THE METROPOLEJordan GuyEnglish 250Section VF

History

Metropole was a luxury hotel built in Downtown Cincinnati in 1912

In 1971, the Metropole was bought out and remodeled

Changed into affordable housing complex Affordable housing is

housing for low-income individuals or families

Affordable housing costs at most 30% of whatever a person’s income currently is

The problem

On November 3rd, 2009, the Cincinnati City Center Development Corporation (3CDC) bought the Metropole

3CDC planned to renovate the Metropole and change it back into a deluxe hotel with an art museum and restaurant Doing so would make the Metropole no longer

affordable housing Needs mediation because people tend to

feel very strongly one way or the other, little give and take

Anti-renovation Former tenants of the Metropole didn’t want to be

forced to leave their homes Ideally located in the middle of Downtown Cincinnati

Over-the-Rhine (new location) was very much a step down Very rundown, impoverished Lack of necessities (grocery stores, laundromats, ect.) 3 straight years on the Top 25 Most Dangerous

Neighborhood list

A Metropole Tenant

Pro-renovation Renovating the

Metropole brings in more business to downtown area Nearby stores,

restaurants, attractions see an uplift in business

“The lunch and dinner crowds have been a lot bigger and we’ve been doing quite a bit better since the Metropole reopened.”

The renovation and reopening offers many jobs where there were few before Cincinnati

unemployment rate rose above 10% in late 2010

The reconstruction of the Metropole offered 540 temporary construction jobs

The hotel offers 160 permanent jobs

Inside the New Metropole

Mediation:3CDC builds new affordable housing complex in

West End neighborhood

West End is next to Downtown

Allow former tenants to remain a community

West End land is currently cheap and the neighborhood is much better than Over-the-Rhine

Budget for 3CDC in 2012 is over 250 Million

Avoid lawsuits from former tenants (6 have been settled, 3 still in progress)

Avoid bad PR Gain good

reputation

Map of Cincinnati

Works Cited

“Cincinnati, OH Employment and Jobs”. Areavibes. Areavides. 2010-2012. Web. 4/1/12.

“Developing New Affordable Housing and Resources”. PLANNYCHA. New York Housing Authority. 2012. Web. 3/31/12.

Easeson, Ryan. Personal interview. 3/14/12. Flannery, Gregory. Posted on Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the

Homeless’ wall. 12 Nov. 2009. Facebook posting. LeMaster, Kevin. “Building Cincinnati.” N.p. 2012. Web.

3/27/2012. McCaskey, Katie. Gentrification Wars: Cincinnati Metropole.

2009. AOL Real Estate. Web. 3/27/2012. McCray, Florence. Personal Interview. 3/13/12. Spring, Josh. Personal Interview. 3/13/12. “Top 25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods”. It’s Tactical. It’s

Tactical: Imminent Threat Solutions. Oct. 6th, 2010. Web. 3/31/12.