June 6, 20187 yr Tomorrow (June 7th) the Zoo is going to have "unprecedented, historic announcement". https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/06/06/cincinnati-zoo-something-big-coming/676349002/
June 7, 20187 yr Tomorrow (June 7th) the Zoo is going to have "unprecedented, historic announcement". https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/06/06/cincinnati-zoo-something-big-coming/676349002/ Unprecedented AND historic? Sounds like Trump talking about his inauguration crowds, so it had better be big!
June 7, 20187 yr Cincinnati Zoo reveals master plan for $150M makeover By Barrett J. Brunsman – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has revealed plans for a $150 million renovation that would provide space for more elephants and other animals, in part by shifting some surface parking to a new garage. Director Thane Maynard said new animal exhibits and a planned ropes course over an area for kangaroos could boost annual attendance to 2 million by 2025, which will be the 150th anniversary of the zoo. The zoo had record attendance of 1.87 million in the 2017 fiscal year, making it the third most popular local destination behind Kings Island and Jack Cincinnati Casino. https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/06/07/cincinnati-zoo-reveals-master-plan-for-150m.html
June 7, 20187 yr A bunch of expanded exhibits, but the biggest announcement is the addition of a new 1,800 car garage on the superblock bounded by Shields, Erkenbrecher, Euclid and Vine. http://cincinnatizoo.org/more-home-to-roam/ Some renderings starting around 3:00:
June 7, 20187 yr And I thought the big announcement was that they were turning the zoo into an urban game reserve.
June 7, 20187 yr It really is an unpleasant experience seeing one of your former dwellings destroyed if it was in OK shape and it wasn't your decision. I recently drove past what I thought was my old apartment in Huntington, WV. Nope there was a middle school there. Turns out the apartment complex had been torn down in 2011 to build the middle school. The complex had been well-maintained. This is actually the only one of my many former dwellings that has been razed.
June 7, 20187 yr It really is an unpleasant experience seeing one of your former dwellings destroyed if it was in OK shape and it wasn't your decision. I recently drove past what I thought was my old apartment in Huntington, WV. Nope there was a middle school there. Turns out the apartment complex had been torn down in 2011 to build the middle school. The complex had been well-maintained. This is actually the only one of my many former dwellings that has been razed. I can speak as a former resident that property owners were contacted in the late 90s re: the OKI I-71 light rail study. Most here are familiar with the Mt. Auburn Tunnel to MLK to CL&N ROW alignment but OKI also studied a Mt. Auburn Tunnel to Zoo then east on Erkenbrecher alignment. OKI studied putting a station right in front of the VA, which is only one block from the zoo. I remember talking to a guy on the phone giving the piece of advice to build some sort of pedestrian connection across the ravine from Vine to Ruther. Well that deep ravine was filled in the 2000s to form the solar panel parking lot. At the time we were told that a parking garage was going to be built there and that ODOT required a 4-foot widening of Vine St. to permit the garage. At great expense each lane of Vine was widened by one foot around 2007. Now the garage is being built on the east side of Vine. The scene around the zoo entrance is a sad one. Just look at all these clumsy families struggling to get out of their SUV's and then up the escalator and then across the bridge. People jaywalk under the bridge and generally look confused and worn-out. I got in a zoo-related argument with one of my sister-in-laws. I told her going to the zoo on memorial day was a really bad idea. We get there and the place is absolutely mobbed. A 20-minute wait to park, then a 20-minute wait to get in the gate. It was all my fault.
June 7, 20187 yr I love to see the zoo being expanded and improved. Parking and entry can be a bit of a challenge, so it's good to see those issues are being addressed through this massive project. I've been curious as to the zoo's plans for the old parking lot for a while, so it's great to see they're planning to expand the zoo, and give more room for both the people and animals to spread out. Great project all around, and one that could have a very positive impact for Cincinnati tourism.
September 13, 20186 yr The zoo just closed on 105 Louis. So they have marched past what remains of Euclid Ave. and are headed all the way to Children's Hospital.
