Tag: over-the-rhine

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Bikes+Brews 2011 takes place this Saturday in Cincinnati’s urban core

This Saturday marks the return of Bikes+Brews, one of the official Bike Month activities of the City of Cincinnati’s Bicycle Program. Bikes+Brews is the perfect segue into next week’s American Craft Beer Week as it will offer riders the opportunity to explore the city’s urban core while learning a bit about craft beer and how it plays into both the past and future of Cincinnati.

The ride will depart historic Findlay Market promptly at 1pm, so feel free to come early and enjoy a beer at the market’s biergarten and some hearty grub from Cafe de Wheels, who will be on hand beginning at 10:30am.

A handful of guides will be on hand, identifiable by navy blue Over-the-Rhine All-Star t-shirts, to help answer questions and keep the ride on track. This year’s ride includes a total of nine stops along a seven-mile course beginning and ending at Findlay Market. This will allow participants to meet at a single location, and offer a convenient parking location for those that will be driving to the event. That being said, it is strongly recommended to use either pedal power or public transportation.

From Findlay Market the ride will proceed past the Samuel Adams Brewery in the West End, and on to Rock Bottom Brewery on Fountain Square. A quick jaunt across the river into Northern Kentucky will take participants to Keystone Bar & Grill in Covington, then Newport’s Hofbrauhaus, the region’s largest brewpub.

After all riders have sufficiently stabilized themselves, post-liters of German brew, the peleton will cross back over the Ohio River, via the Purple People Bridge, for a quick stop at the newly opened Holy Grail at The Banks. Our final three stops will take us back into Over-the-Rhine, the heart of Cincinnati’s brewing history, for pints at The Lackman Bar, Neon’s Unplugged and finally our end destination of Market Wines somewhere in the vicinity of 6:30pm.

Bikes+Brews 2011 is part of more than 40 Bike Month events, and is free and open to the public. Admittedly, this year’s ride will be a bit more strenuous both in route, distance, number of stops and brews consumed, so please be sure to keep yourself hydrated with water. That being said, riders have complete autonomy to join late or forgo portions of the trek to either finish early or meet us at a future stop. Bikes+Brews 2010 was a great success, and one of our favorite events of the past year, and UrbanCincy is looking forward to building on the momentum this year. Let’s Ride!!!

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

OTR Urban Kickball League gears up for second season

After a successful first season, the Over-the-Rhine Urban Kickball League is back for round two. The league, established by UrbanCincy in fall 2010 and run with help of community members, aims to create a relaxed, fun atmosphere where neighbors and friends get to know each other better and integrate into the community, making the neighborhood safer through play.

The new season will have up to 16 teams with up to 15 players each playing four nights a week. The past season saw 12 teams go head-to-head in friendly competition that often involved kids from the neighborhood participating in the games.

This year’s league play will run from June 6 through August, with playoffs beginning near the end of August. Teams will take turns to referee opposing teams, with play Monday through Thursday, games at 6pm and 7pm, located at Cutter Playground behind the former School of Creative & Performing Arts building (map) on Sycamore Street.

While some aspects of the league will change, the core remains the same: having fun and improving the neighborhood. If you are interested in forming a team this season, please Like the League page on Facebook and download the sign up form today.

Teams must fill out all forms, including liability waivers, and submit them along with admission fee ($5 per person) to The Famous Neons Unplugged between now and May 15.

Fall 2010 OTR Urban Kickball League photo by Jake Mecklenborg for UrbanCincy.

Categories
Development News

Over-the-Rhine condominium development to be converted into 16 apartments

Urban Sites completed the renovation of 16 condominium units at the Belmain Building approximately one-and-a-half years ago. The residential project has struggled with condo sales, and is now being transitioned to apartment units in a better performing rental market.

As a result Urban Sites and the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) decided to transition the 16 residential units to rental properties just over a month ago. That decision has proved fruitful as NorthPointe Group has been able to lease 70 percent of the units thus far and has applications on the rest.

“The demand to live in Over-the-Rhine is incredible,” according to NorthPointe Group leasing agent JT Barse. “This is a place where people want to be, and a lifestyle that people want where they can be close to work and close to where they want to be after work.”

Even though many are moving into Over-the-Rhine to be close to work, Barse notes that some of the new residents moving in are just trying to take advantage of the urban lifestyle, and are reverse commuting to their jobs elsewhere.

“People have loved Belmain because they love being by Park+Vine and Neons Unplugged, and they love being on Main Street where it has such a vibrant community,” Barse continued. “Many people just want to live smart by being where they want to be.” The evidence of this smart living trend can be found in the projects for which NorthPointe Group is responsible.

