September 16, 200816 yr CPS celebrates one year of commitment to green schools http://www.soapboxmedia.com/devnews/cpsgreen0916.aspx Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) is celebrating one year of its commitment to green school construction, including the opening of Pleasant Ridge Montessori School, the first LEED certified public school in Ohio. One year ago, the Cincinnati Board of Education passed a resolution calling for all future new construction and renovation to be designed to U.S. Green Building Council LEED Silver standards and encouraging the development of community partnerships to support the effort. For more info click the link above...
September 16, 200816 yr >Also, it looks like renovation work has been started at Hughes. The sign says they're spending $47 million on the project. Now, I could understand $4.7 million, but we all know how those CPS folks do on math tests. When it's somebody else's money, who's counting?
September 16, 200816 yr ^ Hughes contruction photos have started: http://www.cmw.osfc.state.oh.us/guest/ProjectPhotos.cgi?1003809
September 17, 200816 yr Those pictures show how massive this structure really is. This building is a gem and i am really glad they are renovating it.
September 17, 200816 yr Those pictures show how massive this structure really is. This building is a gem and i am really glad they are renovating it. I was surprised how quickly they started work on Hughes, and how they seem to be attacking it from every angle. They're sandblasting all of the stone work, tearing out windows, building the new parking garage, doing HVAC work all at the same time.
September 17, 200816 yr Hughes truely NEEDED this renovation. I played a basketball game there in an old gym in the school about 6 years ago and I was shocked and apalled about how terrible the condition of the building was.
September 17, 200816 yr I have never seen a better looking school in the midwest than Hughes, imo ... is there anything comparable that you guys know of?
September 30, 200816 yr State, CPS haggle over enrollment http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080930/NEWS0102/809300310/1169/NEWS The state has decided to stick with its plan for funding Cincinnati Public Schools' $1 billion construction project, at least for now. The Ohio School Facilities Commission, which helps districts pay for new and renovated schools, met Thursday but declined to take action on a Cincinnati Public request to reconsider how it projects enrollment for the district and how much it will pay. "We're pretty confident with our enrollment projection methods," said Rick Savors, spokesman for the commission. "But the district is concerned, and we're willing to sit down with the district." For more info click the link above...
November 12, 200816 yr Some resist Hughes' STEM conversion http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20081111/NEWS01/311110098/1055/NEWS Hughes Center is being converted into Cincinnatis first STEM high school a school devoted to science, technology, engineering and math but the transition is not without controversy. Next school year, a new Hughes Center will be open to freshman, one of five new STEM high schools in Ohio. For more info click the link above...
November 14, 200816 yr Interesting story on improvements at Withrow from the Centers for School Change website. http://www.centerforschoolchange.org/what-s-new-at-csc/withrow-university-high-school.html
November 14, 200816 yr Great news for Withrow! Healthy CPS is as important as anything else to the redevelopment of the city.
December 5, 200816 yr Schools among nation's elite By Denise Smith Amos, Cincinnati Enquirer, December 5, 2008 Walnut Hills High and Wyoming High again made it onto U.S. News & World Report's national list of 100 top public high schools, out today. The schools ranked 36th and 50th, respectively, up from last year's berths in the 80s. Two other Ohio schools were on the list, but no Kentucky schools made the top 100. Educators say the ranking, and a similar one by Newsweek in the spring, measure high schools' records for preparing students for college. For more info click the link above...
December 5, 200816 yr U.S. News has their new "Best High Schools" report out. http://www.usnews.com/blogs/college-rankings-blog/2008/12/05/the-new-high-school-rankings-are-here.html For Hamilton County: Anderson High School , Silver Clark Montessori High School , Bronze Indian Hill High School , Silver Lockland High School , Bronze Madeira High School , Silver Mariemont High School , Silver Sycamore High School , Silver Turpin High School , Silver Walnut Hills High School , Gold:#36 of 100 Wyoming High School , Gold:#50 of 100 For Warren County: William Mason High School, Silver For Northern Ky: Highlands High School, Silver Beechwood High School, Silver Walton-Verona High School, Bronze There's also several articles on Walnut Hills: one (not all that interesting) about the college application process: http://www.usnews.com/features/education/best-colleges/student-center.html and another about funding from alumni/parent foundations: http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2008/12/04/the-ohio-school-with-a-strong-foundation.html I'm troubled my the extend of these supplemental funding organizations. It so often better funds the educations of kids who have wealthier parents, or live in wealthier neighborhoods. Not exactly the American Ideal. I have, however, donated to this foundation.
