jessehallum

The point of the line isn't to link uptown with downtown. The point is to spur development in OTR, to create investment in a neighborhood that has long since been in decline. If I gave you a map and asked you to create a line that can create the most amount of economic and community development, your map would probably look like the current plan. I have repeatedly heard the experts talk about streetcars working best when they connect a residential area to a destination. A 'destination' would be a business or entertainment district. The current alignment fits the bill very well and has the potential to create a housing mass in OTR. This housing mass would be completely walkable and traversable by streetcar. Conversely, I have learned that streetcar routes are less effective when they connect two business districts because there is no base of citizenry to ride the thing. Why would someone who works in clifton take a streetcar downtown to shop, only to take the streetcar back in order to drive home? In this scenario, the person would have a car at their place of employment and it would save a trip to just drive downtown in the first place. The current alignment does not include Clifton, but that doesn't mean that there will never be a line to Clifton. All that it means is that the line to Clifton is contingent on the OTR/CBD streetcar's success. I have seen the excitement that this proposal has brought to the city and I believe that it is the best way that we can save the basin. The streetcar's current alignment will work! There is no need to re-invent the wheel when we already have the idea solution.

Qualls might not be 'anti-streetcar', but her plan sure seems to have to potential to derail the whole thing. This is terrible news for me, as I was waiting for construction to begin before I purchased a condo in the 'Q'. It might be time to re-think Qualls! I was pretty young when she was mayor, but that time period wasn't really a success story in the history of this city. I have always been confused as to why she gets support.

^ This is either misguided do-goodery or corporate welfare for Kings Island. Either way, it is a waste of money!

Mallory: Free Metro rides to link teens, Kings Island jobs Tuesday, February 19, 2008 - 2:07 PM EST Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and the Everybody Rides Metro Foundation on Tuesday announced a summer 2008 program that will provide free bus rides to transport low-income teens to jobs at Kings Island theme park. The foundation secured $1 million in funding to provide the rides, which will be handled through the Hamilton County Job and Family Services' "On the Move" transit program, according to a news release from Metro. Read full article here: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/02/18/daily17.html

Model Group to advise on Avondale home project Business Courier of Cincinnati Monday, February 18, 2008 - 1:22 PM EST The Model Group has been chosen by the Uptown Consortium as an adviser for the residential development of Harvey Commons in Avondale. Click link for article.

Delta deal this week? THE ENQUIRER Wednesday appears to be decision day on whether Delta Air Lines will merger with Northwest Airlines. The deal would create the nation's largest airline. Delta's board of directors plans to meet Wednesday to approve the Atlanta-based carrier's with Northwest Airlines, sources told the Financial Times on Friday. Northwest may also call a board meeting for Wednesday, the sources said. The two airlines have agreed to exchange Northwest shares for those of Delta at little or no premium, the Financial Times reported. The Delta board, which meet in New York City, will be able to approve a deal because union negotiators have agreed on a "conceptual" plan to blend the two airlines' pilot ranks, sources told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Dealing with the Air Line Pilots Association is crucial because previous mergers have ended up in fights over seniority lists that have been so contentious they have either resulted in arbitration or lawsuits. Both Delta's and Northwest's pilot unions want a merger to give them stock in the new airline and allow them to reverse pay and benefit cuts from bankruptcies at both carriers, the sources told the Atlanta paper.

Trinity Flats mixes new, old Residential, commercial blended Among the projects under way as part of the third phase of development in Over-the-Rhine's Gateway Quarter is Model Group's Trinity Flats. The $8.9 million condominium development will include 38 residential units and more than 7,000 square feet of commercial space along Vine and Republic streets. Lisa Bernard-Kuhn

City-Price Hill link closing Eighth St. viaduct to undergo 6 months of repairs BY MARGARET A. MCGURK LOWER PRICE HILL - Drivers, bicyclists and hikers who use Eighth Street to get to and from downtown will use detours come May. That's when the city will begin a major renovation of the 79-year-old viaduct by shutting it down for about six months. Contractors and city officials gathered Thursday as bids on the $20 million project were opened. Contracts can be awarded and preliminary work can begin within weeks, as soon as the bids are verified.

