^That article quotes Kevin Wright saying "This is the first step in bringing back the Lincoln Avenue business district".

 

I don't know the history of this area, but looking at old Sanborn maps it seems that back around 1900, Lincoln Ave was mostly detached, non-commercial buildings, so I'm not sure in what era (if any) it was a "business district". Maybe he mis-spoke or was mis-quoted and meant to refer to the Gilbert Ave business district? Or was Lincoln Ave at some point a commercial district?

 

In any case, I'm very glad to see that this stretch of Gilbert will be re-zoned to commercial community-pedestrian (assuming City Council follows the Planning Commission recommendation). There's a ton of potential for adding higher density, mixed-use development along Gilbert. The CC-P zoning requires buildings to face the street. Here's the zoning code on CC-P:

https://www.municode.com/library/oh/cincinnati/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIXIZOCOCI_CH1409CODI_S1409-17BUPLREDI

 

 

The was a road where MLK was, not sure what it was called though. As far as I know as well there were a handful of 90 degree intersections where roads would jog to one side or the other and continue on with the same name. I recall where MLK is between Eden and Euclid there was a large ravine and a bridge that crossed at that location.

The was a road where MLK was, not sure what it was called though. As far as I know as well there were a handful of 90 degree intersections where roads would jog to one side or the other and continue on with the same name. I recall where MLK is between Eden and Euclid there was a large ravine and a bridge that crossed at that location.

 

Here's the index Sanborn map that shows the street grid pre-MLK: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/224802/5.pdf

 

And here are all of the individual detailed maps: http://digital.cincinnatilibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16998coll9/id/3737/rec/5

 

 

The buildings on Lincoln Avenue seem to be from the 1920s or so.  Granted there's really not much to it, those are basically first generation single-story commercial buildings like you see in a lot of Norwood, College Hill, and out Glenway and Cheviot.  You can see how the street grid used to lay out here:  http://jjakucyk.com/urbanohio2/mlklarge.jpg

Ah so that's where Scioto and Sander Halls got their names. I thought it was strange that the Scioto River is over 100 miles away from Cincinnati yet the building is named that.

Ah so that's where Scioto and Sander Halls got their names. I thought it was strange that the Scioto River is over 100 miles away from Cincinnati yet the building is named that.

 

Fries Cafe has a great photo in it showing the neighborhood that used to abut Nippert Stadium.  At some point the decision was made to destroy that neighborhood rather than expand UC north into uninhabited Burnett Woods. 

Ah so that's where Scioto and Sander Halls got their names. I thought it was strange that the Scioto River is over 100 miles away from Cincinnati yet the building is named that.

 

Fries Cafe has a great photo in it showing the neighborhood that used to abut Nippert Stadium.  At some point the decision was made to destroy that neighborhood rather than expand UC north into uninhabited Burnett Woods.

 

UC recently posted an aerial photo from 1926, showing what Corryville looked like when it used to abut Nippert:

That's not the same photo, but look at the sheer wall of homes along Vine St. where the VA is now.  I wonder who owned that bare land between them and Eden Ave. 

These two photos from the 1950s are very sobering.  I wish I could find higher resolution copies. 

^It appears as though the strange tilt of Swift Hall and the other quad buildings (not sure of their names) is a relic of the orientation of long-gone Pecan St. 

 

I still contend that removing University Ave from campus was a big mistake.  There still could have been an "mlk" crosstown street, but losing that contextual element contributed into turning UC's campus into a square blob with no central focus. 

Jazz club/coffee bar coming to Walnut Hills

 

 

A Cincinnati jazz musician is turning his passion for music into a cafe, bar and venue in the heart of Walnut Hills.

 

Brent Gallaher is a longtime jazz musician who cut his teeth at the Blue Wisp downtown. He hopes to open Caffe Vivace this fall with his wife, Vanessa, in 1,700 square feet at 975 E. McMillan St. on the ground floor of the Trevarren Flats development.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/17/exclusive-jazz-club-coffee-bar-coming-to-walnut.html

^Nice!

