Hilltop Press du lieu suivant : Cincinnati, Ohio • Page A4

4A 2016 NEWS 513-268-1186 Mayor John Cranley went on afour-day tour of city neighborhoods recently, surrounded by community leaders, as he announced project after project $38million worth to be exact that will be built with money from the sale of the Blue Ash airport, historic tax credits, a pecial taxing district and the efinancing of streetcar bonds. A nd College Hill will get a share of the bounty. On the list was $4 million for College Hill Station. Saint Francis Group will build a new development at Hamilton Avenue and North end Road, in which the city as already invested. College ill Station was approved by council at its June 29 meeting.

Those council approvals are helping College Hill make pro- ress on a project des igned to reshape and renew ife in its business district. The Saint Francis Group has apreferred development agreement with the city to help uide the future of almost 8 a cres acres of land at Hamilton A venue and North Bend Road. The site is envisioned to feature amixed-use development with retail, residential and office uses. Planned in the first project phase are two multistory esidential buildings with first- floor commercial space. he city is selling 5.3 acres of land, which formerly housed aKroger store, to Saint Francis Group for $1for the first phase development.

It will also kick in nearly $3.3 million to build two public garages and other public improvements. Saint Francis Group is expected to enter a long-term lease for up to 55 years for those garages with an option to buy them at the end of the term. Saint Francis also has an option to buy a 2.3-acre site across the street at North Bend and Hamilton for a future project. There are other projects in College Hill in the works. The city is working with T.J.

Ackermann and Ralph Meierjohan to prepare a new 36-home subdivision in neighborhood for the 2 016 Citirama home show. Coll ege Hill also gained 24 new omes following the 2014 Citi- rama show. And the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corp. obtained a $100,000 grant to renovate the former National ity Bank building at 5932 amilton Ave. to house a new estaurant.

Cranley drew up the list of projects after talking to several members of City Council, incor- orating some of their priori- ies. Many of the projects have een vetted in past hearings, Cranley said. the negotiations were done behind closed said ouncilwoman Yvette Simps on, who is weighing a mayoral un against Cranley. mayor alone was meeting with community members. That is what we want.

That was a big problem with the park levy; there was no community in- And that, she said, a nimosity because some neighborhoods never got a chance. We want to pit neighborhoods against each was it political? Cranley said absolutely not. view it as political, I view it as keeping my said Cranley, who campaigned on a platform of investing in neighborhoods. are communities who have been waiting for As for remarks, Cranley retorted: is good at finding money for the streetcar, but not for neighborhoods. Talk is press conferences came as the city was finalizing its fiscal year 2017 budget.

Under the charter, the city manager proposes a budget and he mayor then proposes his hanges. The council then gets inal say. approach was unusual in that, rather than just offering suggestions, he hosted community leaders (and invited all council members) to a tring of press conferences at hich he offered his budget hanges. This the first large- scale neighborhood investment plan. In 2012, former Mayor ark Mallory created Focus 5 2, a program that directed $27 illion to neighborhood projects that were publicly vetted by the planning commission.

Cranley cut the program i fiscal year 2015, redirecting asino revenue to the general und to avoid a deficit. have room to grow a city with everyone. That is when it really becomes a Cranley told the dozens of people gathered for one of the press confer- nces. Mary Burke Rivers, execu- ive director of Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, publicly thanked Cranley and Vice Mayor David Mann, saying, ou so much. I want to say we love you right Sara Sheets, executive director of the Madisonville Community Urban Redevelopment praised the wide range of projects.

Neighborhoods are where we spend most of our she said. are where we teach kids how to ride bikes, where meet our friends in coffee shops, where we have backyard barbecues, where we create our memories. are so lucky to have div erse neighborhoods with character and personality. Some of hem just need a little help to reach their full Bowdeya Twehcontributed to this story. College Hill gets a share as the city hands out project funding ABOUT THE PROJECTS Recreation Renovation: $3.5 million.

The city will comm it the money toward a new recreation centeron the East Side. It will replace an existing facility on Paxton Avenue in Oakley, which is a repur- osed restaurant. Avondale Town Center: $2 million. Part of Avondale Town Center will be torn down, with the rest moved closer to the street. It will get a ull-service grocery, laundry the first in Avondale dental office, health clinic and apartments.

Hill development: $3.2 million. $3 million will be given the ort Authority for development with the caveat that it must partner with Bond Hill community leaders on capital projects in that neighborhood. The city will also provide $200,000 a year for the next five years or what will be called the Community Economic Advancement Initiative. Commons: $450,000. The city will buy the Alaska Commons site in Avondalefrom National Church Residences to make sure the neighborhood has a say in the future development, possibly using it for a future Citirama site.

The money will also help National Church Residences build housing for homeless people in South Cumminsville. Avondale development: $750,000. This money will be used for the redevelopment of property at Reading and Paddock roads, which is already owned by the county landbank. Price Hill business district: $2 million. The city will work ith Price Hill Will to develop a mixed-use project in the business district, though no site has been chosen yet.

Hill Station: $4 million. Saint Francis Group will build a ew development at Hamilton Avenue and North Bend Road, which the city has already invested in, Westwood Square: $4 million. This will be used to create acom- munity gathering space and park, which will incorporate streetscaping, traffic calming and pedestrian accessibility. Wasson Way: $12 million. The recreation trail will go 7.6 miles from Victory Parkway to the Little Miami Bike Trail, with this money being used to buy the a 4.1mile portion of the trail from Norfolk Southe rn.

$4 million. This mixed-use development at Madison Road and Whetsel Avenue will include 300 a partments, retail and office space, and parking. affordable housing: $2 million. This money will be used to continue affordable housing, plus bring new affordable ousing and market rate housing to all city neighborhoods. Exactly where has not been determined, housing: $2 million.

These projects been i dentified, but will be used for affordable housing projects across the city. Mayor offers $38M for neighborhood projects Sharon Coolidge.