beachkbk

The way that sentence was written it sounded like moving dirt close to the jail is an issue. I don't think being near a jail is that big of a deal in general. Is there a genuine fear of someone escaping from the jail and going to Broadway Commons after it is developed? Perhaps I am naive. If it is a real concern, maybe the right answer to the question that started the thread is to build the jail that was just voted down.

Anyone know what's going in between Gilbert and I-71 by Channel 9? They're moving right along on whatever is going there.

What issues would the proximity to the jail cause?

^ thanks. great information about the phases and what is planned on going in.

Seems a bit extreme. I'd do DNA testing on Skyline chili and find out what the meat is. I guess it doesn't matter. Seasoned hot dog sauce is seasoned hot dog sauce no matter where the meat (chili or hot dog) came from.

^ don't your arrows on race and elm go the wrong way?

It seems that the Christmas tree is coming in its <a href=http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20071101/NEWS01/311010049/>40-foot grandeur</a>. I'm excited for the new skating rink and possibilities for holiday fun. It seems like last week we were watching <i>It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown</i> down there and now the tree will be here in 10 days. It's cold again. The <a href=http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=6447.0>BJs</a> are awesome. Bring on winter!

^ True, they are <a href=http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cdap/pages/-3777-/>Italianate</a>, as well as Vernacular, Greek Revival, and Queen Anne styles, but have German writing over them or German themed frescoes and statues. I suppose I meant that look more than Disney's Little Germany which would be contrive and unsustainable. Perhaps more than German or OTR, a theme that recalls the old docks and warehouses of the riverfront would be appropriate. Developments will have a style to them since they are designed. Some thought can be made to make it feel local or like a prefab suburban fake town dropped into the city.

I agree with the German look or at least inspired by the OTR architecture. No one mentioned the Carew Tower as a non-boring element of the Cincy skyline. While all cities have their buildings that were built in the 70s, Cincinnati is a very beautiful city overall. Also I may be biased, but I love the art-deco style of the American Building.

Instead of a Bw3 or ESPN zone, how about Chad Johnson's Grill with replica gold teeth available in the gift shop.

I thought that it was a disagreement between the city and county, not market forces, that has stalled the Banks to date. My guess is that if the governement pulled out, the land would be developed very quickly. It is called The Banks and not The Peak. I think that people understand the flood plain issue and are putting a much lusted after parking structure there. By the time that the money is spent, people will know exactly. Part of the money being spent is developing those exact plans. You can't get specifics without paying for them. It's a fact that is not Banks specific, but happens with all large projects. My understanding is that it is from County and City joint management of the land...or market forces. Well, that's probably true. Sad, but true. The reality is that when they move in and are part of a more diverse community, they may like what is "really downtown". Hopefully FWW will be capped and the Banks and the CBD will be more integrated than a "gated community". Not many gated communities are connected to more diverse areas by a streetcar. That is a clear difference. The economy is not a zero sum game. If the rich white people come in from West Chester and spend more in downtown/Banks, both can win. If there is a loser, which I doubt, it is likely to be Chili's in Mason. The Banks does that. Also, isn't The Banks is within 4 blocks of fountain square (5th-4=Pete Rose Way?). The opposite, not building the Banks, does not add that Critical Mass. In fact, it creates the image that downtown as a whole can't get their act together. People who don't live downtown do not separate downtown, OTR, The Banks, and any bad news. If you doubt that, watch the political add implying gunfire on the riverfront. There must be an integrate development policy that can take advantage of the obvious momentum that surrently exists. The Banks, streetcars, and Fountain Square development are all part of that vision.

^ See: London, Paris, Berlin,...

^ good points, but I would hope that a $300k+ house would not have a neighbor who would get their $300K+ house also condemned. I guess I pictured the buildings along Eastern to be less densely packed than many older neighborhoods, but it is relatively dense with swashes of emptiness between (where other building probably were).

We drove up Linn St. by accident while going to the post office last week. I didn't see a single commercial space occupied. I don't think many people go through there, especially when they are eager to shop. If I had a business, I'd probably go to any of the open places in the CBD before choosing to go there.

I don't know what I would do with 3500 square feet of house. I also don't get the general concept of spacing the houses by 2 feet, be it here or anywhere. Is it just to get light along the sidewalls? Eastern Ave is clearly a great place for redevelopment. The cost of construction is pushing developmnts towards high price homes. Can it work with smaller units? Maybe 3 single floor 1200 sq.ft units? I really don't know the economics of situation, such as demand for smaller units outsie of downtown/OTR.

Maybe he means it is a neighborhood that he would rather not develop? I agree with the shortsightedness comment as well. The primary job of government (in my opinion) is to provide infrastructure and protection. Both of these tasks are generally seen as having little direct return-on-investment by the group doing them. That is one of the reasons why market forces don't work in those areas, but it certainly is not a reason why the government shouldn't do it either.

This indicates no understanding that the streetcar IS a neighhood development project.

Today I noticed that the old auto shop on Sycamore right before Auburn (maybe 1841 Sycamore) was knocked down. I assume there is a set of townhomes being built there similar to the ones just down the hill. Anyone know about it?

I can tell you that in my experience, non-urban dwellers mostly think that way. A couple weeks ago I overheard a person from the 'burbs talking about downtown Cincinnati to someone in Rochester, NY. He said that there was no reason to go downtown. I also assume that he hasn't been there in 20 years. When we tell other people we know that we live downtown, they say, "ohh that's nice..." the same way they tell a 1st grade choir recital they did a good job. However, the easiest way to know most people feel that way is that the suburban cornfield developments are selling and growing.

And it will link Washington Park and Music Hall to the rest of downtown. Before it was a surface lot with a wall of rundown buildings filled with beeper stores and dive bars. The streetcar line down 12th/up Elm will help too.

My concern with Graeters is the customer flow. There is only the single door and it is too narrow to have flow along the counter and back out again when crowded. Still, it's way better than a newsdesk or an empty building.

I'm just glad the season's back. If only they'd get any media coverage here in Cincinnati.

Maybe, but the difference to him would only be a couple bucks. I always ask cabbies questions because I see them as keepers of information. It seems that they would know what's going on around town from driving and talking to people.

I was asking a cabbie about his job last week. He waited at the airport for 4 hours (he said that's average) for a $25 flat-rate fare to downtown. He says that they don't make any money because of the flat rate. I can see his point if you think an 8 hour day would be $60 gross with tips. Then you take out gas and cab company charges and there wouldn't be much to bring home. He did say that by getting a radio and being called out to people they make better money. My question is why do cabbies wait 4 hours at the airport?

that makes more sense...I was wondering how a streetcar line could be built for the equivalent of Kirk Saarloos' or Javier Valentin's salary.