Cincinnati Revisited

Modern Transit series

2012-02-12T15:44:00.000-05:00

Cincinnati is not one to shy away from, at the very least, thinking about ways to improve city life, draw interest in it's surroundings, and ultimately push our sprawling metropolis into the front seat of a shiny new ultra-modern urban utopia. (That would be the goal, I would hope.)

While most of these futuristic prognostications have been lit through decades of re-evaluating our bricks and mortar, local transit has shadowed this infatuation by nearly the same level. And it's no surprise since, by foot, ship, rail, horse, or carriage, Cincinnati has historically been a city open to embrace new forms of transportation.

Geared for constant change, though admittedly, not always following through.

Nevertheless, the philosophical transmutation of current modes of living into something idealized is nothing new in the history of society - aka Optimistic Futurism (a noble tenet to live by, in my opinion) - and it is constantly seen in the minds, and occasionally the works, of our local culture as well. Thus, it will be reflected again here, through a new series upcoming on Cincinnati Revisited:

Modern Transit: Far-reaching conceptualizations for local travel.

Stay tuned.

Revisiting Cincinnati Stadia

2011-12-04T10:20:00.001-05:00

Cincinnati Riverfront Master Plan

+ Overview of proposed Smale Riverfront Park.

Source.

There's been a lot of talk lately about how to make the operations for the recently built stadiums on the riverfront profitable (or at the very least balanced) - with the funds annually threatening red, resulting in secret backroom deals, general anxiety, and who knows what else. Since the plow hit the soil, it seems, questions persist as to whether the county received a bad deal (+), and whether stadium construction in general creates the substantial societal and financial impact that the public is promised.

Having taken the guided behind-the-scenes tours of both new riverfront facilities, and attended numerous events in all big four local stadiums, I've come away with these general observations of the existing Cincinnati mega-stadiums (click on any image for a larger view):

• Great American Ballpark was designed comfortably - enjoyable just to meander throughout, with unique lures / stopping points spread between each section - and feels like part of a neighborhood, even when closed. The attached Hall of Fame Museum adds to the stadium's perception of year-round accessibility, but the fact that the season is 6+ months long alone lends to its true viability. When not watching the main event, there's plenty of family-oriented + adult-centric things to do to enjoyably bide the time.

Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati riverfront.

First-generation rendering of the new riverfront ballpark.

Image source: UrbanCincy + Hamilton County.

• Lindner Family Tennis Center is actually comprised of four stadiums (Center Court, Grandstand Court + 2 additional with seating) + many other satellite courts. Located in Mason, there's room for growth indefinitely, and with its continued expansion (through bricks & mortar + tournament building) its relevance on the world stage is continually amplified. Even with its roomy suburban digs, the grounds are oriented so that meandering between matches on several different courts is easy, with the stadiums themselves airy and comfortable. Great food, shopping and tennis facilities overall draw fringe jocks to socialites and everyone else in between, resulting in a vibrant mixture during the day or evening daily sessions. It also doesn't hurt that the complex sidles the Jack Nicklaus-designed Kings Island Golf Center + Kings Island itself, among other attractions. A veritable playground.

Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason, Ohio.

The latest master plan expansion for the burgeoning Cincinnati tourney.

Image source: W&S Open.

• Nippert Stadium is shoved so tight within UC's campus that it's hard for it to breath, so expansion proposals are often unique concepts (rarely ever actually realized) - though, this restriction is a blessing in disguise: Walking around a huge stadium without encountering acres of parking asphalt is a godsend. Instead, it's surrounded by some of the most amazing architecture and a vibrant student population, which makes it feel like a lively city within a city, which is very cool.

Nippert Stadium, University of Cincinnati.

Nippert is just one part of UC's huge sports complex, which hosts

a ton of teams' fields, courts, etc.

Image source: Heritage Uniforms & Jerseys.

• Paul Brown Stadium - a huge leap from the Bengals original home in Nippert Stadium (1968-69) - is architecturally significant and provides great aerial shots, but when inside, the Brutalist-like concrete interior on cold game days kind of makes you feel like you're on the movie set of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich...or maybe a zoo holding pen. It would be nice if pre- or post-game attractions were built into the stadium somehow to extend its gameday (or potentially game-week) life, but I'm not familiar with them (if they exist). For the most part, tailgating is stuck to the underpasses and the rest to the bars, but I'll bet that those living in the Club-level have a much different take on this.

Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati riverfront.

Designed by NBBJ Sports and Entertainment Architects of LA.

Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

Anyway, it's ironic that of all the stadiums in town, Paul Brown Stadium was the most expensive to build, has produced the least-winning teams, is used the least period of time (just 10 days/year for the Bengals), and most importantly, is the most shut off from the surrounding environment even though it lives in arguably the most prominent neighborhood in the city: the Riverfront District. I'm no fair-weather fan and am glad we have a pro team, but... well, I'll leave it at that.

Still, overall, I'd say yes, the stadiums impact the city in a socially and financially significant (usually positive) way - its hard to imagine what the city would be without them. Not only do they draw international interest, but enliven the residents, and overall, make the city money. They make our mid-size city feel much much larger, and frankly, we're lucky to have these assets.

The X-factor, of course, is the main event: whether we win or lose. Even when the city went through massive renovation and growth (business and construction) primarily in the late-70's to 80s, I've heard some say that the optimistic air surrounding that "boom time" was attributed greatly to our dominance in pro sports. That's the perception, and as a result, perhaps the true value of the stadiums - the city's collective attitude buoys with the teams' successes or failures, and thus, sometimes how the structures themselves are received.

Nevertheless, bucking the long-standing perception of Mark Twain (et al.) that the city is intolerant or slow to change, no matter the population numbers, economy, team scores, or outcome of concept, Cincinnati never ceases to dream big, which itself makes this this relatively small town always feel like a promising metropolis.

So, riding this optimistic wave of idealism, here's a short retrospective of some of the great initial, conceptual illustrations of these behemoths + fantastical stadium visions that never got off the drawing board:

Cincinnati Riverfront Rehabilitation proposal (1926).

Note the rudimentary football/track field in the middle, obviously unbuilt.

Image source: Cincinnati Transit.

Cincinnati Riverfront Redevelopment plan (1948).

Another unbuilt stadium proposal for another unbuilt riverfront concept (view larger).

Image source: Cincinnati Transit.

Riverfront Stadium concept (1966).
A proposed domed stadium on the site of the then Riverfront Stadium.

Image source: Visual History Gallery.

Cincinnati Riverfront Redevelopment concept (early 1990s).
Commissioned by the then-city manager during the city boom era & early talk

of The Banks, this shows the stadiums on opposite ends of the city from where they exist now.

Image source: UrbanOhio.

Riverfront Stadium / Cinergy Field renovation proposal (1997).

This plan would've saved some bucks by retrofitting the existing stadium

instead of building the new one we have today.

Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

Cincinnati Reds stadium proposal, Broadway Commons (1998).

A failed attempt to move the new stadium to Over the Rhine.

Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

Great American Ballpark, early concept (1998).

In the fight against the Broadway Commons proposal, the Reds released this rendering of

keeping the stadium on the river. It obviously was built here, but with a different design.

Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

Nippert Stadium expansion proposal, University of Cincinnati (2008).

Very cool unbuilt concept that fits in with the contemporary feel of the new campus.

Image source: UrbanCincy + Trahan Architects.

Cincinnati's 2012 Olympic bid, event facilities (2000).

A proposed retrofitted, domed Nippert Stadium would've hosted gymnastics.

Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

Cincinnati's 2012 Olympic bid, master plan (2000).

This grandaddy of all Cincinnati master plans showcases a transformed riverfront which

would've included an Olympic Stadium, left, and other supporting fields/stadiums.

Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

• Read more about the general impact of stadiums:
Do New Stadiums Have an Economic Impact? from Diehard Sport
Sport, Jobs, & Taxes: Are New Stadiums Worth the Cost? from Brookings Institution
The Stadium Gambit and Local Economic Development from Regulation Mag / CATO Institute
The Economic Impact of Sports Facilities from The Sports Digest
Corporate Welfare, Publicly Funded Stadiums (+ comprehensive link list) from AK Dart

RIP Uncle Carl

2011-10-27T16:04:00.005-04:00

"Carl Lindner waves, to a passing float as Reds President Marge Schott looks on

from the reviewing stand at the Norwood "Summer Daze" parade in Norwood.

Lindner was grand marshal" (1987).

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

Carl Lindner Jr.: Intrepid capitalist, generous benefactor, and local icon. A true Cincinnatian that arguably built our city into what it is today.

As you can read on just about every local and national news site, Lindner swam through many different shark-infested waters successfully throughout his life - purchasing assets, rebuilding them, then eventually selling them for gain... and mostly for Cincinnati's gain.

As Tom McKee (WCPO) noted, "During his decades as a Cincinnati businessman, Lindner built United Dairy Farmers, owned and moved Chiquita, Penn Central and Great American Insurance to Cincinnati and once owned the Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Enquirer, Provident Bank and Kings Island." (Source). See photos of these holdings.

In addition, his more charitable efforts helped further support the region. Immense gifts to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the Lindner Center of HOPE, University of Cincinnati's College of Business, UC's Varsity Village complex, Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati Museum Center, and 3CDC (in addition to many other local educational, religious, and political donations), just to name a few. More of his contributions in pictures.

Richard Farmer (Cintas) said it best: "He's got to be one of the most generous guys in Cincinnati. I don't know of any positive thing that's happened in Cincinnati that Carl has not been a part of." (Source).

Carl Lindner, Jr. started with nothing, then turned aspirations of an up-and-coming dairy store into an American Financial institution, and Cincinnati was fortunate enough to come along for the ride. As Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis said, "He loved this city. Everything he did was for the benefit of the city...". (Source).

• • • • • • • • • •

As a child of the 70s-80s in Cincinnati - boom time for Carl's group and the city at large - it's hard to recall a time in my life when one of Lindners' holdings wasn't a part of it. So, here's a quick retrospective of his work according to how it played a role in my early years:

I grew up in Anderson, and as a young kid spent a good deal of time trying to get to the mall - the thing to do in the 80s - which Carl Lindner helped to popularize in our area. He established and sold not only Surrey Square (in his home neighborhood of Norwood) and Kenwood Mall (now Kenwood Towne Center), but also my home-away-from-home, Beechmont Mall (now Anderson Towne Center).

Beechmont Mall (1977).

Source: Cincinnati Magazine.

Beechmont Mall (undated).

Source: Abandoned.

The whole Beechmont Mall area became a central hub of commerce for Anderson Township, with several of Lindner's own properties holding leases, such as Thriftway and Hunter Savings.

American Financial's initial bank, Hunter Savings & Loan, was located at the head of Beechmont Mall, and thus became the holder of my first bank account. Though, for a young kid trying to save, the branch was not ideally located - an Aladdin's Castle beckoned right down the hall.

"In 1959, Lindner acquired what is now Hunter Savings & Loan.
American Financial acquired United Liberty Life Insurance in 1963" (1977).
Source: Cincinnati Magazine.

Part of the Beechmont Mall complex, Thriftway Food & Drug was the stalwart grocery in our household. Even though the more popular Kroger was right up the road, it was a hair closer, tucked behind the mall on Five Mile Road.

Thriftway, Anderson (199x).

Source.

After the closing of Thriftway in Anderson, Lindner's United Dairy Farmers became a surrogate grocery when Kroger was out of reach (which still continues to this day).

United Dairy Farmers first store, Norwood (1940).

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

I'm a big fan of walkable communities, and with the convenient stores able to fit in the heart of tight communities, UDF has become a necessary supplier of the staples during my stints in Clifton, Mt. Lookout, and in Mariemont today.

