Soapbox - Blog

SoapBlog 2 - Keep the drama on the stage in OTR.

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the thing about talk: It sometimes takes on a life of its own. Gossip gets bigger and juicier. Drama gets more traumatic. We know its power, so why not channel talk into positive momentum?

Many folks from economic development organizations in Over-the-Rhine (OTR) are gathering to do just that. It begins with the conversation, that is, attentive talk and active listening.

In March, 30 people from the OTR Chamber of Commerce, OTR Foundation, Merchants of Main, the Brewery District, OTR Arts, Vine Street Central Business District, 3CDC, the City of Cincinnati, OTR Vitality and the Corporation of Findlay met over a working lunch at Lavomatic.

Each month, the conversation continues at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, focused on the work of each organization and how we can support one another to do more, better, faster. The conversation is powerful, proactive and productive.

So you wanna know what's the buzz in OTR?

Second Sunday on Main, the hip, free, street festival, is returning for another five months of music, vendors, shopping, food, fun dancing in the streets Produced by OTR Chamber of Commerce.

The OTR Memory Project will collect personal interviews, family photographs, written recollections, and other evidence of life in OTR. Spearheaded by the OTR Foundation.

Have you been to the new shops on Vine Street? The new wine store at Findlay Market? Theater in OTR? Tell me about it.

SoapBlog 3 - Girls, gossip and gumption

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Virtual communities are more than just talk with fingertips and keyboards. They can serve as a real vehicle to connect with one another and inspire action through words.

In 2006, my friend Deborah, a marketing-savvy entrepreneur living in Oakley, started Girlfriendology.com, a virtual community for women. Now her talk crosses state lines as she connects women from coast to coast with one another, resources and reinforcement. Engaging in this community conversation, you can connect with women from South Africa, England, Egypt, India, Iran, Japan and everywhere in between!

Through research and reading, Deborah learned that this need for girlfriends was biological. Having girlfriends reduces stress, makes us healthier and certainly makes life a lot more fun. OK, interesting. Seriously, men, how can you argue with that?

Friendships make us more compassionate, aware, caring and stronger. Using conversation as the catalyst, together we can change the world one conversation, one friendship at a time. If you talk with people and get to know them, you care more about them, right? It happens in the office, on the streets, at the clubs, online, with the baseball team.

Today I challenge you to talk with someone you don't know. Yep. A stranger. You're not a child anymore. You can talk to new people. Be bold, compassionate, curious and rewarded. Talk with someone who looks completely different than you do. Smile. What's the worst that can happen? What did happen?

SoapBlog 1 - Conversation is a catalyst to change

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What great thing have you said about Cincinnati today?

This is the tag line on my emails. I offer it to you to use on your emails too. After all, I copied it from One Small Group when I saw how Collette closes her emails. It�s like a smile - best when used often and passed along.

I�ve been using this tag for about a year and get some of the coolest responses. A couple weeks ago I ran into a friend who reminded me that we haven�t connected in a while. Betty said,� We need to catch up; besides, I haven�t said anything good about Cincinnati for a while because I haven�t gotten an email from you to remind me.

Today I sent a perfectly business-like email with my closing tag. I got a perfectly business-like reply from Teresa with this postscript:

�An amazing view from any angle!� � that�s my �something good about Cincinnati� for the day! In fact, my friend Donna said that last Saturday night over dinner at Celestial. It is so true!!! Whether from Price Hill, cut in the Hill, Covington, Mulberry Hill, Prospect Hill, Mt. Adams, Eden Park/Gilbert Avenue, Newport, Columbia Parkway. Cincinnati looks amazing from any angle! I think that should become one of Cincinnati�s taglines! Plus, I love how it leans toward a double-entendre!

What�s not to love? It�s fun and a positive way to learn more about your friends and colleagues, get a good tip on a cool place to go or something to do. So spread the word, the germ, and the viral contagious message. Tell me what great thing have you said about Cincinnati today.

SoapbBlog 2

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Soapbox blog #2

Thank you for the interesting feedback on my previous blog. I certainly concur with �getbackcincy� on the urban redevelopment theme.

At a time when many cities are struggling to maintain some semblance of a downtown, Cincinnati is making tremendous strides.

I had the opportunity to attend a NAACP event on Saturday night and spent half an hour speaking with some women from Wisconsin in town for the convention.

They were impressed by the activity around Fountain Square, the construction beginning at the riverfront and the overall vitality of our downtown. Sometimes we are so focused on the negative that we fail to realize just how far we�ve come downtown and how much better off we are compared to many mid-sized cities around the country. That said, we still have far to go, but it�s exciting to have someone from out of town tell you that you�re on the right track.

Imagine Cincinnati three years from now: phase one of the Banks is complete, the streetcar line is operational, the new School for Creative and Performing Arts is open, and Queen City Square joins our already impressive skyline. I bet you those folks from Wisconsin will be back to see it.

�Long-time Bus Rider� shares some of the concerns we at Metro are hearing throughout the community. The bottom line is that more people want transportation options and as a community we�re going to have to figure out exactly how that takes shape.

Now, some questions for you: Should Metro buy articulated buses (think bigger bus with an accordion in the middle) to run along our major transportation corridors? Are neighborhoods interested in developing transit hubs to allow for increased community-to-community service? Do we want to see smaller vehicles running in neighborhoods and feeding into main line service?

Please continue to post your thoughts here and let us know.

SoapBlog 1

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I think that for too long people in our community have viewed public transportation as an option only for those who have no option. A choice that isn't a choice at all.

Communities that have seen growth in the last few decades are the ones that realize that viable public transportation means greater freedom for all of us.

Even if you never take a bus, imagine if Metro's 23 million annual trips were made in personal vehicles. At 80,000 trips per workday, that's 40,000 more cars on our streets and highways each and every day. 40,000 more parking spaces we'd need to build. 40,000 more vehicles polluting the air that our children breathe. Transit allows us to all breathe easier.

For those who do take public transportation, many tell us one of the greatest advantages leaving your car at home and the feeling of freedom that brings with it. The freedom to spend 25 minutes during your commute not cursing at the driver ahead of you, but reading the paper or talking to your neighbors or simply catching up on some sleep. In the days of $4 a gallon gas, transit means the financial freedom to spend money on a dinner with a loved one or improving your home instead of pouring it into your gas tank.

Living in Over-the-Rhine, working downtown and relying on public transportation has given me a tremendous amount of personal freedom. Many don�t believe me when I say that I haven�t purchased a drop of gasoline this year.

There's no doubt that energy concerns are driving greater interest in public transportation in Cincinnati. However, putting energy considerations aside (which is tough to do at the moment), we see that the communities that are consistently attracting young, talented workers - the types of individuals that drive a strong regional economy, are the places that have viable public transportation.

Why? Because mass transit creates dense walkable communities. The types of communities that are marketable to a new generation of urban dwellers who crave excitement and activity. Whether considering massive cities like Chicago or New York, or much smaller ones like Portland or Austin, young people are flocking to cities that have vibrant urban cores serviced by great public transportation.

When we look at our great public spaces and neighborhood business districts within the city, what we too often fail to remember is that these central corridors were built on a fundamental accessibility to viable public transportation.

When we focus on transit-oriented development and more broadly, on transit-oriented communities, we open ourselves up to possibilities our city has not seen before.

Cincinnati is an amazing place to live, work and play. We have multiple unique assets that are crying out for investment - investment that is brought about by economic development and foot-traffic and sometimes, just a little more tender love and care.

This city, this queen of the west, is a fascinating and wonderful place to call home. I'm proud to be part of the amazing work that's being done to help improve our region and I can't wait to see where we will be in just a few short years.

I want to hear from you. We want you to talk to us about what you want and need Metro to be. Let�s start the dialogue. Where do you want to grow?

Soapblog 3: More on developing from the inside out

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Among other things, I believe that:

What we think about and focus on is what we create in our personal world.
We all possess unlimited power and potential that can be nurtured and developed.
Deep self-awareness leads to greater disciplined self-management resulting in optimal creativity and positive success.

Based on that, I KNOW that I am responsible for my thoughts, words, actions, results, and learning � furthermore, I can impact how I choose to perceive this region, how I live, work, and contribute here. These statements reveal a snippet of insight into why I see the value in an inside out approach to change and development.

