historic downtown – Page 10 – Loveland Magazine

Powers and Smith urge more, not less, public input into tearing down City Hall

Loveland, Ohio – Diane Powers and Steven Smith took to the open forum podium at the May 9th Council meeting and both played out how they would like council member to proceed with the possible tearing down of City Hall and replacing it with a four-story commercial building in Historic Downtown. The plan is for City Hall to occupy the second floor, with retail on the bottom and apartments on the top two floors.

Community Improvement Corporation President, Jay Stewart had just completed a presentation with their recommendations. Council members had also just voted down two attempts to hold sessions to receive input on the plan (Council can’t agree on when the public gets the chance to weigh-in on replacing City Hall).

This memorandum is the Community Improvement Corporation’s (CIC) update to City Council regarding their recommendations and options for build a new City Hall. This recommendation was presented to City Council at their meeting on May, 9. City Council was expected to vote on setting a date and time for public hearings on the recommendation, but could not reach consensus on how the meetings should be conducted, or how many meetings to have.

For Background: [Exclusive Video] How new City Hall project will be rolled out to the public

VisionArts Summer Art Camps:  Bring a friend receive a 15% discount

Jun 7, 2017

Council can’t agree on when public gets chance to weigh-in on replacing City Hall

Loveland, Ohio – On May 9th Jay Stewart the President of the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) presented the final recommendations to City Council with options on how to repurpose the City Building. Part of the recommendation was for Council to hold “public hearings” on the recommendations before proceeding with the project. Mayor Mark Fitzgerald asked for a motion to hold a hearing at the next meeting.

Both Weisgerber and Phelps wanted more than a “public hearing” style of opportunity for the public to weigh-in on the proposal. They want a more give and take opportunity for the public, where there would be dialogue, instead of monologue; a more informal format. Weisgerber said he wanted, “General sessions, informational sessions, or charrettes with the public to get input.”

Phelps said that this was the first-time the CIC has addressed City Council to discuss the repurposing of City Hall. He had the same questions as Weisgerber, and, “More.” He wanted to find out more about the process and how the CIC arrived at their recommendations, and why the three- story option was eliminated. Both Phelps and Weisgerber said that he would not be in favor of holding a public hearing at this point.

Fitzgerald thought Council should follow the recommendation of the CIC.

The motion by Vice-Mayor Angie Settell was voted down with a 3-3 tie vote. Fitzgerald, Settell, and Pam Gross voted, “Yes.” Ted Phelps, Rob Weisgerber, and Kathy Bailey voted, “No.” Stephen Zamagias was absent.

Weisgerber then moved to have no less than three open sessions with the public in Council Chambers, during after-work hours that all of Council can attend, to talk about design options and receive public input. The motion was seconded by. Bailey. The motion received loud applause from the audience.

Phelps said the meetings proposed by Weisgerber would allow, “Stakeholders, neighboring property owners, and downtown residents to weigh-in on the project.”

Fitzgerald then said he did not understand why Weisgerber did not want to begin with the formal type of public hearing at the next council meeting that was the recommendation of the CIC. He then abruptly shut off debate on the motion and called for a vote.

The motion also failed, with a 3-3 tie, reversing their votes on the earlier Settell motion.

During the open forum part of the meeting, Diane Powers asked Council to have three or four, “across the table discussions” to build trust and dialogue with the residents and stakeholders. She urged Council to “take some time off” before they position themselves, and take a vote.

Fitzgerald said he found it, odd that Powers would want to delay the recommendation of the CIC, because, “It would not preclude other meetings.”

Steven Smith also took a turn at the podium urging more community input on the project and explained in a detailed handout, how it could be accomplished.

These two LOVELAND MAGAZINE VIDEOs are of the Council votes.

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Jun 6, 2017

Limited Edition Print: “200 BLOCK, WEST LOVELAND AVENUE ” helps fire victims

Memories …..The Way it Was

before the devastating fire of May 28, 2017

for each print sold before June 19^th, 2017 artist Deirdre Dyson will donate 15% of purchase price to

DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS GIVING BACK, supporting DOWNTOWN HISTORIC LOVELAND FIRE VICTIMS

*To order YOUR print or get a quote on larger size prints

email: dyson.d@fuse.net

Deirdre Dyson’s

Art House II is located at

430 West Loveland Avenue, OH 45140

phone: 513-683-0349

BACKGROUND:

Up-date on major fire in Historic Downtown Loveland

mailto:lovelandmagazine@cinci.rr.com

Jun 6, 2017

Tigers for Tano on June 7th – Free Breakfast Sandwich

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Jun 5, 2017

Melissa Wolf photos: Love of this amazing community will bring them back

Walking the cobblestones and smelling the devastation was chilling

by Melissa Wolf – May 30, 2017

I moved to Loveland in July 2005 and instantly fell in love with Downtown. Every building was full of history and charm. Whether it was having dinner at Paxton’s the night before leaving for my Honeymoon, Friday night dinner with friends at The Works, or a leisurely walk down the Bike Trail, every trip was a memory.

