October 9, 2024Oct 9 it looks great except for... the color, the random siding orientation, the flush-mount white vinyl windows, the complete lack of depth on the façade, the grass going right up to the base of the building....
October 9, 2024Oct 9 I know these projects don't have any wiggle room on the financing for expensive design elements... but I think there are some things that could improve the design without adding cost. The fact that the developer declined to comment on the exterior design kinda implies they know they could have done better with the design: Quote The third building will look similar to the first two. Geoff Milz, director of development at Pennrose, the Philadelphia-based private developer behind the project, declined to comment on the exterior design choices.
October 9, 2024Oct 9 3 hours ago, jwulsin said: I know these projects don't have any wiggle room on the financing for expensive design elements... but I think there are some things that could improve the design without adding cost. The fact that the developer declined to comment on the exterior design kinda implies they know they could have done better with the design: Like what? Hourly rate for a licensed architect to stamp it, or even a landscape architect to design something, adds up quick.
October 9, 2024Oct 9 getting rid of all the nonsense random cladding helps a lot... 5 minutes in photoshop to look at a design option or two shouldn't break the bank. and putting siding up in a normal way would probably save time and money - and remove a bunch of J-channels/leak points
October 9, 2024Oct 9 I worry that projects like this are doomed to fail the moment the building looks dated. Which won't be long. I hope I'm wrong tho. But beyond convenience there doesn't seem to be much going for it.
October 10, 2024Oct 10 I drove by it this afternoon. What stuck out most was the horrid type of green they picked. They were probably going for olive but it looked like mucus. Hopefully that was just because the sun was setting but I really doubt it.
October 10, 2024Oct 10 Yeah, I was going to suggest something along the lines of what @jack.c.amos rendered up nicely! Simply a better color of siding and simplifying the siding by getting rid of alternating/contrasting elements that add costs makes a big difference, while potentially saving costs.
October 16, 2024Oct 16 Grocery store opens in Walnut Hills, eliminating food desert that began with Kroger's departure Walnut Hills' first new grocery store since the 2016 departure of Kroger just opened in the $30 million Paramount Launch project by Model Group. ETC Produce & Provisions opened its doors at 954 E. McMillan St. Oct. 15, after hosting a ribbon cutting and block party Oct. 12, Model Group confirmed. "We've been working with Estevan and Toncia since 2020 and we are so thrilled to see the doors open this week," Matt Reckman, Model Group's president of property management, said in an email. "Getting a grocery store back on this site is huge for the neighborhood and will serve has a hub for the whole community." More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/10/15/etc-produce-now-open-walnut-hills-paramount-launch.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
October 17, 2024Oct 17 Hope this works. Almost nothing affects me more when I look at old Cincinnati photos than to see small business coming out of every pore of the city.
October 25, 2024Oct 25 On 9/10/2024 at 11:58 PM, ColDayMan said: This is opposite the doomed Frisch's commissary and anticipates it being sold off for a higher-level hotel and office building, high-end medical building, etc., with I-71 visibility. The Frisch's commissary land extends north of the new MLK overpass, so there is potential for midrise development both south and north of the bridge. Now we see why ODOT was compelled to spend all of that money on the barely-used Fredonia Ave. overpass AND why the Wasson Way bike trail was never planned to extend southward on the old ROW through Walnut Hills.
October 25, 2024Oct 25 8 hours ago, Lazarus said: The Frisch's commissary land extends north of the new MLK overpass Is "SNS Properties" affiliated with Frisch's? https://wedge.hcauditor.org/view/re/0650001007600/2023/summary
November 27, 2024Nov 27 Port Authority to demolish 99-year-old Walnut Hills building By Brian Planalp – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier Nov 27, 2024 A 99-year-old building once targeted for redevelopment in Walnut Hills will now be demolished. The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority Nov. 13 filed for a demolition permit for the building at 1119 William Howard Taft Road. The 99-year-old, four-story building previously served as a garage for the former Alms Hotel, located next door at the corner of William Howard Taft Road and Victory Parkway. MORE
November 27, 2024Nov 27 That's too bad. Nice looking building. Looks like a lot of damage up on the roof though, probably would have cost a huge amount to save and rehabilitate.
