I wonder if it has anything to do with Tom Denhart's "Hart Realty" who owned and operated thousands of low-income units in Over-the-Rhine through the 90s.

 

It would explain why these are fairly uniform and so widespread throughout the neighborhood.

Yesterday's HCB meeting approved several projects around OTR, which cumulatively would add/renovate a total of 41 residential units as well as some retail/commercial space. I know some of these buildings have been vacant for quite a while, but I'm not sure exactly how long. These were all "consent" items (meaning there was no discussion) and all were approved unanimously. Details at: https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/historic-conservation/historic-conservation-board/april-11-2022-case-materials-and-staff-report-revised/

• 118 Findlay St - Existing buildings are permitted to have 1 unit per 500sf of lot area/unit. The lot size is 2500sf. The property is permitted to have 5 units. The last know occupancy was 6 units. The request is for a unit count of 8 at 312.5 sf of lot are/unit.
• 1720 Elm St - Rehabilitation an existing 6 residential units and commercial space at the first floor. The last unit count in the building per city records was 6 units. The proposed rehabilitation is grandfathered in with 6 units. The base zoning would permit 4 units.
• 116 W Elder - Existing buildings are permitted to have 1 unit per 500sf of lot area/unit. The lot size is 4818sf. The property is permitted to have 9 units. The last know occupancy was 7units. The request is for a unit count of 16 at 301sf of lot are/unit.
• 1338 Main St - Existing buildings are permitted to have 1 unit per 500sf of lot area/unit. The lot size is 3285sf. The property is permitted to have 6 units. The last know occupancy was 10 units. The request is for a unit count of 11 at 298.6 sf of lot are/unit.

4 hours ago, jwulsin said:

Yesterday's HCB meeting approved several projects around OTR, which cumulatively would add/renovate a total of 41 residential units as well as some retail/commercial space. I know some of these buildings have been vacant for quite a while, but I'm not sure exactly how long. These were all "consent" items (meaning there was no discussion) and all were approved unanimously. Details at: https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/historic-conservation/historic-conservation-board/april-11-2022-case-materials-and-staff-report-revised/

• 118 Findlay St - Existing buildings are permitted to have 1 unit per 500sf of lot area/unit. The lot size is 2500sf. The property is permitted to have 5 units. The last know occupancy was 6 units. The request is for a unit count of 8 at 312.5 sf of lot are/unit.
• 1720 Elm St - Rehabilitation an existing 6 residential units and commercial space at the first floor. The last unit count in the building per city records was 6 units. The proposed rehabilitation is grandfathered in with 6 units. The base zoning would permit 4 units.
• 116 W Elder - Existing buildings are permitted to have 1 unit per 500sf of lot area/unit. The lot size is 4818sf. The property is permitted to have 9 units. The last know occupancy was 7units. The request is for a unit count of 16 at 301sf of lot are/unit.
• 1338 Main St - Existing buildings are permitted to have 1 unit per 500sf of lot area/unit. The lot size is 3285sf. The property is permitted to have 6 units. The last know occupancy was 10 units. The request is for a unit count of 11 at 298.6 sf of lot are/unit.

This just goes to show that the current zoning is problematic and that existing density calculations don't actually take into account the realities of the existing urban fabric.

23 hours ago, jwulsin said:

116 W Elder - Existing buildings are permitted to have 1 unit per 500sf of lot area/unit. The lot size is 4818sf. The property is permitted to have 9 units. The last know occupancy was 7units. The request is for a unit count of 16 at 301sf of lot are/unit.

This one in particular is great news. I understand that a lot of the Findlay market storefronts demolished the stair access to the floors above and reconnecting these stairs and re-inhabiting the upper floors will really be great and I hope Model Group continues to improve more of the upper floors around Findlay in the future. 

FINDLAY BEARS FRUIT

The pandemic didn’t deter developers in their vast restoration of the Findlay Market district. If you haven’t stopped in to shop lately, here’s what you’ve missed.

By Chris Wetterich  –  Staff reporter and columnist, Cincinnati Business Courier

Apr 15, 2022 

 

 

As Jake Hodesh strolled through Findlay Market and the surrounding neighborhood, he marveled at the transformation over the past two pandemic-dominated years, ticking off the renovations and openings building by building.

 

Hodesh, who developed The Columns event center just outside the market on Elder Street with his wife, Miriam, believes people who haven’t visited the area abutting the market since Covid are in for a surprise.

