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Business Development News

Construction begins on $47.3M redevelopment of Washington Park

After years of planning, discussion and debate, construction that will renovate and expand Washington Park will officially begin today in historic Over-the-Rhine. The initial work will include excavation on the north end of the park that will eventually house a 450-space underground parking garage.

Project officials say that the underground garage is what sets the stage for the two-acre park expansion to the north. This expanded park area will include, above the garage, will include a 37,000-square-foot lawn, public plaza, and performance space for programming activities.

“We’re dedicated to returning the park to its original stature as a beautiful, public, green space with a variety of features for all neighborhood residents as well as visitors to enjoy,” said 3CDC President & CEO Stephen Leeper in a prepared release. “Creating great civic spaces like Washington Park and Fountain Square is one of 3CDC’s most important goals. They attract residents, businesses and visitors and truly define the character of a neighborhood.”

Over the past several months citizens have also had input on the design and process in which the renovations take place. One of the primary concerns has been around the disruption to the park itself and how nearby residents might be able to avoid total access denial. To address those issues, 3CDC in partnership with Turner Construction Company and Megen Construction Company have developed a plan that will keep the southern half of Washington Park open during the initial construction phase.

“Creating great civic spaces like Washington Park and Fountain Square is one of 3CDC’s most important goals,” Leeper continued. “They attract residents, businesses and visitors and truly define the character of a neighborhood.”

The project start is a realization of a plan first laid out in 2002 by residents, business owners, and other stakeholders in the historic neighborhood. That plan specifically called for the redevelopment of Washington Park, and the addition of a parking structure that could serve future business and residential growth nearby.

Project officials say that additional park renovations will proceed once the garage site is excavated, and that they anticipate the entire project to be complete by late spring 2012.

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Development News Transportation

Public gets first chance to see modern streetcars in Cincinnati

This past week Cincinnatians were given a chance to tour a modern streetcar similar to those that will operate here beginning in 2013. The particular streetcar on display was manufactured by United Streetcar in Clackamas, OR and has been in testing on Portland’s streetcar tracks since it was built in 2009.

The streetcar is a near clone of the Czech-built Skoda streetcars that have been in operation there since 2001. After a tour of other cities considering streetcar systems, it will return to Portland and enter revenue service there next year. United Streetcar is currently building six new streetcars for Portland’s system expansion and seven streetcars for a new system in Tuscon, Arizona.

The streetcar displayed in Cincinnati can be viewed in action on Portland’s tracks on United Streetcar’s website, or by visiting it in person at 5th and Race streets (map) until Wednesday, November 10.  Below is a video from the first day this modern streetcar was on display in Cincinnati.  Mayor Mallory, business leaders, residents, and visitors gathered to get a look at the vehicle that will soon be running on Cincinnati’s streets.

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Business Development News Transportation

Kenton County Planning Commission votes to adopt Roebling Point Plan

Last week, the Kenton County Planning Commission voted 11-5 in favor of adopting Covington’s Roebling Point Plan into the county’s comprehensive plan. Roebling Point, located at the foot of the historic Roebling Suspension Bridge, is home to such local favorites as Molly Malone’s and Keystone Bar & Grill.

Given that most view the comprehensive plan as a guide for the region, the vote was seen as a big step forward for the City of Covington as it hopes to redevelop one of its most important gateways into a more pedestrian friendly and generally more livable bar/restaurant district.

“Incorporating the plan will allow for a smoother zoning transition when new commercial moves in, streamlining zoning decisions to quicken the process for developers,” explained Covington Assistant City Manager Larisa Sims.

If the land use recommendations in the plan are followed, the new commercial development will consist of mixed-use design that complements, but does not copy the existing historic infrastructure. Sims points out that Roebling Point’s geography is unique in that it has the possibility of bringing together a variety of aesthetics.

“The area is on the verge of success,” Sims says. “It’s located between high density office use to the west and the historic Licking Riverside District to the east. The area highlights the importance of, and creates a balance between, new mixed-use development and historic preservation.”

Last week planners also outlined the specific elements of the Roebling Point Plan for four key areas:

  1. West side of Scott Street between 3rd and 4th (Gateway Building): No significant change is proposed for the Gateway Building. The plan states that the structure is an appropriate size and it incorporates well designed features for pedestrian scale. Uses encouraged in this building are retail or office on the ground floor, with office above.
  2. Southwest corner of Scott and 4th Street: This block is part of the Times Star Commons Public Space Plan. The plan focuses on the preservation of the existing historic buildings, specifically the Times Star Building. The plan also calls for the redevelopment of the J&R auto repair that is on the corner of E. 4th Street and Electric Alley.
  3. 4th Street, Tobacco Alley, and Scott to Greenup Street: The plan calls for general reinvestment and rehabilitation in this section of the study area.
  4. East side of Greenup Street, from 3rd to Tobacco Alley: The plan indicates that the mix and scale of the development here is generally appropriate.

Land Use, growth, and redevelopment
While there are many land use recommendations within the district plan, the possible reuse or demolition of the county offices and county jail at 303 Court Street is one of the most intriguing. Currently, the County is discussing whether this building will be needed once the new jail is fully functional. If the offices are also eventually moved out of this building, the plan would recommend two alternatives.

First, if the building is not demolished, the plan would prefer changes be made to the facade of the building, and that the addition on the west side of the building be removed to create more pedestrian friendly space. The recommended use of this building would be residential or office.