The collective consciousness of people in this area reflects on the state of our region and the types of individuals and businesses we attract (the Law of Attraction works!). As political, business, education, and other leaders work holistically toward common goals with a unified vision of the city in mind � as exemplified by collaborative efforts on the Agenda 360 as well as Vision 2015 initiatives � the power to influence positive outcomes increase exponentially. More like minds working together toward a cohesive end game, can make things happen more quickly and effortlessly.

If �Cincinnati isn�t done yet� as stated in a few earlier blogs, then every organization and individual in this area plays a crucial role in making this an ideal place to live, work, and play. An inside out approach, starting with understanding how each person impacts the whole, could make a difference that works. Being authentic, self-responsible, and living by the Platinum Rule (treat others the way they want to be treated) could be part of our Team CinciNoKY modus operandi � a new status quo.

In closing, here are a few development ideas for readers who want to lead forward momentum in the region by focusing on their own growth to create change and attract additional quality industry and residents (guess I can�t leave the coach in me far behind � I love to provide value & assist in personal and professional transformation, what can I say):

Know yourself � define and clarify your strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments, values, mission, vision, drivers, unique brand; who are you and who do you want to be.
Get crystal clear on what you want � understand the direction in which you are going - do your work/life align?
Adjust your attitude � choose the way you want to think and feel regardless of what others say or do. Identify the things to be grateful for vs. focusing on the negatives. Be the kind of person you want to attract to the area.
Be present and self-responsible � showing respect to and value for others in the moment builds stronger relationships; be accountable for your actions.
Take action � positive change can benefit from effort and risk; be involved in the change you want to see.

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. (Muriel Strode)

The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting for the old, but on building the new. (Socrates)

It�s an exciting time to be living in this region as we blaze fresh trails while forging toward a future of each of our making.

SoapBlog 2: A different kind of development (not economic, community, innovation, or green)

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Let me first say that I am one of those people who see the cup as overflowing (most of the time � yes, I have my down days), the world as full of opportunities, and anything as possible. No, my middle name isn�t Pollyanna�my eyes are wide open. I only begin this way to highlight the positive perception I have that a LOT of employers in this region care for their people, our community, and the future of the region. And, Soapbox helps with its� dedication to showcasing the positive and sustained transformation in the Cincinnati USA region.

The professional and personal development piece of this is evidenced by the work that we specialists in training, facilitation, coaching, and leadership development are called to do every day.

In 2008, I�ve been approached by organizations and individuals requesting coaching and development around various issues including:

    1. A technically competent manager experiencing performance short falls in areas of interpersonal communication skills, negatively impacting relationships with internal staff and clients as well as putting a strain on productivity.

    2. A valued, talented director exhibits an aggressive, confrontational style resulting in loss of staff, avoidance by co-workers, and diminished project outcomes.

    3. Development challenges of a team in transition, as they are between leaders, causing chaos while forgetting the ultimate mission of the organization.

    4. High level professionals working in environments that don�t support work/life balance, leaving them burnt out and feeling lack of enthusiasm when performing their job.

This gives an overview of just a few of the areas receiving training, leadership development, and career management to retain employees while allowing them greater satisfaction and productivity on the job. It can cost from 150% up (of an employees annual compensation) to replace a worker. It seems to me that employers who provide growth opportunities are ahead of the revenue game in the long run. And, they are usually places where people like to work.

Fortunately for those of us who live here, there are many organizations that advocate for development in different ways (and I�m not talking about just technical skill training). Each year multiple businesses (catch phrase including non-profits, health-care institutions, etc.) sponsor high potential candidates for the Chamber leadership programs (Leadership Cincinnati, WE Lead, C-Change � all awesome learning and social networking opportunities by the way). Several of the large companies in town support women�s leadership networks as inspirational, learning and development tools. And, there�s more out there too.

SoapBlog 1: Developing professionally and personally in CinciNoKy

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I�m sitting at my office in the �burbs listening to the waning of the cicadas� song as I contemplate this blog entry. I�m also smiling thinking about the other fellow bloggers on Soapbox. It�s fun to learn about others� perspectives and viewpoints of our region. It�s also good to see that many people who are active in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky echo such positive thoughts about this place.

Many years ago (more than 15 and less than 30) I moved to Cincinnati from stints in Boston and Chicago. I wanted to move closer to where I grew up (Dayton) and to, as I said at the time, get back to the �golly-gee� Midwest where people are friendly and welcome you with open-arms. I wanted to live in a place where I could get in my car, drive to big open spaces and parks in under 30 minutes, have trees outside my window instead of another big tall building, and be close to a cosmopolitan area with great arts and entertainment available without living smack dab in the middle of the hustle and bustle (o.k. so that was �back in the day� when gas cost $1.30, a stamp was .20, and a dozen eggs cost .84 according to the wonders of Google).

Two weeks after arriving from Chicago, the large client assigned to me at the Ad Agency where I was hired, left the agency. My furniture and belongings hadn�t been moved here yet from up north, and I was nervous that the deal with my new employer might fall through. Fortunately things worked out and I�m glad to have been able to stay.

I recently saw Jack Rouse at a C-Change session and we were remarking about some of the changes we�ve encountered over the years - which in a round-about way leads me to the topic at hand�developing personally and professionally in our home town. (I don�t usually like to name drop but it was a good segue into the topic).

My experience has been positive with regard to growth and development in CinciNoKY. It�s probably why I chose the profession I�m in � business and life coaching. As past president of the now defunct local coaches association and through networking with executive and career management coaches, I associate with colleagues who are active in helping people do their jobs better while also finding greater satisfaction (it�s been proven that those who enjoy their work, perform and contribute at higher levels than those who are unhappy at work).

It�s a pleasure to live in a progressive market where a growing number of local businesses invest in enhancing their work environment, developing strong internal leaders, connecting workers with community contribution, understanding how generational differences impact workforces, being mission and vision driven, and employing training and development for continuous learning and improvement.

It�s apparent in health care, corporations, service providers, arts, non-profits, municipalities, and other arenas. A past client who leads his organization recently expressed to me that they frequently evaluate staff, the culture, assignments, etc. to ensure being current with changing times and needs of the business.

An oft recited quote seems to apply to much of the development that is going on both inside local companies and within this community with efforts like Agenda 360 and others�

�Be the change you want to see in the world� (Ghandi).

It�s a great time to be in Cincinnati as it develops from the inside out.

Retro Blog 3 - Sean Rugless on Regionalism and Community Building: Where will we stand?

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Buzz words are great. Used properly, they transform complicated ideologies into succinct, easy to understand concepts. For example, everybody's favorite buzzword "branding" has moved from a perception of highly creative logos into a way to describe a collection of activity, all working together to create a desired (or sometimes undesirable) experience. But how many of us know what it really takes to build a brand? Net, we can all appreciate the value and follow the idea of branding, but without a thoughtful plan for key components, at the end of the day you'll end up with some really nice marketing materials and customers that are unsatisfied because no one returns a call or the product experience has missed expectations.

As many of you may know, I am a devout regionalist. As a P&G alum, a past executive vice president of a mid-size firm, former leader of tourism, and now president and CEO of an influential non-profit, I have been involved in regional activity for the past 5 years and hopefully I�ve made some important contributions. I love this town.

In the past year or so, we have all been asked to acclimate to the idea of regionalism. It builds on a Cincinnatian's strong sense of pride and an appreciation for our unique heritage. The catalyst for this paradigm stems from the regional development we are witnessing in our urban core, at the river's edge, and in new attractions and destinations. Embedded in all of this is the desire to have everyone contribute and experience the rebirth of our city. It�s kind of like patriotism.... the Cincinnati USA way. However, like the branding example above, when the concrete is laid, structures erected, and lights turned on, will we finally be a cohesive community? Are we creating an example of a polished outer-skin without attention to the connective tissue that will make all of this work? In this blog, you will provide the input to this.

Take neighborhoods for example. Remember when neighborhoods were filled with people that knew your name, watched out for your children, and you might get a ride to work because someone noticed that your car wasn�t working? Today, in new housing developments, you might get lucky to steal a glimpse of your neighbor before the garage door closes after they�ve pulled in from work.

