Michael L. Redmond

New properties on Gateway Quarter tour By Lisa Bernard-Kuhn • [email protected] • May 28, 2009 http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20090528/BIZ01/305280015/ Six newly open buildings with 41 new condos and five newly constructed single family homes in Over-the-Rhine will be highlighted Saturday during the “Gateway Quarter Expansion Tour” slated to run from noon to 4 p.m. The tour is free and open to the public.

That was us. I don't think we got out of there until about 10:30.

^Each of those buildings will be on the Saturday Expansion Tour. June 20th is the OTR 5K and the Gateway Summer Celebration so there will be a lot going on in and around the Quarter.

We try and do tours like that either before big public tours or at the release of a new phase. But I will say this, if we get groups of say 6-8 people who are interested in touring, we will pull one together.

I believe that was one of our best blogger tours yet. The Segways are a blast and certainly made going from building to building much easier. Also, Switch kicked in beer and wine afterward and it just made for a great evening. It was nice to finally meet some of the UO people and put both a face and a name to the person. Buildings toured included Goodfellows Hall, Falling Wall, Lackman Lofts, City Home, 14th and Vine, and Mottainai. All of these buildings will be on the Expansion Tour this Saturday from 12-4.

I believe there was some real head scratching as how to fix the problem initially. Rugs, insulation, change in flooring type to cork. There are definite fixes but for every fix to function it took away from aesthetics. For instance, the easiest fix would be to carpet and drywall everything but as you can imagine, that fix may be met with some resistance. There is a solution and I am sure Bill Baum will find it.

There is more at play than simply inking the deal. Many times, the tenant wants to be the one to do the announcement, especially when it involves either an expansion or a move. It has been my understanding that Urban Sites is currently working on sound issues in the building. When original floors are used and ceilings are left exposed you achieve a great look at the expense of perfect function. The problem will be solved one way or another as Urban Sites, with or without 3CDC prodding, constantly strives to put out quality product.

Such a good article until Duane's portion. Once again, there are so many success stories that could be put out there but instead we have project failures that are the spokespeople here which gives the impression that development can only succeed with a streetcar. How many other mid sized projects has Duane ever done? He, as a developer made a choice on area, time, building, product type and simply did not have the ability to pull it together, streetcar or no. McMicken, tell me I am wrong. Did he make the investment and choices he did based on the knowledge of a proposed streetcar? Also, KD Lamp was just walked away from again and back up for sale, why would they abandon dev. plans if that is on the streetcar route?

I saw a movie about something like that once...I don't think it ended well.

I just spoke to the sales team at the Quarter and they know exactly how many times the streetcar has been mentioned both by buyers and potential buyers. It isn't what you think. no doubt whatsoever.

I completely agree with that message. If you recognize the huge investments already made, leverage that and incorporate the streetcar as part of an already existing development plan then I believe to many people this will resonate. To say if we build it, development will come is much less effective then saying development is here, we NEED to build it. We have the Banks to point to, the Stadiums, Fountain Sq., the Quarter, and Findlay...leverage that success as they are undeniable unlike a "study" is. You have an endless supply of success stories, there is no need to paint a gloom and doom scenerio.

That PDF crashed my computer! What does I/O error mean? Is anyone else having that problem? And if the argument were framed that way I would be its biggest supporter. Development is not dependent on the Streetcar but rather enhancement of development and protection in that investment. The rhetoric just isn't holding up to the reality and it makes the arguments for the streetcar relatively easy to pick apart. And I and many others including Chris Rose did buy on Mulberry (Chris and I have bought more than most) and transportation was not an issue. I will go a step further and say I remember a time when people weren't buying and hardly renting on 4th street or any street downtown and transportation wasn't the issue...what changed? And where did all of those people in the McAlpin find parking? By tearing down a building? If the streetcar is built and as you say development wouldn't happen or the tear down of buildings would have to occur, are you saying people will give up their cars to move into the Brewery Dist because they can ride the Streetcar downtown and into Clifton? That to me seems like a bigger limit to transportation options than anything, but in reality they would never sell without parking anyway as it limits resale potential vs their competition at the time who does provide parking. And to the tune of what, 2290 units? And the commercial (I assume they are talking across the board comm, certainly not just retail) will not need parking either because everyone will park and ride? I see your arguments as simply begging more questions. When a person who is unfamiliar with the area isn't convinced, and people who are extremely familiar and heavily vested aren't convinced, then I think you need a better, clearer argument that is based on simple, easy to understand facts that can point to todays realities, not just tomorrows studies. It can be done but I just don't see the willingness and it may already be too late.

^thank you.

Well we have new units going in every single day without the presence of a streetcar. Just one time I would like to see someone have to put their neck on the line for some of these statements. How does that economist derive 2,290 units and 148,000 of comm? Numbers sound so impressive when they aren't rounded off so could you point me to that study. That didn't happen to be a study funded by the streetcar proponents was it? Gateway succeeds because it doesn't just give a transportational link, it gives a development link. Why didn't 3CDC start with 14th and Vine? It had to link the development, there was no difference in the walkability, no difference in any mode of transportation yet why is 14th and Vine viable today and not two years ago? The same is true with the Brewery Dist except you are dealing with a whole different type of building that does not lend itself well to residential rehab. A streetcar does not overcome that. What do you do to a KD Lamp, a Hussman, or John Donaldson's building next to Hussman? There is building after building up there that are functionally obsolescent and unless your economist above sees major industry moving back into the heart of the Brewery Dist, I would challenge his findings.