 

“This did not look like this. This was not here,” Hodesh said, gesturing toward Model Group’s mixed-use Market Square development on Elm and Race. The streets are now lined with rehabbed Italianate gems, some occupied for the first time in decades.

 

MORE

What the Findlay Market area still needs

By Chris Wetterich  –  Staff reporter and columnist, Cincinnati Business Courier

Apr 20, 2022 

 

In Friday’s Weekly Edition cover story, I took a look at the acceleration in development around Findlay Market over the past few years, with developers establishing a firm beach head north of Liberty Street in Over-the-Rhine, an area that was dilapidated as recently as a half decade ago.

 

That’s important because the market is such a natural place for development to sprout outward from given the growth of foodie culture in the first 20 years of this century. As developer and businessman Craig Beachler noted, food is high on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

 

As I’ve covered the redevelopment of Over-the-Rhine over the past nine years, people have always told me it was going to be a decades-long process, one that might not ever be truly “finished.” But it helps when you have a core from which to build.

 

MORE

The plans for the North High Brewing / COhatch proposed renovation of the Leader Furniture building (132 W Elder) are in the latest HCB packet: https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/historic-conservation/historic-conservation-board/april-25-2022-case-materials-and-staff-report-items-1-3/

 

 

 

 

I really like the greens!

Not sure how I feel about the greens as shown in the renderings but I'm sure I'll like it once it's up on the building. It reminds me of what Weilerts used to look like before Madtree made it white and grey. I'm really glad it's colorful though, the area around the market is unique even among the painted Italianates of OTR with just how bright and colorful they are and this being on the corner should really pop.

 

I'm also glad that they are proposing to keep the huge Leader sign on the corner, I just hope historic lets it through. This kind of signage just doesn't happen anymore so trying to use the existing two story tall sign could be really cool. 

I just noticed that the weird bridge over the alley is being removed during this renovation. I'm not sure what it was used for and these buildings aren't owned by the same person anymore but it's kind of sad to lose this weird little quirk.

3 minutes ago, ucgrady said:

I just noticed that the weird bridge over the alley is being removed during this renovation. I'm not sure what it was used for and these buildings aren't owned by the same person anymore but it's kind of sad to lose this weird little quirk.

Yeah - that bridge was approved to be removed as part of the Blue Oven Bakery renovation. Agreed it's a bummer to lose that quirky little bridge, though I can understand why it would've been annoying to keep and work around with the two buildings under independent ownership. 

The Magistrate dismissed the OTR Adopt appeal today. A Magistrate's decision becomes final if OTR Adopt does not object within 10 days. I'll store a copy in case anyone would want to see it. Message me.

9 hours ago, 1400 Sycamore said:

The Magistrate dismissed the OTR Adopt appeal today. A Magistrate's decision becomes final if OTR Adopt does not object within 10 days. I'll store a copy in case anyone would want to see it. Message me.

This is for the Liberty and Elm project correct?

10 hours ago, 1400 Sycamore said:

The Magistrate dismissed the OTR Adopt appeal today. A Magistrate's decision becomes final if OTR Adopt does not object within 10 days. I'll store a copy in case anyone would want to see it. Message me.

 

Considering their ultimate goal is just to delay delay delay with the hopes the financing gets pulled I imagine they will object/appeal again. Sadly. 

11 hours ago, 1400 Sycamore said:

The Magistrate dismissed the OTR Adopt appeal today. A Magistrate's decision becomes final if OTR Adopt does not object within 10 days. I'll store a copy in case anyone would want to see it. Message me.

 

Is this for the county case or the federal case?

County case for Liberty and Elm.

 

If OTR Adopt objects to the Magistrate decision I'll post again.

$23 million boutique hotel across from TQL Stadium denied key approval

By Tom Demeropolis  –  Senior staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

May 2, 2022

 

The developer of a boutique hotel planned across the street from TQL Stadium did not receive a key approval to move the project forward last week.

 

Moment Development, in a joint venture with Downtown Property Management Inc., aims to build a boutique hotel at the corner of Central Parkway and Magnolia Street in Over-the-Rhine. On April 25, Cincinnati’s Historic Conservation Board voted 3-2 against a certificate of appropriateness for new construction of a building at 1416 Central Parkway that would incorporate an existing historic building at 1420 and 1430 Central Parkway.

