Transportation

ChangingGears provides transportation, empowers clients

By Newsroom

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March 12, 2013

Since September 2011, ChangingGears has rehabbed 30 donated vehicles with the aim of providing affordable transportation to those in need; and at the end of March, the nonprofit will provide its first client with a car. “I think she’ll be a really great client,” says Joel Bokelman, ChangingGears’ president. “She had owned vehicles, had a good job; but because of health issues, [she] couldn’t work and her finances became a mess—and part of that was she wasn’t able to keep her car—so she has been getting around on the bus for the last 12 years.” Getting around on the bus isn’t that easy, according to Bokelman, who says most high-paying, entry-level jobs are located near the airport or in the northern suburbs—in locations that are oftentimes hard to reach via public transportation. “For folks who are job-ready, transportation is consistently in the top three needs or areas of need or hurdles that need to be overcome,” Bokelman says. But ChangingGears hopes to ease that burden for others by providing affordable, safe and reliable vehicles. As a residential partner of the CityLink Center, ChangingGears provides CityLink clients who have gained employment through Cincinnati Works and who have developed and successfully lived on a budget for at least three months, with a vehicle at fair-market value, which they can purchase with a no-interest loan. As CityLink clients work with SmartMoney Community Services to learn about finances and budgeting their money, they also attend classes at ChangingGears in preparation for owning and maintaining a vehicle. “We teach them about what it really costs to own a car—it’s not just paying for the car—it’s the gas, insurance and maintenance and everything about the legal requirements, the licensing and auto insurance and car seats,” Bokelman says. “And then we teach a hands-on basic maintenance class—how to check your oil, how to jumpstart a car, how to change a flat tire—the majors dos and don’ts of driving.” Bokelman says the nonprofit understands, however, that cars “break and can quickly become a burden for someone who has a fragile support structure around them,” so ChangingGears has created a business model that provides clients with a one-year warranty that covers free maintenance and repairs as long as clients provide the parts. “We want to make sure they’re empowered through ownership,” Bokelman says. “For many of them, this will be the first major asset they’ve ever owned and that they’ve purchased themselves with no government assistance, and to see that as really a stepping stone of ‘I own this. What’s next?’—that’s really a big part of it.” Do Good: • Donate your used vehicle to directly support clients in need of a car. Your donation is tax deductible for fair market value, and ChangingGears will pick up your vehicle and handle all paperwork. • Volunteer as a mechanic or as a workshop leader with ChangingGears by signing up through CityLink and attending a training session. • Contact ChangingGears if you are interested in forming a business partnership or if you are interested in donating in-kind contributions. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Latest in Transportation

Oasis Rail Transit bound for Cincinnati region

By Newsroom

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Development News

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March 5, 2013

For the first time since 1988, Cincinnati will play host to the 2015 MLB All-Star Game. And by that time, the Greater Cincinnati area could have a rail service, Oasis Rail Transit, which would be part of the Eastern Corridor program of multi-modal transportation improvement projects. The Oasis project is the first proposed leg of the new regional rail system that will provide a new and much-needed transportation alternative for area residents. The Oasis line would span 17 miles between downtown Cincinnati and Milford. There are existing tracks along the route, but a number of miles of new track would be laid as well. According to a press release, using existing track is a less expensive way to build a foundation of regional transportation. It would allow a passenger rail service network to advance more quickly and could serve as a national model for other commuter rail projects. “Regional passenger rail isn’t a pipe dream, nor is it something for the far-off future,” according to Todd Portune, Hamilton County Commissioner and chair of Hamilton County Transportation Improvement District, in a press release. “It is here. Now. We can make this happen by 2015, but it will take a regional commitment from our local municipalities, chambers of commerce, state agencies and leaders to remove any barriers.” The rail project was awarded funding last fall from the Ohio Department of Transportation’s House Bill 114 to help secure the right-of-way for extending the existing rail line from the Boathouse downtown to the Riverfront Transit Center. HCTID has also been working with local groups to explore joint-use opportunities, such as bicycle and walking paths, within the rail corridors. There are other rail lines in the works for the region that would connect Hamilton, Clermont, Butler and Warren counties in Ohio, and parts of Northern Kentucky and southeastern Indiana as well. The future rail line will travel from Xavier University to Fairfax to Eastgate (Wasson line); along I-71 from Cincinnati/NKY International Airport/Florence to Blue Ash; along I-75 to Union Centre; along the I-471 corridor to Northern Kentucky University; and along western I-74 to Green Township and US-50 to Lawrenceburg. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter

