I remember Nick Spencer(where did he go?) complained quite bit

You had me at "Nick Spencer complained quite a bit"

 

Bottom line is we are not adding anything, just an improvement in the structure that they are already in.

To me living in the city is largely about living near many many people who are different than me.  As long as it is safe and pleasant to walk the street, I certainly do not mind my children seeing a mentally ill person.  That is reality and they will be better for knowing it.

 

I know this building very well, and if they replicate an historic storefront it will be a big improvement on 12th, because then it will have more eyes on the street.  As it is now, it is concrete block and glass block.

To me living in the city is largely about living near many many people who are different than me.

 

Totally agree! I get bored quick just about anywhere else in the city.  Give me Findlay Market on a Saturday morning everyday.

 

I know that Tender Mercies is not like a "citylink" or drop inn center.  I was playing devils advocate a little like I usually do  8-)

I don't know.  I think we are missing the point here.  No matter how educated we are about Tender Mercies, or how little impact it actually makes, it doesn't make a difference.  The problem is PERCEPTION.

 

The perception of OTR is what needs to be changed if it is to ever pass the first phase of gentrification (the urban pioneers), which it is in currently.

 

Case in point: As far as Washington Park, I was just down there last week at about 6 PM and was harassed by a guy wanting money from me... as I opened the door to exit my car.  It didn't really bother me.  But that kind of interaction is what scares off those from outside the city or other more affluent neighborhoods... especially those from the 'burbs who don't have to deal with that.

 

Think of your typical suburbanite or higher-income city dweller.  Think of them considering moving to OTR.  Put yourself in their shoes as they exit their vehicle and are bothered by a panhandler... what kind of first impression is that?  How does that change their perception?  What story will they tell the next time they are sitting on Hyde Park Square having coffee with their friends?

 

Given the decision between historic buildings and diversity versus daily (whether perceived or real) panhandler nuisance, what will they choose?

Perception is a big deal...but this particular situation helps and hurts the perception of OTR.  It helps because it is cleaning up another run-down building (one less eye sore)...it also looks good when you see construction crews out and about working on buildings; it shows that investment is taking place...and the majority of these suburbanites (and others) won't know that this is for this particular purpose...ignorance is bliss.

 

On the other hand, if you do hear about it you think to yourself that it is yet another social service agency in OTR.  Most people, unfortunately, don't stop to think about the differences between a place that assists those who have mental issues with those places that house felons or attract 'undesirables.'

 

All in all, I don't think that this is a significant issue in either direction.

I don't really understand the issue here.  Tender Mercies is not expanding, they are simply moving into a new buidling and fixing up and potentially saving another historic building in OTR.

The Good-HVAC means the window air-conditioners will be gone and the restoration of the facade will be a vast improvement. The Bad-The building will be gutted and interior historical features will be lost or covered over.

 

 

Chatfield College opens doors at Findlay Market Campus this week

BY JESSIE GRIDLEY | DOWNTOWNER

August 21, 2007

 

OVER-THE-RHINE - Chatfield College's new Findlay Market campus is like a shiny new pair of shoes waiting to be worn in by its students.

 

The classrooms still smell like fresh paint and not a single cobweb lingers in the brightly lit corners. Students filed into Chatfield, adjacent to Findlay Market, this week for the new location's first fall semester.

 

For more information on Chatfield, visit www.chatfield.edu.

I was walking down Mercer st OTR this morning and saw that 14 Mercer was for sale I didn't think much of it at first but then I realized after a few blocks away that this building is owned by CPS and is right where the Washington Park School was to be built a few years ago.  If this is for sale this is very good news! Maybe CPS  will liquidate the land and buildings?? I'll go by again tommorow it's too hot now. http://64.56.97.9/RoverDocuments/20030727OR085142JPG_med_000_B2E965B25FD4472F949B4A35B9137EA0_V_0.JPG

The Good-HVAC means the window air-conditioners will be gone and the restoration of the facade will be a vast improvement. The Bad-The building will be gutted and interior historical features will be lost or covered over.

 

I would hope that they would try to save and re-use historical woodwork, etc. from the existing building.  I didn't ask Mr. Blaine about that specifically.  I don't even know the condition of the inside.  Perhaps that kind of stuff has been lost already.

 

So, I was looking at the MidPoint Music Festival's site and saw 3 new bars listed on Main St.  Speakeasy at 1134 Main, q at 1142 Main, and Pizza Bar at 1207 Main.  Does anyone know if these are there to stay or if they are just temporary venues for the festival? 

