UCplanner

Alchemize rethinks new home Covington officials wanted possible site to be artisans center BY CINDY SCHROEDER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER COVINGTON - The owner of Alchemize, a trendy Over-the-Rhine bar that closed a couple of weeks ago, will not move to Covington's new arts district after city officials objected to the proposed site. However, Alchemize owner Nick Spencer says he hasn't ruled out a possible move to Covington or other locations in and around downtown Cincinnati. Nick, Clifton does seem like a good fit for your type of business. The area hasn’t had a real “club” in a while. Where in the area would you like to move Ludlow, McMillan, and Short Vine? I understand that there are relatively few places to move to in these areas but hopefully you can find something. The UC crowd would surely give you plenty of business, as well as all of the young professionals in the area. Once again, good luck in finding a new place. P.S. I would probably try your club if you moved into my neighborhood. I don’t know how many people agree but cab fairs can get kind of pricey, if I can walk, and then maybe hop around all night from bar/club to bar/ club…I don’t know what sites are available but I hope you find one in this area.

My sources at UC have informed me that the university has hired an architect to design a new arena for the Bearcats....possibly in the area immediatley east/southeast of the current 5/3 Arena. Now this wouldn't be happening too soon, because the athletic department does have some other priorities before a new arena (renovation of Nippert Field press box area, Armory Fieldhouse renovations). This is just some food for thought....initial requests for the new arena were: increased seating capacity (15,000 or so), improved sightlines/student seating arangement, and greatly improved/increased number of luxury suites/boxes. i know that we have the same sources rando...but, do you think that the recent budget crisis at UC would hinder this project being started? or would this be a project (like the other athletic facilities) that would be paid for out of the athletic budget . i.e. Lindner....Rando...i think we need to do some digging and see if they have an updaded UC master plan that has this arena / OCAS area redesigned. I remember last year i had heard that they were in the process of revising the master plan to look toward the future now that Mainstreet/ Varsity village are completed...

:-D I don't know man...i kinda liked the idea of snapping my fingers and everything being great...snap* McMillan/Calhoun done and thriving...snap* The banks completed and is a national tourist destination....snap* OTR is restored: historians from around the globe bask in all of its glory ...snap* West end is no longer cut off from downtown and is filled with business/people....snap* cincinnati is no longer losing population, and is now the mecca for the young and hip........wouldn't that be nice?? ?? . . . i thought that's what planners did...damn...time to find a new major..haha

awesome man...give me a call next time you go take some shots

this better be a rumor.... :x

what an unplannerish statement Rando :-o good point though... if everyone agreed with you, we wouldn't have a job when we graduate

Great Pics!!! When i was in chicago for a mission trip years ago (my first trip to a REALLY big city), we went to that same greek restaraunt. I remember being completely amazed. I had never been to a greek/real ethnic restaraunt in my life. These places are what makes cities truly magical places. I will never forget that fried cheese...that stuff was DAMN good!! Thanks again for the tour!!

I agree with UncleR 100%!! What sense does it make to cut a position save $80-$100K (which I doubt) and leave a multi-million dollar project in limbo?? It needs to be seen thru to completion. I hope the Uptown COnsortium or someone else can finish this project. To play the devil's advocate: Should a university fund a position that is non-essential to its core mission in a time of bugdet strife? How would this look to a government asking for univerisity's justification as to why they need more funding? Why do many of you expect a university to move forward with funding a project when they have publicly stated they don't have the funds? Would you expect the same from a private company? In my eyes, development shoud only move forward if is is financially feasible and make good sense. The financial feasibility of any project can change from the time of implementation to completion--which is why many projects get started and are not completed and not just here in Cincinnati. You don't truly believe that every project proposed for New York or Chicago gets completed? A project should not move forward just for the sake of taking up space---that goes against all business principals. :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Budget cuts suck!! but, i would rather have them fire this person rather than firing 3 professors, or not give out 20 scholarships...they made a calculated ( yes,anti-development) but calculated move none the less. We must remember that while UC is taking large steps to develop the surrounding neighborhood, in a time of budget crisis the cash drawer closes...it'll still get built (i am actually optimistic about this project)..

