Sycamore firehouse has 'green' look

 

A new $4 million firehouse to serve northern Sycamore Township will feature a high-tech community meeting room, geo-thermal heating and three banks of electricity-producing solar panels is near completion.

 

Located at 1580 Deerfield Road, just north of Interstate 275, the firehouse will replace one on Solzman Road. The township has another firehouse on Kenwood Road to serve the southern half of the community.

 

Read full article here:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090801/NEWS01/908020357/1055/NEWS/Sycamore+firehouse+has++green++look

Downtown garage expansion could begin this October

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/08/downtown-garage-expansion-could-begin.html

 

On August 5, Cincinnati City Council will consider an ordinance creating a capital improvement program project account for expansion of the 7th Street Garage, a move that will accommodate an influx of Procter & Gamble's employees to its Downtown headquarters.

 

The new capital account, which would be funded with an $110,000 surplus from Parking Facilities Fund 102, would be used to pay for the construction of three additional parking decks.

 

In June, Procter & Gamble announced that it would not renew its lease at its Governor's Hill facility in Symmes Township and would transfer those 650 support services employees Downtown in early 2010, bringing the number of employees at its Downtown campus to nearly 4,750.

 

The additional employees are expected to add about $30 million in annual payroll, resulting in nearly $630,000 in annual tax revenue for the City.

 

If the ordinance is passed, construction could begin this October.

Cincinnati EDC to consider rezoning for UC student apartments

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/07/cincinnati-edc-to-consider-rezoning-for.html

 

On August 4, Cincinnati City Council's Economic Development Committee (EDC) will consider a rezoning request that could bring two new six-unit apartment buildings to Corryville.

 

Daniel Schimberg of Uptown Rental Properties has applied for a zoning change at 2700-2712 Jefferson Avenue, 20-22 W Charlton Street, and 2107 Glendora Avenue from RMX Residential Mixed District to RM 1.2 Residential Multi-Family District to construct the two new infill buildings, which would be geared toward student housing.

 

The buildings – one facing Jefferson Avenue and one facing W Charlton Street – would include basement parking, and an existing 10-unit apartment building on site would be renovated as part of the project.

 

Schimberg owns all of the subject property except for 2706 Jefferson Avenue, whose owner has agreed to the zoning change.

 

Because the 2005 Corryville University Village Urban Renewal Plan found that the existing structures are non-contributing residential properties and proposed the site as a redevelopment area, suggesting much higher densities, the Corryville Community Council unanimously supported the zoning change.

 

The City Planning Commission approved of the rezoning at its June 19 meeting.

 

If approved, ground is likely to be broken by mid-August, meaning that units could be available for the 2010-2011 academic year.

 

Ordinance would fund infrastructure for Citirama 2010

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/07/ordinance-would-fund-infrastructure-for.html

 

A new capital improvement program project account could be created for public infrastructure to support Citirama 2010, if an ordinance is approved by Cincinnati City Council.

 

The Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati (HBAGC) has selected the second phase of the Rockford Woods subdivision in Northside as the site of the home show, tentatively scheduled for June of next year.

 

Because of the timing, infrastructure work needs to begin this fall; however, the funding appropriated for the project is part of the Department of Community Development's 2010 capital improvement program project budget, meaning that is cannot be spent this year.

 

To keep the project timeline on track, the ordinance would allow the City to transfer $700,000 from the Downtown Housing Development '09 capital account into the new Citirama capital account.

 

Next year, $700,000 from the Citirama 2010 capital account will be transferred into the Downtown Housing Development '10 capital account.

 

The 37-home second phase of Rockford Woods was originally planned for Citirama this summer, but the HBAGC canceled the event due to the depressed housing market.

 

Early last year, many residents surrounding the newer development requested that the City abandon the proposal altogether, citing the inability of Rockford Place to handle the additional traffic, hillside erosion, the lost of woodlands, and the poor experience suffered by homebuyers in the project's first phase.

 

That 16-home first phase, featured in Citirama 2001, was plagued with problems for several years after developer EEHV, LLC walked away from the project and failed to record many important subdivision documents.

 

2010's home show will be the ninth held by the HBAGC.

 

In addition to Rockford Woods, past Citirama events have been held at Betts-Longworth and St. Ann's Common I and II in the West End, Brodbeck Park and Woodcrest Park in Westwood, Spencer Hill in Mount Lookout, and the Villages of Daybreak in Bond Hill.

Downtown garage expansion could begin this October

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/08/downtown-garage-expansion-could-begin.html

 

On August 5, Cincinnati City Council will consider an ordinance creating a capital improvement program project account for expansion of the 7th Street Garage, a move that will accommodate an influx of Procter & Gamble's employees to its Downtown headquarters.

