Alistair Probst, Alistair Probst, ChangChang Suo, Kirstie Suo, Kirstie Laatsch, Laatsch, Yilin Yilin Li,Li, Yue YueYan Yan Fall, Fall,2015 2015
CONTENTS Introduction
p.03
Youth Education Strategy
Zone Change
p.10
Community Organization
p.15
Commercial Development Strategy
p.20
Housing Infill & Rehab Strategy
p. 40 Public Space Transportation Activation Strategy Strategy Implementation
p. 25 p.30
p.35
p.48
Introduction
Introduction This document is the culmination of our Plan Making Workshop course, in the School of Planning at DAAP for the fall semester of 2015. The aim of the course was to work in collaboration with representatives of the West End neighborhood in Cincinnati to develop proposals for specific planning and design interventions to address the needs of the community. Rather than completing a plan for the neighborhood as a whole, several specific projects which complement each other were chosen to attend to the needs of the neighborhood. Our specific project focused on enhancing the Brighton district of the West End. Prior to making recommendations for Brighton, we completed a SWOT analysis, demographic analysis, physical analysis, and received public input from neighborhood residents to inform our recommended proposals.
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Context of the West End Neighborhood The West End neighborhood is rich in history and culture (riches to rags). Located northwest of downtown Cincinnati, the area became well known and later famous for its industry, wealthy residents and industry owners. Through various evolutions there have been breweries, manufacturing factories, pork packing facilities along with other various industries and companies. Wealthy families and residents such as the Barr’s and Betts purchased large tracts of land in the early 1800’s and eventually developed/built many of the historical buildings that are still standing to this day. Some of the buildings are now protected by the National Historic Register and are one of the largest concentrations of Italianate Architecture in the Country. Once upon a time it was a place for cottages and greenery with some of the largest parks in the city, but today it’s one of the densest places within the City of Cincinnati.
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Wealthy Cincinnatians who made their homes there included Mayor George Hatch, John Hauck of the nearby Hauck Brewery and Sooty Acres (now the Civic Garden Center), and Andrew Hickenlooper, founder of the Cincinnati Gas Light & Coke Company (later Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company). Today, the neighborhood like many inner-city communities, struggles with blight, disinvestment and crime. (Source: Cincinnati Bicentennial)
Figure 1. West End Location Map
Figure 2. West End Factory District
Brighton is a district located within the West End neighborhood of Cincinnati. Separated from the rest of the West End by Bank St, Brighton is almost a neighborhood within a neighborhood. Brighton’s loosely defined borders include: Bank St (south), Central Parkway (north), Linn St (east) and Spring Grove Ave (west).
Historic Background Of Brighton Brighton is one of the three older neighborhood districts within the city with a long history of industry and low-income housing. Brighton began as a village, which grew at the intersection of Colerain and Central Ave in the 1800’s and within time became “Brighton Corner” which was one of Cincinnati’s most bustling business intersections, filled with various businesses such as taverns, inn’s and hotels. There were several modes of beneficial transportation such as the Horse Car Line between Brighton and downtown that opened in 1859, Cincinnati Street Railroad Company which also traveled between Brighton and downtown and the Miami & Erie Canal that was constructed between 1825-1827 which ran right through Brighton making the valley even more accessible. At that time most of the city’s slaughtering was in Deer Creek Valley at the foot of Mt. Adams. Brighton began to house a cluster of these businesses because Colerain Pike was a popular route for drivers bringing livestock to Cincinnati. By the 1830’s, slaughterhouses were established and in full production near Clearwater Creek and Bank Streets, emptying into the Mill Creek. From 1880 to 1910, slaughterhouses and manufacturing began to leave Brighton for more modern and spacious facilities around the city.
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Figure 3. Brighton Location Map
Population then declined from several thousand in 1930’s to several hundred in the 1980’s. The flood of 1937 and the Great Depression contributed to business and population decline, initially. Furthermore, when I-75 was created in 1950, things grew even worse for the struggling neighborhood because it granted people access to new business centers with which Brighton had a hard time competing with. By the 1980s, businesses had to specialize to survive because they could no longer rely on the neighborhood walk-in market. Source: (A Bicentennial Guide to Cincinnati, Volume 1).
Figure 4. The Brighton House as it appeared in 1850.
06 Figure 5. Historic photo of the Brighton carbarns on Harrison Avenue, taken in 1983 before the complex was demolished.
