^good point. In DT/OTR/Pendleton there's about 14k people. It's really a small town.

 

I think we could add 10,000 people in this area and use the new tax revenues fill our budget gap with the side effect of changing the mentality of our whole city and metro region.

 

But when I look around I see fierce resistance to change from all quarters.

 

The CBD in particular looks stagnant or regresssed with with one highly planned project happening every two years and little to no organic growth happening.

 

 

'Big' projects downtown certainly take a long time to get off the ground and get completed. But right now you have 6th/Race-Newberry Lofts(~60ish units) building that was recently completed into residential, 3rd/Vine is under construction (300 units with retail space),  Banks Phase II just opened last fall (300 units), 7th and Sycamore under construction (~150 units), AT580 is finishing construction (~200 units).

 

Then there are numerous other small scale projects and everything happening in OTR/Pendleton.

 

While this is not happening over night like in high growth cities, if this pace can maintain itself over a number of  years then the population will continue to build.

^4th and Race another big one.  I think the other ones that will be game changers for the southern half of downtown will be the three big buildings on 4th Street, the Traction Building:

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2015/07/15/traction-building-cincinnati/30185609/

 

^This building missed out on Historic Tax Credits last round, guessing they need these to move forward.

 

And then the Fourth and Walnut Center which missed out on tax credits last round:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/05/06/slated-to-become-two-hotels-fourth-and-walnut.html

 

Lastly, the Textile Building which also missed out on tax credits last round:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/03/14/exclusive-70m-redevelopment-planned-for-historic.html

 

 

I would love to see these get some nice tax credits on the next round of funding.  Hopefully at least two of them but if all three can get it, then that will really liven up the area south of Fountain Square with more foot traffic, residents, hotel accomodations, etc.  In my opinion, OTR is going pretty good on it's own but if 4th Street can get moving a bit more with it's redevelopment, it will really put downtown more on the map then it is currently.

We've finally got a certificate of occupancy for the Schmitthenner building at 1527 Elm. Got a lot of good advice from some folks on this forum over time (and actually incorporated it into the design, best we could). So, wanted to invite you all to drop by for an open house this Sunday, Feb 26, Noon-2PM.

 

Basics:

- 3 500 sq. ft. 1 BR apartments

- 2 700 sq. ft. 1 BR apartments

- 1 1300 sq. ft. 1 BR Loft

- 1 700 sq. ft. storefront

- Federal and State historic tax credits

- City property tax credit

- LEED (Silver or possibly Gold; still being certified)

 

Here's a few pics. Look forward to seeing anyone who drops by.

Hey all just a quick note about our open house in case anyone was interested... its been postponed till next Saturday, March 4 (March 4!) from 2:00-4:00PM. Sorry for the confusion; it was unexpectedly busy this week after we put these on the market.

 

Incidentally, to anyone who is interested in developing a property in OTR, after my (first time) experience entering the rental market as a landlord, there is surprising pressure for good quality and inexpensive 1-BR units in OTR (<=$800/month). I think this is likely to be true whether south of Liberty or near Findlay market. I mean, you put the listing out there and you better allocate the better part of your next few days interacting with people.

 

So you may be thinking that this is obvious. But where this takes me - and I hadn't really realized it - is that we should be prioritizing the development of many, many more small units than are being done now, so that the above price point works. For example if you need to rent for $2/sq. ft. to make the project a good one, then I think that 400 sq. ft. units would rent no problem at all. Good people just want to live here, and they have budget constraints, but they care a lot less about how much space they have. I was originally a little nervous about showing 500 sq. ft. apartments and they were by far the most popular and I never had one person say it was small.

 

And the quality of tenants looking for that type of unit seems high. I met many people in their 20s who were just starting out and making maybe $3,000 a month, had some student loans, and they wanted flexibility in their budget to save and do other things. It was really refreshing. A few people even came with their parents! I mean, a gaggle of mom and pop and siblings who had lived forever in the suburbs and now being pulled out into the world by their 22 year old who just finished college.

 

Anyway, if I were to be looking for properties to redevelop right now in OTR, I'd be looking for buildings that lent themselves to mostly 350-450 sq. ft. units, put in nice finishes, and rent them for $1.75-$2/ft. OTR will be a better place with a lot more of those units and a lot more of those people that would flock to fill them.

