The Cincinnati music scene goes green this week as Commonly Jazz 09' rolls out their lineup of eco-friendly shows. If you're all jazzed out, the 17th Annual Cincy Blues Fest hits the banks of the Ohio while the Cincinnati Art Museum takes your senses on an exploration of the color yellow for August ONE. The inspiring exhibit Portraits of Africa opens at Passionate Arts Center.
Before the addition of the Newport on the Levee development, Newport itself was often known more for being a somewhat seedy place. Over the past two decades though, the Northern Kentucky river city has made tremendous progress that extends far beyond the informal boundaries of the Levee. Monmouth Street is the historic main street of the community and provides the business services for much of the surrounding residential neighborhoods. The commercial part of the street is thriving as it has an estimated 90 percent occupancy rate with the slew of new businesses opening within the coming weeks. Robert Yoder, Main Street Coordinator for the City of Newport, says that while the district is competing with many other nearby districts and niche market has formed there. “We’ve got a fitness niche going on here with Wiefit, Fusion Studio, Bicycle Outfitters, Leaders and Miles and Galaxy Skate Shop to name a few.” Yoder who also worked in Over-the-Rhine as part of the Digital Rhine efforts in the 90’s has also seen a significant number of small internet companies opening up on the second floors of buildings along Monmouth like Purple Trout and Red Hawk. Yoder’s work with the Main Street Program is focused in the area south of Third Street and up to Eleventh Street bounded by York and Washington streets on either side. He notes that there are about 80 Main Street programs in Kentucky that Newport’s Monmouth Street is competing against for state grants to help with facade improvements. “We’re always trying to upgrade the facades of buildings. We’re really focused on the 800 block of Monmouth Street right now and are working with developers and code enforcement officers to clean up the area,” says Yoder. In the past two years Yoder notes that he has done about 14 or 15 facade grants, some of which still have work ongoing and can result in up to $30,000 for improvement work. Another key area that the Main Street Program is working on is marketing of the district. One of those efforts has resulted in the Go2Newport weekly e-newsletter, but Yoder emphasizes that the best sale is word of mouth. “It’s no coincidence that we have six new businesses opening soon down here…existing businesses are talking to those looking at spaces and are drawing them into the neighborhood,” says Yoder. Wiefit is an exercise and body building studio at 842 Monmouth where Rick Lohre Photography is also opening. Fan Mail Marketing is a “direct-to-fan” marketing internet platform for the music industry and is opening at 844 Monmouth. A new 'green' grocer called Peluso's Produce & Plants will specialize in all local products at 627 Monmouth. Purple Trout is a search engine optimization company at 336 Monmouth, and Knit On! Is a retailer for knitting supplies at 735 Monmouth Street. “Even though it’s a down economy I’m working with a lot of people who have been downsized and they are looking at new business ideas. Home-based businesses like Purple Trout have been growing and are looking at permanent spaces.” All in all Yoder says that the district is doing pretty good given the economy and is planning on a couple more new businesses in the near future. Writer: Randy A. Simes Photography by Scott Beseler
The Mt. Lookout Community Development Corporation (MLCDC) is looking to transform the trendy Mt. Lookout Square on Cincinnati’s east side. The efforts are being driven by community activists who feel the neighborhood’s business district has become somewhat worn over the years and is in need of some new attention. The group has been meeting for the past couple of years and developed a multi-phased approach to cleaning up and rejuvenating Mt. Lookout Square. Within that approach are three main priorities for the redevelopment efforts that focus on Square Appearance, Vehicle Flow and Parking in that order. The neighborhood priorities are detailed into the following high-level objectives: Enhance the appeal of the square to residents, visitors and businesses by addressing many of the dilapidated walkways, parking structures/enclosures, signage and lighting.Incorporate more green-space into the currently very “car centric” appearance of the square.Address many of the pedestrian and traffic safety concerns expressed by businesses and the community at large.Improve the aesthetics of business frontage and provide more business-friendly pedestrian access to window shopping and open air dining.Grow and sustain a diverse business environment.Improve the aesthetics and reliability of public utilities.Address constraints to hosting public Square festivities.Implement a comprehensive parking solution that will allow us to more effectively utilize the center island as green-space. The goal is to address all of these priorities by the completion of all phases of the redevelopment effort. The final of the efforts would also be the most difficult and include off-street parking that would replace the parking currently located in the middle of the square. That space would then become an inviting public space with a fountain, seating areas and trees very similar to what is seen in Hyde Park Square. Similarly the same company, Vivian Llambi & Associates, which developed the plans for the Hyde Park Square renovation years ago, is also the same firm that has developed the plans for the Mt. Lookout Square renovation project. Vivian Llambi & Associates was also responsible for the work at Fountain Square, Government Square and the Aronoff Center for the Arts. In addition to off-street parking and a restored public center piece, the renovation efforts also hope to include wider sidewalks to enable more sidewalk dining and street cafes, minimization of overhead power lines, new streetscaping and traffic calming measures like curb bump-outs. Mt. Lookout Square has long been criticized for being difficult to navigate for motorists, somewhat dangerous for pedestrians and also lacks the necessary amounts of parking for the various merchants on and around the square. Writer: Randy A. Simes Photography by Scott Beseler
