College Hill

Settled in 1813, College Hill has about 16,000 residents within a 3.4-square-mile neighborhood, and is Cincinnati’s fourth largest and most diverse neighborhood. A variety of housing options — an eclectic mix of stone, brick and wood homes of every style and in every price range — make it possible for many to spend a lifetime in the neighborhood. The community owes much of its character to the 19th-century colleges that gave the neighborhood its name, and though Farmers’ College and the Ohio Female College are long gone, their campuses left behind a legacy of park-like streets. The vibrant Hamilton Avenue business district is a hub of activity, with a host of new projects planned or underway from the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corp.: a new senior housing development, a storefront facade improvement program, small business recruitment and new brewery.

Breaking the cycle of bad eating, one banana at a time

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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December 11, 2012

The Nutrition Council of Greater Cincinnati is working to break the cycle of unhealthy eating habits, one banana, one yogurt parfait and one recipe at a time. And, they are doing it one family at a time. The Council, in its 35th year, just wrapped up its latest series of "What’s Cooking?" classes for parents and caregivers of kids in Camp Washington and Winton Hills. The classes, offered each fall and spring, are a four-part series that meet for about an hour after the school day ends at schools with Head Start programs. They are designed to show parents how to make quick, affordable and healthy meals for their families. Each week is themed, and participants receive take-home tools like measuring spoons and grocery cards. Parents also get multiple recipes that encourage cooking at home, rather than relying on packaged and processed foods. The classes and the Council’s work come at a time when the nation—and Cincinnati—is getting fatter. Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, one in four Cincinnati Public School kindergarten students is overweight (13.9 percent) or obese (11.7 percent). “I think what strikes me is that things I am aware of and take for granted, not everyone does,’’ says Tracy Wilking, the nonprofit’s special project manager, who worked at the Winton Hills location this fall. In 2011, nearly 100 families participated in the cooking sessions. And of those, according to the Council’s web site: • 85 percent reported they changed one action to improve a targeted health behavior.• 67 percent of families increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables.• 67 percent said they decreased their child’s sweetened beverage intake. Wilking says it is not uncommon to hear parents share how the instruction really does change cooking habits, from eating as a family to introducing fresh fruits and vegetables at meals. One recent participant told one of the Council workers that she had completely changed how her family was eating. The Council targets very young children, before habits are established and before they start kindergarten. Wilking says many parents may not have been taught how to eat healthy, and the earlier the Council and others can share information with parents, the more likely the cycle of poor food choices can be broken. In addition to the cooking series, the Council also visited 38 Early Childhood Education classrooms in the Cincinnati area over 17 days to teach parents and their kids how to make healthy snacks. Recently, they made fruit and yogurt parfaits. “A little education really can go a long way,’’ says Wilking. “This work is reaching individuals and those with the power to reach someone else.” Do Good: • Make a donation • Volunteer your time or skills. • Like the Council on Facebook.• Follow the Council's news on Twitter. By Chris GravesChris Graves, assistant vice president of digital and social media at the Powers Agency, is using several of the Council’s recipes at home with her two teens.

Union Cooperative Initiative works to build sustainable local jobs

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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December 11, 2012

Kristen Barker isn’t surprised if you haven’t heard of the Cincinnati Union Cooperative Initiative. In fact, she pretty much planned it that way. She wants CUCI to demonstrate success in the form of job creation — and not just talk about it, she says. And that is beginning to happen. The group, created in 2010 by Barker and three other friends who work in social justice and peace, is modeled after the nearly 56-year-old Mondragon worker-owned cooperative in the Basque region of Spain. CUCI formed after Mondragon signed an historic agreement with the United Steelworkers in 2009 to launch union cooperatives in the United States. The model is meant to develop sustainable jobs using worker ownership alongside the collective bargaining process. For two years, Barker and co-founders Phil Amadon, Ellen Vera and Flequer Vera have been raising money, creating partnerships with key unions and studying efforts elsewhere to bring the worker cooperative to life. Last weekend, the Cincinnati group celebrated a series of successes that included the launch of its first co-op — an incubator farm that is training farmers, supplying a CSA and three retail outlets and employing six people. The 30-acre farm is in College Hill, near Winton and North Bend roads. It is currently also studying four other potential co-ops that include a Cincinnati railway manufacturing co-op, a food hub, an energy retrofitting co-op and a jewelry maker co-op. Each project is a different stage of feasibility studies and includes partnerships with universities and trade councils, as well as other local, state and federal groups. “These are super exciting projects,’’ says Barker. “The time is right for this. The ideas have been incubating and germinating. This feels really huge.” But what really excites Barker is the likelihood that Cincinnati may be the pilot city for Mondragon, which employs more than 83,000 people in 256 countries, if it chooses to bring its operations to the U.S. “It was our dream to bring Mondragon here, and we have been successful,’’ she says, adding that they hosted a Mondragon co-op that is looking to expand. “I feel very confident that jobs will flourish, and in the future, thousands of jobs will flourish.” Barker, a single mother of a special needs daughter, says the work has been time-consuming and difficult, but well worth it. “I am from Cincinnati and I want this area to thrive. I want jobs to stay here. I want families to live in a beloved community where all are valued, at peace and doing work that is equitable.” Do Good: • Sign up for the CUCI email newsletter to receive information about news and events. • Contribute to help fund the feasibility studies and other related initiatives. • Volunteer your skill or trade by emailing Barker. By Chris Graves Chris Graves is the assistant vice president of digital and social media at the Powers Agency.