More bike lanes, early planning for cycle track highlight city’s Bike Plan

By Newsroom

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Development News

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January 29, 2013

Some of the city's biggest bike-related projects in the works for 2013 are still in the planning stages, but a few will continue and build on the momentum from last year. This year, the city's Bicycle Transportation Program includes plans to finish more than two miles of bike lanes along Riverside Drive, a project that was started in 2009. Plans are also in the works to extend the Spring Grove bike lanes from Hopple to Bank Street downtown; proposals have been drafted for rehabilitation projects along Dalton Street, Bank, Western Avenue and Langdon Farm Road. The City also hopes to continue its design work on the Ohio River Trail, extending bike-friendly paths from Salem Street to Sutton Road and Collins Avenue to Corbin Street. The City is also in the early stages of looking to put Ohio’s first cycle track on Central Parkway between Ludlow Avenue and Liberty Street. “Cycle tracks aren’t mainstream yet, but New York City and Washington, D.C., have quite a few,” says Melissa McVay, senior city planner in the Division of Transportation & Engineering. “They’re the most family-friendly bike facility you can build.” A cycle track is like a bike trail or shared path, but it’s in the street, for bikes only and separated from cars by a physical barrier, such as planters, trees or a curb. Cycle tracks are meant to keep cars from veering into bicyclists’ paths. “A typical bike lane is usually enough to encourage cyclists to try them, but sometimes, they don’t make everyone feel comfortable,” says McVay. “The physical barrier of a cycle track is meant to make cyclists feel safe.” One of the most exciting developments for bicyclists last year was the addition of a green bike lane on Ludlow last year. “It started the conversation among people who don’t ride bikes, and they’re beginning to see the infrastructure,” McVay says. “I feel like the bike community has grown, and there is now a growing city-wide awareness.” Approved by the City in 2009 and put into action in 2010, the Bike Plan outlines bicycle-related projects over the next 15 years. In all, the plan recommends 445 miles of on-street and off-street bike facilities, such as bike lanes, bike racks and multi-use trails. In 2009, there were about seven miles of bike lanes and sharrows in Cincinnati, says McVay. In 2010, 2.3 miles were added; in 2011, 4.5 miles; in 2012, five more miles were added, for a total of 19 miles. Since 1993, many bike-friendly projects have been implemented, including striping 12 miles of bike lanes, creating 21 miles of shared-use paths and trails and installing six miles of sharrows, or shared lane markings, throughout the city. The bulk of the Bicycle Transportation Program's focus is on developing on-street and off-street bike facilities as outlined in the Bike Plan, but it also organizes bike-related events, proposing policy and zoning changes, and working on advocacy projects with Queen City Bike and Mobo Bicycle Co-op. The public played a huge part in developing the Bike Plan by utilizing online tools to show the City where bike facilities were needed. Even though there has been an outpouring of public support for bike facilities, there are still issues when it comes to removing parking. The City proposed a project along Spring Grove Avenue this past summer that would consolidate on-street parking to one side of the street, but businesses liked having parking available on both sides of the street. “The project will be successful if the community comes together and rallies around the project, and the trade-off of on-street parking for a bike lane will ultimately benefit both business owners and bicyclists,” McVay says. The City wants to hear from you! Take the survery and grade Cincinnati on different bike-friendly aspects around town. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter

OTR Community Housing works to build inclusive neighborhood

By Newsroom

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Architecture + Design

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January 29, 2013

While Over-the-Rhine makes weekly headlines with its redevelopment renaissance, the neighborhood remains the home base for thousands of residents, many of whom can’t afford to be patrons of new restaurants and businesses. Over-the-Rhine Community Housing seeks to sustain an inclusive and diverse neighborhood, where longtime residents feel comfortable and confident that they will always have a home in OTR, even if their community continues to draw more and more people to the area. Since 1960, the population of OTR has steadily decreased, falling from 30,000 to just shy of 5,000 residents. However, between the years of 2007 and 2010, the population increased by about 40 percent. That shift does more than fill apartments and condos. With a rising population comes higher property values and higher real estate taxes, all of which makes it more difficult to provide affordable housing to those who can’t afford market prices, says Mary Burke, executive director of OTRCH. “Do we charge higher rent, or how do we close that even larger gap?” Burke asks. “So we want others—decision makers, power brokers—to work with us to figure that out. How do we maintain affordability in this neighborhood so that it can remain diverse going forward? It really will take some creative thinking and creative strategies.” OTRCH currently provides safe, affordable housing to residents—half of whom earn less than $10,000 per year. “Shelter is a basic human thing that people need, and being able to help an organization create more affordable places to live and be a part of is why it’s important,” says Brittany Skelton, OTRCH volunteer coordinator. “In Cincinnati, we have 300,000 people in our city limits, and about 100,000 live in poverty, and there isn’t enough affordable housing to go around.” If there isn’t enough affordable housing to go around, the question remains: where will residents go if they can’t afford a place to live? “People have low wages," Burke says. "Where are they going to rent that’s safe and decent and where they can build a community? If we close the door of OTR to affordable housing, where are people going to go? There’s an opportunity here to demonstrate that low-income, middle-income, high-income [individuals] can live together—not that they all have to be best friends and that there won’t be some disagreement now and then—but that it can work. Property values increase, people get along. There’s an opportunity.” Moving forward, OTRCH will need community support, but Burke is confident that OTR can be a welcoming and inclusive community for all individuals. She’s already seen that happen as a result of the Washington Park renovations. “The programming has made it feel like everyone’s welcome, and it’s not for some kind of separate culture or community,” she says. Burke’s hope is that the urban redevelopments of OTR do not have to lead to the displacement of the community’s long-time residents. They shouldn’t feel pushed out, she says. “It would be like any of us who have roots somewhere," says Burke. "You just love it and want to stay there. I’d like the new folks moving in to appreciate that. There’s just a value in living with difference and extending your world to include diversity.” Do Good: • Get involved with OTRCH by volunteering to renovate houses or research grant information. • Donate money or items to help OTRCH continue to promote and fulfill its mission. • Like the organization on Facebook, and share its page with your friends. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Partnership for Sustainable Communities visits Cincinnati, Indianapolis

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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January 22, 2013

Last week, Deputy Secretary Porcari was in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, with his counterparts from HUD and EPA, reviewing both cities' progress on key projects funded by the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Read the full story here.

Metro-Zipcar partnership boosts car sharing in Cincinnati

By Newsroom

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Development News

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January 22, 2013

The European notion of car sharing has found broad appeal around the world because of its environmental and economic sustainability. In December, the City of Cincinnati brought Zipcar to downtown to make commuting easier. Metro and Zipcar then formed a partnership. It's an ideal selling point because using one or both of the transportation services is environmentally conscious, saves money and gives people the freedom to get up and go. It’s a win-win for Metro and Zipcar. Zipcar, a business with a mission to create a future where car-sharing members outnumber car owners, offers a self-service alternative to car rental. Intended for the technologically savvy commuter, Zipcar members log in online or through the mobile app, see where vehicles are located, choose one and unlock the car by holding their Zipcard against the windshield. Its successful rollout on the University of Cincinnati’s campus last year prompted Larry Falkin, director of the City’s Office of Environmental Quality, to bring the program to Over-the-Rhine and downtown. Kim Lahman, Metro’s ridership development manager, says that using both Metro and Zipcars eliminates excuses that not owning a car limits commuters’ ability to travel when and where they need to. “We thought this was a great opportunity to say, ‘If you ride the Metro downtown and don’t have to worry about parking or the hassle of traffic, and you need a car to use during the day, all you would need to do is take a Zipcar,’” Lahman says. “You would have it out for an hour or a couple of hours, and then take it back to the lot and go back to your office. How convenient would that be?” Walking from your downtown apartment or office to somewhere close by, like Garfield Place, would be very convenient for many urban dwellers. According to Falkin, 20 percent of Cincinnati households do not own a car, or own less than one car per licensed driver. “More and more of us are choosing a sustainable lifestyle, in which we walk or bike first, use transit as the second choice and drive as a last resort,” Falkin explains. “Using Metro and Zipcar, a person can go anywhere, anytime, without being burdened by car ownership.” “It can also save money,” says Jill Dunne, Metro public affairs manager. “If you’re riding Metro, you’re saving money, versus the gas and the parking expenses you would pay if you had your own car. And then if you’re able to give up that car payment and you pay per trip the fee for a Zipcar, that could really save you a lot.” The partnership also means that Metro riders get a special incentive to register and become “Zipsters.” Besides already saving money on gas and parking, Metro riders can expect to see interior advertisement cards in February from Zipcar with a discount code redeemable for up to $60 worth of free Zipcar rental. Zipcars are parked next to blue signs that say “City of Cincinnati Car Share Parking Spots.” Current locations are: NW corner of 12th and Vine (on the north side of 12th Street)Court Street between Walnut and Vine (angled parking spaces)NW corner of Garfield and Race (on the north side of Garfield Place)To join or for more information, visit Zipcar's website. By Mildred Fallen

