Thoughts on the Casino at Broadway Commons

The Enquirer ran a surprisingly thoughtful article today highlighting some very important points about the design and implementation of the Broadway Commons Casino and the impact it will have on Downtown. It can be read here: Uncommon Expectations

They posed the question "Will the new casino be designed as a cohesive part of a bigger downtown draw?"
This is an excellent question and one that needs to be taken very seriously by City officials, neighborhood leaders and citizens. I see two possible scenarios for the Casino downtown.
1. I lived in Detroit for a couple of years recently and visited their downtown casinos several times. Basically they were designed to attract people by automobile, park, gamble, maybe eat/drink inside the casino, maybe stay at the Casino's hotel, then get back in your car and leave. There was absolutely no impact on the surrounding downtown because people are encouraged to stay inside the casino's walls and not venture anywhere else.
This sort of situation needs to be avoided vehemently!! We don't need another I-71 exit full of hideous parking structures surrounding a walled off Casino.

2. The casino is designed to blend with the historic character of the surrounding neighborhoods and parking structures are kept to a minimum and equally well blended into the surroundings. It should be a casino and a casino only that encourages people to go elsewhere for dinner, hotels, and other entertainment. Key to this encouragement would be insuring that the streetcar is built so that people actually have a way to get to all of the other downtown attractions (like the new hotels being planned already at The Metropole on Walnut and the Phelps apt. building on 4th Street, the Banks, the Stadiums, Fountain Square, the new Riverfront park, all of our Downtown Restaurants, Bars, Shopping, OTR's Main and Vine street districts, Music Hall...the list goes on and on)

I really believe that if its done right the Casino will be a great addition to downtown and will really bring a lot of visitors and new residents to the surrounding neighborhoods and downtown. If done incorrectly it will do absolutely nothing for Cincinnati.

I'd be really curious to hear what Dan Gilbert has to say about the Cincinnati Streetcar plan and if he has any plans on contributing to it to insure its built? I think it will be a critical part of making the Casino a success. Just imagine how much easier it would be for people to come downtown for any number of various reasons (a bengal's game, a business trip) and say "hey why not hop on the streetcar after the game and check out the Casino?" I know I'd be much more inclined to do so if I knew there were no extra steps in paying for parking or finding a cab or whatever. Without the streetcar I doubt people would be as willing to walk or drive all the way up to Broadway commons from anywhere downtown and would likely opt to stay put.

Back to the Subject at Hand

With Issue 9 finally behind us and the prospect of a much brighter future for Over the Rhine and the rest of Cincinnati, I can finally get back to focusing on the original intent of this blog which is the history and current progression of Over the Rhine and the surrounding downtown and uptown neighborhoods. I'm going to start with pointing out this somewhat rare color photograph from a postcard I found at an antique mall depicting Central Parkway looking east. In the picture you can clearly see the YMCA building which is still standing on the corner of Central and Elm. In the distance is the American Building, still standing today. You can also see one of the more modern Cincinnati streetcars traveling north on Elm towards Music Hall. Because of that streetcar I'm guessing this photo was taken sometime in the early 1950s. Maybe late 1940s, but I'm not sure when that style streetcar was first built. You can see a lot of late 1940s cars in the picture, so it can't be much later than that.
Here's a picture of that same stretch of road today, unfortunately I couldn't get a birds eye view, but it still gives you a good idea of how things look now.

I can't believe my ears!

John Schneider on 700WLW right now and Scott Sloan is talking about the streetcar and saying the most positive things I've ever heard anyone on our local media say about this project. He said "Not only am I getting warmed up to the streetcar now, but I'm getting all hot and bothered with it!" He's saying that with the casino going in, the banks being completed and all the other great assets we have downtown that he really believes its time to "tie them all together" and that "we'd be foolish not to." This is 700WLW speaking!

I really think I've died and gone to heaven! Could our city really be turning around and seeing the potential we have that quickly!? Yes for rail transit and thank you 700WLW for being the first media outlet to speak so highly of this project! You've hit the nail right on the head!

I am truly excited for our future and I think we're heading in exactly the direction we need to go!

Deciding Cincinnati's Future Tomorrow

I realize that this blog has essentially been devoted to encouraging voters to defeat Issue 9 for quite some time now. That was not the original intent I had when I started this blog over a year and a half ago now. However, my interest in seeing a successful revitalization of Downtown and Over the Rhine mandated that I also become interested in the reintroduction of rail transit within the city of Cincinnati.

I've learned over the last year or so how vitally important a good public transportation system is to ensuring a successful, healthy, and vibrant urban core. I fully believe that the revitalization of Over the Rhine and the rebirth of a strong urban environment in Cincinnati can not reach its full potential without some sort of investment in rail transit within the city. A dense, walkable urban neighborhood like Over the Rhine simply can not support the large number of people it needs to be a success without an adequate means of moving them from place to place. There simply isn't enough room for all the cars that would come with the increase in population. In order for Over the Rhine to achieve the necessary density in population to be a success, we must invest in a good public transportation system in the form of rail transit. The streetcar would be a great first step, but certainly only part of the solution. Future projects involving regional light rail and intercity high speed rail would also be necessary to fit the needs of an ever growing urban population.

Cincinnati voters are at a critical turning point in our city's history. Over the last 50-60 years Cincinnati, like most other mid-west cities, has embraced the automobile culture of suburban sprawl and flight from our urban cores. As a result our most historic and important neighborhoods have suffered. This same process has happened all over the country. In recent years people everywhere have begun to realize how critically important a city's urban core is to keeping the entire city and its surrounding regions strong. Because of this there has been a renewed interest in preserving, revitalizing and strengthening our urban environment.

Good, reliable public transportation systems are vital to giving people options when it comes to transportation and allowing for the full revitalization of the city center. The United States as a whole is beginning to realize that we can no longer be a car-only culture. People need diverse options for transportation. High speed rail, regional light rail and inner city rail are all going to be an important part of strengthening our cities for the future.

Tomorrow, voters will decide what direction they want Cincinnati to take. Do we turn our backs to progress and ignore the need to diversify our transportation options by allowing Issue 9 to pass? Or, do we say no to issue 9 and move ahead with a future open to new transportation options? I know that I don't want to live in a city where it is necessary to use your car for your every transportation need. I want to live where I have choices. I want to live in a city with a bright future and that is willing to move forward.

Please, for the sake of Cincinnati's future VOTE NO ON 9!!

Nein on Nine Party Tonight! Grammers!