Faces Without Places founder wants to see homeless program expand

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Diversity

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November 13, 2012

Karen Fessler has a message she wants you to hear loud and clear: Faces Without Places is alive, well and kicking. For years, the nonprofit, grassroots organization that has provided nearly $1.5 million in educational support for homeless children in Greater Cincinnati was affiliated with the Cincinnati Public Schools. But about two years ago--and for a variety of reasons--the organization split with the school system, says Fessler, who is a board member and a founding member of the 17-year-old group. But its mission remains intact, says Fessler. “The most important part of the program is that we get kids out of shelters, we get kids off the streets and we show them that education is a way to experience a larger world,’’ says Fessler. “We want to broaden our reach. We want to broaden our horizons.” Fessler declines to discuss what led to the parting of ways, but adds the founders of the program all left their jobs at CPS as well. “But none of us lost our passion for the kids and the mission of Faces Without Places,’’ she adds. “I want people to know that we are here, and we are committed to providing services. We are toughing it out through thick and thin--for the kids.” The nonprofit helps about 3,000 school children annually in Greater Cincinnati. Last year, the group provided 7,702 services to 3,013 children, according to its website. Those services included providing taxi services to school for 112 students, uniform vouchers for 777 students, backpacks and supplies for more than 839 students and Payless gift cards for 320 students so they could get a new pair of shoes, a luxury for many, Fessler says. The nonprofit is best known for its Yellow Bus Summer Camp, which completed its 15th year this past summer. Last year, 152 children attended the eight-week camp that focuses on reading and day trips. Earlier this month, the group’s biggest fundraiser--the Yellow Bus Ball--raised more than $23,000, most of which will go to fund the camp. “The ball is critical because we have to have money to pay teachers and buy supplies,’’ Fessler says. “We can get grant money for field trips, but the fundraiser really helps us be able to put on the camp to the degree we have always done it.” Fessler has worked with thousands of homeless children over the years, and she readily admits she is biased toward teens. “A lot of people don’t realize this, but these kids are completely out on their own; they are either staying at friends' or living eight, nine, 10 kids piled up in an apartment,’’ she says. “They are squatting and some are living on the streets trying to negotiate life … they are all living life on the edge. I am most impressed by their sheer tenacity and their desire to find a better life.” Do Good: • Register for the Mt. Adams Yellow Bus Pub Crawl on Saturday, Nov. 17. • Attend the 5th annual Chili Taste Off on Dec. 9 at Northside Tavern. • Contribute to Faces Without Places' wishlist of school and personal hygiene supplies. • Sign up for the monthly email newsletter. • Give back while you shop. By Chris GravesChris Graves is the assistant vice president of digital and social media at Powers Agency

Salvation Army-owned property in College Hill soon to be apartments for seniors

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Development News

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October 30, 2012

The undeveloped property at 6381 Center Hill Avenue in College Hill will soon become apartments for senior citizens and people with disabilities. The final plans for the development were approved Friday by the City Planning Commission. The Salvation Army owns the Center Hill property, which will soon become 96 apartments available to residents 60 years of age and older who meet specific income requirements. There will be 95 one-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom apartment for the resident manager. Plans also include a kitchen, dining room and recreation areas for residents. “Dwellings for senior citizens are in high demand,” says Felix Bere, senior city planner for the City of Cincinnati. “These apartments will also cater to a segment of the population that needs a place to live.” Construction on the property is expected to start in February 2013; completion is slated for the second quarter of 2014. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter

Big plans in the works for Cincinnati

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Architecture + Design

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October 23, 2012

As many areas of Cincinnati are being rejuvenated, including OTR and Washington Park, the City of Cincinnati approved a comprehensive approach to focus on development in the city as a whole, not just targeted neighborhoods. Last Friday, the City Planning Commission approved and adopted Plan Cincinnati, which was designed with input from residents. The Plan is an opportunity to strengthen what people love about the city, what works and what needs more attention, says Katherine Keough-Jurs, senior city planner and project manager. The idea is to re-urbanize suburbanized Cincinnati; in a sense, to return to the strengths of the city's beginnings. Cincinnati was established just after the American Revolution in 1788 and grew into an industrial center in the 19th century. Many of those industries no longer exist in the city, which is part of why Cincinnati has become more suburbanized in the past 50 years. One of the long-term goals of the Plan is to bring new industries to Cincinnati. With a new approach to revitalization, Cincinnati is blazing the trail for other cities. With a focus on building on existing strengths rather than tearing down structures and creating new ones, the Plan aims to capitalize on the city's “good bones” and good infrastructure. Cinicinnatians had a huge role in developing the Plan. The first public meeting for the Plan was held in September 2009, when residents offered their insights into “what makes a great city?" and "what would make Cincinnati a great city?” A steering committee of 40 people representing businesses, nonprofits, community groups, local institutions, residents and City Council helped develop the Plan. The Plan also got support from a grant from the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, which the City received in 2010. The grant allotted $2.4 million over three years to support the Land Development Code, which combines and simplifies Cincinnati's codes, reviews the development process, implements Form-based Codes and considers more creative uses for land. The grant allowed the city to start implementing some of the ideas voiced in public meetings. Visionaries included youth, too. City staff worked with community centers and Cincinnati Public Schools to develop an art project for children. They were given clay pots and asked to paint their fears for the city on the inside and their dreams for the city on the outside. The children saw the big issue was quality of life, just like the adults did. “It was an interesting way to get the kids involved and thinking about the future,” Keough-Jurs says. The Plan aims to strengthen neighborhood centers—the neighborhoods’ business districts. It maps out areas that people need to get to on a daily basis and found that most are within about a half-mile of the business districts. But in some neighborhoods, residents can’t access their neighborhood centers. The accessibility of a neighborhood center is based on walkability—not just for pedestrians, but also about how structures address walking. For exampke, if a pedestrian can walk from one end of the neighborhood center to the other without breaking his or her pattern (the window shopping effect), the area is walkable; if he or she has been stopped by a parking lot or vacancies, it’s not walkable, Keough-Jurs says. The neighborhood centers are classified in one of three ways in the Plan: maintain, evolve or transform. Some neighborhoods have goals to maintain levels of walkability, whereas others need to gradually change or evolve. Still others need to completely transform in order to strengthen their business districts. “Cincinnati is at the heart of the region,” Keough-Jurs says. “If we strengthen Cincinnati, we strengthen a region.” The next step for the Plan is to go before the Cincinnati City Council, specifically the Livable Communities Committee, which is chaired by Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter

Clovernook offers opportunities, programs for visually impaired

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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October 9, 2012

