I need royalties then.^

Speaking personally, I'm not a huge fan of the oval stickers. To me, they scream snobbery.

 

Let's leave them to Europe, ski destinations, the Outer Banks, and Martha's Vineyard.

Speaking personally, I'm not a huge fan of the oval stickers. To me, they scream snobbery.

 

Let's leave them to Europe, ski destinations, the Outer Banks, and Martha's Vineyard.

 

Co-signed.

I like the variety of having several different versions but all pointing back to the same thing, community pride.  I like the European stickers for the simple fact that OTR just fits so perfectly into it and considering we were basically designed after a European city, it is fitting.  But once again, it is just one more option for people to show their support.

Speaking personally, I'm not a huge fan of the oval stickers. To me, they scream snobbery.

 

True, but maybe OTR could use a little snobbery.  It's certainly embodied the exact opposite for a number of years, so this could signal part of the turn around.  Also, I appreciate the simplicity of those oval stickers, whereas I despise most bumper stickers because they're "too busy".

So who is making these?  I need one :)

Sounds like we need to start a OTR advocacy thread and get back to the projects themselves on this one...

Speaking personally, I'm not a huge fan of the oval stickers. To me, they scream snobbery.

 

True, but maybe OTR could use a little snobbery.  It's certainly embodied the exact opposite for a number of years, so this could signal part of the turn around.  Also, I appreciate the simplicity of those oval stickers, whereas I despise most bumper stickers because they're "too busy".

 

No, it needs a moderate shift or it will cause problems.

 

I bought gas at the Shell Station on Liberty, today. It was a transaction made outside through bullet proof glass... at noon.

Park Breathes Life Into Over-the-Rhine

 

BY: STEPHANIE DUNLAP, 3/11/2008

Call it IMBY. By tending to one neglected plot of land, a small Over-the-Rhine community took the “not” out of NIMBY and stood the disengaged “Not In My Backyard” ethic on its head. It started in 1989, when Ken Cunningham and John Spencer moved to Main Street and immediately set to work rehabbing the decrepit park in their new backyard.

 

To hear Cunningham tell it, the park was paved over and festooned with a rusty play set that bore more resemblance to a torture device than a tool of innocent fun for city schoolchildren.

I went to the Hartmans wedding. It was awesome seeing them take a horse drawn carriage down jackson st. One of the coolest weddings I have ever been to.  Oh next time you guys visit the park, look at the pavers, look familiar?  They were recycled from Govt square.

Just found out today that the OTR Chamber has indeed sent a letter to 96.5 and Brian Tiffany has also said that they will be taking a more proactive response to the misinformation from all media.

Just found out today that the OTR Chamber has indeed sent a letter to 96.5 and Brian Tiffany has also said that they will be taking a more proactive response to the misinformation from all media.

 

That's wonderful news. Michael, you should be commended for what seems like your tireless work to defend downtown and OTR. It takes quite a bit of energy sometimes to take a stand on the negative comments and I certainly appreciate it...

And I appreciate that, but I am certainly not the only one down here doing this type of work.  It amazes me the number of people that are working every single day to turn around OTR and the numbers are growing daily. 

^Great stuff all around, applause to everybody!!!  :clap: :clap: :clap:

New News.  I just heard that the Elm St Industries building (that I think is not actually on Elm but I am going to say Race and Liberty) will become a new arts center.  Someone can fill in the blanks for me I hope but it was a major arts group (I only say that because I had actually heard of them) will be relocating from Hyde Park to this new site.  Liberty is shaping up with Vernons corner, Grammers, and now this building.  We just need to stand in the way of Cricket at the old KFC site and we will be good.

New News. 

 

isn't that a little redundant?

PLEASE don't tell me 1502 Vine is getting demolished....There is a fence out front.  Whats going on Mike?

New News

isn't that a little redundant?

I just like to use adjectives, it sounds more exciting!!!!<just like my use of multiple exclamation points, its just crazy.

 

PLEASE don't tell me 1502 Vine is getting demolished....There is a fence out front.  Whats going on Mike?

 

Is that the all stone building on the East side of Vine with the barriers out front?  If so I heard there was a roof collapse and that triggered an emergency tear down.  As for the Elm St Industries building it was my understanding that it was going to be redone.  I just heard this for the first time yesterday so I have no details.

Dammit that ruined my day, I freakin loved that building...