What do new housing developments and regionalism have in common? They both are designed to bring people together with a common interest; but can any of them foster a sense of community? The answer is yes..... but you must have a plan for the connective tissue.

The nature of my blog is to highlight that true regionalism is more than having a physical infrastructure in place. I want it to be more than a buzz word. Wikipedia says �community is a social group, sharing an environment, normally with shared interests. A number of conditions may be present that affect the degree of cohesiveness of the participants.� In Cincinnati, when you consider differences in race, religion, sexual orientation, age, the high school you attended, and side of town that you reside in (sorry, I couldn�t resist it)... does our existing approach toward regionalism stimulate enough common interest?

Retro Blog 2 - Dan Korman on the new face of retail in OTR

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With the exception of Findlay Market, or the monthly Final Friday Gallery Walk, Over-the-Rhine doesn't have the distinction of being a shopping destination.

But that's changing. In less than one year, five stores have opened in the two blocks of Vine Street between Central Parkway and Thirteenth Street: Park + Vine, City Roots, MiCA 12/v, Metronation, and Lucky Step. At least three more, including Embrace Sweets and Outside, are scheduled to open this spring. Including the new Lavomatic restaurant, this little stretch will feature nine stores and places to eat before summer gets here.

And this is just the first two blocks of Vine Street's southern stretch, which also includes the Ensemble Theater of Cincinnati. Further down, there's Venice on Vine and Suder's Art Store in the 1300 block. Go two blocks to the east and find the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Below Zero
Lounge, Coffee Emporium, Know Theater of Cincinnati and Lucy Blue. One block over, Race Street has Devroe's and Enzo's.

These are pretty impressive numbers considering where this area was just two years ago and that a large number of people had largely written off downtown as a place to shop or visit. Now, it's common to find organic bedding, houseplants and apparel for little ones�to name
a few.

Sure, shopping choices have shrunk downtown in recent decades, but people are finding something new in our city's center. And they're not just downtown workers. In fact, our biggest days of the week are Friday, Saturday and even Sunday. Collectively, we've created a new
destination for Cincinnati.

The proof is in the numbers. A majority of Park + Vine's customers, for instance, come from downtown, Over-the-Rhine and Mt. Adams�all in zip code 45202. Large numbers come from Clifton, Clifton Heights/University Heights/Fairview Heights, Hyde Park and Northside.

While all these neighborhoods possess some of the most coveted business districts in Cincinnati, it's clear the city sees value in shopping in Over-the-Rhine.

It is working. Maybe people really do want things they can't find at a chain store. Maybe people are craving a different experience with a downtown vibe where local ownership and independence rule. Or maybe our combined passion for Cincinnati is rubbing off.

It may be all these things and more. Of course, we have our challenges, but we have the upper hand. The local Web site buycincy.com is helping the shop-local movement gain momentum. More people are living downtown. There's broad-based support for the Cincinnati Streetcar. To me, this says that a majority of Cincinnatians want this city to work.

Retro Blog 1 - Why a Soapbox by Eric Avner

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Why a Soapbox?

Over the last 16 months, I�ve been discussing, meeting, planning and plotting with a varied group of people to create this new media source called Soapbox. Why would we spend so much time on something like this? Simply put, because our region needs it.

We need to move beyond a damaging �Rust Belt� narrative that obsesses over topics like disinvestment, crime, and bad schools. We need a sustained, authentic, and compelling way to communicate our region�s remarkable transformation so that we can retain and attract talent. We need to create positive momentum.

The need for Soapbox became crystal clear last fall during the Regional Chamber�s benchmarking trip to Charlotte, North Carolina. Ann Caulkins, the publisher of the Charlotte Observer, explained that all the newspapers she�s worked for have relied on a �Master Narrative;� that is, a lens through which the newspaper reports the region�s news. That lens for the Charlotte Observer was �Land of Opportunity�. When she asked our group what Cincinnati�s Master Narrative was, there was a troubling silence. We spent the rest of trip unsuccessfully trying to answer that question, at least in a positive way. The features and stories written for Soapbox will reinforce our region�s talent, innovation, diversity, and environment (physical, cultural, and natural). In time, I am hopeful that our regional Master Narrative will emerge.

Something else became clear in Charlotte: the necessity of creating buzz about a region. For whatever reason, Charlotte is red hot. Everyone�s talking about Charlotte. Charlotte�s buzz has enabled them to sustain rapid growth, largely from a massive influx of young talent. Charlotte�s buzz has allowed them to overcome a location not in the mountains or near the ocean. Somehow it doesn�t matter that their cultural assets pale in comparison to what Cincinnati can offer. Their downtown�s architecture was largely sterile, lacking any historic landmarks or local distinction. Nevertheless, everyone conveyed a can-do attitude with their eyes firmly focused on the future.

Soapbox intends to shift our collective focus towards our incredibly promising future. The writing you�ll find here will push us to dream bigger, and refuse to accept the status quo as �good enough.� By creating original content every week that is designed to spread over local and national social networks, and to be used widely in regional stakeholder communications, we feel we can help rebuild Cincinnati�s buzz. We can regain our swagger. Sixteen months was a lot of time to get this started, but we all felt it was worth it for an opportunity to share the Cincinnati story.

Retro Blog 4 - Albert Pyle on cummuting

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:39:24 GMT

My house on Cutter Street in the West End is 1.3 miles from my place of work on Walnut Street, around the corner from Fountain Square. 1.3 miles is precisely .4 miles longer than I would have chosen for my commute. It takes 23 to 24.5 minutes to walk to work or, more important, home for lunch where I like to indulge in a tuna sandwich and take a five minute nap on the sofa. When I walk home on the lunch hour, I have to bolt that tuna and forget about the nap. I could, I suppose, step up the pace, or take a route that does not go past Gus Miller�s hat shop, where I am often distracted by the possibilities Gus offers those of us who have been ordered by the dermatologist to stay covered. So, if I walk, I have to shell out for lunch in town. (One reader of a local blog whined about the lack of cheap lunches downtown. Other commenters piled on quickly. They�re all over the place. Nice the way the blogosphere self corrects.) I have my choice of three bus routes, but by the time you�ve shelled out three bucks for a round trip, you might as well have bought the six inch tuna at Subway. So I have a brace of commuting solutions, the motor scooter and the bike. The motor scooter takes eight minutes, but messes with my carbon footprint which I�m trying to keep down to a 9D. The bike takes ten minutes, but I get screamed at by local drivers who seem to believe bicycles are demonic. It�s always something.

I�m curious. Are you reading this on your BlackBerry while stuck in the traffic coming in from West Chester on the Mill Creek �Expressway� or are you waiting for the tow trucks to pull the jackknifed semi-trailer from the Cut In The Hill?

Soapblog 3

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So when you mention regional planning initiatives, like Agenda 360, you are often greeted with a �Here We Go Again.� In fact, some would contend that our region is suffering from �Here We Go Again Syndrome.�

Frankly, you�ll find a lot of skeptics in our community. The nice part about being a skeptic is that you are constantly being proven right or pleasantly surprised. It�s easy to be a skeptic because it�s easier to be against something than for it.

Now, as it applies to regional planning efforts, the skepticism in our community is not altogether unwarranted. From what I�ve been able to figure out, the skeptics are good people who are reacting to a noble legacy of predecessor attempts and promising past efforts at regional planning and reform that have, for one reason or another, not gone as intended.

Unfortunately, sometimes people become so jaded that they reject all participatory processes as a waste of time. You�ll hear statements like �we don�t need any more meetings� or �we don�t need another plan� or �involving the public just slows things down.�

Yet, if you research these types of initiatives or ask any community that�s done it successfully � they will tell you that the process and the meetings and the planning really does matter.

The bottom line is that getting people involved and asking them to take personal responsibility for finding solutions to their own problems is, and always has been, the best answer to those problems.

For this very reason, a critical component of Agenda 360 is public input. Enlisting the help of Citizens for Civic Renewal, we conducted over 30 community engagement sessions with a second round of public engagement still to come. Of all these sessions, one in particular stands out to me. It was in Over the Rhine.

