Soapbox

Funds are in place for a new public plaza along Ludlow Avenue in Clifton, and the Clifton Town Meeting (CTM) Plaza Committee is seeking ideas for the elements it will include.

The new plaza, to be built opposite Telford Street on the former site of Bender Optical, will serve as a connection between the business district with the Merchant's Lot.

Construction costs have been estimated at $300,000.

"The community set aside about $150,000 of funds appropriated for the sidewalk renovation for the plaza a couple of years ago," says Richard Druffel, chair of the committee.  "Over the summer when it became clear that more funds were needed to build a plaza CTM lobbied City Council and received an additional $150,000 appropriation.  These funds will come out of 2007 and 2008 budgets, not 2009."

In addition to being a gateway, the space must also be functional – and that's where resident input comes in.

"CTM has hosted one community meeting for plaza input already," Druffel says.  "A second, open community meeting will be held, probably in February, to share preliminary design concepts with the community and to get input and feedback.  Likely two or three plaza designs will be presented and then, based on the feedback, a final design will be developed following the community meeting."

KZF Design has been retained to help the committee design and manage construction of the plaza.

Druffel says that the ultimate goal of the project is to add to the charm of Ludlow Avenue.

"I am hopeful that the Plaza will be a big hit in our business district and improve the feel and flow of the district," he says.  "Can you envision taking your coffee from Sitwell’s or your ice cream from Graeter’s and enjoying it outdoors in a greened up space?"

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Richard Druffel, chair, Clifton Town Meeting Plaza Committee
Photography by Scott Beseler

Deborah Robb, director of economic inclusion for the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, has received the Advocate of the Year award from the South Central Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council (SCOMSDC).

Selected by the SCOMSDC Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee, Advocate of the Year winners are recognized for their voluntary efforts to advance minority businesses and to support and motivate their colleagues and minority business enterprises to participate in the SCOMSDC.

"We selected Deborah as our Advocate of the Year due to her tireless efforts at the Port Authority, where she works diligently to get minority business enterprises significantly involved in all Port projects, as well as non-Port projects, throughout the region," says Jenéa Norris Allen, president of the SCOMSDC.

In addition to her work at the Port, Robb chairs the SCOMSDC Cincinnati Local Advisory Committee and serves on the Certification Committee.

She also co-chaired the 2008 Construction Summit, led the Corporation Minority Business Enterprise Forum, and served on the SCOMSDC Gala Committee.

"I am honored to have been selected as the first recipient of SCOMSDC's Advocate of Year award," says Robb.  "I feel privileged to have been given this recognition, and I will continue to collaborate with the SCOMSDC to foster and grow minority business enterprises (MBEs) in Greater Cincinnati."

Founded in 1999, SCOMSDC assists in developing mutually beneficial relationships between its over 140 corporate members and 400 certified MBEs from offices in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton.

This is the first year the council has given the award.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Anne Schmidlin, Vehr Communications
Photography provided by Vehr Communications

On January 11 and 14 at the Holy Cross-Immaculata Church Parish Center, the Mount Adams Neighborhood Strategic Plan Steering Committee will give neighborhood residents and business owners the opportunity to voice their reactions to a draft master plan.

The Mount Adams Civic Association launched the initiative in September 2007 as a way address the growing pains the neighborhood has endured for years.

"The top issue and probably the most complicated is maintaining the great atmosphere in Mt. Adams and the character of the community," says David Brecount of the strategic planning team.  "The reason it's difficult is that it's very challenging to define Mt. Adams.  It's unique in Cincinnati and even the Midwest.  It's urban, and quaint, and a hodgepodge of people, businesses, and architecture."

Following the last community planning meeting in June, Brecount says that all of the issues, ideas and priorities have been sorted into seven groups: community life, development and preservation, views and hillsides, business district, parking, clean and safe, and infrastructure and utilities.

"Within each we have highlighted the community input, articulated a vision and objectives, and recommended strategies and tasks for accomplishing the vision and objectives," he says.

Input also has been solicited through direct mail, flyers, e-mail, surveys, the project website, and one-on-one communications.

Brecount credits the city planning team with helping to move the process along.

"The plan is intended to be the beginning of our efforts in Mt. Adams," he says.  "We hope the community to continue to add priorities to it over time and focus on accomplishing new goals.  Our community will continue to change and we will need to respond in an organized and thoughtful way."

The committee hopes to have a working document to present to the City Planning Commission in March.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: David Brecount, strategic planning team, Mount Adams Neighborhood Strategic Plan Steering Committee
Photography by Scott Beseler

Renovation of the Bellevue building that will house Virgils Cafe is on schedule, with a grand opening scheduled within the next few weeks.

