Price Hill and the Incline District
Cincinnati has a bunch of well established neighborhoods. This post isn't about them. Cincinnati also has a number of neighborhoods on the verge of being the next big thing. The next OTR, although they don't come right out and say it. They don't actually want to be the next OTR anyhow, more like fully realized versions of themselves. I'm talking Walnut Hills and Covington for example even if Covington is across the state line. Then there are neighborhoods that don't even register on the radar even though they're trying.
I don't want to beat up on anyone and there is a grass roots group of people working hard in East Price Hill, just like every where else. The problem with East Price Hill is the community is trying to copy other places that are developing dense walkable neighborhoods in complete contrast to the money the mayor of Cincinnati is pouring in to the Incline District making the neighborhood a more car centric place. The mayor thinks that light at the end of the tunnel is shinning a light these new car centric developments not realizing the light is a steaming locomotive bearing down on him with the harsh reality of where the world is heading. And that reality is people aren't driving any more. I know, people who've created a whole life centered around their cars are driving just as much.
But the people who want a sense of place over the status of a car are clustering into walkable places where they don't need a car. And guess where they spend that money not spent on a car? Of course they spend it somewhere within walking distance of where they live. A closed loop system that's feeds itself, the money stays hyper-local and draws more development.
Again, I'm not attacking East Price Hill, but the money our relentlessly ill-equipped "Accidental Tourist" of a mayor is directing towards developments is a stark example of how he blusters and bludgeons his way through everything.
He doesn't have a clue, he's never had a clue, and he's not about to get one anytime soon.
More power to you Price Hill, you need all the help you can get.
They tore a block of houses for the mayor's vision of a more drivable city, I wish I had had a wide angle lens with me so you could have seen the awesome new parking deck.
10 comments
Just FYI...they didn't tear down houses to build the theater AFAIK. It was just a large surface parking lot before:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/maps/place/Primavista/@39.10549,-84.557379,3a,75y,336.99h,84.08t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sISOBSS0mDO6kfiR8xk4PqA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DISOBSS0mDO6kfiR8xk4PqA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D100%26h%3D80%26yaw%3D250.58185%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x8841b6838435f59f:0xc1b640904884fab6!6m1!1e1
An especially insightful post. Cincinnati needs a vibrant Price Hill in order to be successful and I hope Price Hill stakeholders read this column.
ReplyDeleteOh, and like you, I also enjoy Bloc Coffee. Now, if they would only stock Verve Coffee from Santa Rosa.
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ReplyDeleteBecause I'm angry about what the mayor and his buddies are doing to a historic neighborhood?
ReplyDeleteThis post is bogus. There were no houses torn down for the theatre building. It was already a parking lot, an overgrown tennis court (which also served as parking), and a small patch of grass for dog walking.
ReplyDeleteCheck your facts!
If you want to complain about the mayor or give credence to the street car, there's no need to tear down EPH in the process.
Do you really think people are going to pedal or walk their way up this hill to the theatre or coffee shop? Of course not! Parking is a necessity at the top of the hill.
Free parking right? Because like the mayor says paying to park is double taxation.
DeleteCincinnati should never have removed its Incline Services. Cincinnati remains a car heavy city and others are noticing. A New Yorker told me he felt Cincinnati was very segregated because of people going downtown to work then leaving at 5pm.
ReplyDeleteI think the neighborhood should seek to accommodate both the people who live here and want to be able to walk to a vibrant entertainment district stretching from the Primavista/Incline Public House/Incline Theater area down to Dempsey park and the Masonic Lodge which is going to be a community arts and events center and a thriving retail district over on Warsaw, and the people who want to come visit those areas from other parts of the city. Some may come by Metro (we are well served by the bus system as it stands) and some may come by car. I think it's going to be a very long time before the street car makes it up to Price Hill. Other neighborhoods, rightfully or wrongfully, are very likely going to take precedence in that project (I hope I'm wrong about that, but somehow I doubt it). The community doesn't want our neighborhood only to serve us, we want it to be a place where people from across the region come to enjoy themselves and what we have to offer. Part of that is historic homes, many of which are currently in need of significant renovation. We need an influx of investment in the neighborhood, and we're pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps as hard as we can, but outside investment sure helps the process. Look at OTR... it has benefitted from an immense amount of outside investment. Also, I think there are ways to do parking correctly.. O'Bryonville comes to mind with its parking on the end of its business district. Personally, I think the new parking area is important for long term growth in Price Hill. I'm disappointed at the blank face the new theater presents to much of the neighborhood... time for a mural to go in...
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