Now, many of my friends and many of the Agenda 360 volunteers have heard this before, so if you have, please bear with me. It�s just such a fantastic story and worth repeating.

At the OTR session, I spoke at length after the meeting with a proud grandmother named Mary. She said she had lived in OTR for most of her life and that she has seven grandchildren that lived in and around OTR too. Mary had very specific concerns about our community and spoke passionately about them. At the end of our talk, I gave her my card and urged her to get in touch with me if she had any additional input.

Well, a few weeks later, I received a letter from Mary. In the letter she expressed thanks for the work we�re doing on Agenda 360. She thanked us for coming to see her on her �own turf,� as she called it, and she went on to provide some very pointed comments on the challenges we face in Cincinnati as well as specific recommendations on how Agenda 360 could help address them.

Now what was great about Mary�s letter was first, that she actually took the time to write it and send it to me; second, that she was taking ownership of the process by suggesting her own solutions; and third, that, despite the challenges we face, Mary said she was hopeful. She said she had hope for our community because of the work we are doing and hope for her grandchildren specifically. In fact, Mary referenced the following quote:

�Hope is like a bird that senses the dawn and carefully starts to sing while it is still dark.�

Now what was even better than the quote, which I found inspiring, was the way in which Mary signed her letter.

Tweet tweet.

Mary

It is my hope that the work that we�re doing in our community through efforts like Vision 2015 and Agenda 360 will have us all singing along with Mary. Please visit www.cincinnati360.com to learn more and get involved.

Soapblog 2

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I have the honor of co-chairing Agenda 360. To explain it and why I am involved, some personal background might help.

Let me begin with a confession. I did not go to high school in Cincinnati and I did not come to Cincinnati for a job. I moved here from Miami, Florida and have had the good fortune to have lived in many exciting places, like Las Vegas, Nashville, San Diego, Washington, D.C., and Boston. I was not running from the law or part of the witness relocation program. My moves were all school or work-related.

Having lived in all of these places, I decided to try Cincinnati because I concluded, quite objectively, that it was one of the most livable places in the country. I will refrain from plugging our amazing arts and music scene. Nor will I spout off stats about our hospitable business climate and affordable cost-of-living. Suffice it to say, Cincinnati has most, if not all, of the cultural amenities and business opportunities of any big city, with little of the hassle.

Even Cincinnati�s harshest critics would concede that it has the ingredients for success in a global marketplace, arguably more of those ingredients than some of the regional talent and job magnets that consistently top livability indices. Yet something here is missing. Without citing statistics or rankings, we all know that Cincinnati can be better.

Such intuitive insight comes, in part, from our community�s recent struggles. Fragmentation, whether political, racial, or geographic, has resulted in a form of economic �cannibalism� in which we ended up competing with each other rather than other regions. These struggles kept us on the sidelines for too long.

But, if you ask around, you will find that we have grown from these struggles. Many of our civic leaders understand that our success, as a region, does not depend exclusively on the ingredients � what we have or do not have. Our success will be determined by the recipe we follow � that is how we leverage our assets, deploy our resources, and relate to one another for our collective long-term benefit.

This new understanding of the global economy, regional competitiveness and the need for collaboration spawned Agenda 360. To date, nearly 2,000 residents and a diverse volunteer corps of over 400 business, nonprofit and government leaders have participated in Agenda 360, including me � a transplant and concerned citizen who simply wants to make a difference and has the good fortune of living in a place where I can make that contribution with real impact.

The goal of Agenda 360 is simple. Cincinnati�s future cannot be left to chance. Thus, we are creating a plan to transform Cincinnati USA into a leading metropolitan region for talent, jobs and economic opportunity for all who call our region home. Obviously, there�s a lot more to it. You can learn more and get involved by visiting the Agenda 360 website at www.cincinnati360.com.

Soapblog 1

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I am obsessed with the television show, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. Its host, who looks like Uncle Fester, travels the world in search of, you guessed it, �bizarre foods.� He is usually guided by locals who reveal the history of the food, while shopping (or hunting) for it, preparing it, and finally eating it in the company of smiling diners. Somehow, by the end of each segment, just about every dish seems almost palatable.

I have never had a desire to eat a beating frog heart, a lamb�s eyeball or rotting salamander but those are some of the foods eaten on the show. Thinking it over, I realize what distinguishes the program from culinary gross out shows like Fear Factor is its focus on local color, custom, and culture. It tells the story behind the food by connecting with proud residents and interacting with real families, their neighbors and their friends. By building a relationship of sorts with these people, I am almost always lured in and, on occasion, find myself yielding to the most unlikely hunger pangs.

So what�s the connection to Cincinnati? Well, I can tell you that before I moved here, I never would have found a fried patty of pressed pork shoulder and chopped oats to be appetizing. I also probably would never have thought to top a plate of spaghetti with meat sauce, spiced with chocolate and cinnamon, onions, and shredded cheddar. Of course, Goetta and Cincinnati-style chili are two of the first things I share with unsuspecting guests who visit me, usually when their defenses are down (i.e., after the bars close).

I am convinced that Cincinnati�s charm and appeal lies beyond the reach of casual observers. It isn�t necessarily found in tourist guides or glossy local magazines. To appreciate this place we call home, you really must get out of your comfort zone, beyond the stadiums and shopping malls. You must boldly journey into corners where leisure travelers only dare to tread. Moreover, you must seek out locals, the residents who go about their day without fanfare. In short, you must work to find those unique-to-Cincinnati places and people that the media spotlight misses.

Cincinnatians are overwhelmingly modest. As a result, it is often too difficult to find the real Cincinnati, especially for new hires or recent college graduates who can become siloed within their company or lost while trying to find a niche. Unfortunately, and despite best efforts, these individuals get frustrated and rather than continuing to search, they retreat to familiar confines or seek out new opportunities in cities that they perceive to be more welcoming than Cincinnati, where the locals find them and the unique, often bizarre, are more aggressively promoted and even celebrated.

If you read Soapbox, you are probably among the converted. You most likely love this town or, at the very least, you have found your niche and appreciate the nuances of life here. If so, I think it is incumbent upon you to reach out to those who are less acclimated or passionate about our Queen City. Modesty can be attractive but, in a day and age of increasing workforce mobility and global competition, strident and vocal hometown pride must instead be our hallmark.

Soapblog 3 - The puppy metric...

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Let�s think big about dogs.

Here�s the background. I spend some time at our apartment in New York and when I�m there it�s highly unusual for me to get on the elevator and not have a few dogs as my fellow passengers. The dogs are well behaved�some friendlier than others, but then the people on the elevator fall into those two categories as well. The dogs are often more interesting though. And when I follow the puppies and their owners out of the building, I observe that some head to the dog park portion of Riverside Park, others just casually stroll down the streets of the upper west side. The owners (or dog-walkers, which is a profession in NY) walk dutifully behind, carrying a litter bag which they invariably use to clean up after the dog does what dogs do when they get out of the apartment building. It all works splendidly.

Here�s the Cincinnati observation. For the past 15 years our offices had been on Central Parkway in the Kroger Building. There�s a nice grassy median on the Parkway (and it�s been greatly improved recently thanks to the Cincinnati Park Board). When we first moved our offices there I never saw many people on Central and I certainly never saw any dogs. Then, as condos and apartments began to appear, so did the dogs.

Enter the Puppy Metric.

And I began to realize that the health of an urban environment can, in part, be measured by the number of dogs: the puppy metric.

Lots of different types of people who live in urban environments have dogs as I know from my trips up and down the elevators in our apartment building in NY. People with dogs don�t just live in the suburbs with a fenced back yard. They live in downtowns too and we need to encourage them to do so. Yeah, the health of an urban core can be measured by office occupancy rates, condo sales, retail turn-over, number of restaurants and bars and arts, culture, sports and entertainment offerings. But the health of an urban core can also be measured by the puppy metric. So let�s focus on growing that metric and making downtown as welcoming for dogs as it is for people. Remember, sometimes the dogs are more interesting.

Soapblog 2 - What's in a name?