The 2,550-square-foot building at 710 Fairfield Avenue, which once housed four tiny apartments and was considered the worst structure on the block, had to be rebuilt from the inside out.

Building owner and Bellevue Renaissance Committee chair Charles Cleves has already spent more than $300,000 on the rehabilitation.

"The entire front of this building came completely off," says Virgils proprietor and chef Matthew Buschle.  "It's gone from being probably the biggest eyesore to one of the better buildings on the Avenue."

The space is divided into three distinct areas – one more upscale, one "German lodgey", and one a little bit crazy – a "semi-bohemian posh" style that Buschle says he's always wanted to do.

"There's a Virgil/Dante's Inferno theme where you've got heaven, purgatory, and hell," he says.  "The color gets warmer as we get closer to the 'hell' that is the kitchen."

Buschle learned his culinary skills from the "school of hard knocks", having worked for such places as the Aurora Cafe, Allyn's Cafe, Bauer's Bistro, and, most recently, as a chef at Jack Quinn's.

His restaurant will offer a varied, seasonal casual gourmet menu.

"I'm never going to be a David Falk or a Jean-Robert," he says.  "I think for a lot of people that stuff is pretty inaccessible.  But, you can still present good local, fresh stuff."

Buschle says he saw a demand for more places that keep evening hours.

He also noticed the new developments in Bellevue, the proposed $800 million Manhattan Harbour project in neighboring Dayton, and the 12,700 cars that traverse Fairfield Avenue on a daily basis.

"This is something that this town needs," Buschle says.  "This is a place that's a little bit more upscale, and a place where people who consider themselves locavores or that consider themselves foodies might find a little bit more of a home here."

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Sources: Matthew Buschle, proprietor and chef, Virgils Cafe; Charles Cleves, chair, Bellevue Renaissance Committee
Photography by Scott Beseler

Vision 2015 has released a final report on a master plan for the development of a Licking River Greenway and Trails system between the I-275 bridge and the Ohio River.

Started in October 2007 and designed by the firms of Woolpert and Human Nature, the plan takes into account the various planning efforts, proposed development, cultural and historical resources, ecosystems and infrastructure throughout the river corridor and includes both an initial, achievable implementation phase as well as longer-term possibilities.

In addition to identifying several new park opportunities, the master plan maps a network of connective, regional trails; a water trail with new river access points and crossings; cultural and natural assets; and existing parks and green infrastructure.

The plan fits into Vision 2015's broader goal of creating more exciting, active places to live through revamping education, creating jobs, revitalizing the urban core, and promoting parks.

"Communities that have identified their natural resources and cultural assets, and have enhanced them, are going to be the ones that are economically competitive," says Pat Timm, civic engagement coordinator for the Licking River Greenway.

The corridor will eventually connect to the Little Miami Trail, through the proposed Riverfront Commons and the Ohio River Trail.

"That will make it not only a recreational amenity, but also a destination that will go from Northern Kentucky to Springfield, Ohio," Timm says.

Funding sources, which could include federal grants and private foundation funds, will be examined in greater detail as the implementation phase of the project progresses.

Timm believes that funding won't be difficult to find, especially with the Obama administration's focus on infrastructure and jobs.

"I believe it can be done," she says.  "I believe that we in Northern Kentucky have the commitment to do it, and that the challenges of raising money are not really any different today than they have ever been."

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Pat Timm, civic engagement coordinator, Licking River Greenway
Illustration provided

A nondescript former gas station at the corner of Montgomery Road and Tyne Avenue will soon become the Green Corner Studios and Marketplace, Kennedy Heights' newest "third place".

Over the next six months, Richard Cooke plans to develop the building and surrounding grounds into working studio space for three artists, a Saturday farmers' market, and a community garden.

Once seized by police due to criminal activity and then held by a California speculator, the property finally became available to Cooke ten weeks ago.

"I'm very pleased to have to support of the community," he says.

Cooke says that the reuse of the structure is an important aspect of sustainability, and all work on the renovation will be done with the work of local craftsmen.

"I'm originally from the south coast of Wales," he says.  "I grew up in an area where we had a strong preservation and heritage culture.  With that comes a mentality of recycling and using existing materials."

Formerly on the board of the Kennedy Heights Arts Center (KHAC), Cooke looked at the success of the KHAC and District A and found a way to complement the surrounding arts endeavors without competing.

"I have a real liking for sculpture, and I would love to install sculpture on the property," he says.  "The KHAC doesn't rent out to sculptors or metalworkers."

The courtyard will become a Saturday farmers' market, with space for 5-10 market stalls for local vendors to sell products like fruits, vegetables, honey and cheese.