 

Ohm Patel, founder of Moment Development, said even after this vote, he plans to continue working to move the hotel project forward. The boutique hotel would be an investment of at least $23 million.

 

MORE

This is a good looking project and there is demand for hotel rooms in OTR. He should appeal the decision.

18 minutes ago, taestell said:

This is a good looking project and there is demand for hotel rooms in OTR. He should appeal the decision.

I tried to read it but it was a lot. Did they mention what the ordeal was as to why it’s being denied? It’s good that he stated they weren’t just going to a Indian the project.

11 hours ago, Ucgrad2015 said:

I tried to read it but it was a lot. Did they mention what the ordeal was as to why it’s being denied? It’s good that he stated they weren’t just going to a Indian the project.

No. Apparently it was denied without comment, on a 3-2 vote. It could have been voted down because of the rear building to be constructed on the rear parking lot, or because of the demolition of 1416 Central.

16 hours ago, The_Cincinnati_Kid said:

$23 million boutique hotel across from TQL Stadium denied key approval

By Tom Demeropolis  –  Senior staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

May 2, 2022

 

The developer of a boutique hotel planned across the street from TQL Stadium did not receive a key approval to move the project forward last week.

 

Moment Development, in a joint venture with Downtown Property Management Inc., aims to build a boutique hotel at the corner of Central Parkway and Magnolia Street in Over-the-Rhine. On April 25, Cincinnati’s Historic Conservation Board voted 3-2 against a certificate of appropriateness for new construction of a building at 1416 Central Parkway that would incorporate an existing historic building at 1420 and 1430 Central Parkway.

 

Ohm Patel, founder of Moment Development, said even after this vote, he plans to continue working to move the hotel project forward. The boutique hotel would be an investment of at least $23 million.

 

MORE

 

The (rather long) hearing is up on the City Law Department's YouTube channel, with the hotel project starting around 1:03:10 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKjPzU3JNq4

 

After about an hour and a half of testimony from both sides and a few questions from the Board, the Board adjourned to deliberate in private and then came back together for the vote, without much comment from any of the Board members:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FhgabII6rg

This project seems like it should be a layup. It isn't knocking down a bunch of contributing buildings and it isn't "too tall" (I wish it were taller since it sits on Central Parkway). It is adding life to an area that has received a lot of public $$ (FCC Infrastructure / Music Hall etc). It is exactly what we should be pursuing and it seems like there are strawman arguments to delay it. 

 

Between this and the lawsuits to try and stop the Findlay garage and the Liberty/Elm project there is a lot of unnecessary delays going on. 

22 minutes ago, wjh2 said:

It isn't knocking down a bunch of contributing buildings and it isn't "too tall" (I wish it were taller since it sits on Central Parkway). 

With the immense width of Central (151') anything and everything built there should be around 6 stories. That would help calm traffic and create a sense of place but would also work well to shield OTR from the lights and noise of the stadium.

We have barely any large developments happening downtown and we're turning something like this down.  Absolutely embarrassing. 

48 minutes ago, jwulsin said:

 

The (rather long) hearing is up on the City Law Department's YouTube channel, with the hotel project starting around 1:03:10 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKjPzU3JNq4

 

After about an hour and a half of testimony from both sides and a few questions from the Board, the Board adjourned to deliberate in private and then came back together for the vote, without much comment from any of the Board members:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FhgabII6rg

Id hate to believe the rumors but there are some swirling around that the Lindners are trying to prevent this from happening so they can get there hotel off the ground first right next to the stadium. 

That would actually make sense, and they certainly would have the pull to accomplish it, that also might explain why they denied it without comment. I know the Linders/FCC are actively working behind the scenes on developing the area adjacent to the stadium despite nothing being announced or shown publicly yet. 

what is the possibility that the boutique hotel builders are socialists and the board just called Lindner to get their instructions? Oh and, there are some historic cities in this country that build taller than 4 stories. I know I know; this is Cincy and we must preserve it's history. 

Somewhat ironically (hypocritically?), Sean Suder (the attorney representing the opposition to the proposed hotel) went before Reggie Harris's committee the very next day (April 26) to provide a well-argued overview of zoning and how zoning has been used and misused to create segratation and constrain supply of housing. His argument about why single-use zoning has been bad for cities was, in my opinion, very well articulated:

Quote

If you remember anything I say, it is that this has been an American expriment over the last century. We have never lived this way before in all of humanity in a single-use, drivable way focused on cars. So this is an experiment. Before the last hundred years, humans lived where they worked. They lived in a mix of uses and they walked to things. All that was taken away by zoning, and as you probably know that hasn't worked really well for our cities.