Somebody is asking $25k for a lot in the center of the bombed-out section of Walnut Hills, where no new house or other structure has been built since maybe 1970:

https://www.sibcycline.com/Listing/CIN/1529221/2639-Stanton-Ave-Walnut-Hills-OH-45206

 

And $300k for three unrenovated apartments a block away where you'd be very lucky to get $2k/mo from the entire building:

https://www.sibcycline.com/Listing/CIN/1521322/2832-Stanton-Ave-Walnut-Hills-OH-45206

 

 

 

And $300k for three unrenovated apartments a block away where you'd be very lucky to get $2k/mo from the entire building:

https://www.sibcycline.com/Listing/CIN/1521322/2832-Stanton-Ave-Walnut-Hills-OH-45206

 

2832 Stanton is a store. Maybe a bootleg store, but a store nonetheless.

I don't think that store has been open for several years.  Or maybe it's open erratically, like The Body Snatcher. 

 

I just spent about 20 minutes scrolling up and down property transfers in Walnut Hills on the auditor's site.  Still tons of houses and lots that have been under the same ownership since the 80s and 90s.  I'm sure that if you wrote enough letters you could get five vacant lots for $5k apiece. 

TriHealth move a boon for Baldwin complex, Walnut Hills

 

 

TriHealth’s move to Baldwin 200 could serve as a catalyst for other activity both on the Baldwin campus and in the Walnut Hills neighborhood.

 

 

Anyone know what is going on here. Building is still marketing space, 1/2 of the building is available. Thought TriHealth was supposed to have mostly moved by now?

TriHealth move a boon for Baldwin complex, Walnut Hills

 

 

TriHealths move to Baldwin 200 could serve as a catalyst for other activity both on the Baldwin campus and in the Walnut Hills neighborhood.

 

 

Anyone know what is going on here. Building is still marketing space, 1/2 of the building is available. Thought TriHealth was supposed to have mostly moved by now?

 

 

MGM, are you the MGMT, LLC (or something like that) that owns the urban garden and some other lots up the hill around Morgan & Concord?

TriHealth move a boon for Baldwin complex, Walnut Hills

 

 

TriHealth’s move to Baldwin 200 could serve as a catalyst for other activity both on the Baldwin campus and in the Walnut Hills neighborhood.

 

 

Anyone know what is going on here. Building is still marketing space, 1/2 of the building is available. Thought TriHealth was supposed to have mostly moved by now?

 

 

MGM, are you the MGMT, LLC (or something like that) that owns the urban garden and some other lots up the hill around Morgan & Concord?

Nope, just my initials lol

^I recently went through ownership of every single property in Walnut Hills (which really doesn't take too long on the auditor's site) and there really aren't too many landowners with more than 5 properties.  The Hamilton County Landbank owns the most lots by far, at least 30.  After that, the City of Cincinnati owns about 20, the WHRF has about a half dozen, and then a variety of churches each have 4-5. 

 

Far more homes in the bad parts of Walnut Hills are owner-occupied than one would expect, and almost all rentals are owned locally.  Only a handful of out-of-town owners of rentals and vacant lots. 

^I recently went through ownership of every single property in Walnut Hills (which really doesn't take too long on the auditor's site) and there really aren't too many landowners with more than 5 properties.  The Hamilton County Landbank owns the most lots by far, at least 30.  After that, the City of Cincinnati owns about 20, the WHRF has about a half dozen, and then a variety of churches each have 4-5. 

 

Far more homes in the bad parts of Walnut Hills are owner-occupied than one would expect, and almost all rentals are owned locally.  Only a handful of out-of-town owners of rentals and vacant lots.

That is a decent amount of work. Usually you can tell non owner occupant relative to where the Tax bill is mailed. Does Lane Seminary still own RE in WH?

No, not under that name at least.  I checked pretty much every property between Florence Ave. on the south and MLK on the north, then from I-71 on the west to Victory Parkway on the east.  There are probably a few small side streets I missed. 

 

The most conspicuous mailing address is Corelogic.  That's a property management company based in California but their mortgage unit operates out of Illinois.  But Corelogic itself does not appear to own anything (unless people foreclose).  Interesting that you see a lot of mortgages through community banks, not 5/3 or the national banks. 

 

 

A lot of banks immediately sell mortgages they generate. So 5/3 could have originated the mortgages but you wouldn't know it after it's sold.

No, not under that name at least.  I checked pretty much every property between Florence Ave. on the south and MLK on the north, then from I-71 on the west to Victory Parkway on the east.  There are probably a few small side streets I missed. 

 

The most conspicuous mailing address is Corelogic.  That's a property management company based in California but their mortgage unit operates out of Illinois.  But Corelogic itself does not appear to own anything (unless people foreclose).  Interesting that you see a lot of mortgages through community banks, not 5/3 or the national banks.

