I can attest that the majority involved in the grass roots movement against Ashley did not have I'll will against renters, Butch Callery and Ashley development twisted the story that way to come off as good guys. The group was upset with the shady political practices going on during the voting and decision making. Majority of the old council would have made profits with there jobs outside of council if the new development went through accordingly. I will say that there is a snappy tomato and a coffee shop going in next to Ameristop on Amsterdam. 

Trouble in paradise. 

America's Most Livable City in 1996!

17 hours ago, savadams13 said:

Sorry but i am all for higher density when the area is designed for the density. However Villa Hills would not be able to handle the higher car amounts with the current infrastructure. When ole Butch was mayor he wanted the city to take out major bonds to increase roads and intersections. Something many residence did not want to foot a bill for the benefit of Ashley developers. If this was more urban location, had adequate bus routes and walkable areas to basic needs I would have been all for the high density apartment building. Glad the grass roots movement was able to prevail after crooked council and mayor who created this nightmare have all been voted out as well. 

 

This is circular logic. The area is currently sprawl so it is only appropriate for sprawl? If you build more sprawl it'll just make the situation worse. Density is the solution not the problem. Bus routes can be changed. Residential density spurs commercial development. 

I would also add, the development to the west of this site is actually more dense but is much more car-centric and less walkable. This kind of density would actually keep property taxes lower for current residents in the long run by expanding the tax base. And the site is closer to downtown Cincinnati than many urban neighborhoods in the city. 

Are there any good (well-designed) studies showing the actual increase in traffic caused by an apartment building? Since people come and go at different times (very different from an office building or hospital with shift workers), it seems like the impact on traffic would be negligible. I feel like the NIMBY opponents to apartments often use "TRAFFIC" as a scare tactic to oppose projects when the real motivation is due to the aesthetic/demographic aspects of the project. 

Just one anecdote but I worked on an apartment building with 182 units that was on a two lane road that people thought would destroy traffic. The study (which was signed off on by Hamilton County) showed that 182 units would create 55 total trips (in and out) during the AM peak hour, and 71 total trips during the PM peak hour. This means .92 cars per minute added to the street in the morning and 1.2 cars per minute added in the afternoon. 

 

It may not seem logical, but that's what decades of traffic studies and research has to say. 

1 hour ago, DEPACincy said:

 

This is circular logic. The area is currently sprawl so it is only appropriate for sprawl? If you build more sprawl it'll just make the situation worse. Density is the solution not the problem. Bus routes can be changed. Residential density spurs commercial development. 

Also, Villa Hills used to be on a TANK route, the 17X used to travel right in front of this development (until fall of 2017) and Prospect Point and the Ameristop strip center. Now it ends at Buttermilk Crossing Park & Ride, meaning anyone who wants to take said bus has to drive on a congested road to get to the park and ride, instead of the bus removing those car trips from the street.  

Edited February 20, 20196 yr by ucgrady

Bill to legalize sports betting clears Kentucky House panel

 

 

A bill to legalize and tax sports betting in Kentucky and devote much of the estimated tens of millions of dollars in revenue to public pensions flew out of a House committee on Wednesday, the Lexington Herald Leader reports.

 

Still, it faces an uncertain future in the full House, where – as a revenue measure – it needs 60 out of 100 votes to pass.

 

“I don’t know how it’s going to go,” said the sponsor, Rep. Adam Koenig, R-Erlanger. “We’ve got a pretty good chance of getting it passed if everyone votes their conscience. There’s a lot of folks in my party who believe in freedom, and there’s a lot of folks on the Democrats’ side who ran on finding (pension) funding first.”

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/02/22/bill-to-legalize-sports-betting-clears-kentucky.html

Big IRS office to close on Sept 28, 2019.  But some other federal agency will be using the space, at least temporarily:

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/covington/2019/03/26/irs-filling-nearly-1-000-jobs-while-eliminating-1-800-covington-jobs/3244496002/

I don't think the General Services Administration will be occupying the building after the IRS leaves. They're just the agency that's in charge of buying and selling the federal government's real estate.

