August 13, 20204 yr The only way a city can solve this problem is through a full court press, and the last place where that would happen would be the home of Kroger. You'd need to have a 3CDC-type organization run a network of several dozen small grocery stores that in aggregate can purchase with some volume and move enough product to run a lot of the operation out of a central distribution center/commissary. The grocery stores and distribution hub would need to be in city-owned buildings and exempt from property tax. Meanwhile, you'd have Kroger, etc., suing the hell out of the city, plus leftists demanding high union wages for the staff. Like Steven Tyler once sang, dream on.
August 13, 20204 yr 2 hours ago, taestell said: I wonder if a better solution might be to encourage smaller convenience stores throughout the neighborhood to carry a better selection of grocery items, fresh produce, meat, etc. Remember when the city spent $750,000 doing that and the result was this?
August 13, 20204 yr 2 hours ago, Ram23 said: Remember when the city spent $750,000 doing that and the result was this? What’s this now? I don’t think I know this story
August 14, 20204 yr 19 hours ago, Guy23 said: What’s this now? I don’t think I know this story The city gave money to "The Center for Closing the Health Gap" for a program to provide healthier options in food deserts, and it didn't work out so well: https://www.wcpo.com/news/government/local-politics/cranley-calls-for-investigation-into-health-gap-after-wcpo-reveals-questionable-spending
August 14, 20204 yr 23 hours ago, taestell said: I wonder if a better solution might be to encourage smaller convenience stores throughout the neighborhood to carry a better selection of grocery items, fresh produce, meat, etc., or if there are things we can learn from other cities that have tried to solve the food desert problem. Selection and price are key though. The Northside UDF has milk, eggs, and a couple of other staples. But you pay like twice as much as you would at Kroger. In my parents rural hometown, the Wal-Mart the next town over ran all the grocery stores in the entire county out of business except a couple of Sav-A-Lots. There's a convenience store in town that carries meat and some produce but everything there is really expensive too.
August 14, 20204 yr ^The white people who care oh so deeply for food deserts in cities don't care about the country. True story: last year I by chance sat at a table right next to Arnold Schwarzenegger's son at a small restaurant in Los Angeles. What were he had his weight-lifting buddy talking about after they finished their kale sandwiches? You guessed it - food desserts. They were literally talking about food deserts for dessert.
August 14, 20204 yr 1 hour ago, jmecklenborg said: ^The white people who care oh so deeply for food deserts in cities don't care about the country. Well, I think it's more obvious to people when they see low population density why there are no stores in the area.
August 14, 20204 yr 2 hours ago, DEPACincy said: Selection and price are key though. The Northside UDF has milk, eggs, and a couple of other staples. But you pay like twice as much as you would at Kroger. In my parents rural hometown, the Wal-Mart the next town over ran all the grocery stores in the entire county out of business except a couple of Sav-A-Lots. There's a convenience store in town that carries meat and some produce but everything there is really expensive too. This might sound like a crazy idea, but... if the city is willing to spend $750k on the "Closing the Health Gap" program to get fresh fruit into c-stores and $500k to subsidize a grocery store in Avondale... why not create an agreement with UDF and perhaps other c-store chains to reduce the price of those items in their existing stores, and give them some sort of tax break or subsidy to cover a portion of the lost revenue? Would be good publicity for those companies and probably cheaper than opening entire brand new grocery stores.
August 14, 20204 yr ^I suspect that 90% of the people who want healthy food are finding a way to get it. People who were raised on frozen pizza aren't going to suddenly switch over to healthy food because it's now a block's walk away.
August 14, 20204 yr It really does become generational. Vegetables just don't taste good to people raised on food that's made to keep for long periods of time.
August 14, 20204 yr 7 minutes ago, GCrites80s said: It really does become generational. In the second half of the 20th century, the ear came to prefer the sound of recorded music over live music. Now, the ears of young people prefer the sounds of electronic origin rather than recorded acoustic instruments.
August 14, 20204 yr 13 minutes ago, GCrites80s said: Vegetables Popeye ate spinach out of a can. I thought that's what spinach was - a mushy wet substance that came in cans. I didn't see a spinach leaf or even know that spinach was a leaf until I was about 30. Before the shut-down I was at a party where I broached this subject and several in the over-40 crowd astonished the Milennials by confirming my anecdote.
