Categories
Business Development News

New video takes critical look at Over-the-Rhine’s recent progress

A new video published on Vimeo entitled OTR: On the Rise looks at Cincinnati’s historic neighborhood and the progress it has made over recent years. The video, produced by Jeremy Heslup, also takes a critical look at the neighborhood and visually illustrates how much more work needs to be done.

Heslup interviews a prominent Over-the-Rhine street performer; a planning profession from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning; a musician from the Cincinnati Symphony; and a Cincinnati police officer who has been working in the neighborhood for years.

Those interviewed seem to concur that one of the largest hurdles facing the historic neighborhood is a perception that it is not a good place to be in Cincinnati. All of those interviewed were also inspired about the recent progress and seemed to be hopeful that Over-the-Rhine will soon get over the proverbial hump as more and more residents and businesses move into the neighborhood.

One of the most striking features, of the video, is the vacant buildings captured on film. With Over-the-Rhine being one of the nation’s largest and significant historic districts, it shows just how vulnerable the neighborhood is. One storm, one negligent property owner, one fire, or one crass developer could mean the end for hundreds of buildings in Over-the-Rhine.

Categories
Business Development News

$10.7M Parvis Lofts development leasing quickly in Over-the-Rhine

The Parvis Lofts development has been open for less than one month and already developers say that they have leased nearly 50 percent of the 32 rental units available. The residential units also include 15,000 square feet of commercial space to fill out the $10.7 million development in the heart of historic Over-the-Rhine.

“The renaissance of Over-the-Rhine continues. By building apartments, we are giving new choices for people who are interested in being a part of the revitalization of this neighborhood,” Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory stated in a prepared release.

The development is located in the 1400 block of Vine Street which previously consisted of deteriorating buildings. NorthPointe Group developers say they renovated the 10 buildings into rental units to fill a need that had yet to be satisfied by other recently completed projects in the Gateway Quarter of Over-the-Rhine.

The finished units include laundry facilities in each unit, Rookwood Tile fireplaces, a courtyard, secure parking, lobby, Cincinnati Bell fiber-optic service, and range in size from 475 square feet to 2,025 square feet. NorthPointe Group officials say that rents average $850 per month, but start as low as $575 and go as high as $1,850.

“Up until now there has only been for-sale product developed in the Q, and we have received numerous requests for rental options,” explained Parvis Lofts leasing agent J.T. Barse. “Like the Gateway Quarter as a whole, the project is aimed at attracting people that want to live in and embrace Cincinnati’s urban core.”

The project was funded through a variety of sources that include State and Federal historic tax credits, New Market tax credits and a load from Cincinnati Equity Fund.

To date, NorthPointe Group has developed two other projects with HGC Construction in Over-the-Rhine including Duncanson Lofts and Mottainai – both of which have sold out. The development team is now working on Saengerhalle Lofts on Race Street just a block away.

The Q, and OTR in general, has been attracting a lot of attention, and with a burgeoning social scene we are seeing more people that want to live here even if they don’t work downtown,” said Barse. “While that may be what is bringing them down to look, the high quality finishes and exterior common area is what makes them want to rent.”

Barse also notes that many of the renters come down without knowing there is a Kroger grocery store directly across the street, or about how close the units are located to Findlay Market.

Those interested in touring the remaining units can do so by contacting J.T. Barse at jbarse@northpointegroup.com or by calling (513) 835-2110. You can also stay up-to-date by following NorthPointe Group on Twitter @NPGRealEstate.

Parvis Lofts photography by UrbanCincy contributor Jake Mecklenborg.

Categories
Development News

Learning from the urban design of Paul Brown Stadium

[This story was originally published in Greater Greater Washington as part a two-part series on urban football stadiums. Visit the original story for more comments, thoughts and opinions about case studies of other recently built urban football stadiums in America – Randy.]


Through its history, Cincinnati has seen a typical evolution of urban sports venues for American cities. The intersection of Findlay and Western, in Cincinnati’s West End neighborhood housed the Cincinnati Reds from 1864 through 1970 in three iterations of ballparks — League Park, Palace of the Fans, and Crosley Field — until the team moved with the Cincinnati Bengals football team to Riverfront Stadium.