December 6, 2024Dec 6 Walnut Hills hotel project killed amid neighborhood objections By Chris Wetterich – Staff reporter and columnist, Cincinnati Business Courier Dec 6, 2024 Updated Dec 6, 2024 2:50pm EST Developer Shree Kulkarni’s current plan to build a new extended-stay hotel in Walnut Hills near the Interstate 71/Martin Luther King Jr. interchange is dead after the Cincinnati Planning Commission voted unanimously Friday, Dec. 6, to reject it. A limited liability company associated with Kulkarni wanted to build a $19 million, five-story, 105- to 115-unit extended-stay Hyatt-branded hotel, along with a parking lot, on 2 acres at 802-824 Beecher St. and 3046 Stanton Ave. Kulkarni requested the planning commission change the zoning from commercial neighborhood and residential multifamily to a planned development. MORE
January 24Jan 24 Security is greatly reduced at JD Vance's house on William Howard Taft. About two weeks before the inauguration the omnipresent 20~ parked cars + port-o-let disappeared. The house seems to be staffed 24/7 by two guards. One parks up near the house and another parks on the driveway, facing outward. I have no idea if they're using his bathroom or what.
February 4Feb 4 https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/02/04/park-avenue-square-walnut-hills-hallmark-apartment.html I think it’s the first time ever hearing a cincy project increase in size. Excited to see this get built.
February 4Feb 4 31 minutes ago, Ucgrad2015 said: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/02/04/park-avenue-square-walnut-hills-hallmark-apartment.html I think it’s the first time ever hearing a cincy project increase in size. Excited to see this get built. Very interesting that this is being developed by a "student housing" developer. Shows that they feel there's a market for student housing in Walnut Hills. Really, really makes me want to see the City and UC aggressively push for street diets and bike lanes between Walnut Hills and all of UC. It's relatively flat and would be an easy bike, if it felt safe.
February 4Feb 4 One potential downside in moving this forward with its new O-shape, instead of keeping it an L-shape, is that it might be harder to fit it together with the future redevelopment of the former Alms Hotel garage, let alone a theoretical future where that McDonalds goes away.
February 4Feb 4 1 hour ago, jwulsin said: Very interesting that this is being developed by a "student housing" developer. Shows that they feel there's a market for student housing in Walnut Hills. Really, really makes me want to see the City and UC aggressively push for street diets and bike lanes between Walnut Hills and all of UC. It's relatively flat and would be an easy bike, if it felt safe. Interesting to consider treating the area bounded by McMillian, Clifton, MLK, and Gilbert as one zone. Effectively bridging 71 and providing enhanced transportation and transit connections from campus area to Walnut Hills.
February 4Feb 4 2 hours ago, jwulsin said: Very interesting that this is being developed by a "student housing" developer. Shows that they feel there's a market for student housing in Walnut Hills. Really, really makes me want to see the City and UC aggressively push for street diets and bike lanes between Walnut Hills and all of UC. It's relatively flat and would be an easy bike, if it felt safe. Yes I agree, I've been saying this for awhile, 2 way Taft and McMillan from UC to Walnut Hills connection. Major road updates on McMillan and the intersection with Gilbert and up Gilbert to MLK.
February 4Feb 4 2 hours ago, Dev said: One potential downside in moving this forward with its new O-shape, instead of keeping it an L-shape, is that it might be harder to fit it together with the future redevelopment of the former Alms Hotel garage, let alone a theoretical future where that McDonalds goes away. Just anecdotal but I doubt the McDonald's is going anywhere, any time soon. I think they just recently refurbished it and it's very busy all the time, it's actually a VERY nice McDonalds. So much so, when my wife was pregnant she craved double cheeseburgers, we lived in Hyde Park and I would go to the Walnut Hills McDonald's over the Hyde Park one.
February 4Feb 4 2 hours ago, Miami-Erie said: Interesting to consider treating the area bounded by McMillian, Clifton, MLK, and Gilbert as one zone. Effectively bridging 71 and providing enhanced transportation and transit connections from campus area to Walnut Hills. It's as if the city should have applied for 71 caps there, instead of FWW, for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot program. 37 minutes ago, IAGuy39 said: Just anecdotal but I doubt the McDonald's is going anywhere, any time soon. Yeah I figure that too, that's why I put "theoretical." Unlikely to happen until long after all of the low hanging-fruit are filled in.