 

Also, Jardin (the wine bar where Neon's used to be) is listed as a venue.  Hopefully they will finally be open and functioning, too.

Last rumor I heard (as of last week) is that there will be 4-5 new venues opening on Main in the next few months.  One of which I heard was Lucy Blue moving into the Harry's space - maybe thats the Pizza Bar.

One of which I heard was Lucy Blue moving into the Harry's space

 

I've heard that one as well.

Seems to be the right address for Harry's.  Good stuff!

Businesses step into Gateway Corridor

Owners filling new condos at eclectic urban stores

BY JOHN ECKBERG | [email protected]

 

 

OVER-THE-RHINE - This corner of Over-the-Rhine hasn't become a shopping destination yet.

 

But investors and retailers think that is going to change for the Gateway Corridor in just a few short months.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070824/BIZ01/708240347/1001/BIZ

I submitted this story to Planetizen a little bit ago.  It's my first time attempting to post a story there, but Cincinnati and Ohio/Midwest in general are not well represented on the board.  So it will be interesting to see what happens...I presume that the site gets a LOT of traffic.  If this goes well I will be pumping the positive press out to the nation via Planetizen regularly.

 

www.planetizen.com

^ Do you recall the last Cincy story to appear on Planetizen?  I sure don't.

 

Urban Sites seeks tax credits for Main Street site

Building Cincinnati, 8/22/07

 

Urban Sites Properties has applied for Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits for its Courtyard project at 1417-1421 Main Street.

 

The tax credits, which are distributed by the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD), are equal to 25 percent of the owner's qualifying rehabilitation expenditures.*

 

ODOD and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office have deemed eligible $685,511 of the projected $945,513 project cost.**

 

Both buildings are in the Over-the-Rhine Historic District, one of 28 City districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Units in the buildings will be loft-styled with stainless appliances, granite countertops and skylights. There will also be off-street parking and a common courtyard.

 

No details about the number of units or the pricing are available.

 

The upper floors were previously used as offices and storage. First floor tenant spaces are currently occupied by Mainly Art and Vintage Poster Bank.

 

Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits are issued throughout the year with only 100 tax credits issued during any one year period.

 

Statewide, there are 72 projects currently seeking credits.

 

View 12 interiors on the Urban Sites Properties website

 

WINDOWS LIVE BIRD'S EYE VIEW (looking west)

GOOGLE AERIAL MAP

 

* The credit can be claimed against the building owner's Ohio corporate franchise tax, personal income tax, or dealer-in-intangible tax liability.

** In other words, roughly $171,378 in tax credits.

 

http://buildingcincinnati.blogspot.com/2007/08/urban-sites-seeks-tax-credits-for-main.html

 

Has anyone on this board heard about the Freestore plan to demolish two OTR buildings for semi-trailer parking? 

 

http://www.citykin.com/2007/08/duck-regatta-to-fund-otr-demolition.html

 

Am I right to remember that this is part of the national historic district, but that it is not in the local historic district?

It's in the local district. The demo permit was not approved by the Historic Conservation Board.

Has anyone on this board heard about the Freestore plan to demolish two OTR buildings for semi-trailer parking? 

 

http://www.citykin.com/2007/08/duck-regatta-to-fund-otr-demolition.html

 

Am I right to remember that this is part of the national historic district, but that it is not in the local historic district?

 

It is in the local district as well.  I don't know if you got my email, but they also want to tear down a couple of warehouse type buildings for even more surface parking:

 

 

The problem is that there is an exception in the zoning code that basically allows a non-profit to ignore historic designations and demolish any building they want if it doesn't fit their functional or economic program.

 

It's in the local district. The demo permit was not approved by the Historic Conservation Board.

 

It was only submitted for a preliminary design review before HCB, which is only informational.  The HCB and the neighborhood was not keen on it, obviously.  They haven't actually submitted for a demolition permit yet, as far as I know.

I stop giving to the freestore after I moved down here. There is always clothes strewn all over in front of the building. Thanks for the heads up on that Jskin!

^Same here Maximillian. They have taken no steps to address that, either.

I stop giving to the freestore after I moved down here. There is always clothes strewn all over in front of the building.

 

The clothes and stuff strewn around the building bugs me as well.  Is this because people just drop stuff off after hours and leave it in front of the building?  They have a sign asking people not to leave stuff after hours.  Or is there something else going on as well?

thanks McMick for the site plan.  Looks like they have plans for lots and lots of parking lots.  Wow what a genius plan.  They will be remembered in history for their great forethought on this matter.  (insert angry sarcasm here)

 

Seems like all this trucking and parking would be better located at their Tennessee Avenue address.

