Cincinnati - Then and Now (004)

This is the fourth post in a series comparing historic "street view" to current Goolge Street Views. There are thousands of photos available online thanks to the Ohio Digital Resource Commons.

1.

Looking west on West Clifton Avenue, just up the hill from Vine Street, in March of 1928.

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The approximate spot currently, as seen on Google Street View.

3.

Walnut Street, north from 14th

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The approximate spot currently, as seen on Google Street View.

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Looking east from Ravine up the steps that were Klotter Avenue in March of 1931. Neighborhoods like this once lined Cincinnati's hillsides and were composed of mostly Appalachian transplants.

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The same view just a few months later, after street improvements had been made.

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The approximate spot currently, as seen on Google Street View. Homes on the hillsides have been mostly removed, as have many of Cincinnati's steps - though hundreds still exist and are used frequently today.

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Cincinnati - Then and Now (003)

This is the third post in a series comparing historic "street view" to current Goolge Street Views. There are thousands of photos available online thanks to the Ohio Digital Resource Commons.

1.

Looking south from what will be one of the most popular streetcar stops - the corner of 12th and Vine.

2.

The approximate spot currently, as seen on Google Street View.

3.

Near the top of Liberty Hill.

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The approximate spot currently, as seen on Google Street View.

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Looking east from the corner of Elm and Third. Fort Washington Way has drastically changed this view.

6.

The approximate spot currently, as seen on Google Street View. The four buildings to the right of the large, white Enquirer Building are the only clearly visible remnants.

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Cincinnati - Then and Now (002)

This is the second post in a series comparing historic "street view" to current Google Street Views (visit the first here). There are thousands of photos available online thanks to the Ohio Digital Resource Commons.

1.

Looking west from the corner of Elm and Eighth, toward City Hall, September 19, 1930. I couldn't find much on old maps as to what the big dome across from City Hall was.

2.

The approximate spot currently, as seen on Google Street View.

3.

Looking East near the corner of 12th and Central Parkway, toward Washington Park, October 2, 1929.

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A similar spot observed recently on Google Street View (albeit before the recent renovation of Washington Park was complete).

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The archive has dozens of photos of the construction of the Fifth Street Viaduct that takes Columbia Parkway into downtown. Lock Street no longer exists, but in 1938 it ran parallel to Eggleston Avenue, and Columbia Parkway soared overhead.

6.

Today, I-471 runs where the neighborhood at the base of Mt. Adams previously existed.

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Cincinnati - Then and Now (001)

Thanks to the efforts of the Ohio Digital Resource Commons, thousands of photos taken of Cincinnati's street improvements during the 1920's and 1930's are viewable online. The changes that occur over the course of 80+ years are rather interesting. Thanks to Google Street View, it's possible to quickly compare the photos taken almost a century ago with the city as it exists today.

There are thousands of these street improvement photos available. I'll start by comparing a few of the more recognizable spots around Cincinnati. While some areas have seen little change, most of the photos show stark contrasts between the Cincinnati of the 1920's and the Cincinnati we know today.

1.

Looking north along Vine Street from the intersection of Clifton Avenue - August 10, 1931.

2.

The same spot currently, as seen on Google Street View.

3.

The corner of William Howard Taft and Vine Street, looking west in 1942

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William Howard Taft and Vine Street, looking west, as seen on Google Street View. Much has changed, including the steeples of St. George, damaged during the fire in 2008.

5.

In some places, almost nothing has remained the same. Here, looking west from the corner of 5th and Walnut in 1928 the Sheraton-Gibson Hotel and Albee Theater are both visible along Fountain Square. Not yet visible would be Carew Tower - construction began the year after this photo was taken.

6.

Google Street View today shows that little has remained, US Bank, the Westin, and Carew Tower have been built, and even Fountain Square has since gone through two major renovations.

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Goodbye Glencoe

Glencoe Place, mentioned often on this website and others focusing on urban decay in Cincinnati, is in the process of being demolished. After a decade of failed attempts to cash out on the property by developer Pauline Van der Haer, Glencoe was sold at sheriff auction to the cleverly named "Leroy Glen Investment LLC" (a play on the street names in the Glencoe complex, Leroy Court and Glencoe Place). As is the intent of LLC's, it's unknown who exactly is behind the demolition and what future plans they have for the site. Whoever is streamlining the demolition of Glencoe, it's clear that to them an empty, virtually undevelopable hillside is more enticing than a nationally registered historic site.

