February 5, 201114 yr ^ agreed--Does anyone know how the city can create tougher penalties against vacant land owners?
February 7, 201114 yr 3CDC made a major purchase for their land bank (OTR Holdings) this past week, getting a bunch of property from Middle Earth in the Walnut/14th area. It is nice to see some action on Walnut, these will be prime once Mercer is underway. ...maybe it will even get the Wade's to start fixing up the property they own in the vicinity. This should help answer some of those "where does 3CDC go next questions" From what I can gather this is what was acquired: 1420 WALNUT ST 1412 WALNUT ST 1406 WALNUT ST 112 E FOURTEENTH ST 114 E FOURTEENTH ST 28 E FOURTEENTH ST 34 E FOURTEENTH ST Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
February 7, 201114 yr ...seems the approach is to move south to north, expand up Vine, then move west and (now) east? But keeping below Liberty. Is Grammers still in business? Seems its up around there somewhere? On Walnut?
February 7, 201114 yr 3CDC also just closed on 1513 Vine which had an elusive owner. Somehow they tracked him down and got him to sell for $30k. http://www.citykin.com/2008/09/1513-vine-still-falling-down.html 1513 Vine now has the UrbanInnovations sign out front-- 3CDC has used them to develop properties such as Good Fellows Hall, Duveneck Flats & Falling Wall.
February 7, 201114 yr Grammer's is still in business. It is at Liberty and Walnut. While it's open now-- many blogs have been saying that due to ______'s divorce (I can't believe I'm forgetting his name right now), he may looking to liquidate his restaurants. Lavomatic will probably be bought by several of the current managers/chefs, but we'll see if someone comes up to keep Grammars operating.
February 7, 201114 yr 3CDC made a major purchase for their land bank (OTR Holdings) this past week, getting a bunch of property from Middle Earth in the Walnut/14th area. It is nice to see some action on Walnut, these will be prime once Mercer is underway. ...maybe it will even get the Wade's to start fixing up the property they own in the vicinity. This should help answer some of those "where does 3CDC go next questions" From what I can gather this is what was acquired: 1420 WALNUT ST 1412 WALNUT ST 1406 WALNUT ST 112 E FOURTEENTH ST 114 E FOURTEENTH ST 28 E FOURTEENTH ST 34 E FOURTEENTH ST That's great-- These properties all surround Biff's, an shady establishment that is famous for the red lights in its upstairs windows and the frequency of police being called/showing up for small disturbances. I have a friend who lives across the street- she says it really brings the block down.
February 7, 201114 yr 3CDC also just closed on 1513 Vine which had an elusive owner. Somehow they tracked him down and got him to sell for $30k. http://www.citykin.com/2008/09/1513-vine-still-falling-down.html 1513 Vine now has the UrbanInnovations sign out front-- 3CDC has used them to develop properties such as Good Fellows Hall, Duveneck Flats & Falling Wall. Is Urban Sites now UrbanInnovations? Bill Baum is listed as the contact
February 7, 201114 yr ^ I'm not totally sure-- I think they are subsidiaries? UrbanInnovations does the building-- They are a developer. UrbanSites is a property manager.
February 8, 201114 yr ^ I'm not totally sure-- I think they are subsidiaries? UrbanInnovations does the building-- They are a developer. UrbanSites is a property manager. Urban Sites developed a lot of condo projects such as Duveneck, Trideca, Goodfellows, etc, as well as many apartment buildings. As I understand it, Urban Sites is now out of the property development business and now is exclusively a property manager while still selling off what it had developed. Bill Baum started Urban Innovations as a new company focused on development, separate not subsidiary. The projects on the Urban Innovations site were done by Urban Sites under Bill Baum. They stabilized the building at 13th and Walnut as well. Grammer's is still in business. It is at Liberty and Walnut. While it's open now-- many blogs have been saying that due to ______'s divorce (I can't believe I'm forgetting his name right now), he may looking to liquidate his restaurants. Lavomatic will probably be bought by several of the current managers/chefs, but we'll see if someone comes up to keep Grammars operating. Yes the Wade's own Grammers and quite a bit of surrounding property on Walnut just S of Liberty. They had hoped to redevelop the area (or so they say). I sure do hope they sell because even the Grammers building itself is starting to fall apart. Maybe 3CDC will be the buyer again. I was not aware they were liquidating due to a divorce, I just thought it was financial. Lavo was going to be sold to the chef, but it fell through and that chef left sometime in late Dec / early Jan, so I am not sure what is going to happen there. There is also interesting stuff out there on the Wade's involvement with Rookwood Pottery. anyone have any scoop on Senate II? Someone is definitely building out the space next door, and I know they were already working in the basement to build a prep kitchen. Maybe this will be called House?
February 8, 201114 yr Ha- I have the scoop on Senate... They are expanding- The space immediately next to theirs is being divided in half, half will be theres, half will be someone elses. They are opening the arched walkway that they currently have closed to allow for going back and forth between the two areas. They hope to open the addition in March! I don't know a lot about what is going in right next to the expanded senate, however I've heard it will ALSO be food (this is separate from A Tavola which is technically one building over). I've also seen some awesome construction going on in the basement of the southern most Duveneck Building (the other buildings basement is for residents). They've opened the floor, added a staircase, and an employee of Senate said they are getting some small office space (for their manager) in the basement. In the northern Duveneck building, A Tavola has received their Italian made pizza oven and they are well underway with the interior build out. I'm sure they will be opening around late march as well.
