Any movement or rumblings regarding the building?

 

I'd assume that when it does get rehabbed, it'd host housing units.

^Yes apartments are the plan right now...since the Ohio Historic Tax Credits situation has been worked out this project is looking much better.

Historic Enquirer Building to See New Life

http://www.urbancincy.com/2008/08/historic-enquirer-building-to-see-new.html

 

The historic art deco style Enquirer Building, built in 1926, has seen better days. What used to be home to Cincinnati’s daily newspaper until the 1980’s, is now a class “C” office building with an abysmal 16% occupancy rate.

 

With nearly three decades of hard times, the “Grand Lady of Vine Street” is ready for her makeover. In May 2007, Middle Earth Developers (MED) purchased the building with plans to renovate and develop the historic structure into a mixed-use building consisting of apartments, office and retail space, and parking. Thanks to some historic tax credits and private financing the $37,399,000 project is now ready to move forward, with a projected completion date of Mid-2009 (office) and May 2010 (apartments).

 

Retail space will remain at street-level, 53,400 sf of office space will take up floors 2-3, and 152 apartments will take up floors 4-14. 170 parking spaces will also be made available by retrofitting the basement mezzanine levels (previously held 10-ton printing presses) into a 3-level private parking garage.

 

Glenn Kukla, partner of MED, says that there will be a mix of studio, 1br, 1br/1 den, and 2br apartment units. These units will boast features such as free/dedicated wi-fi access, stainless steel appliances, washer/dryer hookups, hardwood/polished concrete floors, lofted kitchen and bathroom areas, and private parking.

 

While the project has lots of amenities, Kukla states, "the biggest amenity by far is that the building is a half-block away from the newly renovated Fountain Square." The building will also be modified to include a new rooftop deck, clubhouse and fitness facility next to the rooftop deck, public conference room and business center, and coin operated laundry/vending facilities.

 

1.

 

2. Exterior shot from 6th & Vine

 

3. Couple interior shots...sorry about the bad quality...I don't know what happened.

 

4.

This is one of my favorite buildings in DT and arguably in the best location in DT. I am really excited about this project and hope that they really do a nice job. This building and this location deserve nothing but the best

uh huh!

16% occupancy rate? Good grief.

 

The plans are really nice. Those are a lot of units for the building and it'll be nice to have more residential activity on that end of downtown. The more, the better!

Great to hear this is about to get started.  I think this will be one of the more successfull properties downtown.  The location is just unbeatable and the building is even better.  Hopefully MED doesnt screw it up.   

It's always good for a city to have a high-rise residential building with character.  So many out there simply don't have character. 

Character isn't something that is instantly created. While many of the buildings in the past were very ornate and fancy, we often do not have the luxury to do that today in an effort to keep costs down. It's much more expensive, in relative dollars, to build anything in an urbanized area, so many of the ornate features that we were used to simply cannot be installed from the beginning.

 

But a building's character and charm can certainly change over the period of 50 years. Give it time, and many of the plain developments you see today will evolve into something much nicer (hopefully).

The vacancy rate mostly shows that nothing filled the old Enquirer space. I definitely agree with Seicer and I'd add that many of the neighborhoods that have so much character now (I'm thinking 1920s-era places like Pleasant Ridge) seemed anodyne and soulless when they were built but 90 years of human occupancy has given them character (for good or ill).

There is a commercial building permit hanging in the front window of the building.  To me this signifies that the first phase of their project has begun.

With the lack of apartment rentals available ... this can't come soon enough. Recently Siecer stated that he couldn't find anything available and just a few weeks ago a friend of mine couldn't find anything either. They said they were straight up turned down by Towne Properties because they had nothing.

This project was awarded the maximum $5 million allotment from the State in historic tax credits.

Dang it Randy I was working my way down the list

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/10/13/daily41.html?ana=from_rss

Hehehehehehheehehehe  :evil:

yea, randy likes to swoop in and break the story before you get a chance to.

Time is money.

