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UC is transforming the teaching of teachers

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Cincy In The News

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February 23, 2010

Thought leaders at the University of Cincinnati are once again gaining national attention for their revolutionary work to reform the way in which teaching is approached in urban schools so that students learn more and talented teachers stick around. UC's new "Transforming Urban Educator Preparation" initiative has gained national acclaim and was named a national model by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) last year. Read full article here.

Twin Bistro opens restaurant in the heart of Covington

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Development News

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February 16, 2010

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Daisy Mae Market brings on Healthy Breaks

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Entrepreneurship

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February 16, 2010

Daisy Mae, Findlay Market's only full-time produce stand, now offers downtown businesses a Break. Healthy Breaks are weekly deliveries of fruits and vegetables to downtown offices, promoting wellness with vitamin-filled alternatives to the vending machine.  Healthy Breaks are a natural outgrowth of Daisy Mae's mission: "easy access to the finest selection of fresh produce in the Cincinnati area." Barry Cooper, who co-owns Daisy Mae with his brother Jeff, was thinking about how to expand the business.  "How do we get people to come down to Findlay Market?" he asked his wife, Barb. Barb suggested a tie-in with healthy living, and began calling people in the wellness community.  Healthy Breaks launched in January, just two months after Daisy Mae unfurled its colorful awning at Findlay Market. The most popular selection is bananas, apples, and navel oranges - 60 to 70 pieces for only $30. Deliveries are made each weekday except Monday. One office enjoys the program so much that they now schedule two weekly Healthy Breaks deliveries. The Cooper brothers grew up in Cincinnati. Jeff has a lifetime in the produce business; he started out at the Catanzaro Brothers' Findlay Market stand as a teen. Barry, a homebuilder, brings business expertise and culinary skills. "I fancy myself a decent cook, so I can talk to the people about preparing the produce." Barb Cooper maintains a blog and Twitter feed that connect Daisy Mae's customers with issues of interest around the city.  Daisy Mae offers locally-grown produce when practical, but maintains a sense of humor about the need to ship. A recent Twitter post said, "We love it when customers ask 'Is it local?' about avocados and bananas." Barry Cooper credits "a multitude of suppliers" with providing high quality and competitive prices. In addition to Healthy Breaks, Daisy Mae Market offers Quick Pick Produce, a concierge service where customers call ahead and have produce brought to their car, as well as downtown produce delivery.  Written by: Elena Stevenson Source: Barry Cooper, co-owner, Daisy Mae's Market

AIA to lead Broadway Commons casino charrette

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Architecture + Design

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February 16, 2010

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Hamilton County Business Center expands out of incubating

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Entrepreneurship

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February 16, 2010

Like the start ups that have grown out of its incubators, the Hamilton County Business Center is expanding services, offering office space to companies that want to stick around after their incubation phase ends.HcBC is leasing space at its 1775 Mentor Ave. building in Norwood to growing companies. The 1775 building is just across the street from HCBC's main building. So far, three companies are currently in the building: Sheet Dynamics, MobileTEK Consulting, and  Transmissions LLC. "All three have graduated from the incubator program in the last nine months, and this allows them to continue to be in an environment where they can have conversations with us. They're also giving back to our companies by being mentors. So we have plenty of plusses for everyone," said HCDC Director Patrick Longo.MobileTEK distributes computing products to police, firefighters, paramedics and other first responders who need rugged, mobile computers. The company joined the business center in 2005 and grew from one to four employees before moving into the new 1775 Building space.“The Business Center provides an environment that is very conducive to growth and planning,” said MobileTEK owner Howard Mandel. “And resources that you can tap into for help.”The center leases the space at market rates, provideing HCDC with a new, sustainable revenue stream. The center, which receives state funds, has had its budget cut like many other programs."This is a way to stabilize the program so we don’t have so many ebbs and flows," Long said.For businesses in the new space, its value is beyond the physical space itself."Right now we have 49 companies under one roof. That is pretty exciting space. Graduating companies like the idea that they can turn to us for a quick coaching session, and be around other entrepreneurs. Our space is similar to other spaces, but that entrepreneurial creative space is something other places don't have," Longo said.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Patrick Longo, HCBC Director