Academy on 4th update

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Chad McCann

Fort Thomas City Publishes Proposed Plans for Central Business District Development

 

 

The city of Fort Thomas has put up a link on its website to plans for a development in the Central Business District at Highland and North Fort Thomas avenues. The plans were submitted by Greiwe Development with partners North American Properties and Sibcy Cline. The proposed project will be mixed use, with retail on the first floor and 24 condominium units on the top two floors. According to the plans, landscaping and other amenities are planned for the site to help create a buffer between the development and nearby neighbors. 

 

http://www.fortthomasmatters.com/2019/04/city-publishes-proposed-plans-for.html

 

Actual plan for new center of Fort Thomas: http://ftthomas.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Highland-N.-Ft.-Thomas-Development-Plan.pdf

Edited April 5, 20196 yr by cincydave8

OKI is "fast tracking" a new I-275 interchange at Graves Rd. near the airport.  Amazon Prime Air is the cover story -- a glance at a map shows us that this interchange has nothing whatsoever to do with the Prime Air hub and is instead a giveaway to developers:

https://www.wcpo.com/news/transportation-development/move-up-cincinnati/how-amazon-will-change-the-traffic-flow-in-nky-and-around-cvg

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Graves+Rd,+Hebron,+KY/@39.0809092,-84.7413687,3076m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8841cef9d76585fb:0x2cd2522c3cfbb814!8m2!3d39.0793412!4d-84.7351717

Wasn't Max Montoya suing to hold up this project since the exit would bisect his horse farm? Has that case been thrown out or settled already?

It's not even 1.5 miles from the KY-237 exit.  Isn't that some violation of exit spacing standards? 

15 hours ago, jmecklenborg said:

OKI is "fast tracking" a new I-275 interchange at Graves Rd. near the airport.  Amazon Prime Air is the cover story -- a glance at a map shows us that this interchange has nothing whatsoever to do with the Prime Air hub and is instead a giveaway to developers:

https://www.wcpo.com/news/transportation-development/move-up-cincinnati/how-amazon-will-change-the-traffic-flow-in-nky-and-around-cvg

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Graves+Rd,+Hebron,+KY/@39.0809092,-84.7413687,3076m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8841cef9d76585fb:0x2cd2522c3cfbb814!8m2!3d39.0793412!4d-84.7351717

When the next phase of construction happens with they start building between runways 18C and 18R that exit will impact Amazon greatly. I hate the idea, but they will run another road from the interstate exit to the north end of the airport property connecting to Phase II of Amazon build out. 

If this was just about access to Amazon's hub wouldn't it make more sense to build the new exit near where Elijah Creek Rd passes under 275? This location does seem more about developing warehouses (and housing) than access to Amazon. 

19 hours ago, ucgrady said:

If this was just about access to Amazon's hub wouldn't it make more sense to build the new exit near where Elijah Creek Rd passes under 275? This location does seem more about developing warehouses (and housing) than access to Amazon. 

Amazon occupies several of the warehouses off the 237 exit in addition to several other large businesses (UPS, McLane, Fram, OwensMinor, iHerb, Wayfair, etc. Traffic is an issue in this area and the new interchange will provide needed access. This issue is the amount of warehouse and residential development north of 275 and 237 being the only interstate access. It’s a worthy project for this relatively unknown, yet busy, corner of the tristate. 

Edited April 12, 20196 yr by Rabbit Hash

My parents live back there in the Treetops neighborhood so I'm aware of how much traffic heads north off the 237 exit, I also know to avoid shift change during christmas time or you get caught with a Boone County sherrif controlling the red light for about 10 minutes to let Amazon seasonal workers out.

 

My point was just that this proposed exit seems more about providing a back door to Worldwide blvd and not the new amazon air hub which is on the south side of the airport off the new aero parkway. Unless they are planning on building out KY 20 to be a much larger road to connect east over to Amazon as Savadams mentioned above, which would make sense, it just seems like they are using Amazon's hub as an excuse to fast track a project that local developers want (Drees on the residential side and Hemmer on the commercial, who are both NKY families with lots of pull).

