Soon, Riverfront Park will take us to the river

45-acre site has first event set for May

BY LISA BERNARD-KUHN • [email protected] • FEBRUARY 6, 2011

 

This May, the first features of Cincinnati Riverfront Park are expected to be unveiled, kicking off a rolling opening of waterfront attractions that will continue through 2017.

 

Located just south of The Banks riverfront development, the 45-acre park will become Cincinnati's front yard and "reshape the dynamics of the whole riverfront experience," said Willie Carden, director of Cincinnati's park system.

 

"If you look at what's happening here in relationship with The Banks, this is an incredible project," he said.

 

more: http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20110206/BIZ01/102070327/

And now the cutbacks:

 

"The private dollars and partnerships are vital, Carden said, especially in light of Cincinnati's budget constraints, which led to a nearly 34 percent cut in the department's $4 million budget this year.

 

"With the type of commitment we're getting from groups like the Women's Committee, you can't help but be successful," Carden said. "There will be a challenge for us, though, because with our recent budget cuts we don't have all the money to open all the different elements (of the park) when we would like to."

 

For now, Carden said, his department's staff continues to review which elements might have to be put on hold or pushed back."

Moerlein Lager House comes into focus

3:45 PM, Feb. 9, 2011  | 

Lisa Bernard-Kuhn

[email protected]

 

 

By March, Cincinnatians will begin to see the first steel beams rising along the riverfront for what will become the Moerlein Lager House.

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110209/BIZ01/302090111/Moerlein-Lager-House-comes-into-focus

Latest progress on the Walnut Street Fountain, Grand Stairway, and the Bike, Mobility & Visitors Center

Latest progress on the Walnut Street Fountain, Grand Stairway, and the Bike, Mobility & Visitors Center

Looks like it will be quite big.

Concrete pour today:

Cincinnati city manager outlines budget cuts, effects

 

Most of the new riverfront park won’t open because of a lack of maintenance money and municipal courtrooms may need to be closed some days because of a lack of city prosecutors, according to a memo from Cincinnati city manager Milton Dohoney.

 

Dohoney says those are among the specific effects of the city budget passed in December.

 

The city already faces at least a $27 million gap in next year’s budget, Dohoney writes in a memo to Mayor Mark Mallory and council members, because council used that amount of one-time sources to fill the deficit in the current budget.

 

cont

So when it says "won't open" is that indefinitely?

 

*on a side note: GD people listen to Milton and charge a freakin trash collection fee, its minimal and it does WONDERS for the budget

^ agreed on the trash collection fee.  Cincinnati is the only city that I have ever lived in that doesnt have one. 

is the trash collection fee not a part of city tax?  i thought it was but maybe I'm mistaken.

I think a huge part of why he is so publicly making the Riverfront park seem dire is the hope for private donations.  A lot of people have wanted this park for years, and he's going to hope they step up and get some more private money in the parks.

 

It's really amazing how shitty how parks might become- No trash collection in city parks?!

 

Cutting 3 of our 1000+ police officers would have basically funded all of the riverfront parks operating costs. 

Wait, are they stopping all this maintenance THIS summer?  NO!!!!

 

I'm moving to Cincinnati next month and I need the parks to be in full bloom this spring to convince my family and friends that I'm not completely crazy for moving there. 

 

I suppose if they leave construction fences up it'll look like things are still improving.  Right? As long as they don't put up a big signs that say, "Parks look terrible this year because the city is broke."

is the trash collection fee not a part of city tax?  i thought it was but maybe I'm mistaken.

 

The Trash Collection Fee is something the City can collect directly through the Water Works, rather than through the County (HamCo Treasurer gets property taxes and disburses those taxes) or payroll taxes (which are often collected through employer withholding).  In addition, it is an assessment that can theoretically be made that would be above and beyond the limits set by the State that a municipal corporation can charge for property taxes and for payroll taxes.  This is what gives the Trash Collection Fee it's value; it doesn't really have anything in particular to do with trash.

It's really amazing how sh!tty how parks might become- No trash collection in city parks?!

 

Cutting 3 of our 1000+ police officers would have basically funded all of the riverfront parks operating costs. 

 

Despite their MASSIVE importance, it takes a really good campaign manager to win you votes based on park support, but not firing ANY police officers now that is an easy but ILLOGICAL way to win an election... so exit Greg Harris re-enter Winburn, entrench Monzel & Ghiz.

 

I hope Milton's gamble pays off and we get some private money behind this but i don't know if it will be corporate money whereas it some is already flowing to the fountain square concert series.  Really I would like people to start being responsible with their cities and realizing that if they want to be proud of where the live they need to invest in where they live (ie taxes, garbage fees, etc). 

It's really amazing how sh!tty how parks might become- No trash collection in city parks?!