While in Mt. Lookout, I really dug the neighborhood mom-and-pop grocers such as Bracke's, and although they are increasingly shuttered, UDF is small enough to slide into any neighborhood and still maintain somewhat of a community feel. Now, if all the UDF's just looked like the one in Clifton...

United Dairy Farmers, Clifton (2009).

Source: Steve Hagy.

Also, needless to say, during those 1980s heydays I spent many a summer at Kings Island - part of a bundle deal when Lindner acquired Taft Broadcasting in 1987. I'll expand upon this a little more in a future post.

Hanna-Barbera Land, Kings Island (1973).

A conglomeration of brands owned by Lindner. Actually, it probably

looked a bit more like this when Lindner owned it.

Source.

Taft Broadcasting advertisement, Cincinnati Magazine (Feb 1977).

This ad gives a quick but clear picture of what Lindner bought into (enlarge here).

A little later, I resided for a short while at this condo complex in Anderson. Guess who built it?

The Commons of Anderson entrance sign (2011).

"Carl H. Lindner, right, and Robert D. Lindner inspect development plans for
The Commons of Anderson, a luxury condominium home development
in Anderson Township" (1973).

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

These were the years that I was really pouring time into extracurriculars, and luckily, there was a tennis court at The Commons - I recall many nights of my trainer ruthlessly making me run the lines after a full lesson. And as the seasons wore on, an increasing hold on the sport brought me many times to the Lindner courts big and small.

Lindner Family Tennis Center, Cincinnati (the early years).

Most people will remember Lindner for gaining ownership of the Reds from Marge Schott (and protecting it from potential non-local entities' control), and bringing Ken Griffey Jr. back home. A few more actions that speak to his dedication to and love of Cincinnati.

But personally, I'll remember him more for his contributions to the Western & Southern Open, in addition to smaller community-oriented tennis facilities of which I played numerous times throughout the years. Primarily, Cincinnati Recreation Commission's Carl and Edyth Lindner Family Tennis Center at Lunken, and the Carl Lindner Family Tennis Pavilion at Sawyer Point.

The Lindner family has sponsored the international tennis mega-tourney in Mason for decades, Western & Southern Masters, culminating with the recent huge gift that further expanded its facilities, continued its lure of big name players, and turned it into a men's and women's combine. Like the Reds nameplate, Cincinnati tennis continues to maintain national recognition and prominence through the support of the Lindner family.

"Carl Lindner, center, and his brother Richard Lindner, right, chat with

tennis great Rod Laver at the Jack Nicklaus Sports Center" (1997).

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

And how did I ease the cramping from all those years of extended court play?

"Reds CEO Carl Lindner displays a Chiquita banana from the Reds

training table at the spring training complex in Sarasota, Fla." (2000).

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

Chiquita is obviously a big name in Cincinnati, which again was of Carl's making - he brought it to town, and hopefully it will stay. Fortunately, I was able to experience the company and its many amenities because a member of my family worked directly for the head(s) of the company for many years. This not only allowed me access to the top chef cooking in the company cafeteria, but access to the creme de la creme of all company holiday parties...

"Carl H. Lindner and his wife Edyth, left, greet guests at the annual Christmas party

at Music Hall that Lindner gave for employees and friends. The party featured

national entertainers. On this occasion, it was Sammy Davis Jr." (1972).

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

I never personally worked for any of the Lindner companies, but was fortunate enough to attend a couple of the storied annual Christmas events through approximation. Some of the more notable years showcased Bill Cosby and Frank Sinatra. They all were great, but witnessing Sinatra sing New York, New York, followed by a high profile ballroom shindig and free UDF ice cream certificates upon exit, was definitely the highlight of my stints at the annual employee party as a non-employee.

So that's about it.

Of course, there are other times where I've run into pretty much all of his other businesses at least once, and stories here that could be expounded upon with posts of their own, but they're not all that interesting (well... except maybe for the Chiquita story, but nobody wants to revisit that anymore). These were the highlights, and while ultimately these experiences were transitory and non-consequential to my present outcome, they helped form the basis of my childhood memories, and in a roundabout way have aided in future personal goals.

For that alone, thanks Carl.

• • • • • • • • • •

• Here's what happened to the businesses:

Beechmont Mall was eventually sold to Prudential, then reached the fate of most enclosed malls in the US - slow deterioration, partial demolition, then restructuring as an outdoor "lifestyle center" (in this case, by Victory Investments).
Related: Nostalgia for the old Beechmont Mall.

Anderson Towne Center by Victory Investments.

Hunter Savings & Loan bought Home State Savings Bank after it collapsed in the S&L crisis, then sold off it's branches. Hunter was later bought by Provident Financial Group (Provident Bancorp, in which Lindner had a minority stake), which was then bought by National City in the early 2000s, and National City by PNC in 2008.

"A crowd lines up to get into Home State Savings Bank

at Fifth and Race streets downtown" (1985).

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

Thriftway was sold to Winn-Dixie in 1996, then all stores closed in 2004 (Source). The new Anderson Towne Center renovations have turned this particular lot into office buildings (specifically, GHA Anderson).

Thriftway Anderson shuttered (pre-redevelopment).

Image source.

UDF continues its viability and expansion.

The Commons of Anderson is still neatly habitable.

The Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason recently expanded (again), aiding in a huge new duel mens and womens event (the Western & Southern Masters and Women's Open) along with amazing new world-class facilities. Read about the history of the tourney and Western & Southern Open's response to Carl Lindner's passing.
Related: The grounds prior to renovations.

Lindner Family Tennis Center master plan expansion, Mason (2011).

See more concept art of the new grounds & West Grandstand concept art here.

Taft Broadcasting has its own storied history, which you can read here (and it's relationship with Lindner's Great American). But notably, it sold off Hanna-Barbera Productions (to Turner/Time Warner) and Kings Island (to Paramount, then Cedar Fair), then Clear Channel bought and eradicated the name in 1999. More about the Kings Island side of the history here.
Related: Hanna Barbera's ode to the Cincinnati Union Terminal.

• References:

The majority of imagery / content listed in this post came from...
Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati.com)
Cincinnati Business Courier
Cincinnati Magazine (February 1977)
Cincinnati Magazine (October 1986)

Local articles...
WLWT NBC 5 Cincinnati
WCPO ABC 9 Cincinnati
WKRC CBS 12 Cincinnati
WXIX FOX 19 Cincinnati (AP) + Public Memorial Parade route

National articles...
ABC (AP)
CBS (AP)
"Only in America" Celebration Tour & Rememberances (CBS Business Library)
MSNBC (AP)
FOX Sports (AP)
New York Times (AP)
Washington Post (Bloomberg News)
USA Today (AP)
Twenty Billionaires That Started With Nothing (Bloomberg Businessweek)
TCPalm (AP)

General info about Lindner and AFG...
Personal bio (Wikipedia)
Personal bio (American Financial Group)
American Financial Group/Lindner info & assets (Wikipedia)
American Financial Corporation history

Back on the Train

2011-06-11T09:47:00.033-04:00

Scenic Railway, Coney Island [1908].

Via Shorpy.

Here again, folks. It's been one heck of a long, quiet ride over placid lakes of professional redundancy since my last visit here almost a year and a half ago. Though, I've recently jumped ship, and it feels great to be back on the gut-shaking, knobby rails of "reality" again. Gets the blood flowing.

New attractions imminent here at Cincinnati Revisited. Thanks for reading.

• Another great image from the Shorpy archive above.

• Learn more about the early coaster days of ole Coney Island at the indelible Cincinnati Views library here, and the great "classic" rides at today's Coney here.

Renascence Friday: Mariemont Carillon

2010-02-19T21:01:00.019-05:00

"Castle in Snowy Woods", Chuck Madden [2010].
Source: Chuck's Flickr

Across the street from me, this stands watch over the old Boathouse's exhausted lagoon - the Mariemont Bell Tower Carillon (b. 1927).

• More info at the Mariemont Preservation Foundation (see section #4) where they house a 360˚ view of the tower Bell Tower and surrounding park. Also check out the making-of.

Revisiting 1949

2009-12-29T17:31:00.022-05:00

Aerial Photo of Cincinnati [1949].
Photo source: mgsmith.

This is a composite I made of four more images from Michael G. Smith's amazing Flickr (70 Years Later set). These really need to be seen in detail, so make sure you visit each link below.
* Note: If you're new to Flickr, zoom into the image by clicking the "All Sizes" icon on the top of the photo, then click on "Original Size" at the next screen.

Some notable differences from today, in order from W to E:

West End - From top to bottom (left side), the large Roundhouse, Crosley Field, and CUT used for its original purpose (with rear concourse still intact).
Downtown West & Covington - The Fountain Square Esplanade on Fifth Street (just east of the Carew Tower), and the Cincinnati's riverfront warehouse/rail district vs. Covington's barren banks.
Downtown East & Newport - More riverfront railways heading east, Broadway Commons railyards in action, and lower Mt. Adams with houses, but no "Big Mac" bridge, nor a competing Newport-on-the-Levee.
East End - More rail/industry along the river, a full Eden Park Reservoir, and seemingly-unending highly-developed city blocks.

Again, significant differences from today: Cincinnati Union Terminal was still acting as grand entrance to the city, Eden Park reservoir was full, Broadway commons was active, and the Riverfront was still playing host to its industrial foundations... and refreshingly, all without sight of the massive spaghetti highways and large parking lots/garages that cut today's city into disparate wedges.

Incredible what 60 years does to a landscape.

Renascence Friday: Graphite Mariemont

2009-12-04T21:04:00.013-05:00

Images from Mariemont! Move Forward.

What a better way to celebrate the new locale than through lead and cellulose.

~~I wish I had the dates for these sketches, but for now, they'll have to speak for themselves. I'm guessing the 20s, considering Mariemont was planned and partially constructed in that decade.~~ As Anonymous pointed out (in the comments), the first is dated November 1922... and I'm assuming the others are around the same time.

A substantial amount on this locale in the future - our new home.

70 Years Later

2009-12-01T22:21:00.021-05:00

Back in April, I posted the final segment of my "City to Scale" series, The City to Scale: Unbuilt Cincinnati, which sparked some speculation from Drew (of design cincinnati & drew-o-rama fame):

"...it'd be cool to find drawings of projects that were actually built and place them alongside photos of said project to see how the original vision and the end result compare."

I agreed - it would be cool, especially if time wasn't of concern. I really do wish I had an allowance to do these things... but luckily, I've found others who have jumped on these concepts, some of which I submitted later in the post, Oh, I Believe in Yesterday....

But recently, and even more entrancing position was taken by the grandson of Cincinnati photographer Nelson RonSheim, Michael G. Smith...

The 5th St. Viaduct in downtown Cincinnati frames
a steam locomotive on Eggleston Ave.
Original photo by Nelson Ronsheim, 11-16-1940.
2009 photo by Michael G Smith.

What differentiates this series from other before-and-after concepts out there is that everything is "in-house" - his grandfather took the originals (all of which are excellent, by the way) followed with Michael's take from the same location... 70 years later. How cool is that.

Make sure to CHECK OUT THE FULL SET!

• Another reminder to join Michael G. Smith's Flickr, if you haven't already.

• If Ronsheim's original shot above looks familiar here, it's because I posted it as a Renascence Friday quickie back in June - one of my favorites.

• You can view the full "The City to Scale" series by selecting the pull-down menu under the Featured Articles section on the right sidebar.

Previous Ronsheim Posts
RF: A View from Above
RF: Winter Incline

Upheaval, Candles, Tides, Turkey and Thanks!

2009-11-26T12:43:00.039-05:00

Not the original foundry, but production started on Thanksgiving Day (1880).
Source: Cincinnati Views.