 

I wish somebody on Council had asked Suder how he reconciles his views on the need for zoning reform with his case against the proposed hotel that would bring life and jobs to a vacant building and surface parking lot in the urban core. His presentation starts around 40:50. 

https://archive.org/details/18220426-egh

 

 

Those two thoughts don't have to be opposed though. I simultaneously agree that zoning in a mixed use neighborhood like OTR is ridiculous but also don't know how I feel about this project demolishing 1416 Central Parkway just so the developer can have two identical looking three story hotel buildings flanking 1420 Central. 

 

What if the project was revised so that 1416-1418 wasn't demolished and was instead renovated along with 1420 Central; then the new construction at 1430 was made an extra story or two taller to allow for the same number of hotel rooms? Maybe that would appease historic board since they weren't' demolishing a contributing historic building and the argument would only be about height, use and density in that case which would be a zoning issue. The reality is that a 5 story proposed building on Central would still get pushback, but logically, keeping the main portion of the hotel away from the residential on Magnolia and keeping the existing civil war era building at 1416-1418 should justify the extra height next door to the Pitch (and across the street from a damn MLS stadium and cell phone tower...)

Edited May 3, 20223 yr by ucgrady

If Suder is indeed a proponent of mixed use and increased housing supply, his lawsuits (on behalf of OTR Foundation and Klingler) opposing the Findlay parking garage and the Elm/Liberty apartment/retail project are additionally contrary to his beliefs.  At face value he doesn't seem to be supportive of Cincinnati economic development in general.

 

18 hours ago, ucgrady said:

Those two thoughts don't have to be opposed though. I simultaneously agree that zoning in a mixed use neighborhood like OTR is ridiculous but also don't know how I feel about this project demolishing 1416 Central Parkway just so the developer can have two identical looking three story hotel buildings flanking 1420 Central. 

 

What if the project was revised so that 1416-1418 wasn't demolished and was instead renovated along with 1420 Central; then the new construction at 1430 was made an extra story or two taller to allow for the same number of hotel rooms? Maybe that would appease historic board since they weren't' demolishing a contributing historic building and the argument would only be about height, use and density in that case which would be a zoning issue. The reality is that a 5 story proposed building on Central would still get pushback, but logically, keeping the main portion of the hotel away from the residential on Magnolia and keeping the existing civil war era building at 1416-1418 should justify the extra height next door to the Pitch (and across the street from a damn MLS stadium and cell phone tower...)

Is there any historical significance for 1416-1418 Central that it needs to be saved? Just looks like an ordinary building to me (meaning to me that there is no architectural detail that makes it stand out). I am all about trying to preserve when necessary but we don’t need to incorporate every existing building into developments because it was built in the 1900s.

Sometimes it’s more sense financially to demolish a building and put something in its place rather than trying to incorporate it. 
 

 

Edited May 4, 20223 yr by Ucgrad2015

42 minutes ago, Ucgrad2015 said:

Is there any historical significance for 1416-1418 Central that it needs to be saved? Just looks like an ordinary building to me (meaning to me that there is no architectural detail that makes it stand out). I am all about trying to preserve when necessary but we don’t need to incorporate every existing building into developments because it was built in the 1900s.

IIRC, it was built in 1860's. I can't speak to the architecture but I think it's fair to say that the building has quite a lot of history to it.

As much as I'm pro-historic preservation, you have to consider the trade-offs and the larger context. Preserving this one-story building would likely reduce the number of rooms that could be in this hotel and would make the project less financially viable. And would any of the guests walking through the lobby even know or care that they were in a "Civil War era building" anyway, since the inside would likely be modernized? They are already planning to save and renovate the three-story Italianate building and incorporate it into the design, I'd let the 1-story building go.

2 hours ago, lumpy said:

If Suder is indeed a proponent of mixed use and increased housing supply, his lawsuits (on behalf of OTR Foundation and Klingler) opposing the Findlay parking garage and the Elm/Liberty apartment/retail project are additionally contrary to his beliefs.  At face value he doesn't seem to be supportive of Cincinnati economic development in general.

 

 

This just shows he's a good attorney. In those lawsuits he is representing his client's interest, not the greater good or his own opinions. 