If you’ve heard of the Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, then you may already be familiar with the many ways they assist disabled Cincinnatians. But it might surprise you to learn what else is happening at the center’s North College Hill campus. Did you know, for example, that Clovernook is home to the nation’s second largest Braille print house? Its annual output currently includes 26 magazines—Braille versions of household names like Rolling Stone, Martha Stewart Living and National Geographic—as well as 168 book titles. Clovernook also contracts with various government and private entities to produce everything from IRS file folders to packaging for items available at stores like Target. Founded in 1903 on land procured by William Procter, Clovernook served as Cincinnati’s first home for blind women, and continues to maintain strong business ties with P&G. Visitors can schedule a guided tour of the grounds, which feature the historic Cary Cottage. In keeping with its mission, Clovernook’s staff—42 percent of whom experience some level of visual impairment—work to inspire self-sufficiency by offering art and recreational activities, youth services, independent-living and vocational training as well as counseling and job placement. A longstanding practice of employing from within has resulted in jobs for some patrons, but the overriding goal is placement within the larger community, says Jessica Salyers, Clovernook’s manager of development and media relations. “Kroger is one company that makes [hiring disabled individuals] a priority,” Salyers says. “But some companies don’t realize or forget that you can make jobs accessible for people with disabilities or impairments. Our employment specialists have had success working with local companies to get them to think about providing those opportunities.” Taking advantage of Clovernook’s services starts with a brief evaluation to gauge the level of visual impairment as well as personal goals and skillsets. Trained social workers then help to identify potential solutions for clients’ needs. “Sometimes we’re able to provide a short-term solution, but then if the individual’s eyesight becomes worse later, we reopen their case,” Salyers says. “Some individuals work with our specialists for quite a long time.” Salyers notes key differences between Clovernook and area organizations like the Cincinnati Association for the Blind. For example, many of Clovernook’s youth services are available to children 8 years and older. “If we know a family that has an infant that’s been diagnosed with visual impairment, we’ll do everything possible to refer them to another organization,” Salyers says. “And they’ll refer older kids to us for our youth services, which are very focused on summer camps. It’s not at all competitive; it’s about serving as many people in the community as possible.” Clovernook’s calendar routinely features art exhibits, fundraisers and special events. “We love to have people on-site here,” Salyers says. “We have events coming up, as well as a lot of volunteer opportunities. We love to be more connected to people in our community.” Do Good: • See paintings and pottery this month by Lynn Jansen, a Clovernook artist and board of trustees member who is visually and hearing impaired. “Candelite Terrace” explores Jansen’s memories of light and color in the neighborhood where she grew up. The exhibit will remain open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. until Oct. 26. • Donate or volunteer by contacting 513-728-6261 or csevindik@clovernook.org. • Celebrate “White Cane Safety Day,” Oct. 15, which kicks off with a City Hall rally at 10:45 am, followed by a walk to Fountain Square. By Hannah Purnell Follow Hannah on Twitter.

Cake pro leaves banking for baking

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Entrepreneurship

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July 31, 2012

When Torie Hancock applied for a job bagging groceries in high school, she didn’t get it. Instead, she settled for a bakery job, where she bagged bread and prepped customers’ orders. Bored, she soon turned her attention to cake decoration. “I’d watch the cake decorators, and then go in and practice after they left. When I got the hang of things, I’d decorate the cakes and cookies for display cases,” she says. Despite attending college and entering the a career in banking, she never stopped decorating cakes, and eventually earned a degree in baking and pastry from the Art Institute of Cincinnati. “I learned a lot more than I thought I would – basic cooking skills, chocolates, sugars. The hands-on experience was priceless,” she says. On July 1, Torie quit her finance gig to develop her business, Go Ahead Bake My Day, full time. Cake is Torie’s specialty, and she says she’ll create nearly any design or flavor, with cakes, cupcakes and cake puffs (similar to a cake lollipop) her most commonly requested items. “I make everything myself at home,” she says, noting that her next step is growing her business and moving into a storefront. Although she honors requests for gluten-free, vegan and other specialty cakes, Torie says she most commonly creates sugar-free confections, and even has a neighbor unofficially assigned to test her new recipes. When she’s not baking, she enjoys Cincinnati’s foodie scene, and can be found sampling local fare at Roc-A-Fella’s Pizza, Sammy’s Gourmet Burgers & Beers, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen or Kabuto. By Robin Donovan

Plan, Build, Live encourages community feedback

By Evan Wallis

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Development News

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April 24, 2012

City and neighborhood leaders, led by Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, have been building support for a new approach to development regulations for more than four years. Much of that has been developed through the program Plan, Build, Live. Plan, Build, Live is a program driven by community feedback and discussion, all gathered via the project's website. The website encourages people to share their ideas about how a city should be designed. This weekend, instead of just online, Cincinnati residents and business leaders will come together to shape our future through a citywide Urban Design Workshop. The Workshop takes place from April 28 to May 2 to help create a "form-based code" that can be used by neighborhoods all over Cincinnati -- and help shape how development happens in Cincinnati in decades to come. "Traditional zoning focuses on the use of the building and how far the building is off the street or how large the building is," says Della Rucker, public engagement office for Plan, Build, Live. "Form-based code flips that around and focuses on how a property contributes to the experience people have in the area. How it creates a vibrant, walkable community." Plan Build Live is funded by a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Local funding is provided by the City of Cincinnati, the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Health Department, and the Mill Creek Restoration Project. One of the Plan Build Live tools, a form-based code, encourages strong neighborhoods, business districts, and downtowns by focusing on the shapes of buildings, streets and sidewalks. Form-based codes can helps maintain or enhance a mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly environment that offers a mix of residential options, transportation methods, workplaces, shopping and more. Traditional zoning codes encourage patches of similar use, forcing long distances between work, home and play. Form-based codes allow different uses to cluster – restaurants, apartments, drug stores and grocery stores, for instance – as long as they stick to rules that address the ways they relate to the neighborhood. Form-based codes are not planned to replace other types of zoning in Cincinnati, but they are intended to give neighborhoods a more flexibility. A key difference of form-based codes is that even people who are not trained planners help put them together. Participants only need to be willing to share their ideas. During the Workshops, citizens will meet with planners, architects and engineers to talk about what they like and want to see -- both in Cincinnati's neighborhoods and on several "special opportunity" sites. The preliminary Workshop focuses on creating a city-wide form-based code that will serve as a framework for the fall workshop, which will focus on four neighborhoods: Westwood, College Hill, Madisonville and Walnut Hills. The estimated completion date is 2013, but feedback and participation from residents and business owners is critical to helping the city implement the program. By Evan Wallis