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

OK, I�ll admit it. I�m a performing arts/culture/entertainment junkie. My wife and I go to the Playhouse and Ensemble and Know Theatre and the Ballet and the Opera and the Symphony. We�ve been and are on the boards of many of these because we believe that art and culture can make a real difference in the quality of life in this city. And as has been pointed out many. many times, Cincinnati has a lot to be proud of in the area of the performing arts. So why aren�t all of the seats full all of the time? There are many reasons of course, and you only have to superficially follow national trends to understand that the empty-seat phenomenon is not limited to Cincinnati.

A few months ago I was speaking with a wonderful lady that has helped my wife and I around the house for many years. She is bright, insightful and can fix anything. And I said: �So Irene, (not her real name of course), have you ever been to the ballet?� �What?� she replied. �Jim (her husband, but not his real name either) and I aren�t into all that frilly stuff.�

So being in a feisty mood I said, �Here are two tickets. Go.� And they went and they loved it. And they�ve gone to every ballet this season. Except they don�t call it ballet�.they refer to it as �hot dance.� Next year I will give them tickets to the symphony and the opera. I look forward to seeing how they describe those events.

Because I�m thinking that it�s not what is happening on stage that may be the turn off to many. It may be what we call it. Think about it: opera, ballet, classical music. Those are fairly elitist terms; implying to many that you need an advanced college degree to even begin to understand what is going on. Nothing of course is further from the truth. Just ask Irene and Jim. They have lived here all their life, but it wasn�t until they were well into adulthood that they realized that we truly have the best in the world right here in Cincinnati.

Maybe we need to rethink all of this. Not to dumb anything down, and always realizing that regardless of what you call it everyone doesn�t like the same thing. Maybe we are in somewhat of a death-spiral of exclusivity, compounded by what we call this cultural stuff.

Cincinnati has some great music, dance and theatre (read: symphony, ballet, opera). We don�t want to change that�.but we do need to make it more accessible. Maybe Cincinnati can take the lead in increasing the public awareness of how enjoyable this arts and culture stuff can be. Wouldn�t it be great to lead the way in turning ballet into �hot dance,� the symphony into �damn great music,� and the opera into �popular compelling theater.� That�s a challenge I think we�re up to. It would sure make Irene and Jim proud.

Soapblog 1 - What a difference a public space makes

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Every day I look out of my office windows onto the new and improved Fountain Square. On days when there is an event taking place (a large event like Taste of Cincinnati or a small event like the Turkey Bowl) there are hundreds or thousands of people on the Square and there is an energy and excitement. On these days I marvel at what a difference a public space can make in the life of a city.

And on days when there is nothing taking place, like today (an overcast Tuesday morning) as I look onto Fountain Square and write this blog, there are a few people sitting on the Square: some appear to be just having coffee with friends, a few are on their laptops, someone is taking a photo of a friend, others are just leisurely strolling across the Square. On days like this the Square is quiet and peaceful, almost contemplative. And it is on these days that I also marvel at what a difference a public space can make in the life of a city.

When I moved to Cincinnati in the late 60s I never went to Fountain Square. The few times I drove by it seemed to be a place to move through quickly�certainly not a place to linger and enjoy. There was never anything going on; at least I never saw anything and never heard about anything happening there. I�m sure things did occur there, but my perception was that it was a bit of a no-man�s land that looked like a fortress. And for many decades I despaired at what a difference a public space can make on the life of a city.

During the renovation of Fountain Square, too much time was spent talking about the capital investment in Fountain Square. Not enough time was spent talking about the tremendous social returns that a well-conceived public space can have in the life of a city.

The Square isn�t finished�hopefully it never will be. The events and amenities will evolve just as the society that uses them evolve. That�s exactly the dynamic that�s supposed to take place when a smart investment is made in bricks and mortar. And I, hopefully, will be able to continually marvel at what a difference a well conceived and well programmed public space can make in the life of a city.

Soapblog 3

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Here�s a surprise: The most politically active Americans now believe that we cannot have a strong nation without strong cities. Whether they are Republicans or Democrats, city dwellers or suburbanites, Americans are now convinced that cities are key to solving the problems our nation faces.

According to political pollster Celinda Lake, this belief is so strongly held, it has transcended belief to become a value. For someone who�s been at this work since the mid-70s (when I was trying to get downtown Memphis going again), this feels like a real triumph. (In my arrogant moments, I feel it confirms that my belief in cities was right all the time.)

Americans view cities as the means to keep America competitive in a global economy with a continuous stream of innovations; the best places to give people access to jobs and opportunities; the places where culture comes alive for locals and visitors alike.

Political donors are even willing to punish politicians who don�t support cities.

Now that Americans believe cities are more important than ever before, is Cincinnati ready to take advantage of that? Are there visible reminders that Cincinnati is the source of innovation in the region, the best place to connect people with opportunity? Does Cincinnati embrace its urbanity? Is Cincinnati connecting with America�s new values?

If not, you are missing the best opportunity cities have had for success in 50 years.

Soapblog 2

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

�Everything you know about cities is wrong.� That could have been the theme of CEOs for Cities national meeting last month in Pittsburgh.

�Sustainable Urbanism� author and urban planner Doug Farr challenged the popular idea that global warming will be solved with technical fixes. In fact, they are not nearly enough. Instead, the most important contribution each of us can make to reverse climate change is to get out of our cars.

Driving less is not always easy in cities like Cincinnati. As Doug points out, individuals can only make so many adjustments. Then they need help from planning departments and transportation planners to do the right thing.

The formula for driving less is straight forward: Provide mixed use neighborhoods of approximately a quarter mile radius where people can walk to meet their daily needs and connect them to other neighborhoods with densely developed transit corridors.

Doug gave us what first appears to be an audacious challenge: Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) to 1970 levels or 3900 miles per year by 2030. But on further reflection, life was pretty good in 1970. It�s not as if we are all feeling deprived that we couldn�t drive our Mustangs farther. (I know. I remember. And yes, mine � or more accurately, my dad�s � was red.)

So what is your VMT, Cincinnati? And what kinds of changes will you demand from your planners and politicians to help you achieve this goal? With gas pushing $4 a gallon, if we can significantly reduce our driving, we will end up with more money in our pockets, as well as a better environment.

Soapblog 1

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

CEOs for Cities, a national network of urban leaders, including a number from Cincinnati, who are creating next generation cities, gathered two weeks ago for its national meeting in Pittsburgh. It was provocative and surprising from start to finish.

The first big surprise was Pittsburgh itself. Most of our members had never been there, and if they had, it was a long time ago. What they found was a city with an appealing downtown, high usage of its public transit system (buses only, by the way), vibrant in-town neighborhoods, a connected, people-friendly riverfront, and plenty of construction underway.

What they didn�t find were steel mills and polluted air. Although Pittsburgh still loves its Steelers, it is no longer Steel Town. In fact, Pittsburgh has now shed all of the manufacturing jobs it�s going to lose, and the city is left with an economy built on advanced manufacturing, eds and meds. With Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh leading the city�s array of universities (and with Google�s new offices there to take advantage of the tech talent), the city is well positioned to thrive in the knowledge economy.

The two biggest worries for Pittsburgh, in my view, are the drag on its future vision that the past continues to exert and the fact that Pittsburgh is far more white than is healthy at a time when diversity matters at all levels.

Are there lessons here for Cincinnati?

Post 4

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In addition to general resources, specialized resources and programs continue to emerge including several new programs for women. The Women and Minority Imagining Grant Program, run by CincyTech, provides up to $40,000 in grant funding for women and minorities to assist in costs for work needed to prove the business and/or technical case of an early stage business idea. To be eligible, the business must be technology-based, owned and operated by a woman or minority and involve a potentially high growth technology idea.

Another exciting development is the chance for women to act on their start-up dreams or take their companies to the next level through the new Women�s Entrepreneurship Institute (WEI) developed by Northern Kentucky University and the New York Times Knowledge Network. Through the WEI, women will be able to get the business know-how they need and explore issues facing women entrepreneurs through online courses and Webcasts, get comprehensive feedback on projects and business plans, make networking connections and find mentoring.

And there is more to come. Several interested groups are discussing the idea of a Women�s Business Conference in fall 2008. The focus is on personal/professional development and creating networking opportunities.

All in all, Cincinnati is ready, willing and able to advance the entrepreneurial priorities of our region.

Post 3

Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Having a great idea is not enough to start a business. How do you know if you have the essential ingredients for success and how do you launch that idea from the ground? Cincinnati is fortunate to have several programs that address the needs of the nascent entrepreneur. Cincinnati Creates Companies, initially funded by the National Science Foundation has helped 45 new opportunities and had over $5 million in direct and $11 million in indirect economic impact over the last few years. This program provides an educational component on writing a basic business plan, provides business coaches to help incorporate new information into the entrepreneur�s own business plan, and conducts a special business plan competition for anyone who completes the whole program.

The Entrepreneurial Boot Camp, run each spring by C-Cap, has been an invaluable resource to start-up companies looking for feedback on their business plans and how they can achieve their next milestones toward greatness. Growth company entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs participating in this intense, two-day experience will receive advice from some of the region�s most successful entrepreneurs and business people. Timing is just right for anyone with a burning idea, as the next Boot Camp is scheduled for June 4-5.
Still need help? Each month, the Hamilton County Business Center, in conjunction with the Queen City Angels and local professional advisors, offers Morning Mentoring. This is an opportunity for four companies to give a five-minute overview presentation about their company and then receive one-on-one feedback from at least two Queen City Angels.

Not knowing how to start is not a good enough reason for not pursuing a new venture in Cincinnati.

Post 2

Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

CincyTech�s Entrepreneur Signature Program (ESP) is a relatively recent addition to our landscape and is already having a significant impact on start-up company activity.

The program offers assistance to high growth potential, technology based companies. Its resources and services include entrepreneurs in residence who can assist in market opportunity assessment and development of a viable business plan, a $10.5 million seed fund to invest in the best opportunities, targeted networking opportunities; and at the earliest stage of development, Imagining Grants for up to $40,000 to conduct work necessary to prove either the technical or business case for the opportunity. Through the ESP, funded by Ohio�s Third Frontier, CincyTech is working hand-in-hand with BioStart, Hamilton County Business Center and the Circuit/Queen City Angels to provide an integrated infrastructure to supply what companies need when they need it.

Is it working? Here are a couple of examples of companies on the move and poised to succeed because of the resources and assistance provided:

Akebia Therapeutics, a company focused on ischemia and vascular biology drug development, initially targeting anemia and peripheral artery disease.
AssureRx, a personalized and predictive medicine company providing clinically relevant information to help physicians predict the right drug in the right dose for individual patients.
iStatus, an e-commerce solution allowing small businesses to operate multiple unique storefronts from one administrative console.
ThinkVine, which offers strategic marketing solutions with expertise in marketing science and division support software.
ZipScene, a social network aggregating entertainment information for local communities.

Stay tuned for more examples of success in the coming months. One of them could be yours.

Post 1 Want to be an Entrepreneur? Now is the Time to do it in Cincinnati . . .

Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Can entrepreneurs succeed in Cincinnati? The naysayers are quick to say we are not the East or West Coast and won�t be able to compete. Why not? Times are changing, and maybe NOT being on the East or West Coast is actually our competitive advantage. Consider. . .

Has anyone looked at cost of living on the East or West Coast lately? For most of us, moving to the coasts would require drastic downsizing of our houses to buy something several times the selling price of our Cincinnati homes. Not to mention the other high costs of labor and living.

Cincinnati is known for having a strong work ethic and a highly stable work force. Amylin Pharmaceuticals recently cited that as one of the reasons that they chose the Cincinnati region to expand their business. People who enjoy living in Cincinnati tend to stay and work hard.

Location, location, location. . . Cincinnati is within less than a day�s drive to many major industry hubs. And while we know airfares are high, we have the benefit of more direct domestic and international flights than all of the other airports in the tri-state area combined. In Cincinnati, we can do business anywhere we want.

Cincinnati is home to two major research institutions. These research institutions enter into industry collaborations and partnerships, provide expertise across a wide range of disciplines, train needed workforce, and serve as an important source of new innovation. Cutting edge technologies, such as robotics used by the space program, as well as the operating room, a Fingerpen for writer�s cramp, a thermal measurement device for predicting ulcers in the diabetic foot, the Integrated Watchdog Agent for Machine Diagnostics, technologies for treating obesity, fuel cell technology, the Solar House and the world�s longest nanotube are but a very few of the innovations currently under development that offer commercialization opportunities. In addition, there are many unique facilities, a few of which include the Live Well Collaborative, High Throughput Screening and Compound Library for Drug Discovery, PACE Project for Product and Process Visualization, Advanced Materials Characterization Center, and Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems. These and others support innovation and collaboration with industry.

What if you have an idea for a start-up company and you need assistance or additional resources? Cincinnati is still a good place to be as there are numerous resources to help you succeed. CincyTech�s Entrepreneur Signature Program provides services and funding for technology-based companies. In addition, places like the Hamilton County Business Center, BioStart and the Cincinnati Business Incubator have excellent track records for helping and housing start-up companies. New, early stage sources of funding are available, such as the CincyTech�s Seed Fund, the Southern Ohio Creates Companies Fund and Blue Chip Ventures. In addition, Queen City Angels and other established venture funds such as Triathlon Medical Ventures, Charter Life Sciences Ventures, Blue Chip, Fort Washington Partners, Riverside and others are actively looking for investment opportunities. There are programs in entrepreneurship at UC, Xavier, NKU and Miami, all available for those interested in pursuing a degree or needing advising.

Soapblog 3

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I was struck by a recent news report detailing an exchange Mayor Mallory had with a woman at a Colerain Township car wash in which she confessed, in all seriousness, that she would visit downtown if there weren�t �so many bodies piled up in the streets.� As the mystified (mortified?) Mayor listened further, the woman confessed that she had not been downtown in seventeen years.� Seventeen. Continuing in a similar vein, I sometimes read with bewilderment articles on such phenomena as the �Streets of West Chester,� and fawning local media coverage that makes exclamations like "it's just like a real downtown!� (as if this is some newfangled utopian discovery or Disney theme park). Such hyperbole often leaves me scratching my head, primarily because�um�we already have a downtown, and it's definitely not in West Chester. The residents of this region need to realize that the tired and outdated clichés of the past no longer serve anyone�s interest. But one parallel I can draw from my former stomping grounds in Detroit and here is that the region, both city and suburbs, all need to realize that we are in this thing together� every place has inherent assets and attributes (based on the Mayor�s lead, Colerain must be a great place to get your car washed), but everyone needs to recognize that a doughnut is not the ideal model for a thriving and successful metropolitan region. Downtown is not replicated in the suburbs. Each has a place, but one does not replace the other, and everyone needs to recognize where the heart of the region is located (if you need a hint, look for the tallest building).

There is a kind of �ripple in a pond� effect that can be taken right down to the tiniest microcosm, to a single block in the city, to Fountain Square. To quickly paraphrase, one theory behind investing in the reconstruction of Fountain Square is that, in so doing, the success there will ripple outward, to adjoining blocks, leading to more development, more investment, more buzz. Based on what I have seen, it has been an unparalleled success. Take the same theory and apply it to the Gateway Quarter in OTR and see the effects ripple outward, to the new residents, the retail stores and restaurants on Vine. Do the same thing on the Banks and on Washington Park. Now extrapolate that same theory to the concept of a city and its suburbs, as the success of the city will inherently ripple out and equate to healthier suburbs. While �synergy� is an odious and oft-overused buzzword, it does have a place in the dialogue, and at its most base level, it involves working together and cooperating, not the city-suburb trench warfare that I witnessed in Detroit, and not the 52-card-pickup neighborhood Balkanization (some might call it �Banksanization�) that sometimes rears its ugly head here (for recent examples, see east v. west debates on streetcars in OTR; section 8 housing on the Banks, etc.).

In short, to paraphrase the cloying, yet catchy, Ben Lee song currently being co-opted for a Kohl�s TV commercial, �we�re all in this together.� Although the natural cynic in me would dismiss such hollow sloganeering as trite, superficial pabulum, it actually works at a base level. Whether you are at the carwash in Colerain, the �Streets of West Chester,� Hyde Park Square or OTR�we�re all in this together. Spread the word, and if you haven�t been downtown in 17 years, I dare say you might be surprised by what you see. Just the changes that I have seen in my short five year tenure have been considerable, and the momentum is certainly heading in the right direction, something which is not the case for every city these days. In any event, it appears that I have reached the end of my rambling scattershot of anecdotal platitudes and homespun homilies. I will now step down and relinquish this Soapbox to allow the next blogger to climb on up. Viva Cincinistas.

Soapblog 2

Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

After logging almost five years in Cincinnati, and coming from a region so utterly (and painfully) dependent on the automobile and freeways, it is still amazing to be able to move into an affordable city with such diverse and dynamic neighborhoods within ten miles and less of downtown, all with a seemingly abundant stock of historic preserved architecture, gas lit streets, thriving localized commercial districts, and lush park-like settings. While many other cities have areas like this, they oftentimes refer to them as �suburbs.�

Many commentators attempt to paint this city with a pretty broad brush (�it�s conservative,� it�s boring,� �um�did I tell you it�s conservative?�), however we have found our neighborhood of North Avondale to be incredibly diverse based on any metric you might care to examine. I realize that is not the case everywhere in the city, but I also know that this is not an isolated example, and I am still surprised as to how this message is continually drowned out by the tired old knee-jerk mantras that seem hopelessly outdated in modern-day Cincinnati. It still confounds me how many out of town friends who have never been here mention the Mapplethorpe imbroglio as an ice breaker. What this tells me is how few people really know this city. Moreover, many of these people actually live in the region. That�s why a Soapbox is as good a place as any to spread the word.

During our relatively short time here, the incredible wealth of arts and culturally diverse activities, coupled with the sustained progress downtown, all within a five or so mile radius from our home, has continually left me slack-jawed in amazement. My older son goes to a phenomenal public high school (Walnut Hills) ranked in the top 35 in the nation, and only two miles from our driveway. My younger son goes to a neighborhood Montessori school ("The New School") which is even closer to our home and is truly a gem in the city. The nearby and much sought after public Montessori elementary school just down the street is also very highly regarded. These are major Q of L factors, and coming from a region where even the most mundane of quotidian routines required an automobile expedition along the likes of the Paris-Dakar rally, any opportunity to spend less time in the car is a very good thing. Moreover, as discussed in greater detail in last week�s Soapbox [link], some now contend that the precipitous rise in gas prices has helped to make the investment in a home in the city more attractive vis-à-vis the suburbs.

Oftentimes, when speaking to friends and colleagues from Detroit (or New York or Chicago, for that matter), I refer to Cincinnati as �the 10 Minute Miracle.� Coming from the Metroit area, where a trip almost anywhere (work, schools, dry cleaner, bathroom) entailed untold hours in the car, I have now found that, from my centrally located neighborhood, I can literally be almost anywhere in basically 10 minutes or less� truly a revolutionary concept that should not be diminished.

I must admit, while we would never consider moving out any further than the �far flung suburbs� of North Avondale (at least that is how it was considered in the 1890�s), we can clearly envision moving much closer to downtown. Moreover, with the (hopeful) advent of the much ballyhooed streetcars, the ability to convert to as car-free a lifestyle as possible would be a monumental advancement for the city as well as the entire region.

On that point, the recent streetcar debates at city council revealed telling loyalties in a city which can, at times, appear to be made up of 52 widely divergent interests. Indeed, advocates for one neighborhood appear to view an investment in downtown and OTR as taking away their neighborhood�s slice of the pie, kind of like a reverse-NIMBY (not in my backyard) syndrome. While this type of myopic thinking is, regrettably, oftentimes an impediment to real progress, to use an oft-repeated maxim of politics generally attributed to the late Tip O�Neill, �all politics is local,� and with 52 different neighborhoods, Cincinnati has a whole lot of �local.� Nevertheless, navigating such obstacles, while at times Byzantine, is not impossible, and, for example, the recent and modest success in the streetcar debate demonstrates what can be accomplished with capable leadership and vision. In any event, (I see my time is up�the red light is blinking), I will try to touch upon this in greater detail in my next post.

Soapblog 1

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As a transplant to Cincinnati from the Detroit area, I am often asked for comparisons between the two cities and regions. For the most part, it is a conversation about apples and oranges in which I choose not to indulge for fear of being unduly negative on my much beloved, yet undeniably dysfunctional, former home. After ten years in Detroit, both as a practicing attorney as well as (in my rare free time) a free lance writer, I often traversed and chronicled the city�s peaks and valleys (metaphorically speaking, as that city�s pretty much as flat as the proverbial pancake), its architectural treasures, its indomitable and brilliant creative spirit, its lost history, its sometimes halting renaissance. As a 139 square mile city which has been depleted of a big chunk of its inhabitants following the peak years in the 1950�s, Detroit has doggedly endured as the rusting arsenal of democracy, a scarred but jarringly beautiful post-apocalyptic industrial landscape, continually beating down the lengthening shadows from a more prosperous time. It is a city that, literally as well as figuratively, is the modern acropolis of America's post-war manufacturing might, and which, in its more prosperous times, paved under some of its most treasured and culturally rich neighborhoods in order to build the freeways that enabled its population to quickly flee for the suburbs.

Oh wait�I thought I wasn�t going to be negative.

Anywho, when an opportunity surfaced in Cincinnati, both my wife and I were receptive, despite the fact that we had no friends or relatives or any other tangible connection to the city. What we did see, however, was the opportunity to relocate to a city with a much denser fabric, a city which would reconnect us with our urbanist inclinations (let�s just put our biases on the table right now); an opportunity to live in a city without 30 and 40 minute commutes�where travel mugs are a thing of the past. I�m not saying it�s Chicago or NY, it�s not; but that�s not what we were looking for at the time. Cincinnati is, among many other things, a relatively manageable and affordable Midwestern city with a wealth of historic architecture, fine arts, diversity, natural beauty and a decent level of density in and around the urban core, all uniquely Cincinnati (not to mention, at least for the time being, an airline hub).

After an initial foray during an icy weekend in February, within a week or so we were putting an offer down on a house and preparing to slough off our motor city shackles. As we trundled down I-75, we grew giddy with anticipation, ultimately plunging head first into a new city which was heretofore virtually an unknown [cue the swelling bombastic music] embracing our new status as [crescendo], um, well�. �Cinsters?� No, awkward� �Cincinistas�? Perhaps, yes�a touch more revolutionary, yet softened, ever so slightly, by the inherent, vaguely Southern politesse so prevalent in the Cincinnati ethos.

Although it is something of a cliché, an oft-invoked observation I tend to hear around town is that �the biggest naysayers about Cincinnati are the natives.� Having read many comments and letters to the editor, as well as what I have experienced in daily conversation, I would say that this is, unfortunately, a truism in many respects. Sad but true, but, then again, what's the use of a soapbox if you can't preach the gospel? Conversely, it also seems that some of the more recent rah-rah Cinci-Yay boosters seem to be transplants (guilty as charged), who arrive free of the pre-existing historical baggage and jaded notions which may pile up in the closets of some (but not all) long-time natives. So I'm here to preach my own gospel of the Cincinista, Elmer Gantry style, from the virtual Soapbox© blog. Let me note for the record that, while I realize it�s not all rose colored Polyanna glasses and such, this is not intended to be a comprehensive treatise, so I suspect my observations from high atop Mt. Soapbox will generally skew towards the positive, at least initially.

Post 2

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It�s been a very, very busy spring�.and it�s only half over! The UC campus�and downtown Cincinnati�has been entertaining visitors from all around the world who are deeply involved in creating and thinking about the built environment. Architects, historians, builders, designers and manufacturers have come to Cincinnati to SEE what all the fuss is about and to LEARN what they can from our successes (and presumably, our failures). They are surprised to discover the depth and breadth of design talent and creativity in this otherwise typically Midwestern city, one that is rumored to be quite conservative. In fact, I�d wager that architecture and design are increasingly responsible for a great deal of travel to Cincinnati!

The Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) came to Cincinnati in late April to hold their annual, international conference. The conference was originally to be held in Montreal, but the sale and demolition of the designated conference hotel left the organizers scrambling for a new venue. I don�t know how they came to chose Cincinnati, but I think they�re glad they did. We (the faculty of the UC School of Architecture and Interior Design) learned about it from the hotel management from whom the SAH had requested price quotes. One thing led to another and, ultimately, a team of a dozen or so UC faculty formed to shape the conference experience, designing tours, social events and special speakers to provide a local context for the conventional series of paper sessions and keynote lectures.

After the opening reception, Mayor Mallory welcomed the group of over 400 architectural scholars who came to Cincinnati, along with local faculty, students, practitioners and boosters. The local tours were popular and included guided views of Columbus, Indiana, the Serpent Mounds of Central Ohio, and walks through Over the Rhine. There were multiple tours of the UC Campus, which has been transformed over the past 15 years from an hodgepodge of nondescript (some even ugly), primarily brick buildings to a curated collection of contemporary architecture, designed with some of the most important architects practicing at the turn of the 21st century. Our visitors were surprised�.and pleased.

In our own backyard, they saw one of the country�s largest concentrations of late Victorian architecture (OTR), a well-known collection of late Modern architecture (Columbus, IN) and an important collection of contemporary architecture (UC). You may be as surprised as they to learn that Cincinnati also generated a significant number of mid-century modern architectural gems, many designed right here in Cincinnati, by Cincinnatians. Fifty of these buildings (both still standing and long-gone) were documented in a cataloged in a brochure-cum-book titled 50 from the 50�s.

Two weeks after the DFC and just one week after the historians left town, a select group of educators representing 16 schools came to Cincinnati to discuss the present and future opportunities for collaborative education between architecture and interior design programs. Graced with sunny weather, our one-hour campus tour stretched to two hours, before we returned to the Vernon Manor for a BBQ on the rooftop deck and a fabulous view of the region from Cincinnati�s highest viewing spot. We then spent a full day discussing curriculum and brainstorming about the future of environmental design education. I�m still getting emails from participants remarking on their experience here.

Surprised and impressed, too, were twenty industry giants from the Board of the Design Futures Council (DFC), who came to Cincinnati for their semi-annual, think-tank style meeting just days before SAH conferees arrived. They spent their first hours in Cincinnati on the UC campus. On a spectacular spring afternoon, we gave them a quick tour of the campus, focusing on MainStreet, and then went inside DAAP to discuss emerging trends in the design fields, with an emphasis on collaborative, interdisciplinary research and practice.

We were nervous about this visit; the Design Futures Council publishes the journal Design Intelligence, which conducts the annual survey that, for the past nine years, has ranked UC in the top 10 among schools of architecture, interior design, and industrial design. This ranking relies on one central survey question, �of those graduates you�ve seen, which school(s) best prepare students for the present and future practice of architecture/interior design/industrial design?� How is it that this Midwestern, public institution has managed to produce graduates that so impress employers in practice, all across North America?

Many believe it is simply due to our 102-year old cooperative education system that delivers graduates with a year and a half of work experience completed while they�re still students. That�s a compelling argument, but it does not explain why employers are also quite impressed with students that come to work in their offices as sophomores and juniors, with little or no prior experience. It does not explain comments that I hear from practitioners, such as �UC students are able to fit right into our firm�s culture; they quickly contribute to our work.� I believe that there are, and would have to be, a number of factors that contribute to UC�s rankings in this survey.

One may be a Midwestern ethos of hard work. When Herman Schneider first conceived cooperative education at UC in 1906, he sought a practical solution to local industry and educational needs that also built upon the history of apprenticeship in many applied trades. The result is a particular culture of education and practice that students choose conscientiously, knowing they will begin working at the age of 19 or 20 and that they may be moving four times a year, as they alternate between work and school.

The co-op lifestyle makes one nimble and encourages students to integrate theory and practice. Wide-eyed freshmen become scruffy, sometimes scrappy, sophomores, but they transform as they approach their first co-op assignment in the spring of their second year. They return to school with new haircuts, new clothes, and a new, more mature attitude. Each cycle in and out of school brings new perspective to their studies and to their work. Co-op is more than mere work experience. It offers students amazing opportunities and choices, in great contrast to our demanding curriculum and their (most likely) suburban lives. Students stretch themselves (and their parents), taking jobs in �tough places� like New York City and as far away as India. Our students become entrepreneurs, seeking and shaping their own experiences. It�s no surprise to me, therefore, that UC alumni are launching and leading companies of all sorts.

Michael Graves, B Arch class of 1958, is a dramatic example of this entrepreneurial spirit. He went on to graduate school at Yale after leaving UC, and then went on to create a successful practice that reaches well beyond architecture, to the design of furniture and household products. Many people have seen his buildings (e.g., the Engineering Research Center on the UC campus), but many, many more have seen (and bought) the small appliances and bathroom accessories he�s designed for Target stores.

This spirit is evident in our students, both on campus and off. The DFC�s tour was highlighted by UC�s entry into the Solar Decathlon competition, sponsored by the US Department of Energy. The competition has three main phases. First, universities around the world respond to an open call for proposals. From hundreds of submissions, twenty are selected for competition and awarded a $100,000 seed grant from the DOE. The selected schools then have two years to develop designs and build a 900 square foot house that will support typical domestic life �off the grid.� Finally, the houses are all transported and installed along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for a series of competitive tests over a period of two weeks.

A remarkable fact is that the UC entry was entirely initiated by students, who wrote the proposal and solicited faculty and university support. We never dreamed the proposal would make it to the second round! However, we followed the students� lead (how could we not?) and reorganized ourselves to pull this off. In the end, students, faculty and staff from the colleges of Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Business and DAAP spent countless hours (for credit and not) designing, fundraising, scavenging material and building the house, in the middle of campus.

Ultimately, our house finished 15th among the twenty entries. We find this a remarkable accomplishment, especially given our late start and (sometimes desperate) lack of experience and resources in nearly every aspect of the competition. We can be proud of the fact that, at about $300k, ours was one of (if not the) least expensive of the entries, which topped $2 million at the high end (the winner, in fact). Built on trailer bases, it was one of few that did not require a crane for installation on the Mall. In addition to the requisite photovoltaic cell technology, the UC house deploys other innovative systems that, among other things, use heat to cool the interior.

UC students, faculty and staff work hard at the enterprise of teaching and learning, along with our partners in practice, many of whom are also alumni. A Midwestern culture of hard work, dedication to practice, and entrepreneurship distinguish UC from the cultures and expectations of the coasts. Collectively, we have much to be proud of, and much to offer.

Post 1

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Architecture is at the center of my life�it�s my career and the lens through which I see and experience many things. I choose to believe that architecture and design affect people�s lives, both directly and indirectly. Events of the past few weeks helped shore my belief, as I�ve witnessed the affect that Cincinnati�s design community/arts and designed environment has had on visitors.

Last night, May 10, the CAC celebrated Visionary Jay Chatterjee, who for 19 years served as Dean of UC�s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (locally known as �DAAP� and formerly known as DAA). Jay�s influence has been key to the development of contemporary architecture in Cincinnati and, most notably, on the UC campus, during the past 20+ years. The CAC is one Cincinnati institution that benefited from Jay�s advocacy; he helped bring Zaha Hadid�chosen among a field of six renown architects�to design the center�s�new� building, the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art, now five years old.

The lobby was overflowing with supporters, which included artists, architects, designers, and UC President Nancy Zimpher, with even a greater cross-section than is normally found at the popular Friday night exhibit openings at the CAC. Architects, in particular, were drawn to the CAC this evening. Yes, they were there to honor our colleague, Jay Chatterjee, but they were also there to honor the fifth anniversary of Hadid�s first and only North American building, and the first and only museum in the world to be designed by a woman. They also came for the exhibits, featuring �chairs� designed by ten world-renown architects (including Hadid). Earlier that week, the Daniel Libeskind show closed, including drawings and photos of several of the architect�s recent work and featuring drawings, models, and photos of the Ascent condominium project now open in Covington.

This event demonstrates and highlights the increased appreciation for and interest in architecture as a contemporary art. The CAC is often at the center of Cincinnati�s eclectic arts community, a place where the mature and established meet the emerging and unknown�.all of whom are essential in sustaining a creative�and productive�class of citizens.