Vacant schools worrisome CPS' lack of plan raises risk of blight BY BEN FISCHER | [email protected] Interactive Map of Vacant Schools The last thing the industrial Mill Creek Valley community of Carthage can afford is a large, empty building or vacant lot in the heart of the neighborhood, resident Diane Jones said. But as Cincinnati Public Schools enters the second half of its 10-year, citywide rebuilding project, that's what Carthage residents are facing within two years. After losing a multiyear battle to save Carthage Paideia Academy from closing, they're organizing to prevent losing the 41-year-old structure altogether after it serves as a temporary home of the Hartwell school until 2010. "Another vacant building in Carthage would be devastating to us," said Jones, who hopes to rally support for an alternative use for the school.

Cincinnati had fewest foreclosures of Ohio metros in '07 Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 12:24 PM EST Business Courier of Cincinnati Ohio was well-represented in the top 20 in RealtyTrac's ranking of 2007 metropolitan foreclosure rates - but Cincinnati had the lowest rate of the state's major cities. Nonetheless, Cincinnati ranked in the top third for foreclosures, according to RealtyTrac's "Year-End 2007 Metropolitan Foreclosure Report." Regional metropolitan rankings (100 largest U.S. metro areas): * The Cleveland/Lorain/Elyria/Mentor area ranked sixth, with nearly 3 percent of households in foreclosure, up 112 percent from 2006. * Akron was 12th, with 2.3 percent of its homes in foreclosure, up 107.5 percent. * Dayton was 15th with 2.1 percent in foreclosure, up 145.5 percent. * Indianapolis ranked 18th, with 2 percent in foreclosure, up nearly 8 percent. * Toledo was 19th, with 1.9 percent in foreclosure, up 117 percent. * Columbus was 25th, with 1.8 percent in foreclosure, up 86.4 percent. * Cincinnati ranked at No. 33, with 1.5 percent in foreclosure, up 104.4 percent. * Louisville was 74th, with 0.6 percent in foreclosure, down 12 percent from 2006. * Pittsburgh was 86th, with 0.4 percent in foreclosure, down almost 30 percent. ... More at: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/02/11/daily31.html?surround=lfn

Investors snap up another apartment building in Over-the-Rhine Business Courier of Cincinnati - by Lisa Biank Fasig Courier staff reporter Thursday, February 14, 2008 - 2:22 PM EST Restaurant investor Martin Wade has purchased another building in Over-the-Rhine to join 13 other parcels he acquired that are expected to be redeveloped into a mixed-use district. Wade on Feb. 1 paid $80,000 cash for the eight-unit apartment building at 1400 Clay St., according to Hamilton County Auditor Dusty Rhodes' office. It is contiguous with the other lots he had purchased in September, for a combined $1 million, along much of Walnut and Clay streets between 14th and Liberty streets.

State and local governments can create incentives for business, but they do not own the businesses or directly impact the financial value of the business. SWF's provide opportunities for governments to directly manipulate the value of companies. In the author's example, a government could 'conspire' with an airline to bring service to the country. In this scenario, the SWF would then buy massive amounts of stock to increase the value of the airline in exchange for service to the country. Once the airline relocates, the government has the potential to hold the company financially hostage if they do not get favorable terms. Currently, Corporations have to use leverage to get incentives from governments. An example of this is when Cincinnati paid Convergys to keep jobs in the area. A corporation can use these public threats to receive incentives. SWFs potentially allow the company to lobby government behind the scenes to get favorable business deals. This would empower both governments and corporations at the expense of the markets and the people. It is important to remember that there is not any evidence at this time of irresponsible behavior by SWFs in the private sector, but the potential remains. I would question the necessity for government's role in industry retention and creation. It would seem to me that the government should provide a solid and fair business environment to allow the market to determine these factors. I agree that there have been some scare tactics with these SWFs. Many cite China's reserve of US dollars that is so large that China could devalue our currency any time that it likes. While this might be true, it is unlikely to happen. I agree with those who think that we should take a harder look at the consequences of our policies because it has been our policy to allow the Chinese to finance our debt, which has created said reserves. This type of fear could ultimately be used to justify our government taking control over assets. We should take a realistic look at our government's policies and realize its impact around the world.

School's staff being replaced Taft Elementary hasn't raised student performance BY BEN FISCHER | [email protected] Cincinnati Public Schools will replace the entire staff at the chronically low-performing Taft Elementary School in Mount Auburn. The action is the result of the school's inability to meet improvement goals mandated by the federal government and, before that, the district for nine consecutive years. Students there score about 20 points below the district average on standardized tests, according to state data.

