5chw4r7z

exactly seicer, downtown is way too scary for anyone to come down and watch a Bengals game on Fountain Square. And since everyone knows you'll get shot by drug dealers on the square no one will ever walk around the banks.

i bet it is the same people that complained spending money on Fountain Square was a waste. Downotwn is never coming back and nothing Cincinnati does can will ever change it. blah,blah,blah. Look how that turned out. I hope it doesn't bring any more people downtown, lets start doing stuff for people that already live here. Its going to attract people from other cities and states, so what do we care what someone who lives in Loveland thinks?

I noticed a big divide about downtown also. I read this story on cooltownstudio.com and they talked about a study that was done. Pretty much what they said is places like Mason can't sell Mason to the world. Even though they are Mason they need to sell Fountain Square. So $100 invested in Mason returns them $100. But $100 invested downtown returns all the suburbs $120. I need to hunt that study down. It always sounds to me like people are haters becasue it will never be like it was when they were young so they would rather downtown just die and go away.

Don't know about an OU party, but the deck is high enough but not too high to drop some well placed beers to tailgaters walking to the Bengals game. I wanted to have a big blowout party when we get in, but it looks smaller that I expected, so I may have to give people 1 or 2 hour time slots to come in and drink. And then throw their asses out for the next group ;-D or not. For sure when the Bengals are home we'll have the TV on the deck with PBS in the background.

The bridges across Fort Washington Way at Walnut and Main were built with the streetcar in mind so thats where they'll cross. Everyone will be able to park in the northern CBD or OTR and ride the streetcar down to Great American and not have to fight all the traffic.

I got a very wet and cold tour of the construction site, took some very bad pictures. Anyhow, the decks on the east side where I am are bigger than I thought they would be. They've poured the 6th floor and now all they need to do is pour the ceiling for that. The studs are going in and the second floor will come along quickly now. They didn't say when the facade would go on. Heres a look out my unit to the southwest. http://parkerflats.blogspot.com/

I don't totally buy the idea that the buses and streetcar will be competing. Most of the streetcar line will be in a small area which makes it incovenient to jump on a bus for, although I do see people getting on the bus for a block then getting off. Can't believe people will wait around to ride a block but there you go. Findlay Market for me is one of those places a hair too far to walk but too close to drive, I could ride the bus but like I said by time I wait for one I could have walked there. I'm going to loove the streetcar for getting around downtown. The other thing people forget is visitors. These people will never ever get on a bus, but hey jump on a looping streetcar for a tour of the city, cool. And if they see something interesting they can get off and know in a few minutes another one will come by. No stressing about schedules, and sooner or later they will be right back where they started. I've been riding the bus every day since April, I've seen(smelled) one or two smelly people but its really been a good experience so far. I love getting home and not being stressed from traffic.

jmecklenborg, you're thinking of Parker Flats parkerflats.info I've been taking pictures of the construction, and have a unit in the back southwest corner. For about a month my wife and I wrestled with selling it and buying at the Edge, but we couldn't get what we wanted for the same money, so we're still here.

heres a few crappy pictures I took. Doesn't do the crowd justice. <a href="http://5chw4r7z.blogspot.com/2007/09/monday-night-football-on-fountain.html">WHO DEY!!</a> the lights were orange and slowly crawling up the wall. cool.

Not true Lincoln, you also had that big stairwell almost in the middle of the square, plus that stage, then on the west side of the square there was some funky outcropping surrounding the parking ramps, and also pedestrian ramps leading up to the square itself, if the usable space hasn't doubled I'd be surprised. How many times a day do you estimate you are on the square? I live downtown, so I walk across it at least twice a day, more on the weekends. So if anyone can claim its more user friendly now its me. BUT!! Come down Monday night, after Ocho Cinco scores his first touchdown of the night, we'll arm wrestle, if you win, I'll let up, then we'll smoke a cigar.

you only needed 15 to 20 people for an overflow crowd on the old square! but like i said, i'm not originally from Cincinnati, and I didn't grow up with the square, so my first impression when I got to Cincinnati was how ugly it was so thats my baggage. BUT!! Monday night, after Ocho Cinco scores his first touchdown of the night, we're arm wrestling, if you win, I'll let up, then we'll smoke a cigar.

I disagree, none of the changes that have taken place would have happened with the horrible old square. It was designed to discourage large crowds. think about it, all the odd pieces of concrete sticking up everywhere, the stage, who thought that was anything but ugly, right smack in the middle of everything. Its funny the people who complain most about how things need to change, complain and hate change the most. I hope the people who don't like it and complain stay away. I'm worried I'll need to start getting there at 7am on Saturday mornings so Ms. 5chw4r7z and I can enjoy our pastries and coffee with the Fountain. I'm not stopping until everyone throws up their hands and exclaim OK, you told us so, the new Square is 100 times better than the old one. I'll be there Monday night watching the Bengals, so come down, arm wrestle me over it, and then we'll smoke a cigar.

Here's a crappy picture I have looking at the Square from the same direction but opposite sides of the street. My picture and The Nati Life's older picture.

I guess since I've only been in Cincinnati since 2004 I don't have the memories you guys do. I stepped off the bus looked around and thought, this place is horrible! Who ok'd the design on this? I have noticed the reactions of the square are divided right down between the native Cincinnatians and us transplants. I would like to see "FAIR" pictures of the old Square with bad pictures of the new Square for comparison sake.

edale, are you kidding me? theres no comparison at all. I had forgotten how much like a fortress the old square was, holding the city at bay the new square welcomes you in where the old one put barriers in your way to view or approach it. in a Soviet block kinda way

thats what I've been sayin!!! holy crap how can anyone complain and want that crappy old square back!!!

It doesn’t depend on anything. Since the sun revolves around Vine St, once you cross it you’re heading out of town. If you are on a numbered Street and you approach Vine St. and you don’t turn, you may not be leaving just yet, but you have a head start. :-D But that's my downtowner perspective.

Thats fair, we were sitting around talking one night and everyone is talking about LA, Denver, etc. and they ask me whats the farthest west I've ever been. I said, Elm St.

Actually at that point you're headed outta town, but I know where you were going with that. For some reason I think people in their car 4 blocks from the expressway are pretty low on the priority list on who the target audience is. They want people out of their cars and walking around, which is exactly how the square works best.

Is he the guy walking around with the placard that says "Fountain Square 3CDC Failure"? Where can't you see it from? The square is wide open and welcoming now. Peter get off your butt and walk around.

The <a href="http://www.loftsatfountainsquare.com/architect.html">Lofts at Fountain Square</a>, better snatch one up now while you can. There is so much energy downtown right now I can't get over it. Just think, in a couple years we'll be complaining about too many people downtown and how hard it is to enjoy yourself with the crowds. Can't wait.

Thats a good point Maximillian, much of the crap going on in the park happens because no-one else is there. Once a steady group of new people start showing up many some of this drug stuff would move on.

I don't have a dog, but every time I see dogs on leashes come within 10 - 15 feet of each other they lunge and bark at each other. Kinda scary for a non-dog person to witness.

Nope, John designed it and left for Brooklyn. Never saw it again until a few years after it was finished.

Really? Thats wild it didn't have a name the first 120 years it was around? Kind of ironic too that Washington Roebling built it and his dad John gets all the credit. I guess being new I love things that long time residents take for granted. The shots of the Purple People bridge with cars on it are priceless, how many accidents happened on there, it looks way too narrow for traffic.