^Yet another condescending post.  Awfully concerned about HUD's budget but not the military's. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/09/22/covington-barbershop-expanding-to-walnut-hills.html

 

Interesting to see new development coming to this block. I would have guessed a new barbershop like this would be located closer to Peebles Corner, but it's good to see McMillan "filling in the gaps".

Photos of the Alms on the news looked pretty good. A lot better than with the previous owner/manager. And, the residents got a commitment for vouchers. I'd say that Legal Aid is doing a pretty good job in support of affordable housing.

This will be great for Walnut Hills!

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/11/01/exclusive-craft-brewery-coming-to-iconic-walnut.html

^For a long time I always thought it would be a great music club or dance club.  Then when the microbrewery thing took off I thought that I'd buy the building for my brother when I hit the lottery since he wanted to do one years before it became a trend.  It's definitely a better location than the Woodburn Brewery. 

 

But you have to wonder at what point we hit peak beer.  And at what point some big residential project actually happens in Walnut Hills, aside from the Towne project north of Purcell. 

^Do the 90 residential units + 4000sf retail adjacent to Fireside Pizza not count?

 

EDIT: Also the 40+ units in the old public school building called Windsor Flats, and the proposed 48 units of new construction next door.

 

EDIT2: Or does the redevelopment of the Anthem site at Woodburn and Taft not count?

Other than Windsor, have any of those projects actually begun? The Firehouse Row proposal has been around forever. I think it might actually have a chance of starting soonish, but who can say. The redevelopment of Anthem definitely has not started yet, and it's in EWH, not WH.

 

I will say it seems that the tide is actually starting to change in WH, after years of talk and hype with very little action.

There is a smattering of work right now on small buildings between I-71 and Gilbert and the Windsor Flats new building is under construction. 

 

 

 

 

EDIT2: Or does the redevelopment of the Anthem site at Woodburn and Taft not count?

 

^I think the Anthem site I read will start demolition soon with final design plan starting in January.  Initially first phase will be 300 apartment units, 10,000 feet of commercial space, the new "pedestrian" street, and 4 or 5 level parking ramp with 310 spaces.  $55 million project.

 

As Jake mentioned, it looks like they are already building the new construction apartment for Windsor Flats.

 

Also, my work is right next to here, but they've been slowly working on the old Eastern Hills YMCA on East McMillan.  Technically EWH but close to WH line.  I think that's somewhere around 30-40 market rate units.

This article says that a liquor license is being awarded to a location "near the intersection of Gilbert Avenue and East McMillan Street". Anybody know which building/owner received the license?

 

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/11/01/cincinnati-getting-two-new-liquor-agencies-and.html

 

 

EDIT2: Or does the redevelopment of the Anthem site at Woodburn and Taft not count?

 

^I think the Anthem site I read will start demolition soon with final design plan starting in January.  Initially first phase will be 300 apartment units, 10,000 feet of commercial space, the new "pedestrian" street, and 4 or 5 level parking ramp with 310 spaces.  $55 million project.

 

As Jake mentioned, it looks like they are already building the new construction apartment for Windsor Flats.

 

Also, my work is right next to here, but they've been slowly working on the old Eastern Hills YMCA on East McMillan.  Technically EWH but close to WH line.  I think that's somewhere around 30-40 market rate units.

 

^Anthem Site has fencing around it, heavy equipment and dumpsters, they have started demolition but guessing it is initial demolition

Entrance to Cincinnati's 'second downtown' begins renovation

 

 

One of Cincinnati's most iconic buildings, in a corner that once served as the largest shopping and entertainment district outside of downtown, is undergoing renovation after being shuttered for more than a decade.

 

The structure known as the Paramount Building was constructed in 1931 at the intersection of Gilbert Avenue and East McMillan Street in what was known as Peebles' Corner, named for grocer Joseph Peebles who convinced streetcar operators to call out the store's name at that stop. It had an attached theater where the CVS currently stands.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/11/08/entrance-to-cincinnatis-second-downtown-begins.html

Somebody just listed two lots in this space for $25,000 apiece.  I remember delivering pizzas to the small two-family to the left of these lots several times over the course of several years and the place never had electricity.  The tenants seemingly refused to pay their electric bill for years.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1254312,-84.494578,3a,75y,344.67h,86.56t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sbLDLj4i69sj3XPrEjl7WkA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

https://www.sibcycline.com/Listing/CIN/1559499/710-712-Wayne-St-Walnut-Hills-OH-45206

 

I'm worried that the hype surrounding the area is going to stifle development in the way it is keeping things from happening in Over-the-Rhine.  The people who own the lots are going to hold out for top dollar instead of just selling the things and letting houses go up. 

