Caseyc

this scourge is known as the dreaded "yellow pipe utility cut virus." It has decimated many streets and shock absorbers...for example, Mitchell between Vine and Reading. what a hack job.

You and me both!!! It looks nothing like her head piece. I was hoping for a drag queen at least for the groundbreaking. Would also have liked to see the assembled dignitaries wearing tiaras. That would've been a nice touch.

The dirt has been tossed and everyone' stucking into the free lunch as I type. QCS will be "one of" the tallest LEED certified buildings in the US. Lots of backslapping under the tent. Curiously enough, no mention of how much Class B office space is going to be on the vacant list once this thing opens.

yes....they acquired it in the early part of this year.

new entries in Gateway Quarter retail segment include an offshoot of Voltage specializing in lighting as well as the relocation of Mahatma (which had previously moved from a tiny space in Carew Tower to Main and 7th). As previously mentioned there is a salon/spa type place in the works. Also the beautiful space on the ground floor of Duveneck Flats (next to Lucky Step) supposedly has a LOI in place for a restaurant type operation. They will be cautious on this as they previously had a prospective tenant back out. perhaps these have been mentioned before...perhaps not.

well yeah...now I know. The orange shirt will be a good tipoff.

I avoid that artery like the plague during rush hour primarily because of bus slowdowns, cruisers/chatters and egregious jaywalking. It's a low flow strip. Ravine is the preferred alternative if you need to get from A to B in a more expeditious manner....if I don't really care I'll take Vine just for general sightseeing, but it can be a slog at times, regardless of the actual number of vehicles on the street.

I now recall seeing you sporting said shirt...lounging in a comfy chair in the corner. very stylish.

I'm not a fan of the silver siding they've used. Agree wholeheartedly. I saw them working on that from the alleyway one day...I had originally hoped it was a temporary fix of some sort. A little baffling. The fact that it is silver makes it stand out even worse. The siding brings back bad memories of the Walnut Hills High School (Schoolhouse Lofts) abomination. I guess the fact that it is on the least exposed side can bring solace to some. That said, however, there's an awful lot of nit-picking going on re this building. For the most part, all valid points. The streetscape elevation and facade is indeed a bit off, but this building is a hybrid design of sorts, and obviously was not intended to mesh seamlessly with the surrounding structures. That said, I think everyone can rejoice in the fact that they maintained consistency in the setback from the street, which new structures tend not to do. I was never a huge fan of this concept to begin with (close up views of I-75?), but I have driven down Central just about every day since ground was broken, and am cautiously impressed with what they have pulled off. I can only hope that they finish it appropriately and don't cheapen out at the finish line.

For anyone interested.....

I actually agree w/ alabama. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to go into the store (it closes at 5:30...another negative) but in peeking in, it looks like nothing more than a larger than average butcher shop and certainly not a grocery that we are all hoping for. ?? You should find a way to actually go inside the store before passing judgment. I realize that the hours are less than ideal, however they are open Saturday as well. Go in and tell them they need to try and stay open until at least 7, if it makes business sense. They stock a lot more than Silverglades, and will adjust inventory as the business dictates. The breadth of the inventory, from frozen products to fresh fruit and vegetables to household products, is pretty expansive for what is essentially a "convenience store," albeit one with access to fresh produce and excellent butcher products. The house-made frozen options should also not be overlooked. Also not sure how many other places downtown (outside of Madison's at Findlay) that stock both Madisono's and Agalamesis bros., certainly not Walgreen's. Hopefully they will modulate the hours and inventory to meet the needs of the customers. This type of "experiment" needs to be successful in order for downtown residents to move forward in the search for their holy grail (the much coveted, elusive and quasi-mythical beast known as the "downtown grocery store").

they are very open to suggestions, be it inventory/stock or hours of operation. Just give them your business and follow it with suggestions....they will evolve provided it makes business sense.

I have now been told Memorial Day weekend....we'll see.

At Avril Bleh today...they said they're hoping to have the store open next Tuesday or Wednesday.....did not inquire as to the hours.

Don't know if it has been reported on this thread yet, but Lavomatic roof deck should be open by the weekend of the 18th or so...assuming necessary approvals are obtained. The mechanics of the bar appear to be in place, although they have some finishing work to do, based on what I saw. Bar is placed in an odd location, towards the east edge, facing west going across. I guess they plan to just block off that end of the deck. Right now it's just the stainless sink portion with the mechanical hookups. Looks like it will be a great space.

Kimpton/Monaco group was rumored to be sniffing around town a few years back, although they prefer to retrofit existing historic structures (hello Bartlett Building). I have stayed in their hotels in Chicago, DC and NOLA, and they would be a good fit downtown, albeit probably nota candidate for the Banks.

I can watch the progress daily from my office. It's about as exciting as watching a "mudpit" dry. Right now there is one large excavator digging stuff out and then a concrete crumbler pulverizing the large chunks of Riverfront foundation dredged out of the ground. There is an additional excavator and 2 dozers sitting idle. At this point, they have dug a trench that almost stretches from main to Walnut. I mean, this is just necessary site prep work to remove the foundation...I believe a landscaping company has the contract. The real excitement comes when they start building the garage. hoo boy will that be something to watch. :sleep:

surprised that their website is still up and functioning...

I hate the well. lack or pretense is one thing....lack of any discernible character is another. I guess I just had higher hopes for it when it opened considering its location and potential when considering the options.

I was there last night. It's "online" and ready to go.

I believe Boss Cox used to hold court in the above-pictured building, no?..at least that's how Tarbell tells it. And Ezzard Charles trained at the neighboring building just to the South. And I would second the testimonials re Smitty's. It is not a problem in this area. ah yes...here it is: Wielert's Beer Garden, 1408-1410 Vine Street. A saloon with a beer garden behind that provided entertainment by a 40-50 member orchestra. As many as 1500 people attended special concerts. Wielert's Beer Garden stayed in business until 1919, when Prohibition caused it to close. It was one of the major beer gardens in OTR and a favorite of "Boss" Cox before WWI.

Ummm yeah, we went back again tonight. It was again some awesome food. The crowd was really slim though that makes me worried. We got there about 7:30 and there were only 3 other tables with people. A few came in and ordered takeout but I am worried they are not getting enough business.....SO if you go out downtown and Lavomatic or Grammer's have too long of a wait because it is new, come support Mythos...I would hate to see it go back to just lunch hours. I got two words-- "liquor license."

fromm msnbc.com: in other news...Lavomatic was packed last night, but had a much more neighborhood feel than other JR restaurants. We had a very nice salad to start and shared the mini-pot of cauliflower soup (excellent)...both entrees, the rabbit and the pork shank, were equally excellent. very casual...fun crowd. Cozy space....a few tables were put into use upstairs as well. The rooftop will be a great spot in warm weather....also, the view from the restaurant windows is nice because you see the lit-up windows of the art academy.

Let's not get carried away.....they have two sizes, the pint and the larger 24 oz., the latter of which is 7.50. It's a hefty sized beer.

grammer's looked great...can't comment on the beer price as someone else paid for it. There were a lot of folks reminiscing about old times, as well as, I suspect, others (like myself) who had never been inside. They didn't have the rathskellar quite finished yet but it looks great. I suspect they won't need to have all the various rooms open....(for example the upstairs back room and the room directly below it). there is a lot of space.