July 29, 20159 yr general question: It seems like a lot of us accept the fact that when it comes to highway expansion, added lanes don't equal less congestion, but rather due to induced demand, mean the same or even more congestion. Hence, the billions that we (the state of ohio) have spent on widening 75--and theoretically will spend to build a new BSB--will not actually lead to reduced commute times. Therefore, we should be pursuing other transportation modes: light rail, BRT, HOV lanes, walking, bike lanes. Why then are we accepting of more parking garages, with the expectation that it will lead to higher density development in the surrounding areas? (Such as the empty lots between sycamore and broadway in Pendelton.) Won't the garage under Ziegler encourage more people to drive downtown to park? It clearly will not present an alternative to the current mode of driving and parking. What will this underground garage do that the above-ground one at Reading and Sycamore doesn't do? It seems to me that the only way to get people to not drive is to give them other options. Not more places to park, in the hope that some of those spots can become the "+1" parking tied to a particular apartment unit a couple blocks away. This leads to a much greater question: why is 3cdc, or by extension the city, unwilling or unable to invest in something as simple as a covered bus stop, or a couple additional buses, from key parts of the city, to induce people downtown? I believe that if you build a space that people truly want to get to, they will find a way to get there, come hell or high water. Just look at the history of our country: no one in their right mind should have spent months crossing the Atlantic, without the promise of a great reward on the other side. And yet here we are.
August 11, 20159 yr There is a meeting at 9 am tomorrow at Venue 222 (222 E 14th Street) to discuss the Ziegler Park renovation and how it could impact area businesses.
August 17, 20159 yr From the Over-the-Rhine Residents Facebook page: Spoke with a gentleman from urban forestry this morning. They are trimming branches on the south side of 14th to make way for equipment to get through -- they are installing a large gas main under the sidewalk near the SCPA park. Construction will begin Monday. He told me they would do their best to save the trees that are there and any trees that are damaged will be replaced. It sounds like they will be bringing in some serious equipment and digging up the whole sidewalk/possibly part of the park. He said the current gas main is from 1890s and has become functionally obsolete, and that the new one will service the new apartments in addition to the currently serviced Pendleton residences. He asked me to spread the word. I'm glad they are doing this work now, before the Cutter Playground renovation gets underway. Always interesting to hear about how old some of our utilities are. The gas pipe being replaced is 120+ years old!
August 17, 20159 yr From the Over-the-Rhine Residents Facebook page: Spoke with a gentleman from urban forestry this morning. They are trimming branches on the south side of 14th to make way for equipment to get through -- they are installing a large gas main under the sidewalk near the SCPA park. Construction will begin Monday. He told me they would do their best to save the trees that are there and any trees that are damaged will be replaced. It sounds like they will be bringing in some serious equipment and digging up the whole sidewalk/possibly part of the park. He said the current gas main is from 1890s and has become functionally obsolete, and that the new one will service the new apartments in addition to the currently serviced Pendleton residences. He asked me to spread the word. I'm glad they are doing this work now, before the Cutter Playground renovation gets underway. Always interesting to hear about how old some of our utilities are. The gas pipe being replaced is 120+ years old! Is Duke Energy trying to get those paying for the park renovation to pay for the gas line replacement? /snark "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." - Warren Buffett
September 3, 20159 yr A pretty major gas main got installed: They already have most of the sidewalk repair completed.
September 3, 20159 yr A pretty major gas main got installed: They already have most of the sidewalk repair completed. Most of those trees lining the south sidewalk of 14th street appeared to go into shock and lose all of their leaves.
September 4, 20159 yr A pretty major gas main got installed: They already have most of the sidewalk repair completed. Lazy bastards. Lol, I'm kidding. I do natural gas and have for years. That big of a steel main does take a while to install and put gas on it. Most of those trees lining the south sidewalk of 14th street appeared to go into shock and lose all of their leaves. Those trees will be fine. Some of you would freak out if you actually knew how many roots get cut out of the ground on a daily basis.
September 10, 20159 yr This machine has been moving around Cutter Playground and the Woodward parking lot recently: Taking soil samples for the new garage and extended park, I assume?
September 24, 20159 yr The fourth and final Ziegler Park community input meeting will be held at Woodward Theater, Monday 9/28 at 5 pm.
September 28, 20159 yr Just a reminder that the 4th and final community meeting on Ziegler Park is tonight at the Woodward Theater. It starts at 5pm, so in just 20 minutes. http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/09/28/ziegler-park-cincinnati-workshop-woodward-theater/72975370/
September 29, 20159 yr OTR, Pendleton park includes pool, 400-car garage It looks like Over-the-Rhine’s Ziegler Park will get a pool, two sets of restrooms, a playground and sprayground, and be extended into the Pendleton neighborhood where a 400-car underground garage will be constructed and topped with a massive lawn. Construction could start by year’s end, according to park and planning officials, who led the final community input session Monday night at Woodward Theater. “I’d say the whole project can be fast-tracked,” said Adam Gelter, executive vice president for development at the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), which has helped spearhead the redevelopment plan. Attendees of the input session shared overwhelming satisfaction with the plan Monday, including the garage, which had provoked some anger when introduced. Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
October 15, 20159 yr Land acquired for $30M Over-the-Rhine park overhaul Oct 15, 2015, 1:00pm EDT Chris Wetterich Staff reporter and columnist Cincinnati Business Courier The Cincinnati Board of Park Commissioners unanimously voted Thursday to acquire land needed to complete a $30 million renovation of Ziegler Park in Over-the-Rhine, and Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. CEO Steve Leeper outlined a timetable for its completion. The plan calls for adding a swimming pool, two sets of restrooms, a playground, a sprayground and a 400-space parking garage at the intersection of Sycamore and East 13th streets. http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2015/10/15/land-acquired-for-30m-over-the-rhine-park.html
October 29, 20159 yr I wish they would keep a fence and home plate in one of the corners of the "passive green" for baseball/kickball.
