buildingcincinnati

"Green" Lazarus building gets national accolade By Matt Burns, Business First of Columbus Tuesday, September 25, 2007 In going green, Columbus' renovated Lazarus building has taken home the gold. The 1 million-square-foot downtown landmark, which now features a rainwater filtering system and a 15,000-square-foot "green roof," has garnered national attention from the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. The group called Lazarus one of the two best ecofriendly development projects in the nation and the single best speculative building. The green development was born along with the first phase of the Lazarus building's renovation, which began in December 2004 after Federated Department Stores Inc. closed the store in 2002 and donated the building to Columbus Downtown Development Corp. The city enlisted New York-based Georgetown Co. for the renovations, the first $59.5 million phase of which wrapped in April. Full article: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/09/24/daily10.html

I watched that UC-SDSU game and the Aztecs just looked pathetic. Now I know why they haven't been to a bowl game since the Mountain West was formed. Did anyone else catch the game? It was on VS., which is a crap channel. It was like watching a high school game with the bad camera work, terrible color commentary, etc. The fact that 70,000 seat Qualcomm Stadium had something like 19 people in it didn't help the atmosphere, either.

Here is an assortment of 25 photos that I've taken within the past couple of months. 1. Mount Adams 2. Downtown 3. Seminary Square 4. Cincinnati Art Museum 5. Skyline 6. Mount Adams 7. Downtown 8. Seminary Square 9. Fairview 10. Skyline 11. Mount Adams 12. Downtown 13. MainStrasse 14. Walnut Hills 15. Skyline 16. Mount Adams 17. Downtown 18. Seminary Square 19. SouthShore, Mansion Hill 20. Skyline 21. Mount Adams 22. Downtown 23. Seminary Square 24. Walnut Hills 25. Skyline

River House Landing starting in Botany Hills Building Cincinnati, 9/27/07 Rendering from the River House Landing website The River House Landing project now has a website, which includes access to a webcam. Bill and Valerie Ashmore (dba River City Views, LLC) are teaming with Tanner Custom Homes to build the project, which will include 7 luxury townhomes starting at $1,095,000. A renovated Victorian home, which had to be moved to accomodate the project, will also be restored and offered for $795,000. All of the units are still available. In addition to three bedrooms and four baths, each unit will also feature a two-car "tandem" garage, a private elevator, a media room, a rooftop deck and high-end finishes. Because one acre of the plat actually extends underneath the river, the townhomes will also be able to offer private boat docks with each unit. The project is being built between Highway Avenue (KY-8) and the Ohio River, near where the road takes a sharp curve at Swain Court. So far, work has progressed to the foundations being poured. WINDOWS LIVE BIRD'S EYE VIEW GOOGLE AERIAL MAP http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2007/09/river-house-landing-starting-in-botany.html

Historic Newport home in danger Building Cincinnati, 9/27/07 Photo of 825 York Street from Campbell County PVA A home at 825 York Street faces possible demolition, despite its place on the National Register of Historic Places. The Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home would like to demolish the house, ostensibly to expand their parking lot. The funeral home, which is located at 835 York Street, already owns a parking lot at 827 York. Last Thursday, the Newport Board of Adjustment denied by a 2-2 vote Muehlenkamp-Erschell's application for the parking lot. The fear is that the funeral home will demolish the home and then re-apply with the Board of Adjustment in the hopes that, with the house being gone, the parking lot proposal might have a better chance of passing. Local preservationists believe the Greek Revival home to have been built sometime between 1850 and 1860, making it the oldest home on the block. Some of the historic character of the home has been altered, including the installation of vinyl windows. It is currently a blighted multi-family property, and some local residents believe it might be a drug house. An inspection in 2004 listed the property in "good" condition. No more recent inspections are available, though both officials involved in the city's historic preservation and the city's own code enforcement officers know nothing about any structural issues. This area of Newport has seen quite a few rehabs in recent years. WINDOWS LIVE BIRD'S EYE VIEW GOOGLE AERIAL MAP http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2007/09/historic-newport-home-in-danger.html

^ It's Lifetime: http://www.lifetime.com/OutdoorStorage/8ftx12_5ftStorageSheds.aspx

Pulse Loft Condos photo update, 9/18/07 Building Cincinnati, 9/26/07 The 32 units in Phase I of the Pulse Loft Condominiums appear to be very near completion. The $13 million project will contain 64 units at buildout, priced between $140,000 and $322,000. The Louis & Henry Group, an architectural and development firm out of Louisville, is the developer. Sales are being handled by Huff Realty. The site is located between 8th and 9th streets and Banklick and Russell streets in the Seminary Square neighborhood of Covington. http://buildingcincinnati.blogspot.com/2007/09/pulse-loft-condos-photo-update-91807.html

Inwood Village project seeking preservation tax credits Building Cincinnati, 9/26/07 The developer of the stalled Inwood Village project in Mount Auburn is seeking state tax credits to help fund the rehabilitation a historic district abutting Christ Hospital. Developer Pauline Van der Haer of Dorian Development has applied for Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits for a $20.5 million rehabiliation of the Glencoe-Auburn Hotel and the Glencoe-Auburn Place Row Houses. The rehabilitation of the buildings, which were built between 1884 and 1891, would produce 68 market-rate homes priced in the $200,000-$300,000 range. The tax credits, which are distributed by the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD), are equal to 25 percent of the owner's qualifying rehabilitation expenditures.* ODOD has deemed $16 million of the project cost eligible for the tax credits. Van der Haer had been loath to seek federal tax credits for the project after the district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The project was first announced in 2004 with the promise of 31 units in Phase I, and a model was completed in late 2006. Since then, the project has stalled due to funding. The City has already approved Community Development Block Grant funding for infrastructure improvements in the district, including the small concrete parks in the courtyards. However, the City wants for the buildings to be completed before that money is released. Dorian feels that the overgrown courtyards would hurt sales. In related news, parking capacity has not yet been ironed out, but it's likely to include at least one parking structure and numerous small surface lots. * The credit can be claimed against the building owner's Ohio corporate franchise tax, personal income tax, or dealer-in-intangible tax liability. http://buildingcincinnati.blogspot.com/2007/09/inwood-village-project-seeking.html