Current Impressions/ Identity of the Community If you were to walk through Brighton nowadays, you would see crumbling sidewalks with weeds, lots of blank walls, fences, and trash. It would smell like a farm from the beef slaughterhouse and like pickles from the local pickling company. During the day you would hear trucks delivering and transporting. At night you would hear the rumbling of revving engines and occasionally loud music from bands practicing or underground parties. This is the character of Brighton and part of the appeal for some. Today, Brighton is beginning to see a brighter light! Still filled with some light industrial/manufacturing businesses along with some social service organizations, a bar, hardware store and a variety of businesses in the recently renovated Brighton-Mohawk building. Brighton has been home to an eclectic free-spirited range of people for a while. There are artists, gutter punks, musicians, makers, motorcycle clubs, pop-up art and party venues etc. that fill the neighborhood in a very discreet way. The neighborhood may look blighted from the outside but behind some of the graffitied broken windows and brick walls there is life and creativity. This is part of the appeal and charm of the neighborhood. Large loft spaces in an urban environment with low rents and little regulation on what can and cannot be done in the space is very attractive to this enterprising/ alternative group of people. Within the last few years, people have started to buy and renovate buildings within the neighborhood. Figure 6- 8. Brighton existing condition
Figure 9. Brighton social/economic
Demographics We completed demographic research for the northern part of the West End, which includes Brighton. According to the Census data 2010, four neighborhood blocks make up the research area. Block group 1 has the lowest renter occupied rate 74.6% among those 4 groups, while 25.5% people own their house here. The second highest rent rate is block group 3, which includes approximately half of Brighton. Based on the above research, we calculated the mean renter occupied rate is 84.5%, which can indicate that there should be about 84.5% people rent houses in Brighton. In other words, a large share of Brighton’s population are in the lower incomes groups.
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Figure10. Brighton population density
Housing conditions Based on the current Housing Characteristics research, a few things are evident. Brighton has relatively little remaining housing stock. Of that housing stock, the rent per square foot is very low compared to some neighboring regions. It appears that a majority of the housing stock is Section 8 or otherwise subsidized housing. In some cases, there are
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Figure11. Brighton current housing characteristics
historic buildings being renovated to become housing, especially the upper floors of some commercial or residential buildings.
Public Input Throughout the research process we have conducted impromptu interviews with long/short time residents, business owners and property owners. Throughout the interviews, we aimed to gain knowledge with questions such as: Why the resident lives there?, What attracted them to the neighborhood?, What they like about the neighborhood? What don’t they like about the neighborhood? What needs and desires do they have for the neighborhood? Would they be open to a zoning change etc. Based on some of the findings we have planned some strategies for the neighborhood in order to suffice the community’s desires and needs. In order to further develop our strategy recommendations we would need to host a series of community meetings in order to fine tune the strategies for improving the neighborhood.
Assets and Needs Through interviews, personal observation, data and research there has been a list of current assets and needs produced for the Brighton neighborhood. Current Assets: Arts Affordable Social Connections Quiet Location to surrounding neighborhoods Businesses Park Storefronts Walls
Current needs: Clean up streets Improve safety Provide amenities More housing and businesses More studio space Retain current businesses Odor control Allow flexible uses
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Figure12. Brighton existing condition
SWOT Analysis
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Strengths 1. High density of arts/culture population and facilities within a relatively small geographic area; 2. An eclectic mix of diverse residents and business owners; 3. Strong connectivity/ legibility afforded through the grid pattern of the city center and adjacent areas 4. Close location to downtown and nearby activity centers; 5. An existing proven bike system convenient to Brighton.
Weaknesses 1. Lacking major amenities (restaurants/food, stores, etc.); 2. Perception of crime/poverty in the area; 3. Current zoning is restrictive; 4. Visually unappealing streetscapes, such as fenced parking lots and blank walls; 5. Quantity of housing is low; 6. Lacking a Business Association;
Figure13 - 16. SWOT analysis
Opportunities 1. Underutilized buildings for reuse (commercial, housing, art studios); 2. Vacant lots for new development; 3. Many local artists in Brighton to participate in murals and public art ; 4. Many buildings in the area are being rehabbed.
