Over-the-Rhone Historic District Historic Conservation Guidelines for New Construction

From the introduction: "The Over-the-Rhine Historic District is Cincinnati's historic heart, and a national treasure. Few neighborhoods in America inspire like Over-the-Rhine, with its expansive collection of Italianate churches, breweries, and tenements providing one of the best surviving examples in the country of a 19th century urban neighborhood. The historic district serves not only as the showpiece of Cincinnati's cultural heritage, but also as an economic engine and driver of the local economy. The famed travel historian Arthur Frommer said of the neighborhood, 'When I look at [Over-the-Rhine], I see in my mind the possibility of a revived district that literally could rival similar prosperous and heavily visited areas.' Indeed it is precisely the unique historic character of Over-the-Rhine and Pendleton that has fueled the renewal of the area and helped to facilitate a resurgence in the city as a whole. As a national exemplar for what historic preservation can do, it is essential that the Over-the-Rhine Historic District continue to be preserved and protected so that its status as both a cultural and an economic asset for the city of Cincinnati is maintained. This includes protection not only from demolition of the historic structures that comprise the district, but also from insensitive new construction built on vacant sites in the neighborhood. New construction has powerful impacts on the fabric and sense of place of the Over-the-Rhine Historic District, and can either enhance the historic character of the district, or damage it in harmful and irreparable ways. Moreover, due to demolition that occurred in the 20th century, new construction will ultimately compromise a very significant portion of the historic district, and will thus play a substantial role in defining its sense of place. These guidelines provide a regulatory framework for ensuring that new construction occurs in a manner that preserves and protects the Over-the-Rhine Historic District for current and future generations for Cincinnatians and visitors alike." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Ohio Historic Connection administered by the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior (grant number P17AF00020).

Over-the-Rhone Historic District Historic Conservation Guidelines for New Construction

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