People like Cranley that just say things without trufax behind them will disappear within 10 years.

People like Cranley that just say things without trufax behind them will disappear within 10 years.

 

Normally that's the case but Chris Smitherman, COAST, Dusty Rhodes,to a lesser extent John Cranley and the rest seem to keep coming like zombies.  They've been around the political scene for an eternity with no signs of slowing down

 

I mean COAST was for the stadium deals and now use the stadium deals as a reason why we shouldn't have built washington park, the banks, etc.  They sent out multiple egregious tweets daily & even compared the streetcar as being worse than 9/11

 

Chris Smitherman was against washington park, fountain square, and seemingly everything, but now he's more popular than ever.  He said that he's afraid the local water supply will be tainted in african american communities with syphillis and that the CIA is out to get him before comparing himself to Malcolm X.  He literally had to be restrained from attacking people in City Hall during a city hall meeting.

 

 

They're only able to trick people who don't know how to use the internet properly. That's why they'll be gone in 10 years and why it doesn't matter how much success people like them had in the past. Talk to a car salesman about how the industry has changed in the past 15 year. Sales techniques hadn't changed for 400 years. Nowadays car salesmen can barely get away with any of that old-school stuff. People just walk.

Yet another development along the streetcar line that won't be covered by any local media except business courier:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2014/09/05/14-million-redevelopment-project-coming-near.html?ana=e_cinci_bn_newsalert&u=YhY%2FQfXAMCgNyFrEjw9v+w0e0d9800&t=1409940662&page=all

 

Hope the city is keeping track of all the development for a detailed map like every other city has done

Yet another development along the streetcar line that won't be covered by any local media except business courier:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2014/09/05/14-million-redevelopment-project-coming-near.html?ana=e_cinci_bn_newsalert&u=YhY%2FQfXAMCgNyFrEjw9v+w0e0d9800&t=1409940662&page=all

 

Hope the city is keeping track of all the development for a detailed map like every other city has done

 

Every press release or streetcar update released by the city should be accompanied by a map showing every investment that is taking place and a running tally of overall dollars.

 

I thought i saw somewhere that John Deatrick said they were creating something like that. But unless you actively follow developments in the city you would have no idea any of this is taken place. I, thankfully do not watch local tv news, but i wouldnt think (correct me if i am wrong) wcpo or wlwt would cover this on their 6pm broadcast.

I hope any map shows not only redevelopment directly along the streetcar route, but also any within a few blocks of it.  After all, the pioneers in OTR have literally been banking on a general transformation of the entire neighborhood.

 

I don't expect ardent streetcar opponents to ever change their tune.  They're intractable.  But I'm already seeing fewer and fewer people bothering to post negative comments on cincinnati.com, which may be one reason why Cranley's launched his latest attacks.  If nothing else, he is an attention-seeking drama queen and unfortunately media types seem to like that trait.

It appears a vehicle hit the railing at the Music Hall stop and glass was installed at the Elm & Liberty stop:

Cincy's stop stations look much nicer than Atlanta's, IMO.

Cranley proposing $300-400 per year OTR parking permits for all residents.  All streets would be either metered or residential parking permit.  People in poverty would be free.

 

John-

 

While every line has been successful, has any line opened where the mayor is working every single day to make it a failure?

 

The goal here is to have it be an ugly mess so that in 2015 he can pass a strong mayor initiative that gives him all the power of the manager and to elect an anti-streetcar person to council to replace winburn.  Sitting around going, don't worry, in 2016 people will enjoy the streetcar may not be the best strategy when we need to elect a good person in 2015 and not allow strong mayor to pass.

 

I wonder how much it is going to cost to means-test this parking permit program?

 

The best person to run in 2015 is someone who is explicitly pro-streetcar and can fund their Council campaign at to the tune of $400,000.

 

The key to getting Cranley out is getting someone people are going to want to show up to vote for.

Yet another development along the streetcar line that won't be covered by any local media except business courier:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2014/09/05/14-million-redevelopment-project-coming-near.html?ana=e_cinci_bn_newsalert&u=YhY%2FQfXAMCgNyFrEjw9v+w0e0d9800&t=1409940662&page=all

 

Hope the city is keeping track of all the development for a detailed map like every other city has done

 

Every press release or streetcar update released by the city should be accompanied by a map showing every investment that is taking place and a running tally of overall dollars.

 

I thought i saw somewhere that John Deatrick said they were creating something like that. But unless you actively follow developments in the city you would have no idea any of this is taken place. I, thankfully do not watch local tv news, but i wouldnt think (correct me if i am wrong) wcpo or wlwt would cover this on their 6pm broadcast.

