Tag: historic preservation

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Business Development News

Nky Preservation projects honored at 2010 River Cities Preservation Awards

On Thursday, May 27, the cities of Bellevue, Newport and Covington hosted the 2010 River Cities Preservation Awards at the Artisan Enterprise Center in Covington. The cities collectively recognized the commitment that the residents and business owners have to reserving the historic quality of their cities. Thirteen awards were given out at the ceremony ranging in purpose from new construction to residential rehabilitation.

Beth Johnson, the Preservation and Planning Specialist for the City of Covington, commends the spirit of collaboration that the awards ceremony breeds.

“The River Cities Preservation Awards are such a wonderful thing for all three cities that participate as it gives us a chance to thank and recognize the hard work, dedication, and investment to those that are saving our historic treasures,” said Beth Johnson, Preservation & Planning Specialist for the City of Covington.  “People from all over the nation comment on the amazing historic resources that we have.  All of us, Covington, Newport, and Bellevue, are lucky to have building owners that agree and therefore work really hard to rehabilitation and preserve those resources.”

Dan and Jessica Krebs won the award for rehabilitation of a residential structure for their home at 618 11th Street in Covington. This category recognizes successful rehabilitation of historic residential structures. These projects offer a creative solution for rehabilitating a building inside and out when much of the historic material is either too deteriorated to save or is missing altogether.

The Krebs’s two and a half story Italianate home was originally built in 1863 by H.H. Hellman, who owned and operated “Hellman Feed and Grain” on Madison Avenue. In 2001 when Dan Krebs bought the house it had sat vacant for over two years and was in a severely deteriorated condition. While the brick building was still solid, the entire interior of the building had to be gutted and updated, the exterior needed lots of maintenance from years of neglect.

According to Ms. Johnson, the Krebs “are a really hard working and dedicated couple. They did all of the work themselves and Dan is very talented as he has built and handcrafted so much in their house.”

Dan created a modern kitchen by handcrafting the cabinets, but kept the historic feel by framing an original piece of the tin ceiling. On the rest of the first floor Dan and Jess were able to save the original hard wood floor, and to rebuild the original mantle and fireplace.

While working in the back yard, they found and old cistern. Instead of filling it with gravel, they decided to use it for its original use, to catch rainwater. By adding a pump, they have created an natural supply of water for their lawn and plants.

Dan and Jess Krebs have shown amazing dedication to rehabilitating their house to the grander that it deserves. They have a great eye for detail and the hands of craftsman. Their commitment to historic preservation embodies the spirit that the cities of Covington, Bellevue, and Newport sought to highlight in their award ceremony.

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Arts & Entertainment News

Queen City Underground tours through OTR start Memorial Day weekend

The wildly successful Newport Gangster Tour started last summer during Italianfest. What was meant to be a one weekend event caught fire and ran all the way through Halloween with great crowds and even better stories about the history of Newport. While those tours continue through 2010, the group has expanded with a new Cincinnati walking tour called Queen City Underground through historic Over-the-Rhine that will begin this Memorial Day weekend.

UrbanCincy was invited along for a sneak peek this past weekend during the OTR Summer Celebration and we walked away very impressed. The Newport tour is full of great stories and is presented in a way that is not only educational but also fun, and the Queen City tour is much the same. We met in front of Mica 12/v and soon headed north along Vine Street. Asked to put our minds into the 1880s when Boss Cox was in power in Cincinnati, many stories were shared of theaters, saloons, and even “Murder College.”

While the tour stops along the way to point out different places of interest along with their accompanying stories, the thing that makes this tour a little different than the Newport companion is the chance to get into some of the buildings along the way. Without divulging all of the tour’s secrets, one of the highlights has to be the trip into what was the Kauffman Brewery in Guildhaus building on Vine, just north of Liberty Street. The Queen City Underground Tour really takes you underground here into the former lagering cellars that were rediscovered not that long ago and are usually only open to the public during the popular (and always sold out) Prohibition Resistance Tours during Bockfest.

Queen City Underground photography by Travis Estell

The Queen City Underground walking tours last approximately 90 minutes, and present a great way to get to know the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. The total trek is just over one-mile with some tight spots along the way as you head into the cellars, so it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes if you are interested in attending. Tours taking place this Memorial Day weekend include the following times:

  • Saturday May 29th – 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm, & 4:30pm
  • Sunday May 30th – 12:30pm, 2:30pm, & 4:30pm
  • Monday May 31st – 12:30pm & 2:30pm

Tickets for this coming weekend are $15 and can be purchased (cash only) upon arrival. A good reminder too is that both the Newport and Cincinnati tours have charitable benefits as well. With the help of these fundraisers, many Northern Kentucky students are able to go to Jamaica and help those less fortunate.

Either tour makes for a great compliment to Taste of Cincinnati which is this weekend. We recommend spending time sampling some local food and getting to know more about the wonderful history in Cincinnati’s dynamic urban core.