December 9, 200816 yr Renovations begin on Dater Montessori community learning center http://www.soapboxmedia.com/devnews/datermontessori1209.aspx Work has begun on the renovation of Dater Montessori School's original building at 2840 Boudinot Avenue in Westwood. The school, which serves students in grades preschool through 6, will be fully renovated into a 165,636-square-foot school for 650 students, including an expanded car drop-off and pick-up area, an improved kindergarten playground, and a bicycle path. A new security system, new mechanicals and energy-efficient windows will be installed, and the building is expected to pursue LEED Silver certification. For more info click the link above...
December 22, 200816 yr Keep up the fight!!!!! Rothenberg rebuilding plans at odds One neighborhood group wants teardowns; one opposed By Ben Fischer [email protected] December 22, 2008 http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20081222/NEWS01/812220332/1055/NEWS OVER-THE-RHINE - Dueling proposals to renovate Over-the-Rhine's last remaining public elementary school have split the neighborhood over the fate of four nearby buildings. Cincinnati Public Schools is preparing plans to overhaul the now-vacant Rothenberg Preparatory Academy at the intersection of McMicken Street, E. Clifton Avenue and Main Street. The district is still working to purchase all the property it needs for the expansion. On one side, the Over-the-Rhine Foundation and Community Council leaders endorse a plan that would leave four buildings on East McMicken Street intact. For more info click the link above...
December 22, 200816 yr There are parking lots ACROSS the street. How lazy have we become, that we now require parking lots next to buildings so that they will not have to cross the street? Have crosswalks fallen out of favor? Have our teachers and administrators become incredebly lazy? OTR is one of the best representations of historic urban density in the United States (and the largest national historic district), and any further demolitions will only disfavor the notion that Cincinnati is going all out to protect its treasures. Rothenberg rebuilding plans at odds One neighborhood group wants teardowns; one opposed By Ben Fischer, Cincinnati Enquirer, December 22, 2008 OVER-THE-RHINE - Dueling proposals to renovate Over-the-Rhine's last remaining public elementary school have split the neighborhood over the fate of four nearby buildings. Cincinnati Public Schools is preparing plans to overhaul the now-vacant Rothenberg Preparatory Academy at the intersection of McMicken Street, E. Clifton Avenue and Main Street. The district is still working to purchase all the property it needs for the expansion. For more info click the link above...
January 5, 200916 yr New year, new school for Covedale By Kurt Backscheider [email protected] January 2, 2009 http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/C2/20090102/NEWS/901020368/ Students and staff at Covedale School are returning from winter break and starting off the new year in a brand new school building. Crews were finishing up the new facility at 5130 Sidney Road this past weekend in preparation for the final inspection, and teachers were unloading books and supplies in their new classrooms. For more info click the link above...
January 5, 200916 yr I like it better than the previous one and alot of CPS's new buildings. The picture doesn't do it justice and this thing looks pretty bad ass lit up at night. I'll try and get better pics! At least thier is only two different types of bricks on this one, unlike Carson!
January 6, 200916 yr At least their is only two different types of bricks on this one, unlike Carson! Absolutely...Carson is quite possibly the biggest architectural disgrace this city has seen recently. The new building is not only horrendously ugly, but it replaced an absolute gem. I try not to drive past this anymore as it cause discomfort for me.
January 6, 200916 yr My mom is the art teacher at Covedale and the building has alot of great details. Jim Cheng did a wonderful job designing the building. He really kept the neighborhood in mind and did his best not to conform to Ohio State laws. But even though the design is great there are so many issues with putting it together. For example,desks given to teachers barely serve their function and include useless things like a half inch deep drawer(what do you even put in that?) and cushioned file cabinets? This was the main thing that bugged me as I helped unpack 253 boxes this saturday but there are other Functions that CPS really needs to work on.