 

The new capital account, which would be funded with an $110,000 surplus from Parking Facilities Fund 102, would be used to pay for the construction of three additional parking decks.

 

In June, Procter & Gamble announced that it would not renew its lease at its Governor's Hill facility in Symmes Township and would transfer those 650 support services employees Downtown in early 2010, bringing the number of employees at its Downtown campus to nearly 4,750.

 

The additional employees are expected to add about $30 million in annual payroll, resulting in nearly $630,000 in annual tax revenue for the City.

 

If the ordinance is passed, construction could begin this October.

 

I'm just glad that they're paying for three more parking DECKS, not another parking structure.

 

Well, I'm also glad that they decided to move more of their employees downtown.  I wonder what sparked their decision.

Program restructuring could stimulate housing, commercial development

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/08/program-restructuring-could-stimulate.html

 

This afternoon, Cincinnati city council will consider an ordinance that will provide more financing for market-rate housing and commercial development in some of the City's underserved neighborhoods.

 

The ordinance would restructure the Cincinnati Housing Development Fund (CHDF), a $100 million revolving loan fund established in 2003 to stimulate the development of homeownership in the City, into a new Go Cincinnati Development Fund.

 

In a memo to council, city manager Milton Dohoney Jr. says that the current economic climate has led the Department of Community Development (DCD) to conclude that additional incentives are necessary to stimulate lending and investment.

 

Following interviews between DCD, CHDF administrator Cincinnati Development Fund (CDF), and several developers and community development professionals, the consensus was that the CHDF program needed to be expanded by tapping into other City development efforts such as GO Cincinnati, Place Matters, and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

 

Partners could include such entities as City staff, 3CDC, Uptown Consortium, Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky, and the Community Building Institute.

 

"Additionally, developers stated that they need to be more cautious with their dwindling pre-development funds and they see urban properties as a greater risk when completing their due diligence," Dohoney says.

 

Solid track record

The CHDF was created with $15 million in Anthem Funds, deposited proportionally with Fifth Third, US Bank, and National City Bank, to facilitate primary financing for the redevelopment of market-rate housing in Cincinnati neighborhoods that have suffered from population loss and blight.

 

To date, CHDF has financed 429 proposed units of owner-occupied housing in the City, and estimates are that 300 units have been completed, sold, and occupied in areas of Westwood, Over-the-Rhine, Walnut Hills/East Walnut Hills, Evanston, Price Hill, Downtown, North Fairmount, Mohawk/Brewery District, Bond Hill, and the Uptown neighborhoods.

 

CHDF has closed 25 loans totaling more than $34.2 million, creating housing with an estimated value of $60 million.

 

Only two loans have defaulted, with a net loss to the City of less than $100,000.

 

GO Cincinnati recommended change

The GO Cincinnati report, released in January 2008, identified the need to expand the real estate products available in the City, including the restructuring of CHDF.

 

The new Go Cincinnati Development Fund would accept both commercial and residential projects, adding a pre-development loan fund to the current CDHF activities and the existing Grow Cincinnati small business loan program.

 

The new fund would add a mechanism to help business tenants obtain financing to occupy some of the newly-created storefronts.

 

"DCD believes these changes provide an opportunity for developers and small businesses that either do not exist or are very limited in today’s financial climate," Dohoney says.

 

Dohoney says that if the Go Cincinnati Development Fund doesn't make loans and commitments totaling at least $28 million over the next two years, the program will be re-evaluated.

 

Once all loans have been collected and written off by CHDF, its business will be wound up and terminated, Dohoney says.

These used to be a gas station there, right accross from St Gertrudes.  It has been vacant for about a year and I read there is a new development going there.  Anyone know what it is?

Idk but it would be a perfect way for Maderia to extend their business district all the way up to Indian Hill.

Butler Tech targets health with campus

Business Courier of Cincinnati - by James Ritchie

 

Armed with a new study of key health care leaders, officials at the Butler Technology and Career Development Schools are pushing ahead with plans for a new West Chester Township campus, focused on biomedical training.  The project has an expected cost of $30 million to $35 million.

 

Despite the worst economy in memory, officials say it’s a good investment because health care employment will only grow in coming years. Area health care leaders agree: They say the move is exactly what’s needed to help ensure a sufficient work force.

 

Read full article here:

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/08/10/story2.html

Yes I think it would be an attratcive spot given the proximity to IH and the busyness of that intersection.  Am very curious.

perfect for a pub/restaurant. open those big garage doors for outdoor patio and music

Rezoning approved for UC student apartments

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/08/rezoning-approved-for-uc-student.html

 

An ordinance approving a zoning change for student apartments in Corryville has been passed unanimously by Cincinnati City council.

 

The project, to be developed by Daniel Schimberg of Uptown Rental Properties along 2700-2712 Jefferson Avenue and 20-22 W Charlton Street, will consist of two new six-unit buildings with basement parking and the renovation of an existing 10-unit building.