Second, if the building were to be razed, the design of the building should be creative, and incorporate opportunities for open spaces and pedestrian amenities mid-block. The recommended use of this building is residential, or office, with retail opportunities on the first floor.

Transportation & Urban Design
One of the main transportation recommendations in the plan involves an area called ‘The Yoke’ which is a small green space with a police memorial located next to The Ascent. Currently there are two traffic ramps that separate two small islands of green space from the police memorial. The plan recommends the elimination of these ramps in order to provide safer access to this underutilized public amenity.

The plan also recommends, among other things, to identify locations and preferred methods for streetscape enhancements and pedestrian amenities. It specifically suggests making use of the local alleys in the surrounding neighborhoods for walking, biking, and safe vehicular traffic. The plan also outlines identifying areas for new public spaces and utilizing urban design methods for enhancing safety and cleanliness.

The plan’s architectural design objectives include protecting the community’s historic architecture, while allowing flexibility for appropriate new development. In order to accomplish this, the plan lists two main specific recommendations.

  1. Keep the Historic Preservation Overlay zone in place in order to facilitate historically appropriate and compatible design.
  2. Update and amend the Historic Covington Design Guidelines to codify flexibility and consistent interpretation.

The first implementation committee meeting for the plan will be held November 15th at 6pm, the public is welcome. The meeting will outline and give a more detailed prioritization of the action items within the plan. Initial plans are already underway to meet with the owner of the Keystone Bar & Grill to discuss sidewalk expansion along Park and Greenup. These sidewalk improvements are scheduled to begin in the spring.

Additionally, funds are currently being raised for the improvements to the Yoke/Police Memorial and changes to the Yoke parking lot have already been made to try to increase usage. Additional recommendations in the plan will continue to be evaluated.

“Long term implementation will largely depend on the interest and activity from property owners and developers specifically related to land use and redevelopment of each block,” Sims stated. “The City will continue to promote its incentives and work as a facilitator to make this vision a reality.”

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News Transportation

Modern streetcar to be on display in downtown Cincinnati through 11/10

If you have not been one of the hundreds of Cincinnatians to make the trip to Portland to see modern streetcars in action, or visit one of the many global cities with them in operation, then tomorrow is a great chance to see one up close and in person.

City officials sent out a message late Thursday stating that the first modern streetcar made in America since the 1930’s will be on display at 5th and Walnut streets in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, November 5 from 1pm to 7pm. Those who are unable to check it out for themselves on Friday will have another chance from 11am to 7pm daily through Wednesday, November 10.

“This is a perfect opportunity to pierce the veil of misunderstanding about what our city is trying to do with this project,” streetcar supporter John Schneider stated in an email.

City officials do note that while the Cincinnati Streetcar may end up being this particular model, the final decision on that has yet to be made, but they say that it will give a great idea for what to expect once Cincinnati’s modern streetcar system is operating in 2013.

The mayor is expected to hold a news conference at 1pm on Friday to discuss the project and this type of streetcar model. After the streetcar leaves Cincinnati it will make its way to Portland to join their existing streetcar fleet.

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Business Development News

Connect with fellow urbanists at Soapbox’s panel discussion on urban pioneers

Urban neighborhoods often suffer before they ultimately make a triumphant comeback. Whether the neighborhood is Brooklyn or Over-the-Rhine, urban neighborhoods rely on critical populace that is willing to take a chance when others are not. These people are what we call urban pioneers.

This scenario is the topic of Soapbox’s next speaker series event to be held at the Niehoff Urban Studio in Corryville. Urban Pioneers – The Cult of Personality will gather four of Cincinnati’s most relevant urban pioneers who have helped to transform once downtrodden neighborhoods like Mt. Adams, Northside, and Over-the-Rhine.

Organizers say that guest panelists will include Neil Bortz, Matthew Wirtz, Maureen Wood, and Terry Chan who will discuss what it takes to succeed in bringing a vision to reality by revitalizing parts of a city one building at a time. The discussion will be moderated by the former director of UC’s School of Architecture & Interior Design Michaele Pride.

While organized by Soapbox Cincinnati, the speaker series is sponsored by the Niehoff Urban Studio and heavily attended by the those involved in the Urbanist movement in Cincinnati. Founder of the Cincinnati Urbanist movement and poltics teacher at UC’s School of Planning, Terry Grundy, further explained the intricacy of urban pioneers to UrbanCincy.

“Someone — though more generally a small group of people — has to take a chance on a fine old neighborhood with lots of potential that’s lost population and become poorer over many decades,” Grundy explained. “Call the people who do this urban pioneers if you will but, whatever you call them, they’re the people whom we look back on years after a neighborhood has been turned around and say, “They’re the ones who got it all started.”

Grundy says that these initial urban pioneers are often followed by a group of “semi-pioneers” who move in before the neighborhood has fully turned around, but only after the initial risk was taken away.

“This second wave of people who come into rebounding neighborhoods is almost always made up of the key demographic groups that are attracted to urban life and are remaking older American cities: young professionals, the group we call the Bohemian Cluster (gays and lesbians, artists, musicians, true bohemians), empty nesters, and New Americans (immigrants from other countries). Some resurgent neighborhoods have a strong showing of members of one of these groups while others have a mixture of two or more. We know, for instance, that young professionals often enjoy living in neighborhoods with a strong contingent of the Bohemian Cluster.”

Urban Pioneers – The Cult of Personality if free to attend, but organizers are requiring reservations be made online in advance. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 27 from 5pm to 7:30pm at the Niehoff Urban Studio (map).  Registration and happy hour will begin at 5pm.