Thanksgiving has become as much of a birthday celebration as it is for all of the traditional familial gatherings and gratitude. Still, some candid offerings are definitely due this year - a long list of commendations will be handed out to kin and comrades on a silver platter, in one way or another related to these recent events...

Elizabeth is due to deliver child #2 in December.
Amazing to think that: (1) We'll have another wonderful addition to our family - a little girl!, (2) my son is now 2 and will have to deal with some serious Mommy-withdrawal, (3) just when we're getting into a rhythm that's bearable, our nights are most likely going to elongate dramatically again, and (4) the amount of work that Elizabeth currently entails day-in and day-out, and the amount added to that to come, all with the perspective of a full glass, is completely inspiring.

After long and hard searching (studio and soul), our decision to stay awhile longer culminates with a new job downtown.
We thought laboriously on many areas of the country, but this is a good move all-around - for family, friends, and us - and ends the feeling that we're on a never-ending cusp of transition. So, since we'll be here for the foreseeable future, hopefully we can make some long-lasting contributions to the city that have been swept under the rug for far too long.

We moved. Again.
Elizabeth and I have a storied past, but no one could have predicted the number of legs of this trek we've already completed. Actually, maybe a better way of putting it would be: No one would have guessed how many legs this trek was going to be comprised of, and how many markers we've already passed. Heck - any way you put it, moving five times in five years back and forth between two different cities is tiring enough... then add in all of the other fun stuff and you've cooked up an official bowl exhaustion. But, it's good exhaustion... and we're in a new part of the city. Both having grown up and lived a substantial portion of our lives here, neither of us have resided in this particular local, nor have any friends or family members. It's a little reinvigorating in that way - new places to explore, fresh perspectives on old memories, and welcome solace from another one of Cincinnati's great neighborhoods (not proper, but still Cincinnati to me). It's a good compromise... and it's on the bus line.

There's other stuff of which I won't break the code of silence, but is well worth explicit gratitude as anything else. All I can say is that I am completely humbled by the amazingly supportive people near and far that I'm lucky enough to call my family and friends. Hopefully, one day, this perseverance will echo favorably and I'll be able to reciprocate that generosity to those in kind.

Have a good holiday, everyone.

• Now if this would just happen again, I'd be really thankful...

Milwaukee Sentinel (p.2) [1958].
Source.

Related Post
Turkeys of Thanksgiving Past

Schmolitics

2009-11-03T08:53:00.013-05:00

I've grown to hate politics, mainly because I hate the underhanded, argumentative nature that surrounds most issues (and usually the politicians themselves)... so I bite my tongue, but still manage to get the polls when that time comes around. Though, thanks to COAST and other outside entities trying to shape our local government/society, this year has been a little different...

There are several issues that I personally think are extremely important (as you've seen if you visit some other local blogs, like CAAST or The Phoney Coney), and so, in honor of the big day, here's a quick rundown of what I'll checking my name next to on some of the issues:

Issue 9
If you want a referendum-style government like California has (voting on every single issue, and costing the taxpayers millions of dollars just to vote on them), the Anderson Township-based COAST's Issue 9 takes you down that path. Also, this charter amendment is not just about the streetcar - it states that ANY rail construction will have to be voted on by the citizens, from the miniature Cincinnati Zoo train to the high-speed 3C Corridor train planned for the whole state of Ohio... anything that involves rails.

The logic behind COAST's plan is to basically slow down, and potentially stop any kind of rail construction, because these four guys think it's a bad investment for the whole of the city. Basically, they like sprawl, they like pollution, they like spending thousands of hours of their life in traffic, they like how much money they spend on their car (and related maintenance), and they like that a substantive portion of their taxes go to road construction/maintenance year after year after year, even if it doesn't solve the aforementioned problems.

Cars are incredible pieces of machinery, no doubt, and the perceived independence you have while in them is worth something. But it's the worst investment you'll ever make with your hard-earned money; immediately nosediving once driven off the lot, and costing you a fortune over it's lifespan. Additionally, with the development of electric vehicles (that the car companies have been holding out on us for 50 years), there will be lessening gas taxes to finance the maintenance of those roads, and who will pay for this in the near future? We all will... heavily.

So, if you agree with them on rail, so be it - but imagine this... voting on every type of construction related to the automobile. I'm not going to get into a long rant here, but one has to recognize that everything related to car transit - from road/bridge infrastructure & maintenance to car manufacturing itself - has been one of the most heavily subsidized (government/taxpayer funded) portions of our society to date. Do you feel good that tens of billions of dollars of our tax money was given to private car companies recently? No? Do you wonder why COAST didn't put up a substantial fight against it, or why they don't construct a charter amendment demanding votes on every extremely-high priced road construction in our city? It makes you wonder, considering that the amounts spent on car-related infrastructure dwarfs the amounts associated with rail.

Additionally, we vote in leaders to our government that we think will lead us in the right direction - if you don't agree with their views, you vote in someone different. But COAST and the supporters of Issue 9 don't agree with this style of government - in fact, COAST has stated this on their official website (as they've also been opposed to giving the state required information about who contributes to their PAC). They want you to pay millions of dollars to hold special elections for every single little issue, essentially killing any forward progress that a city might make.

Thus, this issue has become less about rail, and more about how we want our government to function. Still, I personally am sick and tired of the billions of dollars of government handouts to private corporations (e.g. car companies), the lost time and increased stress facing the heavy traffic everywhere I drive, the high cost of car maintenance & insurance, and the inevitable rise of gas prices... so it's no surprise that I'm all for the expansion of alternative types of transportation. And as we've seen time and time again in other cities, when the proper investments are given to these alternatives, they flourish, along with the surroundings.

Lastly, no one is pretending that rail transit will ever overtake the automobile, but to have multiple transit options not only is smart for the viable movement of a community at large, but aids in a healthier, wealthier, and more vibrant community. I want a better quality of life for all Cincinnatians, which is why I'd urge you to also:

VOTE NO ON ISSUE 9

You can visit any of the other numerous local blogs against Issue 9, but here a couple more interesting posts from outside the state, and conservative...
http://www.stlurbanworkshop.com/2009/09/first-vote-no-on-issue-9-ad-up-in.html
http://thedeuceblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/20/why-you-should-vote-no-on-issue-9/

Issue 3
Basically, I don't like gambling - I don't think it's healthy for individuals or cities at large... but who am I to decide what others do with their earnings. Aside from the fact that we already have a multitude of options in place for those who like to do it, other factors at play here surround the outside entities trying to shape our local community. Like COAST trying to dictate what happens in other peoples' neighborhoods, we have casino owners in another state trying to control the future of Ohio gambling laws. Even if I was a gambling proponent, I wouldn't vote for this issue - I'd want my own city and state to decide upon and have control of these issues and structures. All of this is why I'm voting:

NO ON ISSUE 3

More people all over the state (conservative & liberal) against Issue 3 here...
http://www.truthpac.org/
http://mvred.com/2009/09/28/vote-no-on-ohio-issue-3/
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2009/09/27/opinion/mj1665991.txt

Some others:

YES ON ISSUE 5
A renewal to continue funding of issues surrounding MRDD.

YES ON ISSUE 6
Funding for maintenance of the historic Cincinnati Union Terminal.

YES ON ISSUE 7
Funding for local libraries.

• No matter what you decide, just get out and vote!

Renascence Friday: Fall Train

2009-10-23T16:45:00.009-04:00

Fall Train (Cincinnati, Ohio) [1/1/03].
Image © Chuck Madden.

Seriously. How beautiful is that.

• Check out more of Chuck Madden's work at Flickr.

Renascence Friday: Kilgour Fountain

2009-10-16T12:35:00.013-04:00

Kilgour Fountain at Hyde Park Square [1901].
Image source.

In relation to the last post (and the importance of constructing something tall as a central locator and gathering place for the neighborhood), here's a little more info on the history of the Hyde Park Square fountain & esplanade:

"Appeasement rather than gratitude was one reason for the construction of the fountain... The work, designed by Joseph F. Cronin, was a gift in 1900 from the Kilgour family. The Kilgour brothers were part of the syndicate that developed the triangle of land between Madison Road, Observatory Avenue and Edwards Road around the turn of the century.

"Dubbed 'Genevieve' by generations of residents... The Kilgour Fountain was a gesture of good will to calm furor caused by the extension of the trolley tracks from Delta Avenue to Madison Road, disrupting the tranquility of a few bordering streets. In addition, the farsighted syndicate wanted to beautify the shopping district planned to be in walking distance of their developed property."
Source: Cincinnati Magazine [September 1975].

Amazing. The fountain was a gift to the neighborhood from the Kilgours because of the disruptive nature of construction of the local public trolley line. A far cry from today's world.

• The Kilgours were a major presence in the area of the time: John Kilgour, a wealthy Cincinnati banker & President of the Cincinnati Street Railway, and his brother, Charles Kilgour, a wealthy real estate investor & street railway engineer. They helped to develop Hyde Park into an area strictly for the wealthy, contributing the land for the Cincinnati Observatory (moved from Mt. Adams, which also gave Mt. Lookout its name), and dedicating the "Kilgour Esplanade" (Hyde Park Public Square) to the village of Hyde Park (July 21, 1900).
Sources: City of Cincinnati - Parks Dept, Cincinnati Enquirer, and "Cincinnati: A Guide to the Queen City and its Inhabitants" by the Federal Writers' Project (p.306, 307).

• Read a short history on the development of Hyde Park by the Hyde Park Neighborhood Council, and Mt. Lookout's history at the Mt. Lookout Community Council & P&G.

• Current info on Hyde Park at soapbox!, and a great photo of "Genevieve" here.

• • • • • • • • • •

Finally, here a couple more recent photos of the fountain getting its Fall bath before closing down for the colder months...or maybe just a good old fashioned soap tagging by those wild and crazy neighborhood kids:

All photos taken 9/25/9.

Square Re-Envisioned

2009-10-14T19:12:00.022-04:00

It's probably pretty obvious by now that I love our great city and its history, which is why I hate to see deterioration and neglect (more often than not, caused by the automobile) in once-thriving spaces - especially locales with original "walking Squares" (something rare anymore in today's world)... like Mt. Lookout Square.

I've been so familiar with the area for so long - passing by almost on a daily basis - which is why it frequently bothers me. So, in an effort to contrive an outlandish solution, I took a couple minutes to overhaul the place with some pens and markers.

• • • • • • • • • •

One can argue that Mt. Lookout is already a hoppin' spot - and I'd concur, having once lived right on the Square - but in reality, it's just a ring of businesses around heavy traffic, which encloses more traffic & parking... a Square for cars. So, just think how much more attractive it would be to remove the (roughly) 30 parking spots in the middle of the mayhem and replace it with some greenery and human beings - a central gathering point for the local inhabitants.

Well, "the board" beat me to the punch. Check out these renderings of the recently-proposed greenspace from Vivian Llambi & Associates:

This is a great treatment - streamlines the space, adds plant life, and pulls in that incredibly-important central gathering point. Still, what if there was a little more money to throw around...

Two things missing in the above renderings that I think are key: (1) It really begs for a central post - a fountain, a statue, a clock tower... something tall to define the square, the history, to mark the spot, for example...

Hyde Park Square has a historical fountain as its central marker.
The fountain receiving its bath before the winter shutdown.
Photo taken on 9/25/9.

...and (2) needs a way for people to access the area safely. The square is the heart of the Linwood/Delta intersection, which makes it crazy busy (via motorists regularly ignoring their speedometer), and thus, sometimes overwhelming for pedestrians...

Crossing the street safely is nearly hit or miss at Mt. Lookout Square.
Photo taken on 9/25/9.

So, in an effort to answer these needs, I thought it'd be fitting to give the square everything listed above... and more!

THE PROCESS

I first scanned through existing online pics of the Square, which were surprisingly few and far between...

Source: Building Cincinnati.