 

Ground will be broken by the end of this month and the buildings should be ready for occupancy by the 2010-2011 academic year.

 

The project still must receive variances for front and side setbacks.

 

---

Cincinnati approves funds for 7th Street garage expansion

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/08/cincinnati-approves-funds-for-7th.html

 

Cincinnati City Council has approved unanimously an ordinance that will allow the City to expand Downtown's 7th Street Garage.

 

The ordinance creates a new capital improvement program project account for a construction project, scheduled to begin in October, that would add three parking decks to the garage in anticipation of an additional 650 Procter & Gamble support services employees.

 

The account will be funded with an unappropriated surplus of $110,000 from Parking Facilities Fund 102.

 

In early 2010, the new employees will be moving Downtown from the company's Governor's Hill facility in Symmes Township, where Procter & Gamble chose not to renew its lease.

 

The move will increase the number of employees at the company's Downtown campus to nearly 4,750 and will add about $30 million in annual payroll, resulting in nearly $630,000 in annual tax revenue for the City.

Fifteen single-family houses coming to Silverton

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/08/fifteen-single-family-houses-coming-to.html

 

Nine model homes and six lots are in pre-sales in the Andrew Acres subdivision, to be located in a cul-de-sac at the end of Hedge Avenue in Silverton.

 

St. John Designs is developing the project, consisting of stone and brick ranch houses priced from between $173,000 and $230,600.

 

Houses range from between two to three bedrooms and between one and two-and-a-half bathrooms.

 

Homebuyers can receive a ten-year tax abatement and an $8,000 tax credit.

 

Sales are being handled by RE/MAX Preferred Group.

 

---

Model for 25-home Northwind development to open this winter

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/08/model-for-25-home-northwind-development.html

 

Carolyn Rolfes, president of Milford-based Potterhill Homes, has announced that her company will soon begin building at Northwind, a new single-family development in Northside.

 

The 7.1-acre development, to include 25 houses of both traditional and neo-traditional design, will be built along Kirby Avenue between Martha Street and Robley Avenue.

 

Houses will be priced from the $140s.

 

"I am particularly excited about this because the Northside community as a whole seems to really 'get green'," says Rolfes in Builders Gone Wild, the Potterhill Homes blog. "People who live there put their money where their mouths are by buying green and eco-friendly not because it's trendy but because it's the right thing to do."

 

Each house will be eligible for the City of Cincinnati's 10-year tax abatement. Those wanting to have their homes LEED-certified will be eligible for a 15-year tax abatement.

 

Green features include geothermal heating and Energy Star appliances.

 

"Our homes are 50 percent more energy efficient on heating and cooling than other builders, and we have a third-party certifier to verify this," Rolfes says. "There is no question our homes will save you money on your utility bills when compared to other builders."

 

Potterhill is currently accepting lot reservations, and the company expects to open a model this winter, Rolfes said.

 

The Northwind property is part of a right-of-way originally set aside for the Colerain Connector project, a scaled down roadway proposal that would have connected the I-74/Colerain/Beekman interchange with Kirby Avenue at North Bend Road.

 

Fierce neighborhood opposition to that proposal, and to subsequent Ohio Department of Transportation proposals, successfully stopped the land from being used for future roadways.

 

In December 2008, Robley I, LLC (NorthPointe Group) emerged as the only bidder with the capacity to develop the land, which City council sold to them for $1.

 

Citirama infrastructure approved

At its August 5 meeting, Cincinnati City council approved unanimously the creation of a capital improvement program project account to pay for public infrastructure to support the second phase of Rockford Woods, tentatively scheduled for next June as the site of Citirama 2010.

 

Because of the timeline, infrastructure work is required has to begin this fall. However, funding for the infrastructure is part of the 2010 budget and cannot be spent.

 

The ordinance allows for the transfer of $700,000 from surplus housing development accounts, with next year's housing development accounts to be replenished with Citirama funds.

 

2010's home show will be the ninth held by the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati.

 

In addition to Rockford Woods, past Citirama events have been held at Betts-Longworth and St. Ann's Common I and II in the West End, Brodbeck Park and Woodcrest Park in Westwood, Spencer Hill in Mount Lookout, and the Villages of Daybreak in Bond Hill.

 

Phelps Building may be renovated

By Lisa Bernard-Kuhn • [email protected]  • August 11, 2009

 

The 83-year-old Phelps Building, a 12-story apartment tower on Fourth Street in downtown Cincinnati, could be poised for extensive renovations, Eagle Realty Group has confirmed.

 

Tenants of the 137-unit tower recently received letters from Eagle Realty Group informing them that the building's management has stopped offering one-year lease options and that residents can terminate their leases without penalty with a 30-day written notice.

