Cincinnati52: Over-the-Rhine 2012 and 2013
Cincinnati52 will be part of a photographic series, similar to
Kentucky County Seats, that will explore
Cincinnati, Ohio's eccentric and diverse neighborhoods, from the basin to the hilltops. I begin the series with a gallery from
Over-the-Rhine in 2012 and in January and April 2013.
It is of course natural to start at
Washington Park, which is bounded by Elm, Race, West 12th and West 14th streets. The land was initially used as a burial ground for a local Presbyterian church that had relocated from the central business district, followed by burial plots for Episcopal and German Protestant churches and lastly as a Civil War cemetery. But due to health concerns related to the stench of bodies at the cemetery, the remains were relocated to Spring Grove and Wesleyan cemeteries. The current Washington Park was constructed in 1855 atop cemetery. In 1958, Washington Park School was constructed as an anchor on the northern half of Washington Park.
Planning for a revamped Washington Park began on January 2007 with a public meeting with the Cincinnati Park Board and Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC). Washington Park School, which anchored Washington Park to the north along West 14th Street, was set to close at the end of the school year in 2007 and Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) had proposed to sell the building and to construct a new facility on lots bounded by Vine, Mercer, Walnut and East 14th Street. Those parcels were purchased from Western & Southern Financial in 2004, and contained 22 historic structures that had been planned for rehabilitation into market-rate housing. Another proposal called for a smaller Washington Park School replacement at Walnut and 14th streets instead of CPS’s preferred site at Central Parkway and Elm Street.
But in late-2005, facing a steep decline in enrollment at its Over-the-Rhine schools, took the school building off the market and put a new neighborhood school on the back burner. Western & Southern resumed plans for what became
Mercer Commons.
In November 2007, the Washington Park School was razed.
Elements on the park rehabilitation included,
* The construction of a 500-space underground parking garage in the northern half of the park.
* The expansion of Washington Park on top of the garage. It would increase the park size to six acres
* A dog park at Race and 13th streets.
* A 1/4-acre children’s playground.
* Water features, such as a spray ground. The water features would replace the swimming pool, which had long been targeted for closure.
* Civic green.
* Open-air performance stage.
The Cincinnati Planning Commission approved of a concept plan for Washington Park on June 18, 2010 and approved of the final plan on June 28. Design and construction documents were 70% completed for the project, and bids for construction were let in July.
Funding for the $47.3 million park and garage was derived from $25.5 million in private investment and $21.8 million in public funds. An additional $12.9 million was used via New Market tax credits.
Excavation on the garage began on August 17, but was delayed only a week after when 23 grave shafts, 15 of which contained remains, were discovered. Any human remains discovered were re-interred at Spring Grove Cemetery. Construction on the park began on November 23 by Turner Construction Company and Forest Park-based Megen Construction Company. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on December 17. Washington Park was officially reopened on July 6, 2012. The facility employs six 24-hour park ambassadors that pick up trash, give directions, troubleshoot and welcome guests, is monitored around-the-clock by 40 video cameras and is open from 7 AM to 11 PM.
Below:
Memorial Hall as viewed from Washington Park.
Nast Trinity United Methodist Church is located at 1310 Race Street and is a historic congregation of the United Methodist Church. Designed by Cincinnati architect Samuel Hannaford and constructed in 1881, Nast Trinity was the first German Methodist Church to be established in the world. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 due to its architectural significance and the prominence of its architect.
First English Lutheran Church is located at 1208 Race Street, with services held in English instead of German, hence the name. The congregation was founded in 1841 and the present-day structure was designed by Crapsey and Brown and constructed in 1894. It included a bell tower 130-feet high and various Gothic architectural elements, including gargoyles.
Saengerhalle is an office and restaurant development at the northeast corner of
Washington Park along Race Street. The project, undertaken by Northpointe Group and 3CDC, included the restoration of three historic structures and new construction. Fifth Third Bank Community Development Corporation provided financial assistance by providing $2.3 million in New Market Tax Credits, $1 million in Federal historic tax credits, $900,000 in Ohio Historic Tax Credits and $4.1 million in NMTC Equity. Both Northpointe and 3CDC, as part of the project, moved their respective offices to the space. The 32,750 square-foot development was completed in February 2011 at a cost of $8.3 million.
Below: 3CDC's office.
Bakery Lofts is located at 1421-23 Race Street and features nine residences. Constructed in 1855, the four-story building housed a bakery for nearly 100 years. The building was redeveloped by Urbanis LLC who served as developer in partnership with 3CDC, and designed by the Schickel Design Company. Graybach Construction served as the general contractor. The building rehabilitation cost was $2.35 million and the project was dedicated on April 4, 2013. Bakery Lofts is part of 3CDC’s $29.7 million fifth phase of redevelopment in Over-the-Rhine.
