Cincinnati’s majestic hillsides, mighty river, and dramatic city skyline provide powerful vistas and scenery that make the Queen City unique. Many Cincinnatians and visitors from out-of-town know of the dramatic view from the Cut-in-the-Hill in Northern Kentucky, the many hilltop parks, or the streetscapes throughout the center city, but most have not seen the city from the air and water.
Seven/Seventy-Nine produced a two-and-a-half minute video for Soapbox Cincinnati that explores both of these. The video Seeing Cincinnati takes viewers into a helicopter tour offered by Stratus Helicopters and a boat ride from Ride the Ducks, both of which operate out of Newport on the Levee.
The folks over at Newport Walking Tours have put together another variation of their tour through Newport for Saturday evenings in August. In the past we have reported on their treks through Newport exploring the gangster past, as well as theirtrips through historic Over-the-Rhine reliving some of Cincinnati’s colorful days, and now for the remaining Saturdays in August they are hosting the Bourbon & Bootleggers Dinner Party and Tour.
The commonwealth of Kentucky is known for the production of bourbon, which is a slightly sweeter version of whiskey made with at-least 51 percent corn, and the state takes great pride in its bourbon history. Even today, 95 percent of all bourbon made in the world comes from Kentucky, most notably the center area of the state ranging from Lexington in the east to Bardstown in the west. While you could travel down further down into the state, this tour takes place in our very own urban core and will definitely give you a local flavor as to what Newport’s hand is in the history of bourbon.
The tour starts at Gangsters Dueling Piano Bar, with arrival at 6:15pm. Prior to departing, you will learn a bit more about bourbon and sample different types at the bar prior to the tour. The walking tour then leads you around Newport, and is followed by dinner featuring dishes with bourbon in them such as Smokey Bourbon Brisket and Creamy Bourbon Chicken.
The bourbon samples, dinner, and tour cost $45. The Bourbon & Bootleggers Dinner Party and Tour runs each and every Saturday evening throughout the rest of August. Space is very limited, so organizers encourage those interested to purchase tickets ahead of time online.
Newport saw the completion of its first high-rise tower when the 21-story SouthShore condominium tower began welcoming residents over a year ago. With much of the tower now occupied, UrbanCincy was invited to tour the dramatic riverfront building to see where it stands now.
The building soars 240 feet above Newport, overlooking the Daniel Carter Beard “Big Mac” Bridge and downtown Cincinnati. SouthShore’s 61 luxury condominium units range in size from 1br to a 5,000 square-foot penthouse that encompasses the entire 21st floor. Condominiums range from $395,000 to $3.3 million for the large penthouse unit.
One of the most unique features of the SouthShore tower is its front loaded design that allows each unit to face north toward the Ohio River and downtown Cincinnati – a common design approach in high-end, waterfront residential towers. The building was intentionally designed with all of the mechanical features facing away from the river so that all the residents have stunning views of downtown, Mt. Adams and the river. Each unit also features a terrace, which range in size from a modest sitting area to an enormous 3,000 square-foot outdoor terrace for the penthouse.
With potential flooding being a concern for the structure, architects designed the building to be integrated right into the levee. The first four floors of the structure is a parking garage for residents and visitors, which feature two sets of floodwalls. If the City of Newport must shut their floodwall to protect the city from rising waters, residents at SouthShore can still exit from the complex’s private floodgate. The building then narrows as it rises from the garage, creating ample rooftop deck space for a swimming pool with fountains and a hot tub, an 1,800 square-foot fitness center, putting green, walking trails, gardens, and a two-level clubhouse for residents.
On the ground level, many of the residents use a secure storage area for their bicycles and segways. The building management is also looking to purchase two segways for residents to use at their leisure. Many residents walk to Kroger in Newport, spend time at Newport on the Levee, or walk or bike into other parts of Cincinnati. It is just a ten minute walk from SouthShore to The Banks development on the other side of the river. Realtors from Sibcy Cline also speak highly of the building’s soundproofing which allows residents to enjoy peace and quiet despite sharing walls with their neighbors.
Capital Investment Group, the project’s developer, has plans to build a similar tower next door to SouthShore called The Marina. This residential tower is planned to feature many of the same amenities with the addition of private dock space for homeowners in the new 100-slip marina approved by the US Army Corps of Engineers early in 2009.
Those interested in obtaining more information about condominiums at SouthShore can contact Christine Schoonover with Sibcy Cline at (859) 431-8000 or CSchoonover@sibcycline.com. When you speak with her, mention that you read about the condos on UrbanCincy.
It is on rare occasions that things get personal on UrbanCincy, but news that came to my attention yesterday warrants just this. Due to budget cuts, the City of Newport has eliminated its Main Street Coordinator position previously filled by the energetic, and extremely passionate Robert Yoder.
I have worked with Mr. Yoder quite a bit for stories I have written about things happening in Newport. His work has made a significant impact on downtown Newport and has helped to raise its stature throughout Cincinnati.
Since 2006, downtown Newport has seen over $25 million in public and private investment and has “established itself as a center for technology start-ups, quality urban loft living, and fitness related businesses” according to Robert. Downtown Newport has certainly made great strides over recent years, and the future looks bright for the historic river city. While not all of this progress can be attributed to Robert, a great deal can.
Robert concluded by saying, “I just want everyone to know, I loved this job. It was an honor and privilege to work with the business owners, city staff, citizens and organizations to make Newport a better place.”
Good luck Robert, you have made a huge impact for Newport and deserve all the best going forward. Robert Yoder has shared his resume and asks that if anyone know of any job opportunities to please contact him at rjyoder@fuse.net.
When city officials examined how to update Newport’s East Row Historic District tour they decided they wanted to do so in a way that was up to the standards of the 21st Century. As a result, Newport’s Historic Preservation Specialist Emily Jarzen and Main Street Coordinator Robert Yoder developed the walking tour to be compatible with smartphones and their users.
“A couple of years ago, smartphones with web browsers were a novelty,” Yoder said in a press release. “Now with prices continually dropping and more choices entering the marketplace we felt delivering the walking tours formatted for smartphones would an innovative and cost effective way to bring Newport’s rich architectural history for a broader audience.”
Once a popular area for wealthy business owners and merchants in the late 1800s, Newport’s historic East Row district boasts proud architectural examples of Italianate, American Four Square, and Queen Anne. Over time the neighborhood suffered from deterioration and neglect until restoration began in the 1980s creating the vibrant historic district known today.
The neighborhood has nearly 1,100 homes, all of which are listed on the prestigious National Register of Historic Place, and is Kentucky’s second largest historic district.
“Having the walking tours available on the web allows us to provide a richer experience and the ability to develop more walking tours of Newport in the future without needing to print a new brochure for every tour,” Jarzen explained.
Those interested in exploring Newport’s historic East Row district can do so by pointing their smartphone browser to www.eastrow.org/walks/.