February 6Feb 6 On 1/24/2025 at 1:34 AM, Lazarus said: Security is greatly reduced at JD Vance's house on William Howard Taft. About two weeks before the inauguration the omnipresent 20~ parked cars + port-o-let disappeared. The house seems to be staffed 24/7 by two guards. One parks up near the house and another parks on the driveway, facing outward. I have no idea if they're using his bathroom or what. Last weekend crews moved everything out of the house under high security. They had WM H Taft blocked off from Columbia Parkway to McMillan St., with checkpoints at those endpoints and at the bottom of the Collins Ave. hill. It was comical seeing all the people who navigate entirely by GPS going off on the federal agents by confessing that they "have no idea where they are". Then the agents, not being from here, couldn't tell them how to get around. If you lived in the blocked-off zone, you had to show that you actually lived there, get wanded, have your car sniffed by a dog, and then be escorted to your house. This road closure was repeatedly announced by local media as "work".
February 6Feb 6 58 minutes ago, Lazarus said: Last weekend crews moved everything out of the house under high security. They had WM H Taft blocked off from Columbia Parkway to McMillan St., with checkpoints at those endpoints and at the bottom of the Collins Ave. hill. It was comical seeing all the people who navigate entirely by GPS going off on the federal agents by confessing that they "have no idea where they are". Then the agents, not being from here, couldn't tell them how to get around. Just implant the damn thing in people's heads already if it's doing all the thinking for them. Half of these people are probably only a block from home. Have to watch a TikTok video in order to remember how to take a piss You're starring to rub off on me
February 6Feb 6 In order for this random anecdote about people having "no idea where they are" to be true, that means you must have been, what, hanging out at this government check-point for awhile? Otherwise you'd have zero ability to know anything that was going on as you passed by. Seems a bit unlikely if security was as tight as you're saying.
February 6Feb 6 To be fair I don't think it's too difficult to figure out if people are lost when you are driving around town especially with the ubiquity of the food delivery services. I find myself behind people in the city all the time that are clearly clueless as to where they are and where their next turn is because they are so reliant on their phones.
February 6Feb 6 there is and old Hittight saying that goes something like this. before you tap your phone, look out the window.
February 7Feb 7 21 hours ago, jmicha said: In order for this random anecdote about people having "no idea where they are" to be true, that means you must have been, what, hanging out at this government check-point for awhile? Otherwise you'd have zero ability to know anything that was going on as you passed by. Seems a bit unlikely if security was as tight as you're saying. Yeah, I live there, and the checkpoint was set up from about noon on Friday until late Sunday. I overheard a ton of emotion all weekend since...I live there. I talked to two of the officers on Friday right when they were setting up to ask if I could bike through. I also talked to a TV cameraman. I also took photos: If you know how Strava works, the little round symbol and gray indicates where you start/end the ride since they don't want people stalking people.
February 7Feb 7 23 hours ago, GCrites said: Just implant the damn thing in people's heads already if it's doing all the thinking for them. Half of these people are probably only a block from home. Have to watch a TikTok video in order to remember how to take a piss Two years ago we had a young guy at work who didn't know that street signs existed. We told him that every intersection has green signs on it and that those are the street names and we just got a blank stare. We were like...when you're sitting at a stop light, don't you occasionally look at the street signs and make a mental note? He was like "na man we're just from different generations...".
February 7Feb 7 In one of Chuck Klosterman's fiction books all the young characters die because they didn't pay attention to seemingly minor details. Only the oldest one survived because he memorized that it was exactly 47 steps or whatever from his mailbox to his house.