Edited April 12, 20196 yr by ucgrady

1 hour ago, ucgrady said:

My parents live back there in the Treetops neighborhood so I'm aware of how much traffic heads north off the 237 exit, I also know to avoid shift change during christmas time or you get caught with a Boone County sherrif controlling the red light for about 10 minutes to let Amazon seasonal workers out.

 

My point was just that this proposed exit seems more about providing a back door to Worldwide blvd and not the new amazon air hub which is on the south side of the airport off the new aero parkway. Unless they are planning on building out KY 20 to be a much larger road to connect east over to Amazon as Savadams mentioned above, which would make sense, it just seems like they are using Amazon's hub as an excuse to fast track a project that local developers want (Drees on the residential side and Hemmer on the commercial, who are both NKY families with lots of pull).

 

I understand. I'm also very familiar as a NKYian. 

 

Yes, it is definitely about providing a relief valve for Francisville and Worldwide. Has very little to do with the Air Hub and you are right that there are probably some weak reasons being made to the Hub. I still maintain though that it's a needed project and legitimately connected to their CVG "node" due to the two huge warehouses on Worldwide Boulevard (CVG 1 and CVG 2) that create most of the non-residential traffic. I just wonder if any of the Hebron warehouses will become redundant with the Hub operations on CVG property.

 

Also, this area is primed for new residential development; warehouse is almost built out if you go by what the land is currently zoned. Fiscal Court and SD1 went all in for sanitary sewer upgrades to help it happen. Drees is basically done in this area. However, you will see a big push by Toebben and Arlinghaus. The Crisler family also owns huge chunks of land but they are primarily hillsides and bottoms. Farther west, Hilltop and the mining companies own large swaths.

 

I'm thinking that KY20 does get upgraded overtime but really the only part that needs to be upgraded is from Graves/Watts/Bullittsville east to KY237. KY20 east of KY237 is fine for truck traffic. 

 

The project is drawn on the Boone County GIS. You can see that it avoids the former Bengals player's property with the odd kink in the new connection to Williams Road. Intersections will be designed as roundabouts from what I hear.

Edited April 12, 20196 yr by Rabbit Hash
Added maps I forgot to include.

I hadn't seen that alignment, (why don't any of the news stories include the proposed alignment?) it's interesting that the new Graves overpass isn't located in the current location. I'm not sure why that is, but it seems like it pushes everything further West into more people's properties than necessary. 

2 hours ago, Rabbit Hash said:

The Crisler family also owns huge chunks of land but they are primarily hillsides and bottoms.

 

Huge...tracts of land. 

 

2 hours ago, ucgrady said:

I hadn't seen that alignment, (why don't any of the news stories include the proposed alignment?) it's interesting that the new Graves overpass isn't located in the current location. I'm not sure why that is, but it seems like it pushes everything further West into more people's properties than necessary. 

 

Probably so they can build the new exit without having to close off the old overpass during construction, which would likely need to be widened anyway.  It also looks like there's a lot of houses pretty close to Graves so widening it would be rough.  "Look, we can either put this new arterial street right on your front door step, or it can go in the creek 500' back and you get to live on a cul-de-sac." 

2 hours ago, ucgrady said:

it pushes everything further West into more people's properties than necessary. 

 

I think that's the point. It allows them to take even more property via eminent domain which can then be sold to Amazon or other companies that want to build warehouses.

3 hours ago, Rabbit Hash said:

 

 

The project is drawn on the Boone County GIS.

 

Thanks for the link to the graphic.  It's amazing that something this big is basically already designed and we're just now hearing about it. 

 

 

 

 

Go to the Boone GIS to get a better understanding of the alignment. Look at how the land is already zoned on the north side of the freeway. In my informed estimation, this alignment maximizes space for commercial development on the north side of I275 and then minimizes imminent domain on the south side while creating a safer 90 degree intersection with a realigned Bullittsville Road and 20. @jjakucyk has the best feel for why the alignment is going where it is proposed for now. 