 

I too have been interested in seeing something like this.  The real trick to doing a detailed analysis of this kind of thing is to measure just how much of an impact the streetcar had in these locational decisions that are driving the redevelopment of OTR.  Other factors besides the streetcar are also driving these decisions...ie proximity to the CBD and Uptown, not to mention that many of the buildings in OTR can be rehabbed because of the attractiveness inherent within their design--and most were well constructed originally.  Few of us would claim that it was the streetcar exclusively that drove most of these investments. Anyway, when I graduated from DAAP back in the '70s it was really hard finding a good thesis topic.  This would make a great one: do focus groups with as many of the decision makers as you can find and pick their brains as to "how many other factors did you look at and how big was the streetcar factor?"

Question... Driving up elm street tonight I was a bit surprised to see the streetcar shelters themselves already installed. I feel like what's the point of having them go thru 2 years/winters/possible graffiti before it's even up and running? Im just saying shelters are easy and quick to put up and kinda a "finishing touch" on transit projects so why so early? (I'm OCD and just want everything to still be sparkly and new at launch :-).

Everyone agrees. Even those involved with the project, but MPD is one a schedule and fabrication finished early...so they're going up ASAP. I guess we'll just need to keep and eye on them. I do think that if they get broken, they fall under MPDs insurance because it's all still an active construction site. I guess this is a great way to test how durable they really are.

Enquirer covered the development near findlay market and naturally left out the fact its on the streetcar route or that the streetcar had anything to do with it

Little old Kenosha is getting a $20million hotel conversion along their streetcar.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/blog/real_estate/2014/09/gorman-plans-20-million-conversion-of-heritage.html?full=true

Enquirer covered the development near findlay market and naturally left out the fact its on the streetcar route or that the streetcar had anything to do with it

YUP!  To get around this media problem...look at the study that Cleveland has: http://freepdfhosting.com/3d2bc50e1b.pdf

 

 

Enquirer covered the development near findlay market and naturally left out the fact its on the streetcar route or that the streetcar had anything to do with it

 

POLITELY- in a purely informative way, tweet at the author of the article.  He's very reasonable.  Say something like, Bobby Maly has been a huge streetcar advocate for years (he has).

I guess we'll just need to keep and eye on them.

 

EVERYONE. Please heed this advice.  BUT-  If you see graffiti or damage, DO NOT TAKE A PICTURE AND POST IT TO FACEBOOK. This is how these types of stories get spread.  The Enquirer is too understaffed to walk around and see if every shelter is broken.  The tv media just repeats what the enquirer writes that night 

 

You should immeidately Direct message tweet John Deatrick.  or email him at [email protected] with details of the issue.  He will make sure it is fixed right away.

Question... Driving up elm street tonight I was a bit surprised to see the streetcar shelters themselves already installed. I feel like what's the point of having them go thru 2 years/winters/possible graffiti before it's even up and running? Im just saying shelters are easy and quick to put up and kinda a "finishing touch" on transit projects so why so early? (I'm OCD and just want everything to still be sparkly and new at launch :-).

 

There is still a lot to do on this project, and you can't do everything last.

It appears a vehicle hit the railing at the Music Hall stop and glass was installed at the Elm & Liberty stop:

 

It was a mistake to build the Music Hall streetcar stop before they rebuilt the west half of Elm Street.

The liberty & Race street stop has been hit as well.  The issue is: drivers are idiots, and the stops need small reflectors on the corner facing traffic. Any other time you'd have an object protruding into the ROW you'd have a reflector on it. Not anything fancy, but something noticeable at night.

I think its good that they are building some stations now. They are going to get hit, vandalized, spray painted. The city will be able to evaluate them and improve/respond long before the system opens.

This local company has won a major Cincinnati streetcar contract

Chris Wetterich - Staff reporter - Cincinnati Business Courier

 

Highland Heights-based General Cable will provide the internal wiring that will help power Cincinnati’s streetcars, which are set to begin running in two years.

 

The company will provide wiring within the five streetcars purchased by the city. The streetcars are being built by CAF USA. General Cable’s wiring, known as Polyrad XT, is used across the transit industry.

 

Cont

^ very exciting.

 

 

According to the weekly update, everything seems to be moving forward as planned with the exception of Time warner cable overhead utility adjustment and underground utility installation. It's been delayed about 2 weeks.  Thankfully, that has no major issues with the project timing and is incredibly minor.  They need the wires out of the way before Catenary wire is installed, which I am guessing for the OTR loop won't occur until late next summer at the soonest.

Trench work moves onto 2nd St.