Threats 1. Large-scale redevelopment of Brighton could be exclusionary, or cause the existing population to leave; 2. Existing businesses could be expanding and taking over surrounding parcels/ properties 3. Some of the existing businesses frequently block the streets
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Entity for Implementation The implementation of this project recommendations must be carried out by a local nonprofit group with the ability to acquire and develop property as well as establish the programs which are recommended in our proposal. The Brighton Improvements Corporation is a local nonprofit which focuses on specific types of community development and overall enhancement of the Brighton District of the West End. As a nonprofit, the Brighton Improvements Corporation is able to purchase and hold property, apply for the various types of tax credits / tax abatements, and partake in community enhancement projects.
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Figure17. Planning process
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Figure18. Concept plan
Vision Our vision for the Brighton district of the West End Neighborhood focuses on commercial development, which is sensitive to the district’s existing character, in combination with enhanced connectivity, public space improvements, housing infill, and a zoning overlay district, to provide the ideal enhancement of Brighton.
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Zone Change
Zoning Overlay District
Zone Change
Currently, the majority of the Brighton neighborhood is zoned Manufacturing General but upon observations and research, this class of zoning is no longer suitable for the growing demand of housing and other mixed uses within the Brighton neighborhood. Based on our current knowledge, observations and interviews with some property owners, a more suitable zoning for the area would be Urban Mixed District. The Urban Mixed District would better meet the existing and growing needs of the neighborhood. The current zoning regulations have created a barrier for redevelopment in the Brighton neighborhood. Some property owners are not legally allowed to turn their dwelling or home into housing. This causes a loss in potential housing stock, illegal renting, illegal rehabilitation, thus producing vacant buildings and land throughout the neighborhood. The change in zoning would provide the opportunity for development to take place if it is desired without drastically changing Brighton’s existing identity drastically. The change in zoning would not restrict business that currently reside.
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Zone Change
18 Figure19 - 20. Area zoning & Land use
Current Zoning Vs. Land Use a. Currently Zoned Manufacturing General b. Existing Land use suggests a different zoning class c. Referring to the Cincinnati 2012 Plan, the Brighton District is proposed to be the industrial Mixed Use.
Purpose of the Urban Mix District according to the City of Cincinnati a. Provide a balance of uses and amenities fostering a vital economic, livable and cultural area and enhance its urban, aesthetic qualities.
c. Preserve, create and enhance pedestrian-oriented streets to encourage retail, entertainment, residential and office vitality and improve the quality of life for district residents, visitors and workers. d. Provide quality public spaces, such as urban street corridors, by maintaining the physical continuity of the street edge created by buildings. e. Bring most daily activities within walking distance, giving the elderly, young and disabled increased independence of movement. f. Reduce the number of automobile trips; minimize congestion, consumption of resources and air and noise pollution.
Figure 21. District zone overlay
a. Inform and consult with the property owners and community members about the Zoning Overlay District (Urban Mix District). b. Collect signatures of interested property and business owners. c. Letter of support from West End Community Council and a City Council Member. d. Submit to the City to review for approval.
Zone Change
b. Protect and enhance historic, cultural, economic and architectural resources.
Implementation
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Community Organization
Community development organization that provides a wide spectrum of affordable and supportive housing options with life-changing programs that help low-income residents in Brighton succeed. Mission of the community organization shall focuse on works to build and sustain a diverse neighborhood that values and benefits low-income residents: 1) Build a sustainable, dense and diverse neighborhood that values and benefitsthe residents, 2) Create an inclusive community in this evolving historic district, and 3) Advocate on behalf of its residents, 4) Ensure the amount of and provide access to quality open green spaces, 5) Encourage the usage of environmental friendly transportation tools such as biking and public transportation, 6) retain the existing cultural and social activities and encourage more such activities that would benefit the community.
Community Organization
Figure 22. Mission
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Commercial Development Strategy
Commercial Development
result, many of the once vital storefronts are left
Given the current fabric of the neighborhood, there is an exciting opportunity for this neighborhood to expand on what it currently has. The abundant amount of available storefronts could provide residents and businesses with potential jobs. There are a range of possibilities with regard to the storefronts that could potentially unite residents and existing businesses and also attract new businesses that could cater to the needs of the neighborhood. Figure 23. Existing elements of Brighton
Based on observations and research data we see an opportunity for commercial development. There are many existing underutilized storefronts as well as empty vacant lots that could be utilized in a more strategic way. Historically, the Central Ave Business Corridor was one of the busiest street in Cincinnati with a variety of shops and prosperous street life. Nowadays, many of the activities that represent the life of Brighton have left the beautiful buildings. As a
vacant and local industry giants, such as Tri State Beef has taken advantage of the situation to claim historic mixed used buildings as their administrative office without any consideration of its contribution to the streetscape. In fact, being the office of industry business that does not have a community client base, these buildings has closed themselves and become holes of the streetscape. At the meantime, “thanks” to the absence of enforcing authorities, Brighton District
According to the analysis of existing business and community organizations (shown in the figure below), it is found that existing offices are scattered around Brighton and leaving the middle part of Central Ave lacking of businesses activities and stakeholders.