The Bengals also spent their first two years playing at Nippert Stadium on the University of Cincinnati’s campus uptown. But when the two teams moved to Riverfront Stadium, they followed a national trend of cookie cutter stadiums in urban environments meant to serve as economic development generators. The problem was that the promise never came to fruition in the cities that went after the golden egg.

Most of those same cities have rebuilt their professional sports venues, many in the urban core. But the question still remains whether the return on investment is worth the valuable land for these lightly-used behemoths.

In Cincinnati, the Reds host more than 81 games every year drawing tens of thousands of fans to each event. Additional events are held at the ballpark, and its related attractions, throughout the year that also create a draw. Four blocks away, Paul Brown Stadium, home of the Bengals, hosts 10 games each year in addition to the smattering of high school events and concerts held there annually.

The result is a larger football stadium with far fewer events and a ballpark with more events but smaller crowds. The winner in this case is the ballpark, and the new generation of urban ballparks appears to be as successful as the original wave of urban ballparks in the late 19th century.

The problem with urban football stadiums can be both a structural issue and a programmatic issue. In the case of Paul Brown Stadium it is more about the program. The large, tailgating-bound crowds demand available parking for their pre- and post-game festivities.

In Cincinnati, developers are currently constructing The Banks, a mixed-use urban entertainment node wedged between Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium and will eventually house thousands of new residents. Before each phase of development begins, it must first have two-floors of underground parking built before it even begins to satisfy the parking demands for the new residents and workers to be housed above.

Once complete, The Banks may set the stage for a truly unique urban sports and entertainment area, one that would have no surface parking and force tens of thousands of sports fans, visiting the area, out onto the streets for live music, food, drink, and festivities. This may end up being Paul Brown Stadium’s saving grace.

The beautiful thing about professional sports venues is that they can turn what is otherwise worthless land into something economically productive and thus improve land values in nearby areas. But most often franchise owners often want their venues to be located in prime real estate so that they can maximize their visibility. In Cincinnati that meant handing over prime waterfront property to two large concrete masses that only stay active a fraction of the year.

When other cities examine plans for an urban sports venue of their own, they should keep more in mind than the wishes of the franchise ownership and the promise of skyline shots on national television once or twice a year. Less is more. You want the venue to blend in so that it does not detract from its surroundings when it is inevitably non-active. You want the venue to be versatile so that it can serve other functions beyond that of playing baseball or football. And most importantly, get rid of the parking so that venue’s support facilities do not kill what you want the venue to create — economic development.

Paul Brown Stadium aerial photograph provided by UrbanCincy contributer Thadd Fiala.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Urbanist movement rises anew in Cincinnati a decade after civil unrest

In 2002 the concept of urbanism arguably hit an all-time low. The city was recovering from civil unrest that wreaked havoc on inner-city neighborhoods the year before and caused economic boycotts, urban neighborhoods were suffering from severe disinvestment, urban populations were in decline, and the City’s Planning Department had been cut by then Mayor Charlie Luken.

Today, however, the state of urbanism in Cincinnati is very much different. The civil unrest of 2001 has led to massive police reform and a focus from major corporations on those most struggling inner-city neighborhoods. Investment in urban neighborhoods has become a priority of recent political leaders and urban populations are increasing all over Cincinnati. Also during that time the Planning Department has been restored along with the creation of the Office of Environmental Quality, and the development of the City’s first comprehensive plan in decades.

In addition to the formal progress that has been made, there is a diverse group of urbanists that have organized around common beliefs and goals that are looking to improve Cincinnati’s urbanism.

“Urbanists believe that great historic cities are the highest achievement of the human spirit and once again ought to be the preferred places to live for America’s most talented and productive people,” explained University of Cincinnati adjunct planning professor, and co-founder of the Urbanists, Terry Grundy. “Urbanism, as the term is used in Cincinnati, is an intellectual, cultural and political movement which promotes this point of view.”