November 28, 20186 yr Cincinnati Zoo lands top rating for $12M project The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is receiving recognition for its green building initiatives once again. Its Gorilla World indoor habitat has been granted Platinum LEED certification – the highest green rating possible from the organization. The $12 million facility was created in a multiphase renovation that began in 2015 and was opened to the public in December 2017. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/11/28/cincinnati-zoo-lands-top-rating-for-12m-project.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 21, 20195 yr Cincinnati Zoo adds beer garden featuring local breweries The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is further beefing up its hospitality offerings with plans to open a beer garden featuring the suds of local breweries. The Zoo plans to unveil Hops, its new craft beer garden, in time for the Zoo Brew event on Oct. 10. The beer garden will feature beer from local craft breweries like Fifty West, High Grain, MadTree, Braxton and Three Points. Local distributor Heidelberg Distributing will also bring in national craft taps from Goose Island, Breckenridge, Elysian and Golden Road. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/08/21/cincinnati-zoo-adds-beer-garden-featuring-local.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
October 4, 20195 yr Cincinnati Zoo seeks room to roam The effort to raise a total of $150 million by 2025 is the most ambitious in the history of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, which will celebrate its 150th anniversary that year. It’s a big ask, said zoo director Thane Maynard, but it would fund the biggest set of enhancements ever undertaken by the zoo. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/10/04/cincinnati-zoo-seeks-room-to-roam.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
October 5, 20195 yr From a development perspective, this is the most interesting/relevant piece of information: Quote [Thayne Maynard] noted that a $35 million garage that’s to be built across Erkenbrecher Avenue from the zoo is key to driving attendance. The four-level garage, which could accommodate 1,800 cars on 4 acres acquired recently, would connect to the zoo by a pedestrian bridge over the road.
October 6, 20195 yr 12 hours ago, jwulsin said: From a development perspective, this is the most interesting/relevant piece of information: Yeah they tore down my old house 15 years ago for this garage. They've been planning it since before the solar panel lot was built. The solar panel lot was originally supposed to be a garage as well. Vine St. was widened by four feet around 2010 per ODOT to enable construction of a garage or garages in that area.
October 6, 20195 yr Zoo rolls out new look, attractions The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is in the midst of raising $150 million to add space for animals and new attractions, but the effort has already resulted in some enhancements that visitors are likely to notice. The More Home to Roam campaign is the biggest and most ambitious expansion ever undertaken by the zoo, according to director Thayne Maynard. The goal is to raise all of the funds by 2025, which will be the 150th anniversary of the zoo. “Some big supporters have helped us,” Maynard said, referring to donations of $1 million or more. “In addition to that, we have had small gifts. I think the smallest was $1.43. There are lots of opportunities to donate in small ways.” More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/10/06/zoo-rolls-out-new-look-attractions-photos.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 18, 20195 yr The zoo's male giraffe died over the weekend. On the zoo's instagram feed I saw this pretty amazing photo from several months ago:
August 17, 20204 yr Cincinnati Zoo’s new $13 million exhibit gets up close with kangaroos, penguins Roo Valley is a $13 million Australian-themed area that features the zoo’s first-ever kangaroo walkabout and the largest outdoor habitat for little blue penguins. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2020/08/16/cincinnati-zoo-s-newewst-exhibit-takes-guests-dow.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 15, 20213 yr Cincinnati Zoo breaks ground on $50M attraction, its largest ever The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, one of the largest tourism destinations in the region, just broke ground on its largest attraction to date. The Cincinnati Zoo on June 15 broke ground on the Elephant Trek, a $50 million, 5-acre habitat for the Zoo's elephants, which will be more than five times the size of its current home for the pachyderms. The Elephant Trek is slated to open to the public in 2024, a year ahead of schedule, due to the cancelation of a planned parking garage at the Zoo. The Elephant Trek will put visitors to the Zoo closer than ever before to the giant animals and is meant to house a multi-generational herd of between eight and 10 Asian elephants. When completed, it will be the biggest project the Zoo has ever undertaken. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/06/15/cincinnati-zoo-breaks-ground-on-50m-attraction-it.