 

Cutting 3 of our 1000+ police officers would have basically funded all of the riverfront parks operating costs. 

 

Despite their MASSIVE importance, it takes a really good campaign manager to win you votes based on park support, but not firing ANY police officers now that is an easy but ILLOGICAL way to win an election... so exit Greg Harris re-enter Winburn, entrench Monzel & Ghiz.

 

I hope Milton's gamble pays off and we get some private money behind this but i don't know if it will be corporate money whereas it some is already flowing to the fountain square concert series.  Really I would like people to start being responsible with their cities and realizing that if they want to be proud of where the live they need to invest in where they live (ie taxes, garbage fees, etc). 

 

There are plenty of officers that need let go.  Makes no sense to me.

It's really amazing how sh!tty how parks might become- No trash collection in city parks?!

 

Cutting 3 of our 1000+ police officers would have basically funded all of the riverfront parks operating costs.

Starting salary for a police officer is $46,104.28.  The savings has to come from the lowest paid cops if you cut them because of LIFO.  Riverfront Park maintenance, according to that budget, is $300,000 (a number that seems suspiciously round).  That ends up being about 6.5 police officers.

 

I'm not quite sure what the person per square foot expectation is for these parks, but I find it hard to believe that current riverfront parks are anything but underutilized.  As nice as a project as the new park is (and it, coupled with the Banks, is a great project.  When you contrast the careful and painfully slow but well planned Banks project with Newport or Covington's developer led riverfront improvements, I think Cincinnati's project looks far better) it is a bit of a stretch to argue that limited dollars are better spent on a third (or fourth, depending on how you count them) underutilized downtown riverfront park than underutilized cops who can at least theoretically be flexed to every part of the City.

 

The real issue for the City isn't cops v. other services (that fight is so 00's) but whether we can maximize the Streetcar to its full potential.  That means increasing density in the CBD and OTR as well as eliminating and increasing the cost of parking, so that folks will elect to take a 5 minute street car ride down to four great parks that are just sitting there by the river waiting to be used.

Does the $46,104.28 starting salary for the police include benefits?  Also, let's not forget that thanks to Ghiz pushing to add 100 new officers in 2006 (which Streicher never even asked for) we had a considerable amount of obligations added to our operational budget.  Couldn't we let go a portion of those new officers to free up money for: 1) previously allocated budget items of high importance and 2) reducing the deficit?  I'm not saying lay off all 100, but given such a large percentage of the operation budget is for police and fire (over 60% I believe) shouldn't they have some real headcount cuts.  They have cut back little over the last few years (I think their budgets may actually have grown slightly) when every other department has been cut back at least 30%.

^I agree it shouldn't be safety v. recreation, but the Enquirer and others turn it into that argument for public consumption.  Realistically though, a handful of cops isn't going to make this city safer or more dangerous.

It goes over more smoothly when officers are not replaced when they retire instead of laying off people. I bet a filthy park leads to more crime than losing the 25th officer ready to respond to a shooting. The justice system and our every man for himself society lead to more problems than additional officers can fix.

I'm sorry but I have to correct some misinformation here.

 

Starting police salary is $52,790 not including benefits as stated by the Enquirer last week.  That other number is wrong.  "Top Base" salary (the most you can make at the bottom level) is $63,140 not including benefits.  So cutting anyone in the bottom bracket (including Top Base Salary paid police) and their benefits (easily an additional 5,000-10,000 with pension, etc) is closer to 4 police officers (I guessed 3 originally, my bad!) cut to fund the operating expenses of the park.

 

The ~$40,000 number is what the county pays its starting deputies. 

It goes over more smoothly when officers are not replaced when they retire instead of laying off people. I bet a filthy park leads to more crime than losing the 25th officer ready to respond to a shooting. The justice system and our every man for himself society lead to more problems than additional officers can fix.

 

Good points

>I'm not quite sure what the person per square foot expectation is for these parks, but I find it hard to believe that current riverfront parks are anything but underutilized.

 

There's hardly anyone down there when there isn't an event. 

So what does all this mean for the Central Riverfront Park? If I read the article correctly, the park will be built, but the fountains will not be turned on, the bike center won't actually be a bike center, and only the event lawn will be completed? That is absolutely awful news.  The park is what makes the Banks different from just another large scale inward facing development.  It encourages movement throughout the whole riverfront.  Also, who wants to it in the Morlein Lager House beer garden and look out onto a big mud pit?

To be honest, this central riverfront park should have quite a bit more usage than the current parks, which are really far from the activity downtown. If we have to remove some services, the international friendship area, bicentennial commons and serpentine wall should get cut before the new park.

I'm sorry but I have to correct some misinformation here.