What: Nein on Nine: PROJECTMILL has put together a No on Nine rally tonight at Grammer's that promises to be a great time. The purpose is to inform people of the dangers of Issue 9 and encourage everyone to go out and vote NO On 9! Several city council members/candidates are expected to be there to answer questions and we'll have lots of materials to give out from Cincinnatian's For Progress to show your support for the No on 9 campaign.
Also, the event will be followed by an "Octoberfest in October" dance party to be DJ'd by PROJECTMILL. Remember, these are the same guys that put on DANCE_MF in Northside Tavern, so you know you can expect an awesome time!

Where: Grammer's, 1440 Walnut St
When: Tonight Oct. 24, 8pm-10pm with after party starting at 10pm

Be There and Remember to Vote NO ON 9!!

New Streetcar Promotion Video

Here's a link to a very nice new streetcar video produced by the city to help people understand what the streetcar investment is all about.
Enjoy! And remember No on 9!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnazP-9va-E

Issue 9 Video: Channel 12 Newsmakers

Please watch this video. Tom Luken and Roxanne Qualls answer questions about Issue 9 on Channel 12 newsmakers.
Tom Luken is introduced as the "spokesperson for Issue 9." Let me just say that if HE is the spokesperson for Issue 9 then we have nothing to worry about. What I mean is, that he does a HORRIBLE job answering questions, in fact, he doesn't even answer the questions he is asked directly. When he does attempt to answer these very fair questions it is very clear that he has no valid argument for Issue 9 whatsoever and jumps immediately to a defensive, almost combative stance.
On the other hand, Roxanne Qualls does a very nice job of explaining her support for the streetcar project and clearly explains the danger of Issue 9 and why she does not support it. She gives very valid, clear and concise arguments that are obviously well informed and you can immediately tell that she has really put the time in to research the subject and give us a solid picture of what Issue 9 is all about.
If Issue 9 was written by people like Tom Luken and you watch this video, you can easily see that they do not have the well being of Cincinnati in mind at all. Not only that, but you start to get the sense that they really have no valid argument for Issue 9 at all. That explains why they immediately revert to being argumentative and quite unwillingly to participate in civil debate. Why? Because they know if they answer questions directly they will expose the ignorance and irresponsibility in proposing an amendment to our charter such as Issue 9.

Here are the links to the videos, they actually had to extend the length of the program because nothing was accomplished in part 1, mostly because of Tom Luken's inability to clearly answer questions:
http://www.local12.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=42641@wkrc.dayport.com&navCatId=86

Must Register to Vote by Monday Last Day

If you want to register to vote in the fall election and help defeat issue 9, you must register by the end of the day Monday Oct. 5th!! Tell all of your friends and family to get their voter registration cards in immediately. They have to be post marked by Monday or you won't be able to vote.

If you don't know if you're registered or not, you can call the board of elections and find out at: 513-632-7000

Visit this website to download registration forms: http://www.hamilton-co.org/BOE/

This Link tells you exactly how to register to vote: http://www.hamilton-co.org/BOE/howtoreg.asp

Don't Delay! This is one of the most important elections in Cincinnati's history and WILL affect the future of this city in a very big way!

Register Today and Vote No on Issue 9!

Vote Early This Week: No on 9!!!

As written by the folks at millvalley:

Few people know this, but this week and this week only, you can register and vote for mayor, city council candidates and especially against Issue 9 -- the anti-rail amendment to our city's constitution.

It's really simple to do, and you'll miss the crowds on Election Day.

So at 11:30a this Tuesday, rail supporters are gathering downtown at the Board of Elections (824 Broadway) to register and vote early. Any U.S. citizen over 18 and now living in Hamilton County, even if you just attend school here, can register and cast a vote in this all-important election.

If you're not sure whether you are registered to vote, they will look it up for you. If you're not registered, they will register you on the spot. Bring your driver's license and any other evidence that you live in Cincinnati/Hamilton County -- a utility bill in your name, a paycheck stub with your local address on it, an apartment lease, etc.

The following candidates for Mayor and City Council are the only candidates in favor of Issue 9, the anti-rail Charter Amendment. And all of them are opposed to the Cincinnati Streetcar too:

* Anti-rail candidate for Mayor -- Brad Wenstrup

* Anti-rail candidates for City Council -- Chris Monzel and Charlie Winburn

All of the other candidates for Mayor and City Council are pro-rail and against Issue 9.

Please forward this email and bring some friends. Ask them to vote "No on Nine!" See you Tuesday.

New and Improved CincyStreetcar.Com

The folks over at CincyStreetcar.Com have updated and expanded their website making it much more informative and comprehensive. If you know someone who is either a Streetcar critic or not sure what they think about the streetcar plan this is a great resource to refer them to. There are lots of links to articles, videos, interviews and pictures that accurately and fairly describe what a modern day streetcar is and what it can do for a city.

Check it out for yourself: Click Here

Any Means Any

Lunken Airport Site for 3-C Train Station?

The Enquirer reports that Lunken Airport has been chosen as the site for the 3C train station by state officials. Read Here

Okay, I have to rant a little:

Really?! What a terrible idea! Unless someone can convince me otherwise, I can't imagine a worse place for the train station!

Now, like everything else in Cincinnati, the only way to access the train station will be to drive your automobile, very far, especially for those who live in the northern or western parts of town, over to Lunken airport, and try to find a spot to park in some expensive parking lot.
What are visitors from out of town supposed to do when they arrive? Pay for a cab? Rent a car? Wait for someone to pick them up in another automobile? They are no where near downtown so they will have no idea where to go when they get here. At least by having it near the boathouse they would have been close enough to downtown that it would have been relatively easy to find a hotel room downtown, a restaurant, bar, whatever. But now, nothing.

The whole attraction to rail transportation, at least in my eyes, is the fact you can ignore your car for once and not have to worry about driving or parking and instead just walk, take public transportation, hop on a train, enjoy a book or listen to music, nap, do whatever you want while you enjoy the ride. When you make trains easily accessible to people and neighborhoods via walking or taking public transit (streetcars!) the rails actually get use. When you add that extra step of having to drive somewhere, find a spot to park and worry about how much its going to cost to leave your car in a lot over the weekend it kind of kills the whole convenience thing.

I know they say that it is only temporary, but even while its there its just not going to get as much use and no one will ever support building a more permanent, hopefully better thought out location for the next station. If they don't link the 3C station to the streetcar or a light rail system, it will never work and hardly anyone will ride it. If, however, they make the station easily accessible by many different modes of transportation, (either foot, bike, streetcar, or light rail) it will get a ton of use.

Okay, I'm done, I feel better now.

Streetcar Route Virtual Tour

Check out this awesome Virtual Tour created by Queen City Discovery! They did a really nice job highlighting all the key points along the route and showing exactly how inclusive this project will be. Check it out!

Streetcar Tour

Anti Rail Amendment Cartoons

3C Corridor Passenger Rail Plan: Location of Cincinnati Station

Of the two options being discussed as possible locations for the train station needed to start up passenger rail service between the 3C corridor, I'm not sure which one I favor.

