Tag: Cincinnati

Categories
News

NIMBY Tip of the Month (8.07)

I think that this might become a regular feature that will be some fun for everyone!

We all have heard of the dreaded NIMBYs before…and if you haven’t then here is a quick summary to catch you up. NIMBY stands for Not In My BackYard; and it is representative of those individuals that oppose things from happening or have distaste for things that are happening near their sacred property.

Now there is nothing wrong with wanting to protect your property’s value, but NIMBYs usually take it a bit to far. So without further ado here is the first NIMBY tip, that will hopefully save these individuals a lot of heartburn in the future.

Tip #1:
When house-hunting avoid locations near highways or other heavily traveled thoroughfares. It is most likely that these routes will not only remain heavily traveled, but actually become more crowded with traffic. All this traffic tends to make some noise…so if you buy a home a stones throw away from I-275, for instance, you should probably expect some noise issues.

Please note that this interstate was here before you purchased your house, therefore you really don’t have any room to complain about the negative attributes the interstate carries along with its vehicles. I’m sorry, but no sound walls for you…and in all honesty if your home builder decided to clear cut the site of all its trees, then you should be the one responsible for the screening/buffers that you so desire.

It’s not everyone else’s fault that you bought a bad product just because it was located on a cul-de-sac. Dry those tears, because you bought that house and the backyard (I-275) that came with it.

**Please note that the house, in the above image, was built in 2001…I-275 began construction in 1958 and was fully completed by 1979. I would say that roughly 20 years is enough time to scout out a better home location.

Categories
News

Scribble Jam 2007

Scribble Jam 2007 is coming up next weekend! It will start on Thursday, August 9th and last until Sunday, August 12th. This years event will include MC, DJ, B-Boy and Beatbox battles…and also include a graffiti expo. This event is considered “America’s Largest Hip-Hop Festival” and is the largest public display of underground hip hop that is available in the United States.

The event will be taking place throughout the city at locations like: The Poison Room, Annies Night Club, Burnett Woods and Top Cats. You’ll be able to witness, arguably, the most competitive MC battle in the country where competitors have to beat out others, from their region, in order to qualify for the Cincinnati Scribble Jam event.

This event is always a popular one and it’s recommended that you buy pre-sale tickets where you’ll save money and ensure yourself entry. The event attracts tens of thousands of hip hop fans from across the country, and has called Cincinnati home for the past 10 years. Some of the events are free, so it’s best to check the website for more details regarding the schedule, prices and details of the locations.

Categories
Development News Politics

Cincinnati and its long history with Urban Planning

Urban Planning has a long, rich history in the Queen City. You can date this back to the influential and charismatic individual named Ladislas Segoe (1894-1983). Segoe was involved in nearly all types of professional planning…advocating for an increased presence of private planners and even operating his own successful private practice: Ladislas Segoe and Associates of Cincinnati, Ohio. Needless to say Segoe was extremely influential in the great deal of planning that took place, in Cincinnati, in the early 20th Century.

During the early 20th Century you saw a lot of firsts for the planning profession…especially in Cincinnati. In 1923 ground was broken on the planned community of Mariemont; planned by John Nolan the community boasted many concepts (small blocks, mixed uses, mixed owner/rental units) that are now the foundation of what is considered new urbanism.

Shortly thereafter, in 1925, Cincinnati was recognized as being the first major American city to endorse a comprehensive plan. This plan was revolutionary for American cities and was primarily drafted by Ladislas Segoe and Alfred Bettman. This plan outlined park corridors throughout the city, systems of grand boulevards, complimented the Park Plan of 1907, and included the now requisite transportation component of modern comprehensive plans.

General Park Plan: 1907 Kessler Park Plan

Ten years later in 1935 the Resettlement Administration, established under the Roosevelt administration, set forth to build three ‘Greenbelt towns.’ One of those ‘Greenbelt towns’ being Greenhills in Cincinnati. These towns became the case studies for future planned communities like Columbia, MD and Reston, VA. Shortly thereafter, in 1941, Ladislas Segoe publishes the first of his “Green Book” series entitled: Local Planning Administration.

After this frenzy of breakthrough planning activity, taking place in Cincinnati, you have to fast forward to the very recent history. In 2002, Charlie Luken and City Manager Valerie Lemmie were under extreme pressure to make budget cuts…and not surprisingly, Valerie Lemmie pushed to have the Planning Department abolished from the Cincinnati government structure. Combine this with the idea that this move would make the City more ‘developer friendly’ and you have an abolished Planning Department. The move didn’t necessarily have the desired impact and has actually hampered the City’s efforts to update it’s comprehensive plan, and perform long-range planning that is essential for any community.

