neilworms

These kinds of issues are exactly the sorts of things that the articles I posted from the Business Journal were eluding to in the city's complaints towards mismanagement of this project. That really doesn't make this sit well with me. I'm worried that unless something is done to remedy these issues, over time this part of town will be a prettier, less dense version of the run down projects it replaced.

There even are a few of these in more stable/gentrified parts of town. Walk around Noble Square (to the east of Wicker Park/Ukrainian Village) and you used to see a ton of these. I see a fair amount of gaps on the google streetview, I wonder if a fair number of ones like the building I show below were already torn down. Here's an example street: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Chicago,+IL&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=24.37547,57.480469&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois&ll=41.907196,-87.664375&spn=0,0.028067&z=15&layer=c&cbll=41.901582,-87.664507&panoid=xWGQJZdmjXK1c1ywKM-38Q&cbp=12,124.52,,0,-17.16 My favorite abandoned new condo building in Chicago would have to be this one - it looks like a fortress, might make a good army garrison or an excellent prop in a paintball arena: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Chicago,+IL&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=24.37547,57.480469&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois&ll=41.908481,-87.667712&spn=0.002819,0.007017&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.908359,-87.667696&panoid=XPDHEYOnviZ3KEduccPijQ&cbp=12,96.76,,0,-3.53

Is there anywhere currently in Cincinnati where you get get both Chili and local beer in the same place? I'd hate to think that the only bar that sells Cincy Chili and Beer is in Chicago...

Other than the obvious problems of the economy, and the known problem of mismanagement, one thing that might be retarding the growth of the retail is the fact that there are still remnants of the projects immediately across Linn St. I wonder why these didn't get torn down like the others?

I'm the most familiar with Chicago because I'm living there. Here are a couple examples: A large chunk of Cabrini Green has been redeveloped, the project stalled due to economic issues, but that happened all over the country. Here is a google representative of what the neighborhood looks like: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=West+Evergreen+Avenue,+Chicago,+IL&sll=41.897869,-87.629442&sspn=0.01495,0.056562&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=W+Evergreen+Ave,+Chicago,+Illinois&ll=41.899942,-87.644376&spn=0.003737,0.014141&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=41.899942,-87.644376&panoid=aUEAvxoKdhTyc1tPtv_l_g&cbp=12,92.94,,0,1.04 Business is solid there, even some clients I work with in the futures industry have located to this general area, something quite different from the abandoned stretches of retail along Linn street. "ABLA" - now basically the projects that were near UIC which is this terrible post war monstrosity that removed a bunch of late victorian neighborhoods from near the loop (Downtown). The projects were torn down then renamed Roosevelt Square, Here is a map: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=West+Evergreen+Avenue,+Chicago,+IL&sll=41.897869,-87.629442&sspn=0.01495,0.056562&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=W+Evergreen+Ave,+Chicago,+Illinois&ll=41.860997,-87.648802&spn=0.007479,0.028281&z=15&layer=c&cbll=41.860997,-87.648802&panoid=6Oq_e4_lCowKK9rAifwc3g&cbp=12,25.4,,0,-3.47 There are more examples I'm sure, particularly on the North, Near West and Near South sides - the architecture kind of gives them away, but I need to do a bit more digging to verify which ones of these were former projects. Not everything was successful in Chicago, but the ones near downtown were. Its kind of shocking, but in Cincinnati the idea of downtown living is (surprise surprise) 20 years behind everyone else, things are literally just starting up, where as in Chicago the problem is over-gentrification and actually being able to afford living near downtown unless you're rich or know the right people and find a good deal. All of these "projects" have stalled with the real estate bust, but I get the feeling from riding around them and looking at signs of who lives in them and the retail that surrounds them, that they are more successful than the Cincinnati ones. There are numbers to back it up on the ones near the UIC where property values went up 5x+ after the projects were removed and new places put in their place. A lot of it may also be culture in Cincinnati. Cincinnatians are more afraid of integrating. On my own street there are subsidized houses at the end of the street for lower income Latinos. Surrounding it are new condo buildings (which are IMO generally a step above the quality seen in City West in the new but looks old dept - I need to start a thread on this sometime) and even a multi-million dollar house of new construction that was previously foreclosed but now is being remodeled and will be inhabited when done. There are BMWs on my street, working class Latinos who remain from when the area was solidly working class Puerto Rican, and young hipsters fresh out of college. While my neighborhood is not a new mixed income development, I'm sure this integration also applies to these mixed income developments as well, so long as they are in desirable parts of town.