Below: A view near sunset along Race Street.
Below:
City Home is located at 1406-1422 Pleasant Street and at various other locations north of Washington Park. This photograph showcases the West 14th and Race street rehabilitation.
The
Hummel Building is located at 1401 Elm Street at West 14th Street, and was constructed circa 1875-1880. The building was constructed by George Hummel for his George Hummel Saloon and the George Hummel Daily Market. Having immigrated to the United States in 1870, Hummel lived in Cincinnati for over 40 years.
Below: West 14th Street at Pleasant Street.
Park Haus is a collection of nine buildings around Washington Park, and is being developed by Daniels Homes and John Hueber Homes.
Below: The Kirby Building was constructed in 1885.
Below: The four-story structure, 1313 Vine Street, is a stabilized 3CDC-owned building.
Below: An old hotel converted transitional shelter along West 12th Street.
Below: An old advertisement at 1308 Vine Street.
Below: West 15th and Race streets.
Below: Rehabilitation and stabilization projects are now ongoing north of West 15th Street on Pleasant Street.
Below: A glance east on West 15th Street.
Below: A project on Elm Street that never took off.
Below: Various buildings along Elm Street north of West 14th Street.
Below: A view eastward along 13th Street.
Music Hall is regarded as the Queen City’s premier classical music performance hall. I rephotographed it for three silhouettes.
Mercer Commons is located between Vine and Walnut streets, and consists of the rehabilitation of 19 buildings and the redevelopment of 26 vacant parcels of land amongst 2.67 acres. The $53.5 million project, split into three phases, is the largest redevelopment project in the neighborhood to date, and will result in 126 apartments, 30 of which will be affordable, 28 market-rate condominiums, 17,600 square-feet of commercial space, a 340-space parking garage, and a 19-space parking lot along 14th Street. The project is being developed by 3CDC, Northpointe Group and McCormack, Baron and Salazar.
The first phase of Mercer Commons will result in 23 condominiums, five townhomes, 3,900 square-feet of retail space and the parking garage, and will open in September 2013.
Below: A view down East 14th Street between Vine and Walnut streets.
Below: Construction is progressing along Mercer Street.
Below: Work is progressing on the parking garage.
Below: Vine at Mercer streets.
Below: A view north along Jackson Street showing the scale of the new parking garage.
Below: Part of a facade collapsed on Mercer Street after an unfortunate incident.
Below: A view south along Rodney Alley towards buildings along Mercer Street.
Trinity Flats is located at 14th and Vine Street, and includes one new building and two rehabilitated structures. The 25 flexible, open units feature eco-friendly bamboo flooring and garage parking. The $6 million development, completed by The Model Group, was financed with a $1 million city grant and $5 million from the Cincinnati New Markets Fund I.
Below: June 2009 view.
Below: April 2013.
Below: A view north along Vine Street towards Liberty Street.
Below: A beautiful circa 1873 structure being rehabilitated.
Below: A view north along Vine Street towards 15th Street and the
Paint Building. The project was completed in late-2012 at a cost of $4.2 million by 3CDC.
Below: Updated imagery of
Duncanson Lofts in the 1200 block of Vine Street.
Below:
Parvis Lofts, previously covered, is in the 1400 block of Vine Street.
Below: A view of a structure along Race Street from Washington Park.
Below: Along West 14th Street east of Race Street towards Trinity Flats.
Below: Some renovated and not-so-renovated buildings along East 12th Street between Walnut and Clay streets.
Below: Residences at East 13th and Jackson streets.
Below: Sad buildings at East 14th and Walnut streets.
Below: A view of the junction of Main, McMicken and Liberty streets.
The
Rothenberg School is located at Main and Clifton streets, and was designed by Frederick W. Garber’s firm, Garber & Woodward, who was also responsible for other school structures within the city. The school, constructed from 1911 to 1914, was named after it’s first principal, Louis Rothenberg. The school was later vacated and students were housed in the former Vine Street Elementary building on Vine Street in preparation for rebuilding of the Rothenberg School.
The school was slated for demolition, but was instead rehabilitated. It will reopen in August 2013 as Rothenberg Preparatory Academy.
The
Globe Building is located at 1801-1805 Elm Street at Elder Street adjacent to
Findlay Market, and is being rehabilitated to contain ground floor restaurant space with offices above. The Corporation for Findlay Market will lease some space from the building.
Below: And some updated
Findlay Market images.
Below: There is just one day of the year where the sun sets directly behind the center of Music Hall.
Below: Some bonus photographs of the Cincinnati skyline and
Queen City Square.
![](http://urbanup.net/wp-content/gallery/queen-city-square/20130214-_dsc0039.jpg")
Enjoy!
Linear Mode