Banks gets extra time Financing still being secured BY KEITH T. REED | [email protected] The developers of The Banks now have an extra month to secure financing for the $74 million first phase of the central riverfront project, even as they already received funding promises from three lenders. Carter & Associates Commercial Services LLC and the Dawson Co. have until Feb. 29 to raise the cash under a deal reached Tuesday between the developers and Cincinnati and Hamilton County leaders...

The names have now changed on KI's website: Italian Job Stunt Track = Backlot Stunt Coaster Days of Thunder = Thunder Alley Drop Zone Stunt Tower = Drop Zone Face/Off = Invertigo Tomb Raider: The Ride = The Crypt Top Gun = Flight Deck Link

^ The next batch of ARM's will reset in three months. Most of the people that I have talked to are pessimistic about short to mid term in the mortgage market. EDIT: Ohio is towards has one of the highest default rates in the country. If Michigan and Florida are the two major sources of default for 5/3, it could get uglier!

Bad loans hurt Fifth Third's earnings BY STEVE WATKINS | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER January 22, 2008 One-time charges and bad loans pummeled Fifth Third Bancorp's fourth-quarter earnings. Cincinnati's largest locally based bank earned 7 cents per share, down 42 percent from the 12 cents it earned in the year-ago quarter. But Fifth Third took a few noncash charges that lowered earnings in the fourth quarter. Those included 29 cents a share to reflect a lower surrender value of one of its bank-owned life insurance policies and 12 cents for the estimated costs to settle future litigation involving Visa members. It also took a charge of 1 cent per share related to its November acquisition of R-G Crown in Florida.

I can't wait until the new developments of W. Rainbow Falls, West Rainbow Town, E. Rainbow Town, and E. Rainbow Falls flank the freedom center. WTF does that even mean? Will the architecture of these buildings look like the crudely drawn circles that represent them? These ideas are not 'too extreme'. These are not even ideas. Anyone could come up with something this simple and abstract in about thirty minutes.

The Cincinnati Beacon is usually good for a laugh. This story is no exception. The rendering that they provide is absolutely hilarious. In fact, I think it is a joke. :laugh: Gaia Foundation releases plans for “Sky Gardens” to replace The Banks Project Saturday, January 19, 2008 Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati The Gaia Foundation has released early drawings of its plans for “Sky Gardens,” which it characterizes as an ecological alternative to the current plans for developing The Banks—Cincinnati’s prime river-front real estate. “This is an alternative to the current ugly and non-sustainable design on the Banks,” explained Molak. “I have been working on the details of the concept for the last 3 years...it combines the European hill town and Himalayan terraces for growing food...

I snapped a few pictures today of the construction of the School for the Creative and Performing Arts and the work being done on Central Parkway. I was kind of surprised that they have made so much progress on the SPCA.

^ I have long thought that this area would be well suited to office development. The west side has very little suburban office. Mid-Rise office building in this area could compete with other suburban offices (Mason, Blue Ash). The condos and apartments that have been built on the hills have really spurred development, but it is kind of a shame that they have developed strip malls (almost exclusively). My favorite example of wasted real estate in the area is the self-storage area on Harrison Ave between Sheed and Pinnacle. This would be a prime location for some office, considering the visibility and access to the highway.

^ I'd argue that the government created the mortgage crisis. When the fed was offering 1% interest rates, its chairman (Alan Greenspan) was actively encouraging adjustable rate mortgage in speeches to banks and credit unions. At this time, the banks were flooded with loanable monies. The natural reaction of a bank is to loan the money at a rate that the market will bear. So, if the federal reserve would not have taken such drastic and reactionary measures following 9-11, none of this would have ever happened. Couple that with the national push of the 90s and 00s to encourage home ownership and you have a perfect storm. I know that it is arguing semantics at this point, but I think it is an important point none the less. I do agree with Bortz that the government should not be managing the property. An independent entity would take a lot of pressure off the management team and would maximize efficiency. One of the reasons that it has taken so long to get the project underway is that the government has been inconsistent and difficult to work with.

^ Thats a bummer. Kaldi's is by far my favorite bar on Main St. They draw kind of an artsy crowd, but the atmosphere is much more welcoming than other hipster/trendy bars in the district. I thought that Main St. was a good fit because of its proximity to the Art Academy and the performing arts theaters. I'd rather see them open another store instead of relocating. EDIT: Do you know what will be replacing it?

^ I think that the medical office is a great fit for that site!