Tag: young professionals

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Business News

Yogurt Vi to bring fresh eating alternative to Clifton Heights this spring

Commercial development is under way for a new business at the high-profile Calhoun Street Marketplace near the University of Cincinnati.

Yogurt Vi, located on Calhoun Street beneath University Park Apartments, will open in early Spring as a health-conscious frozen yogurt cafe catering to the neighborhood’s younger crowd of university students and urban professionals. Yogurt Vi hopes to fill a niche in the Clifton Heights business district by offering visitors a unique and healthy frozen yogurt experience at its uptown location.

“We hope to serve as a destination place for socializing, studying and snacking,” says Kelly Wherley, Operations Manager for Yogurt Vi. “Calhoun Street was selected for our store because we see a lot of opportunity in the redevelopment of this area and believe we can make a difference in the revitalization of the neighborhood.”

With a wide variety of self-serve yogurt on tap, including probiotic, lactose-free, low fat and non-fat varieties, Yogurt Vi will offer a broad selection of dry toppings, fresh fruits, and desserts to satisfy any palate, as well as a healthy buffet of bottled beverages and prepackaged salads and sandwiches.

“Yogurt Vi is the type of establishment that college students will really appreciate and benefit from,” adds Wherley, standing beneath the restaurant’s newly installed granite arches and bright LED lights. “With the location so close to student housing and the University of Cincinnati, we hope to serve as a destination for campus students looking for a healthy eating alternative.”

Robert Neel, president of Clifton Heights-University Heights-Fairview Neighborhood Association (CUF) is also glad to see the new yogurt restaurant move into the Calhoun Street Marketplace location. “The community is excited about the retail vacancies filling up in our business district and the positive sign that sends for the project beginning across the street,” he remarks, referring to the U Square @ The Loop development between McMillan and Calhoun.

“We are looking forward to the further development and rebirth of our business district,” Neel adds. “Energy builds more energy for positive moves forward. I hope Yogurt Vi contributes to further momentum for our neighborhood.”

Yogurt Vi is set to launch this spring, but those looking to stay current with updates can follow the store on Twitter @Yogurt_Vi or by becoming a fan on Facebook.

Categories
News Politics Transportation

New express bus routes fall victim to Kasich’s $70M transit cut

Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) was quick to give away a $400 million federal investment in Ohio for high speed rail to California and Florida. And now it seems as if his opposition to transport extends beyond high speed rail and includes all forms of transit.

Last week Kasich announced he would reduce transit funding by $70 million. The original three-year, $150 million pledge made by former Governor Ted Strickland (D), in part, included $1.3 million to establish express bus service that would connect Westwood (Glenway Crossing) and Butler County (Liberty Township/West Chester) with Uptown and the University of Cincinnati.

“It’s too early to know the long-term impact on our funding,” said Metro’s Chief Public Affairs Officer, Sallie L. Hilvers. “The immediate loss is the Innovative Services grant for express service to Uptown which was in the planning stage.”

The idea was to invest $10 million into transit systems around the state in a way that would connect people with important job centers and education hubs like Uptown.

In Columbus, $3.2 million would have gone to connect Ohio State University, Columbus State, Franklin University and the Capital Law School with regional hospitals. Nearby, Dayton had received $534,000 to pursue similar transit goals.

This move, combined with the return of $400 million for high speed rail and consideration of pulling $50 million in state funding for the Cincinnati Streetcar, appears to point to a dramatic policy shift from Strickland to Kasich, and one that does not favor the state’s transport network.

When asked about this striking policy shift and what it might mean for Metro, Hilvers said, “We really can’t comment until we have more facts. There just isn’t enough information yet to really know what the future impacts will be.”

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Get connected with the 2011 rendition of Bockfest

In a little less than three weeks, Bockfest will take over historic Over-the-Rhine for a full weekend beginning with the annual parade on Friday, March 4. While the Bockfest weekend is a popular weekend for many locals, it is so much more than just a few days on the first weekend of March. There are many events leading up to the weekend, and a bevy of ways to get involved with the festival that make it that can make it much more engaging.

