This Week in Soapbox (TWIS) you can read about fundraisers being held this week for Over-the-Rhine Community Housing and Northside urban redevelopment corporation, a new study with positive economic results for Mt. Auburn, a new art gallery and studio space in Covington, two brothers working in OTR on interesting rehab projects, and the potential to revive the Interstate 75 urban landscape as it is reconstructed in the coming years.
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!
When you have a chance there are also two really great feature articles in this week’s issue. Matt Cunningham writes about home grown food movement happening in Cincinnati, while Feoshia Henderson writes about Cincinnati’s energy alliance that is making “green” benefits, economic gains.
TWIS 10/27:
Over-the-Rhine Community Housing uses fundraiser for diverse development – full article
New Mt. Auburn study shows great potential for Uptown – full article
Northside redevelopment corporation seeks funding to continue affordable, green development – full article
Pike Street art gallery reopens as The BLDG with fresh new approach – full article
Urban Design Associates to create vision that will revive Cincinnati’s I-75 corridor – full article
C.A.R. Construction’s latest project in OTR celebrates history, passion – full article
UrbanCincy recently had a chance to catch up with a new friend of ours that we met back in early September at a lunch over at Findlay Market. Andrew Bench is brand new to town and has seen quite a bit of the developments in rail transit first hand around this country of ours. He has worked in the rail transit industry for twelve years and has been in construction for a total of two decades. He has had a chance to settle into Cincinnati over the last six weeks since we last saw him, and we were interested to check in with him and get his initial observations about his new surroundings.
Living in Downtown Cincinnati – It’s amazing how small the city blocks are here especially compared to the last city I was in (Salt Lake) which makes the urban core so walkable. Five blocks here is about the same distance as two and a half blocks in Salt Lake. I do find it frustrating that there are no easy grocery options in downtown. I don’t always have a car and aside from the Over-the-Rhine Kroger and Findlay Market there isn’t much else available. If even just the streetcar was in place I would be able to get on and ride it up there, and get to other options such as the Kroger at the University. A few years from now I’d be able to ride over the river to Kentucky. The options are endless really.
Regarding Rail Transit in Cincinnati – A phrase from the poem titled Maud Muller written by John Greenleaf Whittier sums up the whole situation. It says “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: “it might have been!” I think Cincinnati has the potential for a rail transit system that would spur redevelopment. Imagine a streetcar connecting neighborhoods to the core, light rail connecting the suburbs, and high speed rail for those trips to Columbus and even further.
An example of How it All Fits Together – We were in Portland for our annual meeting a few years back and we were waiting for the streetcar. Along it came, and it was packed, but everyone got out where we were because it was the MAX connector which is their light rail to the suburbs. Clearly people were using the combined streetcar and MAX to commute to and from work downtown. I was just in Portland earlier this year and there is still new development happening on the streetcar line ten years after the first phase opened up!
Salt Lake is More Progressive Than Cincy – The typical response is “NO WAY!” But they have a $2.6B program underway that is scheduled to be finished by 2015. It includes a mix of rail transit and after living there it is clear that they are thinking about the future, not just for right now. They are investing heavily in rail transit to solve problems and attract young folks to their city, essentially making sacrifices now for future generations. They fought and fought the light rail but now the cars are jammed pack and all the outlying cities not along the route are asking to be included.
About Issue 9 – Issue 9 is about options and if it passes the city will be crippled for years to come. It’s about all kinds of rail transit options for the city of Cincinnati which in turn could make the Metro more useful and profitable if it is paired up right to compliment the rail transit choices. Cincinnati really does have the potential for redevelopment and growth and need to look at this issue as if they are solving for future transportation problems for their kids.
Come out and help defeat issue 9 by joining a few of your UrbanCincy writers at the Cincinnatians for Progress phone bank at 1344 Vine Street tonight! Last week we had quite a crowd and hope for the same tonight! Just comment on the post if you want to join us. Please plan on bringing your own phone along though as there are only a few down there.
In the meantime, enjoy this video from our friends at Soapbox Media. Andrew let us know it was his favorite one of the all the No on Nine videos making the rounds.
I will be on 55KRC’s weekly talk radio show called City Talk Radio tonight from 7pm to 8pm discussing historic preservation in Cincinnati. The focus will primarily be on Over-the-Rhine and the ongoing changes happening there.
You can of course tune in on your radios to 550AM, stream the show live on your computer, or if you’re busy, download the show’s podcast. Listeners can call or email their comments to the show while we’re broadcasting live by calling (513) 749-5500 or emailing talk@citytalk550.com.
The Know Theater this weekend will feature an intense, futuristic comedy called ‘boom!’ From the theater’s website, ‘boom!’ is “a funny, slightly warped and ultimately hopeful look at the apocalypse that follows a young marine biologist as he prepares for the imminent end of the world.”
I saw the play this past weekend, and was thrilled with it. The entire production included just three spectacular actors, whose interplay harmonizes to create a humorous look at the tensions between hope and fatalism. Maybe I read too much into it, but I thought the play also included an undertone of the tension between intelligent design and evolution, and even spoke to the tension that couples living together experience.
Though the play engaged me on this level, it’s also fascinatingly entertaining, and manages to exist as passive entertainment at the same time. The Know Theater’s intimate setting allows a spectator just relax and enjoy the show. But the opposite is also true. Because of the theater’s intimate feeling, the audience has the ability to fully engage the actors by being so complete taken in with the production on the stage. It’s all up to the spectator.
boom! features phenomenal acting and an incredibly high production value. The show will run 4 times per weekend through November 7, but many of the shows are already sold out. Tickets are just $12, providing an affordable outing. After the show, the bar at the theater opens and the actors come to mingle with anybody interested in talking with them.
The Know is easily served by numerous bus lines. Go to the METRO trip planner, enter your address in the first box and enter the Know’s address, 1120 Jackson Street, in the second box. Couldn’t be easier. If you insist on driving, there is plenty of safe, off-street parking in the Gateway Quarter Garage, accessible from 12th Street. Click here for directions.
This Week in Soapbox (TWIS) you can read about Jean-Robert’s latest restaurant venture, Covington’s new Assistant City Manager, a new innovative funding strategy that will help several center city developments, streetscape and park changes on the way for Clifton Heights, the completion of City Home’s first phase in OTR, and a new authentic Mexican restaurant in Covington.
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!
Also be sure to check out the fantastic feature article by Casey Coston on why Issue 9, the Anti-Passenger Rail Amendment, is bad news for Cincinnati. See video below for even more Issue 9 coverage.
TWIS 10/20:
Jean-Robert’s Table to bring relaxed French cuisine to downtown Cincinnati – full article
New innovative funding strategy to help center city developments – full article
Covington taps OKI planner as new Assistant City Manager – full article
Fresh look on the way for Clifton Heights’ business district – full article
Over-the-Rhine leaders celebrate completion of City Home’s first phase – full article
Casa Mexico opens in Covington’s Latonia neighborhood – full article