In May the Cincinnati Preservation Association (CPA) signed an agreement to purchase the historic John Hauck House in Cincinnati’s West End neighborhood. The house is located along what was once known as “Millionaires Row” at 812 Dayton Street. The house was originally built in 1870, but earned its name from John Hauck who purchased it in 1880 and who was a German immigrant that operated a nearby brewing company that also took his name. Inside the stone-fronted Italianate style townhouse features such as fluted pilasters, arched windows and a crowning cornice add to its charm. The house had previously been operated as a museum by Historic Southwest Ohio which saw its tours closed this 2009 season as organization stated that it intends to focus its efforts on the Heritage Village Museum located in Sharron Woods Park. Since CPA and Historic Southwest Ohio had once been one organization, CPA is granted first right of refusal on the property due to an existing deed. The purchase is listed as being sold on July 28, 2009 for $10 to CPA who is now looking for a qualified buyer with an appropriate end use in mind. The current appraised value for the property is $161,900 according to the Hamilton County Auditor. Other nearby historic structures have been threatened recently due to neglect or other reasons which led many preservationists to fear the fate of the historic Hauck House before the CPA purchase took place. The executive director for Cincinnati Preservation Association, Bobbie McTurner, states that the organization is currently accepting proposals for the purchase and utilization of the house. Proposals must be received by October 30, 2009 with a $30 application charge. McTurner also notes that a special Hauck House Proposal Review Committee will review all proposals for the sensitive historic structure. Writer: Randy A. Simes Photography by Scott Beseler
Vision 2015, Northern Kentucky’s shared public agenda, is moving ever closer to its namesake year. And its 2008-2009 annual report notes the launch of the Northern Kentucky Entrepreneurial Alliance, the hiring of an executive director for The Catalytic Development Funding Corp. and the new Cincinnati Agenda 360 strategic planning document among its community “wins.” Vision 2015’s budget was $1.4 million, the majority of the funds came from corporate, foundation or donated services. More than $953,000 was dispersed to education, economic competitiveness, effective governance, regional stewardship, livable communities and urban renaissance efforts.“Over the past year Vision 2015 has continued to drive the implementation of the bold, strategic plan with make Northern Kentucky a better, more economically competitive place to live and work,” said Vision 2015 chairman A.J. Schaeffer. “Each (goal) is driven by community partners who strive to maximize the impact of their work on the community’s priorities and goals.”Other highlights include:• Reaching 17.8 percent of the goal to create 14,500 primary jobs by 2015 (overseen by Tri-ED).• Launch of Launchpad, a technology development initiative• Packaging service group receiving a Kentucky Enterprise grant, for $30,000• Bexicon Pharmaceuticals grant from the Commonwealth for $100,000• A biologic company, Charleston Labs grant for $1.3 million • TiER 1 Performance Solutions gaining a $100,000 matching grant from the Department of Defense• Second Community education summit: Literacy: Help NKY Invest in Tomorrow Today in 2008 led to 100 people committing to becoming education coachesBut not all went as planned, a Boone County Parks initiative failed at the ballot box last year that would have increased funding for county parks and green space.So what’s next for Vision 2015? Looking forward Vision 2015 plans to align the recommendations of Agenda 360 with Vision 2015, develop a consistent set of educational achievement indicators and continue a comprehensive strategy for partner engagement.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Vision2015 Annual Report
PHD Diagnostics in Covington recently was awarded $200,000 from Kentucky’s Cabinet for Economic Development’s High-Tech Investment Pool for a lab upgrade.PHD Diagnostics, a bioLOGIC company, recently moved its genetic testing operation from Cincinnati. With a new, larger lab space will allow the company to develop new genetic test for applications including cardiovascular disease, cancer, toxicology and smoking cessation treatments. The funding will be used to buy high-tech lab equipment. PPD was awarded funding, as was Blu Pharmaceuticals in Franklin. “The recent awards by KEDFA to these two companies are good examples of how Kentucky is helping our existing businesses grow and expand, and at the same time attracting companies from other states,” said Larry Hayes, interim secretary of the Cabinet for Economic Development. “This shows that not only are our economic development programs helping retain high-paying jobs here at home for Kentuckians, but that these programs also enable us to compete successfully with other states for high-tech firms.” PHD Diagnostics plans to create at least 10 full-time, high-tech and technical support jobs for Kentuckians by June 30, 2012. The jobs will pay an average annual salary of $51,000. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development
ASTAR, a Wilmington air cargo charter company, plans to move to Florence pending payroll tax credits from Florence City Council. ASTAR serves DHL Worldwide Express, which in April announced it was moving its freight and sorting operation from Wilmington to CVG. The ASTAR move will bring 150 jobs to Northern Kentucky. Read Full article here.
There are several plans and large-scale developments underway in the river cities of Newport, Covington and Dayton that are exciting and all different, but have some common threads: connecting neighborhoods, natural resources and amenities and jobs.
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