Author: Jenny Kessler

Jenny is a local designer who has a passion for people and for Cincinnati. She began writing for UrbanCincy in September 2009, and served as the website's operation manager until March 2012. Jenny currently works for ArtsWave and manages the OTR Urban Kickball League.

Categories
News Transportation

Transit guide explains Cincinnati bus riding basics

A good map makes it easy to see what’s important. Highways don’t look the same as local roads on a good street map; similarly, major transit corridors shouldn’t look the same on a map as a bus that only runs twice a day.  Cincinnati activist Nathan Wessel created a map that highlights the most valuable and convenient Metro bus corridors – the transit equivalent of major arterial streets – and separates them from inconvenient and specialized routes.

“These frequent routes are the backbone of Cincinnati’s transit infrastructure, and understanding them is vital to riding the bus without stress,” Wessel explained. “A good transit map not only needs to represent spatial relationships, but show where and WHEN transit exists.”

Click to enlarge (PDF)

One of the biggest challenges of using transit in Cincinnati is understanding it. The new rider is presented with a complicated fare structure as well as a mess of schedules and maps so overwhelming and disjointed that many would-be riders give up. Metro is making strides towards streamlining the system, but in the interim, Wessel’s map makes understanding how the buses work a lot easier.

This map reduces the jumble to a legible system with an easily visible structure of primary, secondary, and tertiary routes that change clearly in both space and time. “The map is laid out so that people who are new to riding the bus can quickly and easily see which route they need to take, and how to do it,” Wessel said.

Long term, the goal is to have the map printed, distributed, and available potential transit riders. For example, the easy to understand transit map could be included in a welcome binder presented to incoming freshmen at UC, or handed to new out-of-town P&G employees looking for a place to live on a bus line. When printed, the map folds into an approximately 3-inch by 3-inch square with downtown routing information and some other important specifics on the back side.

Wessels is still looking to raise funds to make his idea a reality, as well as official acknowledgment from the the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, which operates Metro, and the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky.

Categories
Development News Transportation

Five Day Design Challenge hopes to spur visionary public transit ideas

Michael Schuster Associates (MSA) is looking for a work week’s worth of revolutionary thinking. The Cincinnati-based architecture firm is sponsoring the 2011 Five Day Design Challenge, a competition calling on local and international thinkers from any discipline to generate ideas for solving real challenges facing Cincinnati and other mid-sized U.S. cities.

Dave Schuster, Visual Media Director at MSA, felt that the time was right for a deeper look at transit in Cincinnati. “We decided to focus the FIVE Competition on transportation this year because it’s very pertinent to the current social climate of the city,” Schuster explained.

“2010 saw an incredible amount of debate regarding the 3C line, the widening of I-75, the streetcar project, and more. With new development happening in The Banks, the casino and numerous projects in between, strengthening connectivity to and within the city will be essential to the long term growth of Cincinnati. Not only that, but with issues in pollution and global warming and the heavy costs associated with commuting, creating a more robust transportation network will be a great asset to the city now and in the future.”

On Feburary 3, 2011, MSA will release the full details of the project brief and all applicants will then have exactly five days to solve the problem given to them. Context information relevant to the specific challenge will be released before, but releasing details too early would spoil the fun.

This year’s design theme revolves around public transportation and infrastructure. There is sufficient evidence concluding that designing roadways to add more cars and lanes only encourages traffic congestion, which in turn encourages more sprawl, increased obesity, stress, commute times, isolationism and dependence on foreign oil.

Multi-disciplinary teams of designers are encouraged to sign up for the competition. Registration fees are only $40 and is ongoing through February 4. The jury committee consists of Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, Cincinnati Art Museum Director Aaron Betsky, local architect Michael Schuster, transit guru John Schneider, and Michael Moore, Director of the City of Cincinnati Transportation and Engineering Office. Together this panel will choose the top five winning designs, who will receive a total of $5,555 in prize money.

“We hope that the competition will raise an awareness and excitement about transportation problems within Cincinnati,” said Schuster. “By asking the question, ‘Can better design help public transportation?’ we will begin to see an emergence of ideas that have the problem solving potential to shape and define Cincinnati in a positive and creative way.”

