RiverViewer

Is this really radically over cost? They're 12% over estimate on the 7 projects they list, but those only comprise $100MM of the $1B project. Any idea on how much of the $1B has been used to get us here? If we're, say, $250MM into it, then the overrun is more like 5%, and I have no concept of whether that's egregious or normal in a project of this magnitude...

I heard a stat this morning that, since the 70's, the federal government has given Amtrak $19 billion in subsidies. That seemed like an astonishing amount of money, until grasscat updated the Great Brent Spence Bridge thread today and I hit me that we're talking about $750 million for that project. That's one bridge for one highway (technically two highways) for one city...it's a mix of sources, yes, but it's still just one small link in the interstate highway chain. According to this site, there are 11,621 bridges on interstate and state highways in Ohio alone (a bridge being defined as 20 feet or greater), 286,019 in the country. Obviously few of those are as long or as traveled as the Brent Spence, but good lord, that's an astonishing investment - 30 years of Amtrak pales in comparison. Of course, we spent $30 billion federal dollars on highways in 2003, and $14 billion on airlines. Personal automobiles accounted for 54.6% of all passenger miles on trips of 100 miles or more (in 1995), airplanes for 43.0%, bus for 1.6%, and rail for 0.5%...it's the easiest argument to make that if non-commuter rail service were funded proportional to its use, it should receive $220 million in subsidies, and thus last year's $1.2 billion made it more than five times as expensive as other transportation alternatives...

I never even thought of combining it with the northbound ramps. There's lots of space for expansion there, and that would have to flow better - time the lights right and that might solve the problem with minimal loss of private property. Hopefully they can make this change soon, because it's currently a very dangerous situation...depending on how you approach, you have to cross 4 lanes of traffic and merge into a lane of stopped traffic, while three lanes of thru traffic try to zoom past...just a bad situation...

Fantastic courthouse - I really like the close-up (with the traffic light in it). And lots of nice brick structures. Sturdyville, Indiana! Not so sure on the offices in the church...nice that it's been adapted for a new use, but the white lettering on the windows just looks bad.

LOL...wouldn't dream of it!

^Pardon me, I've been drinking... (I'm sure you understand!)

A couple pictures of the "slippage" repair at Theordore M. Berry park along the riverfront, just taken this afternoon (we walked to Newport today from Walnut Hills...a lovely walk, btw):

Well, that would skip Shaker Square...

^LOL - the Chamber of Commerce would have a heart attack, but that would be extremely funny...

I remember the bench that faced Baldwin - concrete, curved, steps leading up to it, as I remember...maybe a sundial of some sort? Very cool. There are always folks inside the fence, but I don't know if they just stage their gear there for other projects they're working on - they just replaced all the windows in Old Chem, for example. But I'll get some pictures on Tuesday. I'm really impressed with the insides of the buildings. TUC is a bit too white for my taste, but it's a cool building. Cincinnatus's thread has a lot of fantastic shots of the inside, and it really is a great space. And I have to say, I really like all the exteriors of the buildings they've been putting up. Well, I've never liked DAAP (dumpy and disjointed to me), but I think Steger looks very cool, University Pavilion is stunning from the inside or the outside, the steps and walkways and flow of traffic is very appealing with hills and curves and little nooks everywhere - low walls to sit on, little benches built into walls, stairs overlooking walkways, a cool balcony off the back of TUC...the problem is when they jam it all together - it's just plain jarring.

You're quite right - I was inaccurate on what I called the "Quad". I guess I was using it generically for green space between a bunch of buildings...here's a picture of the true UC Quad I took back in October - you may wish to avert your eyes, because as I remember, it used to be a beautiful space... I don't remember much changing since October, but I'll get a few shots next week and post them if there's much new. I have no idea what they're building there...anyone know?

^Dude, chill...read the forum a while before you shoot off blindly at guys who know more about development than a lot of urban planners do...KJP was kidding about Columbus...

The University of Cincinnati has certainly been on a building binge in the last few years, and while it's long overdue, and some of it is very cool, I have to say, the Quad is just an awful mess of disparate styles that just make you say, WTF? My overall assessment: I love the space, I just can't comprehend the structures. First, a panorama to put it all in context - left to right, this is Swift Hall, Steger Student Life Center, Tangeman Hall, University Pavilion and McMicken (this pano is smaller since it's at the top of the thread, far from the scroll bar - I'll put a larger version at the bottom of the post): Now some detail - first, here's a few views of Tangeman: Here's a close-up of where the steel-gray siding material morphs with the old brick of Tangeman: Whatever those gray tiles are, they spread like kudzu: You Will Become One With The Borg: Now this space by itself is cool - matching materials, nice slope, interesting glass and steps drawing you down thru a wide public space towards the stadium: But sweet Christ, in context it's just extremely odd: And then, from the borg-steel to the brick, to more borg-steel, to a super-glass University Pavilion: ...and thence back to brick (little sunset action here): Then McMicken, the granddaddy of all UC's buildings, is marred with this weird-ass "Preview Pavilion" bus stop looking thing: And finally, back to recognizable UC space - McMicken and Braunstein: As I said, I love the space - I miss the old bridge outside of TUC, but this quad is an interesting, landscaped space - it looks great in spring/fall, it's open and inviting, lots of green, nice contours and interesting walkways and steps...but the space draws your eyes up to such a strange amalgamation of disconnected, uncomplementary styles that it's just jarring... Props to Cincinnatus for his earlier tour of the campus just after the new TUC opened...he has a great tour of more of the campus... Here's the large-sized panorama:

