Rando, will this be similar to the bike storage location you posted on Facebook in... Chicago? I can't recall the city, but I commented on the image.

A bit on those family size swings.  This sounds like a minor thing but they really are quite popular.  They have them at that Riverscape park in Dayton, and they are used quite a bit, especially when there is an event there.  It is small amenities like this that help make a park a memorable and pleasant place people will want to come back to.

 

They actually commented that at many parks (with these swings) the swings are soo popular that there are waits to use them at times.  I do think that it is a minor thing...that will make a huge impact!  Exactly the type of thing that makes a park unique.

 

...., this, for a history buff like myself, is really exciting, that they are going to do this work and also interpret the findings on site.

 

From my understanding this work/research has already been done, which came as a shock to me so it could be that they plan on doing it.  But it seemed as though they already have artifacts that they will incorporate into a historical feature at the park.  But yes, VERY cool!

Is this park pork?

BY MALIA RULON | [email protected]

Comments    |    E-mail    |    Print    |    digg us!    |    del.icio.us!

 

WASHINGTON – Is $25 million for a new park pork?

 

Greater Cincinnati’s Republicans in the U.S. House split over $25 million slated for the Cincinnati’s new riverfront park slated to be built next to The Banks, the new mini-city planned along the Ohio River. The money was included in the $7.62 billion Water Resources Development Act, which passed the House April 19.

Pork..and pork well spent!

 

I don't understand the whole mentality of doing everything to appease the suburbanites

 

 

 

 

 

The problem is thats where the money is...suburbs...and as we know, money drives projects.  we have to include everyone unfortunately even though this is a project for the city and only the city.  suburbanites don't go out of town and say "i'm from West Chester."  they go "I'm from Cincinnati"

^ Average condo sale price downtown = $333,000+ ... as you were saying, ;)

NBow37, you hit the nail on the head, if a business in Mason wants to sell itself to the world, it can't sell Mason, it has to sell Fountain Square and downtown.

I read a study, I'm going to have to find it again that said $100 invested in a suburb returned them $100. But the same $100 invested downtown returned $120 to all the surrounding suburbs.

 

People hate pork, except when its our pork.

a great quote from the west wing "as long as there is a congress there will be multi billion dollar boondoggles. We'd just like to share in them a little bit"

 

 

Yes, but think about the city...the only parts INSIDE the city of cincinnati that have weathy areas are...

Hyde Park, Parts of Clifton, Parts of Price Hill, Parts of Oakley, North Avondale, and some pockets here and there.  Pretty much it.  The majority, (OTR, Avondale, Westwood, Lower Price Hill, Bond Hill, Hartwell, ETC) would not be able to afford 330,000 dollar condo...The people buying the condos are most likely from those parts in cincy i mentioned or from the most likely scenario, the burbs(indian Hill, Blue Ash, Montgomery, Madeira, Loveland, Green Hills, Fairfield, Mason, West Chester, etc).  Whether we like it or not, the suburbs have a big say in what sells downtown

you forgot mt lookout, mt adams, columbia tusculum, the east end

you forgot mt lookout, mt adams, columbia tusculum, the east end

 

good point, forgot those...east end not as much, but definitely mt lookout mt adams and columbia. 

Actually most of the people buying those condos are most likely like me, not even from Cincinnati. People who can see what a truly awesome place this is.

I'll throw out an invite when I have the condo warming party at Parker Flats.

There are a lot more wealthier people living within Cincy's city limits than you think.

sweet...how do the parker flats look?  maybe your right, there probably are...but i think places like indian hill and mason and west chester and blue ash and montgomery have a TON of extremely wealthy people.  but nevertheless, i'm sure there are more than I think

There are some really large homes in parts of Pleasent Ridge, College Hill, Linwood, and Mt. Washington areas too.  I think the city actually has a fair ammout of wealthy areas.

Yes, but think about the city...the only parts INSIDE the city of cincinnati that have weathy areas are...

Hyde Park, Parts of Clifton, Parts of Price Hill, Parts of Oakley, North Avondale, and some pockets here and there.  Pretty much it.  The majority, (OTR, Avondale, Westwood, Lower Price Hill, Bond Hill, Hartwell, ETC) would not be able to afford 330,000 dollar condo...The people buying the condos are most likely from those parts in cincy i mentioned or from the most likely scenario, the burbs(indian Hill, Blue Ash, Montgomery, Madeira, Loveland, Green Hills, Fairfield, Mason, West Chester, etc).  Whether we like it or not, the suburbs have a big say in what sells downtown

 

The thing is that the majority of people who are moving to these inner-city neighborhoods that have high price tags...are (for the most part) from outside of the region.  The small movement of people into the region is occuring in the inner-city, and in particular those more highly priced units.  Soooo as I was saying, its not just about the suburbanites.  Its about creating a great product that SELLS!  If city living offers more positives than negatives...or more positives than the suburban counterparts, then you'll see population growth in the inner-city (like Cincy is).