So I decided to go down and take some pictures of the surroundings from the angles I needed...

It was a good thing that I scouted out the area firsthand, because I noticed a conflict with my "central clock tower" idea - one already exists on the corner of Delta & Linwood, near Chase Bank and Mount Lookout Tavern...

...so in deference to that original structure, but still in keeping with my new plan, I decided to nix the clock and just pay homage to the area's name by making a larger tower with an overlook atop.

Anyway, after doing all of this and conjuring up my incredulous proposal (sans paper), I floated the idea to others, who loved the concept, but balked at the assumed expense involved in actually creating it.

Blindly ignoring that, I started on the development, and built up a reference database from online sources...

...then did some quick sketches of the central tower & fountain...

...and then moved on to some more detailed sketches of the whole park...

To provide more accuracy, I then used Vivian Llambi's "Final Conceptual" overhead plans as a template for my ideas...

...and wrapped up with a quick draft of the final concept:

Concept for Mt. Lookout Square.
Note: Some changes here from the prior sketches.
I also deliberately skewed the perspective to showcase everything clearly.
And... not my best work, by any means - I ignored the ruler and was pretty
loose with the surroundings - but I think it gets the point across.

I originally thought it would be cool to have all of the things seen above: Catwalks above street-level to provide safe access, leading to a stairway through the middle of the tower - up to the top (a small overlook), and down to the bottom park area.

The south side of the park would be greenspace anchored by a fountain, and the north side would have greenspace anchored by a small stage with canopy. Tiered, permanent seating would also abut the tower's north side (kind of reflecting the Serpentine Wall aesthetic, but faced in brick), to aid in viewing stage performances/events or just act as casual seating.

The monumental central tower - also housing restrooms and storage/office space (for the Parks Dept. or community events) - would have an overlook space for casual pedestrian use or to house lighting/cameras for formal stage events.

Pretty ambitious, huh.

In heed of the cost and lack of space, here, in lesser form, are some other quick drafts...

Other ideas for Mt. Lookout Square.

(1) Solo tower without tiered seating, baths, office, and bridges,
and (2) solo catwalk with tiered seating.

I kept the end anchors (stage and fountain) but just reigned in the tower, which would be the most costly part of the project... but in actuality, maybe not, considering the money in Mt. Lookout these days.

And in retrospect, the design probably should've reflected the original shape of the Square, with half-rounds echoing each other throughout. Something like this...

Concept for Mt. Lookout Square (Overhead-edited).
Anything not in color is ground-level.

Lastly, the overarching concern surrounding all of this is, "Where is everyone going to park?".
Answer: I don't care.

It's a square for pedestrians in that neighborhood - people living there should walk to it, not drive. And if people visit, it's not a big deal to park a couple of blocks away and actually use their feet from there - that's pretty common for other current events that take place in the area anyway. I'm assuming the Mt. Lookout Community Development Corporation (MLCDC) and Vivian Llambi feel the same way... or maybe they're hoping for the second coming of a streetcar line to one day aid in their efforts.

Anyway, it's just a thought.

• Thanks to the excellent reporter and progressive Cincinnati advocate, Randy Simes, over at UrbanCincy for the news and images. Also check out his corresponding article on soapbox!.

Riverside Rail

2009-10-10T12:56:00.026-04:00

Rail along Riverside Drive
(Pre-Towne Properties development).
Photo source.

It was my son's birthday recently, and a heck of a good day it was. After all of the day's expected rigmarole, we decided to cap it off with a cruise around downtown - something he enjoys immensely, even at this young age. Whether it be kid-size or adult-size, tunnels, towers and trains are his favorites, so when near the core, we always visit the Queen City Square tower construction site, and drive to or fro through the 71/3rd Street tunnels (and usually once back and forth over the Roebling Bridge, aka. the "Buzzing Bridge"). Unfortunately, seeing trains of any kind is unusual... which made this birthday trip extra special.

First, the normal routine (with an added bonus)...

The Queen City Square tower, looking NE from 2nd Street...

...and a plane with a flag attached to it!
Planes AND flags = hysteria.

After hitting the business district, we ventured down through beautiful Sawyer Point - an area that seems to be incredibly under-utilized by the population (aside from the formal, scheduled events - from what I've witnessed, anyway). It's surprising, too, considering there's so much to do and see just strolling around the area. No matter how many times I've been down there, it still hits me as a really incredible park...

Looking south from Sawyer Point's "Gateway Sculpture"
toward the "Big Mac Bridge".

Floating sticks down the miniature Ohio River - something I used to love doing
as a kid when it first opened in '88. Can't do it anymore, though,
since they don't keep the water pumping.

Waving flags against a moving sky. Pretty mesmerizing when
you're young... and they're everywhere at Sawyer Point.

That was our final stop sans car, so after buckling in again for the ride home, I decided to take the scenic route, down ~~Eastern Ave.~~ Riverside Drive, and I'm glad I did because we ended up witnessing a small clip of the ~~past~~ future...

It was obviously a Cincinnati Dinner Train excursion, because there were only a few cars, it was moving pretty slow, there were people lounging around inside and on the rails checking out the view, and it was Saturday night. And as simple as this was, it was damn beautiful, and my son loved it.

A great end to a great day.

Aside:

This might not be a big deal to some of you, but like most of the rest of the country, passenger trains are extremely scarce around these parts anymore - especially any place other than Union Terminal, so seeing any train wheeling down the east side of town takes me by surprise. Naturally, I stopped to witness the grandeur, and wheeled up onto a small side street, got out and snagged a few, quick shots. This actually was a good experience, because I had never actually noticed how close the tracks were to the backs of some of those houses perched up off of Riverside Drive, and how little noise the train actually made next to them.

While I don't drool over everything Towne does, I do appreciate their local prominence because they've rebuilt a ton of older areas into attractive hot spots. But in regards to Riverside, I really don't know what the heck Arn is complaining about. Not only did the Cincinnati Dinner Train not seem very disruptive (similar, if not heavier and louder than the modern 3-C cars that would travel here), but having passenger trains travel through the area and stop in the heart of all the city's new construction three times a day seems like a no-brainer in terms of creating prosperity and vitality for our city. Isn't that what developers ultimately want?

Arn is obviously protecting those who have already bought from him down there, but if those residents don't like it, I'm sure there'd be a ton of people itching to buy property in their place if it meant being near a rail stop. Wasn't that always the plan???

Concept drawing of the Riverfront Transit Center (1997).
This was obviously constructed some time ago, but where's the rail?
Or the bus traffic for that matter??

Update: Lunken was approved as Cincinnati's "temporary" depot. Seeing that the Union Terminal was nixed from the get-go (no room with the freight traffic there), and the huge 2nd Street structure foolishly ignored (above image), I guess I don't have a problem with this - it's a cool, old stop that already caters to the transient tourist/business passenger dynamic. But if the streetcar is ever constructed and doesn't have a line passing near there, none of it will make any sense... or cents.

• More on the Cincinnati Dinner Train and other unique rail events at The Cincinnati Railway Company (more info at Discover Ohio, CincinnatiUSA.com & a nice writeup at Shore Magazine).

• Read an exceptional writeup of the barren Riverfront Transit Center at the always excellent Queen City Discovery

Renascence Friday: Queen City Printing Ink

2009-10-09T13:15:00.019-04:00

Advertisement [1896].
More info here.
Source.

The Queen City Printing Ink Co., founded by George DeGolyer & John Rychen in 1860, was at one time considered to be "the largest printing ink facility in the United States" (source). Housed at 600 W. 5th Street (map), with additional facilities on Court Street and extensive production on South Street (map), the products were of high quality, wide range, mass volume, and great demand:

Source.

• Additional info here & here.

• More QCPI Co. images: Poster [1903] & Trade Card [undated].

Playing Fetch (Part 2)

2009-09-07T13:42:00.041-04:00

Read "Playing Fetch (Part 1)" here.

Wrapping up the the second part of our day, we found out another reason why Warren County does live up to their self-proclaimed title, "Ohio's largest playground". Upon exiting the tennis tourney, we decided to drive across the street and see what all the ruckus has been about at The Great Wolf Lodge:

I know it's been awhile since first opening (in 2006), already jumping a few hurdles, but now since hitting it's stride, I thought actually visiting the place and scoping out the theming I've heard so much about might be enjoyable.

Coming from the Lindner Family Tennis Center, we drove east down Kings Mills Road, then south on Columbia and entered the complex at the first drive we saw, which put us in this rear lot facing the Conference Center entrance...

I suppose if we were actually staying there I would've driven around a bit and tried to find the main entrance (shown in the last picture), but this prominent opening looked adequate at the time. Thus, the following trek through the interior is, I suppose, considered a backward route.

So, after entering through the doors and making our way past the tables set up for a small convention that was starting, we hiked down the long hallway of the hotel wing, past what seemed like hundreds of rooms...

There was the occasional group of guests rushing past us with bathing garb and towels in hand, but overall, it seemed a little vacant. I'm not sure what the visitor trends are for the place - if it was in season, the right day of the week, etc. - so I'll just leave it at that.

We eventually hit the core of the complex, poking our heads inside the boisterous arcade area and a couple of little dining spots, before finally slipping past the "bracelet-checker" and entering the nexus of the Great Wolf universe...

This really is a grand structure, encompassing vast amounts of chlorinated water, bright-colored plastic, dedicated theming, and warm, sticky air. Of course, being a completely enclosed environment, voices echoed without abandon, but it wasn't annoying - it only seemed to exacerbate the excitement of the place. Though I must say, if we had brought our 2-year-old son here, I can only imagine the shock-and-awe that this thing in its totality would've inflicted upon his senses - maybe a little overwhelming, but probably adaptable.

If anyone has noticed, I'm kind of a big fan of theme parks - not necessarily for the thrill rides (though, who doesn't love 'em), but more for the thematic elements. Creating an artificial environment from scratch that accurately portrays the chosen concept, and is believable, is really satisfying - and honestly, not even just viewing the final product, but realizing the process behind it all, is really exciting to me. That being said, this place didn't represent the cream-of-the-crop in terms of execution or detail, but for a sit-alone hotel/water park in the Midwest (and for parts of the year, vying with the likes of The Beach and Kings Island), it really wasn't a bad job at all - some monies were definitely spent here.

What's really cool about this place is that there's a multitude of options for every age. As we scoped the place out, there seemed to be several paths leading to various, separate swimming locations - pools, slides, and play areas. For instance, here's a "hot springs" wave pool...

As we kept moving around the place, there was no denying the many different slides looming extensively overhead, as well as the many different pools at our feet - after that long day of watching tennis in those scorching bleachers, I was ready to dive in! Check it all out in this 360˚ pan of the place as we were deep in it...

(Looking at the photo above) We then made our way over the bridge, past the yellow stairs, and to the far corner of the building (in the center of the picture), past another small dining area, and to my surprise, an outdoor pool area...

I don't know why it surprised me that much, seeing another grand pool outside, with more slides and dining areas... because hey, pools are usually exposed to the elements (and vitamin D is essential). I suppose the indoor section was just that overwhelming, so I didn't expect more.

Anyway, we went back inside the great beast, made our way back under the slides, past an "obstacle course" pool and a huge kiddie pool, over the "lazy river" and under the huge watery tree fort, then exited the pool area and came upon the lobby of the main entrance...

This was another grand space, showcasing the three-stories of rooms and setting off the main theme, which I thought was executed... well... a little awkwardly. Checking in at the front desk "lodge" and sitting down for a minute or two in overstuffed chairs by the huge fireplace wasn't the problem, it was that things became it little too kitschy (in my amateur opinion). In others words: Too many wolves...

