The Ohio Valley Rapport - February 2026 
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About Us
The Ohio Valley Chapter (formerly Cincinnati Chapter) of CSI (The Construction Specifications Institute) is in its seventh decade of serving the Southern Ohio design/construction community. With our diversified membership base of allied professionals, CSI is the place to be to share ideas and practices. We have no hierarchy of membership. All members of the design/construction community enjoy equal status in CSI making networking easy and enjoyable. But we do more than provide networking – expect high-quality education programs and events that help members share real-world solutions and better understand the roles and responsibilities of each member of the construction team.
View from the Board
Bob Bartolt, CSI
Chapter Director
Owner
Robert Bartolt Architect
[email protected]
Hello to all. Unlike some of our past winters that were on the mild side, this winter is giving us a good amount of snow and cold temps. All the more reason to stay inside and think about what makes a successful construction project. For many, a typical project involves both drawings and specifications. The completeness of these two items are critical for any architectural commission to go from just an idea to a well-built structure.
Drawings and specs are basically a set of instructions for the contractor. Just like any parent who has to assemble a bike or toy for Christmas, the contractor does much the same. If the instructions are poorly written or illustrated, there can be a large amount of frustration on the parent’s part. The same goes for the contractor who usually is coming on board cold, never having seen the drawings or specs and yet they are asked to complete the project without any questions, issues, or concerns. A parent can throw their arms up in frustration, maybe even deciding that the assembled bike or toy isn’t worth completing. The contractor does not have that choice.
Therefore, the drawings and project manual must be produced with the utmost care and precision. Drawings must be clear and concise. And just as importantly, the project manual must also be clear and concise. The specs should include just what is needed and avoid having too much information so as to create confusion. Just as a wall section only shows those items necessary to construct the wall, specs should only include, or describe, exactly what is needed to ensure a well-constructed wall, roof, interior, etc.
What makes the CSI Ohio Valley Chapter so great is the wealth of knowledge that our members have. The architects, contractors, and most importantly, the product representatives, all provide an enormous network that are the foundation for a complete and successful project. Whether young or old, we all can benefit from this network to make each project, (each set of instructions) including those that are small simple ones up to the extremely large and complex, a success.
Bob
Next Month's Program
Mastering Operable Partition Design & Specifications
February 10, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Montgomery Inn - Montgomery, Ohio
Navigate operable partition design with confidence by learning the basics of design and specification writing. Learn the importance of configurations, options, track systems, structural support, operation, informed product selection. Learn how ASTM standards play a role in design and installation. Identify how to write specifications, avoid the pitfalls of shop drawing and submittal review as well as site inspections.
Those registering to attend the program virtually will be sent a link a few days prior to the program. Anyone desiring to receive credits for the program must be individually registered.
Southern Ohio Design/Construction News
The Latest Design/Construction News in the Southern Ohio Area
COhatch advancing effort for mixed-use Riverview Village project in Dublin
- COhatch is moving forward with plans to build Riverview Village, a mixed-use innovation district along the Scioto River in Dublin, accelerating a development effort that has been in the works for several years…read more.
Demolition of University of Cincinnati iconic tower delayed by weather
- The University of Cincinnati is preparing for a major campus transformation with the demolition of Crosley Tower, a long-criticized building that once ranked among the “eight ugliest university buildings” in the country, according to Architectural Digest. University officials said deconstruction was originally expected to begin this week but has been delayed because of weather…read more.
If you subscribe to the Cincinnati Business Courier, Columbus Business First, or the Dayton Business Journal, check out these articles.
FEB 02 - Huber Heights plans $7.6 million public safety training center
JAN 30 - Demolition permit filed for east Columbus apartments targeted for $150M redevelopment
Check out CSI Ohio Valley on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Linkedin for Southern Ohio area design/construction news as well as announcements of our events and other enlightening commentary.
At the Institute...
Spring Certification Exam Registration is Now Open
CSI certifications help you build confidence in the work you're doing and gain credibility in the construction industry.
Earning a CSI credential shows that you understand construction documentation, specifications, and how project teams work together.
Now is your chance to take the next step in your career. Register before March 12 for best pricing.
New this year, CSI is offering Second Chance Insurance to give you piece of mind on exam day. Add it when you register for your CSI certification exam, and if you don’t pass your first attempt, you’ll get one retake in the next testing window at no additional cost.
At the Ohio Valley Chapter
What's Happening at the Chapter
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- Trivia Night Plus - Next Wednesday - Join us for the fun as you put your design and construction knowledge to the test plus earn CEU's at our education seminar.
- March Program: Mastering Operable Partition Design & Specifications.
- Spring Swing Golf Outing - Be on the lookout for our annual Spring Swing Golf out at Topgolf in March. Dates and times to be determined.
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New Members and Member Anniversaries
Our members make an impact. They’re equipped to bring projects to life, lead the industry, and move us toward a future that is technologized, diverse, and global. We want to take this opportunity to welcome our new members and look forward to building lasting relationships with them and we also want to thank our existing members on their member anniversary and thank them for their continuing service and support of CSI Cincinnati.
New Members
There are no new members this month.
What are you waiting for? Join CSI today!
Member Anniversaries
| David Proudfit, FCSI, CCS, CDT, AIA, SCIP | Proudfit Associates, LLC | 1985 |
| Larry Suer, RA, CSI, CCS, CDT, SCIP | Dovetail Architectural Services | 1992 |
| Henry Abbot, CSI | Abbot Studios | 1993 |
| Michael Pippin, CSI | National Gypsum | 2012 |
| Chris Highfield, CSI | KZF Design | 2021 |
| April Rawson, CSI, CDT | Oldcastle Building Envelope | 2022 |
| Steve DeMange, CSI, CDT | Garmann Miller | 2023 |
| Robert Sutton, CSI, CDT | Geotechnical Consultants, Inc. | 2023 |
| Michael Shoup, CSI | SHP | 2023 |
| Ryan Mitchell, CSI CDT | ClarkDietrich Building Systems | 2024 |
| Neena Jud, CSI | Harmony Architecture | 2025 |
| Hannah Clark-Havron, CSI | Elevar Design Group | 2025 |
| Macie Lindsay, CSI | THP Limited | 2025 |
| Andrew Pederson, CSI | Elevar Design Group | 2025 |
| Adam Shumaker, CSI, CDT | ClarkDietrich | 2025 |
Join CSI Ohio Valley
Join CSI for one year for Free!
Have you been considering joining CSI? CSI is a must for any professional involved in designing, supplying, building, negotiating, planning, contracting or any other function in the construction-building industry. CSI members bring real world solutions to this ever-changing climate. Learn more about our different membership types, discounts, resources, and educational opportunities. Becoming a CSI member gives you a wealth of benefits, including construction industry news and resources, standards and formats, networking opportunities, webinars, events, and member discounts.
- Meet commercial-level owners, facility managers, architects, specifiers, engineers, manufacturers and product reps.
- Produce construction documents that save time and money.
And boy, do we have a deal for you! The CSI Great Lakes Region has instituted a program called the “Chapter Challenge.” We are offering one year of free membership in CSI. This includes national, region, and chapter dues. This offer is available to all new design professionals, contractors, legal professionals, and other related professionals. Sorry, the program does not include product representatives, distributors, and similar industry memberships, nor does it include membership renewals. If you are interested in joining via the “Chapter Challenge” contact our Ohio Valley Chapter President, Aaron Spencer, [email protected], 859-652-5125 .
