mohr37

Monte, I also heard the angry guys this morning. I was so tempted to call in when they were taking about being too scared to take their families downtown to a Reds game. Sounds like somebody has spent a little too much time in their cul-de-sacs. Also don't know if anybody else saw the Cincinnati Realtors forum on one of the public access television stations the other night. Jim Tarbell spoke after DCI presented all the data that was talked about in today's enquirer. He spoke about a mixed use grocery store building that is proposed in between 7th and 8th streets and Main and Sycramore. I believe thats the surface parking lot across from Silverglades. Unfortunately I don't remeber who he said the developer is and whom to call and lobby to.

That has to be the worst complaint I hear in Cincinnati about downtown. Have any of you people ever been to any other city. Cincinnati has some of the easiest (worst imo) and cheapest parking in the nation. Dollar parking is too darn expensive? You wonder why downtown has been in a decline for the last 50+ years. All the parking and highways that have been built so you people can get down here has destroyed our city. What are you talking about? What is Chicago's front door? If I remeber correctly the Chicagoians will tell you its Grant Park. What is the heart of NYC? That'd would be Central Park. What was the cataylist for the massive change in downtown Portland durring the 80s? Pioneer Square. What do all three of these example have in common? They are all parks. If the new riverfront park is done right, which I have faith in the city that it will be, then we will see a great new neighborhood WITH shops, condos, apartments, eateries, everyday activities, etc.. The same things that surround Grant Park, Central Park and Pioneer Square. And please don't say the typical rebutal that Cincinnati is not Chicago, NYC, or even Portland. That is the problem with so many of our failed projects. We have no confidence in our city. How the hell are we ever going to be anything when so many people like yourself have already given up on this city? We can be like Chicago, Portland, etc.. And we will get this project done.

I've driven by the place many a times and it appears as if there is another level below the Highland Street side. There is a driveway with a garage door on the right of the photo at the top of the page. I'm assuming that is where the parking will be located. Great project none the less.

Yeah now that I think about it D.C. and Paris are not very good examples. I guess what I was trying to say was that I believe everything should radiate down from Carew, with it being at 5th and Vine and at the center of the skyline. That I think would have the most pleasing visual effect for the skyline.

I don't think there is anything wrong with not allowing any new buildings top Carew. How can one say that it is conservative and stubborn to not allow one. Is D.C. too conservative? How bout Paris? They both have height restrictions and seem to be alright cities. Carew is Cincinnati's capital, its the tip of the queen's crown, its right in the heart of downtown. I agree also agree with jmeck, anything else that is somewhat close to Carew and is not at the center would totally f up the skyline. Also, word around city hall is that the new administration is really focused on transit. So I would not be surprised to see some type of transit plans soon.

I would like to see it become more connected with its German past. Have some type of Germanesque signing and features on all the streets once you enter OTR. Try to attract more breweries and the like (f you Hofbra for going to Newport) and try to recapture that feeling of being in Munich like it once was. And I really think that Oktoberfest should be celebrated in OTR. It is the German heart of the city, sorry downtown. As for the Findlay Market area, I think that's where we should try to concentrate on an international experience. An african quarters, middle east, etc...

Barcelona already stole that idea http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=100200 Personally I don't like the design, but thats just my opinion. Also its kind of hard to say a park is going to be public when its 20 stories off the ground. Its going to be just as public as the mall.

Like what the pope said, I too am a big fan of soccer and mls but I hate the fact that all of the new stadiums are being built way out in suburbia. I think the fact that we keep building our stadia way out there will continue the trend of all the other countries in the world to look down at us. The only people that play or watch the games are mostly white middle class. Compare this to pretty much everywhere else in the world where the majority of stadiums are located right in the middle of the city. Where you see a wide diversity of classes and ethnicities together. The majority of the players are from the inner cities. If the mls is ever to become a major sport and American soccer to get some respect they need to invest in the cities not out in Summit County or Carson, CA or Bridgeview, IL...... oh and sorry pope, I would like to play but the whole Cincy to Cleveland for games could be a bit of a hassle