 

The project has been whispered about since uhm, 2015. I think the first study was completed in fall 2017. But it has been fast tracked for sure. 

I’m surprised no one mentioned CVG breaking ground on the Amazon Air Hub yesterday, I believe this is just the beginning of multiple distribution centers that will open around that area. If you supply/ship through amazon you’d have to think you’d want to move closer to the hub. 

 

Hopefully the region starts pitching to companies to move their distribution  to the region to be closer to Hub, then they pitch manufacturing. . Think about Cincinnati has the chance to be the center of all e-commerce, exciting! 

11 minutes ago, lobanio0 said:

I’m surprised no one mentioned CVG breaking ground on the Amazon Air Hub yesterday, I believe this is just the beginning of multiple distribution centers that will open around that area. If you supply/ship through amazon you’d have to think you’d want to move closer to the hub. 

 

Hopefully the region starts pitching to companies to move their distribution  to the region to be closer to Hub, then they pitch manufacturing. . Think about Cincinnati has the chance to be the center of all e-commerce, exciting! 

 

It's in the CVG thread.

9 minutes ago, lobanio0 said:

I’m surprised no one mentioned CVG breaking ground on the Amazon Air Hub yesterday, I believe this is just the beginning of multiple distribution centers that will open around that area. If you supply/ship through amazon you’d have to think you’d want to move closer to the hub. 

 

Hopefully the region starts pitching to companies to move their distribution  to the region to be closer to Hub, then they pitch manufacturing. . Think about Cincinnati has the chance to be the center of all e-commerce, exciting! 

 

Yes it is exciting and that’s why we need a bridge from the airport directly to the west side and also better transit options to the airport. 

On ‎5‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 11:44 AM, thebillshark said:

 

Yes it is exciting and that’s why we need a bridge from the airport directly to the west side and also better transit options to the airport. 

 

We need a transit hub at the airport so that workers from Ohio can reach many but unfortunately disparate employers at and around the airport.  For example, a bus every 15 minutes to the airport, then workers would transfer to a number of shuttles that would take them to the various industrial parks.  

 

Also, we need Metro buses that take people directly to that hub without stopping in NKY or even Downtown Cincinnati.  For example, one that goes from the Western Hills transit center directly to the airport hub, one that goes from the new Northside transit center directly to the airport hub, etc.  

 

On 5/15/2019 at 11:32 AM, lobanio0 said:

I’m surprised no one mentioned CVG breaking ground on the Amazon Air Hub yesterday, I believe this is just the beginning of multiple distribution centers that will open around that area. If you supply/ship through amazon you’d have to think you’d want to move closer to the hub. 

 

Hopefully the region starts pitching to companies to move their distribution  to the region to be closer to Hub, then they pitch manufacturing. . Think about Cincinnati has the chance to be the center of all e-commerce, exciting! 

It is exciting, I mean even wayfair opened their first ever store in Florence. That’s a pretty big deal seeing that they could have easily opened one in a larger city with a distribution center. 

The optimist in me says: the job growth about to explode in NKY and horrible access to the airport (and the already congested I-75) we may yet see huge push from not only young people, but employers to get rail integrated along the highways or at least a major BRT overhaul.  No amount of highway-widening and bridge-building is going to solve our MSA adding yet another top-notch job hub outside of the urban core, and along a highway. @jmecklenborg 's idea of having a direct transit link between population centers and job hubs is vital. 

 

The realist in me thinks: this will just lead to Florence punching up to West Chester/Liberty levels of growth, the highways get bad, but not bad enough for major change to happen, and we get a 5th lane on I-75.

13 minutes ago, 10albersa said:

The optimist in me says: the job growth about to explode in NKY and horrible access to the airport (and the already congested I-75) we may yet see huge push from not only young people, but employers to get rail integrated along the highways or at least a major BRT overhaul.  No amount of highway-widening and bridge-building is going to solve our MSA adding yet another top-notch job hub outside of the urban core, and along a highway. @jmecklenborg 's idea of having a direct transit link between population centers and job hubs is vital. 