Commercial Development Strategy
became the ideal location for underground music and art to grow. Today, underground artists and makers has become an important part of Brighton’s culture. Just as other neighborhoods, these artists are trying to make a difference while living a joyful life. However, due to the renter status of these artists and makers, they are also very vulnerable to future changes. In our plan, the team has paid careful attention to the effect on groups that are less advantageous in the market place. In addition, while taking a formal approach to establish a plan for Brighton’s Renaissance, the plan should admire and embrace the informality that Brighton has right now. Don’t plan out every little bit of the district and leave room to breath.
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Strategy
Commercial Development Strategy
Objective 1: Partner with the city’s planning department to develop a commercial storefront guideline
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Inspired by the Tidy Street project in Brighton England, the plan proposed to host a semi-annual event of storefront competition, inviting the whole community to be the jury. The Tidy Street project used spray-painted diagram on the public street in indicate daily energy use performance of the participating residents. Low cost materials were used and the street attracted many public attention by its creative approach. Using the similar technique, the plan is suggested to use scores as the numeric measure of each storefront on Central Ave based on storefront guidelines with the “Brighton standards�. Based on this score report, diagrams are developed using green, orange and red and being spray painted on Central Ave. Due to seasonally difference, such event can be hosted twice a year. A grant / price is suggested to award the best performing storefronts Figure 25. Storefront
Property Ownership a. Total of 773 Parcels b. Major Parcel Owners: c. City of Cincinnati d. Land holding LLC e. Large scale industrial business owners f. Individuals: Norman, etc. g. Majority of the buildings with historic storefronts are owned by individuals.
Figure 24. Ownership
Objective 2: Infill empty storefronts, major goal being a restaurant/cafe, aiming to use locally produced food product. Location: 2137 Central Ave
Objective 3: Create a Business Association Such business association could be its own non-profit entity or under an larger existing community organization. Storefront Performance Guidelines Interesting storefronts is not only a showcase of the business, but also pleasant visual elements of the
street experience. Up & performing storefronts attracts more “looking” and “stopping” activities and slow down pedestrian & Car traffic, which greatly contributes the life of the street. Such code usually focuses on: Signage Tarnsom SASH Bulkheads Security Gates Cornice Windows Lighting Awning Display Window
Commercial Development Strategy
Considering the presence of food industries in the community, such as Kaiser Pickles, Waterfield Greens and Tri-state Beef, the plan found the it would be great to unify these food products that are prepared locally and establish a local food cafe as the new food amenity in Brighton. According to community interviews, many food places have left the neighborhood due to many reasons and leaving this part of West end as a food desert. Being able to open such a cafe is supposed to allow these businesses have a stronger presence in Brighton. To select a location, the
plan suggested the vacant storefront next to the long time business Harke Hardware is ideal. By clustering with the existing business, this block could become the catalyst block of commercial development in Brighton.
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Figure 26. Storefront evaluation
Local Cafe: 2137 Central Ave
Creative Enterprise Grants
Currently, we see industrial businesses buying out historic commercial / mixed-use buildings as their offices without maintain the function of an interesting shop front.
A major weakness of Brighton is the lack of food Location next to historic Hartke Hardware on Central Ave business district is ideal Existing facade can become a high quality storefront according to Facade Guide
ArtWorks Big Pitch presented by U.S. Bank is a 10week mentorship program and pitch competition for established artists, makers, designers, and creative entrepreneurs competing for up to $20,000 in business grants. Mentors would be provided from the organization to form ideas and final panels. Finalists were selected to pitch a panel prepared by the team. The 20,000 dollars grant is divided to $15,000 business grant and $5,000 audience grant
Commercial Development Strategy
Infill Brighton’s Storefronts
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Figure 27. Storefront improvement sites
Storefront Performance Incentive Program a. Involves community residents and business owners to maintain and upgrade existing storefronts. b. Quarter to semi-annually community wide event. c. Individual performance and block performance would be taken into account.