$5m for this project is roughly 15% of the overall project cost ($37.4m).  Like the Can Factory project in Northside, this is apartments which should also help get this thing going.

I want one.

yea, I want one too. 

Does anyone know if this project is off the table? I'm looking at moving back to Cincy in 1 year and my g/f isn't comfortable with OTR yet so I thought this would be a great place to get a start.

From what I hear, details are to come very soon.

Great! Thanks.

From what I hear, details are to come very soon.

 

All this talk of the Metropole makes me wonder about this...anyword on the details?

 

 

I've not seen any work going on for a while.

This project was awarded the maximum $5 million allotment from the State in historic tax credits.

 

I am also concerned about this tax credit expirering

Doesnt look good for this project!

 

Middle Earth faces tax problems

By Lisa Bernard-Kuhn • [email protected] • October 19, 2009

 

 

Camp Washington-based Middle Earth Development Inc. owes Hamilton County more than $51,000 in delinquent taxes on a dozen properties, including several at the firm's recently finished downtown condo development Parker Flats.

 

 

Investors will get a chance to purchase the debts at public auction of tax liens slated for Friday at 6 p.m. at the Hamilton County Administration Building, 138 E. Court St.

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091019/BIZ01/910200312/1076/BIZ/Middle+Earth+faces+tax+problems

 

 

Stories of it's demise have been greatly exaggerated

 

Middle Earth pays county tax bill

 

Camp Washington-based Middle Earth Development Inc. says it has made payment arrangements with Hamilton County for more than $51,000 owed in delinquent property taxes.

 

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091021/BIZ01/910220330/Middle-Earth-pays-county-tax-bill

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100316/BIZ01/3170317/Tobacco+store+closing++building+shuttered

Tobacco store closing; building shuttered

By Laura Baverman • [email protected] • March 16, 2010

-----------------------

Doesnt sound like this is going to happen anytime soon.  Anyone have any inside info?

 

The 34-year-old business, one of just two smoke shops downtown, is in the process of selling its inventory and closing its shop in the historic Cincinnati Enquirer building at 617 Vine St.

 

The building's owner, Middle Earth Properties, notified Tobacconist owner Pat Coldiron Feb. 1 that the building could soon close.

 

The Camp Washington-based developer, which has plans to spend $20 million to renovate the Enquirer building into apartments, office and street-level retail, is facing foreclosure at several of its local apartment buildings and is fighting other lawsuits associated with its condo projects.

 

 

just found this after wondering what was up with 617 Vine - bad news, but then again MED would have screwed this project up beyond belief - would be better off in the hands of someone else (Northpointe gets my vote)

 

doesn't MED also own the lot across from 4th & Plum?

 

feel bad for MED property residents, but the idiots that run that company had it coming

 

Doesnt sound like this is going to happen anytime soon.  Anyone have any inside info?

 

Representatives from MED quit responding to my emails and phone calls months ago.

 

doesn't MED also own the lot across from 4th & Plum?

 

No, that was a myth perpetuated by a Business Courier article writing about the speculative future of the site.  The price the existing owner was asking for the land was far too much for MED to bear, thus resulting in no purchase by MED.

has anyone heard anything about this project? I walk by it everyday and wish someone would do something with this beautiful building

 

I did notice that on Wednesday it appeared someone was in the building b/c the lobby lights were on. Couldn't tell for sure what was going on. There are also notices of water disconnect hung on the front

Stalled downtown condo project could get new life

 

Middle Earth agrees to sell Enquirer Building to N.Y. firm

Business Courier - by Jon Newberry , Courier Staff Reporter

Date: Friday, January 28, 2011, 6:00am EST

 

 

Middle Earth Developers has agreed to sell the 85-year-old Enquirer Building on Vine Street to a New York developer that intends to revive a stalled $30 million downtown condo conversion project.

 

Read more: Stalled downtown condo project could get new life | Business Courier

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2011/01/28/stalled-downtown-condo-project-could.html

 

Eh, hope you don't mind me posting a better article that requires no $ subscription...