 

Read full article here:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090811/BIZ01/308100051/1055/NEWS/Phelps+Building+up+for+rehab

I was thinking the same thing Glove.  A little cafe, Euopean style, with a lot of outdoor seasting would be nice.  Those garage doors are perfect for outdoor dining.

^ About damn time ... has anyone been in there? Atrocious.

Riverfront condos courting more willing buyers

As demand for projects ebbs, sales pick up

Business Courier of Cincinnati - by Jon Newberry

 

Slowly, if not surely, the Cincinnati riverfront’s overbuilt condominium market is becoming less so.

 

With new construction pretty much dried up except for projects that were already under way before the housing market crashed, any uptick in sales marks progress. And developers at some of the major condo developments overlooking the Ohio River report increased traffic recently, along with incremental sales.

 

At Towne Properties’ Captain’s Watch at Adams Landing, its latest sale will be its last.  “We’re sold out. We may be the only property on the river that can say that,” said Arn Bortz, a principal at Towne Properties.

 

Read full article here:

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/08/17/focus5.html

Valley Homes redevelopment awaiting approval

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/08/valley-homes-redevelopment-awaiting.html

 

The long-troubled Valley Homes complex in Lincoln Heights can be redeveloped if the village's Department of Planning and Zoning approves of a planned unit development plan submitted by Model Property Management (Model Group) on August 25.

 

Valley Homes, a 29-acre complex consisting of 55 buildings, was built as temporary housing in the 1941 for workers at the Wright Aeronautical Plant, now the GE Aircraft Engines plant in Evendale.

 

The heavily blighted complex, currently housing around 122 residents – mostly senior citizens, has been a resident-owned cooperative since 1954.

 

In 2005, the property fell into receivership, with the utilities turned off, garbage not collected, taxes unpaid, and maintenance deferred.

 

The complex nearly closed in 2006, but a court appointed Maureen Wood of Northside-based Urban Village Developers, LLC as receiver.

 

"A more permanent solution has to be found," Wood says. "Without a solution, quite a few people are going to be in a very difficult situation."

 

Task force appointed

In January 2007, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas judge Dennis Helmick appointed a task force, the Board of Valley Homes Mutual Housing Corporation (VHMHC).

 

Because of the many problems with the buildings, it became clear to the VHMHC that repairs would be far too costly.

 

A lack of funding was available for rehabilitation, and the buildings suffer from mold, asbestos, deteriorated water and sewer lines, and a lack of ADA compliance.

 

Courtyards in between became hotbeds of crime.

 

In May 2007, VHMHC sent out a request for proposals for the redevelopment, and, in January 2008, the Model Group emerged from the nine applicants as the only bidder with the capacity to complete the project.

 

VHMHC still owes over $200,000 to Duke Energy and the Greater Cincinnati Water Works, and the utilities on remain on only because the property is in receivership.

 

Redevelopment plan

Phase I of what will be called Villas of the Valley will include up to 69 senior cottages north of Medosch Street, to be made available to tenants over age 55 and under 60 percent of the area median income.

 

"It has in it what we wanted, which is senior homes," says Joyce Thacker, treasurer for the VHMHC board. "It's the first thing we wanted to do, taking care of the seniors. Then once we got the seniors taken care of, we wanted to take care of the rest of the population."

 

Each unit will have between one and two bedrooms and average around 1,000 square feet, with 20 percent of the units being ADA-compliant.

 

Current eligible residents of Valley Homes will be given first priority in the new cottages.

 

Rents for the new cottages will be between $508 and $548 per month, which includes utilities.

 

VHMHC will continue to own the Phase I land, but will sign a 35-year ground lease, at $1 per year, with Model Group subsidiary Villas of the Valley Limited Partnership for the two parcels of land north of Medosch Street.

 

The developer will own and manage the buildings during the 15-year Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) tax credit compliance period, after which VHMHC will have the opportunity to purchase them.

 

If VHMHC declines to buy the buildings, ownership will revert to them following the 35-year lease period.

 

The financing package includes not only OHFA tax credits, but also federal HOME funds, Enterprise Foundation Green Funds, Hamilton County NSP funds, and bank loans.

 

"It's amazing they were able to secure financing in a difficult time," Wood says. "No one else has come up with anything to date as an alternative."

 

But to make the Phase I financing package complete, the rezoning needs to be approved within the next two months to attract Tax Credit Assistance Program funding from the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act of 2009.

 

If the rezoning is approved, ground for Phase I could be broken in October and the units could be ready for occupancy by the end of 2010.

 

There are currently 11 vacant buildings north of Medosch Street.

 

Future phases

Phase II will consist of 35 units and be available to people of all ages, as long as they meet the same income requirements.