Moving for Love fuels those who move for passion, not profession

By Robin Donovan

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Entrepreneurship

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January 8, 2013

Moving for Love harnesses a trend that arose from the recession’s rising unemployment and job dissatisfaction: people moving to follow their passions, rather than their professions. Owner Robin Sheakley, a third-generation member of the Sibcy family (her dad is Rob Sibcy, president of Sibcy Cline Realtors), created the company. She built on her own 15-year career in real estate and relocation, offering relocation assistance to people moving to follow a partner, a passion or favorite place. “When you deal with a family business, it’s fun to try to put your mark on it,” Sheakley says, citing the growth of super-specialized online dating sites (think dating websites for farmers, for example). “I started thinking there are all these people dating online who may say, ‘You know what, I haven’t found anyone here, but I’ve always wanted to live in Chicago or Miami.’ But what happens if they find someone?” She created Moving for Love to answer that question. The web-based service connects people ready to move with Personal Move Assistant and provides a secure online portal where both parties can upload documents and information from service providers, such as a moving company. The company’s services range from short-term rental assistance and realtor recommendations to moving estimates, cost-of-living comparisons and even personalized reminders, such as suggesting that it’s time to find a local physician to manage a medical condition in the new location. The company is separate from its parent, Sibcy Cline, but shares some resources. However, the marketing budget has been scant since the website launched last July, Sheakley says. “I always like to walk before I run, so we have done no paid advertising. We are strictly organically getting our message out there. It’s been a slow start that we’re going to kick in from the beginning of the [2013].” Moving for Love charges a flat fee, then provides services for up to 12 months, giving passion-prompted movers a chance to compare several potential locations before making their transitions. By Robin Donovan

Niche Consumer Products helps entrepreneurs sharpen consumer product ideas, business models

By Newsroom

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Architecture + Design

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January 8, 2013

When it comes to the consumer product business, bigger isn't always better. Ben Moore, founder of Niche Consumer Products, helps inventors and entrepreneurs find their niche, strengthening their business model, and preparing to scale when the time is right. "The reason we call it Niche is that many times people think it's their dream to get their products into Walmart, but don't have the volume or the right price point to make it in Walmart. We instead talk about taking a niche approach, where you can have a product with variants to meet different consumers. You can be smaller, and more profitable, while you're learning," says Moore, a former Procter & Gamble employee who worked in product supply and IT. One of the most important parts of growing a consumer products business is the dollars and cents of making and selling it. Niche often helps get a business financially stable as it launches. "We look at the financial model. What can you get the product made for? What will customers pay for it? Do you have the margin to move forward? You have get the financial model right before anything else," Moore says. Niche Consumer Products offers a wide range of consumer product development business services. They include brand and business development, order fulfillment and product licensing. The company works with contractors and has contract warehouse space that clients can use to hold and distribute product. Cincinnati is a great location for the business since is a 24-hour drive of two thirds of the U.S. population. "Cincinnati is great for logistics. It's always a good place for the storage of products and raw materials when we fulfill larger orders," Moore says. One product the company has successfully help grow is the Diaper911 Diaper Changing Kit. The small kits contain a 1 Pampers Diaper, 4 Baby Wipes, 1 Pack of Diaper Rash Ointment, 1 Changing Pad, 1 Purell Sanitizing Hand Wipe and 1 Disposable Bag. Kits can be purchased in packs of six or 16 and are distributed by Niche. The kit can be purchased online and through several wholesalers. The company also sells swimmer changing kits, which can be found at large amusement parks, including Six Flags and Cedar Point, Moore says. By Feoshia H. Davis Follow Feoshia on Twitter.

