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Cincinnati plans multi-million dollar surveillance camera system

The City of Cincinnati, in combination with the Uptown Consortium, has announced that 14 new high-tech surveillance cameras will be installed in various locations throughout Downtown (8) and Uptown (6). The cameras are being touted by local officials and community leaders as being a 21st Century crime fighting tool that should make Cincinnati a safer place.

The $19,000/piece cameras are not going to stop at this initial installation, that is expected to be fully operational within the coming months, as officials will have another dozen installed throughout East Price Hill and Westwood along Glenway Avenue by summer. An additional 12 to 15 cameras will be installed to monitor bridges, piers and waterways. Two years from now, officials hope to have 50 to 60 cameras installed across the city in other neighborhoods like Over-the-Rhine, Avondale, College Hill and Northside in addition to those in Downtown, Westwood, East Price Hill, Clifton Heights, University Heights, Fairview, Corryville and Clifton.

Public safety officials often proclaim that these types of cameras have the ability to deter crime and make neighborhoods safer, when in fact they don’t. Cameras simply move criminal activity around much like citronella candles keep bugs away from your backyard barbecue.

The cameras were paid for by a $2 million federal grant, but what about the ongoing maintenance? Who is going to watch the live video stream, or will someone? Who is going to review the tapes? What will be reviewed? What about archiving…how long, how much, where, and who manages it? What is the City going to actually do with all this information?

It would seem to be logical to assume that the primary use, for the cameras, will be for building cases against those who have already committed crimes. So, once again, how is this making the city safer? Instead it would seem that the cameras would just make prosecution more effective in some cases. But at the same time, I would imagine the criminals will be smart enough to see the bright white and prominently branded cameras and move their operations just outside the cone of view.

So then what, do we install more cameras…cameras on every street corner? Who will pay for that kind of an operation, and are Cincinnatians accepting of this Big Brother kind of a move? In New York they are in the process of installing some 3,000 cameras that will be fully operational by 2010. The costs of New York’s system is pegged at $90 million with a $25 million surveillance center in the project’s first phase in lower Manhattan.

The London Evening Standard just reported that even with London’s impressive array of more than 10,000 CCTV cameras, the most expansive system of its kind anywhere, that roughly 80 percent of crimes go unsolved. The $334+ million system not only is not solving the core issues surrounding the need for individuals to result to criminal behavior, but the system is not even showing effectiveness in the one area it is suppose to shine.

This approach to crime fighting seems to be a reactionary way to manage complex criminal behavior. More money should be spent on identifying the causes behind individuals resulting to criminal behavior, and how to address that. Instead what we’re doing is spending $2 million on a project that at best will put more non-violent criminals behind bars or at least through our legal system, and at worst, become cumbersome to manage and prove ineffective much like London’s advanced Big Brother system.

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News

This Week In Soapbox 11/17

This Week in Soapbox UrbanCincy has the following seven stories that you must check out. You can read about Rookwood Pottery’s new role with the Cincinnati Gallery Auctions (originally published here), the progression of the $115 million Hoff Academic Quad project at Xavier University, a new salon in OTR, Building Value’s new home in Northside, the grand opening of DeSales Flats in East Walnut Hills, Tazza Mia’s aggressive growth strategy, and a new way to look at Cincinnati’s suburbs.

If you’re interested in staying in touch with some of the latest development news in Cincinnati please check out this week’s stories and sign up for the weekly E-Zine sent out by Soapbox Cincinnati. Also be sure to become a fan of Soapbox on Facebook!

TWIS 11/17:

  • Rookwood Pottery assumes famous Cincinnati Art Galleries Auctionfull article
  • $115M Hoff Academic Quad to transform Xavier University’s campusfull article
  • Salon Central opens in Over-the-Rhine with a ‘modern sensibility’full article
  • Building materials re-use company Building Value opens up shop in Northsidefull article
  • DeSales Flats celebrates grand opening in East Walnut Hillsfull article
  • Tazza Mia finds its coffee nichefull article
  • Recycling Cincinnati’s Suburbsfull article
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Business Development News Politics

What happened to the locavore movement?

The news is out that the Atlanta-based Carter/Dawson development team has selected Birmingham-based Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC as the general contractor for the private development portions of The Banks. The Carter/Dawson team stated in a press release that Brasfield & Gorrie is “one of the largest privately-held contracting firms in the nation, and brings their extensive successful experience in building complex, mixed-use, vertically integrated developments in dense urban areas.”