From what I gather from reading back thru the newspaper articles posted here, the city exercised its right to Eminent Domain for the public use of "urban renewal". And apparently to qualify for urban renewal, the area involved must be considered deteriorating or blighted. Judge Myers ruled that the area was not "blighted" or "deteriorated", but that it was "deteriorating" (actually, she ruled that Norwood abused its discretion in finding the area "blighted" or "deteriorated", but did not abuse its discretion in finding the area to be "deteriorating"). And apparently some of the reasons for finding the area to be "deteriorating" are the development that's been going on around them: So an Interstate constructed in the 1970's is suddenly deteriorating the area...and then you develop around the area, which deteriorates it...I took 30 feet of your front lawn, so therefore your property is deteriorating. Let me take the rest of it now! I love what Rookwood does for the neighborhood - upscale retail and dining and office space in a blue collar neighborhood helps home values, roots the community, builds the tax base, diversifies the economy...not all of it is upscale, either - Rookwood Pavilion has a TJ Maxx and a Steinmart and a BW3's and a Boston Market and a SuperCuts, lots of places for every budget...it's not out in Sprawlville, and it's an asset to Cincinnati and Norwood both. And Rookwood Exchange is a natural extention. However, it does seem like an abuse of Eminent Domain. The only reason the area's blighted is because there's been business built around it. That just doesn't seem fair. Eminent Domain, by its very nature, isn't fair - but when it's a road or a utility, that's a lot different than when it's a shopping mall...

Well, according to this "Ohio State University Fact Sheet": From this, it looks like the only place Rookwood might fit is under Local Government: "Municipalities and their boards or commissions may exercise the power of eminent domain for any public purpose." Those purposes have meet the definition of Public Use, and "the Ohio Supreme Court has loosely defined "public use" as a use that is required for the public’s safety, health, interest, or convenience." The paper then lists examples: "Examples of uses deemed valid public uses by Ohio courts include streets, roads, highways, scenic and recreational uses, public buildings, water improvements, correctional facilities, airports, cemeteries, waste-disposal plants, utilities, urban-renewal projects, and railroads." I guess we need to add "lifestyle shopping centers" to the list... Anyway, I assume it's probably more nuanced than this, and I'll try to go back and read up on how this particular case interfaced with Eminent Domain law, but if anyone else has something to throw in, I'd love to learn from folks who know how this stuff works!

Seems to me like the issue here is defining what can be taken by eminent domain and what cannot. Obviously, that ain't set in stone...I would think private development ought not get to use eminent domain, and I'm really surprised that they ended up getting to here. The blight argument was just nonsense. What are the laws regarding eminent domain?

I'm just waiting for the David McCullough/Edmund Morris style mega-bio on WHT...he's got to be a fascinating character - only guy ever to be both President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, there's gotta be a good story there...

Went to the Diner on Sunday, around 3:30pm, and had decent food, good drinks, and abysmal service...we were super hungry, so we ordered an appetizer sampler, which the kitchen apparently forgot...after about 50 minutes our main course came. Had to ask for drinks two or three times, they didn't cook the food to order, etc. Hopefully it was a combination of between shifts and bad luck, so we'll definitely try it again, but god damn, they can't keep doing that to folks an expect to stay in business...the service reminded me of the Cove/Sitwell's back in the Tudor Court days...

Well, three points: 1) I'm only up to John Quincy Adams in my American Presidency series, so I'm definitely not as up to speed as I'd like to be - however... 2) WHT initiated 80 anti-trust suits during his administration, and while he didn't do the spectacular trust-busting that TR did, he certainly was no slouch. And most importantly: 3) "Roosevelt" just doesn't fit into the Shaft theme at all!

Sorry, I misread the line, you made perfect sense the first time and I just missed it... That seems like a reasonable schedule. Of course, with the current plan, it's more likely to be a 7am departure from Cleveland and a noon departure from Port Stanley, thus arriving in Toronto at 2:15pm - that will make for a really long travel day, especially with all the transfers. I'd probably be more excited about the service for getting to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, ON. That's an amazing city if you've never been, and what's considered the best Shakespeare in the western hemisphere...no need for a car once you're there...that might make a very cool co-branding promotion for the ferry and the festival... Of course, since I live in Cincinnati, I'd probably just drive anyway...but it's still super cool...

Ah, this was probably the confusion - you said, "Of course, having 14 trains a day to Cleveland's four makes a big difference!" But you meant London to Toronto, right?

...of course I can't find it now...

You've posted pictures of your house before - during the snow and subsequent shoveling! Oops...was I not supposed to mention that?

Super way cool...and probably cheaper than the bridge would have been!

...and in the hometown of WH Taft at that! (a friend used to speak/sing to the Shaft theme, "who's the big fat white president who broke up all the trusts?" "Taft!" "Damn straight...")