The community educational garden will allow children and adults to learn horticultural techniques that they can then take home to beautify their own properties.

Cooke says that Green Corner will be funded through his own savings, donations from supporters, grants, and volunteer time.

"I feel a strong responsibility to our community and our environment," he says.  "I've tried to address that with this project.  The whole space is for the community, ultimately."

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Richard Cooke, Green Corner Studios and Marketplace
Photography by Scott Beseler

An Atlanta-based retailer has brought the "buy local" concept of handmade products from local designers to Pleasant Ridge.

Beehive Co-op, founded in 2004 by Petra Geiger, showcases "sexy, stylish, and sustainable" clothing, jewelry, and accessories made by local design talent from its space at 6099 Montgomery Road.

While designing her own line of handbags, Geiger noticed a lack of available outlets where independent designers could display and market their creations.

"I started Beehive because as a designer, I was frustrated at the lack of viable retail opportunities for my work, and met a lot of other designers who felt the same way," she says.  "I wanted to create a beautiful, modern, dynamic retail space for their handcrafted pieces, and in the process give the community a desirable alternative to mass-produced goods."

The store rents space to local designers, who pay a low monthly rent in return for dedicated boutique space.

Each cooperative member also must work four hours per week in the boutique, keeping overhead low and giving aspiring entrepreneurs experience in growing their businesses.

"A lot of artists want to take their business to the next level, and sharing space with other artists who are entrepreneurial is great for knowledge sharing," Geiger says.

Additionally, Beehive presents a socially conscious shopping option.

"When you buy a handmade pendant or ceramic piece at Beehive, you get a chance to learn about the artist and form a connection that is personal and meaningful," Geiger says.  "You also know that your dollars are supporting independent artists and the local economy.  It's a totally different experience from the big box stores."

Geiger opened her second store in New York last summer; the Cincinnati store is her third.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Kate Powell, Beehive Co-op Cincinnati
Illustrations courtesy Beehive Co-op website

The Cincinnati/Hamilton County Continuum of Care for the Homeless (CoC) will host a community forum from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Health Foundation of Cincinnati to gather ideas regarding current shelter facilities and services for homeless individuals.

The "Homelessness to Homes" initiative is a response to a Cincinnati City Council ordinance seeking "to ensure that single homeless men and women will have access to shelter facilities that are appropriate, safe and that will provide comprehensive services necessary for homeless individuals to obtain and maintain housing", which passed unanimously on October 8.

Kevin Finn, executive director of CoC, says that even though the current system of providing shelter and services to homeless individuals is strong, it's not the system they would create from the ground up.

"The city has given us the opportunity to undertake a process through which we will use a blank slate approach to design a system that is ideal to meet the needs of Cincinnati’s population of homeless individuals, including identifying where and how additional resources could be used to most effectively to move people permanently out of homelessness, which is of course the goal," he says.

A steering committee has been assembled with representatives from public and private human service agencies, the faith community, and business leaders.

Comprehensive recommendations are due to be presented before Cincinnati's council by March 31.

Finn says that CoC has always believed that the planning of homeless services should be done in an open and inclusive community process, and citizens who register at the event will have up to two minutes to speak.

"Development of this new comprehensive plan is only just beginning, so people will not be able to ask questions about it, as it does not yet exist," Finn says.  "However, I will be describing the job at hand as outlined in the ordinance, and anyone is welcome to come give input on what the plan should include."

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Kevin Finn, executive director, Cincinnati/Hamilton County Continuum of Care, Inc.

The Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board has recommended Mount Airy Forest for the National Register of Historic Places.

The recommendation now goes to state historic preservation officer Dr. William K. Laidlaw Jr., who may choose to forward it to the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places for consideration.

A decision from the Keeper is expected within 90 days.

Mount Airy Forest, the largest park in Cincinnati's park system at just under 1,470 acres, was created in 1911 with the acquisition of 168-acres of depleted produce and dairy farms.

The majority of the park was developed during the Great Depression with federal funding and federal labor programs, including the Works Progress Administration, the Civil Works Administration, and the African-American Civilian Conservation Corps.

The nomination also recognizes the design of landscape architect George E. Kessler and state forester Edmund Secrest, the quality of construction of its rustic structures, and for the work of R. Carl Freund, the park board architect who designed 12 buildings in the park between 1930 and 1959.