ChoreMonster app aims to connect families, make work fun

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Entrepreneurship

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August 23, 2011

For most kids there is no getting around chores. Whether it's cleaning their bedrooms, mowing the yard or taking out the trash, they are part of family life.While the tedious tasks may never make it on the list of things kids look forward to, two Cincinnati entrepreneurs are developing a web-based and mobile application that can make them more enjoyable.ChoreMonster, now under development, connects chores and rewards through a point system. The application, which can be accessed by parents and their children, gives kids points based on the type of chore they complete. Once they garner enough points, kids can cash them in for real-life rewards like a Christmastime gaming system or $25 for a night out at the movies. The parent decides how to award points and what rewards to associate with them.ChoreMonster is the brainchild of Chris Bergman and Paul Armstrong, digital marketing consultants at WiseAcre Digital in Over-The-Rhine."I grew up in a household where chores had a negative connotation," says Bergman, whose first child is due in December. "ChoreMonster is a way to enjoy daily chores. We wanted to create an experience where parents could interact with their children in a unique and engaging way. This gives them an opportunity to do that."ChoreMonster is one of eight startups that are part of The Brandery's 2011 class. The seed stage consumer marketing venture accelerator offers a 12-week course that includes mentoring, 20K in financing upon completion and access to potential investors."We already have a lot of strengths (in business) but we want to learn more about strategic partnerships and fundraising. It's a great opportunity to access the network, mentors and the collective wisdom of The Brandeary," says Bergman, of College Hill.ChoreMonster will be ready for private Beta when The Brandery class finishes this fall, Bergman says. As with each class, the application will be unveiled during a demo day before the public and the local investor community.By Feoshia HendersonYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites

Cincinnati Development Fund earns $1.5M federal grant

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Development News

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July 26, 2011

The Cincinnati Development Fund has been a financial resource for affordable housing development in the city's neighborhoods for 23 years. And that long track record of helping spur development -- and redevelopment -- in some of Cincinnati's underserved areas recently earned the CDF a $1.5 million federal grant to support its mission.The grant comes from the U.S. Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI). The CDFI awarded $142,302,667 to 155 community development financial institutions -- like CDF -- nationwide. CDF received $750,000 from the fund in 2010, making this year's award a very pleasant surprise, says CDF president and CEO Jeanne Golliher."We were really expecting something along the lines of what we got last year," she says.The $1.5 million sum is the maximum any single organization could receive from the CDFI. Golliher credits CDF's long-standing role in the community as reason for the high award."We're really in touch," she says. "We know where the needs are."A main focus of CDF's efforts, she explains, are smaller developers -- sometimes individual homeowners, sometimes development companies focusing on one or two buildings -- who wish to revitalize property in parts of the city suffering from high foreclosure and vacancy rates. The smaller developers fit a niche that complements larger development organizations, such as the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC), which is in the midst of redeveloping a large portion of Over-the-Rhine. Golliher refers to many of CDF's borrowers as "urban pioneers:" people willing to be early redevelopers in areas that have yet to see widespread revitalization."We've had so much activity with our small loan program," she says. "There are a lot of cases where people want to buy and fix up a building on their own, and they come to us."Golliher says her team is in the process of planning how to best use the grant funds. Some of it may be used as matching funds for $3.3 million in low-interest funding CDF has requested from the U.S. Treasury to help fund small business development in the city. She plans to present a proposal for how the funds will be used at CDF's August board meeting. In the meantime, she says she and her team are thrilled by this recent show of federal support."I think it speaks to our track record," she says.By Matt Cunningham Follow Matt on Twitter @cunningcontent