Author: Sherman Cahal

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Cincinnati Mills

Seemingly doomed from its start, Forest Fair Mall was completed in stages from 1988 to 1989, and featured nearly 200 stores and four anchors. Located in northwest Cincinnati, it was one of the state’s largest malls, and most impressive. That was one of its only positive highlights, however. The shopping center was completed for $50 million over budget and left the owner saddled with debt.

Not surprisingly, the builder, L.J. Hooker, declared bankruptcy only months after the complex was completed. In the years ahead, the mall was bought and sold, positioned and repositioned, and remodeled and shuttered. It was a high-end regional mall, and outlet center, and a retail and entertainment complex, although it it neither of those descriptors today. Today, it is known simply as Cincinnati Mills.

The mall struggles despite having several some successful outlots and several thriving stores, including Bass Pro Shops. For example, one of its last tenants in the eastern wing, Guitar Center, is departing. This leaves only two minor shops to fend for themselves in the most remote location of the shopping center, and it is doubtful that they will remain there for much longer.

What does the future hold for Cincinnati Mills? Not so much. It features two major tenants that are departing: Guitar Center and Steve and Berry’s, and one entire wing that will essentially become vacant. Major redevelopment is needed at this site, although with the ever struggling economy, this may prove to be a bit of a challenge.

For more information, including a historical overview and additional photographs, check out Cincinnati Mills at Abandoned.

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Two-Wheeled Goodness

For the past month, the City conducted an online poll, gathering input from drivers of scooters and motorcycles regarding where they would like to park in the downtown. Given the rise in gasoline prices and environmental concerns, and the fact that many scooters can achieve over 100 miles-per-gallon, the uptick in demand should be followed up with additional services and facilities for this mode of transport.

The benefits are immediate: scooters and other lightweight two-wheeled vehicles take up far less room than an automobile. They cause far less wear and tear to roads as they are vastly lighter — in fact, many can be picked up with two bare hands. They require less fuel, and four-cycle motors pollute far less than automobiles.

As a result of public input, the city unveiled its first dedicated, public scooter and motorcycle parking in the city on October 23 at the corner of 8th and Vine (GoogleMap) streets in downtown. Noted as the first of its kind in Cincinnati, it will certainly not be the last; four other such locations will soon grace our downtown streets with the hope that the low-cost initiative is expanded elsewhere.

Unfortunately, many of these parking spaces look temporary. Painted stripes on the ground and signage on poles may allocate room for parking, but it does little when you pass by it and note a sport-utility vehicle or commercial van occupying the entire strip. Installing low-cost curbs or barriers along the street can solve this issue, and will not only increase safety, but institute a psychological barrier that these parking areas are permanent, and are dedicated solely to the two-wheeled variant.

Now only if the city was more proactive in applying the same enthusiasm to bicycles, we would have a much more intermodal city.

If you would like to see this program extended to your neighborhood, or somewhere near your business/residence, then please email the City at twowheeler@cincinnati-oh.gov.

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Speak up for bicyclists in Cincinnati

Do you use a bicycle to get to work? To go to school? To go shop and dine? Or for pure recreation?

Would you start riding or ride more if our streets were improved for bicyclists? If there were more dedicated bicycle lanes and storage facilities?

Speak up for bicyclists in Cincinnati on Wednesday, October 22. Let City Council know how improved bicycling conditions will benefit all cyclists of all ages and types at the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Hearing at City Hall (801 Plum Street) that will be held from 6 to 9 P.M. in Council Chambers, Room 300.

Let Queen City Bike know that you are coming by RSVPing. Click here for more information ยป

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Cincinnati’s Cycling Scene

It’s no secret. Cincinnati’s cycling scene is a little lacking, and the effort put forth by the city to cater to this mode of transport is paltry at best. The City of Cincinnati states that there are 55 miles of bike routes, although 24 miles are signed. A bike route does not necessarily mean that it features a dedicated lane for cyclists or improved bicycle storage facilities, just that it is a city-preferred route. There are also only 200 bicycle racks in the city that boasts a population of over 300,000.

The city boasts that it has added six sets of bicycle lanes over the “past few years,” although if it is anything like what was added to Victory Parkway, in which the lanes only extend for 1/2 mile and connect to no other facilities or bike lanes and are entirely isolated, then this boasting may be a bit premature.

The city, though, is looking to create designated two-wheeled, motorized vehicle parking areas, and it would be nice if the city could extend that to implenting more bicycle racks throughout the study area.

For the month of September, UrbanCincy asked its readers what the city should do to cater to cyclists, and the response was pretty overwhelming:

  • 38% would like to see additional bike lanes and trails;
  • 16% wanted more bicycle facilities that include dedicated parking areas, lockers and showers;
  • 1% requested additional bike signage and striping on roadways;
  • 1% would like to see more bicycle co-ops;
  • and less than 1% wanted more driver and cyclist education programs.

Interesting enough, 50% wanted to see all five options implemented.

The demand is there for these facilities, and every day that I am out on the bike or walking the streets, I spot countless cyclists interacting in various ways with traffic. Some are commuters, others are racers, but many just don’t fall under any identifiable category. And the number of cyclists continue to increase, especially with weekly rides such as Cincinnati Mayhem and various rides from the local bicycle shops, and with the ever-popular end-of-the-month Critical Mass.

Finding information about these, though, is a bit cumbersome. Queen City Bike is a great resource and blog, where you can find up-to-date information. Although it is a new forum, CincyRides attempts to combine many of the divergent resources together into one convenient and accessible web-site.

Even though winter is fast approaching, it is still a great time to get out on the bike and become one of the many commuters who take to the streets every morning, or one of the many who bike for pleasure and health. An ever-greater bike presence will only result in ever-greater attention by the city, after all.

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PARK(ing) Day invades Cincinnati

First organized by the Trust for Public Land, PARK(ing) Day is a global event that lasts only one day but whose goal is one that is shared amongst many. Whereas some cities devote 70% of their public land to the automobile, PARK(ing) Day attempts to reclaim land from the automobile, to change how one perceives public space to be defined as, at least temporarily.

Activists, artists and ordinary citizens come together to transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing) spaces,” or what are essentially public parks. Some of these reclaimed spaces are more elaborate than others, with some laying out the sod and lawn chairs to give the appearance of an actual park. An act of civil disobedience in some locales, nothing more than a glance-over by the parking maids in others.

What’s great about PARK(ing) Day is its simplicity. You choose a suitable location for the park, lay down some sod or shrubbery, add in some chairs or perhaps a bench, and other decorative elements that invite passerby’s to come in and chat. Perhaps add in an umbrella to provide some shade. Oh, and don’t forget to feed the meter.

For Cincinnati, there were seven PARK(ing) Day locations. Coffee Emporium, City Roots, Park+Vine, Outside, Iris Book Cafe and Classical Glass all participated.

At Coffee Emporium’s spot, one of the employees had kicked back in a chair and was catching up on a novel. At Park+Vine’s, they were selling lemons for two cents and advice for one cent from a cardboard stand that was reminiscent of Lucy’s “Pyschiatric Help” booth from the cartoon strip, Peanuts.

It wasn’t all rosy, though. An impromptu spot along Walnut Street between Fourth and Fifth streets ran into a snafu after participants began playing cornhole outside of a Subway restaurant. The fast-food eatery, fearing a major loss of business during the lunch rush, called the police to complain and the PARK(ing) spot was removed.

PARK(ing) Day was still a fantastic event and a much bigger turnout than from the prior year. It’ll be interesting to see what is planned for next year!