First, look at the reasoning that they started at 12 and Vine. That was one of the toughest corners in OTR, period. They decided to do a straight shot up Vine and move outward in development. They purchased multiple properties on multiple streets but remember, they still do not own everything and therefor do not have a say on particular properties. But nor did they start on all North south streets either. Only now are they hitting Elm, Main on 3, Walnut nothing yet. But lets take 12th. Tender Mercies, 1132 Bar, CPS, and going eastward the Art Academy and I believe Terry Lee's building is not owned by 3CDC either. The point is, they own more on Vine, north of 12th and wanted to have the greatest impact as quickly as possible. They weren't building around the streetcar. As development pushes North and others begin and push west, yes it becomes more viable. But you are saying that if you lay track it would be now? If Gateway didn't exist yet there was a streetcar, would it then be a success?

Clyffside- Dwayne Donohoo. No significant financial backing. Failed Metal Blast-Denny Dellinger. No financial backing at all. Forclosed Moerlein residence-Karen Dominee. She rehabbed it and that was all she was planning on doing. Sold or rented, I will ask. office-Investor/architect who lives in Fla. Purchased it because he like the facade. On a side note, the greenest grass I have ever seen was in the top floor of that building. Also a church went in there and removed a structual wall that blew out the side walls of the building. Ask Byron if I am wrong, and also ask if he mows that second floor or does he just go for the prairie look. :wink: Contrast any of these (good people, but none developers) to 3CDC. It was the failing of the development both in functionality of the building in Metal Blasts case and the product type relative to other availabilities in the area, not just Gateway. Good chat...gotta go.

Are you saying that the massive development effort is the same now as it was over the past decades?

Who? Mike's? what does he own there? Steve Hampton, who doesn't live on the line to begin with and is about as far away from it as I am? We are all supporters, we all want to see it happen but this is BS that their redevelopment has anything to do with the Streetcar. Is Steve going to stop on his property because of no streetcar? Did he even know anything about the streetcar when he purchased on McMicken?

I would direct you back to my comment above as you are not comprehending what I have been trying to tell you.

With the exception of Byron (who bought the building I wanted to buy before Mulberry) none of them made their decision based on the streetcar. I too am one of those people who live, eat and breathe OTR. My "accusations" are not to your motives, but to your tactics. We both would like to see the same thing. I too want a streetcar. At the same time it is hard for me to jump on the bandwagon when misinformation about development, both past, present and future are all attributed to the streetcar. I will still be here after we do or do not get one and I don't want to have a harder time trying to explain to someone why OTR especially north of Liberty is still a worthwhile investment just because we didn't lay track.

Like they had to do with 14th and Vine or the Gateway Building. Do you realize how many vacant lots we have? From todays Michael Redmond, neighbor and friend of Chris Rose: Chris is towing the community line the same way I would if interviewed. Chris had eyed several locations in OTR dating back several years and I am telling you, in all reality, that was not why his decision was made. Chris did the same thing in City Beat about 7 years ago when trying to get streetlights on Mulberry. Don't be fooled by your own hype. I live about as far north as you can get in OTR. I did not purchase because of a streetcar nor did my neighbors. I can and occasionally do walk downtown but certainly prefer the drive in one of my two cars that I park in front of my palatial estate that I call the Taj MaHOLLY. If you are specifically talking about the Brewery Dist. then I argue that the buildings become less desirable because of the type of buildings that are there. The KD Lamp building does not become any more easy to develop because of a streetcar.

Really? Enlighten me. Who exactly? It is statements like this that are infuriating to me. You throw the Brewery Dist. under the proverbial bus to everyone in efforts to push your own cause. The CityLink campaign did the same thing to the West End. What do you tell developers when your project doesn't happen? I have a bit more faith in all of OTR than you do, with or without a streetcar and am not willing to say that the viability is solely dependent on a streetcar. This is not how you sell this thing. When you have someone like me and many others here in OTR that want in the worst way to be for it but have to defend the areas inevitable viability from constant statements like this, you are making a mistake. Come on people, are you just here to fool yourselves or do you really expect others to believe this? This just is not the case at all. What development that is in place now was streetcar proposal driven? The streetcar would not have even been entertained if it weren't for the development and if you would put it to the people that way, that the streetcar is a protection of your investment both in the CBD and OTR then perhaps you would get somewhere but that train may have already sailed. To say that OTR's development is thanks to your proposal is just laughable and finds no basis in reality. The frustrations here never stop..........

I think everyone is in agreement that something must be done about the park and the redevelopment of not just the park itself, but the entire surrounding area will see dramatic changes in the day to day activities. It is coming.

edale, I still don't think that was necessarily the intention of this. I could be wrong but this just seemed like a massive, city wide clean up effort that just happened to have their Volunteer Party at Washington Park. I took it more as an effort to help people like you and me with the overwhelming clean up effort that this and every city needs. What ever the reason, Vine St and other streets throughout Cincy look a little better today. I believe that was in association with the Freestore to help distribute either food or clothes to the homeless.

^Touche!