Over-the-Rhine gets a makeover with the 90-Day
Neighborhood Enhancement Program. A unique collaboration between the city, local organizations, and citizens, the goal is to make OTR cleaner, safer, and more attractive to the public within 90 days.
The NEP program focuses on enforcement efforts, enhancement, and sustainability. Funding for the program comes from US Bank and community contributions which will be used for a wish list created by residents that includes new signage and a streetscape plan for Vine Street north of Liberty.
Keep Cincinnati Beautiful will also play a major role in this project by conducting litter analysis and sweeping up streets and parks in the area.
The first priority is redevelopment of the
OTR Recreation and Community Center. Peter Hames, a trustee of the OTR Community Council, said the center currently is not an inviting place. It will be a step forward to make it more accessible and inviting to residents in the area.
Although the 90-day project represents an immediate positive impact for OTR, sustainability is the most important aspect. The NEP program requires community council members to meet regularly to review progress.
"It gives us a way to focus our energies. It provides a forum for all of these agencies to come together when they might not have otherwise in the past," Hames explained. "If we are effective we will not only participate successfully, but also build relationships within the area and continue to work together beyond NEP."
Enforcement efforts are one of the most important aspects of the program. Cincinnati Police already started addressing hot spots within the area in order to control crime and make OTR a safer place.
"This is an area that can make or break a city and the Police Department will be at the forefront of being part of the effort that is going to make the city a much greater, much more beautiful, and much more tolerable city than it ever has been before," said Cincinnati Police Chief Tom Streicher.
Writer: Lisa Ensminger
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