Author: Randy A. Simes

Randy is an award-winning urban planner who founded UrbanCincy in May 2007. He grew up on Cincinnati’s west side in Covedale, and graduated from the University of Cincinnati’s nationally acclaimed School of Planning in June 2009. In addition to maintaining ownership and serving as the managing editor for UrbanCincy, Randy has worked professionally as a planning consultant throughout the United States, Korea and the Middle East. After brief stints in Atlanta and Chicago, he currently lives in the Daechi neighborhood of Seoul’s Gangnam district.

Categories
News

Cincinnati film festival?

As with many other things in Cincinnati lately…things are starting to heat up for a “major film festival” in Cincinnati. CityBeat had a fantastic article about this very subject last week, and it has since stirred some interest on the topic.

Mayor Mark Mallory has commented on the issue and said, “Let me tell you, I am very interested in that concept. We have a very rich film industry in the city of Cincinnati, considering we are not L.A., Chicago or New York.” He goes on to say that CityBeat’s reference of it only costing $120,ooo, “doesn’t seem like a lot of money to me.”

So what do you think…is Cincinnati capable of hosting a major film festival here? CityBeat highlighted the many niche film festivals that are already prevalent in Cincinnati. It seems as though our arts community is capable enough, but do we have that extra umph to make it happen? Furthermore, what could a marque event like this do for Cincinnati’s image nationwide? Sure we’ve got fantastics arts here, and they are supported well…but it doesn’t seem like all that many people know it. Could an event like this put Cincy on the radar of young professionals, and thus enlighten them to everything else Cincinnati has to offer?

External Links:
Cincinnati World Cinema
Cincinnati Film Commission

Categories
News

Kenwood/Other top holiday shopping destinations – Reader’s Choice

For some reason when I created this poll I thought that Kenwood would be a runaway winner, and it was kind of. But the ‘Other’ category actually registered the most votes. So I’m wondering, if you voted ‘Other’ where is it you did most of your holiday shopping?

Did you go Downtown for most of your needs, random stores here and there, or did you even do most of it online? I guess looking back I could have structured the poll a little better, but by the time complaints started rolling in about not listing Downtown as an option it was too late. I would have lost all of the results that had been recorded up until that time.

So let me have it, and share where you did your holiday shopping…and most importantly why.

Categories
News

Enough with the negativity

There is one thing that I really wish would change in Cincinnati, and it is something that many people around here notice. It is that so many locals are so negative about our city. When you go out and see other places and then compare them to Cincinnati our city fares quite well, and many outsiders would tell you that this is quite a nice place.

Our Downtown has more activity than most, we have two professional sports teams, Broadway shows, Opera/Ballet/Orchestra, great museums, great neighborhoods, good schools, relatively low crime, fantastic scenery and it is all very affordable.

But it seems as though people go out of their way to put down our city/region. As a wise man once said, if we start thinking we’re a world-class city we’ll soon be one. Don’t trash the ‘Nati.

Categories
Business Development News

I’ve got your Downtown grocery right here

With the growing residential population Downtown and the new activity being seen on a daily basis…the talks of a full-scale grocery store for Downtown have heated up again. I think it is BS when people say the demographics aren’t right, or that a location isn’t there that meets their needs. I won’t bore you with demographic talk, but I will dive into the location part of the discussion.

I’ve got a couple locations that I think would be great for a nice full-scale grocery Downtown. The first one is 7th & Vine. This is about as close to the center of the population (for the center city) as you can get. There are currently two surface lots there and is located 2 blocks from Fountain Square and 1 block from the proposed streetcar line.

Sunflower Market a natural foods grocery in Columbus – highstreetart.blogspot.com

My second option would be at Tower Place Mall along 4th Street. The street-level would have to be completely reworked to have direct access, but this could prove to be the rejuvenation that Tower Place needs. This is just 1 block from Fountain Square and about 1.5 blocks from the proposed streetcar line.

Finally there is always the massive surface lots near St. Xavier Church at 7th/8th & Sycamore. This location is in a rapidly growing residential area, and offers lots of readily available land just waiting to be built on. This location though is slightly further away from being central, but is smack dab on the streetcar line.

Categories
News

CoolTown Studios on the ‘Q’

CoolTown Studios has done an excellent write up on the ever emerging Gateway Quarter in Over-the-Rhine. This particular write up highlights the focus on contemporary urban living with the businesses that have opened up in the district.

The Gateway Quarter already has a host of great businesses that have opened up including Park + Vine, Mica 12/v, Metronation, CityRoots, and Jean Robert’s newest restaurant that is on the way. In addition to this there are a few more great spaces that are bound to be filled with more fantastic businesses very soon.

So go check out CoolTown Studios and go check out these cool new businesses in the ‘Q’.