REading and liberty is where the old BP gas station and where Calcars home of the $2195 car used to be. If this rumor is true I will be one VERY happy camper. Anybody else hear anything???

Oh wow, I would love for Starbucks to move there.  That corner was such an eyesore, I am willing to turn my back while the evil empire builds about Starbucks ;)

I am willing to turn my back while the evil empire builds about Starbucks

Yup! I don't go to starbucks much.. would rather go to Kaldi's, coffee emporium, down here etc. but what a great location if it were true. Can you imagine sipping coffee early in the morning outside and listen to the bell chimes across the street at 8 am from the OTR/Verdin bell tower kewl!! It's not technically in prospect Hill but it is at the base. I was thinking a garden store would be nice there, but a coffee shop is the next best thing even though it would be a starbucks.

I am a bit of a dreamer though and they will probably end up  a carryout liquor store or something.....

Max, where did you hear this rumor?

It would be a great location for them as it is a big access point for downtown.  It is also not nearly as insane as McDonald's plan several years ago to tear down the former Sun Furniture building at the corner of Sycamore and  Central Parkway for a new Mickey-D's!  FYI, that plan was shot down pretty quickly.

I haven't heard anything but I'd be for it.

It would be a great location for them as it is a big access point for downtown.  It is also not nearly as insane as McDonald's plan several years ago to tear down the former Sun Furniture building at the corner of Sycamore and  Central Parkway for a new Mickey-D's!  FYI, that plan was shot down pretty quickly.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing this super-duper McDonalds down there. This one in Chicago caught a lot of peoples attention.

Damn! That is one bad-ass McDonald's! I'd eat there....

Those are prettier arches than the one in St. Louis ;)

^Are there elevators taking you to the top?

Well it looks like the rumor was wrong. Starbucks sent me a reply to my email though :-)

 

It's always a pleasure to hear from our valued customers with such an interest in Starbucks.

As you know, we are opening new stores everyday and continually looking to bring the Starbucks Experience into new venues. Unfortunately, I do nothave information either way aboutthe location you described on Liberty St and Reading Rd. However,I will be happy to pass along your suggestion for a newlocation inCincinnatitoour Store Development Department for their consideration if it is not already being considered!Thank you for taking the time to contact Starbucks Coffee Company. Hopefully you will be enjoying Starbucks coffee in your neighborhood soon!

 

Warm Regards,

Kristin

Customer Relations Representative

 

 

Sure sounds like a PC response, but 3 years ago I sent an email to Culvers asking for a Hamilton location. And here we are three years later and Hamilton has the 5th location in Ohio. Coincidence? I'll never know.

BAD News for that corner. It is being gutted out for a CASH ADVANCE store... :x This totally sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aargh...that's too bad.  Seems like a great daytime coffee shop location - tons of traffic.  Alas...

I thought I saw work being done at this location.  Anyone have any ideas what is going on?

As per the Business Courier a few weeks ago:

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/03/27/editorial1.html

 

We have a big problem with what the city of Cincinnati is letting happen to a major gateway to downtown and Over-the-Rhine.  A payday lender is preparing to set up shop at the intersection of Reading, Liberty, Fourteenth and Interstate 471. Nearly 10 years ago, the Verdin Co., in conjunction with the Corbett Foundation, sponsored the construction of a bell tower at the Reading and Liberty intersection.  This carillon stands sentinel over one of the busiest intersections leading into both the Central Business District and Over-the-Rhine.

 

The city and state constructed an intimately scaled amphitheater adjacent to the carillon.  Additional landscaping was installed to create a more urban and parklike setting for the tower and amphitheater as well as the rest of the intersection.  Unfortunately, all that work and effort have been a waste.

 

The tiny slice of property at the northwest corner of the intersection has been an eyesore -- a low-priced, used-car lot had occupied the site for years.  When the lot closed down earlier this year and fencing went up, it gave us encouragement that something productive was about to happen there.  Our hopes have been dashed with news that Ohio Check Cashers, after spending $75,000 on upgrading and expanding a building on the site, is moving in.

 

^

Exactly what happens when you don't have a city planning department...