Not too long ago they owned a lot, but under really long term ground leases.

Lane Theological Seminary was established in the Walnut Hills section of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1829 to educate student ministers. It was named in honor of Ebenezer and William Lane, who pledged $4,000 for the new school, which was seen as a forward outpost of the Presbyterian Church in the western territories of the United States. Prominent New England pastor Lyman Beecher moved his family (including daughter Harriet and son Henry) from Boston to Cincinnati to become the first President of the Seminary in 1832. During this time, the family lived in what is now known as the Harriet Beecher Stowe House.[1]

Lane Seminary is known primarily for the "debates" held there in 1834 that influenced the nation's thinking about slavery. The event resulted in the dismissal of a group of students, a professor and a trustee and was one of the first significant tests of academic freedom in the United States and the right of students to participate in free discussion. Several of those involved went on to play an important role in the abolitionist movement and the buildup to the American Civil War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lane_Theological_Seminary

^I just looked it up and everything that was once on the seminary grounds is now owned by the Cadillac dealership and Frisch's.  The Harriet Beecher Stowe House, which was designated as the home of the seminary's president, was never on the actual grounds of the seminary.  Also, the historical plaque posted on Gilbert says that the seminary grounds extended east to Park Ave., but that's probably a misprint and they actually only extended east to "Seminary Place", which is an alley.  The homes on the west side of Park look like they're from the 1800s, unless the seminary sold off lots at some point to raise funds. 

 

It's a shame that the seminary buildings were demolished (I assume back in the 1930s or 40s) because it must have been a pretty solid focal point for the neighborhood.  Instead, take away the art deco theater and the two churches and there's not much there there on Gilbert.  It's also unfortunate that the Stowe house is oddly invisible despite occupying a very prominent street corner.  They really should have much better signage marking these two historical sites of such profound importance. 

Corner of Preston and Chapel in Walnut Hills

Kenton St. remains one of the bad pockets in Walnut Hills:

http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/walnut-hills/child-hit-by-car-and-person-shot-in-walnut-hills

 

There has been open-air drug dealing in the 2200-2300 blocks for the past 10 years thanks to the Kenton St. bridge to Gilbert Ave.  Aside from dealing, one of the houses was printing counterfeit $50 bills about five years ago. 

To answer my question TriHealth is moving into Baldwin 200, just a little later than reported. That building will be pretty much 100% occupied.

Kenton St. remains one of the bad pockets in Walnut Hills:

http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/walnut-hills/child-hit-by-car-and-person-shot-in-walnut-hills

 

There has been open-air drug dealing in the 2200-2300 blocks for the past 10 years thanks to the Kenton St. bridge to Gilbert Ave.  Aside from dealing, one of the houses was printing counterfeit $50 bills about five years ago. 

 

This one is starting to look pretty bad. It reminds me of Steve Utash in Detroit a couple years ago. The victim seems to have a clean record (at least in Hamilton County) and worked right around the corner:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4348738/Ohio-police-Driver-shot-killed-hitting-boy-4.html

^It's one of those bizarre areas reminiscent of Over-the-Rhine ten years ago.  Non-stop loitering by group of up to 20 guys, night-after-night, year-after-year.  Ten years of this crap going on in the same block and no police sweep, no cracking down on the landlords who house these people. 

 

Young developer planning new homes in East Walnut Hills

 

 

A Cincinnati developer is working to bring five new homes to the heart of East Walnut Hills.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/27/exclusive-young-developer-planning-new-homes-in.html

Union Institute just received a large gift, allowing them to purchase their property at 440 E McMillan: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/31/alumna-gives-cincinnati-university-its-largest.html

 

The Union Institute has been listed as the owner going all the way back to 1989... so the "purchase" probably means they paid off debt/mortgage.

 

I was curious about the history of that building (Procter and Collier-Beau Brummell Building) and found this:

https://books.google.com/books?id=YfvhVln0D20C&pg=PA655&lpg=PA655&dq=440+e+mcmillan&source=bl&ots=kwpavyFZ7j&sig=vDh5Qb50CL5QKmn4P9NYhYvHIpY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiNj-3T7YDTAhVLImMKHZZdBlkQ6AEIlAEwGQ#v=onepage&q=440%20e%20mcmillan&f=false

 

Due to this stretch of McMillan being a one-way thoroughfare (4 lanes, no on-street parking), the location of The Union Institute feels very isolated from the rest of the area. McMillan is an uninviting barrier, even to the beautiful old Gruen Watch Company building right across the street. I really hope after the MLK interchange opens, that McMillan gets converted to 2-way.