 

Demolition for the second phase could begin in spring or summer of 2010, with completion in spring 2011.

 

A third phase is still under consideration.

 

 

Must be referring to this. About time; driving by that complex gives me the goostbumps. Abandoned buildings and units adjacent to occupied units. A peer into the occupied units reveals some of the most horrible living conditions in this region -- besting that of OTR in some cases. It'll be nice to see this redeveloped.

The Sheraton at CVG will be reflagged to a Doubletree in December and join the Hilton Family of Hotels. This will be the second Doubletree in the Cincinnati market.

I drove through Lincoln Hgts a few weeks ago and was shocked at the condition of the neighborhood.  It looked way worse than OTR or Avondale. I hope the redevelopment of the Valley Homes can help settle things down a bit.

Northwind development to bring 25 new green homes to Northside

http://www.soapboxmedia.com/devnews/0825northwind.aspx

 

Potterhill Homes has a long track record building homes in the city.  In 2005 and 2007 Potterhill built the Citirama neighborhoods in Cincinnati, and built another 60 single-family homes at the Mills of Carthage.

 

"The city holds a special spot in my heart," says Potterhill Homes president Carolyn Rolfes.  The dedication to investing in the city will continue this winter when Potterhill opens the new model unit for their Northwind development in Northside.

 

The model unit will be LEED-certified and feature energy efficient appliances and geothermal technology that will use the Earth's temperature to naturally heat and cool the home.

 

Rolfes notes that all homes will have the option to become LEED-certified and built to the same standards as the model home.  The geothermal technology is an additional upgrade, but one that will pay for itself quickly.

 

The geothermal systems will cost anywhere between $9,000 and $13,000 depending on the house.  "You get a 30 percent tax credit on that and will save about 40 to 50 percent on your utility bill," says Rolfes, who believes the geothermal system pays for itself in savings over one month when compared to the additional costs added to a typical mortgage.

 

Buyers will be able to choose from 15 different house plans that are approximately 1,800 square feet and will cost about $170,000.  The community is located on a hilly and heavily treed site located across from a 25-acre nature preserve that includes a hiking trail.  Northwind is also just a few short blocks from Northside's popular neighborhood business district.

 

"I love Northside; we have been talking about this opportunity for a few years now.  It is a really neat community and fits with what Potterhill Homes does," says Rolfes.

 

Rolfes says the green focus of this project is perfect for Northside because its residents are already some of the most green people in the city, and says that they're not going green because it's trendy, but because it's right.

 

Must be referring to this. About time; driving by that complex gives me the goostbumps. Abandoned buildings and units adjacent to occupied units. A peer into the occupied units reveals some of the most horrible living conditions in this region -- besting that of OTR in some cases. It'll be nice to see this redeveloped.

 

A buddy of mine used to work next to there. The housing definitely looked "temporary". It's like a preview of the exurbs in 30 years.

Cincinnati performing cost-saving energy upgrades in 39 City buildings

http://www.soapboxmedia.com/devnews/1103energyupgrades.aspx

By Randy A. Simes | Soapbox Cincinnati, November 3, 2009

 

Earlier this year the City of Cincinnati entered into its first Energy Services Performance Contracts with Ameresco and Honeywell.  Those contracts will involve the implementation of $5.6 million worth of energy efficiency upgrades in 39 City buildings including City Hall, the Duke Energy Convention Center, Centennial 2, and most of the City's police and fire stations.

 

Many of the energy efficiency projects have already been completed while others are proceeding rapidly according to the Office of Environmental Quality (OEQ).  The efficiency improvements are projected to generate at least $427,740 annually in energy savings for the City, with contractual guarantees from vendors that these projects will save at least as much money as they cost in each year of every year of the multi-year agreement.  If not, the vendors must write a check to the City for the difference.

 

"Energy efficiency projects are a great opportunity for the City," said Mayor Mark Mallory.  "In a tough economy, we have to be smarter about how we spend City money.  The upgrades save money, help the environment, and put Cincinnati residents to work, and it doesn't cost the taxpayers a dime."

 

The contracts for the energy efficiency upgrades are innovative in their funding structure as the vast majority of the upfront capital costs are paid for through guaranteed energy savings over the course of the project.  Of the $5.6 million in energy efficiency upgrades included in these contracts, nearly $4.5 million was paid for through realized energy savings while the rest was paid for through a combination of grants and rebates.

 

While the economic impacts are profound, the environmental impacts are even better as the upgrades will reduce the City's energy use by 3,290,539 kWh, generate 45,817 kWh of renewable energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3,413 metric tons each year.

 

"When the lighting, heating and air conditioning, building automation and building envelope upgrade work is completed, energy use will be reduced by more than 3.2 million kilowatt hours, and we'll reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 3.4 million metric tons - the equivalent of taking 614 cars off the road for a year, or planting 87,000 trees," said City Councilmember Roxanne Qualls.

