thebillshark

I have been screaming this since the conclusion of the last BLINK but I fully expect the city to fall on flat on its face and FAIL in this regard. They need temporary transit only lanes to cut through the traffic. Yes, it would. The ticket machines are garbage and using them in a big crowd would be stressful and sure to cause some awful experiences The issue is busses couldn’t even get through downtown to get to the RTC if you wanted to use it. They need to have a standing protocol for large events to help busses (and the streetcar) navigate downtown.

Perhaps a Skyhouse could be built in another location. Maybe the lots north of the casino parking garage would be good for it? That might mess with some views to and from Mt. Adams though.

I think they are going to survive if and when the Venture Capital money dries up but they will have to raise prices. Perhaps they might let drivers use older vehicles to increase the driver pool

^seems like a good location for it. Sleepy-but-nice corner of the city, can accommodate their parking needs, near Eden Park and other arts institutions

No they go back the the Northwest Ordinance of 1787

No, @IAGuy39is correct, but you’re also not wrong in the second part of your statement. The abatements are on new taxable value being created anywhere in the city, and also there is a cap on the total property tax that’s collected. So your taxes wouldn’t go up because of the abatements, but they could go down when abatements expire and properties that had the abatements on a portion of their value become fully taxable again. I don’t know what happens when someone tears down a house and builds a larger one however- do they get the abatement on the entire value of the new house or just the difference in value between the two?

Also, are millennial fans going to purchase the RVs and other tailgating gear to keep tailgating culture alive ten years from now? They’ll probably still be paying off student loans

This really isn’t about a music venue anymore, but the future of building out the Banks in general. As I understand it the Bengals and the county entered into a MUO that would save the county money on updating the stadium but requires so much surface parking nearby it could keep the rest of the Banks an open pit forever more. This despite the Bengals being on the Joint Steering Committee that has been pumping out renderings of a completed mixed use development for the past two decades. This was touted as a win by the county and it might be if the money they save updating the stadium is more than the tax revenues that developing the rest of the Banks would produce. Blame the Bengals for demanding vast surface parking lots next to their urban stadium.

Also it’s a politically difficult question to ask but is the proposed riverfront park in Lower Price Hill really a good location for a park? It’s thoroughly cut off from the rest of the neighborhood by train tracks and highway. How would it be accessed by families on foot? Might a park located more towards the center of the neighborhood be more accessible to neighborhood residents?

To be more clear if the question of development on lots 1, 13, and 25 isn’t dealt with explicitly at this time the Bengals will use the issue to get even further concessions from the county at some point on the future

Disagree with this. The county and Bengals have a memorandum of understanding for more surface lot spaces (3.2k) than even this convoluted Hilltop site deal can provide. Any deal that relies on the Bengals to allow development on lots 1, 13, and 25 out of the kindness of their hearts isn’t a good one. Cranley’s concern here should be addressed

Would be nice not to get a completely auto oriented development there.

Most likely that restaurant wouldn't be there without it and he wouldn’t be at the restaurant. The north part of the route was desolate without the streetcar, I have the pics to prove it. The market was a positive and holding its own but that’s about it. I think the strongest case for the streetcar driving investment is that area

Maybe in some cases but my hunch is there is an induced demand caused by free fares that captures many people who don’t even use cabs or Uber or Lyft or wouldn’t otherwise be using them for a particular trip if they would be taking the trip at all.

Not exactly- I mean talking about the importance of the free part. Free fares increasing streetcar/circulator ridership by tens of thousands really hasn’t been anticipated by us or discussed by Citylab et al or even a focus of Jarrett Walker.

I think you’re right and this is something that wasn’t even part of transit experts’ discussion of the pros and cons of streetcar systems 10 or even 5 years ago. Free fares have major impact for an urban circulator

Cincinnati should do away with CC-A zoning altogether. I can’t think of a single area of the city where it would it would be desirable.

If Hamilton County is involved in this project too, what are the odds they can keep their eye on the ball for 180 Walnut and the rest of the Banks at the same time? (Spoiler: IMO not very good)

Agreed. Big problems and long delays are possible if/when they try to demolish the Millennium. What you suggest is both the path of least resistance, least traumatic to the urban fabric, and could provide the most benefit.

They’re both bad options but If I had to pick expanding over 6th and and expanding over Elm I’d choose 6th. With 6th you’d be taking basically the end of the street at the edge of downtown in an area with existing structures hostile to street activity whereas with Elm you’d be taking the middle of a street in what otherwise could be a walkable active corridor especially if the Millennium was replaced with something that addressed the street better.

As I recall the plan was to sink Elm Street into a trench and build the convention center on top of it. Would be bad for street life and pedestrians and enlarge the psychological and physical barrier the convention center creates across the western half of downtown

Seems more likely they will go through with this terrible plan now.

If the Reds could somehow sweep this upcoming 4 game series against the Cubs they’d be right back in a 4-way race for the NL Central division title.

Was about to do an urbanist freak-out over this too but then I thought that 90 spots isn’t really that much for a building of this size and square footage. Could this be considered parking-lite?

One year the e sports arena needs an 8k 200 ft video monitor and the next year everyone shows up with augmented reality goggles and doesn’t need it anymore. Hamilton County taxpayers beware! ?