 

Starting police salary is $52,790 not including benefits as stated by the Enquirer last week.  That other number is wrong.  "Top Base" salary (the most you can make at the bottom level) is $63,140 not including benefits.  So cutting anyone in the bottom bracket (including Top Base Salary paid police) and their benefits (easily an additional 5,000-10,000 with pension, etc) is closer to 4 police officers (I guessed 3 originally, my bad!) cut to fund the operating expenses of the park.

 

The ~$40,000 number is what the county pays its starting deputies.

 

The info I got was from the City's website, which was the first hit that came up with "cincinnati police officer salary" in a Google search:

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/police/pages/-11520-/

 

From the article:

"In 2007, a police officer’s base salary will start at $46,104.28 with annual step pay increases over the next five years topping at $55,799.38."

 

Obviously it says In 2007; nevertheless there is a limit to how much research I will do for an internet debate.

 

Without any dog in the fight whatsoever, and purely as devils advocate, it is still debatable whether the loss of three decent jobs for a park that has never existed and sits next to three other similar parks is efficient, or even humane, particularly when you would obviously get even more money freed up when the next three officers retire rather than laying off the last three hired.

 

To be honest, this central riverfront park should have quite a bit more usage than the current parks, which are really far from the activity downtown. If we have to remove some services, the international friendship area, bicentennial commons and serpentine wall should get cut before the new park.

 

This is true.

 

The info I got was from the City's website, which was the first hit that came up with "cincinnati police officer salary" in a Google search:

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/police/pages/-11520-/

 

From the article:

"In 2007, a police officer’s base salary will start at $46,104.28 with annual step pay increases over the next five years topping at $55,799.38."

 

Obviously it says In 2007; nevertheless there is a limit to how much research I will do for an internet debate.

 

Without any dog in the fight whatsoever, and purely as devils advocate, it is still debatable whether the loss of three decent jobs for a park that has never existed and sits next to three other similar parks is efficient, or even humane, particularly when you would obviously get even more money freed up when the next three officers retire rather than laying off the last three hired.

 

 

It's a fair debate... but there are no savings when police officers retire... Pension payments are incredibly expensive and the city has a $1 billion shortfall. 

 

Additionally, The city of Cincinnati will have to pay $93 Million in saved up sick pay and vacation pay when city employees (police, etc.) retire. 

 

There are several police officers who will be paid between $200,000 and $450,000 in sick pay after they retire.  Police get 2 hours of sick pay per week (13 full days a year), and it can be accumulated indefinitely. 

 

Back to the park... The city was irresponsible for cutting nothing from police (police and fire are 60% of the cities operating budget) and 25% of the parks budget.  Very sad.

 

I plan to be there on the Event Lawn's opening day- since it might be another year before I see it open again :(

It's a fair debate... but there are no savings when police officers retire... Pension payments are incredibly expensive and the city has a $1 billion shortfall.

 

Yes, there are savings when police officers retire.  Current serving officers are paid out of the operating budget, as are parks maintenance, etc..  Pensions etc. are paid out of Cincinnati Retirement System.  The whole issue is the operating budget.

^ that's true- good point.

 

At the same time- if the pension fund needs more city money, they will make cuts in the operating budget to fund increased city contributions to the retirement fund. 

 

We should also realize, that once the Moerlein Brew House opens, it's estimated to be the largest fund generator for the riverfront park.  The parks department gets rent and a percentage of of the Brew House's profits, and those go directly to operating the park- a minimum of $375,000 a year.

At the same time- if the pension fund needs more city money, they will make cuts in the operating budget to fund increased city contributions to the retirement fund.

This fact exists regardless of whether the park is opened or not, of course.

 

We should also realize, that once the Moerlein Brew House opens, it's estimated to be the largest fund generator for the riverfront park.  The parks department gets rent and a percentage of of the Brew House's profits, and those go directly to operating the park- a minimum of $375,000 a year.

Obviously when the City is strapped for cash it should focus on its revenue.  If the Central Riverfront Park is going to bring more revenue to the City than other parks, it should probably be a priority.

I'll be taking my pittance out of the Cincinnati Retirement System ASAP. They took advantage of a lot of seasonal employees for years and years to keep that system functioning and then they realized they couldn't afford the employees or the money they were putting into the retirement system. Well, I'm taking my ball and going home.

Christian Moerlein hiring for head brewer at new Lager House

Business Courier - by Jon Newberry - Date: Friday, February 25, 2011, 2:58pm EST

 

Attention beer lovers! Your dream job has arrived. Apply now!

 

Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. has launched a global search for a head brewer to run the Moerlein Lager House that’s under development on Cincinnati’s riverfront.

 

cont

Details from probrewer.com:

 

Head Brewer: Christian Moerlein Lager House – Cincinnati, Ohio

 

The Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio will be seeking a head brewer for the new Christian Moerlein Lager House located on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati Riverfront Park, between Great American Ballpark, home to the Reds, and Paul Brown Stadium, home to the Bengals, and next to the new Banks lifestyle district. A full description of the project can be found at http://www.mycincinnatiriverfrontpark.com/moerlein-lager-house.htm.