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 9, 20213 yr On Sept 17, the Planning Commission will reviewing a proposal to vacate a portion of Louis Ave, to allow the Zoo to create a large parking lot: https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/about-city-planning/city-planning-commission/sep-17-2021-packet/ Based on the construction that's already underway, the approval appears to have already been granted. I took the following photos on Sept 6. View from Louis looking north along Euclid: View from Louis looking south to Shields (current streetview): As much as I like the Zoo, this project bums me out. I don't like losing the street "grid" (what little remained) of Louis Ave. I don't like how Euclid is being widened, replacing a row of mature trees with the unsightly retaining walls. In general, I don't like huge surface parking lots, but it especially bothers me to see so much surface parking immediately adjacent to major employers like the hospitals (VA, Children's, UC) and the zoo. I'd love to see a mixed-use project that incorporates some structured parking while giving more people the chance to live in the area. For reference here are some aerial photos showing the neighborhood. 1996: March 2021:
April 29, 20223 yr Cincinnati Zoo constructing $7M habitat for animals never seen here The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is adding a never-before-seen animal to its menagerie as part of an overhaul of an 85-year-old portion of its grounds. The Cincinnati Zoo is transforming its Bear Hill, which was constructed in 1937 and formerly housed habitats for black bears, an Andean bear and polar bears, into a new home for three habitats: Bear Ridge, for black bears Sea Otter Coast A new habitat for North American wildlife. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/04/28/cincinnati-zoo-constructing-5m-habitat-for-otters.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
December 5, 20222 yr Cincinnati Zoo debuts new $700,000 electric train The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is debuting a big upgrade to one of its most popular attractions. The Cincinnati Zoo on Dec. 2 unveiled a new electric train to replace its old diesel-powered Safari Train. The new train is expected to save the zoo $35,000 annually in fuel costs. The new train is powered by the solar panels in the zoo's parking lot, and recharges overnight and during loading and unloading. Fittingly, the new train has been painted green. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/12/05/cincinnati-zoo-debuts-new-train.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
December 5, 20222 yr Imagine if pop culture portrayals of trains in the U.S. weren't stuck in the 1890s.
December 19, 20222 yr I noticed new windows are being put into the City Barn (3516 Vine St). Anybody know what the Zoo's plans are for this building?
December 20, 20222 yr 22 hours ago, jwulsin said: I noticed new windows are being put into the City Barn (3516 Vine St). Anybody know what the Zoo's plans are for this building? They put 7 new windows through the (previously solid) brick wall on the second floor, and it looks like a long row of clerestory windows on the third floor. This will bring a lot of light into that space, and makes me wonder if they're planning on using it as some kind of event space. The zoo has been acquiring properties along this stretch of Vine. I suspect (though I haven't heard it stated publicly) that the Zoo wants to acquire all the property between them and Vine St.
May 24, 20232 yr Cincinnati Zoo's Elephant Trek, its largest exhibit yet, on track to open next year The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s largest exhibit in its history is getting closer to its 2024 opening, with a key part of the exhibit in the final stages of construction. The zoo is completing work on the new Elephant Trek, a $50 million, 5-acre habitat that will be home to a multi-generational herd of Asian elephants. The exhibit will be one of the crown jewels in the Zoo’s $150 million expansion campaign, “More Home to Roam.” The Elephant Trek is slated to open in 2024, and work is in the final stages for the 22,000 square foot elephant barn at the exhibit. That work should be completed in the fall, the Zoo spokeswoman Michelle Curley told the Business Courier. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/05/24/cincinnati-zoo-elephant-trek-open-next-year.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 31, 20231 yr 'Cincinnati is a zoo town:' Zoo director Thane Maynard reflects on zoo, business community relationship after 150 years By Abby Miller – Reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier Jul 28, 2023 Updated Jul 29, 2023 12:28am EDT When a business reaches a major anniversary milestone – like 50 or 100 years – it’s a time for celebration. Not every business has the good fortune of lasting so long. For the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, which has a deeply intertwined history with Cincinnati’s business community, July 11 was a cause for celebration. The Cincinnati Zoo celebrated 150 years since it was established, and it comes as the zoo is taking on a $150 million expansion campaign – its most ambitious to date. That campaign, along with many portions of the zoo's history, are possible in part because of the zoo's ties to Cincinnati's business community and foundations. It's a symbiotic relationship that has led to years of positive economic impact for the city. MORE
January 12, 20241 yr So...what is happening to the historic elephant house after the elephants move to their new exhibit? I googled around but didn't find any answers.
