Preserving the Queen (City's) crown jewel : historic preservation in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine

Abstract

Over-the-Rhine is a nationally significant historic district in Cincinnati, Ohio, and one of the City's greatest assets. Despite its tremendous character and potential, for years the district has languished through disinvestment and neglect, resulting in substantial demolitions of the historic fabric. Without an intervention, demolition and insensitive new development will continue, and the opportunity to leverage Over-the-Rhine as a unique asset may be lost. This thesis represents an attempt to identify the particular threats to the preservation of Over-the-Rhine and, through careful research and analysis, devise a plan that will maintain the district's historic integrity. The thesis begins by detailing the history and significance of Over-the-Rhine, and identifying the specific nature of the threat: demolition by neglect. Following a review of preservation literature, a targeting analysis is performed, resulting in the selection of three priority conservation areas in the district. Next, 7 relevant case studies are presented of buildings that were saved and rehabilitated despite being seriously neglected and "too far gone" in the eyes of many.

(cont.) From this research, it is concluded that: "too far gone" is an ambiguous term dependent on the motives of the building owner; the selection of engineers and contractors plays a crucial role in the feasibility of preservation; community members often provide the initial impetus for preservation; preserving severely damaged structures can be quite profitable; innovation is a key component in such preservation projects; and economics ultimately determine whether or not a project is feasible. Next, an analysis of existing conditions in Over-the-Rhine is provided. This results in the identification of key opportunities and pitfalls. The conclusions from the case studies are then synthesized with the information gleaned from the existing conditions and other analysis to create a set of recommendations for preservationists. The recommendations combine marketing, advocacy, regulation, and development strategies to form a coherent plan for the preservation of Over-the-Rhine's existing fabric. Finally, the issue of incompatible new construction is addressed, and a set of revised design guidelines is presented to inform new development in the future.