jdm00

I just did a big write up on Brown County--surprised you didn't like it. Lots of unique, authentic shops and good little restaurants, and the state park has good (but very doable) hiking. What exactly did you dislike about Nashville/Brown County?

Never mind. Misread your original post. :(

I am happy (and hopeful) that west side neighborhoods are improving, and hope that it continues. But I can't get behind the idea that to pump up your neighborhood you have to consistently attack others, especially OTR, sorry. And having lived in Cincinnati for 20 years now, I can't honestly remember a time when Mt. Adams wasn't Mt. Adams. It's a place my Butler County relatives have always felt comfortable going since the 1980s. I can't say that about a lot of others neighborhoods in the city, sadly.

^I don't think it very likely at all that there will be a Kroger store at the Banks. If they do a new store somewhere toward the north end of the CBD, then yes, I think you will see the OTR Kroger close. I don't know that you will see a lot of disappointed people, though. That store is improving, but if I can get an even better one that's a little longer walk, I will be all for it.

Pretty cool. Looks like there are 14 states without a single top-146 county, and 9 more with only one. (Or maybe ten or eight--hard to tell from the size of that map.)

This is simply a failure in leadership. John Cranley still hasn't commented beyond re-tweeting something the police chief sent out. Based on everything I've read about this, I don't think this fits the pattern of simply increased crime in the CBD. Surely sounds like an inside job. If they had gone through the restaurant and done this, then certainly that would be a huge problem. This is a problem, but seems a lot different from the sort of visible crime we had been discussing.

Yeah, parking garage and hotel here is really going to improve that little corner of downtown. Looking forward to it.

Glad to see this project taking shape--looks like it will be a big plus for C-Bus. Not knocking this particular project (which I think looks pretty good actually), but why does it feel like every rendering I see of a current mid-sized infill project has these sort of mish-mash windows and similar themes? Architecture group think?

I would guess I go there 3-4x per month. Honestly, it's Findlay Market I don't get to nearly enough. :(

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2014/07/09/exclusive-new-single-family-home-coming-to-central.html Normally I wouldn't start a thread about a project of this size, but it's a very interesting project. Plan is to build a spec house on W. 4th street. 3000 SF, garage, designed to fit in dimensionally with the other buildings, and a $1 million price tag. I am honestly not sure what to think of this. It certainly doesn't scream density, but on the other hand, I feel like the various one-off homes/brownstones/etc. around the CBD give it a lot of variety and character. (Thinking here of spots like those on 9th Street, etc.) Thoughts?

I agree, though the part about the body in the truck and then getting into a car accident (and fleeing the scene of the accident leading to capture) was to a great extent extremely small town.

Lots of drug crime, armed robbery, tons of theft and property crime. And not "indubitably" somewhere hidden. The biggest so far this year was the murder of a person in the open at a baseball field; the same person kidnapped two other people (and may have stabbed them, I can't recall correctly). The perpetrator then put the body of the victim in his pickup truck and was captured when he got into a car accident. No, these are not crimes that are "hidden from public spaces." And more to the point, the crimes inside the trailers, as you put it, are not hidden from public view in a small town--pretty much everyone knows everything. Go to topix.com, type in the zip code of any small town in Ohio (or any other state, for that matter) and you will find innumerable discussions of crime, drug use, violence, etc. in small towns all over the place.

Well, to each his own, and you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but to me the benefits of raising kids in the city--cultural, diversity-wise, ecological, financial--far outweigh any negatives. And the perception is probably why people get worked up and defensive when the crime issue comes up like this. Here's one way I look at it. In OTR this year, there has been a total of one murder. In the small, rural town where I am from--which has fewer people than OTR, and far fewer than OTR and Downtown combined--there have been more murders this year so far as well as innumerable drug-related offenses. Yet people look at those of use who raise children in urban areas and say that it's not understandable, and it seems so dangerous, while the general consensus on the rural town is that it is a "safe place to live and a good place to raise your children." Crime is crime, it happens nearly everywhere--even in glitzy well-heeled suburbs, and rural country towns--but the focus seems only to be on crime in places like urban centers when people talk about "safety of the children."

^I can see your point, but just because we have screwed up and fostered exurban growth in Warren and Butler counties doesn't mean we should turn the tap on in Clermont, too, does it? And yes, it is a pain getting into downtown from the east side. In fact, SR32 is pretty screwed up as soon as you get to, say, Mt. Orab. When I travel home to Jackson County--a straight shot on 32--I rarely take 32, and normally go up 71 and over 35, because it is much easier and better. Question becomes, I guess, does it justify this project.

If the park is a known trouble spot, I would like to see more police presence there. Heck, I'd like to see more police presence everywhere--I think seeing them mounted, or on bikes, has a real positive effect on everyone around. Bfwissel, I don't think people are viewing you as alarmist--I think there was some disagreement with what seemed to be anecdotal statements about increases in crime. As to the downplaying of it, these last two incidents have certainly not been downplayed. Based on your statements, it seems the police are certainly aware--what is their plan to deal with these issues?

Do you really think that everyone who commits a shooting is insane? Lacking empathy, not understanding societal conventions, all kinds of things, I can see. To the extent that any shooting is connected to the drug trade (and based on what you read, that seems to be a common refrain), I'm guessing that the shooters think they are acting quite rationally. That doesn't excuse it, but it doesn't make it insane. Unless anyone engaged in criminal activity is insane.

Well, on the one hand, even though this one looks related to the shooting on Monday, it certainly provides more support to bfwissel's statement (anecdotal-based or not) about an uptick in crime. On the other hand, I have seen nothing but coverage of this shooting (and Monday's mentioned again and again) on Twitter and in the local media, so I can't agree with the idea that these things are being swept under the rug. I have to imagine we will be hearing all about it on talk radio today.

Shooting of 3-5 people in Piatt Park tonight according to Twitter. I hate to say it, but I feel like they need to police that park and enforce the rules keeping people out after dusk. (I think that is when it is supposed to close.) It's clearly a congregation point for something bad right now. Also, and I feel like I say this all the time, but at what point will we actually see some foot patrols downtown? I'm sorry, but cops driving around in cars just doesn't have the same effect on people as cops actually out and about, on the beat.

Also, looking at the crime stats from the city itself, it doesn't look like there has been a huge uptick in violent crime downtown and in OTR in the last few weeks. Violent crime in OTR (at least according to the police statistics) was way down in June, and it was up 8% in the CBD--an increase from 12 incidents in May to 13 in June. http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/police/crime-statistics/

I was aware of the Taste of Cincinnati issues. When I say I haven't noticed an increase in violence in downtown or OTR, I am speaking as someone who walks between both places 2x a day, every single day of the week. Not suggesting I am poring over police reports.

^^Also, this has to be the first time I can recall the locla media doing anything to downplay any violence downtown--usually it's quite the opposite with the TV and print media in Cincy.

Huh. I haven't noticed any increase in violence in downtown or OTR (and the stats I have seen certainly indicate that it is trending downward). Have you spoken with the police about it? Any idea what the issue is?

Interesting look at the Eastern Corridor. Big decisions coming up, and more people seem to be willing to speak out against it on the record. http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2014/07/08/die-eastern-corridor/12327503/

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/crime/2014/07/07/man-shot-twice-downtown/12319599/ Fight turns to murder when one combatant pulls a gun in Piatt Park area. On the plus side, I consider it a sign of progress when there are not histrionics accompanying every crime downtown. On the downside, 40 homicides already is more than I thought we were at. Puts it on pace for high 70s I guess? I assume the pace will slow down in the fall/winter, but still way too many.

Cool. Also that's quite a rendering. Looks like it is already built...