 

^ this just make's me even more upset the Dennison is getting tore down. That building is all ready set up for smaller units.

The Joseph's are so blind to the business opportunities they are missing its not even funny.  They could have prevented both a PR disaster and made money doing it by redeveloping the darn thing.

Hamilton County selects design team for $50 million crime lab

 

Hamilton County has selected a design team for its $53 million crime lab and morgue project.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/02/hamilton-county-selects-design-team-for-50-million.html

I thought there was a thread on here for the Dennison but now I can't find it.  Am I dreaming or did it disappear?

I thought there was a thread on here for the Dennison but now I can't find it.  Am I dreaming or did it disappear?

 

It's in a different section now.

 

https://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,22949.350.html

Introducing Crane Watch Cincinnati

 

With the city of Cincinnati leading a renaissance in the region, the Business Courier has launched Crane Watch to keep track of all of the development and construction taking place.

 

This interactive development map allows users to see all of the activity taking place in the city from the Banks all the way to Uptown along the Interstate 71 corridor.

 

To check out Crane Watch, click here.

 

Cont

I saw last weekend that the Teacher's Credit Union on Central Parkway at Marshall has been torn down.  Everything in the strange hillside between the parkway and McMicken was torn down in the last five years, so if the parkway is straightened, a pretty significant development site will be created.  I smell Cranley. 

^ The same lawyer registered a few LLCs that bought up the Credit Union and several other plots all around the intersection of Marshall and Central. It looks like some plots were consolidated, too. Something does seem to be going on down there.

^ Is that bad? I used to live at the bottom end of Straight and frankly I would love to see anything built in that part of town.

^ I don't think it's bad, though that could depend upon what the development is. If the person registering the LLCs is the same one who owns them, he seems to have a retail portfolio, which would make sense given the proximity to and visiblity from I-75. Hopefully any development here would add some density, though, and not be along the lines of drive-thrus and budget hotels like what exists further north on Central.

 

If you head over to CAGIS or the auditor and look at everything 1008 Marshall LLC and Marshall at Central LLC own, you can see how significant an amount of land we're talking about. Everything north of Straight to a few hundred feet south of the Talbert House, on both sides of McMicken, for the most part.

Is this the building you're talking about?

 

Is this the building you're talking about?

 

 

Yep that building has been leveled.

Cincinnatian Hotel sale imminent, Palace closes for dinner

 

 

Downtown’s landmark Cincinnatian Hotel is about to be sold three years after American Financial Group Inc. put it up for sale. And its fine-dining restaurant, the Palace, is at least temporarily closed for dinner.

 

The 135-year-old hotel’s sale is largely wrapped up. Hotel employees said the buyers are meeting with hotel managing director Martin Pittman today. Multiple hotel employees told me the hotel has been sold. Pittman said the sale is not complete although it could be by the end of the day.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/08/exclusive-cincinnatian-hotel-sale-imminent-palace.html

Does anyone know anything about this proposal? Seems that I was poking around on Senhauser's website for information on another project came across One River Plaza. I did some more digging and found additional renderings and information. Looks like someone else getting in on the old Montgomery Inn site that was proposed for Skyhouse before they backed out. 

 

http://www.senhauserarchitects.com/oneriverplaza.html

 

http://glaserworks.com/portfolio-item/one-river-plaza/

^Sadly this is not a real project that is happening. It was something done prior to Skyhouse being announced.

savadams13[/member] Check out this thread: Cincinnati: Downtown: Former Montgomery Inn Conference Center

Trump family hotel coming to Cincinnati?

NEW YORK -- You might have expected the Trump Organization to tap the brakes given all the criticism over potential conflicts of interest while its owner sits in the Oval Office.

 

It's hitting the accelerator instead -- and a Trump Hotels official named Cincinnati as a possible location for expansion plans.

Source: http://www.wcpo.com/news/transportation-development/development/trump-family-hotel-coming-to-cincinnati

 

So apperantly a trump hotel off brand is in the works for Cincy possibly

 

http://www.journal-news.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/could-cincinnati-land-trump-hotel/wErybrQfimkv53hnjsHymJ/

118 West 3rd Street is being stabilized. The building next door to it (which was next door to 333-SEAT) was demolished a few years ago and is still an empty lot that is occasionally used for parking.

