Westwood Archives – Page 18 of 18

Westwood

Cincinnati's largest neighborhood, Westwood, houses more than 30,000 residents in a six-mile area just west of downtown. With tree-lined streets and architecturally appealing homes, many parts of the neighborhood offer beautiful walking views. Westwood maintains its historic buildings as renovations, new businesses and diverse young residents continue to be drawn to the west side. The community was featured in the Soapbox On The Ground series where we connected with Westwood community members and their many, ongoing initiatives. Want to learn more about Westwood? Check out On The Ground Westwood.

Westwood Elementary gets updates, new construction

Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) are undergoing a major transformation with reconstruction and updates already complete in 35 schools, ten currently in construction, with a total of 51 projects scheduled to be finished by 2012. Westwood Elementary recently began an $11.1 million dollar project that will transform and restore a major landmark on the West side.When the preliminary master plan was released in 2001, CPS presented several options for the Westwood community including renovation of the existing building or building a new school on a different property. Although it was more affordable to build a new school, the Westwood community wanted the school to stay in its location due to a strong relationship with the neighboring church and the building's historic appeal. "The building has a strong presence, but it also looks like a park instead of a school site. It's an important landmark for Westwood community and we made a commitment to stay there," said Michael Burson, CPS director of facilities, planning, and construction. "When it's all said and done, we will have something to be proud of that will continue to serve the community."CPS has the third largest number of LEED certified schools in the nation, and Westwood will be no exception with plans to achieve silver LEED certification. During construction, builders will salvage and recycle 75 percent of the debris, install an energy efficient lighting system that uses fluorescent lighting in the gym and motion sensor lights to conserve energy. Additional insulation, central heating and air-conditioning systems, and energy efficient windows will also be installed to conserve energy and minimize environmental impact.In addition to the renovations, Burson said there are plans to build a new gymnasium and ground level entrance to the school. "These additions were a tough part of the conversation, but we made it through. Every project is a series of compromises while trying to provide the best design for the school and the community," Burson explained. Writer: Lisa Ensminger

Collaborative partnership brings mountain biking trails to Mt. Airy

By Soapbox

●

General

●

March 1, 2011

Cincinnati could raise its profile among biking enthusiasts even more with the proposed addition of a mountain bike trail in Mt. Airy. A motion before City Council to create a long-distance mountain bike trail located in Mt. Airy Forest passed last week."Mt. Airy Forest provides the best location and framework for this type of trail because it is a large park with good topography," said Wes Munzel, a local mountain biker who presented the proposal with fellow Cincinnati Off Road Alliance (CORA) member Mitch Graham. The motion directs the Cincinnati Park Board to work with the CORA and other residents to create up to twenty miles of trails. CORA, a local mountain bike advocacy group, plans to design, build, and maintain the trails for free."Our mission for a long time has been to create one metro area mountain park that is a destination trail for the entire region," Graham said. "We have been trying to get something more central to minimize the amount of travel time and Mt. Airy is the perfect spot."The most unique aspect of this new project is the partnership and collaboration between public and private organizations. Having City Council approve and move forward with this proposal is a great step forward for the city of Cincinnati and the communities involved according to Munzel.The new mountain bike trails will provide amenities for mountain bikers and visitors to the forest, and it will also help Cincinnati's reputation as a growing bike-friendly city. Another added bonus, according to Graham, is using the city's bike-friendly reputation as a component of job recruitment and retention. Companies like P&G will benefit from the mountain bike trails as they recruit employees from other major cities that already have such outdoor options. "Part of the whole vision is creating a great city. We need amenities like this to help create pieces of a great city," Munzel said.Involving the community and volunteers will be an added benefit of this project. Munzel indicated that CORA has plenty of volunteers to help maintain parks within the city, and hopes to attract Mt. Airy residents to assist with the upkeep on this major project as well.Munzel has also been in contact with a few philanthropist groups who are interested in providing funds for tools, an interactive website, and trail maps.Writer: Lisa Ensminger