In the fireplace picture alone, I counted six... and why was there a wolf (stuffed animal) in the rafters of the first pic? And why was the camping gear on the roof of the building? I guess I just didn't understand it. It really got to the point where I thought the official hotel staff garb might be Three Wolf Moon t-shirts or something. Sadly though, not.

Those trivialities aside, we explored the rest of the lobby, which included some sort of animatronic Chuck E. Cheese-type setup (which was off at the moment - seen 3 pics above, on the left side), a huge gift shop-slash-Starbucks, and a laid back, full-service restaurant (of which, after nosing through the windows at some family's dinner, looked pretty enticing).

Then we started to wonder if that was it. There was a lot to the place - swimming, eating, video games, and light shopping - but was it enough to keep a family occupied in a $200/night room? Well, we decided to explore the upper levels of the place, taking the glass elevator to the second and third floors, and explored from there. Of course, we found more...

Not only were there great seating areas in the common areas of each floor - some of which had flatscreen TVs, game tables, and/or great window views of the main attraction (above photo) - but there was also an elaborate scavenger hunt game with clues built into every area of the hotel. We noticed this because kids were strolling back and forth around us (with their parents) holding these wooden (plastic) "magic wands", that were completely interactive with the surroundings (small treasure chests down various hallways, a small forest with interactive screens, a large dragon sleeping upon a gold coins, etc.). We found the shop selling the the game (MagiQuest), and found out that it took about 2 hours to solve, but could be played sporadically over the course of your stay - pretty cool, especially if you have kids... or not. More on MagiQuest and the rest of Great Wolf's activities here.

So, all in all, Great Wolf Lodge looked like a pretty successful and extremely eventful entertainment option, especially for families - obviously a great draw in the winter. I never checked out any of the rooms, but spending some cool dough for a couple of chillly nights basking in the warm glow of the wet wolf wouldn't seem too bad...

Again, a great weekend visiting another one of Cincinnati's many stellar attractions. Not that this was the epitome of greatness, but for all the bitching that goes on around this town, we really do have it pretty darn good.

• For another's quick wrap on Great Wolf Lodge, check out JordanC's review.

• The article title plays on the fact that I've grown up with dogs, and tennis, which means there was lot of slobbery, chewed up yellow balls lying around. Wolves may not "play fetch" but hey, they're related to dogs anyway.

• Visit this and several other multi-post articles through the pull-down menus, located in the lower right sidebar.

Renascence Friday: A View from Above

2009-09-04T14:25:00.007-04:00

Mt. Adams Incline (Upper Station) by Nelsom Ronsheim. [1939].
Via Michael G. Smith's "Planes and Trains" Flickr set.

Bravo, Erich

2009-09-01T12:39:00.009-04:00

Erich Kunzel (1935-2009).
Read more: Bio & announcement.

Playing Fetch (Part 1)

2009-08-26T16:30:00.025-04:00

This past weekend was really great - showcasing some rare free time that my wife Elizabeth and I used to stroll around carefree basking in the glow of our city's treasures. Thus, the following two-part article is just a short recap of our Saturday trek through the outer limits of Cincinnati, and more reminders of how great we actually have it in this town.

• • • • • • • • • •

The first part of our day was spent at the Lindner Family Tennis Center (in entertainment-centric Mason, OH) watching quarterfinal action of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters (ATP) tournament. Below is a short photo journal of our few hours at the event (click on any image for a larger view)...

The Tickets.
The ATP has always been a great social event for the businesses, with many boxes
bought by companies, for employees and their clients. Additionally, I can't tell you
how many times I frequented private tents (surrounding center stadium)
throughout the years - free food, air conditioning, and TVs galore.
This year was no different for me - got these via one of my
dad's business clients, and great seats they were!

Although I've kind of slacked off on attending the event in recent years, it was good to get back. And we were lucky enough to have an exceptional showing this season, especially for Elizabeth who hadn't been there since she was a teenager (that doesn't really put it into perspective for you since you don't know her current age... but I'll end it there).

The day we went was really great because we got to see the world-ranked #1, 2, and 3 play. See for yourself: The first match we saw was...

Andy Murray (GBR) v. Julien Benneteau (FRA).
Andy was #2 in the world at this point, slightly ahead of the injury-plauged Rafa.
Shot taken from our assigned seats.

Andy won, which was expected...

Post-Match Interview.
Andy Murray reflecting on the match and prognosticating on the next one.

Post-Match Interview.
Andy Murray speaking to the crowd and on the big screen.
We moved to the opposite side of the court, and were sitting
in the bleachers at this point (just for a change of pace).

Following the match, there was a short amount of time to mill around while the players of the next match warmed up, so we met up with my dad who was there with his business partner, and surprisingly, my (step) brother-in-law who snagged some tickets at the last minute. For as big as the event has become (considered the biggest in the US outside of the Grand Slam tourney in New York), it's still small enough that you'll pass just about everyone at least once.

Between the Center and Grandstand Court (west side).The private corporate tents are behind me, and the vendors/restaurants
are on the opposite side of the grounds.

The cool thing about this tournament is the amount of freedom that comes with the purchase of your tickets. Whether you buy a "Day Session" or "Evening Session" pass, you're ensured a seat commensurate with your ticket price for the main stadium matches, but also open seating for the many other matches taking place on any of the other courts that day - for free! That means you can choose to watch the main event, or take in a "smaller" match on one of the surrounding courts, or casually frequent the many booths, tents, vendors (one of which I worked for as a high-schooler), restaurants, and occasionally live music, spread throughout the grounds.

Outside the Grandstand Court (northwest corner).
A beautifully built stadium for us Midwesterners.

A couple of other things that the tournament quietly provides is a lax standard on seating and length of stay. For instance, generally the Day Session lasts from 10am to 5pm, and the Night Session from 5pm until all matches are complete. Though, if you buy tickets for the Day, you can stay through the evening with no problem - you just can't leave and re-enter, nor are you guaranteed a seat on Center Court. Additionally, no matter where you're supposed to be sitting - in a box or the bleachers - you can normally slip into any open seat without much problem... though, they are definitely tightening up on this.

Anyway, next came the monster-match of the day (between two of my all-time favorites)...

Roger Federer (SUI) v. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS).Silence and limited visual distractions during gameplay is important,
which is why we had to wait behind chains until they were done with
the game before we were allowed to take our seats.
These types of proper rules have always appealed to me
for some odd reason... maybe the civility of it all.

Center Court.A pan of the stadium from our seats.

Federer & Hewitt.
The match in action.

Watching a living legend (Federer - the greatest player of all time) in person is always a treat. Like hundreds of times before, he won the match seemingly without breaking much of a sweat...

Post-Match Interview.
Roger giving his thoughts on the match, the upcoming US Open,
and as always, giving kudos to his opponent.

...as Lleyton exits, ducking his head in defeat...

Post-Match Departure.
Hewitt (with white/green/black cap) leaves Center Court.

Then Federer takes part in a series of events usual to most high-profile winners on Center Court...

Post-Match Regularities.

Federer throws his wristbands and towels to the eager crowd...

Post-Match Regularities.

...gives a closed mic interview to old pro and current coach
and commentator, Brad Gilbert, for the national audience...

Post-Match Regularities.

...then gives an open mic interview to the stadium crowd
(as seen in the earlier picture)...

Post-Match Regularities.

...followed by the signing of several tennis balls...

Post-Match Regularities.

...and finally proceeds to hit one into the crowds
waiting in each quadrant of the stadium seats.

Of course, Federer would end up winning the whole tournament, making it another banner year.

After all of that rigmarole, we headed out and around to the side of Center Court to see if we could catch any of the players leaving the building...

Players' Entrance/Exit.
Crowds gather behind the roped-off exit path hoping
to catch some pictures and signatures.

Players' Entrance/Exit.
Tourney security gathers for player protection/crowd control,
and one of the players gives some autographs.

It was nearing 5pm and our session was ending, but we decided to run by the practice courts upon leaving, and look who we caught warming up...

Rafael Nadal (ESP).His match would take place during the evening session,
but seeing him practice up close was good enough for me.

Definitely an all-around great day at the courts...

I've lived my whole life with this game - grew up playing it, almost went to college for it, and have sporadically taught it - which explains the extended coverage. If you're not a player, try picking it up - it's a great social sport, there are many groups to join that have a range of skill levels, and can be played your entire lifetime.

Additionally, even if you're not currently a pro-level follower, this event is a godsend for our area - not only because of Cincinnatians' obvious love of the sport, or even the financial incentives, but just as another feather in the city's cap. With all of the services and entertainment options available around here, we are an incredibly lucky city, and should be proud of it.
Part 2 of this article coming soon!

• Note: As mentioned earlier, it seemed (as it always does) that Federer won without breaking a sweat. Well, supposedly that's exactly the perception that he wants to portray. Per his words - he's worn that same outfit since earlier in the year, but wasn't fond of the green-colored shirt because it allowed the sweat to show through more. He feels that you should never let your opponent see how hard you really work.
Gotta love Roger.

• Lastly, our tourney has exploded in popularity since adding the women's side several years back, and there will be more great changes next year: The USTA bought a majority stake of the tournament, resulting in a combined men's and women's event, and a major upgrade to the facilities (more images at Soapbox and the architect's website - click on New Projects, and select West Grandstand Renovation under the In The Works sidebar to see 3 sketches of the new facilities). That's damn exciting news! More info on our tournament at atpworldtour.com.

Why & Who

2009-08-04T04:50:00.011-04:00

Why Cincinnati Languishes.
"...new channels of traffic are always among the surest means of recovering the prosperity of a community."
-New York Times (September 11, 1869).

Why Cincinnati Needs to Change Its Demo Policy.
"...Cincinnati is special. It actually HAS its history. It is a rare commodity, something that most cities in this country WISH in retrospect that they had."
-Victorian Antiques and Design (July 23, 2009).

Why We Love Cincinnati.
"Let us count the ways..."
-Cincy Magazine (June 20, 2009)

Who Knew?
"Cincinnati is cool."
-Chicago Carless (September 9, 2008).

(Re) Prepare To Believe

2009-08-03T14:13:00.016-04:00

This news is about month old now, but that's what happens when there are 15 million links waiting for the limelight on the ultra-slow CINCINNATI revisited posting conveyor.

Anyway, just passing it along since I had a related, previous post on the subject.

Photo/text from source: "Ken A. Ham President and Chief Executive Officer of Answer in Genesis stands with a mechanical Utahraptor at The Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, in 2007. For a group of paleontologists, a tour of the Creation Museum, which has been dubbed a 'creationist Disneyland,' seemed like a great tongue-in-cheek way to cap off a serious conference."

Remembering the day that this article landed in my inbox, I wasn't at all prepared to believe that another article on our local museum was making the national rounds. As much as it's interesting to hear continual negative reviews of the museum's libretto (from Christians to non), I think these kinds of articles (such as mine here) only perpetuate receipts for its contrived propagatory ilk. In other words, everyone is drawn to the circus sideshows, but it doesn't help in the actual education and ~~evolution~~ progression of society... that is, unless you're predisposed to believe.

On that note, relax while listening to this fitting little diddy by the Desert Rose Band.

• NOTE: In an effort of complete transparency, especially in this age of ultra-touchiness, I'm not bashing any religion as a whole here. I was married in the Catholic church, and have family members that are quite devoted to their particular sects. I just personally think that throughout the ages, science & technology has continually aided in disproving aspects of certain teachings. That being said, it'll be interesting to see where we'll end up in another 1000 years.

• Edit 8/5/9: Bad news for its kin down south.

Shop CINCINNATI revisited!

2009-07-31T21:29:00.012-04:00

Hello folks! Just a quick notification that items are now available at my online store, such as...

The whole of my current shop archive is mainly ink and/or pencil illustration, highlighted occasionally with marker or gouache. And, as intimated above, will reflect the city's skyline (by building or in multiplicity) in all it's storied tradition and aged glory.