Union Institute just received a large gift, allowing them to purchase their property at 440 E McMillan: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/31/alumna-gives-cincinnati-university-its-largest.html

 

The Union Institute has been listed as the owner going all the way back to 1989... so the "purchase" probably means they paid off debt/mortgage.

 

I was curious about the history of that building (Procter and Collier-Beau Brummell Building) and found this:

https://books.google.com/books?id=YfvhVln0D20C&pg=PA655&lpg=PA655&dq=440+e+mcmillan&source=bl&ots=kwpavyFZ7j&sig=vDh5Qb50CL5QKmn4P9NYhYvHIpY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiNj-3T7YDTAhVLImMKHZZdBlkQ6AEIlAEwGQ#v=onepage&q=440%20e%20mcmillan&f=false

 

Due to this stretch of McMillan being a one-way thoroughfare (4 lanes, no on-street parking), the location of The Union Institute feels very isolated from the rest of the area. McMillan is an uninviting barrier, even to the beautiful old Gruen Watch Company building right across the street. I really hope after the MLK interchange opens, that McMillan gets converted to 2-way.

 

I believe they did did a sale leaseback a number of years ago the generate some cash. They used to own their RE buildings.

It's always weird to me that 75 71 isn't the border between Walnut Hills and Corryville/Mt. Auburn.

It's always weird to me that 75 isn't the border between Walnut Hills and Corryville/Mt. Auburn.

 

I assume you mean 71? If so, I agree with you since now the highway makes a natural barrier, and it feels weird that there's a sliver of "Walnut Hills" between 71 and Reading.

^er, yup.

Business owners fired up over paid parking plan in up-and-coming neighborhood

 

 

Businesses in an up-and-coming Cincinnati neighborhood are fired up over a plan to start charging for parking in its business district.

 

Businesses and residents took to the East Walnut Hills Assembly's monthly meeting on April 5 to voice their complaints about the proposed parking plan.

 

The East Walnut Hills Assembly has a draft contract with Star Parking of Cincinnati to manage two surface lots off of Woodburn and Myrtle avenues. The revenue from parking would be used to maintain the two lots as well as for things like grass maintenance and beautification.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/04/06/business-owners-fired-up-over-paid-parking-plan-in.html

If they're so worried about it, why don't the business owners subsidize the lot themselves.

If they're so worried about it, why don't the business owners subsidize the lot themselves.

 

EXACTLY!  When will people realize that no parking is actually "free"?  The space has to be paid for in some way.

I'm with them, not a fan of these parking companies, they have little invested in the neighborhood, and their interests promote more parking and driving, which is the last thing we need.

I see where the businesses are coming from. I think when a neighborhood is still getting on its feet, it is important to have free, convenient parking near the business district. If there wasn't a parking lot next to Fireside Pizza, I think they would be struggling. Once there are more businesses in the area, and the parking lot is always full and people just go to Walnut Hills without a specific destination in mind, then I think the parking lot can start charging or be replaced.

 

Is East Walnut Hills at that point? I'm not sure. I think a few people will stop going to East Walnut Hills if they start charging, but I bet most of the customers would either find free parking somewhere or pay up. Ironically, the business that is closest to the free parking, Woodburn Brewery, would likely do the best with paid parking because it's a destination. Some of the smaller places (hair salons, clothing stores, vintage stores, etc) I think would suffer the most.

I see where the businesses are coming from. I think when a neighborhood is still getting on its feet, it is important to have free, convenient parking near the business district.

 

This is exactly what happened with Covington. Mainstrasse has had that large free parking lot for years, then this past year they converted it to a paid lot, and at the same time implemented a residential parking permit throughout the neighborhood. The businesses in Mainstrasse were not happy, and after a few months of the paid lot, parking eventually went back to being free after business dropped off in the area. All of this will be a moot point soon as the lot is getting hundreds of apartments built on it soon, along with structured paid parking.

 

This just shows that “free” parking (subsidized by local business and the Mainstrasse Village association) really can help business, at least until the critical mass of visitors and residents to the area naturally takes it away.

