troeros

I know many complain about Oakley turning into suburbs...but I drove by cross roads to the Oakley Kroger and missed my turn because I was so disoriented by how different the area looks. Oakley, still reminds me of a hybrid neighborhood but definitely leans more urban than say a mason or a West Chester..honestly it probably reminds me of a more urban Loveland, mixed in with the downtown Loveland portion. The developers seem to love to build in Oakley since it's such hot real estate, it makes me wonder if 5 - 10 years down the road we might see some of the more massive parking lots be replaced with apartments and more retail.

I wouldn't really consider the city museum ferris wheel as a bonafide urban core ferris wheel like navy pier in Chicago or the Skystar m

Is the Skystar Ferris wheel the only ferris wheel in the midwest urban core outside of Chicago?

The Skystar operator stated today to the enquirer that that a new Skystar will be built which will be 50 feet taller, and will take 1 year to construct, there will also be new landscaping and a new permenant concession stand designed for the new Skystar to better reflect a permenant location instead of the current temporary setting. The article mentions that artworks will create a new interactive art sculpture next to the ferris wheel and that the, "Sing the Queen City" installation will be moved as well (not sure where).

Nice! I wonder how feasible it would be to do a riverfront boardwalk?

Tri county is well, unkempt...and yea otr is resurging for sure... But just this weekend I was walking near 1200 republic, the large affordable housing apartments with multiple floors and balconies...there was literally trash EVERYWHERE around that housing block The poor residents of that housing unit just don't give 2 damns about whether they live in cleanliness or filth. Meanwhile at the banks it's clean, doesn't smell like weed 24/7 and is safe.

The banks gives a clean feel. Almost no graffiti, no trash on the ground, very safe...while otr is more urban with graffiti, crime, trash in many places, etc. The banks is like Kenwood mall, clean, safe, etc.m.while otr is like the trip county mall...kinda dirty and rough around the edges. And out of town visitor definitely visit kenwood mall...

Jesus... I've always wondered why downtown Columbus had so much empty lots. I guess this pic explains why.

The banks sort of remind me of Kenwood mall. Kinda glitzy and kinda touristy. With the ferris wheel, music venue, and future improvements to smale park and the continuation of development for the rest of the lots, you can't help but get the impression that the banks could be the perfect place for a liberty township esq type of mall with a movie theater, retail, comedy club, etc similar to what liberty has at their mall.

Freedom center officials have gone on record saying they are pleased with the ferris wheel and the amount of new foot traffic it has brought to the center. Second, rumors regarding the deal have said that the ferris wheel will move to a different location at the banks with a more permenant looking structure. Finally, almost every major city has a ferris wheel in their downtown core. Is it kinda tacky? Sure... But you can't deny that it's a thing that tourists love riding along with the extra foot traffic it has brought to the banks

I don't think anyone expected this to be as popular and visually stunning for our skyline than anyone can have predicted. I'm happy Skystar reached an agreement quickly.

Skystar just announced that they are staying permenantly at the banks on Facebook. Glad Hamilton Co. Got a deal done. This makes our skyline to attractive and sexy!

Almost all of the shootings in otr this year have taken near grant part. A 14 year old dies in the same damn spot where a 37 year old was shot and killed. Why isn't their 24/7 CPD patrol for this periemeter? It's clear since the closing of Findley playground that grant park has taken over as the hub. I understand if the shootings in otr were spaced out everywhere in otr.. But it's almost always the same spot

14 year old shot and killed in the same place that a 37 year old was shot and killed. if you look on shot spotter almost all of the shootings in otr this year have now taken around the park in e McMicken in otr. This probably correlates with the closing of Findley playground last year... That said, why aren't police patrolling this area 24/7? Why aren't there giant patrol lights that illuminate this park? It's clear that all the thugs are making this HQ for crime and death in otr.

It's the, "what comes first the chicken or the egg".... You need the population to obtain these retail destinations, but it's hard to convince someone who lives in Kenwood or blue Ash, hey come move downtown! It's a bad pitch when you say, well we don't have any dry cleaning stores, we don't have any bicycle shops, we don't have a apple store, barely any men clothes stores, etc, etc. Alot of concerns about folks who are interested in urban living but don't is because they don't know where to get groceries, where to go work out, where to buy a new bike, where to get their iPhones fixed, etc.. Our Urban core needs to resemble like a functioning liveable city where you have all the daily necessities that the suburbs provide. .. Obviously Cincy is doing miles better with the new downtown Kroger and the new planet fitness opening at the banks. That said, I don't know how you convince someone to live downtown when it still doesn't have half of the ammenties that a suburb like blue Ash or Kenwood can provide. This isn't even touching the cincinnati public school system which doesn't even compare to say mason or sycamore school systems. I don't know how we create a migration where people could sacrifice goof school systems for the subpar cincinnati public, and give up so many amenties that the suburbs provide. I want families living downtown to! I see so many 25-35 year olds, with no kids, no families and it just creates this empty void downtown

I'm a big fan of small botique shops in otr but I will be the first to admit that the prices are typically sky high, the shops have limited hours, and typically mainly cater to women. How are you supposed to convince someone to move downtown, especially if it's a man, and tell him, "Well we don't really have any place where you can buy men clothes, men underwear, men socks, men shoes, etc.." That is a big problem. It makes downtown seen like a playground for bars and food instead of a functioning liveable city.

2,000 new residents would great. Besides reviving our downtown to be a weekday and weekend destination, giving life at all times of the day...It would also be another push for 3cdc to convince big retailers to move downtown to cater to these new residents. Adding an Urban downtown Target, a Movie Theater, Apple Store, clothing retail like H & M, Express, etc...all that retail, entertainment stuff creates a feel of livability to downtown. People who visit cincy on the weekends, eat at a resturaunt, maybe go relax at the banks but then what? Adding anchor retail destinations creates the perception of a living and breathing downtown.

Does anyone have a rough guess how many new residents will be added with these new otr projects by model group and 3cdc? I know it's roughly 200 apartment units, but if we add the Sycamore Project and Freeport Row along with the other miscellaneous projects in otr how many new residents could we potentially see be added in otr?

I believe they said they would also expand to downtown at some point.

Wonder if this will effect otr lunch spots...also will Starbucks effect coffee emporium?

Links been deleted? Regardless, that's awesome news. I think that many of the narrow otr side streets should be transformed into pedestrian Plazas, including all of pleasant

There are definitely places in otr with shots in the 9-10$ range. Even with the mixed drinks they are only pouring a few ounces of liquor. Still great margins for a 10$ mixed drink.

Bars seem like a better business venture in otr. High margins of whole sale liquor selling as a 9-12$ shot at bars. Must be good profits for otr bar owners all thing considering. If you really want to do a side food business, just do what Daniel Wright did with Holiday Spirits in OTR. Open a bar and have a pick up order window section for food.

Just stating the fact that there have been more otr businesses closing lately that's all. It could be rent related, weather related, etc who knows.

I don't think the location is the issue. The rent might have been to high, but I think the concept itself might have been a little disconnected since it was fusion Indian food ran by 3 young white dudes. I think maybe authenticity or lack thereof might have created some disconnect and hesitation with potential consumers.