Although the selection is currently slim, many new items are nearing completion and will be added accordingly, so check back often.

Thanks for looking!

Renascence Friday: A City Built on Bacon

2009-07-31T17:43:00.010-04:00

"Pork Packing in Cincinnati" by H.F. Farny [1873].
Click on the image to view larger, or go here.
Source.

Renascence Friday: 1968 Kroger Logo

2009-07-24T11:49:00.004-04:00

Ad in The Blade, Toledo, Ohio [1968].
Source.

Renascence Friday: Eggleston Steamer

2009-06-26T15:28:00.005-04:00

Steam locomotive on Eggleston Avenue,
Nelson Ronsheim [~1940?].
Click on image for more info on this photo,
and be sure to check out other recent additions to the
Ronsheim archives while you're there!

Charley Harper Revisited

2009-06-22T10:20:00.014-04:00

Just a quick note on some Harper artwork that has resurfaced...

Ford Times Magazine, Charley Harper.
One of the many originals found in Ford's Archives.

Image source: News from the Harper Art Studio.

The Ford Motor Company commissioned work from Charley between the 1940s-1960s, and a new trove of more than 50 originals from their private Corporate Art Collection has been released to the public.

Personally, I'm a huge of a fan of his commercial work (industrial themes), but this newly-found compendium also includes many from his bird and fish series - some never seen before by the masses. Visit the original sources of this news below...

• All credit for this news find goes to the fantastic source for vintage/retro design, Grain Edit.

• Squidoo also has a fantastic writeup on this find, with several thumbs to preview from the collection.

• Visit the new blog, News for the Harper Art Studio, for more info on Charley's work, or the Charley Harper Art Studio (specifically, their Ford Times spread) for more on this subject.

• Lastly, Charley Harper Prints has a wide collection to view, and detailed backgound info on the Ford Times work that shouldn't be missed.

• • • • • • • • • •

"Cardinals Consorting" over Cincinnati Riverfront, Ford Times (cover) [1976].

More info on this particular work at Charlie Harper Prints.
Image source: compactcollection.

Related Posts
Art Academy of Old
In Memoriam

Streetcar Update!

2009-06-09T17:26:00.028-04:00

Cincinnati Electric Streetcar, by rufus.ovcwa [2008].NOTE: The above photo is to display the ongoing infatuation with
rail transit, esp. relating to Cincinnati history, though the city's recent
proposal is based on the Portland, OR, system, which showcases
the extensive benefits of contemporary streetcars.
What our new cars would look like!

I usually leave posts like this to the other hard-core pro-rail Cincy bloggers (CincyStreetcar, Phoney Coney, UrbanCincy, et al.), but I just received a notification from Protransit that looks promising!

Streetcar Project Announcement

When: Wednesday, June 10
4p.m.

Who: Mayor Mark Mallory
City Manager Milton Dohoney

Where: The Rookwood Pottery Company
1920 Race Street*
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
P 513-381-2510

The Mayor and City Manager will announce progress on the streetcar project.

This is not funding related.

*look for the Catanzaro Sons & Daughters on the side of the building

*plenty of free parking in the large lot immediately north of Findlay Market and at the street meters along Race Street

• Visit the newly-created grassroots effort, Cincinnatians for Progress (chaired by Mayor Mark Mallory), and a related article at Building Cincinnati.

• More general info on the new streetcar proposal here.

• Aside: I still don't understand why those opposing the RE-creation of local rail transit "demand a vote" for other public works projects as well (i.e. road construction) - I'm not against looking at both sides of an argument, just those that are incredibly flawed.

• UPDATE (6/10/9): Also check out the "Rally for Progress", June 11th, at the Verdin Bell Center. More info here.

• UPDATE (6/16/9): Great news! A review of rally at soapbox, and more information at the City of Cincinnati website.

Renascence Friday: Art Academy Receipt

2009-06-04T16:55:00.017-04:00

Registration Receipt, Art Academy of Cincinnati [9/24/1928].

From my Great Uncle Jack's time at school.

• • • • • • • • • •

After skimming over some updates regarding CAM's temporarily-shelved plans for expansion (described in Maya's post last year) last night, I was reminded about the horror-that-almost-was (+ & +) for the old Art Academy building under Rub. Thankfully, the recession hit (+) and CAM got a new Director (+), which means new life for the building.

CAM Expansion Plans (concept model) [2007].
More info on this project here (+).
Image source: Visualingual.

CAM & Art Academy [1928].

Image source.

I'm obviously not thankful that the recession in general hit (except for the drop in lofty home prices), but thinking about another stalwart of Cincinnati's skyline being torn down always stings a little - not only because I'm an obvious proponent of Cincinnati history, historical structures as related to Cincinnati's noteriety, and the preservation of them both, but because of my personal ties to them (i.e. the spotlight pic).

Coming soon: A full post surrounding the Bingham's, as well as a glimpse into the Ross Family Tree. Baring it all before potentially skedaddling.

Oh, I Believe in Yesterday...

2009-06-01T13:46:00.016-04:00

In reference to the recent post, The City to Scale: Unbuilt Cincinnati, there was a comment/request to see a before-and-after presentation of the works that were discussed. This is a great idea, but I just don't have time for the extensive legwork involved - though fortunately, others have tackled this feat with amazing success...

Ex 1: A post last year by Kevin Kidney at Dinosaurs and Robots show a great mashup of different eras:

Ghosts of Mt. Washington.
Click on the image to read the post, or
click here to view larger.

When I first glanced at the heading I thought he was somehow speaking of Anderson's neighbor, but not. Still, it's a great presentation, and one that I would try and duplicate if I were spending the time on this "before and after" concept.

Ex 2: Check out author Robin Smith's & photographer Randall Lee Scheiber's: Ohio: Then and Now (2006). It has a great range of images from all over Ohio, and shows the effects of time on these specific locales in side-by-side comparison shots. In some ways it's really depressing (imo), but nevertheless, an interesting review of where we've been and an indicator of future trends.

Below is a small sampling of the Cincinnati-related content you'll find in the book (click on images to view larger)...

Cincinnati's Riverfront.

Union Terminal.
For more info, visit the series Topping Out.

Canal/Central Parkway.

Eden Park.
Which reminds me of the post, Lost & Found.

Additionally, the book has great coverage of my undergrad alma mater, Ohio University, and the surrounding Athens locale...

Court Street.

Alumni Gate.

The Ridges.

A related post on this one coming soon.

I found the Athens section particularly interesting because of my own research surrounding OU years ago. While attending college, whenever I had a couple of extra dimes in my pocket, I'd peruse old stores (i.e. Secondhand Rose) for vintage paraphernalia relating to the local history, and occasionally come up with gems like this...

Selections from the Ohio University Undergraduate Catalog (1899-1900).
Click images to enlarge, and check out those yearly rates!
Compare to the 2009 catalog & fees.

Compare to the current Lindley Hall.
Photo undated.

Compare to today's Chubb Hall.
Photo undated.

Again, I may someday give this concept a whirl - especially depicting unrealized visions - but until then, give your attention to the great content that others painstakingly produce (at Queen City Discovery, Building Cincinnati, Queen City Survey, etc.).

• Preview more images from the book "Ohio: Then and Now" through Google Book Search, then read it in its entirety by purchasing it (preferably through a local seller).

• Additionally, if you've never been, be sure to make a day or weekend trip to Athens sometime (pref in the Fall) - it's a historically-interesting town in the middle of the poorest county in Ohio (but arguably the most beautiful).

Rebuilding Cincinnati, One Brick at a Time

2009-05-29T09:43:00.025-04:00

Like Mark & Mike, Maya, and many others, I'm a huge fan of LEGOs, and always will be - I still occasionally snag a new set, and my wife usually has to pry my hands from the kid's section whenever we go to Target. Thus, I nearly jumped out of my chair upon reading today's post on Accidental Mysteries:

Imagine the possibilities for OTR!
Via Accidental Mysteries & Jan Vormann.
Also check out Visualingual's earlier post on the subject.

The rebirth of Cincinnati's "skyline" could now become a full-scale reality...

LEGO Skyline.
Via Citykin & Visualingual.

...built from bricks from our very own LEGO branch:

The new Cincinnati LEGO Store.
Scooped by a great post at Citykin.

It's obvious that this infatuation with Automatic Binding Bricks will not soon die - internationally or locally. Is this due to tangible characteristics held solely by the brand, our inherent constructivist nature, or something else? Any way you look at it, I hope it continues - and continues to reflect the interest and passions of our collective past & future built environment...

NMRA Train Show, Cincinnati Convention Center. (2005).
Image source.

More images from the 2005 NMRA Train Show in Cincinnati (source):

Inside the CUT (see the exterior here).
Check out the similarities to this postcard (source: Cincinnati Views).

Behind the CUT (another good shot here).
Referencing this memorable image (or maybe this one).

The iconic barnside ad.
For reference, see this photo (sans elevated train).

• Note: If interested in more miniature versions of the city, check out my "City to Scale" series (see right sidebar), or visit one of the many local miniature establishments (here, here, etc.).

• Another interesting local LEGO link here.

• Visit the local Cincinnati Bricks LEGO reseller here.

Renascence Friday: Vortex

2009-05-22T13:44:00.020-04:00

Kings Island brochure (1987).
Source: Kings Island Central.

With all the marketing and praise that the new Diamondback is getting, let's not forget one of the earliest of the KI whiplash stalwarts: The Vortex.

My friends and I would ride this thing over and over, no matter the wait time - just get a cone for the queue and you're good to go. Not only was it cool to be able to see the old lines for the storied Bat (more info here, and pics here), but a great feature of this construction was the newfound sitelines of the Beast at the top of the first lifthill. Also, one of my favorite memories: Convincing my dad to go on it, once... and never again.

Vortex Commercial (1987).
Source: JMReid1220 @ YouTube

Kentucky: Blue Mood Land?

2009-05-20T11:52:00.007-04:00

A couple of interesting maps with local inferences from National Geographic (click on the images to read the corresponding articles).

Geography of Despair.
Via National Geographic News.

Native Names.
Via National Geographic.

The City to Scale: Unbuilt Cincinnati

2009-04-26T00:20:00.021-04:00

In a wrap-up of The City to Scale series, I'll tersely close with a few of my favorite unrealized visions - the 2D renderings of what could've been, here in Cincinnati...

Sky Loop.
Proposed in 1998, rejected in 2001 by OKI.

Promoted by Forward Quest (based in Covington, KY).

Olympic Park.
Proposed in 1996, eliminated 10/26/2001 by USOC selection committee.
Nick Vehr's vision and marketing efforts.

CMC Office Towers (1971).
Proposed redevelopment of the then-abandoned complex.

Broadway Commons, Over-the-Rhine.
Jim Tarbell's dream development for rejuvenating the old neighborhood.

Ovation, Newport KY.
Northern Kentucky's version of The Banks, via Bill Butler.

Millennium Monument, Newport KY (1997).
Proposed by Wayne Carlisle and David Hosea (DW Productions).
Only the foundational footings of the tower were set, in the
vacant parking lot next to the World Peace Bell structure.

McMillan Park, Clifton (2001).
Originally proposed by Dan Deering, only the left half was built.
Though, there's new hope for completion by Towne Properties.

Manhattan Harbor.
David C. Imboden's ongoing vision for Dayton, KY.
(aka The Banks/Ovation, Part 3).

Covington Harbor, Covington KY.
This is an extension of Bill Butler's Corporex development,
though Covington has had many announcements of this sort
(1998, 2003, etc.).

Fountain Square West.
Part of CAC's 1999 Unbuilt Cincinnati exhibit.
Concept reconstructed by Midwest Model Makers.