 

 

 

 

What non-profit got a hold of the Walnut Hills Kroger site?

What non-profit got a hold of the Walnut Hills Kroger site?

 

The WHRF.

A bit more info from: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/11/10/exclusive-nonprofit-gains-control-of-former-walnut.html

 

For now, the [Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation] is looking at reconfiguring the building so it is oriented to East McMillan Street and Kemper Lane.

 

“In a perfect world it would be a grocery, we’re not giving up on that,” Wright said. “Whatever we do, we want to make sure it is a place again where everyone feels welcome and can connect with one another.”

 

The foundation received a $35,000 urban revitalization grant from Duke Energy in October that will be used to help with community engagement, architectural design and a request for proposals process that will be informed by the community. Wright said the foundation will start engaging with the community now to see what could happen with the property. He hopes to finalize plans next year and break ground in 2019.

 

“That’s optimistic, but we need to move fast,” he said.

 

In the meantime, Wright said the plan is to open the property’s parking lot up for public parking between the former Kroger store and CVS. That additional parking will help the new businesses such as Video Archive and Just Q’in Barbecue restaurant in Trevarren Flats.

$55 million East Walnut Hills project lands key approval

 

 

The planned redevelopment of the former Anthem campus in East Walnut Hills had landed a key approval.

 

Cincinnati City Planning Commission unanimously approved a zoning change for the 7.2-acre site on the southwest corner of William Howard Taft Road and Woodburn Avenue to planned development from office limited. The zoning change is a necessary step for the development team of Al Neyer, Vandercar Holdings LLC and the Fortus Group as they work to develop the site into a mixed-use project.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/09/15/55-million-east-walnut-hills-projects-lands-key.html

 

Mentioned before but it looks like full demolition has started, about a quarter of the 6 or so tall main building of the old Anthem offices is down already.

Pretty sure I mentioned this before but I'm bummed they're not saving the old telephone exchange building on the corner of Taft and Woodburn.  Yes it doesn't have a great setback, and few even notice that it's there because of the trees, but it's a very handsome building.

Pretty sure I mentioned this before but I'm bummed they're not saving the old telephone exchange building on the corner of Taft and Woodburn.  Yes it doesn't have a great setback, and few even notice that it's there because of the trees, but it's a very handsome building.

I always wondered what that building was originally built for. I had assumed it was an old school.

Yeah same here, it is a nice building... I haven't seen them tearing at that one yet but I assume they will/are already just hard to see when driving by, they have the whole site fenced off

First look at $13M Firehouse Row development in Walnut Hills

 

The $13 million mixed-use Firehouse Row development in Walnut Hills is going before the Cincinnati City Planning Commission for final approval on Dec. 15, and as part of that the development team is giving the first look at a complex that will add density to the east side of the neighborhood's business district.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/12/08/first-look-at-13firehouse-row-development-in.html

 

All those great old buildings torn down for this garbage  >:(

http://www.wright-design.us/projects.html

gross.

the Des Moines front porch is pretty baller

Will it add population to the neighborhood? Check. Does the building address the street? Check. Does it have entrances along the sidewalk that will create sidewalk activity? Check. Sounds like a good project to me.

The link Jake posted does not show the current design of Firehouse Row. Milhaus is developing the project. You can see the renders in the article below. Not great architecture, but not terrible, and like thebillshark says, it will add population and diversity to WH, and is very much needed. This neighborhood is at the beginning of its renaissance, so it's naive to think that infill would be high end or architecturally significant.  I agree that it's a shame that so much of the neighborhood has been torn down, but other than advocating for preserving the existing historic building stock, all we can do at this point is fill in the gaps with new construction.

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/12/08/first-look-at-13firehouse-row-development-in.html

I think it’s a great project actually. Some new apartment infill projects have long walls with no entrances facing the street, meanwhile their entrances face into an interior parking lot that comes right up to people’s front windows, hardly a shrubbery in between. This faces outward towards the public space of the street and the parking is contained in two neat rows behind it and the parking does not dominate the site.  More detailed plans here:

 

https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/about-city-planning/city-planning-commission/dec-15-2017-packet/

 

I will take a project that has a solid urbanist site plan over chasing the unicorn of “Good” or “Great” architecture whatever that means.