I assume we are talking about the same one.  Kevin has it on his blog as well.  http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2008/03/1502-vine-fast-tracked-for-demolition.html

Yeah, sad to see it go, but its a damn fine location.  I will be interested to see who, if anyone, buys it up once the demo is done.

That landlord should have to be responsible for the financing of the demolition, or fined heavily for allowing that building to fall into disrepair. 

Arts Groups, 3CDC explore HQ project on Race

by Lucy May, Business Courier 2/29/08

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/03/03/story10.html

Four local arts organizations are working with the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. to create a new headquarters in Over-the-Rhine, tentatively named "Project Beacon."

 

The Fine Arts Fund, Enjoy the Arts, Art Works and Learning Through Art want to move to Race and Liberty streets, the northern gateway into the historic neighborhood. The more than 40,000 square feet of space would comprise several properties, but the main structure is the old Elm Industries building at 1539 Race St. All the property is owned by the nonprofit Cincinnati Center City Development Corp., known as 3CDC, which is working with the arts organizations to develop the project.

Thank you Mike, I thought that Project Beacon was going to be located further south and was a separate project.  Thanks for the clarification.  I believe I heard them say yesterday that they may be doing even more buildings than just the one, all in the same area, but multiple buildings.

If the facade should be saved then Uptown Consortium should step in and get it.  Right now it looks like crap and the reason that I think people want to save it is because of its impressive size.  It's a shame but I'm hoping that a new statement building can go on that site.

^You mean 3CDC?

^No, I mean the Uptown Consortium because that facade if it's really that impressive would be pretty good to have as part of stone masonry museum that should rise up on Short Vine in order to provide a strong historical linkage to an area which will soon have few remants of regional history left.  In fact an exhibit on the great masonry works that exist within the area could be a part of an exhibit at the Corryville library and it could further tie together preservationist, the arts community, and UC's DAAP program.

 

Or I could have just made a slip of the tongue.

I've seen all the discussion on the OTR oval stickers and thought I could repost the link. A while ago I saw people might want them and took two seconds and created it on cafe press. I don't add a fee for me or make any money from this. If you'd like one, you can get one <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/over_the_rhine">here</a>.

 

EDIT: changed link.

^tried to look at the stickers.  The link you have requires a log in.  is there any way around this?

sorry:

<a href="http://www.cafepress.com/over_the_rhine">http://www.cafepress.com/over_the_rhine</a>

thanks

No credits for Over-the-Rhine

State uses up historic preservation grant money:x

BY LISA BERNARD-KUHN | [email protected]

 

OVER-THE-RHINE - A financing tool that Center City Development Corp. had hoped to use to help cover a more than $30 million redevelopment plan is not an option for now.

 

The nonprofit 3CDC learned this week that it will not receive Ohio historic preservation tax credits for its plan to renovate more than a dozen vacant buildings in Over-the-Rhine on Vine and Race streets.

^That is really unfortunate.

I'll post here what I had commented on a few blogs...

 

Firstly, even though the Enquirer story makes it less than clear, the total that 3CDC did not get is 3.8 million (Roughly 10% of the money for the projects it was allocated for).

 

My question is this, were these tax credits routinely granted, such that they were pretty much a sure thing?  Or, was there some uncertainty in the application process such that it wouldn't be prudent to fully count on them coming to fruition?  If these credits weren't a sure thing, I would think that prudent contingency planning would have accounted for the possiblity that the credit would not be granted.

 

Edit - on a quick reread of the story 37/39 seems a pretty sure thing, but if there was knowledge of how much was allocated for the program, it seems like it shouldn't be all that hard to predict that there wouldn't be enough money to go around... especially on first come first serve.  I wonder how much investigation will be done into the application process...

Only 37 of 115 applicants received credits, and those 37 were among the first 39 to submit applications.

 

Assuming that 2 of the 3CDC projects weren't part of that "first 39", the lesson to be learned from this is that it pays to have your ducks in a row and apply early.  Are these credits awarded annually like KY's Historic Preservation Credit or was this a one time thing?  If they're available next year, the 3CDC would be well advised to apply the morning of the first day of availibility.

Only 37 of 115 applicants received credits, and those 37 were among the first 39 to submit applications.

 

Assuming that 2 of the 3CDC projects weren't part of that "first 39", the lesson to be learned from this is that it pays to have your ducks in a row and apply early.  Are these credits awarded annually like KY's Historic Preservation Credit or was this a one time thing?  If they're available next year, the 3CDC would be well advised to apply the morning of the first day of availibility.