February 12Feb 12 Cincinnati developer to build housing development in Walnut Hills By Brian Planalp – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier Feb 12, 2025 A rapidly growing Cincinnati development firm will break ground on its second income-aligned senior housing development in the city following the runaway success of its first. Kingsley + Co., helmed by Chinedum Ndukwe, finished construction of Victory Vistas late last year. The $13.8 million project on Victory Parkway in Paddock Hills delivered 50 units of affordable senior housing, income-restricted to those over 55 making between 30% and 60% of the area median income. The firm received a certificate of occupancy in November 2024. The development was full by the last week of December, Ndukwe told the Business Courier. MORE
February 27Feb 27 City seeks developers for dense, mixed-use project in Walnut Hills The city of Cincinnati is working with community partners to advance development at a project site long since abandoned by its initial developer. Indianapolis-based Milhaus in 2018 developed the Poste, a 124-unit project at 739 E. McMillan St. The project was always intended as the first phase of a two-phase endeavor, with the second phase occupying the north side of East McMillan Street, stretching north along Stanton Avenue. The project happened at all thanks to the city of Cincinnati, the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority and the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation, which around 15 years ago began assembling land in Walnut Hills intending to revitalize the neighborhood’s East McMillan Street business district. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/02/27/city-search-developers-walnut-hills-project.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 28Feb 28 19 hours ago, ColDayMan said: City seeks developers for dense, mixed-use project in Walnut Hills The city of Cincinnati is working with community partners to advance development at a project site long since abandoned by its initial developer. Indianapolis-based Milhaus in 2018 developed the Poste, a 124-unit project at 739 E. McMillan St. The project was always intended as the first phase of a two-phase endeavor, with the second phase occupying the north side of East McMillan Street, stretching north along Stanton Avenue. The project happened at all thanks to the city of Cincinnati, the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority and the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation, which around 15 years ago began assembling land in Walnut Hills intending to revitalize the neighborhood’s East McMillan Street business district. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/02/27/city-search-developers-walnut-hills-project.html That area has so much potential to really be a dense, urban area of activity. I always thought that it will connect to UC with a mix of students and obviously non-students. The blocks between McMillan and Taft west of Gilbert and East of 71 has so many lots just empty. Smart urban planning for apartments / condos but also single family row homes I think would do well at some point. It's just a cool area. Edited February 28Feb 28 by IAGuy39
March 4Mar 4 They aren't letting protesters right in front of Vance's house...instead it looks like the SW corner of Taft & Collins is going to be a popular place for the next few years:
March 14Mar 14 Mr. Vance was back in town last weekend. Law enforcement blocked off a pretty large perimeter again...the disruption lasted for three days. My cat spent all night each night staring mindlessly out the window at the state trooper's light bar. This sign seemed to help cut down on the number of clueless/irate people getting into it with law enforcement:
March 14Mar 14 In the packet for next Friday's Planning Commission meeting is a proposal from Kingsley + Co for a zone change at 2846 May Street from ML-T to RM-0.7-T which covers 3.85 acres. They want to build 180 apartments with 130 parking spaces in two mid-rise buildings, although a previous plan was a larger, singular u-shaped building. It does not sound like there is any organized opposition to it although a resident did show up at the Public Staff Conference to voice concern about the lack of parking and the existing pedestrian safety issues at May and Oak. The surrounding industrial property owner does not oppose the project but warned that they make a lot of noise on their facility. A noise test was conducted, resulting in levels that are above what is allowable in the zoning code for RM-0.7-T so staff is now recommending a zone change to UM-T. It also appears that I-71 is creating the noise, not the adjacent manufacturing. The applicant agreed to work with their architect (New Republic) to incorporate more noise mitigation into the building design. The slope of the lot means that there will be a ~40 foot retaining wall on the interior side of the project, overlooking the rail RoW, which is owned by others. WHAC sent in a letter of support but used it as an opportunity to complain about the reduction of parking minimums that was done as part of Connected Communities, as well as a previous denial of the city to address safety concerns at May and Oak. Some of the details are also on the city's planning site. They've been working on this thing, publicly, for 3 years now.
March 14Mar 14 ^proposed rents are 30-80% AMI. Unit breakdown is: 1 bedroom - 95 2 bedroom - 61 3 bedroom - 24 Both buildings are 5 floors, but one is split level so it will appear to be 4 floors from one side.