Though I love The Union Terminal and I feel it would be amazing to actually see that station being used for what it was intended, I'm just not convinced it would be the best spot for train service now. Its kind of far away from Downtown, not very easily accessible by anything except automobiles and is located in a completely industrialized part of town where no one lives. I fear it wouldn't get used as much simply because of its inconvenient location.
The downtown location to me makes more sense. Its in a central location within walking distance to the city where all of the areas hotels, restaurants and entertainment is located. It would be easy to get to by the Streetcar system, buses, there's plenty of parking garages around downtown. The banks will be very close by, the new transit center underneath the stadium is right there and would make sense in the long run to make some use of that, with either streetcars, light rail or the 3C trains.

But, I wanted to get everyone else's opinions on this. I haven't heard all sides of the argument yet, so maybe my mind can be changed based on what I hear.

PARK (ing) Day Today!

Lots of people PARK (ing) on the streets of OTR today. Here's a pic from this a.m. out in front of Park and Vine and the Segway store. There's free coffee at the Park and Vine spot. There's also supposed to be outdoor dining in front of Tucker's today, though I haven't been up that way yet. I'm getting hungry though, maybe I'll be heading up there too:)

No on Nine for Stronger Neighborhoods

9-9-09 Vote NO on Issue 9!!

As announced by Cincinnatian's For Progress today, the Anti-Rail Charter Amendment has been given a number on this November's ballot: Issue 9 and what a better day to spread the word than 9-9-09!

Be sure to start spreading the word that we all need to vote NO ON ISSUE 9!

Anti-Passenger Rail Charter Amendment Public Debate Tonight

Bobby Maly of Cincinnatian's For Progress and Mark Miller from WeDemandAVote will be going head to head tonight in a public debate discussing this November's Ballot Initiative on the Anti-Passenger Rail Charter Amendment. Should be a lively discussion to say the least. All the information can be found at the link below:
Anti-Passenger Rail Charter Amendment Debate

Media Bridges' 20th Anniversary and WVQC Fundraiser

From Media Bridges:

Local Musicians Help Raise Funds for New Community Radio Station


As Media Bridges Celebrates their 20th Anniversary,

Cincinnati Prepares for a New Addition to the Local

Media Soundscape.


Cincinnati, Ohio - August 21, 2009 - On September 5th, Media Bridges, Cincinnati's community media center, will be celebrating its 20th Anniversary. For the past two decades, this local nonprofit has been providing Cincinnatians with the means for making their voices heard by creating their own media. Through the provision of free equipment and free classes, Media Bridges has enabled local individuals and organizations to produce documentaries, television shows, radio productions, websites, and other types of electronic media.


The celebration will culminate in the FREE WAVE RIOT, a live concert starting at 8pm at the Know Theater in downtown Cincinnati. Featuring performances from local musicians IsWhat?, the Tigerlilies, Fourth Letter Gang, J. Dorsey Blues Revival, Losanti, the Frankl Project, and Culture Queer, proceeds from the event will help Media Bridges in their efforts to launch WVQC-FM, a low-power FM station featuring local content.



FREE WAVE RIOTMedia Bridges facility



WHAT: A celebration of Media Bridges' 20th Anniversary, as well as a fundraiser for the launch of 95.7 WVQC: Radio Free Queen City. Tickets are available starting Monday, August 24th at www.mediabrides.org or at Media Bridges (1100 Race St., Cincinnati, OH 45202) for a suggested donation of $9.57. Tickets will also be available at the door of the event.

WHO: Perfomers include IsWhat?, the Tigerlilies, Fourth Letter Gang, Cuture Queer, J. Dorsey Blues Revival, Losanti, and the Frankl Project.

WHERE: The Know Theater, located at 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

WHEN: September 5, 2009, 7:30pm-Midnight. Doors open at 7:30pm. Performances start at 8:00pm.



For more information, contact Christa Zielke, Media Bridges Development Coordinator, at 513-651-4171 ext.16 or christa@mediabridges.org .

Just Right

Channel 12 Newsmakers: Streetcars with Mayor Mallory Today!

Wonderful informational talk about the current streetcar system plans this morning on Channel 12. If you are unsure about the streetcars or if you know people who aren't please take the time to watch this 18 minute video. They've done a great job accurately talking about all the most asked about issues including the current budget crisis, the actual route the streetcar will take and why, its impact in other cities, what a modern day streetcar actually is and looks like.
I really encourage everyone to show this video to as many people as you can.

Click Here

For instance,
Did you know that modern day streetcars can be tracked on your Blackberry or iPhone? They are equipped with GPS tracking so that you can accurately check where the next car is and how long it will be before it reaches your stop! That's freakin Awesome!

Mayor Mallory Speaks Frankly About Streetcars/Budget Issues

I am reluctant to say this, but its about time the Mayor addressed the media and the general public about this very critical issue. For our city to remain united and focused on what's best for our future we need a strong central voice that will speak up on behalf of the city's best interest. As I've been preaching now for I don't know how long, the current proposal to bring inner-city rail transit (streetcars) back to Cincinnati is an opportunity that we can not afford to miss. Very clear, reputable data from many different sources show that rail transit projects such as this are good for cities and create huge returns in economic development. This leads to new residents, businesses, tourism, entertainment, and the list goes on. All of these things increase the city's tax revenue base. Cincinnati is in a financial mess now, not only because we are in the midst of a worldwide and nationwide economic recession, but also because we have failed in years past to invest in our most important asset...Our City Center.
Great strides have already been made in recent years reversing the damage of the 1950s suburban sprawl and highway expansion that caused the exodus of citizens from city centers to various suburban neighborhoods. The city has begun investing in our downtown from fountain square to the banks all the way up to OTR where new residents and businesses are already beginning to pop up everyday. However, we can only go so far without first providing a means for all of these people to move about efficiently without the automobile as their primary mode of transportation. These neighborhoods can not achieve the density of population necessary to give our city the boost it needs with out providing other means of transportation. There simply isn't enough room in such a small area for all of those cars and parking lots. People need to be able to get around with out a car.
I truly believe that right now our city has the opportunity to be on the forefront of a movement that is sweeping the nation. The cities who emerge from this economic crisis with a plan to decrease dependence on foreign oil, attract residents and businesses back to the city center, and make the city THE place to live again are going to be the most successful and prosperous cities in the 21st century.
As the mayor aggressively points out in the video below, allowing the anti-rail charter amendment to pass this November will mean the end of such vital projects as the Cincinnati Streetcar, 3-C Corridor Passenger rail, and regional light rail. We have a chance to use federal money to stimulate our local economy like its never seen before. We can not let this opportunity pass us by or we will forever remain a city that is simply a collection of suburbs and we will forever be a city just struggling to pay its bills.
Thank you Mayor Mallory for fighting so aggressively for this city's future. Please continue to reach out to the citizens of this city so that they can be appropriately informed of the dangers of allowing the anti-rail charter amendment to pass.