There is a project website: http://www.projectgroundwork.org/

I'm not sure how successful City West has been, other than at least in concept, its a great idea to reclaim the west end with something that at least looks somewhat like what was lost to Laurel Homes. Yet, I drive through there and it doesn't appear to be a mixed community at all. I drive through similar Hope IV projects in Chicago and see people of all races, yet when I go through City West it seems all black. I did some deeper digging and it seems there are managerial problems including safety and maintenance issues with the site: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2010/12/01/lenders-start-foreclosure-action-at.html and http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2010/12/30/cmha-calls-for-ouster-of-city-west.html and http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2010/11/05/with-defaults-is-city-west-still.html Its a real shame, I'd love to see the west end regain some of its old grandeur, and I've seen similar projects in other parts of the country that are successful and highly desired due to their close proximity to downtowns.

One would hope that a businessman of his stature would understand basic real estate market forces... particularly if he's heading up part of what's basically a real estate brokerage organization. Also I seem to remember reading that 3CDC officials were pushing for support of the streetcar. Either there is something I'm missing, or this is poor journalism.

Joe Pichler is a major stakeholder in 3CDC, wouldn't it be in his best interest to support the streetcar? Here's where I read it: http://www.3cdc.org/who-we-are/otr-work-group/

Anything historic in the area?

I'm amazed how little people in Cincy travel... If they'd only get out in the world a bit more it would be a way better place. Pilsen is a gentrifying but still a little gritty Mexican/artist neighborhood just southwest of downtown Chicago. Its probably the most east coast feeling neighborhood in the city, lots of 19th century large brick townhouses/apartments, the major streets feel like they are right out of Over the Rhine, but maybe a little newer in construction: http://www.chicagocondos-online.com/neighborhoods/pilsen/ I've been to the South and the South maybe intolerant, but its balanced by a Southern charm, an outward friendliness/politeness that makes up for the inward intolerance. As long as certain topics aren't discussed, you can get along with people okay. In Cincinnati there isn't the charm, you can't even fake getting along with people, its just this bitter jaded cliquish attitude. That's why I kind of felt there was a touch of Northeast in its attitude - the lack of Southern charm.

As a Chicagoan who moved from Cincinnati a few years back for somewhat similar reasons I couldn't help but chime in on this statement. I think you're right about Chicago being Midwestern at its core, but on in my mind I think this is a good thing. Part of what I like about Chicago actually is that its simultaneously Midwestern and Cosmopolitan, you can enjoy a great deal of culture, but still get the whole Midwest charm thing where people are quite approachable and easy to get along with. (I'd argue more Midwest charm than I experienced in Cincy which can be quite standoffish to outsiders - Cincy's kind of a weird mix of Southern and Northeastern, hard to approach people and cliques in a stereotypically Northeastern way and also kind of intolerant in a stereotypically Southern way). I think I'd prefer Cincy if it ever got its act together, but I feel as though that may never happen (though there are a few nice things starting up down there). I have a funny feeling that a lot of people who leave Cincy want to see the place succeed but got fed up with living there - a weird side affect would be following Cincy news closer than the city you wind up in news. At least that's how its worked for me. Btw, for a touch of East Coast feel in Chicago, (even if you don't move there) check out the older neighborhoods, like Pilsen, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village and Lincoln Park, they are kind of at the tail end of the 19th century feel that Cincinnati and East Coast cities have a lot more of.

The enquirer's blog writeup about a failed attempt to file an injunction against the CPS on 142 E McMicken: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/developingnow/2010/12/10/cps-vs-otr-heads-to-court/

Are they currently being demolished, or getting ready to be demolished?

There is still an effort today to stop the demolition of the property. Please contact the people above and demand an injunction to stop the demolition of McMicken street.