According to the weekly update, everything seems to be moving forward as planned with the exception of Time warner cable overhead utility adjustment and underground utility installation. It's been delayed about 2 weeks.  Thankfully, that has no major issues with the project timing and is incredibly minor.  They need the wires out of the way before Catenary wire is installed, which I am guessing for the OTR loop won't occur until late next summer at the soonest.

 

Time Warner was moving their above-ground cables on Race Street this week.

Chris Wetterich ‏@ChrisCinciBiz  19s

EXCLUSIVE: Haile/U.S. Bank Foundation proposes a plan to pay for the Cincinnati streetcar’s operations

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2014/09/10/exclusive-haile-foundation-proposes-plan-to-fund.html

^ So the plan is to expand the existing DCI district to include Pendleton and Over-the-Rhine. Thus the downtown ambassadors, and whatever else comes with the current DCI program, would also be extended to those neighborhoods.

 

Sounds like a good idea. Gets the CBD in the SID, the exclusion of which would be unfair (and was often cited as a problem with an OTR-only SID). And it gives OTR/Pendleton property owners some incentive to sign-on on top of just funding streetcar operations (which they had little incentive to do without something extra, since operations would have to be funded somehow, regardless).

A solid idea.

I'm surprised Pendleton is included, but it would be great for them to get Safe & Clean.  Interestingly, I would expect Part of the west end to be so close to the streetcar that they should participate. Everything east of John St is closer than Pendleton is

Enquirer article reads like they were upset they didn't get the exclusive.

 

"Tax all of downtown / otr" for streetcar operations. Doesn't mention added benefits of the safe and clean program (among others) that would also come with an expanded SID. More negative comments from Cranley. And, I don't know why they would ask an elected official with nothing to do with the streetcar, negative comments from Greg Hartmann. Typical.

 

As an OTR resident, I wouldn't agree with an OTR SID for streetcar ops, but I would agree with this Super SID.

CBC probably got the scoop because they don't bash the project all the time over petty things.

This is the right way to expand the SID. I don't like the idea of OTR/CBD paying for the streetcar's operating costs while the entire city gets the financial benefits. However, expanding DCI's other programs into OTR would be fantastic. DCI already provides one Downtown Ambassador for OTR, but that funding comes directly from 3CDC. I would also like to see this funding leveraged to accelerate the rate of other improvements in the neighborhood like streetscaping. And if providing operating funds for the streetcar is part of the overall package, I can support that.

This tweet from Gregg Hartman: "Not having a plan to pay for the street car cannot become the problem of Hamilton County property owners. #nodeal"

 

Why exactly is he opposed to a proposal where residents would vote to tax themselves within these CINCINNATI neighborhoods?

This tweet from Gregg Hartman: "Not having a plan to pay for the street car cannot become the problem of Hamilton County property owners. #nodeal"

 

Why exactly is he opposed to a proposal where residents would vote to tax themselves within these CINCINNATI neighborhoods?

 

It does not matter what the proposal is, opponents will say it is not good enough or "this isnt the right plan at the right time" with no real reason or thinking behind it.

 

This plan meets the goals of taking it off of the cities books and allows for the funding to come from downtown/otr which is what all the opponents have been wanting all along. Now that there is a real solution that meets all of these requirements, suddenly that is not good enough anymore.

 

And that tweet makes no sense... No matter who pays for it in Cincinnati they will simultaneously be in Hamilton County. 

 

If a billionaire offered to pay for it into eternity, opponents would find a way to be against it.

I live in Pendleton and would be happy to vote yes for a tax like this.  Of course our hamilton county "leadership" will be opposed to it because they don't know how to do anything but be opposed to things.  (especially when they are trying to appeal to tea bagger psychos all over Hamilton County).  What they are arguing is that if you are going to tax the banks and the stadiums, you're actually taxing all of Hamilton county since all of Hamilton County pays for these places in taxes.

There's no convincing them otherwise. They won't listen to reason.  We'll just have to do it and work hard to get the votes we need, just like we did to get the streetcar built in the first place.

^  ...adjust that post to be inoffensive to those born with a disability, and I'd agree with you.

^  ...adjust that post to be inoffensive to those born with a disability, and I'd agree with you.

 

I took it as the past participle of the verb retard, " to delay or hold back in terms of progress, development, or accomplishment."  In that sense, I think Hamilton County has retarded quite a bit of development.

I like the idea of the Downtown Ambassador program being extended.  They do an excellent job.  I know there are already some in OTR on Vine and around Washington Park, I think they are on a special contract from DCI by 3CDC.  This proposal would make it official and not depend on 3CDC funding for their continued presence.

 

It is my understanding that SIDs can pay for things like utility burial and street lighting as well.