Nick, My first comment was made in jest . .I wish the best of luck to you in your venture into Kentucky... while an avid supporter of Cincinnati I am also a supporter of the region. I know that NKY has put together a plan to make business easier on their side of the river. I agree that you moving to covington is MUCH better than moving to suburban parts of the region. I do not doubt that you have tried to make it work there...if i may ask???? are there any other bars that are leaving mainstreet?? what was the largest thing that the city could have done to make sure that your needs were met?? Would you relocate , should the banks or another entertainment destination be developed along the Ohio side of the river? as a business owner that is on tough times on the Ohio side....MUCH can be learned for your experience and much can be derived by your opinions....sorry that you had to leave....good luck to you -brad

I have doubts about University park having retail....i hope but there are proabably only 2-3 storefronts left after salsaritas and Bw's gets built...as for the BW's thing...it is nice to know that we don't have to drive into X country to get our wings we can now stay in bearcat land...the place will be PACKED everynight

I heard from my boss that the next tenant after Salsaritas and Panera opens is a BW's :clap: :clap: ...they said that they would start construction and be ready for the college hoops season....

That's what they get for leaving Cincy!!! Ever heard of a thing called....KHARMA...

what about St. Louis?...what are their new numbers?

I was at the county commissioners meeting and they (without actually voting) denied this as a possibility...they pretty much said that if the city wants to use their money for these jails why not just skip this and give us money for the real thing...I love Todd Portune...also they voted to allow for the discussion of not only a 20 year 1/4 cent increase but also discuss shorter terms...they put on the table 4,5,6,10,15,and 20 tax increases... they are going to try and figure out which one works the best... it sounded like Dewine wanted something shorter than 20 years...

i bet we will see them when they select a developer.... news about that is here... The Banks could be in business Developer for $600 million project may be named by August BY KIMBALL PERRY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER A company could be selected to build The Banks as early as next month, Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine said Tuesday. The five-member Banks Working Group, appointed to recommend a developer, will make that recommendation next month, DeWine said. "I would expect the commissioners to follow the recommendation of the Banks Working Group," DeWine said. Full story text is available at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060719/NEWS01/607190355/1056/rss02

sorry wrong again...

wrong thread

Quote of the month!!

Developer drops out of Banks BY KIMBALL PERRY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER One of the four groups vying to build The Banks, the proposed $600 million residential, commercial and retail project downtown, has pulled out. The Rockefeller Group/Kimco sent a July 11 letter to Bob Castellini, chairman of a group working to help select the developer, announcing its withdrawal. The letter gave no explanation for the decision. Full story text is available at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060718/NEWS01/307180030/1077

Omaha??? Wichita?? Really???...maybe i am just pissed because cincy didn't make the cut...........Omaha???

i agree. Although Rock Bottom is pretty reasonable...i ate there and i am a college student...only once though...can't go too many times. A wing place (downtown hooters has a nice ring to it...If they were to do a chili place i would want it to be like a signature restaraunt (something different, not just any ol' chili place, this could be the only skyline/goldstar that out of towners will see...make it really trendy...i don't think anything like this has been tried in cincy...a trendy skyline chili...interesting....what do you guys think?...trendy skyline chili joint on fountain square..lets put a la Rosa's and a graters too...all of the Cincinnati favorites :-D )

i have a friend in planning down at UC that lived in maumee. She always said that it had a real "hometown" feel to it...i haven't visited yet though

i have taken 2 of terry's urban lobbying classes, they are some of the most insightful classes i have taken at college...easy too!..haha

By the way Terry Grundy is one of my favorite professors that i have had at my tenure at UC thus far, really just a smart, easy-going man. Also he is VERY highly respected in both the UC and the Cincinnati community