It's possible to buy a five-foot extension that comes with an extra section of floor, two wall sections, a truss and the extra roof sections. They have all kinds of crap you can buy, and you could conceivably lengthen this thing to miles if you wanted to. KOOW...I joked about that. I told my dad he could make it his smoking lounge. I offered to help him with electrical so he could put in a TV and watch football. My brilliant idea was to install a urinal in the corner. It could be emptied through a piece of tubing coming up through the floor, which would empty over the hill and down into the adjacent creek. CDM...Yes, sir.

Overlook at Eden Park photo update, 9/18/07 Building Cincinnati, 9/25/07 Cranes were in place and cladding was being applied in these photos of the Overlook at Eden Park taken last Tuesday. This 13-story condo tower will have a total of 24 units. Prices for the units start at $500,000, with the top price for one of the two penthouse units at $1.475 million. Joshua One is the developer, which is being built on Luray Avenue across from Eden Park. http://buildingcincinnati.blogspot.com/2007/09/overlook-at-eden-park-photo-update.html

Court between Elm and Plum likely to remain surface lots Building Cincinnati, 9/25/07 The surface lots around Court Street Center appear likely to remain as pavement for the foreseeable future. Michele Laumer of Carey Laumer Commercial Realty, Inc. says that there has only been occasional interest in Court Street Centers II and III, which have been in pre-leasing since early 2004. As proposed, Court Street Center II would be five stories and 100,000 square feet of Class A offices. Court Street Center III would be the same height, with twice the floor space. A seven-story, 1,300-space parking garage would be built adjacent to it. Despite the lukewarm reception so far, Laumer puts both buildings in the "possibilty" category. The parking lots are owned by Chavez Properties, owner of many surface lots in the City core, including much of Broadway Commons. Chavez doesn't have any interest in speculative development in the tight Downtown market, especially with the low-overhead income he receives from parking revenues. He would prefer to have at least 50% of either building pre-leased before starting construction. What he does have is the resources to make either of the buildings happen if a company chooses to locate there and can abide a long enough lead time to wait until the structure is built. Court Street Center II Rendering Court Street Center III Rendering WINDOWS LIVE BIRD'S EYE VIEW GOOGLE LABELLED AERIAL MAP http://buildingcincinnati.blogspot.com/2007/09/court-between-elm-and-plum-likely-to.html

So you've probably noticed that I haven't been active on the forums within the past couple of weeks. Most of my time has been taken up with work and with my blog, and the bulk of my free time has been spent helping my dad build this 100-square-foot shed. Of course, it had to get hot again just as we were starting. It was kind of a pain in the ass, but I think it turned out nicely. The plan is to landscape around the outside to hide the floor framing and to fill in the spot in front of the door with pea gravel, which will help keep it from filling up with water when it rains. I've also added a couple of photos of the brown vegetation at his house. Luckily, there was 1.33 inches of rain over the last 48 hours, which should help. He checked the shed and it was bone dry inside. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. This thing had like 8.6 million screws. 7. Shoes necessary. 8. 9. Leaves are already falling. 10. 11. It is officially fall. 12. Leaves are supposed to be a purplish-red.

I just heard a "thud". Ink, have any pics of Raymond Walters College? (aka "Ray's Place")

Pretty town.

Council authorizes bonds for Evanston, Walnut Hills streetscapes Building Cincinnati, 9/24/07 City Council approved unanimously the issuance of up to $1.5 million in bonds for general streetscape projects in Evanston and Walnut Hills. Each neighborhood could have bonds issued for up to $750,000. Revenues from established tax increment financing (TIF) districts will be used to service the bonds. Oakley, Westwood and West Price Hill were also seeking funds for streetscape projects. Their TIF districts were among seven local districts rejected by the state of Ohio due to new rules on property taxes that the City didn't take into account when creating the districts. In addition to Oakley, Westwood, and West Price Hill, the City will have to resubmit TIF districts for Avondale, East Price Hill, Lower Price Hill, Madisonville, and Riverside/Sedamsville. It is likely that the streetscape legislation for Oakley, Westwood and West Price Hill will be resubmitted at a later date. http://buildingcincinnati.blogspot.com/2007/09/council-authorizes-bonds-for-evanston.html

I've stumbled past all of those buildings that SlipperyFish posted.

Those are some pleasant areas and visually interesting. Tangent...I was in Fort Hamilton when the tornadoes went through in '74.

^ The way this team is, they'll probably win. What's more likely to happen is Randy Moss having 400 yards and 9 touchdowns.

The blue Astroturf! YAY! Pendleton looks like a very interesting place. What did the residential areas look like? BTW...your nature stuff is amazing.

I needed Bush to score a TD to win my game. 1st Down: Bush stretches the ball over the goal line but is ruled down because his shin hit the turf. 2nd Down: Bush is wide open in the flats and drops a pass that hits him right between the 2 and the 5. (BY THIS TIME I'M PISSED) 3rd Down: Bush bounces it to the outside and scores without being touched. Everything is suddenly much better for me.

^ $80 million according to the project website.

That's pretty weak.

Those aren't culverts. They're the affordable housing component.

Yeah...it just went condo not too long ago.

Hats make my head hot and my scalp itchy. I was rocking the Bengals hat in my blog photo, though.