November 6, 20159 yr Still "on track" despite failure of parks levy: http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2015/11/06/ziegler-park-plan-gets-city-panels-ok/75291766/
November 9, 20159 yr Sitting in the ongoing HCB hearing, board member Don Driehaus just stated that he cannot vote for approval if one cent of public money was spent since OTR "killed the park levy".
November 9, 20159 yr I hate this city sometimes so much. Even if EVERY resident of OTR who went out and voted did so against the Parks "Levy" that would barely make a dent in the total opposition from the entire city.
November 10, 20159 yr Sitting in the ongoing HCB hearing, board member Don Driehaus just stated that he cannot vote for approval if one cent of public money was spent since OTR "killed the park levy". Cranley's latest attempt to punish OTR for its success.
November 11, 20159 yr I would be surprised if all of the foundations in Ziegler Park and Cutter Playground were removed when they were converted to parks. It should be interesting to see these old foundations surface during construction.
November 11, 20159 yr Who is Don Driehaus? Part of the Luken / Cranley machine?? I don't know him but, FYI its easy for me to get confused between Don and Dan Driehaus. dAn Driehaus is the current chair of the Cincinnati Planning Commission, and owns an insurance company. He's a good guy. Don seems to move is similar circles. But I'm pretty certain they are different humans.
November 11, 20159 yr There's a Don Driehaus who is a former Hamilton County Democratic Party co-chairman. He has a son named Don who I think the is one on the HCB? The younger Don's siblings are Steve and Denise.
January 13, 20169 yr Thank you. Will this delay the opening of the SCPA Loft project because of the parking situation?
January 13, 20169 yr I assume that the new garage would be built & opened first, before the city shuts down the parking lot and start to develop that into the park expansion.
February 4, 20169 yr Groundbreaking for Ziegler Park will be on Wednesday, February 17. I'm surprised we haven't yet heard any details about phasing of the work. As someone who parks in the lot that will be removed, I'd like to have a rough idea of when my parking spot will go away.
February 4, 20169 yr Is it safe to assume that the quicker 3cdc renovates Ziegler Park, and builds the underground parking garage, the quicker we will see someone build something on top of those giant Sycamore lots? It's such an eye sore :/
February 6, 20169 yr So 7 of the large gorgeous trees in the picnic area of Cutter Playground have red "danger" tags on them. What does this mean?!? I thought the purpose of the public meetings was to reassure people these trees weren't getting cut down. www.cincinnatiideas.com
February 7, 20169 yr I don't ever recall them saying that they wouldn't be cutting down trees at the meetings. I do remember them saying that the field area would be growing substantially. I can confirm anything, but I think these trees will be cut down.
February 7, 20169 yr They definitely designed the garage in such a way to maintain the old growth trees. I suspect the red caution tape is indicating trees to stay.
February 8, 20169 yr Cincinnati Parks tweeted at me and thebillshark[/member] to clarify that the trees with the red tape will be saved.
February 17, 20169 yr The groundbreaking ceremony is today. There is already a big rental fence surrounding the entire block of Cutter Playground so I bet they're going to bring in the equipment and start excavating immediately.
February 18, 20169 yr This is not one of those projects where they do the golden shovels photo op and then no activity for the next two months. Wow. Cleaned out a ton.
February 18, 20169 yr thomasbw[/member] - I don't think your photo attached/embedded properly. shows up fine for me but let's try again
February 18, 20169 yr thomasbw[/member] photo shows now... and wow, they're jumping right into the excavation!
April 27, 20169 yr According to signs that have been posted, Ziegler Park will close on Monday, May 2 so the renovation and expansion work can begin. Meanwhile, across the street, the excavation of Cutter Playground is well underway. Dump trucks have been hauling away dirt for weeks and the site is currently a big pit waiting for construction of the underground garage to begin. (richNcincy[/member] - might be cool to get some drone footage of the pit!)
May 8, 20169 yr Pretty cool to watch this excavation taking place. Keep in mind here that the doors in this photo are "ground level" and the bottom row of windows is the basement level.
May 9, 20169 yr Great photos. Thanks for the update. Keep them coming! Does anyone know if there is a streetscape/place making/bike-ped plan to connect Washington Park with Ziegler? It would be cool to get some sort of legible linear green connection along 13th Street.
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