 

Old Enquirer site may become apartments

By Lisa Bernard-Kuhn • [email protected] • January 28, 2011

 

DOWNTOWN - A New York-based developer is eyeing a nearly $40 million plan to renovate the former Cincinnati Enquirer building on Vine Street into more than 160-apartments with new street-level retail space. The project could get underway as early as this summer.

 

Landwhite Development LLC is under a contract to buy the 14-story building at 617 Vine St. from Camp Washington-based Middle Earth Developers - but only if the New York firm can land state and federal historic preservation tax credits as well state brownfield dollars to help fund the estimated $38 million project, said David Roos, COO and executive vice president of Landwhite.

 

Named Harkness Lofts, the plan calls for 167 apartments, 19,000 square feet of retail and office space on the building's second and third levels, Roos said.

Eh, hope you don't mind me posting a better article that requires no $ subscription...

 

Old Enquirer site may become apartments

By Lisa Bernard-Kuhn • [email protected] • January 28, 2011

 

DOWNTOWN - A New York-based developer is eyeing a nearly $40 million plan to renovate the former Cincinnati Enquirer building on Vine Street into more than 160-apartments with new street-level retail space. The project could get underway as early as this summer.

 

Landwhite Development LLC is under a contract to buy the 14-story building at 617 Vine St. from Camp Washington-based Middle Earth Developers - but only if the New York firm can land state and federal historic preservation tax credits as well state brownfield dollars to help fund the estimated $38 million project, said David Roos, COO and executive vice president of Landwhite.

 

Named Harkness Lofts, the plan calls for 167 apartments, 19,000 square feet of retail and office space on the building's second and third levels, Roos said.

 

Good call

Looks like Middle Earth still is sitting on this property. It's a shame because it could be a great apartment community right in the heart of downtown.

It is a beautiful building.  It would have to be in my top 3 downtown buildings I would like to see get re-done.

Old Enquirer building on Vine gets sales push from CBRE

Business Courier by Tom Demeropolis, Staff Reporter

Date: Friday, January 27, 2012, 6:00am EST

 

 

A vacant downtown building that was once home to the Cincinnati Enquirer has a chance at new life as an apartment building.

 

The 617 Vine Street building has been in receivership since September. Its owner, an affiliate of Middle Earth Developers, purchased the building in 2007 with plans to turn it into condos, but wasn’t able to develop the property.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2012/01/27/old-enquirer-building-on-vine-gets.html

According to a Facebook post from Building Cincinnati this morning, the Enquirer building will be a hotel and not residential.

 

The post:

 

People, a hotel is going to be in the old Enquirer Building at 617 Vine St. Story to come. You heard it here first.

My buddy emailed me the city link yesterday. It showed up on the City's website a couple days ago under the Budget & Finance Agenda for Monday.

 

Item #5.

 

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/noncms/council/uploads/agendbf.pdf

 

I'm mixed on this... I think I would have rather had 100 apartments...

I would have preferred more apartments too, but getting this building filled and re-activated is still a Good Thing, especially if it leads to some street-level retail or a restaurant.

 

looking at the hotel company's web site (http://www.sree.com), it looks like they work with multiple hotel chains, including Comfort Inn, Fairfield Inn, Marriott, Westin, aloft, and Courtyard.

Ditto!  Nice to see something going on in that building.  If they were going to do a hotel though, the old Terrace Plaza would be much easier to renovate I would think (unless those owners are still holding out for a high price).

This news is bittersweet, but I'll reserve full judgement until there's a full press release on this project. I agree that this building would be excellent for apartment or condo conversion, but I also think downtown Cincinnati is underserved in the hotel arena (particularly by mid- and upper-midscale brands)

 

The real question is... where does this leave the Terrace Plaza? With 4 (!) new hotels in the pipeline downtown (Holiday Inn Broadway, 21C, Enquirer, Banks) and a Hyatt rennovation, I don't see how they'll be able to re-open as a hotel anytime soon, but the developers have also stated that it's a poorly situated building for condos because of the small windows and lack of natual light.