January 6, 200916 yr The new building is not only horrendously ugly, but it replaced an absolute gem. http://www.cmw.osfc.state.oh.us/guest/photonoedit.cgi?1092284+2008-10 sigh!
January 7, 200916 yr It's such a disappointment that people haven't realized that these buildings are irreplaceable. The suburban crap that they replaced Carson with is a sin. One of the things that makes the city so much better than the suburbs is the great architecture, and everytime we tear down one of these buildings we loose a little bit of our edge over the suburbs.
January 7, 200916 yr It would have probably been a lot cheaper to the tax payer to renovate this building and would have been a lot better for the neighborhood. CPS loves tearing down these architectural gems and putting up this crap and it's time that they stop. Hopefully the old SPCA's fate will be much different than Carson.
January 7, 200916 yr The problem is that the financial models don't factor in the built-in value of these historic structures. They typically look at what the cost of demolition and rebuilding is compared to full out renovation of the structure. It is a shame that this is the way we treat our historic structures that have so much value.
January 7, 200916 yr While I like to bash CPS on this, a lot of the fault lies in the state standards that really limit using older buildings. Both the programmatic requirements (square footages, types of rooms, etc that are based on a greenfield school site) and financial limitations (renovations are allowed as long as they are no more than 2/3 the cost of a comparable new building) are set by the state. While CPS can apply for waivers (which has been done for OTR's Rothenberg for example), the whole funding system set up by the state is geared towards new suburban school buildings.
January 7, 200916 yr Hopefully the old SPCA's fate will be much different than Carson. SCPA should not have this problem, as it is not being renovated as a school. The issue to watch out for is if CPS sells off the greenspace to the north as part of the project.
January 8, 200916 yr ^That's an awkward piece of green/open space for anything but a school playground.
January 9, 200916 yr ^Or new housing, or parking... Tons of uses could fit on that lot, which the City unwittingly gave to CPS years ago.
February 20, 200916 yr Schematic design approved for new Chase School http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/02/schematic-design-approved-for-new-chase.html Schematic designs for the new Chase School in Northside were approved by the Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) Board of Education at its February 9 meeting. Designed by Cole + Russell Architects, Fanning Howey, and Moody Nolan, Inc., the new 67,274-square-foot school will be built on the site of the former Chase School, a site commonly referred to by community residents as "the pit" or "the hole". For more info click the link above...
February 20, 200916 yr Clark project ignites council crowd http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090219/NEWS01/302190029/1055/NEWS Residents concerned about the reconstruction of Clark Montessori School in Hyde Park packed Cincinnati City Council chambers tonight, overwhelming the councils usual 30-minute pre-meeting comment time. Mayor Mark Mallory tried to appease the crowd by explaining that council has no authority over what Cincinnati Public Schools does with its buildings. He also said council would take no action tonight. Several council members are working on a resolution that asks the school board to work more to overcome residents concerns before proceeding, but that resolution isn't yet ready. For more info click the link above...
February 20, 200916 yr Cincinnati Public Schools puts out bid to consolidate student bus service District currently served by three transport providers Business Courier of Cincinnati - by Lucy May Cincinnati Public Schools wants to reduce the number of companies providing transportation services for local students as a way to cut costs. The district accepted proposals Feb. 20 asking bus companies to bid on servicing all – or at least half – of its nearly $20 million transportation contract. Three local companies currently provide transportation services for the district: First Student, Petermann Ltd. and Riggs Bus Co. Transportation Director Michael Dresch said all those firms, plus four companies from out of town, attended a pre-bid meeting to get more information. The district asked for proposals for the entire package and a price for half the package to reduce the number of providers to one or two. Read full article here: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/02/23/story10.html
February 20, 200916 yr The district also wants providers to include a GPS device on each bus so school officials and parents could find out exactly where buses are to determine more precise drop-off times and whether drivers follow the routes as drawn, ... GPS that is accessible to students and parents via cellphone would be a big help. It is terrible waiting at your stop, a block from home wondering if you missed the bus, or is it 20 minutes late because you have a substitute driver?
