2010 – Page 6 of 90

Cincy Unchained’s independent businesses building better neighborhoods

By Newsroom

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November 16, 2010

The holiday shopping season is officially underway and this year Cincinnatians are being encouraged to buy locally. Sean Fisher, founder of BuyCincy.com, has planned Cincinnati Unchained for Saturday, November 20th. Fisher has coordinated with local independent businesses within the cityin twelve Cincinnati neighborhoods to offer special discounts, door buster specials, or donate a portion of the day's sales to their favorite charity. Lisa Kagen, storeowner of Melt and Picnic & Pantry in Northside, thinks consumers who seek out independent retailers are choosing to support their local economy first. And that's good for the neighborhoods where independent businesses are located."This is the only way we can be patient with our economy and rebuild it by reinvesting in our local economy instead of chain businesses," Kagen said. "It is not a trend, but a movement back to how a real economy used to work."Kagen opened Picnic & Pantry in May of this year. She found the need to add a local grocery and market in Northside and loved the area because of its diverse atmosphere, affordability, and historic appeal. Always attracted to neighborhoods on the cusp of blossoming, Kagen finds that Northside, along with other areas in Cincinnati, provide a lot of opportunity for independent shops to thrive. Kagen explained that she has no trouble finding local resources and that other businesses are willing to communicate and support one another. Another thriving neighborhood for entrepreneurs is Over-the-Rhine with forty-seven new businesses in the past two years. Brian Tiffany, Executive Director of the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce, supports the Cincinnati Unchained event, and views it as a great opportunity to demonstrate that buying local during the holidays offers shoppers a unique alternative. According to Tiffany, Over-the-Rhine businesses attract a variety of age groups ranging from the younger community to the "empty-nesters" looking for something new in the historic area. "The younger community is a lot faster at embracing the change and opportunity, but as the word gets out a wide variety of people seem to visit the neighborhood," Tiffany said. Tiffany explains that Over-the-Rhine is attractive to new businesses due to the changes taking place in the neighborhood, including Washington Park's overhaul and SCPA's new facility, and the Chamber's Business First grant program. So much affordable opportunity is available for small businesses as well as for home ownership. "For once in a long time, I feel like the planets are aligning in Over-the-Rhine. I think the neighborhood has been challenged for so many years, and now it is moving into its own and starting to recognize its full potential," Tiffany said.Writer: Lisa EnsmingerPhotography by Scott Beseler. Picnic & Pantry

Local author’s history of Cincinnati’s incomplete subway looks to future developments

By Newsroom

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Development News

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November 16, 2010

When Jacob Mecklenborg set out to write a book about the two miles of empty subway tunnel that lie beneath downtown Cincinnati - a catacombish network of concrete that has never heard the clang of a rail car - he had no idea how much history he would uncover."I made the mistake of thinking because I had written an article on it ten years earlier that I had a really big head start, but that was not the case," he said at a book signing at Neon's in Over-the-Rhine. "So much of this story had never been told," he added. His new book "Cincinnati's Incomplete Subway; The Complete History," covers 150 years of rail development in Cincinnati, most famously one called the Rapid Transit Loop which included the two-mile subway tunnel. The bond issue that funded it did not provide enough money to complete the project once material costs skyrocketed after WWI and, as Mecklenborg's book follows in meticulous detail, repeated efforts to resurrect the tunnel over the next 90 years failed as well. Mecklenborg argues that while pro-automobile federal policy exacerbated efforts to build the line, local smear-campaigns and inaccurate media coverage were what effectively killed it.A photographer and graphic designer by training, Mecklenborg was commissioned by the History Press to write the book after one of their editors read an article about the subway that he wrote and published on his website, Cincinnati-transit.com.A transit-enthusiast, Mecklenborg warned that the same problems that kept the subway from being built still threaten transit issues in Cincinnati."The struggle for all of us who are interested in improving the public transportation situation in Cincinnati is that the local media does not report state law, federal law, and the transit situation here in an accurate way," Mecklenborg said. "People can say whatever misinformation they want, and they don't get rebuked or fact-checked."One common misconception that the subway failed because rail cars wouldn't fit, is entirely false but still persists, he said. That particular myth was promoted by a group of young politicians who were trying to embarrass the political establishment that built the tunnel.Mecklenborg attributed the recent success of Cincinnati's streetcar campaign to the advent of "fact-checking" web sites that informed local voters about where funding for the system would come. He believes the original subway tunnel might still be used to house light rail transit someday, and tells his readers what infrastructure improvements would be required to do so.Mecklenborg, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of local transit history, sums up his hopes for the future in the book's introduction: "I believe that this book will help clear the fog surrounding the subject, and in doing so remove the subway's construction and nonuse as a dependable "argument" of anti-rail, anti-city forces."Mecklenborg's book is available through History Press.Writer: Henry SweetsPhotography provided.