The 48 rental units in Parvis Lofts filled up before the first unit was completed, and the development group is planning to add an additional eight to ten residential units behind Republic Street. Belmain’s 16 units will also be completely full by the time the first resident is able to move in on June 1.

Similar to the success at Parvis and Belmain, developers at The Banks saw 60 percent of its 300-unit first phase gobbled up before the first residents could move in. The success of the rental units in particular, Barse believes, is due to the demographics looking to move into the urban core.

“People are really recognizing that this is a great place to live, and for some people, it has been difficult to find this kind of quality at this price point. Plus, the success of downtown is helping drive success in OTR, and it’s all rolling together to be a good center city.”

LEED Silver-certified Belmain building photograph by Thadd Fiala for UrbanCincy.

Categories
Development News Politics Transportation

Cincinnati to break ground on smaller streetcar starter route this fall

Today Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and City Manager Milton Dohoney announced that the city will push forward with its modern streetcar project even with recent setbacks. The announcement included the debut of a new shortened phase one routing that will run from Fifth Street in the Central Business District to Henry Street in Over-the-Rhine just north of Findlay Market.

The 3.1-mile route will cost $95 million to build and $2.5 million annually to operate. City leaders currently have a total of $99.5 million to build the line, and have conservatively identified $4.1 million to operate the line annually. City leaders say that this will mean no money will be needed from the City’s General Fund for operations.

While some supporters have expressed discontent over the shortened Cincinnati Streetcar route, Mayor Mallory emphasized that the long-term vision has not changed.

“The vision for the project remains the same. We are going to build a streetcar that connected Downtown to Uptown, and then we are going to build out into the neighborhoods,” explained Mallory. “We are going to get started with the funding that we have in hand, but we must move forward in order to attract jobs and residents to our region.”

Project officials say that the shortened line will operate 18 hours a day, seven days a week and will utilize five streetcars instead of the original seven planned for the longer route. The shortened route, city leaders say, was chosen based on its unique ability to maximize economic investment.

“Over-the-Rhine and portions of the downtown area have some 500 vacant buildings, and it is where you have the bulk of the 95 acres of what today is surface parking,” City Manager Dohoney told the audience. “The explosiveness of the development potential rests in the area that we’re covering.”

City officials also announced that they are exploring the idea of running the streetcars on battery power instead of electricity. This technology is currently being examined for Washington D.C.’s modern streetcar system where concerns have come up over the use of overhead electric wires. Cincinnati officials believe that such a move would also reduce costs upfront and long-term.

The city says that it expects to break ground on the modern streetcar system this fall, and will simultaneously work to raise additional funds to build the system’s extension to uptown, and reconnect with The Banks to the south which in and of itself costs an additional $9 million.

“Clearly there is a need to expand the tax base. No one wants to pay more taxes, so we must find a proactive step to take to expand the existing tax base,” City Manager Dohoney explained. “A streetcar is one such tool to do that. There are people that have issues with this project, and there are folks that are responsible for moving this city forward. We are unapologetic advocates.”

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Celebrate Cincinnati’s urban core at UrbanCincy’s anniversary party this weekend

Over the past four years much has changed in Cincinnati’s urban core. New buildings have risen, historic structures have been saved, food trucks have proliferated, new businesses and residents have moved in, park space has been added, and transportation options have been and are improving.

More importantly, though, a new generation of leaders has stepped up to champion Cincinnati’s dynamic urban core. During all this transition, UrbanCincy has remained a steady voice pushing for this change in attitude, and we would like to get together with all those who love Cincinnati and celebrate the four year anniversary of UrbanCincy this weekend.

UrbanCincy’s 3rd Anniversary Bash at Via Vite – Photo by Thadd Fiala.

This year’s party will take place at Below Zero Lounge on Saturday, May 7 from 9pm to 2am. At the party guests will be able to meet the team that makes UrbanCincy possible, and be treated to special music provided by DJ Casey Coston (9:30pm to 11pm) and Atlanta’s number one mashup artist, WiliOne, who is traveling to Cincinnati exclusively for this performance (11:30pm to 1am).

If you are looking to get involved with the social scene in Cincinnati’s urban core, this is your chance. If you are looking to get to meet the people behind three-time Best of Cincinnati award-winning UrbanCincy, this is your chance. If you just want to go out on a Saturday and have a great time, this is your chance.

Food will be available for purchase from Café de Wheels out on the street. Drinks are not included, but there is no cover charge for the party. Dress for the party would best be described as trendy/casual, but all are welcome.

It has been a great four years and we are all looking forward to meeting the people that continue to go out there and make Cincinnati’s urban core a great place. We hope you can join us at UrbanCincy’s 4th Year Anniversary Bash.