 

I just say create the best possible product that doesn't focus on the needs of any particular group...make it a great environment for EVERYONE to live in (all incomes, races, sexual orientations, etc).

Agreed Rando, making it more diverse will help cincinnati.  and officials seem to be marketing these condos very well to the right suitors

Public parks at Banks shrinking

BY JON NEWBERRY | [email protected]

E-mail    |    Print    |    digg us!    |    del.icio.us!

 

The new plan for the Banks calls for scaling back the northern portions of its riverfront park, but Cincinnati Parks officials say their plan for the park remains intact and otherwise independent of the larger Banks deal.

Race Street will now feed traffic to the Suspension Bridge via Freedom Way.  The headline says that the park is shrinking, but that will be almost imperceptible, as the article states:

 

I'm kind of confused about what they are exactly proposing here.  I guess I'll figure it out as it progresses, but this article was poorly written.

Race Street will now feed traffic to the Suspension Bridge via Freedom Way.  The headline says that the park is shrinking, but that will be almost imperceptible, as the article states:

 

 

So are they capping the highway?  the map says so.  for some reason i missed all this.

The capping of FWW is another project in and of itself.  It will have separate funding from both The Banks and the Central Riverfront Park.  That is more of a luxury project than anything else, and the other two need to be funded first.  So if the city and/or county have to choose between The Banks, CRP, and the capping...they will without a doubt not choose the capping.

 

I don't see it happening anytime soon, unless some magic funding source comes out of the woodwork.

Todd Portune has said that he wants to cap the portion of FWW directly above the Freedom Center.  He hasn't said how he will obtain the funding.

 

I'm kind of confused about what they are exactly proposing here.  I guess I'll figure it out as it progresses, but this article was poorly written.

 

The article doesn't have any news other than an update of its funding status.  I believe that it's comparing the current park plan with the one that was planned for the 1999 Banks concept.  Here is the earlier plan:

 

 

There are some minor changes from this plan.  Theodore Berry Way will essentially be turned into a yoke at the base of the Roebling Suspension Bridge.  This street, which is currently a east-west connector, will be removed and the Banks development will come closer to the riverfront.  It looks like Race Street will be turned into something of a cul-de-sac with a roundabout at its south end.  The changes are minimal.

 

All of the attractions such as the carousel are intact and will remain as part of the park.

Yeah there are some obvious changes from the 1999 plan, but that thing has long since come and gone.  I was thinking that the Enquirer was a little more up to date with their stories...maybe not so much.

U.S. House votes $250K for new park on riverfront

Funding for flood, erosion control awaits Senate OK

BY MALIA RULON | [email protected]

 

WASHINGTON - Cincinnati's proposed riverfront park got a sliver of good news Tuesday.

 

Included in a federal energy and water spending bill that passed the House 312-112 is some money - $250,000 - for the planned park that will be built next to the Banks, the new multi-use development planned along the Ohio River.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070718/NEWS01/707180390/1056/COL02

Banks park may get $30M from feds

BY MALIA RULON | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

August 1, 2007

 

WASHINGTON - Cincinnati's riverfront park could get as much as $30 million in funding under a massive water resources bill that Congress is expected to pass as early as today.

God I hate the Enquirer!      Is it $250,000 or $30mill.    What do you all take from that.        I didn't know we were going to get any help from the gov.

^ They are two different things

 

Water Resources Development Act = 25-30 Million for Cincinnati

The Energy and Water spending bill  = 250K for Cincinnati

are you talking about the Public Landing? I can't imagine that going anywhere.

yea i mean, are they even allowed to get rid of it?

No, that is deeded as a public landing and will always be kept as such.  You can always park there for free, but you have to get downtown very early to claim a spot (save for the spots the Showboat Majestic reserves).

When I spoke with a park board member a few months back I asked him about just that...and he said that it will be tricky to figure out how they are going to link the CRP with the other riverfront parks and create that highly touted connected corridor along the riverfront.  I have faith, but I'm not sure if they even have the answer yet.

What we need is a huge marina to take the place of the landing.