Also at the meeting, the board approved the content of the "Historic Resources of the Cincinnati Park and Parkway System 1817-1959" study, which could become the basis for deciding which components of the City's parks and parkway system are eligible for National Register listing; and recommended the Charles C. Meade House in Loveland for the Ohio State Registry of Archaeological and Historic Landmarks.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Ohio Historic Preservation Office
Photography by Scott Beseler

The City of Cincinnati and the community of Evanston are celebrating the successes of the Neighborhood Enhancement Program, a 90-day strategy to address quality of life issues in the neighborhood.

The targeted area, along Woodburn Avenue and Montgomery Road and between Dana and Lincoln avenues, was identified through an analysis of building code violations, vacant buildings, calls for police service, graffiti, junk autos, and litter and weeds.

Among some of the improvements:

• Formed a partnership to shut down Perkins Lounge, long considered a public nuisance
• Worked with the owners of the St. Leger Apartments to cut down on crime at the Five Points area
• 2 buildings demolished under abatement program, with 15 more under contract
• 1,000 building inspections by the Department of Buildings and Inspections
• The replacement of over 1,100 faded traffic signs
• 500 building inspections by the Cincinnati Fire Department

Strategic partnerships between city departments, residents, businesses, and community organizations were formed during the program, which will continue to exist now that the NEP is over.

"The 90-day mark of this program is a check on the progress of the concentrated efforts which brought together all the parties of the neighborhood," says Cincinnati city manager Milton Dohoney Jr.  "Evanston has quite a few initiatives that are ongoing, emphasizing the long term sustainability of this effort.

The city also announced that the neighborhoods of College Hill and Madisonville have been selected to participate in the NEP in 2009.

The NEP won three awards this year, including the 2008 National Program of the Year from Neighborhoods USA, the President's Award from the Ohio Conference of Community Development, and the Most Outstanding Collaborative Effort from the Community Development Corporations Association of Greater Cincinnati.

The program is credited with reducing blight in participating neighborhoods by an average of 15 percent.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: City of Cincinnati

Map courtesy of City of Cincinnati

Norwood-based SHP Leading Design (SHP) is celebrating several major accomplishments achieved during 2008.

Early this year, SHP was recognized for the redesign of its 22,000-square-foot office space, a state-of-the-art environment that has achieved LEED Gold certification.

The firm received three awards for the work, including Cincinnati Magazine's Interior Design Award and both an Interior Design Award and Local Favorite Award from the Cincinnati chapter of American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment.

In September, SHP and Cincinnati Public Schools celebrated the dedication of the new 75,000-square-foot Pleasant Ridge Montessori School, Ohio's first LEED-registered school.

SHP incorporated many sustainable elements into the design, including solar panels, orientation to natural light sources, and raised access flooring that contains the building's mechanicals.

These elements are expected to minimize the school's energy usage by 35 percent in the first year alone.

And for its work in professional development, SHP received the 2008-2011 Intern Development Program Firm Award.

In preparation for a big 2009, SHP's board has named Lauren Della Bella as the firm's president, effective January 1.

"I'm grateful to our diligent staff, as it is their hard work and dedication that helped make 2008 such a successful year for SHP," Della Bella says.  "Despite the economic challenges, we are looking forward to making even greater strides in 2009."

Gerry Hammond, a 40-year veteran of SHP, will step down as president and CEO to become chairman of the board.

"With the new leadership in 2009, SHP can look forward to many more accomplishments," Hammond says.  "I'm extremely confident in Lauren and the abilities of the leadership team and know they will continue to build the firm's legacy for success and growth by connecting people and communities."

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Rachel Miller, HSR Business to Business LLC
Illustration from SHP website

Citizens for Civic Renewal (CCR) continues its Citizens Connect series, an interactive community forum designed to connect citizens of Greater Cincinnati and engage them in creating solutions for our region.

The most recent forum, held at the First Unitarian Church in Avondale, addressed the issues of rebuilding our aging infrastructure in a sustainable manner and providing a truly regional transit system.

Eleven civic groups partnered to hold the forum, which featured SORTA CEO Marilyn Shazor as guest speaker.

CCR director Steve Johns says that participants found that the main issues that local transit faces include a lack of awareness of the benefits of transit, a lack of stable operating dollars, and the fact that our region spans multiple states.

Discussions from the breakout sessions led to an actionable plan.

"Our call to action was to reach out to elected officials at the federal state and local levels to indicate the importance of expanded transit for our region," Johns says.  "This was specifically expressed by proposing that we email newly elected congressman Steve Driehaus, participate in ODOT's 21st Century Transportation Priorities Task Force survey and contact our local leaders.  It was also suggested that we testify at OKI's December 3 public hearing on the regional transportation planning process."

CCR plans to continue the Citizens Connect series to explore more ways in which the region's many jurisdictions can collaborate and share resources.

