Tag: history

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Arts & Entertainment Business Development News Transportation

Clyffside, Streetcars, Moerlein…oh my

Last Friday (4/11) was a great day for Over-the-Rhine, and especially the Brewery District. There was the debut of a new Ohio Historical Marker for the Brewery District…and the Clyffside building kicked off its renovation process with a ‘wall knocking’ by council members Chris Bortz and Roxanne Qualls.

Brewery District people spoke, the two council members, and many others saw this as a chance to voice their support for the Cincinnati Streetcar. At one point the audience was instructed to look out the window and notice where the Northern end of the Streetcar will eventually be (1.5 blocks away or so). Needless to say, people were excited about the historical honor and the announcement of a renovation project that will bring 19 new units to OTR ranging from the low 100’s to the mid-200’s. Oh yeah, and the free Christian Moerlein was great too.

Over-the-Rhine certainly has some serious momentum that it hasn’t had for a long, long time. Speculation is already occuring along the proposed streetcar route and the neighborhood’s rich history is starting to get the recognition it deserves. To that I say cheers, over a Christian Moerlein OTR Ale.

You can view the rest of my photos from the Clyffside ribbon cutting, historical marker, and building tour HERE.

View from The Clyffside units (Randy Simes)

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News

Ich möchte einen Toast auf Grammer’s ausbringen!

Translation: I’d like to propose a toast to Grammer’s!

I’ll be honest I had never been in Grammer’s before last night. I am a relatively new resident of this great city and had not had the opportunity to enjoy Grammer’s prior to 1992, when it closed. Let me tell you. It seems like the place never closed. There were easily 100-150 people at the opening of Grammer’s last night. You could barely move in the bar area, and many of the tables were full as well. Like I had said in my last post, Beer and Brats… what else do you need? This place is going to do amazingly well. What a GREAT building. It screams its German heritage loud and clear. Old Steins are everywhere, and the basement area is going to be one of my favorite spaces in the city, once the renovations are complete. In general, this could become my NEW favorite hang out. Prost!

No real menu yet, but the management expects a full restaurant in about a year. Other developments should start popping up around Grammer’s at about that same time.

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News

The New Urban Century

From the beginnings of civilization around 4000 B.C., man has lived a predominately rural life. Cities were the wellsprings of arts, culture, science, et. al., but the majority of people still lived in rural areas. Recently, or in the very near future, more people will live in urban areas that rural areas Although some demographers predicted that this event happened in 1994, the 21st century will be mankind’s first urban century.

The mega cities of the 21st century in the developing world must seem as frightening and chaotic to the casual American observer as the burgeoning American cities of the 19th and early 20th centuries did to the European observer.

Regardless, the next century will be one unlike any others we have seen. There will be new challenges around the world, new issues, and new developments.

Too often Americans take a Amero-centric or Euro-centric view on urbanism. This overlooks some of the world’s largest and all of the world’s fastest growing megalopoli. The City Mayor’s website takes a global perspective on running the world’s cities and provides a wealth of information on best practices throughout the world. The future will be very different, hopefully information like this will make us better prepared.

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News

The Queen’s Crown Jewels

A new Cincinnati blog is up and running, and it is a good one. He posts lots of pictures, enlightens you with his vast knowledge of architecture and the city as a whole. Dan describes himself, and the site as:

“My overviews and observations of Cincinnati, OH. I am a single, thirtysomething living in Over-the-Rhine with a certain point of view on the city around me.”

The most recent post covers the history and special features of Cincinnati classics that make the Queen City what it is. This first edition of what will become an ongoing feature, on Queen City Survey, covers the Cincinnati Gymnasium & Athletic Club.

Dan knows his stuff…so go check out what Queen City Survey has to offer, you won’t be disappointed.

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News

9.11.01 – In Memory

It has been six years since the fateful day of September 11, 2001 and it may be easy to forget the pain, grief and agony that struck the lives of so many. It was more than two superstructures being brought to their knees…it was an entire nation that was taken back and stunned by the events that transpired.

I’m not great with words, but I thought it should be mentioned. Here are some pictures I took of the towers about 1 month prior to their collapse. 2,973 people lost their lives on September 11, 2001 as a result of the attacks. Please remember.