August 14, 20204 yr Not sure if anyone has posted it before but there is a construction cam now available for the Uptown Gateway Project at Reading and MLK, you can choose between a LIVE cam or still photo. I didn’t pay much attention to this development early on but I’m definitely impressed now. http://uptown-gateway.com/
August 14, 20204 yr 2 hours ago, taestell said: This might sound like a crazy idea, but... if the city is willing to spend $750k on the "Closing the Health Gap" program to get fresh fruit into c-stores and $500k to subsidize a grocery store in Avondale... why not create an agreement with UDF and perhaps other c-store chains to reduce the price of those items in their existing stores, and give them some sort of tax break or subsidy to cover a portion of the lost revenue? Would be good publicity for those companies and probably cheaper than opening entire brand new grocery stores. Even with a subsidy, corner stores sell snacks, not meals, and few people will grab a banana or apple when it's about the same price as chips or a candy bar. You can get milk or eggs at a UDF in a pinch but you can't buy a few days worth of meals. The demand simply isn't there for them to stock short shelf-life items like cuts of chicken, produce, etc. Even large format Kroger stores end up throwing a significant amount of that stuff away or selling it as a "manager-special" at a loss. I think the city would be better off subsidizing clicklist delivery or a weekend grocery store shuttle than it would subsidizing corner stores. Edited August 14, 20204 yr by Ram23
August 14, 20204 yr 2 hours ago, jmecklenborg said: Popeye ate spinach out of a can. I thought that's what spinach was - a mushy wet substance that came in cans. I've got a half dozen cans of spinach in my pantry right now. I eat it like it's going out of style. If you look at it in terms of nutritional value per dollar, it's like 75% cheaper than fresh spinach. I remember the first time I bought a bunch of fresh spinach and then sauteed it - I was perplexed, wondering how $1.50 worth of fresh spinach ended up being about 1/4 of what you'd get in a single can. Unless you're planning to eat it raw, there's no reason to not buy it in cans - especially because everything is available in a non-BPA, "no salt added" version now:
August 15, 20204 yr 27 minutes ago, Ram23 said: everything is available in a non-BPA, "no salt added" version now:
August 15, 20204 yr Popeye cartoons were funded by Big Spinach and the Sandy Teeth Federation of America
August 15, 20204 yr 57 minutes ago, Ram23 said: I've got a half dozen cans of spinach in my pantry right now. I eat it like it's going out of style. If you look at it in terms of nutritional value per dollar, it's like 75% cheaper than fresh spinach. I remember the first time I bought a bunch of fresh spinach and then sauteed it - I was perplexed, wondering how $1.50 worth of fresh spinach ended up being about 1/4 of what you'd get in a single can. Unless you're planning to eat it raw, there's no reason to not buy it in cans - especially because everything is available in a non-BPA, "no salt added" version now: Of all the things you've said on this forum, this is the most disgusting ? I grew up on canned spinach, and would puke at the thought of eating it ever again. Fresh is so much better and that's an objective fact.
August 15, 20204 yr 1 hour ago, 10albersa said: I grew up on canned spinach, and would puke at the thought of eating it ever again. Canned spinach was intense.
August 15, 20204 yr 1 hour ago, GCrites80s said: Popeye cartoons were funded by Big Spinach He was best-known for guzzling spinach, but did you know he inhaled it through his corn pipe? The effect is like meth/bath salts.
August 16, 20204 yr On 8/14/2020 at 2:44 PM, jmecklenborg said: ^The white people who care oh so deeply for food deserts in cities don't care about the country. There are lots of organizations dedicated to food deserts in rural areas. Rural Action is an example of one in Southeast Ohio that does this. I also worked with several in Pennsylvania over the years.
August 16, 20204 yr On 8/14/2020 at 8:39 PM, 10albersa said: Of all the things you've said on this forum, this is the most disgusting ? I grew up on canned spinach, and would puke at the thought of eating it ever again. Fresh is so much better and that's an objective fact. I ate some in an omelette this morning - with some onions and cheese. At that point, I really don't think there is much of a difference. Coincidentally, I bought this can at a nice, new-ish Kroger store that's about 1800 feet away from the "food desert" of Avondale.
August 17, 20204 yr On 8/14/2020 at 2:30 PM, DEPACincy said: Selection and price are key though. The Northside UDF has milk, eggs, and a couple of other staples. But you pay like twice as much as you would at Kroger. In my parents rural hometown, the Wal-Mart the next town over ran all the grocery stores in the entire county out of business except a couple of Sav-A-Lots. There's a convenience store in town that carries meat and some produce but everything there is really expensive too. That wouldn't happen to be Adams County would it? That's my home county and that's exactly what the grocery situation is out there.
