Case Study: Historic Renovation in Dayton, OH

Could we do something like this with the Broad Street Bank Building?

The Cannery Project - Converts 19th Century Warehouses Into Live/Work Spaces for the 21st Century
A National Trust Project/Heritage Property Services

PROJECT GOALS -- The Cannery at Webster Station houses 156 market-rate loft apartments and 36,000 square feet of first floor retail space. The upper floor hallways include work spaces that can be rented by residential tenants who operate small businesses. Rooftop terraces, open-air bridges, a business center and a party room are included in the amenities offered to residents.

THE SKINNY -- A for-profit developer invest $523,000 in a group of old buildings in Downtown Dayton, OH and leverages it into a $19.2 million historic renovation project. All the information...

Jim Carlucci - A couple of items of note...

Tuesday, March 16, 11 a.m.
Press Conference announcing the results of the Civic Health Survey recently conducted by a group of civic groups and community leaders.  The Survey's aim is study and report on the power centers of local government and improve access to citizen participation.  City Hall Atrium.

Friday, March 19, 8:00 - 10:00 a.m
Quickbooks: Setup, Recording Transactions, & Generating a Report.  This workshop is designed specifically for the Quickbooks Pro novice.  It's one of several Business Over Breakfast Seminars at the Trenton Business & Technology Center (TBTC).  36 S. Broad Street (beneath the parking garage).

The TBTC is an incubator for local businesses that need a place to do business from other than the owner's "kitchen table."  Shared resources include a-v equipment, conference rooms, computer stations, receptionist and more.  I recently had the opportunity to meet with the management and tour the TBTC and I was impressed with what they have to offer.  If you are an entrepeneur with a start-up business call and talk to Kevin Wortham or Art Cianfano about how the Trenton Business and Techonology Center can help you get your company to the next level. 609-396-8801 

S. Ward residents fear displacement

Wednesday, March 10, 2004
By ALBERT RABOTEAU -- Staff Writer

TRENTON - Concerned that numerous South Ward residents will be forced from their homes to make room for a massive housing development, the Lamberton Historic District Committee has scheduled a March 29 meeting to gauge community sentiment on the project. The whole story...

Further reading: "Detroit's Eastside Redevelopment to Focus on Rehabilitation and Revitalization, Not Displacement"

Magnet school facing uphill battle -- Times Article + Commentary

Wednesday, March 10, 2004
By LARRY HANOVER -- Staff Writer

TRENTON - Members of the city Board of Education favor a shift to magnet schools, but at Monday's board meeting, none were ready to express support for the one that a large group of families want to create. Click here to read the article...

COMMENTARY -- If the school board doesn't support the Trenton residents who have come together to try to create a Trenton Magnet elementary school, all is lost. That's right, pack up and move to Camden (or Hopewell). The quality of a city's schools has a large effect on property values as well as the type of residents it can attract. It the recent Trenton Times Schools Report, Trenton's schools were ranked last in almost every category. Without any viable educational alternatives, why should anyone with kids, who can afford to live elsewhere, stay or move to Trenton?

The parents working to start the magnet school are diverse group who care about our city and are willing to work hard to create a positive alternative to the much maligned public system. Instead of doing the easy thing (?) and sending their kids to one of the many local private schools, or settling for a the current Trenton Public Schools educational offering, they working within the system to make a difference. And why not - they are paying the high taxes.

The article mentions that school board members think that there is a greater need for a Magnet high school. Well, why haven't they started one yet? And where is the organized group of parents willing to work to establish such a school? And are the two mutually exclusive? The article intimates that the board may vote down the proposed magnet school in favor of the theoretical Magnet High School. Why not try out the smaller, more manageable Magnet elementary school idea and use the lessons learned to establish a first-class Magnet high school in a few years? No one will be able to establish a Magnet HS in the next two years anyway. The Magnet Elementary school is ready to roll this fall. Let's do it!

The mayor is already doing his part and supporting this effort. So is the superintendent. Please read call your elected school board members to urge them to approve the proposed magnet school. - JG

Communities need eminent domain - Denver Post Article

With all the landbanking and absentee landlords in Trenton, the administration definitely needs to use eminent domain more aggressively. Someone sent me the following article which describes the city of Pueblo, CO's successes in using ED.

Communities need eminent domain
By Tony Fortino and James Munch
Denver Post - March 7, 2004

The use of eminent domain - government's power to condemn private property - stirs up strong feelings, largely because the public most often hears stories of alleged abuse.

The public rarely hears the success stories - the cases when eminent domain is used as part of an important urban-renewal effort to revitalize declining communities. To fairly evaluate the issue, take a look at urban renewal from a big-picture perspective.

More...

Creative "Rise" or "Curse"?

The Curse of the Creative Class
Steven Malanga
City Journal - Winter 2004

Richard Florida, in his book "The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's
Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life", maintains that the
best way to revitalize a city is to attract members of a new social class -
the Creative Class. His work and writings have generated a whole new urban
renewal "strategy."

The strategy has been quickly adopted by the media, urban planners, and city
officials (I have even heard the CC term thrown around by Trenton Leaders).

Steve Malanga isn't buying it...and gives an alternative opinion.

Read the article...

More on the bridge: Sprucing up a 90-year-old landmark

Thursday, March 04, 2004
By TOM HESTER JR.
Staff Writer

How about a "Trenton Makes The World Takes" sign with lights that change color?

How about a sign with flashing lighting?

How about a sign without neon, but rather modern light emitting diodes or fiber optics?