I have no idea what 1416-1418 Central looks like on the inside but you're probably right that nothing of historic texture or context exists but you never know until you remove some walls and dropped ceilings. My main reason for saying to keep it is because I hate that both the new hotel buildings and the existing Italianate are all 3 stories tall and it ends up making it look like a stubby monolith. Keeping the exisitng building at the corner makes the massing have to change. It's the same argument for keeping the Davis furniture building. It's not a great building but it prevents a megablock development that's out of scale.

 

But to be clear, I would be perfectly happy with this hotel project as it was proposed I'm just playing devils advocate for historic preservation without knowing what condition that building is in. If 1416 Central is ruined inside and looks nondescript for the outside I'd knock it down make the new hotel 5 or 6 stories so clearly historic board doesn't care what I think. 

Just to clarify, the Zoning Board of Appeals already granted approval for the demolition of 1416 Central Parkway in October 2021 (overturning the July 2021 HCB ruling). So that building is probably coming down regardless of what ends up getting permitted to be built. At this point, it's just a question of what is permitted to be built on that site. 

1 hour ago, ucgrady said:

I have no idea what 1416-1418 Central looks like on the inside  

 

I used to pay my rent inside this building and astonishingly... I have two photos

 

 

It is overflowing with character.

 

  12 hours ago, lumpy said:

If Suder is indeed a proponent of mixed use and increased housing supply, his lawsuits (on behalf of OTR Foundation and Klingler) opposing the Findlay parking garage and the Elm/Liberty apartment/retail project are additionally contrary to his beliefs.  At face value he doesn't seem to be supportive of Cincinnati economic development in general.

 

Posted 9 hours ago

  12 hours ago, DEPACincy said:

'This just shows he's a good attorney. In those lawsuits he is representing his client's interest, not the greater good or his own opinions. '

 

 

It's agreed he may be a good attorney. 

It's also true that he's a willing participant in dangerously delaying the most important economic development projects in North of Liberty in years, projects fostering mixed use, affordable housing subsidies, 306 rental units of density, parking for a parking starved Market, necessary crime mitigation, 4 historic rehabs, etc.  Not to mention it's fully permitted after 2 years of due diligence including all public hearings in which the litigant participated and ultimately had his input legitimately rejected.

 

So he may be a good attorney, but he also may be anti-Cincinnati.

 

Somebody teach me how to cut and paste.

 

18 hours ago, Chas Wiederhold said:

 

I used to pay my rent inside this building and astonishingly... I have two photos

...

...

It is overflowing with character.

Looks like a keeper! But seriously I stand by not knowing until you rip out those drop ceilings and walls. I still doubt it because of the era and location along the canal, it probably never had any ornamentation or unique detailing. 

Findlay Market garage is a go after Over-the-Rhine Foundation drops challenge

 

Hamilton County says the new, estimated $18 million parking garage slated to serve Findlay Market and FC Cincinnati is cleared for construction after an Over-the-Rhine group dropped a zoning-related appeal.

 

Two recent city Zoning Board of Appeals hearings on the county-built garage set to for 1815 Logan had been delayed, with another scheduled for earlier this week. Tuesday’s hearing was cancelled after the petitioner, the Over-the-Rhine Foundation, withdrew the case late Friday. Representatives of the organization could not be reached for comment.

 

The foundation had appealed a Historic Conservation Board decision last year to allow the county to build the garage. It argued the design did not comply with the city’s historic guidelines and the county’s decision to remove historic granite curbs lining Logan Street also ran afoul of regulations. The county also plans to preserve the curbs and use them at the site.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/05/12/findlay-market-garage-gets-green-light.html

 

13 minutes ago, ColDayMan said:

Findlay Market garage is a go after Over-the-Rhine Foundation drops challenge

 

Hamilton County says the new, estimated $18 million parking garage slated to serve Findlay Market and FC Cincinnati is cleared for construction after an Over-the-Rhine group dropped a zoning-related appeal.

 

Two recent city Zoning Board of Appeals hearings on the county-built garage set to for 1815 Logan had been delayed, with another scheduled for earlier this week. Tuesday’s hearing was cancelled after the petitioner, the Over-the-Rhine Foundation, withdrew the case late Friday. Representatives of the organization could not be reached for comment.