This news is bittersweet, but I'll reserve full judgement until there's a full press release on this project. I agree that this building would be excellent for apartment or condo conversion, but I also think downtown Cincinnati is underserved in the hotel arena (particularly by mid- and upper-midscale brands)

 

The real question is... where does this leave the Terrace Plaza? With 4 (!) new hotels in the pipeline downtown (Holiday Inn Broadway, 21C, Enquirer, Banks) and a Hyatt rennovation, I don't see how they'll be able to re-open as a hotel anytime soon, but the developers have also stated that it's a poorly situated building for condos because of the small windows and lack of natual light.

 

And doesn't the casino gain rights to build an on-site hotel after a few years? Perhaps in the space currently occupied by Greyhound?

I agree that it is bittersweet. on the positive, a classic building will find new life and I think a newly done hotel will continue to boost the visitor perception of downtown (can't tell you how many visitors are ho-hum on our hotel offerings).  That being said, it does in fact limit the possinility Terrace Plaza being renovated for hotel purposed and in the banks for that matter.  By the same token though, wouldn't 100 units of resendential lessen the possibility of new downtown condos being built, perhaps on surface lots?  I guess the argument goes both ways. 

I don't believe it lessens the demand for both because demand in both uses is so strong for downtown. Downtown needs both more hotels and more residential. The disappointment here is that previous hotels like Terrace Plaza continue to linger abandoned as new hotels are developed from previous office (Old Enquirer Building, Old Red Cross Building), residential (Metropole & Phelps buildings) or on new ground (Casino & the Banks). And even though new residential is planned at the Banks and 5th & Race, there are no plans for conversions of old Class C spaces such as the Bartlett Building into residential.

 

Downtown development should focus on both restoring, rehabilitating and adapting old buildings as well as new construction, both of which appeal to different markets. The population downtown is still too small for a full service grocery store however small steps are being made (at least in OTR) to provide more services for residents. New residential and mixed-use construction on existing parking lots and renovations of smaller buildings have a better chance of happening with the removal of parking requirements.

"I think a newly done hotel will continue to boost the visitor perception of downtown (can't tell you how many visitors are ho-hum on our hotel offerings)."

 

I cannot agree with you more on this and that is why I can't be too upset about a hotel over residential. It's ultimately a win-win: new hotel downtown, vacant space in an architecturally significant building is filled.

 

I won't beat a dead horse here, but for how vibrant the business community is downtown, our hotel offerings are for the most part an absolute insult. Cities like Cleveland, Indy (especially Indy, in fact), and Pittsburgh have far, far better hotel choices than we do. Having the Hyatt remodel and likely 4 new properties downtown will really force the others to reconsider putting off major renovations much longer. The Hilton Netherland doesn't even have WiFi in their guest rooms. Are you serious?!?

 

 

Worst case with this becoming a hotel is that it could be converted relatively easily to apartments/condos in the future with no lead remediation or major interior rehabbing necessary.

Here's hoping for something like an Ace Hotel for that building.

Historic Enquirer building will have two Hilton brand hotels

Business Courier by Jon Newberry, Staff Reporter

 

The proposed hotel to be developed in the former Enquirer building at 617 Vine St. in downtown Cincinnati will be a dual-brand facility featuring two Hilton limited-service hotels, according to the project’s developer.

 

Parag Patel, chief finance and development officer for Charlotte, N.C.-based SREE Hotels LLC, said the Enquirer building project will feature two of three Hilton brands among Hampton, Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden Inn. It will be the group’s first historic renovation and first hotel in the region, he said.

 

As the Business Courier reported earlier, a tax abatement deal was approved by Cincinnati City Council’s budget and finance committee on Monday and goes before the full council on Wednesday. The 75 percent abatement equates to about $7 million over 12 years.

 

Cont