13 Pages of Local History Gold

The cover contrasted with a current Google Earth rendering
Back in 1940 the Urban Land Institute, a construct of the National Association of Real Estate Boards, concocted a set of proposals to strengthen the "downtown" areas of large cities across America that had suffered from the decentralization of their residents & businesses. I found the summary for Cincinnati at the Hamco Library. At 13 whole pages, it took more time to get it than to read it. but it's full of goodies.
The introduction:

Cincinnati has a distinct character which individualizes it among American cities, Because of the high calibre of its citizens this community has built exceptional ideals, not only in its governmental. industrial and. business life, but likewise in its pursuit of educational and cultural objectives. Among cities it stands high as a comment in which to live and. to do business it likewise deserves its enviable reputation for good government and financial stability Nevertheless, It Is quite
apparent that Cincinnati now stands at the crossroads as between becoming a static or retrogressive community, or, by forward looking action, becoming the great focal point for a large surrounding territory, The time is here when the citizens must decide what the City has the capacity to become, and. what they desire it to "be in the way of a City.
Quite obviously the citizens of this metropolitan area do not wish to see Cincinnati retrogress There has been a long period during which the City has done little else but endeavor to meet the pressing problems which have confronted it from year to year. The time is at hand when the City must adopt a constructive long range program leading to systematic procedure over a period of time and the taking of those steps and the making of those improvements necessary to arrest decline and to assure progress.

Other tids:

• Population: 452,852
• 90% of the population was born locally.
• 10% of the population is colored.
• During the past decade there haB been a loss of approximately 6% of the substantial population, which has been supplanted, by negroes, migrants from the Kentucky and Tennessee mountains, and persons seeking the relief bounty of the City.
• The central business district bounded by Plum, Central Parkway, 3rd Street and Broadway contains:
  
  • 230 specialty shops
  • 38 hotels
  • 30 office buildings
  • 19 banks
  • 14 theaters
  • 12 department stores
  • 9 five & dimes
  • 6 apartment hotels
  
  
• Office building vacancy: 15.8% (down from 1933's 28.9%)
• Single family residence vacancy <1%
• Since 1922 266 buildings razed - 24 built
• Debt: $35,774,917
• 1 car / 4.29 persons

There are a number of recommendations including eliminating on street parking in the CBD, build parking under the streets, build traffic bypasses, widen Liberty, Harrison & Gilbert, construct a crosstown artery using the Rapid Transit ROW from Oakley to Central Parkway, save Music Hall….
Seriously, good geek fun.