World planning day brings new ideas to Amberley Village

By Newsroom

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Development News

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November 16, 2010

To celebrate World Planning Day in Hamilton County, ninety planners and planning students gathered in Amberley Village to brainstorm how the town might utilize vacant green space that would fulfill the community's goals. The annual event, organized by the Hamilton County Planning Department and Cincinnati's chapter of the American Planning Association, helps one community think through their major planning issues each year. The Amberley town government owns a vacant golf course and swim club, and the neighborhood also has an unused school. A town where young families are moving in and new ways of thinking are on the rise, Amberly hopes to improve its community dynamic while also staying green. At the World Planning Day charette, planners gathered into groups to address the vacant properties, as well as the lack of sidewalks and bike paths in the community. At the end of the day they presented their ideas to the mayor and town council. Mayor Merrie Stillpass said that almost all of the town is built-out except for the 133 acre golf course, Amberley Green, that is currently used by residents for walking and running, and its future is a hot issue in the small community. "We are currently working on ideas - which this World Planning Day event helped us look at with a different lens - to develop it as a mixed use area," Stillpass said. "We've turned down some previously proposed developments because we're looking for the right mix and right density that adds value, is an amenity to the community and doesn't have negative impacts." The planning group covering Amberley Green suggested one idea, or a combination of ideas, that stuck out to Stillpass. "For the Amberley Green property there were some thoughts about having an interdisciplinary program that might be supported by a couple of the local college programs," she said. "A research facility that could become a sustainability center with an agricultural component and maybe a residential component, or a banquet center - something that could generate revenue for the Village but perpetuate the higher calling of sustainability." Another big issue in Amberley is the lack of sidewalks or bike paths, and one group of planners suggested a hierarchy of pathways that could be built to begin connecting the Village's different neighborhoods to community gathering spots. In a couple of weeks the ideas gathered that day will be posted on a website hosted by the Hamilton County Planning Department, and at that point Amberley's Mayor and Town Council will start sifting through the ideas to see which ones are worth future investigation, Stillpass said. Hamilton County's director of planning, Todd Kinskey, said Wednesday's event had the highest turnout in the eleven years his office has helped to sponsor the event. Community's that are interested in hosting a World Planning Day charrette can contact his office for more information. Writer: Henry Sweets Illustration provided The approval by Village Council of a plan to landscape the intersection of Ronald Reagan Highway and Ridge Road

Soapdish: Cincinnati Stock Exchange Returns

By Casey Coston

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Education + Learning

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November 16, 2010

Unknown to many current Queen City residents, the Cincinnati Stock Exchange operated from 1885 until 1995 and was a leader in the technological transformation of the global securities markets. Soapdish columnist Casey Coston looks back at the CSE's history via the innovative work of UC journalism students.

Joe Brinker & Melissa Godoy, OTR filmmakers

By Sean Rhiney

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Architecture + Design

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November 16, 2010

Local filmmakers Joe Brinker and Melissa Godoy talk about their documentary film "Rebirth of Over-the-Rhine."