March 15Mar 15 22 hours ago, Dev said: In the packet for next Friday's Planning Commission meeting is a proposal from Kingsley + Co for a zone change at 2846 May Street from ML-T to RM-0.7-T which covers 3.85 acres. They want to build 180 apartments with 130 parking spaces in two mid-rise buildings, although a previous plan was a larger, singular u-shaped building. Good location for filling in density between Walnut Hills at the big institutions in Uptown. It would be great to see some employees from Children's and UC live here and walk/bike to work.
March 17Mar 17 Do we know what ever happened to the proposed development south of this between Taft and McMillan?
March 18Mar 18 Developer proposes 180-unit housing project in Walnut Hills By Brian Planalp – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier Mar 18, 2025 A growing Cincinnati developer is proposing to build a new affordable housing complex in Walnut Hills. Chinedum Ndukwe, principal at Kingsley + Co., wants to build two mid-rise multifamily apartment buildings with a total of 180 units on 3.9 acres of vacant land at 2846 May St.. MORE
March 25Mar 25 Developer Kingsley shrank major Walnut Hills project to meet community desires By Chris Wetterich – Staff reporter and columnist, Cincinnati Business Courier Mar 25, 2025 Kingsley + Co. slashed 100 apartments from its proposed 182-unit Walnut Hills development along Interstate 71 after the local neighborhood council objected to its scope. The move won praise from neighborhood representatives and some members of the Cincinnati Planning Commission, which unanimously approved a zoning change for the project March 21. But others wondered whether it was worth it to give up the original unit count in a city where there is a shortage of housing. The 3.9-acre project sits in a largely industrial area of Walnut Hills at 2846 May St., 150 feet from Interstate 71. The closest homes are roughly 340 and 359 feet away, as the crow flies. Commissioners approved changing the zoning from manufacturing to urban mix. MORE
March 25Mar 25 7 hours ago, anusthemenace said: Cincinnati development projects: always just getting out of the pool. Do other cities know about shrinkage? - Art Vandelay
April 14Apr 14 Port Authority to issue $29M in bonds for two major Greater Cincinnati projects The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority will issue up to $29 million in bonds to support two major apartment projects, one in Norwood and the other in Walnut Hills. ... The Port’s board also approved $10.1 million in multifamily housing revenue bonds for Kingsley + Co.’s Kinsey Lofts project, at 2354-2358 Reading Road in Walnut Hills. That $18 million project, which the developer plans to use low-income housing tax credits for, will have 52 units of affordable senior housing. The Port previously had approved a $10 million bond issue, but Kingsley asked for a new, maximum amount. The Port will receive a $125,000 fee for that project as well. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/04/14/port-bonds-apartments-walnut-hills-norwood.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 18Apr 18 ArtWorks' bold new Walnut Hills campus builds on community connection By Franck Mercurio – Courier contributor Apr 18, 2025 ArtWorks, the Greater Cincinnati nonprofit, is well known for its “citywide gallery” of some 300 permanent outdoor murals created by more than 3,500 professional artists and 4,000 apprentice artists. All have participated in the organization’s training and employment program, learning not just how to make art, but how to become entrepreneurs. Our mission is employing as many artists as we can, really providing life-changing opportunities for emerging artists in our city,” ArtWorks CEO Colleen Houston said. But since its founding in 1996, ArtWorks has had no permanent home, instead renting numerous studio and office spaces around the city – until now. MORE
May 19May 19 There are a lot of one-off and small housing developments going on right now on various streets in Walnut Hills. I drove by this one on Windsor and was taken aback by the a)high prices and b)especially bad design of the center house. The middle house has no side windows:The middle unit calls the finished basement room its "family room":The windowless center house gets a windowless "study" on the top floor:These narrow windows are a lot better than nothing on the end houses, but I would prefer two (or more) traditional vertically-oriented windows:Same problem up front:We don't get to compare/contrast the MLS listings because the agent lazily posted the same photos for all three (not) identical units.
May 19May 19 6 hours ago, Lazarus said:These narrow windows are a lot better than nothing on the end houses, but I would prefer two (or more) traditional vertically-oriented windows:I could be wrong, but I think this photo is showing the middle unit. And that clerestory window is positioned as such so that it doesn't look directly into the neighbor's deck.
May 19May 19 I actually think they're kind of cute. A better paint scheme would go a long way. The interior however leaves a lot to be desired.
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