One of the highlights is the crowning of the annual Sausage Queen which occurs this year on Saturday, March 5. There are however five preliminary rounds leading up to the finals that night continuing this Friday night at Washington Platform and then every other evening until February 26 at Milton’s Prospect Hill Tavern. The full schedule and rules of engagement can be found online.

There are three other events leading up to the weekend as well. Nothin’ But Bock Teaze Happy Hour will take place at Milton’s on February 23 where folks will have their first chance to pick up the 2011 Bockfest shirt at the discounted price of $15. A drawing for the Ultimate Bockfest Weekend, including a suite at Garfield Place and $250 in vouchers, will be held at Cafe Martin on February 24. Tickets, for that event, can be purchased online ahead of the event for just $10.

And finally, on the Sunday before Bockfest the annual Precipitation Retaliation event will be held at Grammers. The event will include, among other things, the burning of a snowman in effigy for hopes of good weather at Bockfest – a tradition born after the 2008 Bockfest dealt with one of the worst blizzards in a decade.

While the events leading up to Bockfest help make it more engaging, the best way to feel connected to the event is to volunteer during Bockfest weekend itself. Speaking as someone who has volunteered during the 2009 and 2010 events (and is signed up again this year) it definitely adds to the weekend in a very positive way.

There are two main things for which you can volunteer: Bockfest Hall or The Prohibition Resistance Tours. Bockfest Hall duties include selling and pouring beer, selling merchandise, checking IDs at the door, and general help. Volunteering for the tours is a little more intensive as you also have to commit to a training session, but it is rewarding and actually quite simple. Aside from the training there is a script provided so that you can easily relay the history of the breweries and show off the lagering cellars and tunnels with ease.

I have to say that as a volunteer for the tours it really helps one gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Cincinnati’s rich brewing heritage. All volunteer opportunities are available online. Stay connected with UrbanCincy to get our custom guide to enjoy the annual festival as it draws nearer.

Categories
Business News

8th Street Design District branding its way to a new future

As Cincinnati begins a formal effort to define its brand and overall image, there seems to be a clear direction in which the conversation should head. Cincinnati is already known as a cradle of brands and building upon those existing creative assets would seem beneficial.

Home to consumer product giants like Procter & Gamble, Kroger, Macy’s and Chiquita, Cincinnati has been able to grow a robust support economy of branding and design firms looking to help sell their products to the world. Over time, many industries tend to self congest and maximize on economies of agglomeration. In Cincinnati this has occurred downtown roughly along the 8th Street corridor.

Within what is now being called the 8th Street Design District is a diverse collection of design professionals and businesses. In all, there are approximately 336 people working professionally in the fields of architecture, photography, graphic design, advertising, branding, urban and sustainable building design, and interior design in this small sub-section of downtown. There are also estimated to be approximately 175 people living in the immediate area in warehouses that have been converted into creative living spaces.

The numbers come to us from Ken Neiheisel, Principal of New Business Development for Marsh, who is helping lead the new organization that is attempting to brand the area with just the kind of image city leaders appear to want to do on a larger scale.

In early 2011, Neiheisel says, the 8th Street Design District hopes to begin incorporating some type of signage and designations up around the district to help make people more aware. He also says that the group is working on developing an overall brand strategy.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Downtown Cincinnati as a skate park

Downtown Cincinnati is viewed by most as a place of business, entertainment, or residence. People live or visit downtown as the central destination for the 2.1 million-person region. There are others that use the city center for something a bit different, and in this case Daniel Stephens uses it as his personal skate park.

There is no skate park in within close proximity of downtown, so skate boarders and others are left to improvise with the urban landscape surrounding them. In this video, entitled Cincinnati A.M., Stephens takes advantage of narrow alleys, busy city streets, an odd concrete-heavy park near 5th and Elm streets where skate boarders often congregate, parking lots and the rear of buildings.

The video was produced and edited by Maxwell White.