The clothes and stuff strewn around the building bugs me as well.  Is this because people just drop stuff off after hours and leave it in front of the building?  They have a sign asking people not to leave stuff after hours.  Or is there something else going on as well?

 

They only staff the drop off until 4 or 4:30, so apparently a lot of people drop stuff off after work.

 

Seems like all this trucking and parking would be better located at their Tennessee Avenue address.

 

And this doesn't come close to what they actually need.  According to their representatives, they:

 

move 1.5 million tons of food through the facility a year

will serve 54,000 unduplicated clients this year

will serve 190,000 visits for food by 2009

serve over 40,000 people in the three days before thanksgiving and the 3 days before christmas

serve 16 counties

 

This is a massive operation, totally unsuited for a urban environment.  As stated before, they don't serve the residents of OTR (which only numbers 4,900 by the Social Compact study). 

 

These kinds of battles are then next big challenge for OTR and the West End.  We're not against helping people, but we shouldn't be the social service center for the whole city, county, and region.

These kinds of battles are then next big challenge for OTR and the West End.  We're not against helping people, but we shouldn't be the social service center for the whole city, county, and region.

 

Exactly...many people don't seem to understand or have that same logic (unfortunately).

Does anyone know whats up with the eyesore to the east of the Freestore Foodbank, with the Don's Crank Shaft signs? I see portable toilets on the lot, I'm guessing for the people who are doing rehab work in the building next door. Infill would be nice. I hope the parcels don't end up as more surface parking.

Does anyone know whats up with the eyesore to the east of the Freestore Foodbank, with the Don's Crank Shaft signs? I see portable toilets on the lot, I'm guessing for the people who are doing rehab work in the building next door. Infill would be nice. I hope the parcels don't end up as more surface parking.

 

Vernon Rader, the guy who is renovating all the buildings on that corner, is going to turn it into a gallery (the building fronts on McMicken).  I assume the parking will stay parking, but probably cleaned up.

I really wish the old Dons crankshaft building hadn't been razed, I don't like to see surface lots. The other biggest eyesores around there are the freestore, crossroads clinic old KFC and the Shell gas station. Those are the only buildings in OTR I wouldn't mind seeing demolished

I really wish the old Dons crankshaft building hadn't been razed, I don't like to see surface lots. The other biggest eyesores around there are the freestore, crossroads clinic old KFC and the Shell gas station. Those are the only buildings in OTR I wouldn't mind seeing demolished

 

The Don's Crankshaft building is still there on McMicken, I'm not sure when the buildings on Liberty were torn down, but it seems like quite a while ago.  There are plans to improve the Shell station, the owner is still waiting to make a decision to move forward.

 

I agree with you on the Freestore, Crossroads, and KFC (why the hell did they paint it purple and teal instead of leaving it primer white?)

so you don't know it is a abandoned kfc

so you don't know it is a abandoned kfc

 

I know KFC left, it seems odd they painted it more than just white/grey when they left.

so you don't know it is an abandoned kfc

 

I know KFC left, it seems odd they painted it more than just white/grey when they left.

I meant, so a passerby doesn't know it is an abandoned kfc, not you specifically

They did the same thing to the abandoned KFC in Price Hill.  Painted it grey and parked a bulldozer next door just to tease us!

I really wish the old Dons crankshaft building hadn't been razed, I don't like to see surface lots. The other biggest eyesores around there are the freestore, crossroads clinic old KFC and the Shell gas station. Those are the only buildings in OTR I wouldn't mind seeing demolished

I hate seeing any historic building demolition in OTR, especially, especially if it is to provide a surface parking lot.  If a new building is proposed to replace an old building, I still don't like it, but will grudgingly accept it.

.. I'm not sure when the buildings on Liberty were torn down, but it seems like quite a while ago. 

One large one was just torn down at that location just a couple years ago, McMick.

.. I'm not sure when the buildings on Liberty were torn down, but it seems like quite a while ago. 

One large one was just torn down at that location just a couple years ago, McMick.

 

That's right, I forgot about it.  It's hard keeping track of when all these different buildings were torn down.

The Don's Crankshaft building is still there on McMicken, I'm not sure when the buildings on Liberty were torn down, but it seems like quite a while ago.  There are plans to improve the Shell station, the owner is still waiting to make a decision to move forward.