Artworks Lets The Secret Out

By Ann Lawson

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Arts + Culture

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November 16, 2010

In the market to add to your art collection and willing to take a chance? You can discover emerging artists or get lucky with established artists at Secret Artworks this Friday.

Know Cincinnati? Newport’s Global Business Solutions uses social media to find out

By Newsroom

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General

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November 16, 2010

Often, social media isn't all that social. In fact, while Facebookers and Tweeters interact online, those interactions don't usually connect to the outside world.The same holds true for businesses using Social Media to connect with customers. And the interaction can be boring and generic. One local company, Global Business Solutions in Newport, is using social media in a different to raise company awareness and engage potential clients in a fresh way.GBS is an IT consulting, support and managed services firm that since 1994 has worked with small- to medium-sized businesses and municipalities. The company was founded by President Gaby Batshoun and CEO Nael Mabjish and employs about two dozen people. This year it was awarded the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Small Business Success Award for Professional Services.The company is one of many across Greater Cincinnati tapping into social networking sites to generate buzz. Starting in late October, the company began a quirky, four-week contest on Facebook. Each day for the first three weeks, GBS posted a photo of the company mascot - an inflatable globe - somewhere in Cincinnati. People who "like" the Facebook page guess where the photo was taken; the first person who answers correctly wins a Flip camera that week. It's the first time the company has used its Facebook page this way."The city has such a large social media footprint, and we're able to connect to a lot of our clients that way. We wanted to use this space to reward the people who have already been communicating with us there, and draw some more attention to our company," said Joe Robb, GBS Head of Marketing.Since beginning the contest the company's Facebook followers have grown from 99 to 156. The page has been up about seven months."For us it's not really about the numbers," Robb said. "It's about getting to know people. Plus it's fun. This kind of work isn't really thought of as fun, but people who work here are fun and they enjoy what they do."The contest wraps up this week (Nov. 19) with a big prize, an iPad. To win this prize, however, the winner has to get off the computer and into Cincinnati. This week GBS is posting pictures at four different locations, one picture per day through Thursday. On Friday, the globe will be left somewhere in Cincinnati. The first person to upload a picture or video of him/herself with the globe, who also correctly guesses the locations of the pictures from earlier in the week will win the iPad. Think you know Cincinnati? You can go for the iPad at Global Business Solutions Facebook page.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Joe Robb, GBS Head of MarketingYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites

NanoDetection Technology moving to Cincinnati from Tennessee

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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November 16, 2010

An Oak Ridge, Tenn. medical device company that specializes in detecting biological hazards and diseases is moving to Cincinnati, and will be lead by former Union Springs Pharmaceuticals' President Joel Ivers.NanoDectection Technology is a startup that's making its way to Cincinnati to grow. The company's first product, the patented Biosensor Detection System, finds genes, antibodies or pathogens within a biological or environmental sample. It could be used in emergency rooms, doctor's offices or by food safety or law enforcement organizations. It works quickly, taking just minutes instead of days to detect infections or bio threats. The system is about two years from hitting the market.At least $1 million will be invested in the company, including $250,000 from CincyTech. Southern Ohio Creates Companies is investing $100,000, and an unnamed private investor is putting in a sizeable stake. The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded NanoDetection a $175,000 grant to research food-safety applications. NanoDetection was founded by Knoxville physician Charles Barnett, whose relationship with Ivers was a factor in bringing the company to Cincinnati. Ivers has worked in biomedical fields in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for more than 30 years, most recently as president of Union Springs."The funds raised now will allow the company to complete clinical trials and obtain regulatory approval to launch the system in the health-care market in early 2013," said Ivers, now company CEO.A lab technician will be joining Ivers here in Cincinnati; company founder Barnett will remain in Tennessee. This is CincyTech's 18th portfolio company, and marks the first time the nonprofit venture development investor has attracted a company from out of state."We were impressed by the platform potential and performance of the NDT biosensor as an in-vitro diagnostic device in the clinical environment, coupled with the data collection and transmission capabilities, in a low-cost, simple-to-use, portable format,” said CincyTech executive-in-residence Dr. Jan Rosenbaum.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: CincyTechYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites

North America’s largest franchise expo making its first stop in Cincinnati

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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November 16, 2010

The Mayor's office has worked to bring North America's largest franchise fair to the Queen City to support job creation and the city's entrepreneurial spirit. It's the first time Toronto-based National Event Management has brought The Franchise & Business Opportunities Expo to Cincinnati.The city took a proactive approach to bringing the expo here, said show director Leslie Lawrence."This is something we normally produce on our own, but we're putting on this show with the Mayor's office, which wanted to bring it to the city," Lawrence said. National Event Management each year holds 27 annual business ownership events across North America, showcasing over 1,700 businesses to 65,000 prospective businesses. PNC Bank is also sponsoring the event, which is part of Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory's Shop 52 economic development initiative to encourage investment in the city's 52 neighborhoods."Buying a franchise is a great way for individuals to go into business for themselves because they are buying into a proven business concept and the franchising company will have many resources to help them succeed," Mayor Mallory said. "This is another part of my Shop 52 initiative to create opportunities for Cincinnatians to open their own businesses and be successful."The expo is set for Nov. 20 and 21 at the Duke Energy Center downtown. The expo will be 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. - 4p.m. There are full-time and part-time opportunities, and about 50 businesses will be on hand including Firehouse Subs, Allstate, Jack of All Trades Handyman, Griffin Waste Services, Re-Bath and Budget Blinds. Admission is free and tickets are available online. Lawrence described the expo as a "low pressure" event where people can talk directly to franchise representatives at a variety of investment levels. Those interested can also learn more about sources of financing, and how to begin the process of owning a franchise. "There are seminars that provide a free education before you start a business. There is free financing and free legal advice and people talking about the core competencies you need so you chose the right business for you," said Lawrence.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSources: Mayor's Office and National Event Management show director Leslie Lawrence You can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites

Gateway Community awarded $8.5 million grant for Allied Health student support

By Newsroom

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Health + Wellness

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November 14, 2010

Students looking for a career in allied health, who often have an uphill climb getting through college, soon will get some support thanks to an $8.5 million federal grant awarded to Gateway Community and Technical College.The grant, awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, will be paid out over five years to the College's Department of Nursing and Allied Health. The allied health field includes a broad variety of healthcare jobs like medical IT, medical assisting, fitness or athletic trainer, health information technician and message therapy.The grant is geared toward low-income students, including those who qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or who meet the income eligibility guidelines for Pell grants. These students often face a barrage of challenges, including finding transportation and childcare."This is designed to offer a continuum of service for students from hearing about the program, to graduation and getting a job," said Gateway Director of Grants Amber Decker.New support services will be offered starting in January at Gateway's urban campus in Covington, and in the Nursing and Allied Health building at the Edgewood campus. Among planned service offerings are academic mentoring, English as a Second Language classes, and child care and transportation services. Dollars also will go into recruiting more students for Allied Health programs, said Dr. Gail Wise, associate provost for nursing and allied health."Low-income students have a lot of other issues to deal with besides academics. This grant will help us support those needs, and academics," Wise said. "Some of them aren't ready (for college) with their reading, writing and math skills and we'll get them help in selected programs."The grant will pay out approximately $1.8 million each year over its lifetime, and the college expects to hire 20 new people, including a project director, to help carry out the support mission. The competitive, federal grant is the single largest one ever awarded to Gateway. "This grant will have a huge impact on our students, the college and the region's healthcare industry," said G. Edward Hughes, Gateway president and CEO. "It will enable us to improve career education opportunities for low-income students, expand Gateway programs and services and provide well-qualified workers in a broader range of occupations to healthcare providers.The grant application was developed by Gateway faculty and staff in cooperation with the Kentucky Workforce Investment Board.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSources: Gateway College communications, Gateway Director of Grants Amber Decker and Dr. Gail Wise Gateway Associate Provost for Nursing and Allied Health Gail Wise You can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites