Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Streetsblog

No More Suburban Office Parks for Downtown Cincinnati

Cincinnati, a midsized river city in the generally anti-urban state of Ohio, is -- surprise! -- becoming a real leader in sustainable urban development. Work on the city's hard-won streetcar project is underway now, to the ire of the state's governor and the region's congressman.

false

But Mayor Mark Mallory and the city's well-informed urbanist community are continuously marching forward. Today, the city of Cincinnati is unveiling a new comprehensive plan for the city that promotes walkability and urban retail while discouraging massive parking lots. Randy Simes at UrbanCincy has this report:

“We will permeate our neighborhoods with compact, walkable mixed-use development, bikable streets and trails, and transit of all types (such as bus, light rail, bus rapid transit, light rail transit, streetcar/circulator vehicles, and passenger rail),” declares the Plan Cincinnati document. “The development of a Complete Streets policy and adoption of a form-based code are tools that will help reach this goal.”

The focus on a comprehensive urban approach is a bold diversion from Mayor Charlie Luken’s (D) administration which ultimately left the city without a Planning Department after a heated debate over whether to allow Vandercar Holdings to build a suburban-style development at what is now the Center of Cincinnati big-box development.

In the early 2000s, Vandercar had agreed to go along with Cincinnati’s Planning Department and build a mixed-use development on the site. Disagreements over the project led to a change of heart by the development team, and a strong reaction by both Mayor Luken and then City Manager Valerie Lemmie to dismantle the city’s planning department.

Compare that with Cleveland, which boasts the oldest zoning code in the United States, and has no plans to revise it. Thank you, Cincinnati, for demonstrating that even smaller cities in the Midwest can rise to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Hard Drive reports that Oregon drivers are consuming less gasoline, the lowest amount, in fact, in 50 years. Greater Greater Washington writes that reducing car dependence isn't anti-car, as so often charged -- it's common sense. And Urban Review STL says St. Louis's transit agency, Metrolink, has a tone-deaf approach to communicating about transit.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Pedestrian on Bedford Av. Hours Before Long-Stalled Safety Redesign Begins

The driver was traveling so quickly that the victim was tossed high in the air before landing back on the car hood and being tossed to the side of the road as the killer drove off.

October 11, 2024

Manhattanites To DOT: Open Queensboro Bridge Pedestrian Path ‘Without Delay’

"It’s really inappropriate for the DOT to delay," said one member of Manhattan Community Board 6.

October 11, 2024

Council Seeks to Force DOT to Build 175 E-Bike Charging Hubs 

A new bill would force the DOT to build over 100 charging hubs, but will it be enough to keep up with demand?

October 11, 2024

Friday Video: A Vision for West 72nd Street

Maybe someday, a roadway that devotes 88 percent of its space to a tiny minority of users (drivers) could finally work for everyone. We can dream, can't we?

October 11, 2024

Friday’s Headlines: Yes, We Will Mention the Yankees Edition

We are praying for the first Subway Series since 2000. Plus other news.

October 11, 2024
See all posts