August 17, 20204 yr On 8/16/2020 at 10:26 AM, DEPACincy said: There are lots of organizations dedicated to food deserts in rural areas. Rural Action is an example of one in Southeast Ohio that does this. I also worked with several in Pennsylvania over the years. Meals on Wheels has been around since at least the 80s, when I recall my grandmother talking about it a lot. https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/ Maybe there's no such thing as a food desert.
August 17, 20204 yr 12 hours ago, Cincy_Travels said: That wouldn't happen to be Adams County would it? That's my home county and that's exactly what the grocery situation is out there. Yep! You nailed it!
August 17, 20204 yr 1 hour ago, jmecklenborg said: Meals on Wheels has been around since at least the 80s, when I recall my grandmother talking about it a lot. https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/ Maybe there's no such thing as a food desert. Meals on Wheels is indeed a lifeline. But I've worked with several organizations that do it and I can tell you that there is a constant funding crisis. The number of people who rely on it has been growing for years and the funding side is having a hard time keeping up.
August 17, 20204 yr 3 hours ago, GCrites80s said: Are teens really going to go on Meals-On-Wheels? In grade school I recall pretty much everyone throwing out their required fruit or vegetable every single day.
August 31, 20204 yr Regarding the city's plan to fund a grocery store in Avondale, this story came out today about the city's failed attempt to do something similar in Westwood: Taxpayers spent $260K on a West Side market with nothing to show. The city's solution? Give the owner $20,000. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2020/08/30/jubilee-market-cincinnati-taxpayers-spent-280-k-nothing/5615796002/
September 20, 20204 yr On 8/31/2020 at 1:58 PM, Ram23 said: Regarding the city's plan to fund a grocery store in Avondale, this story came out today about the city's failed attempt to do something similar in Westwood: Taxpayers spent $260K on a West Side market with nothing to show. The city's solution? Give the owner $20,000. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2020/08/30/jubilee-market-cincinnati-taxpayers-spent-280-k-nothing/5615796002/ Seen Saturday on a walk:
November 2, 20204 yr There is a large project of new, single-family homes on Forest in between Eden and Haven. It's an interesting project, especially since it shows that Children's and the Port are working together. In November 2018, Jose Garcia posted some info about their preliminary designs (https://www.instagram.com/p/BqLLa4TlZfw/), using an inexpensive polycarbonate wall cladding to allow for lots of light and provide reasonable insulation (better than glass, worse than a wall), while being much cheaper than glass. Has anybody seen any more details? I'd love to see a site plan and learn more about what kinds of prices they're targeting. This Instagram post from July says that they're also doing work on Wilson Ave. "When completed, the Avondale REACH Program will consist of 20 renovated or new properties spread out on Forest Ave, Eden Ave, and Wilson Ave, at an estimated total investment of $6.5MM." https://www.instagram.com/p/CDEc488Fu3N/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link This post on the Avondale Development Corporation's website says the empty land on Eden will be split into 11 lots: https://www.growavondale.org/update/2020/4/27/reach-avondale-reach-ahip#:~:text=REACH (Rehab Across Cincinnati and,in Avondale and other neighborhoods. Edited November 2, 20204 yr by jwulsin
November 16, 20204 yr On November 23, the Historic Conservation Board will review a proposal (HCB packet) to grant Local Historic Landmark Designation for the apartment building at 3700 Reading Rd, an apartment building owned and managed by CMHA. Personally, I'm glad to see CMHA is seeking Historic Tax Credits to renovate this building. Even though this building doesn't strike me as particularly "special", it has good massing at nine stories, and is much more substantial than anything that is going to get built (especially for affordable housing) in Cincinnati today. I'd like to see Reading Rd get more market rate housing in addition to the affordable housing, and I think renovating the existing affordable housing is a good step. From the HCB packet: Quote The applicants are seeking Local landmarking status and National Register listing to be eligible for both State and Federal Historic Tax Credits. CMHA is proposing a rehabilitation of the building to upgrade the facility for continued use as a low-income housing development. The use of Historic Tax Credits will allow $2 million of investment into the project. The HCB staff recommends approval based on: Quote Criterion 1: Association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history The building was built in 1950 during the accelerated post WWII development of neighborhoods out of the urban center/downtown area. Automobiles were gaining popularity and prominence in daily life and development. The use of the elevator became more affordable and more standard in development allowing for high-rise apartment buildings for all economic strata of society. Post WWII development of Avondale was accelerated by both the arrival of the Streetcar up Reading Road as well as the relocation of 220 black families into the neighborhood creating both the need and market for increased density and units available for lower and middle income families. Criterion 3: Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, method of construction or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction. According to the Apartment Buildings in Ohio Urban Centers, 1870-1970 National Register Multiple Property Document (p E44) by Stephen C. Gordon, the Redding “ranks among the city’s pioneering attempts at high-rise housing after WWII. The cubic massing and traditional details such as facebrick on all elevations harken back to pre-war designs, yet the semicircular automobile drive to the front entrance is a precursor of things to come.” The building was designed by the architect George H. Godley. The design represents transitional architecture with bold geometric massing and lower setbacks and projections of the Art Deco style but with plan exterior detailing and uniform fenestration of the Modern Architecture movement. Edited November 16, 20204 yr by jwulsin
November 16, 20204 yr Not sure if that address is correct. 2300 Reading appears to be the Shell station.