 

The foundation had appealed a Historic Conservation Board decision last year to allow the county to build the garage. It argued the design did not comply with the city’s historic guidelines and the county’s decision to remove historic granite curbs lining Logan Street also ran afoul of regulations. The county also plans to preserve the curbs and use them at the site.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/05/12/findlay-market-garage-gets-green-light.html

 

Now to just get this to happen to Liberty and Elm. 

Apparently magistrate's dismissal of Elm & Liberty lawsuit will stand if not appealed by Klingler tomorrow (Fri end of business).  Maybe somebody can distract Danny with some West Chester or Clermont County project he can sue.

Really bummed about the disturbance of the "historic granite curbs," but otherwise, glad to see the garage moving forward.

On 5/12/2022 at 5:12 PM, lumpy said:

Apparently magistrate's dismissal of Elm & Liberty lawsuit will stand if not appealed by Klingler tomorrow (Fri end of business).  Maybe somebody can distract Danny with some West Chester or Clermont County project he can sue.

Any information if they appealed?

Yea, sorry for the delay. I checked earlier and it wasn't up yet.

 

Apparently to provide the maximum delay, OTR Adopt filed its objections yesterday at 4:53 pm, 7 minutes before the deadline. They just posted to the Clerk's website today.

 

It is a 15 page objection, and as usual, pretty skillful stuff from Attorney Suder.

 

PM me with a real email address for a copy in PDF.

9 hours ago, 1400 Sycamore said:

Yea, sorry for the delay. I checked earlier and it wasn't up yet.

 

Apparently to provide the maximum delay, OTR Adopt filed its objections yesterday at 4:53 pm, 7 minutes before the deadline. They just posted to the Clerk's website today.

 

It is a 15 page objection, and as usual, pretty skillful stuff from Attorney Suder.

 

PM me with a real email address for a copy in PDF.

So what’s the process now/ how long can one well financed NIMBY delay a construction project?

On 5/14/2022 at 8:03 AM, Guy23 said:

So what’s the process now/ how long can one well financed NIMBY delay a construction project?

Not good. The developer gets to brief the objections, then OTR ADOPT may reply. Then probably scheduled by the Court for hearing. If the objections are denied, after hearing, the Court will enter judgment of dismissal which will then be appealed to the Court of Appeals. The court could just deny the objections, but I doubt that will happen. And, scheduling oral argument followed by a decision could be a few weeks for the Court but I doubt that too. It took the Magistrate 3 months. The real Judge has murder trials to work around.

 

As it unfolds, I'll update the timeline because I think people are interested (even though this is irritating) to see how delay is achieved in real life. It could be worse.

Edited May 15, 20223 yr by 1400 Sycamore
Typos

I think it's helpful to be irritated - thanks @1400 Sycamore

 

There needs to be a greater level of outrage from the OTR community, and City Council, about this sort of crap that places responsibility for community planning (essentially) in the hands of one overzealous, impossibly self-righteous activist, and his Dad who funds him.

 

I've said it before - who does Danny think will build workforce housing in meaningful amounts and repopulate OTR, if it isn't large scale developers and developments? He doesn't care.

1 hour ago, jim uber said:

I think it's helpful to be irritated - thanks @1400 Sycamore

 

There needs to be a greater level of outrage from the OTR community, and City Council, about this sort of crap that places responsibility for community planning (essentially) in the hands of one overzealous, impossibly self-righteous activist, and his Dad who funds him.

 

I've said it before - who does Danny think will build workforce housing in meaningful amounts and repopulate OTR, if it isn't large scale developers and developments? He doesn't care.

I agree but what law changes could realistically be made to keep this sort of craziness from happening in the future?

From my understanding it’s OTR’s status as a historic district that makes these kind of legal appeals possible. I don’t think it would be the best move to strip away it’s historic district status but maybe there’s some move the city could make that would still ease the development process?

I would just start with shining the light of day on this whole process, which seems to have begun. OTR Adopt has a board and an operating set of bylaws, and I wonder if they are informed of these actions, or if Danny Klingler believes he is operating here on his own and doesn't need their approval. He and OTR Adopt has also had the support of the OTR foundation, and has received grants from the Haile foundation and others. And then there's always the (small) possibility that so many of us who have grown tired of participating in the OTR neighborhood council, where OTR Adopt/Danny and others find a megaphone - might rethink our participation if we knew that there were significant numbers of others.

 

I wonder how strong all of this support is, or whether it would all whither under more careful scrutiny and understanding that there are contrary opinions.