Commercial Development Strategy
Figure 28. A incentive approach of Tidy Street, Brighton England
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Figure 29. Storefront improvement incentive in Brighton
Storefronts of Different Purposes Example of storefront improvemetn: a. A major weakness of Brighton is the lack of food Cafe serving locally sourced, affordable food b. Location next to historic
Commercial Development Strategy
TRI STATE BEEF
c. Hartke Hardware on Central Ave business district is ideal d. Creative Enterprise Grants provided by Artworks can used as initial funding for the cafe
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Figure 30. Storefront improvement example
Associated with existing business
“Themed” storefronts utilizing adjacent outdoor space
With “covered” but performing storefront
Commercial Development Strategy
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Figure 31 - 33. Storefront improvement examples
Housing Infills & Rehab
Current Housing Characteristics a. Very little remaining housing stock b. Very Low rent / sq. ft. compared to its surrounding neighborhoods c. Majority of the existing housing is Section 8 d. Historic buildings converted to housing e. Second floors of some housing buildings currently under rehab
Housing Infill & Rehab Strategy
Given the current state of the neighborhood, and based off of the public input received, there is an opportunity and demand for more housing. There are a variety of buildings/warehouses that could be retrofitted for live-work units, which would represent a bridging of two areas of opportunity for Brighton. Additionally, there is opportunity for new housing infill in several underutilized lots in Brighton.
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Objective 1 Rehab existing industrial property at 2130 Colerain Ave (Site A) for live/work units with some gallery and storefront space (including an opportunity for “Popup” shop space).
Housing Infill & Rehab Strategy
Site A: Rehabbed industrial building with live/work units NEED MAP Number of Units: 24 two-story Live/Work Units Unit Size: 500 sq. ft. living space 450 sq. ft. working space Storefront: Rotating gallery space, storefront displays, and pop-up shop space
The goal of rehabbing the former industrial building located at Site A is to provide live/work units, something that the City of Cincinnati does not currently have. These affordable live/work units will meet the demand for new housing in Brighton, and provide more space for artists and makers. The gallery space, storefront displays with pop-up shop space, and multipurpose space is ideal for supporting the artists/ makers financially for retail, gallery openings, and holding other events. These units will be priced
affordably. Figure X shows a hypothetical example of the two-storey live/work units. Implementation will be carried out by the community development entity. a. Acquire the former industrial building at 2100 2137 Patterson Street. The total market value of the property is $47,750. b. Apply for applicable tax credits: Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Reclamation/Remediation Tax Credits c. Find additional funding (Ohio Housing Finance Agency - Housing Development Gap Financing, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Federal Block grants, Haile Foundation, financial support from LISC because of neighborhood’s Place Matters status, other grants) d. Secure a developer for the project
Figure 35. Site A Existing Condation
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Figure 34. Site A location Figure 36. Site A Case study : Two-story live/work unit example from Toronto
Figure 37. Site A Floor plan
Housing Infill & Rehab Strategy
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Figure 38. Site A Render
Objective 2
Housing Infill & Rehab Strategy
Develop market rate and affordable housing infill in several locations
Site 1: Market rate and affordable development (located at 2125 Patterson Ave, labeled 1 in figure X above). This project includes both market rate and affordable units, with the majority consisting of units affordable at 60% Area Median Income or below. Number of units: 51 29 one bedroom apartments 12 two bedroom apartments 10 three bedroom apartments Parking: Surface lot with 42 spaces
Implementation will be carried out by the community development entity. a. Acquire the property. The total market value of the land is $41,180. b. Apply for applicable tax credits: Low Income Housing Tax Credits c. Find additional funding (Ohio Housing Finance Agency - Housing Development Gap Financing, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Federal Block grants, Haile Foundation, financial support from LISC because of neighborhood’s Place Matters status, other grants) c. Secure a developer for the project
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Figure 39. Locations of housing infill site locations
Number of Units: 7 detached and semi-detached row houses Size: 1600 sq. feet, one is 1880 sq. ft. Parking: 5 single car garages, 2 two-car garages (access from alley in back) Implementation Implementation of these housing units will require investment from a private developer, in the third phase of plan implementation. The developer will need to acquire and develop the property using their own financing. The total market value of the property is currently only $12,490.