 

I think (from the poorly written story anyhow) that the 120 million that was allocated was supposed to provide for these projects through 2009.  So, no money next year either... At least from my reading.

Well for everyone who said that we need to get away from bars on South Main and move towards something else for these spaces today is your day. :|

 

Email this morning....

 

Main St. Investors:

 

I just found out the Davis Furniture building sold four months ago to a temporary labor agency.  I know nothing about this company but think that the wrong operator could negatively impact the street.  To this end, I felt we should all be aware of the situation. 

 

The buyer is Celine Piri and her company is http://www.taricel.com/

 

 

^I personally do not see anything wrong with a Temp agency like this.  It could possibly provide some economic opportunity to the residents of OTR.  Besides, with all the new redevelopment and rehab of the area, it could be a great resource for contractors. 

 

I say this without any type of investment on Main St., so maybe I don't have some of the same fears or objections that others might.  It will certainly make the street diverse, in terms of market, but is this street/area the best location for something like this?

but is this street/area the best location for something like this?

 

That is the real question.  We can go to extremes and say that a city dump is necessary and provides both a needed service and provides employment but would you place it at Fountain Sq.  As I said, that is an extreme but is the highest and best use for a building that is in the heart of the Main St. Entertainment Dist best used as a temp agency.  We have another such agency on Liberty and Race and would have preferred to see this building that was once considered by the House of Blues go to something that would have been more of an asset to a dist that is struggling to get back on its feet vs a business that will put little to no capital improvements in the building that is at the gateway from the CBD into OTR.

The other agency you speak of is what?  I"m interested in knowing a bit more.  On the question at hand, I believe that one of the great things about this district will be it's diversity of businesses including entertainment spots.  Also, this place has an owner and hopefully that'll mean some scaping and improvement to bring it inline with the rest of the area.  I would remain positive about the new owner and see if they have the right viewpoint on the area.

It's not about the owner's viewpoint on the neighborhood, it's about people not wanting low class temporary workers in the neighborhood. I've worked as a temp before and I'm a little offended by it. Never mind the fact that Main Street is a hop skip and a jump from several fortune 500 companies in a central business district that caters to 200k plus workers.

^But aren't these temp positions for folks who may or may not have a GED? 

  May or may not be unemployed/on welfare, etc.?

 

Surely this isn't for your younger prof. with degrees.   

it's about people not wanting low class temporary workers in the neighborhood.

 

Huh?  We already have it at Liberty and Race as I mentioned above and no one is complaining about it.  No one is complaining about the business, people are questioning the location.  This is the first building, and extremely visible as you are driving North on Main and entering the Dist.  This is directly across from Cue, Speakeasy, JHall (that I think is close to being signed), next to MIXX and the soon to be reopened Harrys.  This building will be dark while the others are open.

 

I am not completely convinced it will be a temp agency now as nothing has happened to the building in 4 months and she took it in her own name vs the company.  It may be a buy and hold or she is looking to release it.  But the fear is that no capital improvements are made, as I said in my first post about this.  That is the biggest fear of the neighborhood and is this the best location within the neighborhood to place it.  So as you can clearly see from this post, and my previous post, my concern is the building, not the agency.

 

One more thing, as I did not make this clear before.  That email was not generated by me but from Chris Frutkin.

 

The other agency you speak of is what?

I am not sure about the name but I drive by it daily so I will look again today.  Also one went in approx a year ago in the Bayhorse buidling next to the Ft. Washington (approx 623 Main) and see the improvements made to that building, none.

^ JHall in OTR?  Did I miss something?

I'm pretty sure he is just referring to the space...not necessarily the tenant he thinks is close to signing.

I am hearing rumors.  Not Jhall, but at Jhall.

I personally miss the old JHall location.  Of course, moving to Newport was probably the best thing they could have done.  I liked the atmosphere that was in the OTR location. 

From what I hear you will like what is coming if you liked what was there.  I hear that it is going to be a "bar" not a club and very much on the same lines as Jhall.

JHall at the Levee sucks.

^But aren't these temp positions for folks who may or may not have a GED? 

  May or may not be unemployed/on welfare, etc.?

 

Surely this isn't for your younger prof. with degrees.   

 

Well, I'm a software engineer, and was hooked up with my first real job after college by a temp agency.  This was right after the dot com bubble burst (great timing on my part), and I couldn't even get an interview at the time.  Of course, I could be the exception, but I'm really glad that sort of place exists.