 

From what I know so far, I'm going to support it.  Supporters are going to have to fight like hell to make sure the debate is not poisoned by the likes of COAST and other people not from the neighborhood.  They will try to sink this just for fun.  They are nihilists.  I'm anticipating getting several "anti" flyers in the mail and placed on my car of dubious and uncertain origin. 

Oh yeah, I forgot everyone likes to act like adults on this forum:)  Sorry if I offended anyone

Who exactly gets to vote on the SID? Just property owners?  And is the vote weighted by how much property you own?

Owners of 60 percent of the street frontage or 75 percent of the land area within the boundary have to petition to join.

 

http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/pdf/1566.pdf

 

Still have many questions about that though.  For example, since 3CDC owns so many OTR properties, what will be there role in determining all of this?  What about the properties owned by the City of Cincinnati? 

 

One other thing I thought was really interesting from the Haile Foundation presentation. ( http://media.bizj.us/view/img/3673131/haileebook910.pdf )  Their goal for fares was covering 24% of their projected operating costs (goal of $1 million for fares annually.)  Given that:

 

"•Objectives are affordable fares, a simple experience for riders and revenue generation. The primary options considered for adult base fare pricing were $1.00 and $1.75.

 

•Scenario modeling showed $1.00 fares generated 76% higher ridership, but 1% less revenue than $1.75.

 

Because revenue at the two primary fare options ($1.00 and $1.75) is comparable, the one more likely to boost ridership should be implemented. Thus, $1.00 is recommended."

 

That's a lot more riders for just 75 cents less!  But I'd be glad if they could keep fares to just a dollar. 

 

EDIT:  after some math, in their model it looks like $1 fare results in one million riders a year or 2,740 riders per day.  $1.75 fare results in 568,181 riders per year or 1,557 riders per day.

$1 park signs all over the place DT... $1 fare sounds good next to it. But I'm not experienced with fare pricing modeling.

Oh yeah, I forgot everyone likes to act like adults on this forum:)  Sorry if I offended anyone

 

No problem.  We just need to keep in mind that streetcar opponents and the media read this thread as well, and hold ourselves to a high standard.

The SID must be approved "by the owners of at least 75% of the area of all real property located within the proposed district, excluding church property or property owned by the state, county, township, municipal, or federal government"

 

So all the property in the proposed district is calculated by square foot or acreage, and then the owners of at least 75% of the area must approve?

 

"For purposes of determining compliance with these requirements, the area of the district... shall be as shown in the most current records available at the county recorder's office and the county engineer's office sixty days prior to the date on which the petition is filed"

 

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/1710

As a reporter, I've covered the creation of SIDs in Cleveland and my recollection is they needed at least 60% of property owners.

60% of street frontage <b>OR</b> 75% of properties by area.

 

"•Objectives are affordable fares, a simple experience for riders and revenue generation. The primary options considered for adult base fare pricing were $1.00 and $1.75.

 

•Scenario modeling showed $1.00 fares generated 76% higher ridership, but 1% less revenue than $1.75.

 

Because revenue at the two primary fare options ($1.00 and $1.75) is comparable, the one more likely to boost ridership should be implemented. Thus, $1.00 is recommended."

 

That's a lot more riders for just 75 cents less!  But I'd be glad if they could keep fares to just a dollar. 

 

EDIT:  after some math, in their model it looks like $1 fare results in one million riders a year or 2,740 riders per day.  $1.75 fare results in 568,181 riders per year or 1,557 riders per day.

 

More riders would likely mean that the sponsorships and advertising would be more valuable. I wouldn't be surprised if overall revenues were higher with the $1 fare.

The SID must be approved "by the owners of at least 75% of the area of all real property located within the proposed district, excluding church property or property owned by the state, county, township, municipal, or federal government"

 

So all the property in the proposed district is calculated by square foot or acreage, and then the owners of at least 75% of the area must approve?

 

"For purposes of determining compliance with these requirements, the area of the district... shall be as shown in the most current records available at the county recorder's office and the county engineer's office sixty days prior to the date on which the petition is filed"

 

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/1710

 

So if you rent an apartment in OTR along the streetcar line you do not get a vote?

More riders also seems to support the idea of being far more beneficial towards the goal of increased development potential, increased foot traffic for businesses, etc. The more people using it the larger the customer base becomes which benefits the entire city.

60% of street frontage <b>OR</b> 75% of properties by area.

 

There are still many many abandoned properties in the area. Is there really a possibility of this happening?  Getting DCI all the way up to Mohawk would be amazing, but right now there's a building crumbling into the street on Lang St. That building owner is nowhere to be found.