Solid urbanism and frankly as far as short wood-framed 21st century affordably built apartment buildings go, this looks pretty decent. There's nothing offensive about it and it has some nice moments. Obviously not winning any awards, but neither are any of this style of project anywhere. The site plan is done intelligently which is most important as Thebillshark points out. And the building itself is appropriately scaled and directs human activity to the street as much as possible. I approve completely and think it'll add a ton to this stretch.

I'm excited for this project to get going, this area needs it badly and it adds to everything going on McMillan east of Gilbert.

Major Walnut Hills project gets final approval

 

 

The Cincinnati Planning Commission gave unanimous final approval on Friday to the Firehouse Row development in Walnut Hills, clearing the way for the $13 million mixed-use project by Indianapolis-based Milhaus Development to begin construction.

 

Commissioners voted unanimously for the final development plan.

 

“We’re excited to be a part of the revitalization of this neighborhood,” said Greg Martin, Milhaus’ co-founder and vice president for development.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/12/15/major-walnut-hills-project-gets-final-approval.html

Looks like these two sites are being completely gutted, they are basically across the street from the large anthem project.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.127271,-84.4819934,3a,75y,335.44h,83.5t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJ0wa9upFDOwNn1_C5njPOw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1270523,-84.4830987,3a,75y,333.57h,97.33t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1si5Egiact2nGTiemeKSxOnQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

*Edit: Looks like the second link, 1222 WHT, is being gutted for what looks like market rate apartments for 550,000:

 

https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/council/meeting-agendas-minutes/council-minutes/september-27-2017/

 

  CITY MANAGER  Item #:  201701361 ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Harry Black, City Manager, on 9/27/2017, approving and authorizing the City Manager to execute a Community Reinvestment Area Tax Exemption Agreement (LEED or Living Building Challenge) with 1222 WHT LLC, thereby authorizing a 12-year tax exemption for 100% of the value of improvements made to real property located at 1222 William Howard Taft Road in East Walnut Hills (based on statistical neighborhood approximation) or Walnut Hills (based on community council boundary designation) neighborhood of Cincinnati, in connection with the remodeling of the building thereon into residential apartments, which remodeling shall be completed in compliance with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver, Gold or Platinum standards or Living Building Challenge standards, at a total remodeling cost of approximately $530,000. ***

 

Alms could become luxury housing:

https://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/alms-hill-apartments-residents-worry-as-seven-low-income-housing-complexes-in-cincinnati-to-be-sold

Indianapolis developer gives big Walnut Hills project a new name

 

Milhaus, the Indianapolis developer building a major, $13 million mixed-use project in Walnut Hills, has given it a new name and released some additional details about the project.

 

Originally called Firehouse Row, Milhaus has renamed the 124-unit Poste. The project will be bordered by East McMillan, Wayne, Kenton and Copelen streets. The building fronting McMillan will be four stories, while the others will be three.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/01/12/indianapolis-developer-gives-big-walnut-hills.html

Developers to restore Walnut Hills apartment building

 

 

A group of local developers plans to restore a building in Walnut Hills near the $13 million Poste apartment development.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/01/18/developers-to-restore-walnut-hills-apartment.html

This building is fenced off and has SRGS (I think) Stabilization sign on it.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1271331,-84.4849917,3a,75y,247.7h,99.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqEpqbrOiDu8b3N0u5xkPLw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

The Old Eastern Hills YMCA looks full go about now:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.125471,-84.4833892,3a,75y,3.14h,97.56t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spAkILRSPLynIAekTx2_HQA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

The Anthem site looks about 75-85% completely demolished now:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.126025,-84.4797412,3a,75y,346.54h,91.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssBCQKYTvJdqMXEJKQjr88A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

This Duplex Looks about completely gutted and cleaned out, not certain what they are doing here:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1272905,-84.4823184,3a,75y,330.83h,92.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swbiL1F_J3KpP6vnf_kFdnw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

This building looks like it is completely gutted now and work ongoing inside:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1270523,-84.4830987,3a,75y,337.98h,101.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1si5Egiact2nGTiemeKSxOnQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

Ton of work going on here now at the Paramount Building:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1259221,-84.490172,3a,75y,55.45h,95.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sS5l2g7W4ZoZ_mQpLSfP_4Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

Does anyone know if there are plans yet for these buildings?  I don't think there is but great potential, hopefully it doesn't get the wrecking ball with the new MLK Interchange:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1329722,-84.4879715,3a,37.5y,141.87h,95.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJZ-Hztrg1lKeyNjF52oQBg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Does anyone know if there are plans yet for these buildings?  I don't think there is but great potential, hopefully it doesn't get the wrecking ball with the new MLK Interchange:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1329722,-84.4879715,3a,37.5y,141.87h,95.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJZ-Hztrg1lKeyNjF52oQBg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

I believe I saw that the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation owns that whole block now. I think they are demolishing a couple of buildings, and saving a couple of them.