If I remeber correctly the marina was going to be west of pbs

You do remember correctly...The corp of engineers will never allow for a marina in that general area of where the landing is.  Apparently it is a narrow part of the river with already tricky currents.  A marina, pier, or dock of some sort would make it even more cumbersome to navigate for barges.

 

Originally I believe the park had a pier draw in for that area...and I believe that was the reason for removing that element from the plan.  The pier would have lined up with Main St and had a grand staircase of sorts that would have connected the street-level (out of flood plain) with the pier (in flood plain).

When I spoke with a park board member a few months back I asked him about just that...and he said that it will be tricky to figure out how they are going to link the CRP with the other riverfront parks and create that highly touted connected corridor along the riverfront.  I have faith, but I'm not sure if they even have the answer yet.

 

Are you talking about the narrow corridor directly south of US Bank Arena and the Ball Park?  One thing they could do to dress it up is tear down the ugly concrete stairway and pedestrian bride that hangs above Merhing Way and replace it with a smaller bridge that doesnt shade the whole block.  But that might be more trouble than its worth.  This corridor is pretty small and I dont think it detracts that much from the parks to have one block that isnt lined with trees and green space.

Here is another one of my legendary photoshop maps.  Hopefully this will clear some of this stuff up for those unfamiliar.  The span of parks from the far eastern edge of the the International Friendship Park to the proposed end just west of PBS is roughly 2.25 miles by my calculations.

The narrowness is not a big deal and I think the way the parks are already so distinct from one another is a strength.  Hopefully a new generation of wayfinding signs will advertise the existence of the various parks. 

 

A marina is a bad idea, Cincinnati is already well-known as one of the tougher areas to navigate on the Ohio River although it's much easier now with the Central Bridge gone.  Anywhere where a river narrows, it's usually a little deeper and flows faster than wider, shallow sections.  The current from the Licking complicates it a bit. 

 

The big problem with recreational boating is that most of those guys are both inexperienced and drunk.  There are many cases where they have been run over by the barges or have sped directly into them.  In fact in a lot of areas the captains make deckhands go out on the rake of the lead barge simply to help the captain look out for all the idiots.  Fishing also seems to attract people of low intelligence who don't like to admit that they don't really know what they're doing out there and fishermen get hit all the time. 

 

I personally don't think there is a chance in hell that the marina ever comes to fruition...primarily due to the navigation issues for shipping and what not.

I started a thread in Architecture and Preservation about this but their is a chance the Delta Queen may be Decommissioned in the coming year.   I hate to see it but I would rather see her find a permanant home down near this park rather than at an Evansville cove.

I started a thread in Architecture and Preservation about this but their is a chance the Delta Queen may be Decommissioned in the coming year.  I hate to see it but I would rather see her find a permanant home down near this park rather than at an Evansville cove.

 

That would be nice...lets hope that some sound decisions are made and that the right thing is done.

Senate OKs $32M for riverfront park, other regional projects

September 25, 2007 | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER

 

CINCINNATI - The U.S. Senate approved $32 million Monday night for water resources development for Cincinnati and Dayton, including a long-awaited park on Cincinnati's riverfront.

This is great news! Is there a list of other projects mentioned in the act? I can't seem to find an online copy...

I saw it once...and it is really difficult to locate and it is quite broken up.  If I still had a link and/or document I would be happy to let you know.

Does anyone know the price tag on the entire construction of the Riverfront Park?

^ $80 million according to the project website.

 

Higher density may help parks

BY DAN MONK | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER

September 28, 2007

 

DOWNTOWN - A higher-density Banks project would improve Cincinnati's central riverfront park by providing more acreage for public green space and a stable funding source to maintain the property.

Has there been any description of the adventure play areas?  I have seen some playgound structures that are like ships (http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/photos/Princess_Diana_Memorial_Playground.jpg). Maybe a big barge would keep with the Ohio River theme *grin*. It would address the lack of a sandbox mentioned earlier.

I remember them talking about something like an archaeological dig area of sorts.  This is where the city originally grew and I'm not sure, but there may be some remains still in that area.  They have done some research and plan some more as they develop this park.

 

This would be right around the foot of the bridge...so if there are other areas for this kind of activity, they'll probably have a different scope.

Has there been any description of the adventure play areas?  I have seen some playgound structures that are like ships (http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/photos/Princess_Diana_Memorial_Playground.jpg). Maybe a big barge would keep with the Ohio River theme *grin*. It would address the lack of a sandbox mentioned earlier.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing a water feature being installed. Not a public swimming pool -- which are expensive to maintain and are no longer financially viable for many areas -- but squirting fountains, play areas, etc.