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Pretzelfest to raise funds for spring beer celebration

Join Christian Moerlein Brewing Company and the organizers and supporters of the 2011 Bockfest for a kegtapping of the official Bockfest Beer this Friday, January 21. The first-ever Pretzelfest has been organized in Over-the-Rhine as a delicious, homegrown way to raise support for the 19th annual spring beer festival, being held March 4-6, 2011.

Pretzels came about as early as 610 AD, originally used as a reward by monks for good children who memorized their prayers. A few thousand years later “Bretzels” are now a symbol of good luck, prosperity, and the perfect accompaniment to a delicious beer.

Venue 222 is hosting the event which will be a fun night of food, music, and beer. The brew on tap is the Moerlein Emancipator; a German style Doppelbock featuring six varieties of uniquely blending malts, which create a dark, robust lager with a toasted character and complex hints of caramel and toffee.

The Cincinnati Dancing Pigs, the area’s premiere jug band, will be performing that night, and six local eateries (MOTR, Shadeau Breads, Taste of Belgium, EAT WELL Catering, Skirtz & Johnston, and Mecklenburg Gardens) are offering a variety of unique pretzel creations for attendees to sample.

Admission to the event is $35 and includes sampling of freshly baked pretzels, four drink tickets, a brat, and an entry into the raffle for the Ultimate Bockfest Weekend. You can purchase tickets at the door, but space is limited, so buy them online in advance up to two hours before the event.

All proceeds from Pretzelfest, Ultimate Bockfest Weekend, and the Arnold’s Bathtub Raffle (a chance to drive the famous Arnold’s bathtub in the Bockfest Parade) go directly to supporting Bockfest. This homegrown weekend relies on grassroots support, and what better way to show some Cincy love by drinking beer?

PretzelFest will take place this Friday, January 21 from 6pm to 10 pm at Venue 222, located at 222 E. 14th Street in historic Over-the-Rhine.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment Business News

Newly formed Creative Society seen as a forum for new ideas

Debbie Dent, owner and creative director of marketing firm Aim Straight Up and event space Venue 222, has a vision for creatives in Cincinnati. After her own company, Willow Group, folded in 2009, Dent bounced back a year later and opened Aim Straight Up after working with her husband Wade to convert their building on 14th Street in Over-the-Rhine into an event and meeting space.

As a sidearm of Aim Straight Up, Debbie decided to help establish a forum for the rapidly growing number of people in the Cincinnati area who are passionate about new ideas and want to contribute, even and especially those who are underutilized in the job market. Thus the Creative Society was born.

“With the economy in the crapper, people losing their jobs, closing or downsizing their businesses and getting paid less for the work we all do, we can become discouraged and stop thinking and acting creatively,” Dent explained. “We lose track of people we enjoyed being with, drop the groups we belonged to and activities that we participated in. And often we lose track of our creative selves.”

Dent noted that in the Cincinnati community there is a flux of passionate people with lots of new ideas to share. “The creative spirit is alive and growing rapidly in Cincinnati,” Debbie shared. “There is an infectious new energy all around. We are lucky, for a community of our size, that have all types of creative people and talent represented. We have a Creative Society.”

Debbie’s motive behind the Creative Society was a way to informally gather people who enjoy being creative and wish to be around and connect with others who value creativity. Currently the club has over 200 members on its Facebook page, with 110 of them scheduled to attend a lunch catered by nearby MOTR this coming Wednesday to make connections and share ideas about what the group can accomplish as a vibrant and passionate collective. The lunch will take place at Venue222 (map).

The goals will be determined by the group as a whole, but the assumption is that members of the group can meet anytime online and physically every other month at a different location to get to know each other, swap ideas, help make connections for each other and create. “Collectively we become a creative think tank that can help be an agent of positive change for Cincinnati,” said Dent.

This month’s lunch will include a creative exercise to “Express your vision for a Creative Cincinnati in 2011,” with plenty of art materials and canvass space for attendees to get out their ideas in an innovative manner.