 

One project in particular at City Hall that has installed storm windows inside existing single pane aluminum frame windows, and tinted films on windows that receive intense summer sun.  This single project cost $406,500 up front and will generate a minimum of $26,000 annually in energy savings for the City.

 

The City and the Office of Environmental Quality used a combination of rebates, incentives, and projected energy savings from the project to pay for the upfront capital costs.  The OEQ also emphasizes that none of the money used for this project has come from the General Fund or was paid for using City tax dollars.  The OEQ expects more contracts to follow as additional savings and upgrades can be realized.

Historic Mercantile Library reopens after a refreshing restoration

By Dave Rolfes, Soapbox Cincinnati | January 19, 2010

http://soapboxmedia.com/devnews/0119mercantilelibrary.aspx

 

Few places in Cincinnati hold the historical significance of downtown’s Mercantile Library located on the 11th and 12th floor at 414 Walnut Street. While it has been in the same space for over one-hundred years, the library itself dates back to April 1835 making it one of the three oldest cultural organizations in Cincinnati. However, even with its historical significance, the Mercantile is also one of the Queen City’s best kept secrets which Executive Director Albert Pyle hopes to change with the recent renovations.

 

“This library deserves it,” said Pyle, referring to the renovations made at a recent preview event.

 

The massive undertaking led by local architecture firm Brashear-Bolton and local construction firm HGC Construction was the first major refurbishment since the Library moved into the space in 1903. Modern touches were added but a lot of attention was given to maintaining the historical feel as well. The timing of the renovation was meticulously planned as the Mercantile celebrates its 175th anniversary this year.

 

An example of this mix was the movement of the 16 portrait busts featuring presidents and authors, among others, to eye level mounts throughout the room. This was done so that members could appreciate the art and “hold better conversations with them,” joked Mr. Pyle.

 

Another balance of modernization and history comes on the south side of the reading room where an old, noisy air conditioning unit was taken out and new two story stacks were installed. According to Pyle, the old air conditioning had to be turned off during events because it was just too loud, so now the library can stay cool in the summer and remain a quiet place of solace for its members. The new stacks are made of steel beams which were actually hoisted up from Walnut Street and through the windows one morning so that they could be installed on the top floors of the building.

 

A final update sure to be debated between traditionalists and modernists is the fact that the card catalog is now electronic and located online through the Mercantile’s website. The modern move actually forced the library to make its first official count of its collection which totals over 78,000 books, many first editions. About 2/3 of the Library's collections can not be found elsewhere in the city.

 

These updates and many others are to be unveiled this week when the library reopens on January 20th.  Undoubtedly the 2,000 members will be excited by the modernization efforts that balance the 21st century with the Old World feel of the open space.  Pyle says the Library could “easily welcome in 2,000 more,” members.

 

With dues starting at $45, if you spend a good amount of time around the center city it is well worth considering so that you could stop in and soak in the quiet oasis that is the Mercantile Library.

 

View related photos with story here:

http://soapboxmedia.com/devnews/0119mercantilelibrary.aspx

Great photos of the Mercantile Library.  Can't wait to stop in.

Mercantile Library celebrates 175 years

By Lauren Bishop, Cincinnati Enquirer, April 13, 2010

 

The member-supported Mercantile Library will throw open its historic doors to the public Saturday night for its 175th anniversary party—and this is one occasion when library staff won't be shushing patrons.

 

Called "Big Noise, Big Night at the Library," the event includes food, dancing and music from Queen City Brass, Tropicoso, Patricia Linhart and the Faux Frenchman. Former city councilman and Hamilton County commission hopeful Jim Tarbell and his wife, Brenda, will serve as co-chairs. Tickets to the event, which also serves as a fundraiser for the library, are $100 each or $175 for two people.

Cox mansion donated to public library

By Cliff Radel, Cincinnati Enquirer, April 18, 2010

 

CLIFTON - The "Boss" Cox Branch Library might sound discordant to some. That could be because George Barnsdale "Boss" Cox was Cincinnati's most corrupt and most powerful political boss.

 

But that nickname could soon have a better connotation, thanks to the generosity of Mike Dever. The president of the Performance Automotive Network of car dealerships is donating "Boss" Cox's 22-room, 1895 mansion to the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

Lockland still battling towering eyesore

By Quan Truong, Cincinnati Enquirer, May 5, 2010

 

LOCKLAND - More than half a year since a judge ordered the cleanup of a towering mound of bricks on Wyoming Avenue, the village's most visible eyesore remains.

 

Lockland officials continue their legal battle against the owner of the former Stearns and Foster complex. It was an issue they first took to court in 2004.