 

The realist in me thinks: this will just lead to Florence punching up to West Chester/Liberty levels of growth, the highways get bad, but not bad enough for major change to happen, and we get a 5th lane on I-75.

 

It's not even my idea.  It was the Metro Moves plan back in 2002, except only on the Ohio side of the river.  

 

There's no chance any of our current political leaders will make a serious push for rail, but improving bus access to CVG is something I could see actually getting done in the next few years.

If rail happens, it will be because of all these things happening over the next decade:

1. WC/Mason growth + downtown/uptown job growth continuing at its current rates, grinding 75/71 to a LA-style halt daily.

2. CVG-area job creation is through the roof + passengers continue at current growth rates

3. Hamilton County continues to have 3 Democratic commissioners, City Council continues to have a progressive majority, and we get a progressive mayor.

4. DeWine/Future Democratic Gov of KY not going out of his way to block federal funds

 

So, yeah, probably not going to happen.  But I do see the general public (suburbs included) embracing this if the highways get bad enough.

If there's enough suburb support, 1-3 takes care of itself, even if there are some more conservative democrats on council or in the mayor's seat.

 

 

Edited May 16, 20196 yr by 10albersa

9 minutes ago, 10albersa said:

If rail happens, it will be because of all these things happening over the next decade:

1. WC/Mason growth + downtown/uptown job growth continuing at its current rates, grinding 75/71 to a LA-style halt daily.

2. CVG-area job creation is through the roof + passengers continue at current growth rates

3. Hamilton County continues to have 3 Democratic commissioners, City Council continues to have a progressive majority, and we get a progressive mayor.

4. DeWine/Future Democratic Gov of KY not going out of his way to block federal funds

 

So, yeah, probably not going to happen.  But I do see the general public (suburbs included) embracing this if the highways get bad enough.

If there's enough suburb support, 1-3 takes care of itself, even if there are some more conservative democrats on council or in the mayor's seat.

 

 

 

I actually think Cincy might have a shot at seeing some more transit in coming years due to the new congressional map that will almost certainly result in the city/county gaining a Democratic representative in congress. If we get a Democrat in the WH in 2020, retain the Dem majority in the County,  and elect a sensible mayor, it seems like the stars could be aligned for at least streetcar expansion, if not the beginnings of a true regional rail transit system.

15 minutes ago, edale said:

 

I actually think Cincy might have a shot at seeing some more transit in coming years due to the new congressional map that will almost certainly result in the city/county gaining a Democratic representative in congress. If we get a Democrat in the WH in 2020, retain the Dem majority in the County,  and elect a sensible mayor, it seems like the stars could be aligned for at least streetcar expansion, if not the beginnings of a true regional rail transit system.

 

We first have to get a democrat elected president. I just hear everyone bitching they dont like Biden or they dont like Bernie or they dont like so and so. I just look at them and says its whoever is chosen or Trump for four more years, so shut up and show up to the polls next November. I think the internal squabble will hurt democrats again but not to get off topic. 

1 hour ago, 10albersa said:

Hamilton County continues to have 3 Democratic commissioners, City Council continues to have a progressive majority, and we get a progressive mayor.

 

I'm not sure any of the 3 Democrats current on County Commission are progressive on transit issues. Portune is theoretically pro-rail but has a history of pushing specific pet projects like Eastern Corridor commuter rail instead of ones that actually make sense from a fiscal and transportation perspective, like Wasson Way light rail or streetcar expansion. I have also heard that the head of OKI was pro-streetcar and pro-rail at one point but had a change of heart and only seems to care about highway investments these days.

 

Kentucky, if I understand correctly, has a state law prohibiting a dedicated transit tax. So TANK is funded out of the operating budgets of the counties that choose to pay into it. If Kenton or Campbell gets new leadership that decides transit is antiquated and Uber and Lyft are the future, they can reduce the funding to $0 in the next budget.

 

I believe that there are agreements in place that would allow Metro to provide service in KY, so in theory, a Metro tax could fund a Government Square-to-CVG bus route and even a Glenway TC-to-CVG route (if only we had a West Side bridge it could use...).