The demolition of Glencoe Place is only one of the massive demolitions undertaken in the past few years around Mt. Auburn; adjacent Christ Hospital has demolished several city blocks of historic architecture in order to accommodate expansions of their now sprawling medical facilities.

For information concerning the demolition permits, visit Cincinnati's ezTrack permit service and search for the address(es) "2 Glencoe," "7 Glencoe, "49 Glencoe," etc. Although all buildings in Cincinnati over 50 years old are reviewed for historical significance before demolition permits are issued, the Glencoe Place complex was apparently found to be devoid of said importance by the City of Cincinnati, despite its place on the National Register of Historic Places.

Below are photos from after the first day of demolition at Glencoe Place. To see photos prior to its destruction, visit this older post.

1.

Glencoe Place shortly after demolition crews left after the first day of demolition.

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Christ Hospital looms over top of Glencoe Place.

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Although it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP #3001286), demolition of Glencoe Place began on March 19, 2013.

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Although demolition had just begun on March 19, 2013, demolition permits had been issued for the entirety Glencoe Place complex.

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Several buildings remodeled and painted blue sit behind the first of the historic structures to be demolished.

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The view of Glencoe Place from Christ Hospital will soon be replaced by an empty dirt lot.

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Demolition equipment in the shadow of Christ Hospital, an image that has become commonplace in Mt. Auburn.

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Glencoe Place after one day of demolition work.

9.

The existance of the remaining buildings at Glencoe Place is terminal.

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Urban Landscapes Exhibit

Betts House Photography Exhibit Part of FOTOFOCUS

Cincinnati, OH – Urban Landscapes, on view at The Betts House October 13 - November 29, 2012, will feature the work of photographers Sherman Cahal, Zach Fein, Craig Moyer, and Ronny Salerno. An opening reception will be held Friday, October 12, 5-8 pm. A gallery talk with some of the artists will take place on October 27 at 2:00 p.m.

The images featured in the exhibit explore the how neglect and abandonment affect our built environment. The artists create beautiful and atmospheric images from the ruins of factories, churches, houses, and other structures. These photographs challenge the viewer to see beauty and potential in what could otherwise be seen as a bleak view of our urban landscape.

The four photographers featured in Urban Landscapes approach their subject from a variety of perspectives and experiences. Sherman Cahal specializes in abandonments, historical structures, transportation, and infrastructure throughout the United States. Cincinnati native Zach Fein, a recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati's architecture program, focuses his work on the aesthetic of buildings that have been abandoned and how they affect the function and perception of urban spaces. Craig Moyer explores the solitude of abandoned structures and the stories that remain after their builders and inhabitants have gone. Urban street photographer and Northern Kentucky University student Ronny Salerno is an avid documentarian of the Cincinnati skyline and an explorer of abandoned structures.

Urban Landscapes is the third exhibit in The Betts House’s 2012-2013 exhibit series The Art of the Built Environment, supported by a Project Support Grant from ArtsWave (www.theArtsWave.org). The exhibit is part of FOTOFOCUS, a biennial month-long regional celebration of historical and contemporary photography and lens-based art (www.FotoFocusCincinnati.org).

Urban Landscapes Postcard (courtesy of Bett's House).

ABOUT THE BETTS HOUSE

Built in 1804, Ohio’s oldest brick house is located in the Betts-Longworth Historic District near downtown Cincinnati. The Betts House is a museum of the built environment, offering exhibits and programs exploring architecture, historic preservation, building trades, construction technologies, and building materials. The Betts House is located two blocks west of Music Hall at 416 Clark Street. The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. and the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, 12:30 – 5 p.m. Other days and times are available by appointment. Admission is $2 per person. www.TheBettsHouse.org

