Friday, December 24, 1999
Newport re-expands concept
Block voted in by city commission
BY TERRY FLYNN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEWPORT — City commissioners put the finishing touches on the Third Street Redevelopment plan by approving an expansion that was part of the original concept.
The ordinance, passed in second reading at a special meeting Thursday, includes the block west of Washington Avenue, north of Southgate Street, east of Saratoga Street and south of Third Street.
“The redevelopment plan originally extended to the south side of Third Street, but for some reason in the final drawings it was excluded,” City Manager Phil Ciafardini said.
“It just didn't get done. What we have done now is a little bit of in-house adjustment at the end of the year. ... We feel we need to have more control of the area as we move into the new year.”
The additional land includes the property where the former Dennart Distributing Co. buildings stand, as well as the old Southgate School, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Dennart buildings were to be the site of a Woodstock Cafe restaurant/bar entertainment complex planned by developers Eric Haas and Nick Ellison of Fort Thomas.
There has been no movement on the project since it was announced almost three years ago, and some city officials are saying privately that the restaurant may never open.
City officials also have been in continuous negotiations with the companies that own billboards on the land in an attempt to buy the property and remove them.
“We have been working on this situation for some time,” Mr. Ciafardini said. “We don't feel the billboards fit in with the rest of the redevelopment, including Newport on the Levee.” That project is a planned entertainment complex next to the Oceanic Adventures Newport Aquarium).
Including the block bordered by Third, Southgate, Saratoga and Washington in the plan does not involve any inhabited dwellings, as was the case on other portions of Third and Second streets when the first phase of work was begun.
There are several occupied dwellings on Second Street that the city will eventually take, including the building that houses Miss Catie's Saloon.
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