Mariemont was planned by the country's preeminent town planner of the time, John Nolen. The village plan was formulated in 1921, followed over the decade by construction of streets, the Inn, apartment buildings in the northwest quadrant, model homes (along Denny, Sheldon, and Albert) and the initial school building at Dale Park. By the late 1920's, however, construction slowed due to declining revenues at the Mariemont Company soon followed by the Great Depression. As a result, Mariemont was not built as planned, most especially around the town square.
Nolen's plan:
As a planned community from inception, the founders of Mariemont were able to create an ideal community based on sound planning practices incorporating principles of garden city design as a reaction to the crowded conditions of Cincinnati's basin. Planning principles included shaping the new community to the landscape and existing streets and streetcar line, plotting an industrial sector (for tax base creation) isolated across the ravine, and developing infrastructure for a self-sustaining community (Resthaven farm group, pensioner homes, steam plant, etc).
Nolen's 1921 plan located all these landmarks, all centered upon an active and dense village core of Inn, shops, and mixed use housing radiating from the town square. As rendered, the square's buildings were 3 story structures on the square and the diagonal streets (Miami both north and south of the square, and Madisonville). With the economy in decline through the 1930' s, however, only the Inn was built (however without extension to the northeast), while shops and offices along Wooster were realized significantly smaller than planned, and the block residential buildings radiating out from the square were built as smaller apartment units in the 1950's.
conclusion:
Developers see opportunity to build in the village to create amenities desired in the marketplace (entry level condos, senior living apartments, flat condo units (as opposed to townhouses), new green construction, etc). Residence D will allow zoning to regulate new development to fit within the historical context of the village, fulfilling the original intentions established at Mariemont's inception. What would John Nolen say if he was out walking the 2009 streets of Mariemont? "Vote YES on Issue 42 Residence D."
Nolen's plan:
As a planned community from inception, the founders of Mariemont were able to create an ideal community based on sound planning practices incorporating principles of garden city design as a reaction to the crowded conditions of Cincinnati's basin. Planning principles included shaping the new community to the landscape and existing streets and streetcar line, plotting an industrial sector (for tax base creation) isolated across the ravine, and developing infrastructure for a self-sustaining community (Resthaven farm group, pensioner homes, steam plant, etc).
Nolen's 1921 plan located all these landmarks, all centered upon an active and dense village core of Inn, shops, and mixed use housing radiating from the town square. As rendered, the square's buildings were 3 story structures on the square and the diagonal streets (Miami both north and south of the square, and Madisonville). With the economy in decline through the 1930' s, however, only the Inn was built (however without extension to the northeast), while shops and offices along Wooster were realized significantly smaller than planned, and the block residential buildings radiating out from the square were built as smaller apartment units in the 1950's.
conclusion:
Developers see opportunity to build in the village to create amenities desired in the marketplace (entry level condos, senior living apartments, flat condo units (as opposed to townhouses), new green construction, etc). Residence D will allow zoning to regulate new development to fit within the historical context of the village, fulfilling the original intentions established at Mariemont's inception. What would John Nolen say if he was out walking the 2009 streets of Mariemont? "Vote YES on Issue 42 Residence D."
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