Enquirer filled with these angry trollish arguments by streetcar supporters that are incredibly angry and negative towards this idea. Look. If we have a streetcar going from the Banks to UC and a trolley bus that goes from Duke Energy Center to the Casino to Mt. Adams, why is that a bad thing? In fact, it might be a good asset. The people at Hop On Cincinnati used to try to say, do this instead. They have pretty clearly changed their tune as they realize there is not INSTEAD as the streetcar is happening. But these insane comments from Streetcar supporters disparaging the idea of a cheap little trolley bus driving around is pretty embarrassing. If they ask the City to pay for it it won't happen. If they try to say do this instead of the streetcar it wont happen. If they want to try to get federal funds to do something that could potentially co-exist with the streetcar. SURE! go right ahead.

According to 3CDC, in 2012 OTR housing south of liberty was 59% affordable. Personally, I don't think we should be adding ANY more in OTR, Pendleton or the West End. They are all incredibly over saturated.

Looked at auditors website. They pay property taxes.

Love it.

Most of the second floor used to have windows. I'd love to see those return. Would make a huge difference.

Ya. It's actually not that bad. Could have been better absolutely but not horrendous.

Wow, we are pretty fortunate at the lack of actual random shootings. The vast majority of shootings in Cincinnati and homicides are targeted between people who already know each other, most likely drug-related. Random shootings are what frighten people in Detroit all the time. I think this might be one of the first random shootings of this kind I can remember in years