Findlay district on front burner

Downtown, Uptown groups unite to spark Rhine's redevelopment

By Dan Monk Cincinnati Business Courier

 

The city of Cincinnati has agreed to grant preferred development rights for a 29-block area of Over-the-Rhine to a new joint venture between the University of Cincinnati, the Corporation for Findlay Market, the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) and the Uptown Consortium.

 

The new entity will be called the Findlay Market District Development Group. In the near term, its goal will be to redevelop the 22 vacant, city-owned buildings near the historic public market house. The long-term vision involves connecting the city's two major job centers with vibrant pockets of new housing, retail and entertainment projects.

 

Read full article here:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10985188/

This sounds absolutely wonderful....these agencies and groups coming together are some very powerful entities and have a proven history of getting projects off the paper and into bricks and mortar.  OTR also needs a lot of attention and this should be a good start of what OTR needs as a whole....Well done Cincy. :clap:

This is good news. This isn't even 3CDC plan, right? Their plans for OTR still haven't been announced which will include Washington Park and Music Hall. Is it a separate thing altogether?

I think all of the projects are part of one grand scheme to develop a corridor b/t Downtown and Uptown.  If you look at the map and move north from the Ohio river, you have (1) The Banks (2) Fountain Square (3) The Central/Vine Area (4) Washington Park (5) Findlay Market Area (6) Calhoun Street Area (7) Short Vine Area (8) The Zoo Area.  All of these projects/developments are headed by groups that are not necessarily working together directly but there certainly is a pattern and overarching scheme of development.

^I'm not really sure how the #8 became a smiley face with shades.

8 ) = 8)

^Thanks for the tip.  Next time I'll end my list at 7.

This is fantastic news.  I don't really have much else to add.

 

P.S> Haynesm007...when you post "8)", you can keep it from creating a smiley by clicking on "Additional Options" and checking the "Don't use smileys" box.

 

An ordinance allowing the city to enter a Preferred Developer Agreement (PDA) with the Corporation for Findlay Market is now on the table.  Right now it's in Finance Committee.

 

The PDA would last for 12 months and would cover 32 parcels surrounding Findlay Market.

 

The properties are these:

1717, 1722, 1824, 1826, 1828 Elm

111, 112-116, 113, 118-120, 129, 131 W Elder

1611, 1612, 1613, 1623, 1626, 1628 Pleasant (includes vacant lot between 1611 and 1613)

1630 Pleasant (109 Green)

127 Green

124, 126-128 W Liberty

1601 Race (102-104 W Liberty)

1800-1802 Race (26-28 W Elder)

24 Findlay

1712, 1714, 1716, 1718 Vine (includes 1661 Hamer)

57 McMicken (14 Back)

1663 Hamer

 

The area is Area 2A in this diagram:

 

Their work plan, by quarter, from date of approval of PDA.  It's pretty thin on details:

 

First Quarter:

* Obtain bids, begin facade improvements of 111, 113, 129, 131, 133 W Elder.

* Complete specs and drawings for first floor retail space at 111 and 113 W Elder.

 

Second Quarter:

* Complete facade improvements for 111, 113, 129, 131 and 133 W Elder.

* Solicit bids for construction of first floor retail space at 111 and 113 W Elder

* Procure contractor for construction of first floor retail space at 111 and 113 Elder.

* Identify properties for creating a critical mass of development.  (Whatever the hell that means.)

 

Third Quarter:

* Begin construction of first floor retail at 111 and 113 W Elder.

* Assess values and compile pro-formas for development opportunites.  (?)

 

Fourth Quarter:

* Work with city to indentify and secure funding to build-out first floor retail at 129-133 W Elder.

* Solicit interested parties for desired development.

 

So it appears that most of the first year will involve planning, design, funding, and market studies.  There will be more of a "plan" together by early 2007.

 

The ordinance is expected to pass.

 

^ The above ordinance passed on Wednesday, 7-2.  Cranley and Ghiz voted against it.