 

Ooh, I thought Don's Crankshaft used to be on Liberty, and it was torn down, and now only old signs are present. I didn't know there was something else entirely on Liberty. I've only been in Cincy for about a year and a half, and am new to OTR. I still wish there would be infill in that space on Liberty, instead of another surface lot. The backs of all the buildings visible from that lot are in pretty poor shape and make the buildings/neighborhood look uncared for. Plus there is already a ton of surface parking in that area. If people in the new apartments across the street, I wish they could park in the lot on the southwest corner of Liberty & Main. I never see any cars there ever.

 

As for the Shell station, I wonder how it could be improved. I don't think I've ever seen a gas station that I cared for. Shell does blare loud classical music though. I heard from a couple friends businesses on Short Vine used to do that to deter people from loitering.

As for the Shell station, I wonder how it could be improved

The Shell gas station is going to have a walk-in store built. The new owner is supposedly going to invest over a million dollars in it.  I wish the dang thing had never been there in the first place.

Well I'm not going to lie, when I had a car it was convenient to get gas there. I remember that picture I saw of an indoor gas station in Portland and it was a nice brick building. I wouldn't mind seeing something like that there instead.

That's funny!    Playing classical music to deter loitering.    Very innovative!

That shell station is an absolute nightmare.  I REFUSE to ever go there.  Kids loiter and try to take the gas nozzle out of your hand so you can pay them for filling you up and the air hose nozzle is broken off, (used for smoking crack). The credit card reader never worked so you had to go to the pay window and wait in line with the crazy people.  The only good thing is that the owner has told us he will not sell mini test tube flower vases like you can pick up at the short stop market at sycamore and liberty.( also used for smoking crack).

That shell station is an absolute nightmare.  I REFUSE to ever go there.  Kids loiter and try to take the gas nozzle out of your hand so you can pay them for filling you up and the air hose nozzle is broken off, (used for smoking crack). The credit card reader never worked so you had to go to the pay window and wait in line with the crazy people.  The only good thing is that the owner has told us he will not sell mini test tube flower vases like you can pick up at the short stop market at sycamore and liberty.( also used for smoking crack).

 

Try it again, Chris (the owner) has done a lot of good things in the past year he has owned it.  He's worked with CPD to cut down on the kids loitering, the litter is down, the gas and air pumps work fine every time I've been there, and the classical music does work.

 

As for the Shell station, I wonder how it could be improved

The Shell gas station is going to have a walk-in store built. The new owner is supposedly going to invest over a million dollars in it.  I wish the dang thing had never been there in the first place.

 

 

The preliminary plans are to tear down the car wash and existing store, and build a new brick walk-in store (at the southwest corner of the site) with some future expansion capacity.  A new streamlined canopy would replace the sawtooth one there now (he can't eliminate it per his contract with Shell).  Brick and metal fencing would enclose the site, along with additional trees and landscaping.  This is all at a schematic design level, he hasn't made a final decision to move forward yet.

For sale: Chance at $1M

Germania Building's safe could hold treasure ... or nothing

BY LAURA BAVERMAN | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER

August 24, 2007

 

OVER-THE-RHINE - He puts his ear to the lock and tries a four-digit combination.

 

This day, he hears a click.

 

"Ooh, that felt good. I hit a number there," he said with a smirk.

 

Tom Patton is the longtime property manager of Over-the-Rhine's renowned Germania Building, home to a century-old five-ton safe, unmoved and unopened for more than 75 years. Each time he enters its quarters, in the second-story offices of Jaap-Orr Advertising, he thinks he'll be the lucky one to break the lock.

That shell station is an absolute nightmare.  I REFUSE to ever go there.  Kids loiter and try to take the gas nozzle out of your hand so you can pay them for filling you up and the air hose nozzle is broken off, (used for smoking crack). The credit card reader never worked so you had to go to the pay window and wait in line with the crazy people.  The only good thing is that the owner has told us he will not sell mini test tube flower vases like you can pick up at the short stop market at sycamore and liberty.( also used for smoking crack).

 

Try it again, Chris (the owner) has done a lot of good things in the past year he has owned it.  He's worked with CPD to cut down on the kids loitering, the litter is down, the gas and air pumps work fine every time I've been there, and the classical music does work.

 

My husband and I actually stopped at that Shell station about a week ago.  We didn't have any of the issues mentioned, and the credit card reader worked fine. 

Hmmm....I had heard a rumor that the Germania Building was sold earlier this year.  I guess it's still for sale?

""We could have opened it, but if we did and there was nothing there, then the great story is gone," Patton said."

 

... hell, I'd have it open within 24 hours.

""We could have opened it, but if we did and there was nothing there, then the great story is gone," Patton said."

 

... hell, I'd have it open within 24 hours.

 

I would hire a locksmith myself if I owned the building.