"CCR invites partners based on the topic," Johns says.  "The next topic is shared local government services - highlighting the City of Silverton who has a Joint Fire District with the City of Deer Park, contracts building inspections through Hamilton County and contracts income tax collection through RITA (Regional Income Tax Agency)."

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Steve Johns, director, Citizens for Civic Renewal

Work has begun on the renovation of Dater Montessori School's original building at 2840 Boudinot Avenue in Westwood.

The school, which serves students in grades preschool through 6, will be fully renovated into a 165,636-square-foot school for 650 students, including an expanded car drop-off and pick-up area, an improved kindergarten playground, and a bicycle path.

A new security system, new mechanicals and energy-efficient windows will be installed, and the building is expected to pursue LEED Silver certification.

The Montessori community, parents, staff, and volunteers participated in the design phase, which took approximately six months.

The planning process started two years ago.

"Our learning environment is inspired by the Montessori approach," says Beth Schnell, who was named principal of the school in August.  "Our natural environments are our classrooms and the school yard itself will become a part of our curriculum, including our national award winning nature center and our Community Learning Center (CLC), which plans to focus on health and wellness for ourselves, our community and our environment."

The school will also include extended learning areas (ELAs), a feature included in many of Cincinnati Public Schools' new builds and renovations.

"The ELA is an open classroom area equipped with a presentation stage, independent computer stations, and a few tables for small group learning," Schnell says.  "This allows our teaching teams to present works to more than one class or large group project presentations."

Construction is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2010.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Sources: C. Robin Brandon, project coordinator, Cincinnati Public Schools; Beth Schnell, principal, Dater Montessori School
Rendering provided by CPS

A relative newcomer to the architecture and design field, Norwood’s Emersion Design has been recognized with three awards for its work in sustainable design at the 2008 Cincinnati Design Awards.

Perhaps the most exciting is the IIDA Honor Award for Built Work, recognizing their 1,700-square-foot collaborative workspace currently under review by the U.S. Green Building Council for LEED for Commercial Interiors Platinum certification.

Chad Edwards, architect and urban designer, says that only two other firms in the country have headquarters certified LEED Platinum (New York and Seattle), and no other architecture and engineering firm in the nation has achieved it.

The building is situated in a walkable neighborhood and uses lumber mill waste, bamboo, and glass walls reclaimed from a job at Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana.

Emersion even has its own on-site worm farm.

"We selected the building for financial reasons, but also because it fit into the structure of LEED and what it tries to do," Edwards says.

The entire construction project produced just 12 pounds of waste.

"This is our home, and the CDA recognized that," says Nikki Marksberry, who heads business development.  "It's very exciting for us to design the same space in which we spend so much time.  It's really a treat."

In just 16 months, Emersion has expanded from four principals to 18 full-time employees.

The firm has also reached 165 percent of its 2008 sales goal, or approximately what they were hoping to achieve in 2009.

"It was very humbling on awards night," Edwards says.  "It was our first year of submissions for the awards, and we won the most.”

The other awards included AIA Honorable Mentions for Architectural Advancement for Greening Over-the-Rhine, a study conducted by several groups that showed that LEED and historic preservation standards and tax incentives can be applied to the historic neighborhood; and for a LE3D Social Sustainability Rating System that will be integrated into the next generation of LEED standards.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Sources: Chad Edwards, architectural/urban designer, Emersion Design; Nikki Marksberry, business development, Emersion Design
Photograph provided by Emersion Design

Gig Pig Music opened on December 4 at 23 E Court Street, Downtown.

The storefront grew from the home-based business of Bre, the former guitarist and vocalist for Crankbox, who had been selling music instruments on E-Bay and through trade magazines.

In addition to being an authorized dealer of instruments, she also sells buyouts, niche and custom instruments.

Because of this, the inventory changes out quite often – for example, a '65 Ludwig Black Diamond drum kit is prominently displayed.

"We have stuff here that I don't think anyone else can get," Bre says.  "But on the same products [as the larger chain music dealers], we're cheaper."

Bre also sells Elixir and Martin strings, a big plus for the bar bands and other musicians in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine.

"If you're going to move Downtown or to Over-the-Rhine and live the lifestyle, why should you have to drive 25 miles to get the best quality strings?" she says.  "Or to have custom work done?  I can do crazy custom work."

Although the store is geared toward the practicing musician, Bre says that Gig Pig Music is offering starter packages with a guitar, amp, and lessons for only $150.

Gig Pig Music is operating under winter hours of noon to 6 PM, Monday through Friday, and they plan on staying open later during the spring and summer months.

Saturday and Sunday hours are by appointment only.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Bre, partner, Gig Pig Music