Video can be seen here:
http://www.wlwt.com/video/20203821/

Excellent Streetcar Post

Check out The Phony Coney today for an excellent post in support of the streetcar system. Share with all your friends, especially the ones who can vote this November and aren't yet streetcar supporters!

Anti-Rail Charter Amendment Gaining Statewide Attention

Check out these two recent articles warning citizens about the dangers of allowing COAST and NAACP's anti-rail charter amendment to pass. Hopefully Cincinnati voters will listen with an open mind to these warnings so that this measure fails. As stated in the articles, this charter amendment could have devastating effects not only on Cincinnati's future, but also potentially Cleveland and Columbus too!

Gov. Strickland on anti-rail measure

CBus Transit: Could Cincinnati Derail Ohio's Highspeed Rail Plans?

More on the Streetcar Film

The Enquirer ran a nice article today interviewing Jim Klein the film maker behind "Taken for a Ride" a documentary about the demise of the Streetcar systems in the U.S. at the hands of GM. Its sounds like it will be a fascinating film that everyone needs to see to learn about a part of our history that many don't know about.
Read the article here

The Phony Coney: More Lies from Jason Gloyd

Here's a link to a post about the unbelievable series of lies and intentionally deceptive language that COAST and NAACP have been spewing out in an effort to convince Cincinnatians to follow their radical agenda.
Click Here To Read

Obama on High Speed Rail for Cincinnati

Below is a statement from this article highlighting Obama's plan to connect major midwestern cities with highspeed rail. He specifically talks about Ohio as being a prime example of how a state could benefit from this plan.

"Ted Strickland has talked to me about this," Obama said, explaining that the funds will be allocated by the Department of Transportation on a competitive basis. "Every industrialized country except ours has outstanding high-speed rail systems. It's time for us to start building the kind of high-speed rail networks that are going to be good for everyone, and Ohio would be a prime example of a state that would benefit from this."

Notice he said the funds would be allocated on a "competitive basis." This is a very important point to make. Cincinnati will have to COMPETE with other cities to gain access to federal stimulus dollars to use for such rail projects. This means that if this ridiculous anti-rail charter amendment passes in November there is no way we'll be as competitive as the other cities. While we're waiting for a public vote to pass, columbus, cleveland and chicago will be raking in all the stimulus dollars that should have come to us and we'll be left behind, again.

We must not let this Anti-Rail Charter Amendment pass this November! I don't want to live in a Cincinnati that's stuck in the past with only the automobile as a mode of transportation!

Taken for a Ride: A film about streetcars and GM

With GM in bankruptcy and Cincinnati voters preparing for a
critical vote on rail transit, a film screening here July 14-15 offers
a rare perspective on events that profoundly shaped the nation's
transportation profile.
The movie is "Taken for A ride," a documentary, made in 1996 by
Wright State University professor and Oscar-nominated documentary
maker Jim Klein. It looks at how and why streetcars disappeared from
U.S. cities, and the role played by GM in that process.
Both screenings will be shown at 7 p.m. at the Carnegie arts center
in Covington as a benefit for Southern Ohio Filmmakers Association and
Cincinnati World Cinema.
Also on the bill is "A Crack in the Pavement" by Andrea Torrice, a
short film that looks at the issues around urban sprawl.
Jim Klein and Andrea Torrice will be present on July 14 for a
question-and-answer session after the film.
The July 14 program will include a pre-show reception at 6 p.m.
Only July 15, Andrea Torrice, Liz Blume of Xavier Community
Building Institute and Madeira City Manager Tom Moeller will discuss
urban/suburban growth issues after the show.

Tickets to the July 14 screening are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
Tickets to the July 15 screeing are $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
Tickets are on sale now online at www.cincyworldcinema.org. In person at:
Lookout Joe in Mt. Lookout,
Shake It Music & Video in Northside
Sitwell's Coffee Emporium in Clifton
Coffee Emporium downtown in the Emery Building.

Learn more at www.cincyworldcinema.org.

If you would like to volunteer to help put on either event, or to
donate money or services, please email
margaret.mcgurk@sofanetwork.com.

CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES ENDORSE CINCINNATIANS FOR PROGRESS

Join Mayor Mallory and 8 of 9 City Council Members Opposing Anti-Progress Amendment

Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnatians for Progress is proud to have received the official endorsements from Mayor Mark Mallory and 16 of 18 endorsed City Council candidates from the Republican, Charter and Democratic parties. Joining 8 of 9 current Council Members endorsing Cincinnatians for Progress and opposing the dangerous Anti-Progress Charter Amendment are Council candidates Tony Fischer, Bernadette Watson, Nicholas Hollan, Laure Quinlivan, Wendell Young, Kevin Flynn, Amy Murray and George Zamary.

"Our city needs jobs, now more than ever." said Wendell Young, a Democrat from North Avondale. "This charter amendment would threaten our economic development opportunities and likely cause our federal tax dollars to be invested in other communities, including President Obama's plan to connect Cincinnati to Chicago and Cleveland via high speed passenger rail."

Mayor Mark Mallory serves as the Honorary Chair of Cincinnatians for Progress. Current Council Members that have already endorsed Cincinnatians for Progress include Jeff Berding, Chris Bortz, Laketa Cole, David Crowley, Leslie Ghiz, Greg Harris, Roxanne Qualls and Cecil Thomas.

"The Anti-Progress Charter Amendment is about much more than the Streetcar," said Nicholas Hollan, a Democrat from Westwood. "This dangerous proposal would threaten to halt all passenger rail in the city, including light and high speed rail."

For more information on Cincinnatians for Progress, please visit www.cincinnatiansforprogress.com.

Cincinnatians for Progress Video

Paying for the Streetcar

I hear this argument against the streetcar a lot these days: "How can we justify spending money on a streetcar system during these hard economic times?" or even more often "the streetcar will never be able to pay for itself each year"
Well, this post at the Cincy Streetcar Blog does a nice job explaining how the city plans on funding the streetcar on a year to year basis. It turns out that there are lots of ways for the city to easily raise enough money each year to cover its operating costs. Additionally building the streetcar will not take any money away from the city's operating budget. As stated many times before this system will not raise taxes. Even more importantly, once its built it will generate money for the city's operating budget by attracting more tax paying businesses, residents and visitors each year.

So 3 simple, but very important points to remember and tell your friends who aren't yet streetcar believers:
1. Building the streetcar will not raise taxes or take money away from other essential city operations.
2. Operating the streetcar year to year will not raise taxes or take money away from essential city operations.
3. The streetcar will actually generate more money for the city to use for other essential city operations.