Say what you want about Scott Ford, but he has a vision for light rail in the urban core. He's very vocal about this issue on his Twitter. 

 

He also plans to run for mayor and has a somewhat large following on social media and most importantly, is rich. He lives in a fancy loft at Findley market and doesn't work. He has the type of money to burn on a mayoral 2020 campaign. 

 

Call me crazy, but he's super passionate about this city, has city hall connections, and is very vocal about progressive issues like light rail. 

 

From what he's discussed on Twitter he's planning to announce a campaign to run, and I honestly think he might be a sleeper candidate. 

^ That dude's a clown and has no business running for anything. But this is way off topic and should (or shouldn't, probably) be taken over to the appropriate section of the forum.

The day Lime scooters launched in Cincinnati, he was ranting and raving about how no one is going to use the useless streetcar anymore because it doesn't go anywhere and Limes can take you anywhere! His opinion changes from day to day based on what he thinks will get more faves and RTs. He's a total clown.

19 minutes ago, taestell said:

The day Lime scooters launched in Cincinnati, he was ranting and raving about how no one is going to use the useless streetcar anymore because it doesn't go anywhere and Limes can take you anywhere! His opinion changes from day to day based on what he thinks will get more faves and RTs. He's a total clown.

His Twitter Feed is like a series of TMI tweet after another...

1 hour ago, taestell said:

The day Lime scooters launched in Cincinnati, he was ranting and raving about how no one is going to use the useless streetcar anymore because it doesn't go anywhere and Limes can take you anywhere! His opinion changes from day to day based on what he thinks will get more faves and RTs. He's a total clown.

 

Right, the perfect solution for tech bros that, as always, only think about able-bodied, middle-class and up people with smartphones and credit cards between the age of 16-50 in nice weather.

9 hours ago, jmecklenborg said:

 

We need a transit hub at the airport so that workers from Ohio can reach many but unfortunately disparate employers at and around the airport.  For example, a bus every 15 minutes to the airport, then workers would transfer to a number of shuttles that would take them to the various industrial parks.  

 

Also, we need Metro buses that take people directly to that hub without stopping in NKY or even Downtown Cincinnati.  For example, one that goes from the Western Hills transit center directly to the airport hub, one that goes from the new Northside transit center directly to the airport hub, etc.  

 

 

Yes it’s an interesting problem. Manufacturing and warehouse facilities are going to be sprawled out by their very nature so serving them with transit in an efficient straight line is difficult (leading to a “last mile” problem.) It’d be an interesting DAAP project to come up with industrial park configurations that would be conducive to transit or even walkability, but realistically no other design factor is going to trump functionality, process efficiency, and the bottom line when designing these facilities. 

In Columbus the last mile issue for warehouses near Rickenbacker is currently addressed by GREAT (Groveport Rickenbacker Employee Access Transit).

 

https://www.groveport.org/193/GREAT-Workforce-Transportation

Edited May 17, 20196 yr by GCrites80s

2 hours ago, savadams13 said:

His Twitter Feed is like a series of TMI tweet after another...

 

When he started shaming homeless/folks with addiction issues by filming them, patronizing them and posting it on his feed, I stopped following him and never looked back. I found him toxic.

This has been rumored for a while, but the parking lot where the Millennium Tower was once proposed, and the Peace Bell currently sits adjacent too, is going to finally be developed. 

 

https://www.rcnky.com/articles/2019/05/20/hotel-mixed-use-building-coming-world-peace-bell-site

 

 

They say this development "will fill in the missing tooth"... this building did a pretty good job of that.

Hopefully will have some height to it. A 144 room hotel plus a garage is a lot for that lot.

The aloft down the road also has 144 rooms and is 7 stories tall, so I think it will likely end up around that size. It all depends on if they build the garage adjacent to the hotel more like the Fairfield inn by UC (which I assume they will), or if the hotel goes on top of the garage more like 4th and race in terms of scale. 

 

My guess is that the parking garage makes an L shape around the Peace Bell, and the hotel portion sits on the Monmouth side, possibly with a valet drive mid-block between the two.