For the love of god... please say it isn't so.  :bang:

I wonder what kind of cut these places take when you cash a check.  Most banks offer some kind of no-fee checking account these days, and they will cash your check for free.  I'm willing to bet these places make most of their revenue from "payday" loans, though.  The effective interest rates on those can be 200% a year or more, though I'm sure the average customer has no informed idea.

This could happen with or without a city planning department. It's difficult to completely curtail private property rights. It's not an incompatible use according to the commercial zoning that I presume exists on that corner.

 

Besides, there's a OTR plan that had a proposal to edxtend the gateway there, I think. And there's a planning commission that could've made an effort to shut this down but they'd have no leg to stand on b/c of the commercial zoning.

A planning department would not have changed or stopped this development.  A group like 3CDC possibly could have changed this outcome (if they reached that far north) by buying the property and then trying to lure a better development.

I wonder what kind of cut these places take when you cash a check.  Most banks offer some kind of no-fee checking account these days, and they will cash your check for free.  I'm willing to bet these places make most of their revenue from "payday" loans, though.  The effective interest rates on those can be 200% a year or more, though I'm sure the average customer has no informed idea.

 

You walk in on a Saturday, write a check for, say, $175, and they'll give you $150 in cash.  They'll hold your check until the next Friday and deposit it then.  When you fill out the paperwork, Truth in Lending laws require that they show you what that fee is, in terms of an APR, and they often work out to being 500%+; but that's deceptive - it's not an APR, because interest doesn't continue to accrue on the debt at that rate.  It's a fee.  If your check bounces, and you don't pay it back for a year, you're not going to have to pay back $750 or something - they'll collect $175 on you.  Your "effective APR" has dropped below 17% - that's better than a lot of credit cards.

 

So the consumer is informed of the effective APR - how many of them understand what that means, that I don't know.  But really, it doesn't matter - I'm sure they fully understand that they're writing a $175 check, and they're walking out of there with $150 in cash.  That's very straightforward.

 

The city could have searched for & courted another more appropriate tenant ( & they might have) but isn't it kinda hard to get in & out of that location by car ?

It is not a very pedestrian friendly area.

hm

maybe the city could kill the site by zoning away automotive access.

I wonder what kind of cut these places take when you cash a check.  Most banks offer some kind of no-fee checking account these days, and they will cash your check for free.  I'm willing to bet these places make most of their revenue from "payday" loans, though.  The effective interest rates on those can be 200% a year or more, though I'm sure the average customer has no informed idea.

 

You walk in on a Saturday, write a check for, say, $175, and they'll give you $150 in cash.  They'll hold your check until the next Friday and deposit it then.  When you fill out the paperwork, Truth in Lending laws require that they show you what that fee is, in terms of an APR, and they often work out to being 500%+; but that's deceptive - it's not an APR, because interest doesn't continue to accrue on the debt at that rate.  It's a fee.  If your check bounces, and you don't pay it back for a year, you're not going to have to pay back $750 or something - they'll collect $175 on you.  Your "effective APR" has dropped below 17% - that's better than a lot of credit cards.

 

So the consumer is informed of the effective APR - how many of them understand what that means, that I don't know.  But really, it doesn't matter - I'm sure they fully understand that they're writing a $175 check, and they're walking out of there with $150 in cash.  That's very straightforward.

 

 

It's a straightforward ripoff.  There must be a lot of ignorant suckers out there to keep these places proliferating.   

No more a rip off than the fees a bank charges if you overdraft or the fees a credit card charges you for sending the payment an hour late!

^Or a credit card advance fee.  It's a banking fee, like any other.  And while I agree with you, that it's a rip-off, I've certainly been in situations where the rent's due, and I didn't have the jack to pay it.  Luckily, I've had friends and family I could go to for a short-term loan, but if you didn't, this wouldn't be an entirely unreasonable way of getting the cash.  And from the payday advance place's point of view, they need to charge high enough fees to make up for the money they lose when someone skips on the debt.

 

That being said, the folks who run them do make a ton of money - the fees don't have to be that high.  And places that roll loans over are effectively accruing interest at the rates decried - which is why many states have laws against rolling them over.

 

But unsecured loans always have high fees - that's just how it works.  Go to a bank and get a signature loan, and you'll pay 15%+ interest.  This is really no different, except that at least here, the interest stops on the date on your check.

