There's an abandoned house across the street from where I lived on Warner. A lot of people parked behind there. Luckily we had off street parking between our rear garage and the house. There's too many commuters not willing to pay for garage passes. They would park in front of our house even though there's a fire hydrant right there. I always told them you better hope to God my house doesn't burn down while you're parked there.

 

Funny story... this exact thing happened down the street from me last weekend.  As you can see, they originally didn't see the blocked hydrant and ran the hose down the street to the next one.

 

 

Madness

1.) Cincinnati has an appearance problem. We need an ordinance banning billboards in historic districts and a 5 year plan to eliminate them entirely. Many cities have already gone this route.

2) Lank Bank: The  city needs to set a up a landbank of available city owned properties and properties slated for demolition. They should be sold to owner occupants capable of demonstrating financial ability and permits must be pulled with 30 days of close.

3) 3CDC needs to let go of some of their properties. They own more buildings than they can ever fix up and there are people now willing to come into OTR and restore these homes. We don't need "monopoly" ownership of blocks of OTR, that is not how you rebuild a neighborhood.

 

 

3) 3CDC needs to let go of some of their properties. They own more buildings than they can ever fix up and there are people now willing to come into OTR and restore these homes. We don't need "monopoly" ownership of blocks of OTR, that is not how you rebuild a neighborhood.

 

 

Agree.  3CDC can probably help themselves by doing this.  The faster the buildings get rehabbed, the better the chance of saving the neighborhood.

^I would agree that they should free up some of their properties, but not right now.  Once the neighborhood really starts to turn around outside of the Gateway Quarter, and Washington Park is rehabbed, I can see way more developers coming in and doing things besides 3CDC.  But with the current state of both the neighborhood and the economy, I would say I trust 3CDC with the buildings more than a private developer.  Plus, there are still countless numbers of buildings and parcels that are not owned by 3CDC should a developer choose to move in independently.

I would add that there are PLENTY of properties in OTR for anyone who wants to rehab one or more, 3CDC does not have a stranglehold on them by any means.

I feel more comfortable with those buildings in the hands of 3CDC rather than in some random investor's control.  Too often we have seen "investors" let these buildings fall into disrepair and eventually collapse or be demolished.  3CDC is making their rounds with the properties and in the mean time they are stabilizing them, lighting them, and securing them from criminal activities.

I would add that there are PLENTY of properties in OTR for anyone who wants to rehab one or more, 3CDC does not have a stranglehold on them by any means.

 

As someone who has been looking in OTR for a building to restore and locate our business in for the last 9 months , I can tell you its not that easy.Most of the mixed use retail first floor properties are held by investor types asking 80-250 for 20 foot wide, 2-3 story building that is totally bombed out. They have no intention of doing anything with it and if it deteriorates they figure 3cdc will come along and buy it to protect their investment. 3CDC has been both a godsend and a curse because it has created an "investor market" and prices are way above market considering the condition. I know from experience what it costs to restore one of these buildings. And I'm not talking about Main or Vine but areas like Elm and Race. I looked at one over the weekend that you couldn't even walk through the upper floors because it wasn't safe and he wanted 150K for it. We were looking at a 350K to 400K rehab cost on a building that tops redone is worth 250K. There are buildings out there but not at an affordable pricce given the restore costs.

^Someone can correct me, but I believe you can contact 3CDC directly and make an offer on one of their properties. If you measure up, they may sell you one of theirs. 3CDC teams up with a group of developers but they can sell to anyone.

 

3CDC isn't in the business to make money. Just in turning OTR into a viable neighborhood.

I would add that there are PLENTY of properties in OTR for anyone who wants to rehab one or more, 3CDC does not have a stranglehold on them by any means.

 

As someone who has been looking in OTR for a building to restore and locate our business in for the last 9 months , I can tell you its not that easy.Most of the mixed use retail first floor properties are held by investor types asking 80-250 for 20 foot wide, 2-3 story building that is totally bombed out. They have no intention of doing anything with it and if it deteriorates they figure 3cdc will come along and buy it to protect their investment. 3CDC has been both a godsend and a curse because it has created an "investor market" and prices are way above market considering the condition. I know from experience what it costs to restore one of these buildings. And I'm not talking about Main or Vine but areas like Elm and Race. I looked at one over the weekend that you couldn't even walk through the upper floors because it wasn't safe and he wanted 150K for it. We were looking at a 350K to 400K rehab cost on a building that tops redone is worth 250K. There are buildings out there but not at an affordable pricce given the restore costs.

 

I'm glad you found this forum. I actually thought about you when I read Cincy Kid's post.

 

You'll find UrbanOhio a thousand times more helpful than City-Data. Look around, and you'll find this forum very helpful!

 

Welcome!

As someone who has been looking in OTR for a building to restore and locate our business in for the last 9 months , I can tell you its not that easy.Most of the mixed use retail first floor properties are held by investor types asking 80-250 for 20 foot wide, 2-3 story building that is totally bombed out.

 

Is there anything in particular that you're looking for?  If so, please do share.  I'm sure there are more than one of us on here that might be able to put you in touch with a property you're looking for.

1.) Cincinnati has an appearance problem. We need an ordinance banning billboards in historic districts and a 5 year plan to eliminate them entirely. Many cities have already gone this route.

 

I don't know about this one.  Maybe a more strict size and lighting restriction, but signs and billboards can definately add to a feeling of livliness in a nieghborhood.  Have you seen some historic photos of downtown and Over-the-Rhine?  There are hundreds of signs on each block, and painted advertisements on the sides of buildings (that you can still find slowly fading away quite often).