It’s not just visual artists of graphic designers that have exclusive access to the Creative Society, though. According to Dent, anyone with passion and an idea is as good as a card carrying member.

“Everyone is creative. It’s through our creativity that we make a difference in our lives, the lives of others and our city. It’s in times like these that creative thinking and action is needed even more. “

Categories
Business Development News

Popular mixologist to settle in with establishment of her own in Over-the-Rhine

Molly Wellmann has finally settled down. After several years of flitting from bar to bar, private party to private party, dazzling the public and educating Cincinnati about the art of cocktails, Wellmann has committed to a serious relationship with one the most successful bars in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.

The ownership at the Neon’s Unplugged has acquired Japp’s, located at 12th and Main streets in Over-the-Rhine.  Once a former 19th century wig store, then turned restaurant in the mid-90’s, the storefront has sat vacant for many years. Together with Michael Redmond, John Back, and the other partners at Neon’s, Wellmann hopes to restore the space into a new venue where patrons will be able to enjoy affordable, authentic craft cocktails.

The 1,700 square-foot bar and lounge area has “solid bones,” according to owner and head designer John Back. “The space is going to stay formal yet accessible,” he explained. “The basement has a ton of memorabilia, both from the original hair store and stuff from Main Street’s heyday in the 90’s.”

According to ownership, the space needs much work, especially replacing or refinishing the floor, but the end result will be something resembling a classic 19th century cafe, evoking the pre-Prohibition old saloon spaces without attempting to be a period place (no handlebar moustaches here). Like the old time saloons, Japp’s will also sell speciality locally made desserts as well as tobacco products, though the space will not have an in-house kitchen.

“We have a lot of classic things from the turn of the century, but we’re still in the modern era,” Wellmann explained to UrbanCincy. “We want to pay homage to both. It will be the same with the cocktails – acknowledging the past, but with a new twist.”

According to Wellmann, the cocktails will stick to classics ranging from the 1700s to 1950s. She also plans on staying away from infused liquor. The hope is to make as many house-made cocktail mixers as possible – for example, in-house grenadine and fresh squeezed juices.

When it came to the location and the idea of restoring another neighborhood icon, it just seemed to make sense to Wellmann, Redmond and Back.

“Think about what is happening here in Over-the-Rhine, right now. This revitalization is the result of well thought out change, and it’s amazing to be included. Look out the front door [of Japp’s], and there’s 12th Street, like a grand avenue ahead of you,” said Redmond. “You look out over 12th Street and end at Japp’s. It’s a pretty awesome location!”

The ownership group hopes that having two bars in close proximity will open up more opportunities to improve other parts of the neighborhood – including parking, wayfinding, and lighting. They say this will make them become even bigger advocates for the community and 12th Street district.

Goetz Alley in the back of the new bar provides a potential for outdoor space, and a visual connection to Neon’s, the sister bar. Many of the guiding principles that makes Neon’s a popular neighborhood spot will carry over to Japp’s.

“When we first opened Neon’s, early on we decided that we were always going to offer value proposition,” said Back. “The price of a Jack & Coke at Japp’s will be the same price as a Jack & Coke at Neon’s.”

Wellmann was quick and emphatic to point out that the main cocktail list will all be priced under $10.  She says that patrons will have the option to buy a $10 to $12 drink, but that it will be the exception, not the norm.  The group is also excited to expand the community’s palate without emptying their wallet’s by bringing in a wider variety of little-known beers and alcohols.

Hours of operation have yet to be set, but the ownership team is offering an optimistic timely for a soft opening in early summer 2011.  They also said that the establishment’s operations will run in conjunction with Neon’s.

“Ultimately, the Japp’s experience will be understated, accessible elegance,” says Molly. “There will be the same neighborhood feel that everyone loves at Neon’s, but it won’t be a place where you get hammered drunk. You bring your out of town friends to show off the neighborhood, to display one of Cincinnati’s best sides.”

Stay up-to-date by following Japp’s on Twitter @Japps1879.