This article will give you an idea of the evil that is the check cashing biz.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050605/BIZ01/506050334/1076/rss01

 

And this is the house that kind of business built...

 

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/10/03/loc_forsale03.html

 

Sadly, the camargoroad site and the virtual tour are no longer on-line, but you get the idea.

 

Had Cincinnati had an effective planning department, that parcel could have been targeted long ago, rezoned and something beneficial could stand in its place. But, alas, we still have no planning department; and a development department that is spread thin, marginally capable in their roles, and lacking ANY vision. Cincinnati has a strong network of individuals and corporate entities, that treat our city streets like their own personal Monopoly game. Short-term gain is the driving force.

^I think that it's unfair to say that they have no vision in the department. Seems to me that they're hamstrung and suffer from a lack of leadership, and face some outright hostile forces in the Manager's office.

 

You're right that they're spread too thin... but as I stated, there's a plan that covers this parcel made by the planning department. I don't have access to it right now, so I don't know exactly what the idea was, but the problem comes down to implementation. So, why didn't it happen? Partly because all impetus to actually enact the OTR plan ended when Lemmie came in and the "task force" decided to privatize a lot of the planning functions of the city. Money set aside for OTR plan was taken for other purposes.

 

Which is a longwinded way to say that I agree that a fully-constituted Planning Department, firing on all cylinders, may have been able to prevent undesirable development, but it would not have been a lay-up. Especially not without the more fundamental requirement -- support and means to do their jobs.

 

I guess what I object to is the characterization that CD&P is "marginally capable and lacking ANY vision." If you have any direct experience, I'm interested in hearing it.

OK, I may be painting the entire department with the same tainted brush. I have not worked with everyone in CD&P. I'm guessing by your response that you have some direct experience, as well? I hope that your experience has been more productive.

 

However, I have worked with most levels within CD&P; as both a business owner and a "concerned citizen." I have seen very little vision. (I'll give a little bit.) And my "marginally capable" characterization is partially attributable to the obvious lack of support, and partially attributable to some members just being mediocre in their role.

 

Somehow the foolish notion bubbled up that residents, property owners and community organizations have become the watchdogs, police forces, planners and architects of our city. Oh, and they have to find funding, create the plans, and manage the process. The city is in dire need of leadership in this area. It is wonderful that so much comes from the grass roots, but at some point the city needs to take a hard look at how much the CD&P lacks.

Snapped a picture of the building this evening:

 

^I can't vouch for them all, no. I know some that are very competent, talented, and eager to make a difference. Do you mind if I ask what neighborhood(s) you've been involved with? I think most of the problems stem from simply being understaffed. I'm sure morale is extremely low.

 

But back to that original contention—that a "real" planning department could've or would've stopped this. It's not a foregone conclusion that a planner would decide, after analyzing the area and its needs, to zone in a pedestrian friendly use on the corner of two major thoroughfares and a highway ramp. I'm not sure it's really appropriate for the area, no matter how much it would appeal to the residents of Prospect Hill. Maybe, maybe not.

 

Of course a Check Cashing place is not what I'd like to see, but there is the matter of private property rights. At any rate, I hope the planning department is reconstituted and respected following the next city budget.

From the 7/22/06 Cincinnati Post:

 

 

Leaders object to check business

By Joe Wessels

Post contributor

 

Several leaders in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine say the opening of a check-cashing store flies in the face of the neighborhood's ongoing plan for rehabilitation.  The site, at the corner of Reading Road and Liberty Street, has been vacant since a used car lot closed earlier this year.  Before that, a gas station occupied the property.

 

As workers began rebuilding the structure, neighbors, including many who had thought it might become a coffee shop, watched with dismay as large red lettering was installed that read "Check Cashing."  "This is not a good thing.  This is not a way to improve or rebuild a neighborhood," said Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell, who just lives near the corner.

 

The city planning department used to have a rein on such businesses, but the office was eliminated in 2003 by then-Mayor Charlie Luken and then-City Manager Valerie Lemmie.  Luken said at the time the city department was not "developer friendly."  Marge Hammelrath, executive director of the Over-the-Rhine Foundation, said that, had the planning department still been in place, the check-cashing location might not have been able to open at the site.

 

MORE: http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060722/NEWS02/607220324/1011/RSS02