As Grundy puts it, the urbanism movement emerged in Cincinnati shortly after the civil unrest took place in 2001. He says that a group thinkers, civic leaders and philanthropists came together to reflect on what had happened in the city and decided that something needed to change.

“The trajectory, if allowed to continue, would have inevitably led to the ‘Detroit-izing’ of Cincinnati. This was a prospect those thinkers were not prepared to accept, and they have ever since been promoting a ‘place of choice’ ideology for the city.”

Most recently that thought movement has led to the Soapbox Speaker Series which is co-sponsored by Soapbox Cincinnati, the University of Cincinnati’s Niehoff Urban Studio and The Urbanists. The intent, Grundy explains, is to provide opportunities for people who share the urbanist perspective, or who are interested in learning more, to network and come together to learn and share ideas.

The first speaker series event held in uptown Cincinnati’s Corryville neighborhood focused on how the city’s food scene has supported urbanist outcomes through things like local food sourcing, food trucks, street vendors and more. The next speaker series event, to be held on January 5 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, will focus on philanthropists of urbanism in Cincinnati.

“These are people who moved into and did development work in historic neighborhoods that had declined and, by their example, encouraged others to take a chance on those neighborhoods,” Grundy said.

The event will feature a panel of Sean Parker, Beth Gottfried, H.C. Buck Niehoff and Dave Abbott.

“Urbanism, like all emergent movements, needs to be backed up by resources if it is to be successful in promoting its ideas and pursuing its concrete development strategies. The individuals, on this panel, have been willing to direct their foundation’s investments to activities that are urbanist in intent.”

Those interested in attending the third Soapbox Speaker Series event (map) – Patrons of Urbanism: New Ambitions for Public-Private Partnerships – are encouraged to register in advance for the free event. Organizers say that a happy hour reception and light food will be provided by Fresh Table, and that a $2,500 FUEL grant will be awarded to one lucky applicant.

Categories
Business Development News

Jimmy Heath House to start welcoming new residents to Over-the-Rhine today

These days, development news in Over-the-Rhine is seemingly ubiquitous. The historic neighborhood is growing at a rapid rate and with new businesses constantly opening; new residents are flowing in. However, starting today another group will be calling the neighborhood home.

On Friday, Over-the-Rhine Community Housing (OTRCH) hosted a ribbon cutting for the Jimmy Heath House (map). The new permanent supportive housing development transformed 14,300 square feet of space in six historic buildings. The housing development includes 25 apartments for the chronically homeless, offices for case managers, as well as public meeting spaces to accommodate the social service needs of its residents.

OTRCH officials say that the development, named after homeless advocate and former Streetvibes editor Jimmy Heath, is based on the housing first principle; a concept that clinical and social stabilization is more affective when homelessness is eliminated.

Housing First is a nationally recognized evidence-based best practice. Many cities and counties around the country already have Housing First programs in place or plans to initiate one,” Mary Burke Rivers, OTRCH Director, said in a press release. “The positive outcomes from the model are astonishing, and we are proud of our partners who have joined us in this progress.”

The benefits, of these new housing developments, extend beyond their social benefits. Studies show that significant economic gains can be had as well by reducing the cost often associated with homeless individuals. On average, studies indicate that it costs between $35,000 and $150,000 annually to support a homeless individual, while housing communities such as the Jimmy Heath House lower that average to just over $16,000 annually.

“People who are chronically homeless make up 34 percent of the homeless population and spend years cycling between the streets, shelters, jail cells, and emergency rooms,” Rivers said.

Residents of the complex are scheduled to start moving in as early as today.

“We’re looking forward to the possibilities for our residents: being able to connect with family members for the first time in years, going to a clinic instead of the emergency room, not drinking just to numb the bitter cold,” said Andy Hutzel, director of housing services for OTRCH. “We have one tenant, Paul, who will be able to get off of crutches after nine years because he can finally rehabilitate an injury following his fall from a roof – an impossibility while he was living under the 6th Street viaduct.”