Cincinnati’s 21c future

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Architecture + Design

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February 16, 2010

When the person at the front desk closes with “… and make sure you check out our men’s bathroom. It’s just down the hall to the right of the big red penguin” you know you are in a unique place. And so began a recent visit, my first, to the 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville. When the opportunity presented itself to stay a night 100 miles southwest, there was no more obvious choice as to where to stay for an evening. After all, as much as it was a glimpse into a unique place, this was a glimpse into the future. When the 21c Museum Hotel announced late last year that they had purchased the old Metropole Hotel building from 3CDC in the Backstage District it marked the first new hotel in downtown Cincinnati in over twenty years. Located across from the Aronoff Center for the Arts and just next door to the Contemporary Arts Center, the historic building offers the ability to do many unique things which is right up the alley for 21c. “3CDC approached us with the location, and it was pretty much a dream”, said CEO Michael Bonadies. And after experiencing the 21c firsthand, there is no question about that assessment. With 90 rooms in Louisville (the Cincinnati location is slated for 160), the 21c is likely to be classified as a boutique hotel given its size. It is however, so much more. “Our goal is to be a part of the community and really be one of the cultural centers of Louisville,” Bonadies said and their approach is right in line with that vision. With 90 percent of their food and beverage revenues at Proof on Main coming from local residents, their strategy is clearly a resounding success. Additionally, they host shows and events quite frequently to keep the locals coming back time and time again. The first ground floor and the level below are filled with art and exhibits that are rotated semi-annually including quite a few rooms that are big enough to hold an entire collection from an artist. On a tour we were told that this is a focus for 21c so that the patrons can get a full picture of what the artist was going after. One example was the 'Faces of Fooshegu' exhibit which was a dynamic collection of twenty portraits of the people of Tamale, Ghana. This exhibit, among quite a few others at 21c was done by local Louisville artists. “21c reflects Louisville” said Mr. Bonadies, “and the Cincinnati location will reflect Cincinnati.” The Louisville location was opened in 2005 and the goal is to have the Cincinnati 21c open in 2012. One may ask where the vision for something like 21c comes from, which also is planning an Austin location. According to Michael, owners Laura Lee Brown and her husband Steve Wilson have a passion for the farmland of America and want to make the urban centers a place where people work, play and live. "They are doing their part to prevent urban sprawl and in turn protect the farmland they care about," said Bonadies who also stated that aside from their passion for farmland, they have a passion for art as most of what is shown at 21c is a personal reflection of their tastes. “There is art around every corner. Enjoy your stay,” Bonadies said, and he could not have been more right. 21c Museum Hotel is visually stunning, thought provoking, fun, and quite impressive, and that is all before you get in the elevator to go to head upstairs to your room. The rooms themselves are stylish and modern with an artistic touch that is all their own. As for the men’s restroom in the lobby, you will just have to go down to Louisville to see it for yourself. It's just down the hall and to the right of the big red penguin. Writer: Dave Rolfes Photography by Scott Beseler

Covington Federal Court decision gives support to aesthetic billboard regulations

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Development News

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February 16, 2010

Two years ago Cincinnati City Council member Chris Bortz proposed that the City should more intensely regulate advertising benches seen placed along Cincinnati's sidewalks. The intent of Bortz's effort was to clean up the city's streets by ridding them of these often unsightly bench billboards that bring in around $900 a year per bench. After Bortz's proposal took effect the City removed some illegal bench billboards that were not properly permitted and paying the $30/year fee to the City for using the public right-of-way. With more than 1,000 of these benches located across the city there is a huge revenue opportunity being missed. The problem is that these bench billboards are often not well maintained and create an unappealing aesthetic where they are located. Many of the benches located near bus stops tend to collect trash which then must be managed by the City. When Council member Bortz discussed the issue in 2007 he stated that he would like to see the benches replaced with rod iron style benches that would help clean up the appearance around bus stops and the city's neighborhood business districts. The issue is one that closely aligns with First Amendment rights, but a recent Federal Court decision that found a new right-of-way encroachment ordinance in Covington constitutional gives the issue new life. The court ruled that Covington can regulate items such as advertising benches, vending machines, and newspaper stands to meet certain size and aesthetic standards. "This is a great step in the right direction that helps the City reduce sign pollution and encroachments in the public right-of-way," said Covington City Manager Larry Klein. "The ordinance allows the City to continue its beautification efforts, and ensures that the public can traverse City sidewalks safely." Local governments can carefully craft content-neutral without the fear of acting unconstitutionally. When doing so the government must regulate in a way that does not involve the suppression of speech and violate the First Amendment. The government must also illustrate that the law serves an important objective (like aesthetics according to the Covington ruling) and is crafted in a way that allows for alternative means of communication. Effectively regulating what is in the public right-of-way not only presents an opportunity to clean up our city's neighborhoods, but it also presents an opportunity to take back our streets literally and figuratively.  Policies that move Cincinnati forward in such a direction could steer the way for more aesthetically pleasing benches and newspaper stands, and help accomplish the very things City Council member Bortz outlined in 2007. Writer: Randy A. Simes Photography by Scott Beseler Stay connected by following Randy on Twitter @UrbanCincy

Meet the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

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Arts + Culture

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February 16, 2010

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is the nation's fifth oldest orchestra and was founded in 1895.  Since 1895, the orchestra has included some of the most renowned directors and musicians of their time and is considered one of the best orchestras in the world. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra performed at New York City's famed Carnegie Hall on Monday, February 15 as they were led by acclaimed conductor Paavo Jarvi who became the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's conductor in 2001. Read full article here.

Cincinnati’s vitality, creativity on the upswing

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Arts + Culture

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February 16, 2010

The growing vitality of Cincinnati's neighborhoods and the variety of creative and cultural events are helping make the Queen City even better, and were two of the main reasons Margy Waller decided to relocate to Cincinnati from Washington D.C. last year. Now the Vice President of the Arts & Culture Partnership at the Fine Arts Fund, Waller describes the exciting changes happening throughout the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and how the renaissance there is being fueled by the arts community. Read full article here.

Procter & Gamble deepens Olympic drive

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Cincy In The News

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February 16, 2010

Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble is looking to sprint out of the current recession by "pulling out all the stops" at the Vancouver Olympic Games.  The world's largest consumer products company will reportedly spend in excess of $22 million at the Games. The increased advertising presence of the world's largest advertiser was a major aid for the United States Olympic team that had lost one of its biggest sponsors in General Motors due to the recession.  P&G has an annual advertising budget around $8 billion. Read full article here.