jdm00

^I completely understand that. What I am saying is if it's not going to happen, make it clear it's not going to happen. In theory, at least, you would have the COAST/NAACP crowd campaigning against something that doesn't exist, making it that much more likely to be defeated. If you keep it on the table even without funding, the anti-Streetcar folks can still point to that (and possibly with more ammunition, by saying that council still plans to do it even after losing $50mil, making it a bigger risk to the city, blah blah blah). I'd like it to be built. But if it's going to happen, do it already. If not, don't walk us into a charter amendment that screws us for ten years because the well has been so poisoned and it is still on the table with no realistic chance of occurring.

^Agreed. If it's not going to happen now, they should just take it off the table and get rid of the ballot initiative. Unless the Feds come through with a bunch of money, not sure how we can make a go of it.

New York City plans to challenge the census, saying that the gain reported undercounted the city's population: http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/27/new.york.census.challenge/index.html?hpt=T2

Glad it's coming along. Any replacement of a surface lot is great.

Big article on the Banks in the Enquirer: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110327/NEWS01/103270388/The-Banks-comes-alive?odyssey=tab

HOw small is Salt Lake City geographically? I assumed it would be more like other mid-sized Western metros (like Albuquerque or Denver or whatever).

Gee, the Business Courier gets a negative quote from Verst Group Logistics. Anyone know what Verst does? I do: they're a over-the-road shipping/brokering company. They own semis for shipping and arrange shipping (via semis) for others. Oh, and I may be wrong about this, but I think that they're in Kentucky. Hard to believe that he's not in favor of the Streetcar.

^Thanks for doing that. I understand that we are doing CBD-CBD, but was just trying to get a sense of what kind of population we'd be looking at taken together. 13,000 in DT/OTR south of liberty is not bad at all.

So the only top 50 metros to decline are Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and New Orleans? That is depressing for the Great Lakes region. :(

They are building their case. I'm sure they are in talks with the AG of both Ohio and the US. They will not let a Blagojevich happen in Ohio. I can't imagine that they will get any help from the OAG's office.

ColDay--what would downtown Cincy look like with OTR (or at least Gateway/south of Liberty) included? I ask because that is certainly as close (or closer) to the CBD as the Arena District.

I have to say I am disappointed by the deafening silence coming from the city on this. I understand that they are thinking things over and evaluating options, but I think you have to go on the offensive here. If you are considering litigation, say it. If you are reaching out to the feds and they are ticked, tell people about it. It seems emblematic of one of the things that has frustrated me about the Democrats for years--they are not good at modern politics. You know why every Republican you talk to hates Rahm Emmanuel? Because he is an attack dog, and he goes after the GOP like they go after things. These are not the Republicans of the 70s and 80s (or even the 90s). The Tea Party movement should show you that. These people are zealots, crusaders, bullies--and you have to respond to them like bullies. Just frustrated with the whole process. I want someone fighting for this project with Sean Connery's approach from The Untouchables.

I think China passed Japan for 2nd largest economy. But that's neither here nor there.

^Does anyone have the link to the census data for the tracts? I'd like to see the Cincinnati numbers (like the Dayton numbers on the previous page) but can't seem to find it... :(

Great! They seem reasonably priced. Hopefully they will be the start of something big.

It's not even greater cincinnati- it's just outside of columbus. Isn't she also responsible for SB5?

I understand there's a lot of prep work, but it has taken way too long for this project to start. If there were shovels in the ground, imagine how much harder it would be for this kind of stuff to take place. Sad.

Welcome to the forum. I live two blocks away, and I am excited for you all to open! Here's wishing you much success.

Link to the Enquirer story on Smitty's reopening. http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110322/NEWS01/103230321/Smitty-s-reopens-New-site-old-neighborhood?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

^The nuisance thing I can understand (though I'm not sure that any and all citizens of a county would have standing in such a scenario, but that's neither here nor there). The piece related to the annexation promise was where I was confused, and the language of detrimental reliance certainly sound like they were basing it on that promise (and not a claim of nuisance).

I have to say, I am amazed at that suit by the Dispatch company. Keeping in mind that I did not read the article--just the blurb you posted there--it sounds like they are saying that they donated to a political campaign on the basis that the developers (that is, the people behind the campaign) would agree to the annexation. Is it to the point where people and/or companies that contribute to a political campaign can bring a suit if the election winner doesn't follow through on promises? Or am I missing something here?

There were pretty nice crowds at Holy Grail last Thursday and Friday. They are going to do extremely well once the Reds' season begins.

Wow. That's serious.

Not the actual project that was the genesis of this thread, but some luxury apartments have been rehabbed and opened in the "Incline District." Enquirer story at the link: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/wordonthewestside/2011/03/17/luxury-apartments-open-in-east-price-hill/ They look pretty cool.

^I'm in Trinity Flats, at Vine and Mercer (just south of 14th). Just moved in in February.