January 12, 20241 yr 9 hours ago, Lazarus said: So...what is happening to the historic elephant house after the elephants move to their new exhibit? I googled around but didn't find any answers. Good question. I'll be curious to see. It's a neat building. I'm sure the Zoo will put something fun in there. Whatever they decide, it'll probably be less stinky than elephants :)
February 16, 20241 yr Cincinnati Zoo to create its largest on-site solar array over Euclid Avenue parking lot By Brian Planalp – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier Feb 16, 2024 The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens is covering its Euclid Avenue parking lot with a canopy of solar panels as it aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by next year. Zoo officials broke ground Feb. 14 on the 2.8-megawatt solar array from Milford-based Melink Solar. “We have big plans for solar in 2024,” Mark Fisher, vice president of facilities and sustainability, said in a news release. MORE
February 16, 20241 yr 17 minutes ago, The_Cincinnati_Kid said: Cincinnati Zoo to create its largest on-site solar array over Euclid Avenue parking lot By Brian Planalp – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier Feb 16, 2024 The Zoo greenwashes its endless need to tear down its surroundings. Nobody dares to blame the Zoo and the hospitals for our housing "crisis", even though they have displaced upwards of 1,000 people since 2000.
February 16, 20241 yr Ha, Like in Police Academy 2 which had scenes that were filmed at the abandoned old L.A. Zoo. When I heard that I was like, "That's their OLD zoo?" Everyplace else's old zoo would have just been cages back then.
February 16, 20241 yr Yeah... I thought there were plans for a parking garage at one point? This additional lot is such a waste of space on prime real estate that the Zoo controls. They mention that the zoo has facilities out in the country with solar panels... why not just add more there, or add them on the Dury lot now, or add more on roofs of existing buildings around the zoo? I was hoping they'd build a garage and free up one of those lots for some sort of expansion or real estate play. Edited February 16, 20241 yr by 10albersa
February 16, 20241 yr 1 hour ago, 10albersa said: Yeah... I thought there were plans for a parking garage at one point? Yes, there was, on the first solar panel lot (which was a ravine until about 2000...they moved a ton of dirt into the valley to level it up). And that's why Vine St. was widened by 1 foot on each side around 2005...in preparation for the imaginary parking garage. I remember hearing Thayne Maynard on radio expressing exasperation at the cosmic cost of the garage. They never advertised a dollar amount but I wouldn't be surprised if the second surface lot (and batch of solar panels), which required the demolition of 50+ homes, cost half what the garage would have. And yes the original Dury Ave. lot remains a lot. I remember the demolitions for that lot being pretty controversial back in the 1980s and 1990s.
February 16, 20241 yr 3 minutes ago, GCrites said: Auto dependence leads to housing shortages. And everyone focuses on "the highways" when there are thousands of other cuts. Zoos, universities, museums, and hospitals get to do the same thing as the DOT's but if you call them out then you're a bad person.
September 24, 2024Sep 24 Cincinnati Zoo to debut $60M Elephant Trek habitat for Asian elephant herd: PHOTOS https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/09/24/zoo-elephant-trek-opens-photos.html Cincinnati Zoo opens $60 million Elephant Trek Oct. 1. Habitat includes outdoor fields, 200,000-gallon pool, indoor community room. Elephant Trek houses multigenerational herd for Asian elephant breeding program. I knew they were putting this large outdoor area over the old parking lot but theres a huge new indoor area thats much more spacious than the historic elephant house. Still no word on what they will do with that building in the article. Edited September 24, 2024Sep 24 by ucgrady
February 21Feb 21 Here's an aerial of the zoo from around 1960...it's hard to believe how small it used to be. Plus, I can see my old house from here, which was sacrificed for solar panels parking:
February 21Feb 21 ^I'm counting roughly 80 single-family and multi-family homes torn down by the zoo since that image was taken. And yes they want more.
February 21Feb 21 Pre-war SFH was definitely considered expendable until around 2015 in most of Ohio.
February 21Feb 21 I have zero problem with the hospitals and the zoo tearing down houses for expansion. Those are two hugely important businesses for the city in terms of job growth and tourism. There are plenty of other areas in the city where 100+ residential units can fit.
April 14Apr 14 Cincinnati Zoo debuts final phase of $60M Elephant Trek habitat The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has unveiled the final phase of its $60 million Elephant Trek habitat, more than six months after first debuting the overhauled 5-acre area of the zoo. The Cincinnati Zoo on April 14 opened the final phase of the Elephant Trek to visitors, which offers a new view of the elephants as well as new habitats for Asian otters, siamang gibbons and rhinoceros hornbills. “We opened the main part of Elephant Trek in October, and visitors have enjoyed seeing our herd of eight Asian elephants inside and out since then,” Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard said in a news release. “This new area offers another great view of the elephants and opportunities to see other species native to Asia up close.” More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/04/14/zoo-elephant-trek-final-phase-open-gibbons-otters.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
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