Here is a press release issued by 3CDC and I completely agree with their take and not that of some AOL poll.
June 22, 2009
Statement from 3CDC in regard to the study by Location Inc, published today on AOL.com on the 25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in America.
“The study released today regarding Over-the-Rhine (OTR) focuses on approximately 20 square blocks, some of them not even located in OTR and is based on data that is more than two and a half years old. In fact, reported crime through 2008 in the area of OTR south of Liberty Street, known as OTR Gateway, is down 37% since 2004.
“OTR is 110 square blocks and includes several neighborhood districts including OTR Gateway, centered at the corner of 12th and Vine streets. This area, and other OTR census tract areas, was not part of the study.
“It is unfortunate and intellectually dishonest that the entire neighborhood was labeled in such a negative way. The fact is, $84 million has been invested in OTR Gateway since 2004 and new home owners and business owners are investing in the neighborhood. This past Saturday, a 5K run and day-long Summer Celebration arts festival brought about 2,000 people to the corner of 12th and Vine to shop, eat and listen to music. The only problem was that some of our vendors didn’t anticipate such a large crowd and ran out of food.”
# # #
“The Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) is a private, non-profit corporation. Its mission is to revitalize Cincinnati's Center City as a regional center of high value employment and real estate by developing a diverse mix of housing, culture and entertainment. It was formed in July 2003 as part of the overall system to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of development activities in the City as recommended by The Cincinnati Economic Development Task Force. 3CDC is funded privately through business contributions, foundations and other philanthropic sources. For more information, visit www.3cdc.org.”
this entire thing is horrible and needs to be remedied immediately. whoever came up with this crazy data needs to retract their statement.
ReplyDeleteSuspect research, to say the least.
ReplyDeleteIn trying to figure out more about Dr Andrew Schiller, the geographer in charge of this study is employed by a website that seeks to "change the way consumers select residential real estate and make relocation decisions." The claim PhD level research gives them legitimacy, but it does not if it succumbs to an ideology that prefers a suburban context [see: http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/about-neighborhoodscout]/
Also, check out this article by Dr Schiller to see if it sounds like he's more interested in getting his research noticed than the research itself:
http://rinexus.com/blog/2008/02/building-250-000-page-website-re-launching-neighborhoodscout
When academics sell out, true research suffers. I wish I had more free time to deconstruct this debacle.
In 2008 District 1 Police (OTR) had the lowest crime rates out of the five districts in Cincinnati. So now labeling it the highest in the US is like saying the Teran elections were viable. Any Cincinnati media outlet that does not question. Should question their integrity in reporting. This smells so politically motivated you can see the stench in the air.
ReplyDeleteUm, I don't know where you guys live at, but I live in OTR. Not the cheesy 3CDC run area but a little further up near Clifton and Vine were the gentrification hasn't quite made it up just yet. It is a warzone and I am glad it has been labeled so. I'm afraid to walk down the street and other people should be too. I have personally known one person that was shot in the neck while being mugged, three others robbed at gunpoint, and I myself have had a gun pointed at me. That's just in the year that I have lived here. Saying that it's not a VERY dangerous neighborhood is grossly irresponsible. Where I live, I cannot imagine it being much worse anywhere else, and that is not dishonest.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone see the article in the New Yorker about the CIRV/Ceasefire program? Very positive, but not blindingly so. Very good work over all. Check it out: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/06/22/090622fa_fact_seabrook
ReplyDelete