Cincinnati Picks Streetcar Builder

Today, Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. announced a huge step forward in the Streetcar Project. Before a large crowd inside the new Rookwood Pottery headquarters on Race Street in Over the Rhine, Dohoney announced that the Cincinnati Streetcar Development Partners would be the official company hired to Design, Build, Operate, and Maintain the new Streetcar System in Cincinnati.

Mayor Mallory and City Manager Dohoney both emphasized the importance of the Streetcar system for spurring development, bringing in new businesses, new jobs, new housing, and new people to Cincinnati. They also said that the benefits of streetcars as a "game changing agent for this city far outweigh any negatives."

They chose the Cincinnati Streetcar Development Partners after carefully reviewing the applications of 4 different development firms that all had national and international expertise in the field. It sounds as if their choice was based in part on the careful attention to detail that the partnership demonstrated in their application and their dedication to ensuring local job creation for the laborers needed to build the lines.

Fred Craig, Program Manager for Streetcar Development Partners and Parsons Brinckerhoff, spoke about their enthusiasm for this project and the future of Cincinnati. His company has already demonstrated excellence in timely, on budget projects with the City of Cincinnati such as the Fort Washington Way project and its Transit Center. They are working with HDR Engineering who is nationally recognized for Streetcar planning with experience in bringing Streetcars to Portland, Oregon.



Finally, City Manager Dohoney emphasized the importance of pursuing federal funding for this project given the current economic downturn. The city is working closely with the federal government in seeking as much as $78 million in requests for this project from various federal programs. He specifically said that the various leaders within the Cincinnati Streetcar Development Partners are well qualified in helping to obtain federal funding for this project.

The City is now accepting online donations from streetcar supporters at Streetcar Online Donations



The Cincinnati Streetcar Development Partners is actually a consortium of 12 companies that will work together on building the Streetcar System. The Cincinnati Streetcar Development Partners is made up of the following companies:

Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc. (PB) will be responsible for management of the project during its planning, financing, and design.

HDR Engineering as mentioned above has experience with streetcar planning that is nationally recognized. They have a local office made up of over 60 professionals

Burgess & Niple, Ltd. will help with the design phase for utility relocation.

DNK Architects will provide urban station design.

G.J. Berding Inc. will provide digital design support for the design and construction effort

Wordsworth Communications will develop a collaborative strategy engaging the community in the projects design and construction.

PNC Capital Markets will work with PB and HDR to develop a locally structured financial strategy.

Property Advisors will provide economic analyses for benefits associated with the project and help with the financing plan.

Stacy and Witbeck Inc. is a national leader in streetcar and passenger rail construction throughout the United States. They will serve as the construction manager and will be opening a new office in downtown and relocating executives to Cincinnati specifically for this project!

RailWorks Corporation will provide design, construction, start-up and maintenance expertise.

Megen Construction Company will assist SWI in the construction phase of the project.

Josten Concrete Construction and its subsidiary, Brewster Pumping will also be assisting in the construction.

Also, check out the new City Website that outlines its objectives and gives information on the Streetcar Project: City of Cincinnati - Streetcar

CityBeat Points Out Petition Deception

Click below to read the recent City Beat article highlighting the deceptive tactics of the NAACP and COASTs "streetcar petition." As we already know, they point out that the petition is actually an Anti-Passenger Rail Charter Amendment that would likely block not only the Streetcar project, but also plans for regional and national passenger rail projects from ever making it to Cincinnati. As pointed out before, this would be hugely detrimental to the future success of Cincinnati.
Read for yourself:
Careful: Streetcar Petitions Can Be Deceptive

Morlein Beer Commercial!

I wanted to point out this awesome little commercial that I saw while browsing on UrbanCincy today:
Very Cool!

Commisioners Pepper, Portune Oppose the Streetcar Petition

That's because its NOT A STREETCAR PETITION!!! ITS AN ANTI-PASSENGER RAIL CHARTER AMENDMENT!!!!
As said in the title, read below:
Click Here to Read
Finally, people are starting to step up and point out the extreme harm this Charter Amendment would do to Cincinnati. Spread the word to your friends, co-workers and family members. Don't let this Charter Amendment hold Cincinnati back while the rest of the country moves forward.

CINCINNATIANS FOR PROGRESS OPPOSED TO ANTI-PROGRESS CHARTER AMENDMENT

Charter Amendment would impede economic growth

Today the proponents of an anti-progress charter amendment made a series of disingenuous announcements on their petition gathering effort. The group, composed of the same old naysayers who constantly bash Cincinnati and try to impose their special interests on the rest of the City, has attempted to portray the charter amendment as a referendum on the streetcar proposal. This anti-progress charter amendment is about much more than a streetcar. It is so poorly and broadly drafted that it prohibits any improvement or investment in passenger rail in Cincinnati without an expensive and time consuming public referendum—including delays and stoppages to the proposed 3C rail in Ohio, the Eastern Corridor and the high speed inter-city rail being proposed by The President. It creates a significant barrier to progress that will handcuff our City government, send jobs and economic development to other cities and stifle transportation alternatives.

The anti-progress Charter Amendment is another dangerous amendment to the city’s charter, the city’s Constitution, and will eventually lead to proposition style government, which has failed miserably in California. For more information, contact Joe Sprengard at 513-309-5947 or Bobby Maly at 513-260-3463 or Robert Richardson 513-569-8393.
For more information on the Cincinnatians for Progress plan to keep our city moving in the right direction, please visit www.cincinnatiansforprogress.com.

PBS Documentary: Road to the Future. Tonight!

PBS is airing a documentary tonight that sounds like its going to be great.
From PBS Website:
"Blueprint America: Road to the Future, an original documentary part of a PBS multi-platform series on the country’s aging and changing infrastructure, examines the choices we can make as the country invests in its infrastructure, and how they can affect the way we live."

It should be an excellent opportunity to learn more about the importance in investing in alternative modes of transportation. Check out a preview here: PBS DOCUMENTARY: ROAD TO THE FUTURE


ADDENDUM:
You can watch the full documentary online at the link below!
Watch Documentary Here
If Part 3: Portland, the Road Less Traveled doesn't convince you that Streetcars are a priority for Cincinnati, then I don't know what will! We have to do this! Cincinnati could be the first major midwestern city to move into the 21st century and become an incredibly desirable place to live. We will be left behind if we don't build the streetcars!

Sorry Leslie Ghiz, but you are mistaken...

From the Channel 5 website tonight: "Money for a proposed streetcar initiative would appear to remain immune to cuts, because those funds come from the city's capital budget, rather than its operating budgets.