 

A Hamilton County Common Pleas judge this fall said the owner has to clean up the mess - about 13,500 cubic yards of rubble - which sits right by Lockland's downtown. Today, the site looks the same as it did a year ago.

Medical building rising in Uptown's Corryville neighborhood

By Randy A. Simes, Soapbox Cincinnati | April 6, 2010

http://soapboxmedia.com/devnews/0406medicalbuilding.aspx

 

A new 25,000 square-foot medical office building is rising in Uptown's Corryville neighborhood in between Rochelle and Donahue streets on Highland Avenue.  The $8 million project is on-track to be completed in October 2010 and will be filled by the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VA) who has signed a 10-year lease on the building.

 

The VA intends to use the space for their ophthalmology group, a sleep lab, and their engineering group which will be moved from their current medical space nearby.  The move will come at a time when the VA is looking to free up space at their current location, and could lead to the creation of additional jobs once development is complete.

 

The project is being developed by Cincinnati-based Uptown Rental Properties which has its offices just a block away from the site in a building that served as the company's first new commercial development project - the VA medical building is their second.

 

"I've been in Uptown for 25 years, and I first got interested in the area because I felt there was a lack of quality housing options," explained Dan Schimberg, principle of Uptown Rental Properties.  "With all of the growing institutions in Uptown there is a real market for quality urban living options."

 

The site of the new medical office building was originally purchased by Uptown Rental Properties several years ago when a condemned apartment building occupied the site.  Cincinnati-based Turnbull-Walhert Construction is serving as the general contractor for the project and has applied for LEED Certification and will add 105 parking spaces in addition to the new office space.

 

Schimberg credits growing institutions like Children's Hospital Medical Center, the Cincinnati Zoo, and the University of Cincinnati for fueling the growth in the area.  With over a thousand rental properties in the Uptown area, and a growing commercial real estate portfolio, Schimberg believes that the "demand is extraordinary" for Uptown living and working space.

 

Cincinnati celebrates new Green Learning Station in Avondale

By Randy A. Simes, Soapbox Cincinnati | May 4, 2010

http://soapboxmedia.com/devnews/0504greenlearningstation.aspx

 

The Civic Garden Center in Avondale was the gathering point to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Green Learning Station.  The $1.2 million project will eventually transform an old gas station into a learning station that will be a "state-of-the-art laboratory for sustainable practices to gardens and the systems that support them."

 

The facility - the first of its kind in the Cincinnati region - is striving for LEED-Gold certification.  As a result, the groundbreaking celebrations attracted local leaders like Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, Brenda and Jim Tarbell, the Board of the Civic Garden Center and even Ohio First Lady Frances Strickland.

 

"I am thrilled to be here to support the development of the Green Learning Station," said First Lady Strickland at the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday.  "I applaud the Civic Garden Center for pursuing this initiative to provide a free, interactive green gardening and stormwater management learning opportunity for students and the community in southwest Ohio."

 

As part of the transformative project, the asphalt parking lot of the former SOHIO gas station will be replaced by pervious paving, bioswales and rainwater harvesting units that will capture most of the rainwater that falls onto the surrounding ground.  There will also be three types of green roof systems installed on the Green Learning Station in addition to the region's first sloped green roof on the neighboring Park District building.

 

The Green Learning Station (map) itself will be used to "educate and inspire school children and their families about sustainable practices" through its green systems in place and by demonstrating affordable technology solutions that can be implemented at home.  Officials with the project also note that home builders, developers and public officials will be able to use it as a demonstration site on how to incorporate green technology into residences, businesses and public spaces.

 

Green building and sustainability industries have been taking off in Cincinnati recently with the opening of several new businesses and the incorporation of several progressive sustainable technologies that are helping position Cincinnati as a green building and sustainability leader nationally.

 

Cincinnati-based HGC Construction is building the $1.2 million project and its expected to be complete and open to the public by fall 2010.  The project has been supported financially through a $2 million fund-raising campaign for education by the Civic Garden Center.

 

 

Mount Lookout Square project starts June 7

Cincinnati Enquirer, May 23, 2010

 

MOUNT LOOKOUT - A long-awaited project to improve Mount Lookout Square will begin this summer.

 

The project will include new trees, decorative lighting, new sidewalks and enhanced green space.

 

Also, there will be additional traffic islands at the south crossings on Delta and Linwood avenues, bump-outs at the crosswalks and new traffic signals.

Old Kmart site to be redeveloped

 

By Lisa Bernard-Kuhn • [email protected] • November 12, 2010

 

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP - An $11.5 million plan that calls for renovating the 10-acre former Kmart site on Ridge Avenue into medical laboratory offices is gaining speed.

 

Known as Ridge Pointe, the project is being led by Evanston-based Neyer Properties.