University Plaza, Clifton (2005).
Proposed redevelopment of Corryville (Short Vine) district.
Source: Building Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Gateways.
An artist's rendering of the proposed city gateways forming a "crown of light".
More info on this project at KZF Design.

This "unbuilt" trek through the city is one of my favorite pastimes, and will stretch into future posts detailing more specific aspects of our environment that never made it past the drawing board, including discussions on transportation, neighborhood planning, individual structures, and futuristic visions of Cincinnati in general. More pictures, expanded descriptions, and occasional visual aids (original artwork by me).

Until then, see below for a few more of my favorite drafts of the unrealized from earlier posts: Renascence Friday: Unbuilt Cincinnati (showcasing a pair of amazing illustrations from the 1999 CAC Unbuilt Cincinnati exhibit) and Procrastinators Synonymous (which highlights a couple of the old Millworks, Fifth & Race, and Banks plans).

"Crystal Forest", Fountain Square West.

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

Canal Reconstruction, Pete Rose Way.

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer.

The Banks, Cincinnati riverfront (1999).
Image source: Urban Design Associates.

You can find all three sections of The City to Scale in the Articles section in the sidebar.

• I used to have a ton of articles (+ illustrations) from the local papers (Downtowner, Citybeat, Enquirer & Post) that discussed many of these once promising plans for grand development - a lot of them coming to a fountainhead around the turn of the century - which were accidentally tossed out. So as future Unbuilt posts progress, please feel free to contact me if you have further information about them or anything else of interest.

• All images are owned and/or copyrighted by third-parties. If I haven't cited the image source, then I've temporarily misplaced it and am currently working to rectify the omission.

Fountain Square (1978)

2009-04-14T10:45:00.011-04:00

Click on the images for a larger view.

June 1978 (or at least that was the development date)... a long time ago. The Square looked a lot different back then - more like a traditional European plaza. Stark, arid, flat... the 70s.

I'm assuming my mom was taking the shot (as she always was), with my grandparents, dad, and sister by the fountain. In the first pic, I'm standing solo near the outer figure on the left of the fountain, entranced by the jets.

Additionally, noting that the US Census is around the corner (June 2010), and Mayor Mallory's valiant efforts to update the city's statistics recently, this is a small remembrance of times past: Even though the 70s marked Cincinnati's slow decline in population movement, it still had roughly 100,000 more people in it's borders than today (with Ohio being the 6th most populated state). A recent discussion on city life with a long-time downtown worker conjured up a vivid nostalgia of the streets' dawn-to-dusk vitality that existed in those days.

Renascence Friday: WCPO Handbook

2009-04-10T15:33:00.006-04:00

WCPO Employee Handbook, cover (1967-1976).
Illustration by -usterberg(?).

When things as simple as internal handbooks were illustrated with interesting fonts and matching hand-drawn line art.

• From Channel 9's website - specifically, the Pictures from the Past section (found from research from an earlier post on news stations' archives).

• Suspected date comes from reference inside the handbook to 1967, but during Jack R. Howards' reign at the station, which ended in 1976 [source].

The Sunday Paper

2009-03-29T12:08:00.020-04:00

So, I did something this morning that I haven't done in a long time - purchased & read the Sunday Enquirer - and it was actually kind of an interesting experience.

Not only has it been raised a quarter (to $1.75), but it's 3/4 of it's original size (dimensionally), seemingly holding half of the content that it once had (stories & ads alike), and missing a lot of the familiar names (staff cut, as reported recently) - a shell of it's former glory (if you ever wanted to call it that); resolute in it's hollow destiny it seems, as seen with its sister, The Post, and nationally.

The Cincinnati Enquirer Building (1915).

Image source.

Blame what you will on it's demise - the coverage, content, writing, management, etc. - but peer-to-peer information sharing is full upon us, which is seemingly just as powerful and believable and true "journalistic" reporting. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and the web in general, support this new mobile lifestyle and moment-by-moment reporting of everything and anything happening in each of our lives, and the result: Everyone is an exhibitionist, and anything can become popular culture in the blink of an eye... except newspapers.How can one wait for day-late inked stories on cellulose to arrive doorstep and still be relevant? Moreover, how can the makers of these assets expect one to pay for it?

The freedom that the internet provides is individual selectivity - control over our own interests, what we want to see and when we want to see it - not to be confined by the platter or time slot served to us by big media.

That being said, the drive to gain readership online has driven a raging popularity contest. This, to me, is a concern: The traditional news sources of yesterday are feeding into pop-culture mentality more than expounding upon intellectual pursuits. Not a big deal for those who wish to research on their own, but a problem for those who take front page reporting of the big networks seriously anymore - because it seems that objectivity is dead.

Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller

So, not only have I stopped buying the paper, but I've stopped reading it online as well. And the other big names aren't any better - for instance, have you gone to CNN.com lately? I sometimes confuse it with The Onion - it's amazing what they'll put on the headline, front page, "live developing story", and latest news, not to mention the sub headings. I may just be jaded right now, because it's not all bad, but overall it's just not good.

Maybe these trivialities of everyday existence have always been expounded upon, and I just haven't paid attention. Or maybe this is the down side of the internet - free, anytime information means no-holds-barred on content, editing, recycling, and updating. I suppose when printed media was all we had, the presentation had to be more selective, more informational, more resolute, because of it's slow, static, finite nature.

Anyway, I predict that printed media still viable will go the route of "papers" like Citybeat or Cin Weekly - driven solely by adverts and/or donations, and free to the public. And yet, this too will one day be antiquated (if it already isn't). Maybe Google had it right from the get go - all free, all the time, with ads dominating the particular item's viability... and only digital.

OK, that was a bit of a tangent.

The original reason for writing today was to share this article from today's Enquirer about WKRC (Channel 12) opening up their broadcast archives to the public. If you're interested in the history of the city, this is a great way to catch up on it. One of my personal favorites there is what the Enquirer showcased: Weatherman Ira Joe presenting his backward-writing skills in the 80s (Note: Partial fondness here derived from his residence down the street from mine when I was a kid).

Ira Joe Fisher (1980s).

Image source.

• Visit the WKRC-TV Video Vault.

• Additionally, the other local stations have released a bit of their past.
Some notables are:
- Channel 9's history and Uncle Al collection.
- Channel 5's history, Ruth Lyons collection and Paul Dixon Show.
- CET's Broadcast Pioneers and CUT's "Died Young" documentary.

• Update (5/29/9): This article discusses the issue of new media further, and references Cincinnati in the process.

• Update (10/10/9): Check out this progressive stance on the future of news, from 1981...

Story source: boing boing.
Video source: earhweek.

The City to Scale: Cincinnati Modeled

2009-03-11T14:39:00.010-04:00

Another interesting link sent to my inbox the other day sparked some thoughts about our local attempts at miniature reconstruction, segueing into part two of this series - the city, virtuallly.

"Virtual reality" tends to infer environments/experiences created digitally, but I think recreated tactile environments could fit that same bill - if not only for the unique storylines inferred while viewing (sans cord). Thus, this article is a short visual essay of the hand-built odes to Cincinnati.

Of course, CMC History Museum's great mockup of old Cincinnati is the grandaddy.

Source: Cincinnati Museum Center.

This project is easily on par with the models referenced in the WIRED article, for among other things, its non-linear layout, dedication to different decades, specific locations, detailed presentation, and interactivity. The following images represent those involved with the project's model development (making-of info at each of their sites):

Source: Dunham Studios.

Source: Midwest Model Makers.

Cincinnati in Motion is a masterpiece, but there are smaller projects definitely deserving recognition for their painstakingly accurate three-dimensional portrayals, such as:

The Mt. Adams Incline Model.

...and the many other balsa & styrofoam models inferring better days that have floated in and out of our collective consciousness. For instance, the Riverfront, then and "now":

Plans for the Riverfront [1970].
Source: See postscript.

Plans for the Riverfront [1982].
Source: Cincinnati-Transit.net
(Via Hurley's "Cincinnati: The Queen City").

Casual Plan for the Riverfront [1980s].
Source: The Cincinnati Kid @ UrbanOhio.com.

Planning for The Banks [recent].

Source: See postscript.

Planning for The Banks [recent].
Source: See postscript.

And finally, of course, we can't forget about the most notorious transportation proposal which was actually considered by our regional transportation initiative (OKI), the Skyloop - a monorail-like personal rapid transit system:

Skyloop.
Built by Roger Broering. Presented by Forward Quest.

Other additions here could be the many architectural models that have preceded our city's skyline (or attempts at it), such the original plans for the Millworks development in Oakley (seen in an earlier post, Procrastinators Synonymous).

One could argue that the models at the end (those of architects/planners) don't really fit this bill of creating model city landscapes for entertainment purposes, though, they're presented here for their general dedication and mastery in recreating to scale. Obviously, these types of models are used as presentations of what a structure or locale might look like if actually reproduced full-scale (the opposite process intended by this article section), which leads to the content of the soon-to-be-published Part 3 of this article:
The illustrated far-fetchedness and incredible conceptual artwork of Unbuilt Cincinnati.

• Images with correct source information have been appropriately cited, but I'm still lacking that info on several (though, I'm sure a few of them came from various users at UrbanOhio). I usually won't post something without remembering where it came from, but in this instance, they went up anyway because they've been shuttered for so long that I can't even begin to trace my footsteps to their origin. If anyone wants to claim them, please do so - I'll gladly reference you, or take the images down if requested.

Note: This site is never malicious in the posting of copyrighted material - nothing here is used for financial gain except for that which I have personally created.

Renascence Friday: Brunhoff's Modernity

2009-03-06T18:05:00.010-05:00

Just found these while trolling aimlessly through another's visual archives, and they're darn unique ... especially for postcards. I can't stop staring at the first one. So good...

View back of card here.

• Read about Brunhoff and his contributions to our city here, and an interesting article on his packaging designs here.

Rename Cincinnati's Newest "Neighborhood"

2009-03-04T16:41:00.012-05:00

Hopping onto "The Banks" renaming-bandwagon, I just thought I'd move this little tidbit along to those of you haven't heard (source: The Banks Blog & Business Courier):

Vote on a potentially new name for The Banks.

I like that they've already narrowed it down to four options, on top of the fact they're hinting that the associations with the current name reside in the mud. Here are the four choices:

Parkside • Riverfront District • Park District • The Banks

My selection: It was a good idea to leave the current name in there, because along with being the current crowd favorite, it also saves on rebranding everything. Parkside and Park District sound too Buckhead-ish to me, and honestly, any neighborhood with the word "park" in it should reside near one of the city's storied parks (i.e. Eden). Our city's park system has a rich history, and the most notable ones lie inland - I just can't make the connection with riverfront. Thus, I picked Riverfront District. It's not flashy, and doesn't have that staccato ring to it like The Banks, but it does remind me of the Riverfront Stadium glory days, while being helpfully obvious to out-of-towners, newbloods, and the like. I do like the The Banks, and honestly, I wouldn't mind if they kept it, but a new name with the new steel going in makes a lot of sense.

The current results of the poll are here.

• NOTE: I'm not digging Sawyer Point or Friendship Park by any means, nor the planned Riverfront Park, because I think they're all great & necessary additions to downtown, but they didn't build the city's rich heritage, they've only followed in their footsteps. Personally, I've supported and followed almost all of the city parks, and encourage their continual beautification and growth, but as far as the renaming of the new district on the river is concerned, I associate "banks" and "riverfront" with it much more than "park". Read about the Cincinnati Parks history here.

• Update (3/6/9): A funny writeup over at The Banks Blog on rejected name suggestions, and many other discussions on this topic floating around, like at Quim's and Pepper's blog.