This may be all well and good but the issue I have is that they’re based out of Birmingham. It’s not that there is anything wrong with Birmingham, or Atlanta for that matter, but there are huge sums of public money going into The Banks development. These tax dollars should be spent in the taxpayer’s best interest, and with unemployment hovering around 10 percent, we should be demanding that these contracts be awarded to local companies who will be employing Cincinnatians.

The Banks development plan – rendering provided.

It’s much like the rationale behind shopping local. When you award contracts to local companies they’ll hire people in the region, those people will take that money and upkeep their homes, go shopping, eat out, and support the local economy. When we give these contracts away to someone else there goes much of that money.

I can’t say for sure whether Brasfield & Gorrie is the best firm for the job, because they very well might be, but I do know that there are qualified companies here locally that would have loved the opportunity to not only get this contract, but also make a lasting impact on the city they call home. The one bright spot is that Brasfield & Gorrie has committed to achieving the development team’s goal of at least 30 percent SBE participation, and committed to utilizing a “significant amount of local talent to get the job done efficiently and effectively.”

Phase 1A of The Banks development – rendering provided.

Brasfield & Gorrie is expected to start assembling their team on site almost immediately and will begin construction on the overbuild of Phase 1A in December with a set completion date of Spring 2011. Once complete, The Banks will represent a total private investment around $600 million. Paul Brown Stadium, Great American Ball Park, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Riverfront Transit Center are all complete and part of Cincinnati’s Riverfront Master Plan developed by Urban Design Associates. The Central Riverfront Park is under construction now and will compliment the entire development.

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News

New UC President Dr. Gregory Williams to keynote Triumph Awards

The Emanuel Community Center is hosting their annual Triumph Awards on Thursday, November 12 at 6pm. The Triumph Awards ceremony is one of Emanuel’s primary fund-raiser events throughout the year, and take time to honor the hard work people have put into the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.

The University of Cincinnati’s new president, Dr. Gregory Williams, will serve as the keynote speaker while Joe Pichler, William Mallory Sr., and Kathy Wade serve as the 2009 Triumph Honorees. Tickets are $50 and can be reserved by calling Jenny Mendelson at (513) 241-2563, ext. 20, by emailing eccinfo@emanuelcenter.org, or by purchasing your tickets online.

The Emanuel Community Center was founded in 1871 to help serve the expanding German immigrant population in the neighborhood. Today Emanuel is well-known for their childcare and youth programs serving neighborhood residents. And as the neighborhood continues to change, so does Emanuel, as they now act as a complete “center for the community” and are working hard to create programming and shared experiences in the neighborhood to ensure that capital investments evolve into a diverse and eclectic community.

“My time as an Over-the-Rhine resident has convinced me of the importance of this fantastic neighborhood in the future growth of our region,” said Emaneul Board Member Colin Groth. “At the start of this year I joined the board of the Emanuel Center after recognizing the critical role that community cohesion will play in the long-term sustainability of OTR.”

The Emanuel Community Center will host the Triumph Awards at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza’s famous Hall of Mirrors (map). The Hilton is within a block and a half of Metro’s Government Square bus hub. Plan your trip now using Metro’s Trip Planner to find out which route and time works best for you.

Hall of Mirrors photograph by Daniel Michael.

Categories
News

New Orleans Jazz & Food festival at Washington Platform – 11/8

Washington Platform is hosting the Second Sunday New Orleans Jazz & Food Festival this Sunday, November 8. There will be live jazz music by the Mike Sharfe Trio in addition to the authentic Louisiana buffet. Washington Platform owner, Jon Diebold says that the event will run from 2pm to 5pm and that he encourages reservations to ensure space for your group.

Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant (map) has been in operation since 1875 and is famous for their oysters and annual oyster festival. Reservations can be made by calling (513) 421-0110. Also be sure to visit the restaurant during their newly expanded hours: Monday from 11am to 3pm, Tuesday through Thursday from 11am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 10pm, and Sunday from 4pm to 9pm.

There is plenty of free on-street parking nearby. Washington Platform is also well-served by more than a dozen Metro bus routes within one block of the restaurant. To see which route is most convenient for you, and to plan your trip now, use Metro’s Trip Planner.

Photo from Rrrrrd’s photostream on Flickr.