Well it sounds like over on the BS boards that a deal today has been made to bring MLS to Cleveland. And I belive the original deal made with the ownership group was that they had to have stadium plans in place before being awarded a team. "The MLS currently has twelve teams. According to Commissioner Garber, the league will expand by two additional teams in 2007 and two more teams in 2008. Toronto has already been awarded an expansion franchise for 2007. The Cleveland metropolitan area has been awarded an expansion team for 2008. San Diego and Philadelphia are two markets that MLS is considering for expansion. Ultimately, the MLS will expand by two additional teams (after 4 teams are added in 2007 and 2008) to a maximum number of eighteen teams. Commissioner Garber indicated that the addition of the final two teams may take a number of years beyond 2008, as the league wants to maximize franchise value." http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=95770427098f5c2d0a4c9fd5326087ef&t=310525

Here are two sites that I've heard tossed around quite frequently on one of the soccer boards I frequent often. There are two possible sites that have been bandied about... one is just off the E. 9th Street exit off I-77 (about 2 blocks away from Jacob's Field)... the other is in an area by Boston Hills Golf Course... just north of the turnpike but south of I-271... http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=35

I think the design is ok. I'm just worried that they will only reclad the square side of the building and spend less time and effort on the 6th Street side, kinda like the hodgepodge looks of the Cinergy Center. IMO, 6th Street is just as an important key as the square itself with the CAC and Aronoff all located on the corner of 6th.

UC Building Rises in the Ranks: Named Among the World’s Elite Eleven The most prestigious professional group in American architecture has just named UC’s Joseph A. Steger Student Life Center among the world’s 11 best buildings of 2006. The judges praised the building’s dynamism By: Mary Reilly The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is just out with its 2006 international rankings of the world’s most notable projects, and the University of Cincinnati’s Joseph A. Steger Student Life Center (SLC) is among those named as the 11 most exciting buildings – taking its place among winning projects from throughout the United States and Europe. The 2006 Institute Honor Awards for Architecture represent the profession’s highest recognition of works that exemplify excellence in architecture and urban design. The architects from throughout the U.S. who served on the AIA award jury noted that the 42-foot-wide, 500-feet long crescent form of the SLC represents a design challenge that has been well met. That challenge came from the extremely narrow building site available for the structure along with 60-foot grade changes along the spine of the site. Read full article here: http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek06/0113/0113ha_arch.cfm

And the funny thing is, that's about exactly the same vantage point that 3cdc see everyday.

I've kept rather quite on this project but I thought I'd throw my two cents in. I can see the goods and bads from both sides of the arguments. I pride UC in that they have taken a stance in improving the neighborhoods surrounding the campus. But lets not get too carried away on UC's actions. UC is basically just a big business in that everything they do is for their own benefit. Their main goal is to increase enrollment and get higher quality students. And by building these developments they're just trying to get and retain the kids that would otherwise go to the lifestyle schools (OU,Miami, etc..). I think this is very evident in the businesses they have recruited so far. I know that UC personally did not recruit these businesses, but if they had as much community interest as they hype then I would assume you'd see alot more Cincinnati based stores and maybe even a few small businesses. And the management would have been from Cincinnati not Charlotte, NC or wherever they are from. As far as the owner occupied housing goes, I too like everybody else think that it is great and essential for the area. But my problem with this is the construction of housing that nobody in the area can afford. I read a study where something like 75-80% of the people that work for the university and the hospitals in the area will not be able to afford living in these condos (along with all the new ones on MLK). I don't neccessarily believe that jmeck is hating on the rich, only that UC and CHCURC are basically saying that only higher income people take care of their properties and their neighborhoods and that is the only type of people that they want in the area. I also believe that too many people are hyping this up as this great new urbansit project, when if you look at the new urbanism principles it basically states that we need to first preserve our inner cities and treasure what good things we already have. Didn't this project just destroy some good things that we already had? Some rehab work to those former row houses and you have housing that people in the area can afford to buy. This whole area in my opinion would have been much more exciting and interesting with infill development in the places that definately needed it with the mixture of old that was there.

Mike Moose said that it was going to be all privately funded and copied off of the Portland trolley system. He said there would be a fee the riders would pay and that at every stop the radio on the trolley would say something like "this stop is funded by ___." He didn't really say when construction or when the system would begin aquiring the trolleys, just said that it will be 3-5 years when a system will be up and running. I don't recall him ever saying anything in the line of a TIFF being created for the funding. I'm not an expert and I don't even really know Mike Moose but I'm just going with what was presented last night.