For those who aren't following on social networks. Here is an article on the Enquirer's Developing Now Blog: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/developingnow/2010/12/08/cps-demolishing-contested-building/?s=d&page=1#pluckcomments Here is a listing of people who should be contacted to demand a stop to this nonsense: Call Amit Ghosh (City of Cincy 352-3433) Mike Burson (CPS 207-7715) Charles Graves at City Hall (513) 352-4851 And if you're so inclined the contact information of all of those in City Hall: Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls City Hall, Suite 351 Phone: (513) 352-3604 Fax: (513) 352-3621 [email protected] Cecil Thomas - President Pro-Tem City Hall, Suite 349 Phone: (513) 352-3499 Fax: (513) 352-3218 [email protected] Jeff Berding City Hall, Suite 348 Phone: (513) 352-3283 Fax: (513) 352-3289 [email protected] Chris Bortz City Hall, Suite 356 Phone: (513) 352-3249 Fax: (513) 352- 3264 [email protected] Leslie Ghiz City Hall, Suite 354 Phone: (513) 352-3344 Fax: (513) 352-3277 [email protected] Chris Monzel City Hall, Suite 352 Phone: (513) 352-3640 Fax: (513) 352-4649 [email protected] Laure Quinlivan City Hall, Suite 346B Phone: (513) 352-5303 Fax: (513) 352-5390 [email protected] Charlie Winburn City Hall, Suite 346A Phone: (513) 352-5354 Fax: (513) 352-5367 [email protected] Wendell Young City Hall, Suite 350 Phone: (513) 352-3466 Fax: (513) 352-3957 [email protected]

Since it hasn't already been reported here 142 E McMillian Street in OTR is on the road to being demolished by the CPS. Such a shame, its a 4 story brick building. There is a group of preservationists having an emergency meeting at 10am at the Iris Book Cafe. Hopefully they won't be too late. For those of you who live in Cincinnati that read these boards, please call the news and throw as much mud in the face of the CPS as possible. This garbage should stop now!

These are top notch! I noticed that like in Chicago they are using Cinder Blocks to cut cost, which make the building look more convincingly urban than putting a brick front with a vinyl sided side... (I'm thinking specifically of a ton of Infill project in Cincinnati... they really need to learn how to do them right!)

A Sari Shop would probably do the trick. Or continuing the Devon analogy, a cheap electronics shop :evil:

^- Cincinnati's mini Devon Ave - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devon_Avenue_(Chicago). Maybe it should be known as little India, it would make Cincy seem more cosmopolitan.

Restorationconsultant just posted on his blog about recently digitized photos of the old Kenyon-Barr neighborhood (the one that was "renewed" into Queensgate) offered by the Cincinnati's Historical Society's website. Blog Post: http://victorianantiquitiesanddesign.blogspot.com/2010/11/cincinnatis-lost-neigborhood-kenyon.html Photography Collection: (Search for Kenyon-Barr) http://library.cincymuseum.org/ Its a complete travesty that we lost this neighborhood to a mediocre suburban office/industrial park. I've heard much about this neighborhood and have seen a photograph of it from the air around Union Terminal, but this is the first time I've seen pics on the street. Its both facinating and sad.

^-Good Point.

I've always been surprised that newspapers in general aren't lobbying for better transit, as transit encourages reading, and people can read the newspaper on the way to work. Any paper that doesn't is stupid and will continue to bleed revenues. ;)

The name reminds me of an old guy trying to sound cool. "Yo kids, u square @ the loop, dawg" comes to mind when I hear it. *cringe*

Portland doesn't have a strong local economy, in fact Portland doesn't have enough jobs to support its boom in population. People are moving there for the lifestyle not for the jobs, and there have even been reports of people moving back due to not getting jobs. Cincinnati really needs all it can get to attract people, because Cincinnati has a very solid economic base that actually Portland lacks. If Cincy can attract outside attention it will draw people and new money to the city. I think the streetcar coupled with outside development, combined with agressive pro restoration/promotion of heritage tourism policies can help this. Really Portland has no base and is doing more with less. Cincinnati has a ton of assets locally and is doing very little to grow them.