This is half about a bar, and half about a streetcar.
Saturday was full of hitting events in OTR and shopping at Findlay Market and Vine St. So naturally it included riding the wildly successful streetcar from downtown and all over OTR. After our last stop, we walked to the Washington Park streetcar stop at 12th and Race and the sign said it would be arriving in 11 minutes.
Let's walk to the corner and check out Cobblestone, I suggested, it just opened. When we got to the corner Ms. 5chw4r7z thought we might as well go in and get a drink. We ordered, got our drinks and I told the bartender the bar looked amazing.
Thanks, he said, and check this, when that streetcar light turns blue the streetcar is six minutes away from the Washington Park stop.
What?? That is amazing. And then I started thinking back about all the talk when the streetcar was first proposed and this was one of the promises. Businesses would have LED signs to let patrons know when it was close. I'm surprised more places haven't done it. I can think of a number right off the top of my head that would benefit. Sundry & Vice and Corkopolis come to mind.
As we got close to the bottom of our drinks we started milking them until the like turned blue, we downed our drinks, strolled out and got on the streetcar and headed home.
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comments?
"Businesses would have LED signs to let patrons know when it was close. I'm surprised more places haven't done it."
ReplyDeleteBecause businesses don't want to install a signal that prompts people to leave.
"Wildly successful"?!?
Ridership numbers continue to drop and it's becoming more and more evident that the streetcar is unsustainable because it isn't close to meeting its budget.
I'd say, enjoy it the streetcar while it lasts, because after only two years, it's failing. If it's going to survive, at this point, it needs to be more than just a hugely expensive bus on rails that only goes in a 3 mile circle.
Well aren't you a glass half full LOL
DeleteIts not just letting people know they can leave, its letting them know they can hang out a little longer.
There has been $708 million worth of development along the streetcar route that I know of. Let me know what your idea of success would be.
Maestro/Daniels Townhomes $10,000,000.00
Duttenhofer Bldg 229 E 6th St $20,000,000.00
719-721 Main St. $52,000,000.00
AT580 $40,000,000.00
Boys & Girls Building (Logan St, half block off route.) $1,000,000.00
Charles Street Development Co. $40,000,000.00
Cincinnati Shakespeare Co. Theatre $17,000,000.00
Eighth and Sycamore $45,000,000.00
Eleven40 Main & the Tower Building $10,000,000.00
Ensemble Theatre $4,200,000.00
Film Center Project $10,700,000.00
Freeport Row $25,000,000.00
Glassmeyer $256,730.00
Jobs Cafe at Findlay Market $26,700,000.00
Kimpton Hotel 432 Walnut $44,000,000.00
Kroger aka COURT AND WALNUT $90,582,000.00
3CDC Court St mixed use development $9,000,000.00
Market Square Phase I $23,000,000.00
Market Square Phase II $24,000,000.00
Market Square Phase III $10,000,000.00
Neyer 126 E Sixth Street $20,000,000.00
Neyer 130 E Sixth Street $4,530,000.00
OTR Rental Projects $568,000.00
Over-the-Rhine Boutique Hotel $7,400,000.00
Race St retail 1505 + 1536 Race $2,296,591.00
Renaissance $50,000,000.00
Rennen & Beecher Flats $7,200,000.00
Rhinegeist Expansion $2,200,000.00
Ron Hamilton Photo $1,420,000.00
Senate's new taco place $1,050,000.00
Strietmann Biscuit Co. $15,000,000.00
The Allison $6,400,000.00
The Exchange $22,000,000.00
The Glassmeyer $3,600,000.00
Traction Building 5th/Walnut $44,000,000.00
Urban Sites eleven40 & Tower Building $10,000,000.00
Woods Hardware $2,400,000.00
Private homes/projects $6,231,100.00
$708,734,421.00