Officials who support the measure have promoted the streetcars as a job generator that will help drive economic growth, but opponents have urged them to reconsider.

"In light of a $40 million dollar deficit, the streetcar has got to go on the back burner," City Councilwoman Leslie Ghiz. "This is not, it's not a priority."

Why do you think our city's operating budget is suffering so much? Well, I suspect it has something to do with the fact that we can't retain college graduates, we can't attract new businesses, we can't create new jobs, and most importantly we can't get tax paying residents to live in the city.
All of these problems would be greatly improved if we invested in rail transit. Our city would become a desirable place to live again and the city would be able to generate enough tax revenue to operate. Crime would decrease. We would be able to afford to fund our jails and police operations. The benefits go on and on!

Leslie Ghiz, the Streetcars ARE A PRIORITY!

What makes you think that putting this progressive project on the back burning and going about business the same as usual is going to help us succeed in the future? Obviously our current way of doing things isn't working or we wouldn't be in this situation to begin with! We need to do something new, something that's proven to work.
As mentioned in the article above, the funding for the streetcar is not affected by the current operating budget deficit. Its in a different budget all together. Not building the streetcar would do nothing to help our current operating deficit and would do everything at destroying our chances of fixing the operating deficit in the future.

We need to invest in rail transit in Cincinnati and we need to do it immediately!

This is why the Streetcar System needs to be built even in the midst of an economic recession.

Click Here

This is just one example of the kind of investments that will instantly be made in our city's core if the rail lines are actually laid. These new businesses and residents will pay taxes. This will generate money for the city to use anywhere it needs. This means every neighborhood will benefit from the Streetcar system, not just downtown.
Cincinnati will finally have a chance to come back to life, competing for new jobs, companies, retaining college graduates, and attracting new residents.

A $185 million dollar investment will turn into BILLIONS of dollars of economic growth in return and it will do this without raising anyone's taxes!
We would be stupid to let this opportunity pass us by!!

Do Not Sign the "Streetcar Petition"

If asked to sign "the streetcar petition" make sure you quickly say no! The NAACP has been diligently working to deceive people into signing a petition against the streetcar by asking simply if "you'd like to sign the streetcar petition." They don't explain what it is for and could easily lead people into signing it even if they are actually in support of the streetcar.
The NAACP reports today that they have 50% or so of the votes needed to put this ridiculous charter amendment on the ballot in November. They have until July to get this done. Let's hope they fail by educating everyone about how bad this charter amendment would be for the City of Cincinnati's future.

Tell your friends, co-workers, and everyone you know NOT to sign the NAACP Streetcar Petition!!

Beer Garden at Findlay Market

Looks like they are trying something new at Findlay Market this year. They are opening a Beer Garden that will stay open all weekend long during the summer season. I think its a great idea that will really go a long way towards making Findlay Market a fun destination for people while at the same time honoring the neighborhood's past. Here's the Enquirer Article about it: Beer Garden at Findlay Market

Streetcars Would Have Many Benefits

Great commentary in the Enquirer today! Check it out:
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090428/EDIT02/904280377/1019/EDIT

Tucker's in Over the Rhine

I was only recently introduced to Tucker's perhaps a few months ago and have been several times since then. Its one of Over the Rhine's most unique, home-grown establishment's and definitely something to be proud of. They serve good food at a good price and are always incredibly friendly attracting a very diverse crowd of people each weekend.
I saw this video today on Soapbox Cincinnati that is worth checking out. Enjoy!

Enquirer gives Over the Rhine Good Press

Thanks to the Enquirer for publishing this very positive piece about Over the Rhine today! This sort of word really helps people catch on to all the positive energy coming out of Over the Rhine.
Click Here to Read

Redevelopment in OTR gains recognition

Check out this post I stumbled across today. Its nice to hear that the efforts to improve OTR are getting positive feedback from people outside the city already! He even agrees that the streetcars are an excellent idea!

Joe Urban Blog OTR

Newport Endorses Cincinnati Streetcars

The Enquirer reports that the City of Newport has officially endorsed the Cincinnati Streetcar stating that it would be excellent for spurring development throughout the region as a whole. I agree. Again, think how nice it would be for folks coming from out of town or the suburbs to just park their car once and be able to enjoy all our city/region has to offer (The Zoo, Aquarium, Stadium, Restaurants, Shopping, and more) with just one simple rail line.

MTV in Over the Rhine Confirmed: Taking The Stage

About one year ago I posted about a the possibility that MTV would be doing a reality TV series in Over the Rhine based on the SCPA. (MTV in OTR) They were filming pilots at the time, but had not confirmed whether or not the show would actually be produced. Well, apparently now it is! The new show is called "Taking the Stage" and it is scheduled to start airing on MTV March 19. Here's a link to the show's homepage: Taking the Stage

This is great news for Cincinnati and the SCPA. I'm sure all the national and even worldwide attention the show will bring will help boost Cincinnati's reputation in a positive way. MTV has already pointed out on their website that the SCPA has churned out all sorts of very successful students including Sarah Jessica Parker, Nick Lachey, actor Rocky Carroll and director Todd Luiso.

Seattle Streetcar Video: This is what the streetcars can do for Cincinnati!!

This video does a nice job showing what a simple streetcar route can bring to a city in a very short period of time.
-1/2 Million riders in its 1st year of operation!
-Grocery Stores downtown (the first in decades), Residential units and businesses springing up all along the route.
-Light Rail System quickly approved and being built.

All of these things and more can happen in Cincinnati once we build the streetcar system.
In my opinion, Cincinnati will have an even greater response to the streetcars given its compact neighborhoods and vibrant historic district. I really believe Over the Rhine will explode with new development, new businesses and thousands of new residents in no time.

This video also does a nice job showing how a modern day streetcar system operates and what it looks like in operation.
ENJOY!!

A Streetcar Wedding

I heard about this couple's wedding through my wife who works with a friend of the couple. They are asking that all of their guests donate money toward the streetcar instead of buying them gifts. I think this is an awesome way of showing your support for Cincinnati's downtown. Great job guys!
Here's the Link to the Enquirer Article

Streetcar/Rail Transit History Article in Enquirer

There's a great article published in the Enquirer today about Cincinnati's rail history. The article points out the importance of investing in rail transit for economic development for current and future generations. It also points out the fact that rail transit projects have faced opposition in the past much like the opposition the current streetcar project is facing now. Much of this opposition was short sited and ignored important facts. These voices are what led to the demise of our almost completed subway system. This article does a good job explaining why we can't let these same voices destroy our chances of getting rail transit back in to the heart of the city with the Cincinnati Streetcar project. There's also a couple of nice pictures to go along with the read. Check it out!
Read for yourself here.