 

EDIT: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/11/27/exclusive-prime-land-near-i-71-mlk-interchange.html

 

The Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation has purchased 1.7 acres worth of property near the new interchange at Interstate 71 and Martin Luther King Drive with plans to redevelop it.

 

Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation, along with acquisition partners Cincinnati Development Fund and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, purchased the Walnut Hills properties at the intersection of Gilbert and Lincoln avenues from the Community Builders for about $800,000. The properties had been assembled by Community Builders for a planned development project, but the group decided to list the properties for sale in January 2017 after unsuccessfully submitting for state funding.

 

.......

 

The Community Builders had planned to demolish all of the buildings at one point, but Wright said the foundation is working to save some key properties.

 

.......

 

Some of the buildings the foundation is looking to save are 907 Foraker Ave., 2924 Gilbert Ave., and 933 Lincoln Ave.

Ugh, save all the freaken buildings.  Those people are losers, or are in the pockets of developers who don't know better :/

2506 Moorman, a 2,000 sqft SFH, was flipped and sold for $429,900. This is the highest cost I've seen a rehabbed SFH in this area go for so far...

All of the townhomes in Washington Terrace have been torn down (last one is being torn down today). The property is CMHA property.

 

It's sad how much has been torn down in the ~45 acre area bounded by 71, Victory Parking, Gilbert, and MLK. The majority of the parcels are now owned by CMHA, Hamilton County Landbank, or City of Cincinnati.  Are they trying to clear the entire area to prep it for redevelopment? Has anything ever been publicly stated about the plans?

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1373119,-84.4877427,3a,89.9y,87.02h,92.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s8ov3pvheZ7U7csTEuEKRmg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

 

 

 

Yeah I saw them tearing that down yesterday.  Let's keep complaining about OTR "gentrification" while a mile up the road old public housing is being torn down for another Rookwood shopping center and another Mayfield Clinic. 

http://www.shorpy.com/node/15620

So the western half of that development was demolished when I-71 was built and the remaining half got demolished for redevelopment after the I-71 widening. Awesome.

Dreadful Alms Pl apartments on the auction block:

https://www.sibcycline.com/Listing/CIN/1566984/2817-2819-Ashland-Ave-Walnut-Hills-OH-45206

 

People were still living in this complex, probably illegally, up until about a year ago, after "lead paint" warning signs appeared. 

It always bothered me that they started but never finished painting the building.  Plus the massive conduits for the new electric service.  Seems like someone started doing a bunch of upgrades then totally fell apart.  https://goo.gl/maps/AEcoZ7z49fy

Dreadful Alms Pl apartments on the auction block:

https://www.sibcycline.com/Listing/CIN/1566984/2817-2819-Ashland-Ave-Walnut-Hills-OH-45206

 

People were still living in this complex, probably illegally, up until about a year ago, after "lead paint" warning signs appeared. 

Why do you call these "Alms Pl"? They're on Ashland... and I think the name of the apartments is/was "Gordon Terrace": https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1305346,-84.4819705,3a,37.1y,321.3h,97.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szCfdMlVKDp4PlCVGXYgHqg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Those are close to my work.  I kind of wonder if they can get anything out of those buildings since it is on a dead end street flanked by a park that is in bad shape.  Wonder if it might be better to re-do that whole corner with the park which is never used now and the other side of Ashland where the buildings sit with newer development. 

 

I mean, they could go and re-do those actual buildings but I don't know how successful it would be as is without redeveloping the park or building on top of the park.

 

That area seemed to have a lot of crime as I remember at least 3 shootings in that street over the last 3 years but like others have said, has been shuttered for about a year or so.

^^you're right they're on Ashland, not Alms.  I should know that, given the fact that I probably delivered 25 pizzas to this complex.  It was like walking into a Walker Evans photograph with James Agee narration.  Hard to believe that buildings in such terrible condition were being rented to impoverished people into the 2010's. 

Fast-growing firm moving headquarters to historic Walnut Hills building

 

One of Greater Cincinnati’s fastest-growing companies will be moving its headquarters to a historic building in Walnut Hills.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/02/14/exclusive-fast-growing-firm-moving-headquarters-to.html

 

These photos were from Sunday, Feb 18:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wayne Ave.:

 

Rehab on Wayne:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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