That’s what made waking up to yesterday’s terrible news so jarring. The images on the news and on social media did not do the damage justice. Walking the cobblestones today and smelling the devastation was chilling. As difficult as it was to see, smell and hear the destruction, it was equally as uplifting to hear everyone walking down the sidewalk next to me or sitting on the benches telling wonderful stories of great times spent in these wonderful buildings.

These buildings may be burned and damaged, but their stories live on and the love of this amazing community will bring them back.

Downtown Loveland Fire 2017

Visit Website

Jun 2, 2017

Free Ad Space for those helping Fire Victims

FIRE SALE on advertising

Loveland Magazine’s stories about the fire in Historic Downtown Loveland have already reached more than 1/3 of a million people

Loveland Magazine is having a Fire Sale on Ad Space

It’s totally FREE!

Take advantage of our offer to help you reach out to the community and beyond

For individuals or groups raising money, planning fund-raisers, or otherwise helping the victims of the Downtown Loveland Fire…

Contact: Publisher, David Miller at lovelandmagazine@cinci.rr.com

Take Home Tano Consumer Meal Market

Take Home Tano is about fresh, wholesome food for the frenzied family

Our goal is to meet the needs of busy families

May 30, 2017

Up-date on major fire in Historic Downtown Loveland

Loveland, Ohio – Loveland/Symmes Fire Chief Otto Huber told Loveland Magazine Sunday evening that the structural engineer the City brought in to inspect the buildings damaged by an overnight fire in Loveland’s Historic District said that after a preliminary look, the buildings could be restored. He also told Huber that he had seen building with more damage, brought back to life.

Huber also said that they suspect the fire began because of an electrical problem, and there is one spot that will receive more attention in the coming days as they try to determine how the fire started.

An 11-alarm fire in Downtown Loveland early Sunday morning did extensive damage to two historic buildings, and minor damage to three others. There were no injuries to residential occupants, and only one firefighter suffered a minor injury. One firefighter was treated for exhaustion.

Residents of five apartments on the upper floors have lost everything, including damage to automobiles

The building that housed Tano’s Bistro and the Bishop Building sustained substantial fire damage. Three businesses had extensive damage: Tano’s Bistro, Cincy Fashion Wheels, and Gina Dubell-Smith, a Comey & Shepherd Realtor.

The former Julian’s Deli, now owned by Paxton’s Grill only suffered minor fire damage. The fire sprinklers in the building did not activate. Huber said the heat inside the building wasn’t great enough to activate the sprinklers, but the interior of the building has damage from the water used to keep the fire from spreading. Cleanup was already underway on what will be called, Bike Trail Junction. Co-owner, Kevin Egan said their opening was scheduled in the coming weeks, but the opening will have to be rescheduled.

Narrow Path Brewing Company on Karl Brown Way had roof damage that was being repaired Sunday evening. The business remained closed throughout the day. Another building, further north on Karl Brown Way had newly installed plastic siding, buckle from the heat.

Huber also said that if possible, scaffolding will be erected on the west side of the Bishop Building on Monday. He said it will depend on whether they can get someone to do the work on the Memorial Day Holiday. The scaffolding will be erected to shore up the brick exterior, making it safe to be inside the building where crews could better assess the structural damage, and make it possible for rebuilding to begin.

At 8:30 PM Sunday, a fire crew was still at the scene.

In a press release issued this afternoon by Loveland City Manager, Dave Kennedy, he said, “It is the City’s desire to save these historic structures and will work with the building owners to make this happen. This is a tragic event but the City of Loveland is a very strong community and will work together to repair this part of our downtown. The City of Loveland is thankful that the fire caused no injuries or loss of life and salute the efforts of the City’s first responders.”

Click on a photo to enlarge and view as a slide show.

Pizazz Studios and Gifts in Historic Downtown

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May 29, 2017

Early morning fire destroys 2/3 block in Historic Downtown Loveland

Loveland, Ohio – An 11-alarm fire in Downtown Loveland early Sunday morning did extensive damage to two historic buildings, and minor damage to a third. There were no injuries to occupants, and only one firefighter suffered a minor injury. One firefighter was treated for exhaustion.

West Loveland Avenue, Karl Brown Way, and Railroad Avenue remain closed to traffic. There are nearby businesses that remain closed until electrical service is restored.

The former Julian’s Deli, now owned by Paxton Grill, which recently had sprinklers installed on both floors, has slight structural and water damage.

The fire apparently started in the rear of Tanos Bistro at 1:20 AM. Four businesses lost almost everything. Firefighters remain on the scene, and inspectors are assessing damage and looking for cause.

The buildings are close to the street so roadways may be closed for quite some time as inspectors evaluate possible danger to motorists traveling West Loveland Avenue and Karl Brown Way.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A reader has brought to our attention that residents of five apartments lost “everything” in the fire, including damage to automobiles. There is a goFundme page already set up to help a photographer, Brad Uhrig and his son who lost their personal belongings, including Brad’s photo gear.