Figure 40. Site plan 1 &2
Housing Infill & Rehab Strategy
Site 2: Detached and semi-detached row houses (located at 2110 Colerain Ave and labeled as number 2 in figure above) The west side of Colerain Avenue between Central Avenue and Bank Street has many detached row houses, of which, several are currently under renovation. Our strategy recommends continuing that physical pattern of detached row-houses along the rest of the western side of Colerain Avenue south through Bank Street, where there is currently a parking lot disrupting the character of the street. Detached and semi-detached row-houses will fill the need for another housing style Brighton. Some of the units could be owner occupied to increase homeownership rates, and some renter-occupied, depending on the demand.
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Figure 41. Site render
Housing Infill & Rehab Strategy
Site 3: Container homes community (located at 2101 Kindel Avenue and labeled as number 3 in Figure X above). The container homes community is an idea that is not yet implemented in Cincinnati, and Brighton is the perfect place for the project. We have outlined a number of advantages for creating this type of housing in Brighton which includes: a. Temporary and Flexible b. Affordable c. Adaptive to future change d. Unique in Cincinnati’s metropolitan area e. Embrace creative ideas and local entrepreneurship f. Utilizes the existing scenes of industrial trucks and
trailers already in the BrightonImplementation The implementation of the container homes community will require collaboration among the community development entity, interested residents, the City, and a developer which specializes in container homes. The land will need to be acquired: total market value of the land being $19,340. Implementation The implementation of the container homes community will require collaboration among the community development entity, interested residents, the City, and a developer which specializes in container homes. The land will need to be acquired: total market value of the land being $19,340.
Figure 42. Case study
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Figure 43. Site 3 render
Site 4: Market rate and affordable apartments (location is at 1962 Central Ave, labeled as number 4 in figure X above). The proposed housing development located at 1962 Central Avenue will consist of a mix of market rate and affordable apartments.
Implementation Implementation of this housing development will likely require investment from a private developer. The developer will need to acquire and develop the property using their own financing. The total market value of the property is currently $93,300.
Housing Infill & Rehab Strategy
Number of Units: 28 units of one bedroom; 15 units of two bedroom; 8 units of three bedrooms Size: one bedroom 660 sq. ft. two bedroom 775 sq. ft. three bedroom 1,020 sq. ft. Parking: Surface parking with 54 lots. Figure 44. Site 4 site plan
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Figure 45. Site 4 render
Transportation
There are a number of opportunities for transportation improvements to allow for better circulation and connections within the neighborhood. When the neighborhood grows then transportation planning will need to be further developed due to the increase in movement and population. There are many opportunities for transportation improvements.
Transportation Strategy
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Figure 46. Transportation improvements
Strategy: Objective 1: Provide a better solution to the Central Pkwy, Central Ave and Linn intersection Objective 2: Provide complete bike trail connections Objective 3: Alternative bike lane off Central Parkway onto Central Ave
Transportation Strategy
Objective 4: Providing safe crosswalks on Bank Street would encourage connection to the south side of Bank Street
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Objective 5: Providing alternatives to truck loading issues in Brighton Objective 1
Figure 47. Objective 1
Central Pkwy, Central Ave & Linn a. Key entrance into Brighton District & West End b. No left turn from Central Ave West onto Linn c. No left turn from Linn onto Central d. No right turn from Central Ave East onto Linn e. Central Ave, Linn street and their connection with Central Parkway could be reorganized Central Pkwy, Central Ave & Linn a. Provide Bike Lane Connection from Bank to Central Pkwy b. Provide U-Turn Lane so drivers can “turn left from Central Ave onto Linn
Figure 48. Objective 2
Transportation Strategy
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Figure 49. Objective 2
Objective 5 Alternative Solution to Truck Loading Routes
TRI-STATE BEEF
loading/unloading b. Kaiser Pickles owns an underutilized lot next to their building on Kindel Ave. The lot could be used as a loading/unloading space.
Existing conditions:
Transportation Strategy
The daily truck loading/unloading operations of Tri state beef Co currently consume Baymiller Street from between Bank Street and Central Ave making it hard or impossible for vehicular traffic to use the street. If the Brighton neighborhood becomes further populated with residents and businesses this will prove to be a larger problem than it currently is.