 

^Are there plans for apartments in this area?

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1292431,-84.4760072,3a,75y,206.01h,80.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjfQ713-bM29L9IzC168I7Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Why not do what Northside did with the pay box lots off of Hamilton Ave?

I'm with them, not a fan of these parking companies, they have little invested in the neighborhood, and their interests promote more parking and driving, which is the last thing we need.

 

The land is owned by East Walnut Hills Assembly... and they are simply looking to contract with a company to manage it.

 

As others have articulated better than I can (everybody should read Donald Shoup's "High Cost of Free Parking"), "free" parking doesn't work in an area that has competing demands for land and space. Unless you prefer a sea of free parking lots, you need some price mechanism to ensure the cost of dedicating land to parking is priced appropriately. Look at how other successful business districts with density charge for parking (Mt Adams, Hyde Park, etc). You might argue that this block of East Walnut Hills isn't "there" yet, but it's just a question of timing. With the new restaurant going into the corner (old bank) building, I suspect demand will continue to increase in the coming years. People who really don't want to pay for parking can find free street parking further away.

Wow I was looking at the first page of this thread and can't believe the very first picture, what they had torn down around 2011. I really love Walnut Hills and it has so much potential, but a lot of it now must be built up with infill. There is so much empty space now where Anthem was, it's like a deserted Wild West. Hopefully, they can come up with a plan that looks aesthetically pleasing

 

On another note I've been thinking lately, after reading success stories coming out of Indy, and Columbus, and even Des Moines, these cities leaders have been putting their money from the uptick in the economy back into meaningful economic development projects. Meanwhile in Cincinnati, all that uptick in the economy money we earned went straight to increasing the police force and fire force.

 

It's sad we couldn't prevent more crime by putting more money into these communities like Walnut Hills instead of putting 20 more cops on the corners. Crime is still high and adding the cops changed nothing. I think that's the main reason Blackwell was ousted, he would openly say "more cops doesn't equate to less crime". Sorry, end rant, let's hope we can replace Cranley, I kind of doubt it though.

I see where the businesses are coming from. I think when a neighborhood is still getting on its feet, it is important to have free, convenient parking near the business district.

 

This is exactly what happened with Covington. Mainstrasse has had that large free parking lot for years, then this past year they converted it to a paid lot, and at the same time implemented a residential parking permit throughout the neighborhood. The businesses in Mainstrasse were not happy, and after a few months of the paid lot, parking eventually went back to being free after business dropped off in the area. All of this will be a moot point soon as the lot is getting hundreds of apartments built on it soon, along with structured paid parking.

 

This just shows that “free” parking (subsidized by local business and the Mainstrasse Village association) really can help business, at least until the critical mass of visitors and residents to the area naturally takes it away.

 

 

The most important thing is to simply charge something for these spaces, so that they will be occupied by people frequenting local business and not people just parking there all day. Even if you were to change 50¢/hour, that will make people think about the duration of their stay and encourage turnover, which will help area businesses.

Windsor Flats is complete and leasing:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/04/11/former-cincinnati-school-transformed-into-really.html

​Major Walnut Hills apartment project gets key approval

 

A major apartment project set to be developed in Walnut Hills by an Indianapolis-based firm got the Cincinnati Planning Commission’s unanimous approval on Friday for a zoning change needed to make the development go forward as well as its concept plan.

 

Milhaus Development plans to build three buildings with 124 market-rate units in the burgeoning neighborhood on parts of a vacant, three-block site bordered by East McMillan, Wayne, Kenton and Copelen streets. The building fronting McMillan will be four stories, while the others will be three.

 

Milhaus previously developed the Gantry on Hamilton Avenue in Northside. Greg Martin, co-founder and vice president for development for Milhaus, said his company sees Walnut Hills as an up-and-coming Cincinnati neighborhood.

 

(photos taken from the Planning Commission packet today)

Exactly the kind of garbage I expected.  One of the most beautiful historic business districts in the city gets torn down and replaced by this (&%#(#!

^ You're really that upset about it? I think it looks pretty good. It's nothing like this.

 

Also, this historic district is important, but claiming it is one of the most beautiful in the city is a little extreme IMO. EDIT: glanced over the "get's torn down" part. Still not sure it qualifies as one of the most beautiful even with the old buildings there, but that's neither here nor there and not the point.