118 West 3rd Street is being stabilized. The building next door to it (which was next door to 333-SEAT) was demolished a few years ago and is still an empty lot that is occasionally used for parking.

 

That is good to hear, I figured it was a goner based on the lack on maintenance over the years and the state of the roof. I wonder if the neighboring residences across the highway and the potential front row seat to the FWW caps motivated the owner to do something with it?

 

^ When I walked by today they had a couple big lifts in the now-vacant adjacent lot and it looked like the roof is what they were replacing. It didn't look cheap so hopefully something comes of it.

I can see these building from my apartment window. I thought one of them was a goner since there was a giant hole in the roof. I was very surprised to see that roof has been replaced and the building next to it has it's roof resurfaced. Both have the SSRG signs on them and I think one had the WARM real estate sign.

The woman who created the parking meter flowers in Cincinnati was murdered earlier this week in Washington, DC:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Police-to-Give-Update-on-2-Recent-Murders-416832763.html

 

Here is a link to that project on her personal website:

http://www.corrinamehiel.com/meter-gardens

Anybody know why piers are being installed along Riverside?

 

^ Might be related to this:

 

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cityofcincinnati/news/city-to-address-accelerated-riverside-drive-hillside-movement/

^Thanks! Yeah, looks like it is that project. In the video, they say that the retaining piers will be installed as part of a 1200 ft retaining wall (roughly between Hazen and Vance), 20 ft south of the railroad tracks, on private property.

 

 

Huh, so that's what that's all about.  I'd noticed the sidewalk next to the old Verdin building buckling before, and I thought it was a water main break or something, but then it buckled again after being repaired.

Cincinnati plan could demolish former Hudepohl brewery

 

 

A proposed ordinance that Cincinnati City Council could vote on next week would start the process of providing the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority with funds to demolish and remediate the former Hudepohl Brewery, which sits on 1.6 acres at 801 W. 6th St. in Queensgate.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/24/cincinnati-plan-could-demolish-former-hudepohl.html

I bet this is the site FCC wants to put their hypothetical stadium

I bet this is the site FCC wants to put their hypothetical stadium

 

is there enough room? there are what appear to be successful businesses there would would be $$$ to move and then tare down. Also could the new I-71/75 bridge take a portion of the area.

I bet this is the site FCC wants to put their hypothetical stadium

 

I sure hope you're wrong. That'd be a huge waste because it's not adjacent to anything useful (from the perspective of a stadium) and won't be in the future, due to being surrounded by I-75, the Route 50 Viaduct, and the elevated train tracks. There is no existing parking/transit infrastructure to leverage so you'd have to build entirely new parking decks/lots which wouldn't be used for any other purposes. The surrounding land is taken up by the huge UPS distribution center (not likely to move) and the newly built ShelterHouse (also not likely to move). So... a stadium at this site would have basically zero development potential. So, it's not as if they could turn this area into a new mixed-use destination.

I bet this is the site FCC wants to put their hypothetical stadium

 

is there enough room? there are what appear to be successful businesses there would would be $$$ to move and then tare down. Also could the new I-71/75 bridge take a portion of the area.

 

The belt manufacturing place nextdoor (CMT?) just moved to the old Kmart site in Oakley/Pleasant Ridge and the museum archive & offices could probably move back to the Terminal after the restoration. The jail is gone as well, leaving the new mens shelter in the butternut factory as the only occupied thing on the block excluding the K4 Architecture office i believe.

 

Cincinnati council members want Hudepohl smokestack preserved

 

A key Cincinnati City Council committee approved $2 million in funding to demolish the old Hudepohl Brewery at 801 W. Sixth St. in Queensgate, but several council members said they want to see the former brewery’s iconic smokestack saved.

 

At the request of Councilman Chris Seelbach, council on Wednesday could modify the ordinance that would provide the money to the building’s owner, the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, for demolition. Seelbach proposed a new version that would tell the port to come back to council before the smokestack is demolished along with the rest of the building and report on the feasibility and cost of saving it. Council members P.G. Sittenfeld, Yvette Simpson, Charlie Winburn and Kevin Flynn also expressed interest in saving the stack. Council's budget committee unanimously approved granting the demolition money on Monday.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/27/cincinnati-council-members-want-hudepohl.html

Why don't they just try their luck on Ebay again?