Also, keep an eye out for this book to be released this month about the history of the Cincinnati inclines. Its called "The Inclines of Cincinnati" and its written by Melissa Kramer, who's quoted in the article above for the research she's done on this fascinating part of Cincinnati history.

Mallory Blogs on Soapbox

I wanted to share this post from Soapbox Cincinnati by Mayor Mark Mallory. Again, I'm very pleased we have a Mayor who fully understands the importance of linking our city together with rail transit. He does a nice job summarizing why Cincinnati needs the streetcar system to happen. Way to go Mallory!

"SoapBlog 1 - Cincinnati Streetcar
Mayor Mark Mallory

I want to thank Soapbox for the opportunity to be the guest columnist this week after my State of the City Address last Wednesday. It will be a great opportunity to expand on some of the key priorities that I discussed, and hopefully, get some great feedback and spark further discussion.

Let's start with the topic that got some of the loudest applause at the State of the City and has also drawn some of the harshest criticism: The Cincinnati Streetcar.

In the address, I made it clear that the Streetcar is absolutely crucial to the future of Cincinnati. Over the last few years, we have moved forward on major projects all over the city.

* The Banks is rising out of ground.
* The construction of the new Riverfront Park is underway.
* We are building a new tallest skyscraper, the Great American Building at Queen City Square.
* Over-the-Rhine is undergoing a dramatic transformation with new businesses, hundreds of new condos, a beautiful new school, and expanded park.
* And in Uptown, we are seeing lots of new development around the University and hospitals.

The Streetcar is the project that links them all together and fuels the next round of development.

Now, some have suggested that we cannot do all of these projects at once. I reject that notion. Across the country, the cities that are seen as thriving, growing, and hot, are the cities that are doing big, bold, dynamic projects. We are no different in Cincinnati. In fact, we have a history of tackling big projects that have shaped our landscape and made Cincinnati such a vibrant city.

The other criticism that is leveled at the Streetcar plan is that it diverts millions of dollars from neighborhood projects. The truth is that much of the funding for the Streetcar will come from non-city sources, including state and federal funding and private investment. That funding is only available for a big transit project such as the Streetcar. It would not be available for other projects if we do not build the Streetcar. It would simply vanish.

However, rather than divert funds from other neighborhood projects, by generating as much as $1.4 billion in investment from the first phase alone, the Streetcar will generate increased tax revenue that will be available to spend on programs and projects that will benefit every neighborhood in the city. The increased revenue will help provide more police officers and fire fighters, more money for garbage collection, more money for street repair, more money for parks and recreation, and more money for everything that makes Cincinnati a special place to live.

As I said in the State of the City, the Streetcar will have a dramatic and lasting impact on the future of Cincinnati. It will grow our local economy by spurring economic development by creating new jobs. We have a history of big projects in Cincinnati, and we need to embrace that history and chart a course for a vibrant future for our city.

Now, let me know what you think. We are always looking for feedback. Hopefully, you are a Streetcar supporter, but if not, I am looking forward to making our case and winning your support."

Soapdish: What Lies Beneath

Great article with some really awesome photos of Over the Rhine's Cosmopolitan Hall. I remember being in this building once while it was being used as "the warehouse" nightclub, and I certainly didn't have an appreciation for historic architecture at the time, but even if I had I wouldn't have seen the true hidden beauty of this massive structure. As the article points out, 3CDC currently owns this building (thankfully) and is working on finding a use for it. This is one building in OTR I would DIE to see renovated back to its original glory with some new use. Check out the article below!
Soapdish Article: What Lies Beneath

Perhaps the Dumbest Argument of the Century....

Check out this post The Beacon published today. Click Here for a laugh
These guys publish all kinds of garbage that I usually just ignore because I know its influence on people is so minimal. However, when I got a glance of the title of their post today I couldn't help but point it out. Some of what they wrote in this article should be written in stone and hung in a museum of idiotic comments.
They are actually trying to convince people that because the skywalk system failed, the streetcars are also going to fail. They try to say that the only reason fountain square now has lots of people is because that section of the skywalk was removed! What kind of backwards, insane logic do they use? These arguments are laughably stupid.
Do I even need to explain how dumb their logic is?
Just briefly,
The Skywalk system was built with the idea that it would make getting around from building to building downtown more comfortable and easy with regards to weather and traffic. This in turn was thought to be good for boosting business and encouraging people to spend more time and money downtown. (all of this happened 20-30 years ago when people were still afraid of downtown and didn't understand the importance of a healthy urban core)
However, what it ended up doing was having the opposite effect. It discouraged people from even stepping foot outside. It took people out of the urban landscape. It completely destroyed any chance of creating a walkable, liveable downtown environment that makes for a healthy urban core. So, businesses located outside the skywalk loop lost business, it actually brought fewer people downtown and before too long the skywalks weren't even being used anymore. For a long time now everyone has realized that the skywalks were a bad idea and a big mistake for the reasons pointed out above.

The whole premise of the Streetcar system and all the urban renewal that is going on downtown is to build on the principles of creating a walkable, livable, entertaining downtown where people can be engaged in the urban environment. This will cause more people to want to live and visit downtown. This in turn will attract businesses to move in where they know there will be guaranteed foot and rail traffic. The whole idea is to bring people INTO the urban environment, not move them away from it as the skywalk did. Again, for the millionth time, rail transit has been proven to do this in many other cities similar in size to Cincinnati.

The beacon is trying to convince people that because our city government made a bad decision almost 3 decades ago this somehow means that our current city government doesn't know what its doing. Come on guys, you need to try a little harder. We are living in a completely different time now and a lot has changed since then. Additionally, we've learned a lot about what works and doesn't work for making cities more desirable.
Cincinnati missed the boat on rail transit once before (by not finishing the subway in 1926). Let's not let opportunity pass us by again.

I'm absolutely tired of hearing people use backwards, poorly thought out arguments as to why we shouldn't invest in rail transit. This is by far one of the poorest attempts I've seen yet at trying to sway people away from the streetcars.

The Wizard of Oz in Over the Rhine

Today I had the opportunity to visit Music Hall for a performance by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra of The Wizard of Oz. It was a really amazing experience. The movie was shown on a screen above the Orchestra while the Orchestra played the score to the entire film live. It really was amazing to hear the music in person in such a beautiful location with such excellent acoustics.
I can't believe that today was the first time I've taken advantage of Music Hall since moving to Over the Rhine. We live less than a 5 minute walk from Music Hall and after walking there today realized that we need to go to many more performances there since it is so nice and conveniently located.
I guess close proximity to Music Hall is just one more benefit of living in Over the Rhine to add to the already huge list!

Mallory Fighting for Streetcars!