I can probably get a copy of the 3CDC proposed map, but it might be a few days before I can get it. Also I went to the Visions for the Findlay Market Neighborhood meeting last night and Mike Moose from Glaserworks presented a plan for the Moerlein building that he came up with. Said something in the line of somebody who has pledged the money to make it work. The plan was pretty sweet, but I forgot to bring my camera. Also he talked about the trolley that would link Uptown, Brewery Distirct, Fountain Square, and The Banks. Said that he expects it to be up and running in 3-5 years with private monies.

Hey thats across the street from my house, well at least for one more week. Great pics, I'm always amazed at how crisp and clean they always are. You are a true ambassador for our city.

I did see this article yesterday in the Dayton Biz Journal. No mention of Millworks, but it did mention The Mills (hopefully grasscat will approve me posting this without anything of Millworks in it). Sweden's Ikea scouting sites in southwest Ohio LISA BIANK FASIG and DAN MONK DBJ Contributors Several southwestern Ohio retail developers are competing to win one of Sweden's hottest imports. But alas, Ikea's dance card might be full. Real estate sources say the pocketbook-friendly furniture chain has been "in the market," actively scouting sites at Union Center Boulevard in Butler County and the Auto Nation property in Hamilton County's Forest Park. The retailer has gotten so many proposals that a spokesman said it is looking for a service to filter its many local inquiries.

Good news out of Dayton today. Per the Business Journal. $30M complex planned for downtown By John Wilfong The next big thing for downtown Dayton is on its way. Local development officials are planning RiverScape Live, an estimated $30 million entertainment, restaurant and shopping venue, modeled after developments in Louisville, Ky., and Baltimore. Officials expect the project, along the Great Miami River at the foot of the Patterson Boulevard Bridge, to be complete by 2010 and draw as many people downtown as the Dayton Dragons’ Fifth Third Field.

Monte, I don't know if you know but Leinie's is sold at most of the Kroger's around Cincy. And by the way, great pics of Brew City.

I like the idea of a jumbotron but i think there could have been a better place to put it. Only the people heading north on Vine St. will be able to see it, since 5th St. runs the opposite direction. Maybe somehow putting it on the southwest corner of the 5/3 building. Or maybe those renderings are saying that 5th St. might be going to be a 2 way?

I received this email and thought some of you might be interested in attending. Dear Urbannatians: The Urbanists are back! After a long hiatus, we've got something special for you--the chance to be one of the first non-Council members to hear details of 3CDC's revised comprehensive plan for Fountain Square. On Wednesday, June 1st, from 6-8 p.m. at McFadden's (formerly Nick & Tony's) on 7th Street between Walnut and Vine, you will see the vision as presented by Steve Leeper himself, president of 3CDC. Steve needs our feedback and ultimately our support if we want to see Fountain Square become the entertainment center of our city. Imagine cafes, nightclubs and a bookstore ringing a newly green Square...now is the time to make it happen and support the residential renaissance happening downtown. McFadden's owner Tommy Flynn, someone who has put his money where his heart is, has agreed to provide his 400-person back room, free appetizers and a cash bar so that we can enjoy this urban focus group. We hope to see all of you for this one-of-a-kind event, where our network of passionate urban advocates can have fun and make a difference at the same time. And watch out for more emails (I'm just getting rolling again) and a summer Urbanist party--we've got some big plans to liven up our side of the Purple People Bridge for at least one hot night. Take care everyone--it's good to be back.

Another movie theater in Mason. Aren't they still planning on building one in the proposed "City" Park or whatever it's called center.

ESPN Zone? House of Blues(not with Madison)? McDonald's demolition marks next step in redevelopment By Michael Rovito The closing of McDonald's on Calhoun Street last week marked the final day of fast food restaurants on the stretch of road, making way for the next phase of an area wide redevelopment. The block McDonald's sits on will begin a transformation into an entertainment district after demolition begins on the restaurant today, according to Dan Deering, executive director of the Clifton Heights Community Urban Redevelopment Corp.

My car said he would appreciate it if the forty pics would stop. It brings back bad memories. :-P