 

The developer has lured Tri-State Clinical, a firm that handles clinical testing for local hospitals, to lease roughly 72,000 square feet of the 108,000-square-foot renovated building. The remainder of the space likely will be leased to an office or medical lab user, said Dan Neyer, president of Neyer Properties.

 

Included in the project are plans for 170 public parking spaces, new sidewalks and the demolition of one existing building on the site, of which the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority is considering financing in partnership with Columbia Township.

"developer has lured Tri-State Clinical" That's right kids, I've got some candy waiting for you here in my old K-Mart.

Newest theater opens in Kenwood

 

By Laura Baverman • [email protected] • November 16, 2010

 

Debuting Friday along with the much-anticipated "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1"is the region's newest movie complex - the Kenwood Theatre.

 

Harry Potter fans can catch the film in any of three state-of-the-art auditoriums on the Sycamore Township venue's opening night. They can recline in plush rocking chairs and munch on the Esquire Theatre's famous fresh popcorn, sushi rolled by the chefs at nearby Embers or home-baked cookies and cakes from Frieda's Desserts in Madeira. A full bar offers up beer, wine and cocktails, and an upscale cappuccino maker pours out a variety of coffee drinks.

Beer, wine and cocktails + movie = pee breaks.

From talking with an architect friend who worked on this project, the idea is to be a bit more Esquire style in its offerings... the only detriment is the original building which has horrible acoustics/sound proofing hopefully they have remedied that.

^This theatre was sorely needed.  I for one will be using it fairly often when I'm home.

New apartments for Columbia Tusculum?

 

By Lisa Wakeland • [email protected] • November 17, 2010

 

A new apartment complex may be on its way to Columbia Tusculum.

 

Al. Neyer Inc. has proposed constructing an 80-unit building at the northwest corner of the Columbia Parkway and Delta Avenue intersection.

 

Arlene Golembiewski, vice president of the Columbia Tusculum Community Council, said it generally supports the project, but want input on the design to ensure the apartments mesh with the look and feel of the neighborhood.

^Cool! A good development on this corner will really help establish the corridor as being the main street of Columbia Tusculum, which they were looking to achieve with the new retail/office buildings.

I agree! If I recall correctly, wasn't there a sign advertising the lot for sale for an office development? It's good that the market has begun swinging from the over-saturated retail/office and residential condo market to apartments -- which are sorely needed everywhere.

^Yeah, there's already a new Neyer building at that corner, so I suspect they are trying to shift it from offices to apartments since I don't think it ever got rented.

ya, the Neyer building is on the opposite corner and is basically empty- in fact, I thought I read somewhere that they were considering moving some Neyer employees into that building just so it stops sitting there empty.

 

That would be a really interesting apartment complex- It's semi on a hill (half the lot is higher than the other half of the lot), so if they build it "up" on top of the hill (say with a semi-underground garage as its base) it could have some great views and be 'above' the traffic.  If they build it down (cut off the top of that hill, have it closer to the road) I could understand the noise issues mentioned in the article. 

Awesome news, this is a great building in an underutilized part of downtown!

 

Financial firm rehabs downtown oldy

 

By Laura Baverman • [email protected] • December 8, 2010

 

 

A growing financial planning firm will soon begin renovations on a new downtown headquarters in an 1892-built stone building that once housed famed yeast maker, the Fleischmann Co.

 

Lifetime Financial Growth LLC purchased the building at 419 Plum St. for $558,000 in November and will spend another $900,000 to convert its seven stories into offices for its 40-person firm. It expects to have enough space to add up to eight additional planners and more administrative staff by June 2011 when the project is complete.

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101208/BIZ01/12080359/1196/NEWS/Financial-firm-rehabs-downtown-oldy

^ Agreed!  I walk past this building nearly every day and ALWAYS thought it had fantastic residential potential.  Either way, im thrilled they will be bringing this gem back to life.

Price Hill eyesore transforming into apartments

 

By Kurt Backscheider • [email protected] • December 9, 2010

 

 

The historic apartment building at the corner of West Eighth Street and Elberon Avenue, which has befallen derelict status in the past several years, will once again be a crown jewel of Price Hill.

 

Known for years as the "White Elephant," "Price Hill's Alamo" or "that building at Eighth and Elberon," the structure, now called "The Elberon," has been one of the biggest roadblocks to Price Hill's resurgence, said Matt Strauss, director of marketing and neighborhood promotion for Price Hill Will.

 

http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/article/20101209/NEWS/12090358

That's darn good news!

I've been waiting for this to be announced for a few months. Good to see it moving forward. It such a beautiful building.

Has anyone heard or seen any renderings about this Price Avenue development plan?  Sounds great in all, but is their any money committed yet?

Has anybody noticed that the 20th Century Theater's (Oakley) exterior neon has been completely restored?  I never thought i would see the day...