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Proposals to solve the problem: a. Tri-State Beef Co contracts with the city to lease the street for maximum usage b. Tri-State Beef Co purchases the Building across the street (S.N.A.A.C.C) allowing for trucks to be staged for loading/unloading c. Tri-State Beef Co purchases part the Changing gears parking lot allowing for trucks to be staged for loading/unloading
Figure 50. Tri State Beef
Kaiser Pickles Existing conditions: Truck loading/unloading operations of Kaiser Pickles on Colerain Ave often block the one-way street with barrels and a cone making it impossible for residents and other businesses’ to access the street. Proposals to solve the problem: a. Turn Colerain Ave into a two way street. This will allow more access for trucks and residents while
Figure 51. Kaiser Pickles
Transportation Strategy
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Figure 52. Tri State Beef & Kaiser Pickles
Public Space Activities
There are currently several underutilized public spaces within Brighton that have potential (see figure X). We see a number of opportunities for improvements to public spaces that would enhance and ultimately activate the community. Those ideas are outlined in the objectives that follow.
Public Space Activation Strategy
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Figure 53. Locations of public space areas needing improvement
Public Space Activation Strategy
Objective 1 Activate the underutilized public spaces
Area under and surrounding the Brighton Bridge The area under and around the Brighton Bridge (which connects West McMicken Avenue to Central Avenue) is the focus area of this objective. This space is largely neglected but with a little attention, it is a perfect location for enhanced public space. The following is recommended for the area: a. Block the dead end street of Colerain Avenue (North of Central Ave), changing it to space for a park b. Improve the space under bridge, adding murals, as shown in Figure X c. Plant wildflowers in the strip of land between Central Parkway and Central Avenue d. Area is flexible for outdoor Gallery Space e. Add bike lane next to the mural wall on Central Avenue as an alternative to the busy Central Parkway bike lane f. Add a RedBike station g. Change the entrance of truck access driveway to signal tower from Colerain Avenue to the driveway on Harrison Avenue
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Figure 54. Map and images showing the specific area as it is currently
Figure 55. Location of proposals at Brighton Bridge park and surrounding area, outlined in red
Public Space Activation Strategy
Implementation Planting wildflowers in the strip of land between Central Parkway and Central Avenue will be the easiest quick win regarding this project. The community development entity could work with the West End Youth Council and other volunteers for a Saturday spent planting the flowers. The community development entity will need to take the lead on the rest of the implementation. Blocking the dead end part of Colerain Avenue and adding a bike lane will need to be approved by coordinated with the City’s Transportation department. Adding murals under the bridge and along the wall that borders Central Parkway and Central Avenue will be initiated by both local resident artists and the community development entity.
47 Figure 56. Example of murals under the Brighton Bridge
Public Space Activation Strategy
Figure 57. Example of murals under the Brighton Bridge
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Figure 58. Brighton Bridge render
Dyer Park Recommendations For Dyer Park, our first recommendation is to add plants around the edge of the wall of Dyer Park for
Figure 60. Absorb order
to the water feature area. The area is heavily used by residents and is in needs of updates.
Figure 61. Stone path
Public Space Activation Strategy
Figure 59. Revise the water park
odor absorption. This is a relatively simple fix to improve the overall odor condition present in the neighborhood. We also recommend improvements
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Figure 62. Dyer Park site plan
Public Space Activation Strategy
Objective 2 Provide outdoor exhibition and workspace for the “makers” next to the “bank building” and Brighton Bridge
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TECH SAVVY Figure 63. Plant savvy
PLANT SAVVY English ivy Spider plant Spathiphyllum (Peace lily) Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) Bamboo, Lady or Reed palms Sansevieria (Snake plant) Heartleaf philodendron Selloum or tree philodendron Elephant ear philodendron Golden pothos
Figure 64. Tech savvy
Absorbs odor like 1,200 trees do Purify 100,000 cubic meters (3.5 million cubic feet) of air daily in crowded cities Covers a 5 block radius Only uses 2.5kW per hour Currently installed in Lima, South America
This objective bridges the demands of two separate issues in Brighton, there is an existing population of artists and makers who need work space, and a need for public space improvements. We propose an outdoor exhibition and workspace for makers and artists. The outdoor makerspace will produce positive activity in an otherwise uncared for space (see map for location). Implementation Since the small park is land owned by the City of Cincinnati, there will need to be approval and collaboration between the community development entity and the City. Approval will need to be granted to install several work tables and a small exhibition space. Fundraising will need to be utilized for the procurement of the basic equipment for the space. Residents along with the community development organization will work together to make the space a reality. Events and workshop programs taking place in the space will likely need to coordinated by a volunteer. Programs in the space for youth will be elaborated on in Youth Education Strategy section.