Madisonville to reveal its Quality of Life Plan

By Newsroom

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Arts + Culture

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November 20, 2012

Next Tuesday, Madisonville’s community council will share its Quality of Life Plan with funders, government officials, businesses, nonprofits and surrounding communities. For the past year, Madisonville has been involved in an intensive, community-driven planning process. It’s the first time in Cincinnati that a citizen-driven, community plan of this type has been developed, although it has been used in 109 communities across the country. Not only does Madisonville have a strong history—its future looks bright. The neighborhood on the east side of Cincinnati is more than 200 years old. It was established in 1809 and originally called “Madison” after the newly elected fourth President of the United States, James Madison. Madisonville’s first permanent settler was Joseph Ward and his family. In 1797, they built a log cabin along an Indian trail that is near what are now Whetsel and Monning avenues. About 30 years later, a post office was established and the neighborhood’s name was changed to Madisonville to avoid duplication with Madison, Ohio. It was annexed by the City of Cincinnati in 1911. Today, about 9,000 people live in the neighborhood. But in the 1970s, about 17,000 people lived in Madisonville. Flight from urban areas in the '70s has yet to be reversed, but there are more residents considering city life. “Madisonville would be a great place to live because of its closeness to downtown,” says Sara Sheets, a Madisonville resident of nine years and the project manager for the Quality-of-Life Planning Process on behalf of the Madisonville Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation. Residents can jump on Columbia Parkway or I-71 to get to work and events downtown. Many of Madisonville’s residents moved to the area because they wanted to be part of a racially and economically diverse community. “I wanted to live in a diverse community with a potential for the future,” says Sheets. The residents of Madisonville really care about the neighborhood and want to see it grow. Last year, Madisonville began the intense process of organizing the community in order to develop a vision for the neighborhood. Six working groups were formed to focus on economic development, health and wellness, arts and culture, education and youth, built environment and community engagement. The groups met six times over the summer to form a specific plan. The Quality of Life Plan will likely take about 10 years to implement, but it’s a roadmap for what the community wants to see happen in the neighborhood, Sheets says. The Quality of Life Plan focuses on broader change, particularly on the opportunities and quality of life for children and seniors in Madisonville, according to Bob Igoe, who has lived in Madisonville for 12 years and been the community council president for three. A large portion of the Plan is focused on education, from kindergarten on up. For example, the Children’s Home of Cincinnati has made a long-term commitment for the kindergarten-ready program in Madisonville. The program focuses on children ages 0-3 and helps prepare them for kindergarten, both educationally and socially. Not only are there long-term goals for Madisonville, but there are short-term goals, too. One of these is jump-starting the growth of the business district, Igoe says. Currently, there are about two blocks of vacant property at Madison and Whetsel, in the heart of the neighborhood’s business district. Madisonville residents will ultimately get to decide what will fill those vacant spaces. “We want to develop a mixed-use neighborhood where walking and biking to restaurants, shops and services is easy,” Sheets says. Many residents go outside of the neighborhood to grab a cup of coffee. Residents also want to add new apartments, condos and houses to the town. Most of the new housing will likely be around the business district to enhance the community's walkability. The meeting is to begin Nov. 27 at 5:30 pm at John P. Parker School, 5051 Anderson Place, Cincinnati. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter

New road design planned in Northern Kentucky

By Associated Press

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Cincy In The News

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November 6, 2012

A traffic flow design planned for Northern Kentucky aims to smooth the ride for travelers using a technique that’s new to the region. The Kentucky Enquirer reported the double crossover diamond interchange at Ky. 536 and Interstate 71/75 in Boone County will be among the first of its kind in the area. Read the full story here.