November 16, 20204 yr 17 minutes ago, Yves Behar said: Not sure if that address is correct. 2300 Reading appears to be the Shell station. Sorry - you're right. It's 3700 Reading. I updated the post.
November 30, 20204 yr Get a peek inside the world’s largest Ronald McDonald House Construction is complete on the expansion of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2020/11/30/inside-the-worlds-largest-ronald-mcdonald-house.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 9, 20214 yr On January 15th, the Planning Commission will review a zone change to permit construction of the 44 apartments as part of the 2nd phase of "Blair Lofts". The second phase looks very similar in size and design to Phase 1. Starting on page 114: https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/about-city-planning/city-planning-commission/jan-15-2021-packet/
January 20, 20214 yr Ndukwe’s firm, partners land key approval for more affordable housing Kingsley + Co., the commercial real estate firm founded by former Cincinnati Bengal Chinedum Ndukwe, and its partners Avondale Development Corp. and Fairfield Homes Inc. received a key approval Friday morning for a planned second phase of a new affordable housing project. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/01/19/ndukwes-firm-partners-land-key-approval-for-more.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 20, 20214 yr Hotel? Retirement Home? Apartments? A false facade that cloaks a waste treatment plant? Cannot tell with Ndukwe. Edited January 20, 20214 yr by zsnyder
January 20, 20214 yr 4 hours ago, zsnyder said: Cannot tell with Ndukwe. He knows when you've been sleeping. He knows when you're awake. https://cincyopolis.wordpress.com/tag/port-authority-of-greater-cincinnati/
February 26, 20214 yr March 5 Planning Commission Packet (starting on page 179) has info on the proposed vacation of Bartle Ave, as part of a larger project at the SW corner of Reading and MLK that will include a hotel, apartments, and office. The packet doesn't provide much in the way of details, and the site plan is very low resolution. So I assume the design is only conceptual as this stage, and they're still working on assembling properties (like the vacated Bartle Ave ROW). https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/about-city-planning/city-planning-commission/mar-5-2021-packet/
February 26, 20214 yr Interesting, it looks like the whole site would get raised up with parking underneath, with cascading steps towards the corner of MLK and Reading, will be interesting to see more information. I haven't been up the hill in a while, has Dual Manor already been demolished? I always liked that building for how quirky it is. It's like a poor man's Bertrand Goldberg design.
March 1, 20214 yr 37 minutes ago, Chas Wiederhold said: RIP Will we ever see circular buildings make a comeback? The riverfront Radisson in Covington is perhaps the last standard-bearer in the region.
March 1, 20214 yr 5 minutes ago, oudd said: Will we ever see circular buildings make a comeback? The riverfront Radisson in Covington is perhaps the last standard-bearer in the region. We've still got the Montgomery Inn Boathouse!
March 1, 20214 yr 3 hours ago, Chas Wiederhold said: RIP You might need to put a NSFW disclaimer on this screenshot...
March 31, 20214 yr Uptown Consortium forming plans for Innovation Greenway Uptown Consortium Inc., along with planning and design firm, Sasaki, continues to formulate and refine plans for a multi-acre greenspace known as the Innovation Greenway. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/03/30/uptown-consortium-innovation-greenway.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
March 31, 20214 yr This looks great. It will be an excellent trailhead for Wasson Way. I'm so thrilled to see Wasson Way come together. I'm curious how it is being designed to navigate some industrial creep on Fredonia Ave. I've been to Holthaus Lackner many times. They seem like the type of folks who would be willing to give up some parking spaces so a bike trail can scoot by.
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