Five years have past and Mayor Mark Mallory is living up to his promise of re-establishing the Planning Department in Cincinnati. Charles C. Graves III was hired as the director of the re-established department and will start his job on September 4th. Hopefully with the support of the Mayor, City Manager and City Council Cincinnati can return to it’s proud ways of being a progressive area for professional Planning. There is a lot to catch up on first and foremost, but the progressive minds in professional Planning at least have a place to gather again in Cincinnati government.

Categories
News

Reclaiming our city from the mistakes of the past

Cincinnati, as well as, many other cities are spending billions of dollars to fix the mistakes made by misguided policy and investments of the past. Cincinnati actually fared better than many cities in this regard…protecting some of it’s urban gems (Over-the-Rhine) from the wrecking ball. Other areas weren’t as lucky (West End).

The Eisenhower Interstate System efficiently and brutally tore through the West End of Cincinnati; rendering a beauty like Crosley Field practically obsolete. It also ripped through a dense, diverse, urban neighborhood. The funny thing is that the two places that were Cincinnati’s points of entry to many immigrants were ruined for the sake of the interstate system and other ‘urban renewal’ projects. Immigrants would come in along the Ohio River and find jobs along it’s powerful economic riverbanks. Others would come in by train and pass through the mighty Union Terminal, find working class jobs in the West End and settle down.

Well we all know what those two key locations are like today, and we know what they were like in the past. A key issue however, is what they’ll be like in the future. The Banks and Cincinnati Riverfront Park are rebuilding a neighborhood creating a beautiful green space for Cincinnati. Different from the warehouses and docks that once existed, but overall a very nice alternative.

Now there is the often over looked West End…what about it. It seems to be sitting there with a whole lot of nothing going on. Sure there are some warehouses and distribution centers, sprinkle in a little residential here or there and you have it. If it weren’t for City West it would still be the massive symbol of ‘urban renewal’ that it is. But wait, don’t write it off quite yet. The Cincinnati Museum Center claims residence to the West End, as well as it’s rail yards. Quietly behind the scenes people have been working towards a high speed rail plan for Ohio. Combine this with the great success of the Museum Center and you have the potential for something great.

Flooded Walnut Street (1913)

The Gateway Park District is something that could end up being more important, more impactful and just more impressive than the highly touted Banks project. It has the ability to reclaim the West End from it’s ‘urban renewal’ blight and turn that area back into a main entry point for the Queen City. It will be interesting to watch this project proceed, but one thing is for sure…Cincinnati seems to be trying it’s best to reclaim our city from the mistakes of the past.

Categories
News Politics

A not so new, new idea

The Cincinnati metropolitan area is an extremely fragmented area (particularly Hamilton County), and like much regions in the country it suffers from NIMBYism, white flight and concentration of social services. The mindset of, the different communities, distancing themselves from the inner-city has been in full speed for some time now…until more recently.

Inner-ring suburbs are starting to feel the pinch from the perpetuating nature of sprawl. Cincinnati proper has been dealing with this problem for years, and arguably might be at the point of getting past that issue. Recent population count challenges from the City of Cincinnati have been successful and are now showing a population growth not only for downtown, but for the entire City. Other communities, within Hamilton County, have now also been pegged with losses…losses that they have never seen before.

So…what’s new about a Midwest city losing population and struggling as a region. Well, nothing. But what is new with this situation is that the inner-city is showing signs of life as the inner-ring ‘burbs are now feeling the pinch. This is inevitably the future for many regions around the nation…so what are we to do?

Well Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory has stepped up to the plate, and is taking a leadership role for this region in fighting this decline and challenging numbers that may very well be flawed from a Census methodology that favors new growth cities. It is more difficult to count the number of rehabbed buildings and/or reoccupied buildings. You can spot the number of building permits from a mile away and guestimate that 2-3 people occupy that structure (which may or may not be true).

So…what else is new? We have a leader that is stepping up to the plate and taking on a leadership role at a more regional level. Mayor Mallory is rallying communities from around Hamilton County. If Hamilton County can begin working as one cohesive unit then the region will surely benefit. In short…the voice of 800,000+ people is much more powerful than those voices being split up amongst dozens of jurisdictions.

The bottom line is that it’s beginning to look like the Cincinnati region may start to begin working together cooperatively to accomplish their goals…which for Cincinnati is a not so new, new idea.