Can we start a kickstarter or find some donors to move it? I loved the idea of moving it to the brewery district to act as a place marker and visual landmark for the new district. $1 million seems doable if you get a few big shots involved on top of some city money or grants.

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2014/06/10/moving-hudepohl-smokestack-possible/10281999/

 

 

The woman who created the parking meter flowers in Cincinnati was murdered earlier this week in Washington, DC:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Police-to-Give-Update-on-2-Recent-Murders-416832763.html

 

Here is a link to that project on her personal website:

http://www.corrinamehiel.com/meter-gardens

 

An arrest was made in this case:

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/crime/2017/03/23/daap-grad-former-art-academy-professor-killed-dc-corrina-mehiel-stabbing-cincinnati/99536230/

Council votes to demolish Hudepohl building but tries to save smokestack

 

The Cincinnati City Council voted 8-1 Wednesday to provide funds to demolish and remediate the former Hudepohl Brewery in Queensgate, but required the building’s owner, the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, to come back to council before it took down the historic smokestack.

 

The Port has estimated that it can demolish the building for about $2 million but that saving the smokestack would cost more than $100,000 on top of that. It’s unclear whether council is willing to provide more money later. The ordinance only requires that it consult council before proceeding with the smokestack’s demolition.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/29/council-votes-to-demolish-hudepohl-building-but.html

 

I'm not sure if anyone has posted this yet. It's a "Age of Cincinnati" map:

 

https://nathanrooy.github.io/pages/2017-02-15-the-age-of-cincinnati-full-screen.html

I'm not sure if anyone has posted this yet. It's a "Age of Cincinnati" map:

 

https://nathanrooy.github.io/pages/2017-02-15-the-age-of-cincinnati-full-screen.html

 

Very cool!

Wow, that is neat. I wish the colors between decades were offset more to better delineate the patterns.

The Age of Cincinnati map is fun and interesting. However, I decided to see how accurate it was by checking on 5 high profile buildings in OTR. The results were very spotty. I looked at Music Hall, St Francis Seraph,  old St Mary, and the old St Johns (Bethlehem Apostolic/Transept) and St Paul Evang. (Taft's Ale House). Three out of the five were way way off in the estimation of their age. So, the map needs some work IMO.

 

If you go to his blog you'll see the explanation of why it's only so accurate (it's based on the county auditor's database, which has some unfortunate defaults and compromises).  https://nathanrooy.github.io/posts/2017-02-15/the-age-of-cincinnati/

It's amazing to see how much the suburbs developed in the 40s-50s.

Something that's always puzzled me is the string of 1920s bungalows that line Dorchester and Highland.  That's much too close to downtown, being along a major streetcar and former cable car route, for such small/cheap and new houses.  They get much older once you get north to Earnshaw and west towards Auburn/Sycamore, but I see no evidence in Sanborn or other old maps that there were mansions or anything along here before.  It almost looks like the land was mostly vacant, but I find that hard to believe. 

Something that's always puzzled me is the string of 1920s bungalows that line Dorchester and Highland.  That's much too close to downtown, being along a major streetcar and former cable car route, for such small/cheap and new houses.  They get much older once you get north to Earnshaw and west towards Auburn/Sycamore, but I see no evidence in Sanborn or other old maps that there were mansions or anything along here before.  It almost looks like the land was mostly vacant, but I find that hard to believe. 

 

Yeah, especially since OTR/CUF type narrow row houses were build on Vine and Glendora all the way north to the zoo.  There is a very large house for sale on Helen St. (I think) right now and that one no doubt owned much more land than it sits on today.  There might have been 1-2 other large houses that owned 3-4-5 acres in Mt. Auburn, because the whole neighborhood is newer than CUF. 

The striking thing about that map to me is that the old stuff is tends to be on a street grid of some sort whereas the new stuff is scattered about willy-nilly.

Downtown Cincinnati hotel launches new phase of multimillion-dollar renovation

 

 

The Hyatt Regency Cincinnati has launched the second phase of its multimillion-dollar renovation.

 

The hotel will refurbish and update each of its 491 guest rooms with white stone finish vanities and desk tops with contemporary gray furniture along with iHome clock radios, bedside lighting and new beds. The bulk of the project will be focused on updating bathrooms in each room with new tile, fixtures, counters and lights.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/03/31/downtown-cincinnati-hotel-launches-new-phase-of.html