I'm so glad that we have a Mayor who understands the importance of streetcars for this city's future. Check out this front page article from the enquirer today!
CLICK HERE

Support the Purple People Bridge

Apparently the group that is in charge of maintaining and promoting the Purple People Bridge is trying to decide whether or not its worth their efforts. They have put out a survey to see if people are using the bridge and see what their opinions are.
PLEASE show your support of this bridge by giving them positive feedback on the survey below. This bridge is the only pedestrian friendly route between Newport/Covington and Cincinnati. This bridge is so wonderful to have for riding bikes across or simply taking a walk to the other side. It only takes a minute to complete:
Purple People Bridge Survey

Mallory Meeting with Obama Today...Streetcars?

One of the items on his list that Mallory will discuss directly with the Obama administration is funding for the Cincinnati Streetcar system.
ARTICLE
Let's hope he does a good job convincing the president that it is a worthwhile cause. I also hope that the meeting goes a long way to insure Cincinnati gets a nice chunk of money from the stimulus package to stimulate the local economy here in other ways.

***Follow up on today's meeting with the President:
Enquirer Article

I'm especially excited to hear this: "Mallory said he was especially pleased to see that of the $12 billion set aside for transit projects, some $7 billion of that would go directly to cities instead of flowing through state governments."
This is awesome news for Cincinnati, I really think we have a strong shot of getting the funding we need from the stimulus package to get the streetcar system up and running.
I can't wait to hear exactly what kind of money we'll be getting from this.

WOW! Excellent Streetcar Post on Soapbox Cincinnati!

This is an EXCELLENT article about the current Streetcar debate raging through our city. This is worth a thorough read and worthy of being distributed to as many people as you can think of. It is SO refreshing to see that there are other intelligent people in this city who have taken the time to look at the real benefits of this project and understand its critical role in securing our city's future ability to compete with the rest of the country. Sit down with a cup of coffee and READ THIS

Imagine Melt in Over the Rhine...

Well, apparently you might not have to only imagine it for long. It just might come true! I just saw this post on UrbanCincy today.

This would be an EXCELLENT addition to Over the Rhine and it would really do wonders for the neighborhood in terms of attracting visitors and even new residents. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this one!

Support the Streetcar on Stimulus Watch

Show your support of the Streetcar project by voting yes for it here
Based on what is written in the "points against" section I suspect that the Chris SLitherman campaign against the streetcars had a hand in writing that. The statements they made it that section are absurd. Nothing they wrote is even remotely factual and is very misleading to anyone reading about this project for the first time.
The least we can do at this point is show our support by voting in favor of the streetcars.

Brewery District Article in Enquirer

Check out this nice feature on OTR's Brewery District from today's Enquirer: Click Here

Also, keep in mind that this year's Prohibition Resistance Tour is fast approaching (March). Here's a link to a post about last years.
It was a really cool event and a great oppurtunity to tour the neighborhood and see parts of Over the Rhine that haven't been seen by many for decades.

Milk Money Volume 4 Weird Workout...Release Party

TONIGHT: Milk Money Volume 4 Release Party
WHEN: 7:30pm
WHERE: FERALMADE Gallery 4573 Hamilton Ave (in Northside)
WHAT: Featuring Author Readings, Projections by PROJECTMILL and Live Music by Electric Owls and Matthew Shelton
Its gonna be awesome.

The News Record: UC students in Support of Streetcar

Click Here to read for yourself.

Guest Blogger on Cincy Streetcar Blog

Here's a link to a nice post on Streetcars. Check it out!

State of the Streetcars

This week the City of Cincinnati will be interviewing companies who are submitting proposals to design, build, and operate the streetcar system.
Protransit Link

Enquirer Article on Washington Park Renovations

Here's another article featured in the Enquirer today this time discussing the upcoming plans for Washington Park. The article tries to highlight that "long time residents" are skeptical about the plans. They interview two admittedly alcoholic homeless people who say they use the park as a gathering ground to meet up with other alcoholics and drug addicts.
Doesn't this highlight the need to do something about this huge problem? Even the homeless addicts who hang out there admit that the park is simply being used as a gathering ground for criminal activity!
The fact that this city has allowed that space to be abused like this for so long is absolutely ludicrous! This park should be a safe, attractive meeting ground for people to walk through, read books in, take their kids to, etc. etc. Instead, its being used as the worst display of human filth you can possibly imagine.
The Washington Park renovation is one of two projects in Over the Rhine that I believe is going to be crucial to finally cleaning up the neighborhood and stabilizing it for years to come (the other being the streetcars of course).
Those people who use that park for exactly what the article points out have got to go. If the Drop Inn Center and other social service agencies in the neighborhood refuse demand that the people they serve do something to clean up their lives, then the city and the neighborhood's new residents should demand and enforce it themselves.
Washington Park must be cleaned up.
In my opinion, all of the progress being made in OTR is a waste if Washington Park is allowed to stay in its current state.
What do you think? Comment Below.

Over the Rhine Feature Article In Enquirer

Check out this large, multi-page spread in the Enquirer today! Looks like all of the new stuff going on in OTR is gaining some attention.
OVER THE RHINE ARTICLE

Obama to help with Streetcar Project

City Council is hoping to get some help from the Obama economic stimulus plan to help fund the Streetcar Project. This project fits perfectly within the new President's plan for improving the economy and job market by funding infrastructure improvements and investing in alternative transportation (rail transit). The project will help create jobs immediately and also help stabilize the city's neighborhoods and provide economic benefits for years to come. City Manager Dohoney is currently in the process of compiling a report on the status of the streetcar project funding and is scheduled to report back to city council in March.
The already supportive city council will likely be even more supportive of the streetcar project after Councilman Cranely's resignation and the appointment of pro-streetcar democrat Greg Harris who will be filling his seat. Cranely was one of two council members not fully supportive of the streetcar plan. Harris has been quoted to be very supportive of the streetcars and sees the project as vital for moving Cincinnati ahead into the 21st century. As long as streetcar advocates are able to successfully fight off the recent NAACP's ridiculous opposition to this progressive project, it looks as if the streetcars are well underway to becoming a reality in Cincinnati.
Read more here.

Cincy Streetcar Blog

Check out the new Cincy Streetcar Blog!!
This is a great new site created by the folks at CincyStreetcar.com as an outlet for sharing news, updates, and facts about the new Cincinnati Streetcar System. Already they have some great stuff up there and I'm sure it will continue to grow as the year goes on.
With all the opposition the streetcar plan has recently been faced with, this site and all the blogs that support it will be instrumental in keeping the public informed and showing the city's leadership that the citizens of Cincinnati really want the Streetcar plan to succeed.
Show your support by regularly visiting the Cincy Streetcar Blog and sharing it with everyone you know. The more we educate people on the benefits of a modern rail transit system for Cincinnati, the greater our chances of making it a reality.
Thanks!