Objective 3 Urban art/murals on the unappealing walls in Brighton The neighborhood has many walls and fences throughout which are uninviting and unappealing. Installing urban art and/or murals on some of the walls would brighten up the physical landscape of the neighborhood. The images and locations of the walls to be muraled are outlined in figure X.
Public Space Activation Strategy
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Figure 65. : Location and images of the walls to be muraled
Public Space Activation Strategy
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Figure 66. Existing bridge
Figure 67. Bridge Render
The program just requires a highly visible blank wall (which Brighton has many) temporary studio space (can easily be negotiated), and input and support from the community.
Figure 68 - 69. Murals added along wall that borders Central Parkway and Central Avenue option 1 & 2
Public Space Activation Strategy
Implementation Since Brighton is full of local artists, we propose that residents are involved and actually implement the murals and art in the neighborhood, rather than having outside artists. This will allow for the murals to be grounded with the community. To get the murals implemented, residents or the community development organization need to submit an application to the ArtWorks mural program. Through this program, the murals can be installed with little to no cost to the community.
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Youth Education
Youth Education Strategy Community members of Brighton have expressed a need for more youth activities within the neighborhood. Therefore, we have created a Youth Education Strategy to address this demand. The Youth Education Strategy provides an opportunity for the youth to engage with the local artists/makers, which, will allow for education and positive relationships to ultimately strengthen the community socially and physically.
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Youth Education Strategy
Objective 1: Seasonal mural program for kids to join and paint the many blank walls throughout Brighton, in coordination with objective three of the Public Space Activation Strategy to initiate murals. The ArtWorks organization offers Youth Apprentice Project, which links creative youths with practicing professionals to develop community-based artwork or art related goods. Partnership with community organizations to allow youths to paint on the Walls. Mural Themes can include: Community memories, Cincinnati Subway Memories, Endorsement of the Businesses (examples shown in figure 70-72).
56 Figure 70 - 72. Murals added along wall that borders Central Parkway and Central Avenue option 1 & 2
Objective 2: Program with the indoor and outdoor maker’s spaces to provide workshops and learning opportunities for local youths
Figure 73 - 74. Youth Makerspace Workshops
Youth Education Strategy
Implementation of the Youth Education Strategy will not be complicated. The community development entity or a volunteer will just need to coordinate the involvement of local youth to take part in the Public Space Activation initiatives and create a simple program of workshops for youth at the outdoor makerspace. Grant writing can be used for the financial support of this objective, if necessary, but costs should be low assuming it will be mostly volunteer based.
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Implementation
We have established a basic system for the priority phases of implementation. All of the recommendations are of great importance, however, it is necessary to outline key priorities for the greatest impact in the shortest time-frame (detailed below).
Phasing
Phase one largely depends on the effort of residents of Brighton and the non-profit community development organization (which will be involved throughout). This phase is meant to gain major momentum for the community overall, prior to moving on to the next phases. Phase two requires a bit more collaboration among other forces, especially City input. The transportation recommendations as well as park and public space enhancement cannot be carried out by residents on their own. Phase three of implementation will require more private investment than the other phases. As explained throughout, philanthropic resources will need to be tapped, along with some investment from the private sector.
It is clear that Brighton has an outstanding amount of potential, based on our analysis and recommendations. The neighborhood is vibrant, with a diverse group of residents coexisting. However, there are clear areas in which the neighborhood can be enhanced. Because of the existing interest in improvement, coupled with limited financial means, implementation will need to have a D.I.Y. attitude involving creative solutions, as we recommend throughout this document. Leveraging resources and involving many residents / local groups will also be crucial for the successful enhancement of Brighton.
Zoning Overlay District Community Development Entity Storefront Incentive Program Public Murals Live Work Units Container Homes
Phase II: City Input Central Ave, Pkwy, Linn St Intersection Bike Lane Rerouting Truck Rerouting Dyer Park Reprograming Brighton Bridge Park
Phase III: Larger Private Investment Local Cafe Maker’s Workshop Duplex Units Other Housing Developments Commercial Murals
Implementation
Conclusions
Phase I: Local Effort
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FALL, 2015 MASTER OF COMMUNITY PLANNING PLAN WORK SHOP