An architectural lighting firm that has worked on some famous bridges will turn its expertise to the landmark sign, a version of which has hung on a bridge over the Delaware River for more than 90 years.

*An earlier article about the bridge from the Times. Here...

More for the calendar...

Tuesday, March 9
7:30 pm Hiltonia Civic Association will not be meeting at the firehouse. 
They meet in a private home.

Wednesday, March 10
Old Barracks Announces Coffee House Series
The Old Barracks Museum is pleased to present a series of traditional 18th
and 19th century performers appearing at the museum on Wednesday evenings. 
Coffee Houses were a popular 18th century business where one could meet
friends and share coffee, tea, wine and other beverages while perusing the
newspaper, conducting business, and gossip.  The Old Barracks? Coffee House
will feature performances by local and regional artists who continue to
practice and share the arts of America?s earlier times.  The Coffee House
begins on Wednesday, March 10 and continues through March 31.  If
successful, the program will be extended indefinitely.

Linda Russell is the featured performer on March 10, beginning at 7:30.

On Saint Patrick?s Day, March 17, the Old Barracks welcomes the Shannachie
of Glendunbun Ballybeg and his collection of Celtic tales.   

String Fever, a bluegrass band, appears on March 24.  This five-member band
is located in Central New Jersey and has been performing in New Jersey, New
York and Pennsylvania since 1993.  Bluegrass is the heart of the group's
music along with many other influences such as country, folk, jazz and
blues.  Original songs are mixed with tunes from many traditional and
contemporary songwriters.  The band features tight three and four part
harmonies, award winning songwriting and tasteful soloing.

Spiced Punch brings March to a close on March 31.   

The Museum asks that patrons call for reservations, although this is not
required.  Admission is $10 per person.  Coffee, tea, and cold beverages,
along with cakes and pastries, will be available for purchase.  For more
information or reservations, please call 609-396-1776 or visit
www.barracks.org.

-Jim Carlucci

Let us hear from you - Times Editorial Follow-up

Tuesday, March 09, 2004
BY EDITORIAL

On Sunday, The Times proposed that when the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission carries out its plan to replace the illuminated letters on the lower free bridge to Morrisville, it also revise the wording to make it more relevant and helpful in promoting Trenton's unique assets. We suggested that the existing slogan, "TRENTON MAKES THE WORLD TAKES," which dates to a bygone time when the city was a major manufacturing center, be changed to "TRENTON: WHERE THE TIDE TURNED," to reflect the city's significance as the place where the Battles of Trenton reversed the course of the Revolutionary War and set the colonies on their way to independence. We said that the "Trenton Makes" sign, as a historic icon, should be preserved at some appropriate venue, e.g. the Roebling Complex, arena or baseball stadium.

Numerous readers have commented on our idea, both pro and con. We plan to publish a collection of readers' views in a few days. To weigh in, write to us at Bridge Sign, The Times, 500 Perry St., Trenton NJ 08618, or e-mail us at bridgesign@njtimes.com.

Time to change the sign? - Trenton Times Editorial

Sunday, March 07, 2004
BY EDITORIAL

The "Trenton Makes The World Takes" sign on the lower free bridge to Morrisville is one of the best-known landmarks in the East. For generations, its illuminated red letters have welcomed home travelers and service personnel and made rail passengers aware of Trenton as they rode through. A bridge sign that tells the world what Trenton is all about is an essential part of the city's tradition and character, and such a sign should continue to glow as long as the bridge itself remains.

More...

Ready to roll Trenton Times Story

Monday, March 08, 2004
By TOM HESTER JR.
Staff Writer

For all the talk of faulty politics, shaky ridership projections and mechanical stumbles, the River Line is rounding the bend.

Like it or not, the much-delayed light-rail line is scheduled to begin cruising between Trenton and Camden on Sunday, carrying passengers aboard sleek, gleaming trains for 34 miles through three counties.

More...

Carlucci's Weekly Calendar

Tuesday, March 9
10:00 am Groundbreaking ceremony at PJHill School.989-2570
6:00 pm, PTA Meeting @ Hill School, 989-2570
7:00 pm, Landmarks Commission, 1st Floor Conference Room, City Hall.  One of the items on the agenda is the Troy Vincent Project at Hamilton and S. Clinton Ave.
7:30 pm Jersey Street Community Association, Millhouse, 325 Jersey Street.
7:30 pm Hiltonia Civic Association, West Ward Firehouse, W. State and Lee.

Wednesday, March 10
7:00 pm South Broad Street Community Assoc., Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, S. Broad and Malone.
7:30 pm Glen Afton Community Association Quarterly Mtg., NJCAR Bldg., 856 River Rd.

Thursday, March 11
7:00 pm Cass Street Civic Association, 722 Cass St.
7:00 pm TCCA, Thomas Edison State College, W. State St.

Saturday, March 13
9:00 am, 2nd Annual HIV?AIDS March and Rally from Holland Middle School to City Hall 393-=3532
Noon 19th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, St. Anthony's Church to Columbus Park.  

 

Don't let the short list fool you, there's still alot to be involved in this week in Trenton.  And take note, there will be no City Council Conference session on Tuesday.  -- jc

NY Times: $50 Million Project on 20 Acres 500 Homes for Trenton

Real Estate
March 7

In the largest proposed residential development in 50 years in Trenton, 20 acres in the city's South Ward are to be reshaped into a new neighborhood of some 500 new and renovated one- and two-family town houses and rental apartments as well as up to 60,000 square feet of stores.

More...
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