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Business Development News

2nd wall collapse of Cincinnati’s oldest brewery forces demolition

Despite the efforts and desire of building owner Duane Donohoo to save the structure, Cincinnati’s oldest brewery was brought to the ground this past Sunday under an emergency demolition order from the City. Following the original wall collapse two weekends ago, the building at the northeast corner of Stonewall and McMicken (map), nicknamed “Brewers Blvd”, appeared destined to be rebuilt and saved from the wrecking ball, however high winds Friday triggered a second, larger collapse of the western wall leaving it as a dangerous liability.

With the one wall crumbling, and suggestions that the buildings facade may soon follow suit, Donohoo declined to fight the demolition out of concern for the safety of those in the vicinity of the building. Thus the oldest of seven structures that comprise the Clyffside Brewing complex in the northern section of Over the Rhine’s Brewery District has been lost.

When the two-story brick building was constructed in 1846, the facility brewed only a modest 275 barrels of beer in its first year of operation under its original moniker of George Klotter & Company. Since those days, expansions and ownership changes have seen the buildings produce ales and lagers under the banners of Sohn, Mohawk, the aforementioned Clyffside, and most recently as Red Top Brewing Company, before closing its doors on September 27, 1957, leaving over 150 Cincinnatians jobless

Regardless of this significant historical loss of the city’s history, Donohoo confirms the the redevelopment plan, which includes condos with terraced, city-view decks and indoor parking, will move forward in the remaining brewery buildings. When it is all said and done, Donohoo plans to put between $3-$3.5 million in the property, and still hopes for it to be an anchor of a revitalized Brewery District.

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Development News

Collapsed wall of Cincinnati’s oldest brewery to be rebuilt

Despite initial reports of the impending demolition of the structure, the western wall at the northeast corner of Stonewall and McMicken, nicknamed “Brewers Blvd” will be rebuilt and saved from the wrecking ball. The building in question is the oldest of seven structures that comprise the Clyffside Brewing complex in the northern section of Over the Rhine’s Brewery District.

In true micro-brewery fashion the two-story brick building, constructed in 1846, brewed only a modest 275 barrels of beer in its first year of operation under its original moniker of George Klotter & Company. Since those days, expansions and ownership changes have seen the buildings produce ales and lagers under the banners of Sohn, Mohawk, the aforementioned Clyffside, and most recently as Red Top Brewing Company, before closing its doors on September 27, 1957, leaving over 150 Cincinnatians jobless.

All is not lost however for Cincinnati’s oldest brewing structure. Owner Duane Donohoo confirms the wall will be rebuilt and the redevelopment plan, which includes condos with terraced, city-view decks and indoor parking, will move forward. When it is all said and done, Donohoo plans to put between $3-$3.5 million in the historic property, and hopes for it to be an anchor of a revitalized Brewery District.

“The whole reason I came to the Brewery District in the first place was to make a difference,” exclaimed Donohoo. “It’s such a gorgeous area and I want to do whatever I can to preserve the history and restore the buildings.”

The Clyffside Brewery redevelopment was first announced in April, 2008 to much fanfare. The building is not only in the historic Brewery District, but it is also at the northern end of the proposed Cincinnati Streetcar line. Once complete, the redeveloped Clyffside Brewery building will house 19 condos ranging from low-100’s to the mid-200’s.

Image of the historic brewery structure circa 1933 provided.

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Development News

Historic structures threatened by wrecking ball in OTR

Early yesterday morning several buildings in the 1400 block of Vine Street were badly damaged by fire. The collection of buildings included the long-standing Smitty’s clothing store and several apartments above where the residents lost just about everything.

The risk now is losing additional historic structures in one of the most at-risk and important historic districts in the nation. One building was already demolished yesterday following the fire clean up, and others are scheduled to be demolished today – including the building that houses Smitty’s.

The Over-the-Rhine Foundation is asking residents to call Amit Ghosh (513-352-3433) from the City of Cincinnati immediately and ask that these buildings not be torn down, and instead be examined to see if they could be saved.

Danny Klinger, known for helping save the historic Meiner Flats building down the street recently, states that the City is required by ordinance to first attempt to preserve these buildings rather than demolishing them.

In historic districts, the administration will encourage the use of demolition funds to repair buildings rather than demolish them. At the very least, repair of a building will be funded for the same amount that it would cost to demolish the building.

“The City is ignoring its own laws by going straight for the demolition option rather than at least considering using the demo money to preserve these structures,” Klinger implored. “Mr. Ghosh and his department must understand that those of us who care about preservation and about OTR are not ok with this. We expect that preservation be given full consideration.”

UPDATE: Danny Klingler has just confirmed that the City has backed off of demolishing the remaining two structures for now, but he encourages everyone to continue to call to inform the City on their stance on preserving Over-the-Rhine’s historic building stock, and to thank them for saving these structures for now.