February 24, 200916 yr School board sticks to plan in Hyde Park By Ben Fischer, Cincinnati Enquirer, February 24, 2009 CORRYVILLE - Cincinnati school board members slammed the door shut on some Hyde Park residents' hopes that the district would rethink plans to rebuild Clark Montessori at its current location. However, the district will continue to modify specific elements of its construction plans if possible, board members said. Officials have instructed contractors to slow demolition work while conversations continue, said Ron Kull, CPS' lead consultant on the construction plans. For more info click the link above...
February 27, 200916 yr Push to renovate Rothenberg School exposes deep Over-the-Rhine roots http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/03/02/story2.html Nothing has been able to push Millard Woods out of Over-the-Rhine in his 53 years on this Earth. Not riots or white flight or Section 8 housing. Not drug dealers or prostitution or gunshots across the street. And if Woods has his way, Cincinnati Public Schools wont either. Woods has spent his life in Over-the-Rhine and the last 35 years of it in the same house on East McMicken Avenue with the same woman in the same beautiful, troubled neighborhood where he was born and raised. They stayed even when all their childhood friends and neighbors moved away. For more info click the link above...
February 27, 200916 yr Excellent! So CPS is backing off the proposal to tear down the properties for surface lots?
February 27, 200916 yr Yes. They have applied (but not yet been approved) for a demolition permit for 142 East McMicken (the large red brick at the corner of McMicken and Hust Alley).
March 3, 200916 yr City to vote on school gym http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090303/NEWS0108/903040303/1055/NEWS City Council will consider a resolution Wednesday to formally oppose Cincinnati Public Schools' plans to add a gymnasium onto the side of Westwood Elementary School. A majority of council backs the non-binding measure. For more info click the link above...
March 12, 200916 yr Woodford Paideia Academy renderings released http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2009/03/woodford-paideia-academy-renderings.html Renderings for the new Woodford Paideia Academy, designed by GBBN Architects, have been released by Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS). For more info click the link above...
March 12, 200916 yr City rules in Westwood case http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090312/NEWS0108/303120082/1055/NEWS A city zoning examiner has denied Cincinnati Public Schools' application to build a gymnasium on the Harrison Avenue side of the historic Westwood School, agreeing with neighbors and preservationists who said the addition would harm the neighborhood. In a ruling made public today, hearing examiner Steven Kurtz accepted opponents' arguments almost entirely, writing: "The addition is obtrusive and compromises the integrity of the surrounding structures in the Historic District."
March 19, 200916 yr CPS names sites for 2 new schools http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090318/NEWS01/303180079/1055/NEWS Cincinnati schools officials today identified the current site of Quebec Heights Elementary School as their preferred location for adding a west side school back to the citywide school construction plan. The site, on Ross Avenue in East Price Hill, was eliminated from the plan earlier this decade amid declining enrollment projections. But more recent projections now indicate a school is necessary there to alleviate overcrowding.
April 9, 200916 yr Rothenberg renovations in play http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090408/NEWS0102/904090326?GID=tuzOFTrgZWOt3plw2XKwpC0Vqg2l9gixAQzxKNVrmWY%3D But CPS budget, state funding stand in the way By Ben Fischer [email protected] CORRYVILLE - The Cincinnati school board appeared Wednesday to be leaning toward approving renovations to Over-the-Rhine's only traditional public elementary school, keeping a 2007 promise but also running the risk of busting the district construction budget. In a two-hour meeting, construction planners gave board members four options for a new version of Rothenberg Preparatory Academy, which has been in temporary space awaiting a plan for years. At the moment, officials believe renovations would cost $21 million, while a new school would cost $18 million.
April 14, 200916 yr The BOE approved a $20.2M budget for renovating historic Rothenberg School this evening! Huge, huge win for the neighborhood. Still have to save 142 E McMicken, but we've come a long way.
April 14, 200916 yr Crap. Could someone post pics of the Rothenberg school because I completely forgot what it looks like.
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