Around Town

2009-03-04T09:58:00.013-05:00

Here are a couple of recently-written, local articles that are just outstanding (in my opinion) - check 'em out:

√ History: Queen City Discovery recently posted a great writeup on local, shuttered theaters. At first when seeing the headline, I thought it might be revisiting Allen J. Singer's content in Stepping Out in Cincinnati, but no - not right off the bat. After reliving some of memories of non-stadium-style seating, you're hit with a firsthand account of an OTR relic that shouldn't be missed - read it here.

QCD's excellent research and on-site reporting of the usually-forgotten local, built environment has made it top-fare in my blogroll. Here and here are a couple of my other favorites that demand attention.

√ Preservation: In related news, Kevin LeMaster (of the inveritable Building Cincinnati blog, who also writes for Soapbox Cincinnati), recently posted a great writeup on the Emery too - view it here - but, the focus for this post is on Soapbox in general. I've overlooked the site for far too long, but after seeing the recent posts by Kevin, and this incredible post by Casey Coston, no more.

√ Art: I haven't seen a lot of Brett Harper's work, but what I have seen, I really, really like - he is, of course, the son of Charley and Edie. A recent Fabulous Frames & Art post on Brett's work here.

There are a ton of other great daily posts and blurbs by other local sites (listed in the sidebar), which, if you love Cincinnati like I do, should definitely be read. Hmm... in the tradition of Visualingual's interesting, weekly Elsewhere posts, maybe I'll make this a regular thing... (another item on my imaginary, never-completed "to do" list for this site).

NOTE: For all the straggling followers of this blog still out there: Thanks. I'll try to post more consistently in the future.

The City to Scale: DigiCinci

2009-02-15T11:30:00.028-05:00

This may be old news to some of you, but I just ran across this challenge from Google:

Click on image to view project.

Again, this concept is not new, and I'm sure they're aiming for the kind of finishing that can be seen with their recent partnership with Disney, but it's still interesting.

Even before I got into motion graphics, I always thought it would be cool to recreate Cincinnati (or any city for that matter) digitally - with fully-immersive sensory technology - where you could stroll through the past or present, smell the environment, hear the sounds, purchase goods, or just interact socially. I know, I know... starting to sound like Second Life, but I don't care for that particular setup - I've tried it, and honestly, found it a bit lonely and unproductive, and not very visually appealing.

I really used to envision this idea as a more natural way to shop for goods online - traveling through a minutely-detailed rendering of the present environment, or by recreating some era in the past, as kind of a three-dimensional journal of the city's history.

Taking it a step further, it could be a good guide to future city planning - creating conceptual environments and letting citizens live in the digital creation for awhile to test out ideas before voting on them... like the streetcar, light rail, or even the subway (which I'm creating a narrative around right now). And yes, architects already do this through AutoCAD (and the like) for presentations of their constructions, but they don't offer it like this...

Immersive Cocoon by Tino Schaedler.
Click image to visit site, or read more here.

...or with this.

"Automatically adjusting media display in a personal display system."

Apple Patent (11/6/2008).
Source: Mac Rumors and US Patent & Trademark Office.

Gaming is already carving its way to this kind of realization, and VR is consitently making headway into our everyday lives, which is why I personally haven't pursued this concept any further (not to mention the huge amounts of unpaid time and energy it would take to model and write, plus store and process everything). Plus, bigger fish have already tested the waters: Disney's research in this area (specifically, Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride at DisneyQuest) and the whole "Smell-O-Vision" concept has been tried again and again (which again Disney has used in multiple attractions, esp. seen in my favorite 3D, dioramic visualizor, Horizons). Not to mention the many other independents who have waded here (just Google 'em - there are multitudes of articles floating around, for example).

Anyway, this Cincinnati vision of mine is currently all pie-in-sky, but it's a concept that I know will come to fruition sooner rather than later. Hey, Hollywood said it would, and we all know that art imitates life... and predicts the future.

For now though, I think I'll go take a stroll through the Public Landing at CMC's History Museum.

• Other recent articles on this note at Wired, and one of my favorite blogs, RetroFuture.

• UPDATE (3/6/9): This article arrived in my mailbox today.

Hope for the Present

2009-02-02T11:04:00.005-05:00

...and a bit of investing advice, per today's CNN Money article:

Photo source.

Then..."Candle maker William Procter and soap maker James Gamble joined forces to start a small household-goods business in Cincinnati. It was a risky move for the brothers-in-law: The shaky economy had a full six years of financial crisis ahead."

And now..."Because consumers rely on P&G products in good times and bad, it is considered a titan even in a rough economy."

Rubber or Rail?

2009-01-31T14:54:00.006-05:00

That's the gazillion-dollar question.

And it's being properly posed by Give Back Cincinnati at forums this coming Monday and Tuesday. Everyone can blog or write op-eds for the local paper, but what a better way to add some inflection to your opinion than speaking face-to-face with some of the most prominent decision-makers on Cincinnati transit issues.

STREETCAR PROPOSAL SOUNDING SESSION #1
CINCINNATI OPERA GARRETT BOARD ROOM, MUSIC HALL
FEBRUARY 2 & 3, 6-8 pm

And what a more fitting place to house the debate than an establishment with rails and cobblestones still strolling by the entrance...

Image source.

• Remember to RSVP here...and please remove gloves after arriving.

• Thanks to John at ProTransit.com for the heads up - a first-rate source of up-to-date news and events relating to this incredibly important issue in Cincinnati's history.

Renascence Friday: Winter Incline

2009-01-30T16:34:00.009-05:00

"Watching the Incline" by Nelson Ronsheim (1938).
Source: Michael G Smith.

This is a great shot of [one of the funiculars] with kids enjoying the wintry weather (sometime between 1937-1942), shot by the indelible Nelson Ronsheim. I know other Cincy bloggers have posted on him before (i.e. here), but if you still haven't visited Michael's Flickr site, I encourage you to do so - it hosts an amazing spread of his grandfather's artistry.

Ronsheim is definitely one Cincinnati artist who's flown under the radar for too long - for instance, he was a commercial and fine artist, and among other things, the youngest person to be accepted to the Cincinnati Art Academy at that time.

I'll soon be posting a series of articles detailing his life and work.Stay tuned!

The Reds Land Clooney

2009-01-16T19:35:00.010-05:00

My wife is a big fan of The Ellen DeGeneres' Show, and I've been notified of Ellen's recent unsuccessful attempts to lure George Clooney as a guest. After several tries, she finally called on some old Reds legends to drag him to the set. My wife thought Skyline would've done the trick nicely, but as things stand now, it'll just be Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan. Info here on the festivities, Monday, January 16th.

Speaking of Bench...
I recently ran across an excellent site on the glory days of malls past: Malls of America. Here you can find great coverage of the great suburban behemoths nationwide, including Cincinnati's, such as: Antiquated layouts of Tri-County Mall, several Jim Borgman mall commentaries, and - here's the tie-in - Johnny Bench's Home Plate Restaurant at Northgate Mall. What a find.

Image Source: Cincinnati Views.

• Remember, you can catch the Big Red Machiners on Ellen, 11/16, 10am on ABC 9.

• Additionally, feel free to meander through an old related post on nostalgia for my local mall.

Lost & Found

2008-12-16T12:33:00.017-05:00

When searching through an old box recently, I ran across these prints that I completely forgot I owned. Actually, they're just copies on old card stock, but good images nonetheless - a couple which I haven't seen anywhere else. Unfortunately there wasn't any other information on them - no date, location, or description - so I had to do my own research. If I labeled something incorrectly, or missed something altogether, please let me know.

As always, click on any image to enlarge. Enjoy.

Delta Queen on the bank of the Ohio River.

Island Queen at Coney Island.
More info about the steamer here.

Island Queen with onlookers.

Over the Rhine (?).
Not sure where this is exactly, but it reminds me of looking south
on Race Street, with Washington Park on the right.

Mt. Adams Incline.
From the top of Mt. Adams, looking west at downtown.

Mt. Adams Incline.
From downtown, looking east up at Rookwood Pottery.

Tyler Davidson Fountain.
This is looking east on 5th Street, at the back of the fountain,
toward Cincinnati's European immigrants' homeland.
More info about the fountain's placement here.

Tyler Davidson Fountain.
Looking west on 5th, at the front of the fountain.

Streetcar line on Freeman Avenue.
Looking north, with the canal at the end of the street
(now Central Parkway, of course) and the Fairview Incline in the distance.

Miami & Erie Canal and downtown Cincinnati.

Crowds at Eden Park.
Specifically, a band concert at the promenade
on Fulton Avenue (at the park entrance).
Info source [scroll to the bottom of that page
for more pics of this event].

Renascence Friday: Briol's Vine Street

2008-12-12T19:10:00.015-05:00

Vine Street, Downtown Cincinnati (undated).
Photo by Paul Briol (1889-1969).
Source: The Photography of Paul Briol: A Centennial Tribute.

Another interesting photo from a landmark Cincinnati artist, probably from the early 1920s. This is looking south on Vine Street (standing between 5th & 6th Street - which then was Opera Street), showcasing the statured architecture from an early pre-Carew Tower era.

Just for reference, the Union Central Life building is of course in the background, and the original Carew Building is the one with the clock tower (at the southwest corner of Fifth & Vine, before they razed the block for the massive Carew Tower complex).

The next closest is Rollman's department store (on the northwest corner of Fifth & Vine), and in the immediate foreground is the old Hotel Havlin. Interesting history resides with each structure, which is usually forgotten with a fate as unfortunate as theirs, so I might conjure it up one of these days.

Renascence Friday: Unbuilt Cincinnati

2008-11-21T09:55:00.009-05:00

Since I missed last friday's RF, I'll post two pics here, though, this is just a small sampling of a larger future post surrounding the many unrealized concepts for downtown Cincinnati.

"Crystal Forest" planned for Fountain Square West.

Source: Enquirer article by Tony Lang [8/16/98].

Canal Reconstruction along Pete Rose Way.
Source: Enquirer article by Tony Lang [8/16/98].

These drawings are just a few from the 1998 CAC show, Unbuilt Cincinnati.

I was in awe of this exhibit, and have since marked it as my favorite of all time - not only for my interest in concept drawings and notated processes, but for the fantastic insubordination of those artists/architects trying to break the mold of the city's modern conservatism. Of course, Cincinnati is no loser in attracting worldly architects and designers, and is probably a forerunner of stylistic architecture for cities of comparable size, but in terms of large scale planning, preservation and/or sale of a thematic model - #1 being the subway, #2 the streetcars/funiculars, #3 The Banks, #4 OTR neighborhood, etc. - we're living in the doldrums.

For me, these drawings, and that one exhibit 10 years ago, has kept that twinkle in the eye of Cincinnati sparkling. Realized or not, the visions alone of those seeking more for the city make unprosperous times bearable.

Renascence Friday: 1978 Hangover

2008-11-08T10:25:00.009-05:00

In remembrance of Cincinnati's once-great beer-making tradition...and the spectacular writing & acting of the 70s.

"Truck", Hudepohl Brewing Co [1978].
Source.

"Lady in Red", Hudepohl Brewing Co [1978].
Source.

• More info on Hudepohl's history here and here.

Turkeys of Thansgiving Past

2008-11-05T17:35:00.005-05:00

Well, Halloween is over, the Elections have passed, and now it's time to start thinking like retailers and focus on the impending holidays.

First off: Thanksgiving...Cincinnati-style:

"Turkeys Away", WKRP in Cincinnati (Air date: October 30 1978).
More info here.

Renascence Friday: The Beginning of the...Terminal

2008-10-31T12:46:00.005-04:00

Perspective rendering of the CUT.
Fellheimer & Wagner (1930-31).
Source.

Renascence Friday: Hello from Cincinnati!

2008-10-24T20:19:00.010-04:00

...from the noodled concrete urban wasteland of the midwest to you!

Postcard (198x).
Source.