ABOUT FOTOFOCUS

FOTOFOCUS, a nonprofit arts organization, champions the ubiquity of photography and its important role in contemporary culture. FOTOFOCUS recaptures the spirit of Cincinnati’s legacy as an epicenter of art production and creative exchange, and seeks to revitalize that spirit for the 21st century. Acting as a catalyst for institutional collaboration and community engagement, FOTOFOCUS organizes a month-long biennial celebration, also called FOTOFOCUS. Spotlighting independently programmed exhibitions of historical and contemporary photography and lens-based art, FOTOFOCUS launches October 2012. For more information visit www.FOTOFOCUScincinnati.org

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Inside Union Terminal

Union Terminal is one of Cincinnati's most iconic buildings. Aside from being one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture anywhere in the world, Union Terminal is one of only a few massive train stations to still be utilized today. Aside from housing the Cincinnati Museum Center, Omnimax Theater, and the Cincinnati History Library and Archives, Union Terminal still houses Amtrak's operations via the Cardinal Line between New York and Chicago.

Cincinnati was not alone in constructing a beautiful train station just a few years prior to the decline of rail travel; several cities across the United States built impressive train stations that have had less fortunate fates. Detroit, for instance, built a massive train station a few miles from downtown, in a similar setting to Cincinnati's Union Terminal (Local Architecture visited Michigan Central Station two years ago). Today, Detroit's train station sits empty, having never been fully completed nor occupied. Similarly, Buffalo has a large train station that sits empty, although current efforts to reuse the building are in full swing. Even New York City lost the original Penn Station as rail travel came to a near halt in the 1960's.

Fortunately, Cincinnati was able to find alternative uses for Union Terminal and save it from decay, for the most part. Although it is beautiful from the perspective of the visitor, the behind the scenes areas of Union Terminal show the need for constant maintenance and support.

1.

The front of Cincinnati Union Terminal.

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Stairwells on either side of the large half-dome lead to the access points to the area above the ceiling.

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This photograph from 1931 shows Union Terminal under construction. The large trusses that support the roof of the half dome were the first destination of the tour. By Photographer unknown.Paultyng at en.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons

4.

Union Terminal as it is seen today, from a similar angle as the construction photo above.

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A location where one of several massive trusses, encased in concrete for fire-proofing reasons, passes through a floor plate.

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Catwalks span the width of the building between two layers of glass that make up the massive front window.

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The view of the interior of Union Terminal from a catwalk between the double glazed front window.

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One of the key features of Union Terminal is the massive clock that adorns the front of the building.

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Access to the clock is from the catwalks inside the front window. This photo shows the clock from behind.

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The ceiling.

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One of the catwalks within the trusswork above the ceiling.

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A view inside the roof structure.

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A view inside the roof structure, looking towards the front of the building.

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A few of the large trusses

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An access hall behind the famous murals that adorn the interior walls of the half-dome.

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A back hallway in one of the upper levels of the building.

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The rear of Union Terminal, as seen from the rail yard. One platform remains to serve passenger rail travel via the Amtrak Cardinal.

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From the roof, looking at a decaying boiler stack, out over the railyard.

19.

The former Union Terminal president's office, one of the renovated areas of the building.

20.

Another renovated section of Union Terminal, a board room near the president's office.

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The Ammo Plant

This abandoned complex has been featured on the blog once before, almost a year and a half ago. I won't go too far into the history of it, since it's been covered before, and is also covered in great detail over at Abandoned. Two of my favorite photos ever taken came from here, so I only hesitated a bit when given a chance to photograph it again.

This trip took place on one of those rare warm and sunny days in the middle of winter. It snowed a few inches the week before, and it snowed again the week after; but 50f and sunny makes for a good Sunday afternoon spent outdoors. Of all the places shown on this website in the past, this one is my personal favorite, and the last visit I made (shown here) was the most memorable of all. Here are a few of the photos I took:

Looking out over the top of the massive complex.

Inside one of the first buildings entered.

Inside a building designed to pack ammunition in 1944, now empty and devoid of the machinery that was once used here.

What a typical building in the complex looks like*.

Another view of the same building.

One of the two coal fired power plants inside the complex; the first photo was taken from the roof of this building.

The sun had started to set by the time we had reached the power plant.

Much of the power plant was still seemingly intact and undamaged, despite being abandoned for decades.

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