 

The head brewer position of the Moerlein Lager House needs to be an individual that has unsurpassed passion for brewing, a love for brewing history, and a grand appreciation and knowledge of the finer beers in the world, as this will be the character of the new Moerlein Lager House.

 

The head brewer will be the overall manager of the brewery operation, and will have complete responsibility for all aspects of the business. This will include but not be limited to:

 

• Maintaining a clean and efficient brewing operation

• Keep all beers on tap at all times

• Hiring, managing, mentoring, and scheduling the brewing staff

• Educating servers, bartenders, managers, and customers

• Creating and submitting weekly, monthly, and annual reports

• Ordering raw materials, chemicals, parts, etc.

• Developing new recipes and maintaining recipe standards

• Scheduling brew house, cellar, maintenance, and cleaning

• Holding safety meetings and keeping the MSDS binder updated

 

 

Experience

 

Applicants must have the following experience and attributes:

 

• Can demonstrate a successful track record working as a brewer in a brewpub or production brewery (minimum three years experience and prefer advanced course work in brewing)

• Proven ability in recipe design and execution

• Honesty, sincerity, and a good work ethic

• Understanding of quality control concepts and procedures

• Good communication skills and ability to interact with the public

• Flexibility and ability to multi-task

• Must be available to start work full time in July 2011

 

 

We plan to set up interviews with selected candidates at the Craft Brewer’s Conference in San Francisco on March 24th & 25th, and also in the Cincinnati area the week of April 4th. Please send resumes to [email protected] by March 9th.

Reply With Quote

 

 

Spring 2011 update from project manager Dave Prather:

 

Cincinnati Riverfront Park Spring 2011 Construction Update

Here comes the flood. Maybe not the best place to post this, but the raising waters got thinking about how it could effect the park.

 

 

From: http://ramsey.mlblogs.com/

 

I love how that picture shows those eery red pole lights that used to illuminate that pathway along the old RR tracks that hasnt been used in 20 years...

The trail to no where!

Chicago operator picked to run Cincinnati riverfront bike center

Business Courier - Date: Thursday, March 10, 2011, 2:49pm EST

 

Chicago-based Bike and Park will run the new Bike, Mobility and Visitors Center at the new Cincinnati Riverfront Park.

 

Scheduled to open in Fall 2011, the bike center is envisioned as a place where visitors can rent bikes, strollers, and bike trailers. The center also will have showers, lockers and toilets.

 

cont

 

 

 

Moerlein Lager House has gone vertical!

Huge donation to be announced.

 

Riverfront Park gets $21M gift

Anonymous donation brings fundraising nearly to halfway

 

An anonymous donation of almost $21 million has brought funding for Cincinnati's $120 million Riverfront Park to nearly the halfway point - a sign of encouraging progress, but also of the considerable work that lies ahead.

 

Of that donation, $17.75 million will be available immediately, Cincinnati parks officials said.

 

The remaining $3 million is to be used as an incentive to raise another $12 million in private funding for the 45-acre park, being developed adjacent to The Banks,

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110525/NEWS01/105260343/

According to the @CincyParks Twitter Account, the Riverfront Fusion Concert that was scheduled at the new park tonight due to the risk of strong/severe storms... :(

According to the @CincyParks Twitter Account, the Riverfront Fusion Concert that was scheduled at the new park tonight due to the risk of strong/severe storms... :(

 

personally I think they should have just waited until the surrounding areas are completed. it's still a bit of a contruction mess down and around there.

Pic taken from OCtoCincy on the "Downtown: The Banks" thread:

 

That wall is pretty awful.  Are they planning on cladding that is anything?  I can't imagine they'll leave it like that.

I think it will be clad in beige granite.

Crane is being installed at the Moerlein Lager House site today. Will try to snap a picture at lunch.

Pics of the site over the past 8 days

It's really taking shape!

I did not pay attention to the event lawn part of the plan, but I think it will definitely be a highlight.  It feels really natural, like it's supposed to be there, even though it is artificial.  It keeps organized activities closer to the actual city and stadium than if the equivalent had been built on the lower tier.  Also, it's not too big, so it will feel full with a smaller audience. 

Ugh... the Small Riverfront Park.

 

 

New name for Cincinnati Riverfront Park

 

City leaders are changing the name of Cincinnati Riverfront Park to the Phyllis W. Smale Riverfront Park — following a $20 million gift from John G. Smale, former chairman of Procter &  Gamble Co. , for the park’s construction.

or Smelly....

 

The City-haters will come up with something clever. And who can blame them when given such good ammo.

They'll just call it Riverfront Park.

I agree, does anyone really call the Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park by its full name?