February 8, 201114 yr Lavomatic is a neat space, but the female waitsaff and maitre d there have..or had... this "too cool for school" attitude. Senate seemed more personable (but it was always crowded when I was down there...this was during my multiple visits during Fringe last year) Hoping Grammers somehow survives as a bar or restaurant because the interior (as I remember it) was excellent "Alte Deutsch Heimat" style.
February 8, 201114 yr The waitstaff at Lavomatic has changed dramatically in a year- I used to not be a fan, now I enjoy it truly. Senate is always packed, but their expansion next month will relieve that.
February 8, 201114 yr It's still hit and miss with me with Lavomatic, mostly with their staff. It can be very off putting at times. Joe's Diner is the same. Good food when it is done right (e.g. no sweetness in the oil used in the fries, no undercooked meats, et. al.) but the service can be downright awful. For a while there, during the early winter, things seemed to be looking up, but a visit on Jan. 28 just killed my enthusiasm again. :( Have you seen the menu for the Walnut Street Grill? Looks appealing!
February 9, 201114 yr I might try this Walnut place out when Im in town for Bockfest. Is in the Gateway Quarter or closer to downtown?
February 9, 201114 yr I might try this Walnut place out when Im in town for Bockfest. Is in the Gateway Quarter or closer to downtown? Its right next to Nicholsons (backstage district), the old Bootsy's. Its not open yet. I am hearing March.
February 25, 201114 yr Author City Gospel Mission to relocate 1:11 PM, Feb. 24, 2011 | Mark Curnutte OVER-THE-RHINE – City Gospel Mission, one of Greater Cincinnati’s most respected social-service agencies and a fixture at Elm and Magnolia streets for 50 years, is going to relocate. http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110224/NEWS01/302240045/City-Gospel-Mission-moving?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News
March 2, 201114 yr 7 new infill properties will be begin construction in the next two weeks! Pleasant street is filling in it's open lots with 7 more of the CityHome infill units- Garages will be against Osborne Alley.
March 2, 201114 yr ^Great news. Do you know if they have modified the design for the west side of the street at all? I am worried it is going to be too monotonous if they are exactly the same as the ones on the east side of Pleasant.
March 3, 201114 yr 7 new infill properties will be begin construction in the next two weeks! Pleasant street is filling in it's open lots with 7 more of the CityHome infill units- Garages will be against Osborne Alley. Cool. Any design images? Was this in the Enquirer?
March 3, 201114 yr Do you know if they have modified the design for the west side of the street at all? I am worried it is going to be too monotonous if they are exactly the same as the ones on the east side of Pleasant. Pretty sure they'll be relatively similar- I know of a few minor changes- The way they do the decks will be a little different this time- Also- it's 4 in a row, then there are two orange orlder buildings, and then three more (at the corner of 15th and pleasant). So at least it's not constant. There will be 5 two story and 2 three story units (one in each of the two groupings). No article in the enquirer- the design office is at Osborne Alley and 14th street and I knocked on the door and talked to the lady who owns it. She said the original goal was March 1 but they're a few weeks behind.
March 3, 201114 yr http://urbanqueer.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/city-home.jpg?w=450&h=298 Units already in existence.
March 3, 201114 yr Question, are these condos being managed by Schickel, or are they individual units that owners are allowed to modify? I'm wondering if those colors are allowed to change based on the owners' preferences.
March 3, 201114 yr They are individually owned townhouses. There is no condo association. I think the colors or exteriors could be changed easily.
March 3, 201114 yr Ahh so they will be like the others. Is 3CDC still involved with this project? Is this part of phase B or whatever that includes the renovation of Bangs?
March 3, 201114 yr I get the feeling that 3CDC will not be involved in the new construction- I think their only role was to help in financing and getting the properties.
March 4, 201114 yr They are individually owned townhouses. There is no condo association. I think the colors or exteriors could be changed easily. No HOA? I might be thinking of Northwinds, but I could have swore that these had a HOA that restricted a lot of exterior modifications.
March 9, 201114 yr Mullane's Parkside Cafe set for spring opening in OTR at 13th & Race. This used to be open on Piatt Park downtown, but closed down in 2004. It's a vegetarian restaurant opening up right on Washington Park. http://soapboxmedia.com/devnews/0308mullanesreopeninginotr.aspx
March 9, 201114 yr Also for those interested, 3CDC will be having an open house of their new headquarters in Over-the-Rhine at 14th & Race on Friday, March 25 during Final Friday events. RSVP by emailing [email protected].
March 9, 201114 yr The blue-ish building looks way better in that picture than in real life... the paint on it is kind of mehh
March 18, 201114 yr I saw on my walk to work today that the sign for A Tavola is up. They must be getting close. (By the way, I really do like all the smaller-style signs they have. A nice uniform approach, which makes some of the bigger signs (like the one for the old Gateway Quarter sales/info office) really stand out.
March 18, 201114 yr I would prefer larger, more flashy signs. The aesthetic is too understated and the signs too small for my tastes and don't reflect the heavy commercial nature of Vine Street.
March 18, 201114 yr Signs should be designed to viewable to pedestrians and cars going the appropriate speed on Vine Street (25 mph). Anything larger is intrusive and distracting. I think the signs their now are appropriate given the feel the Gateway Quarter team is trying to create. I'm not arguing against using the old signs. They are very cool and have a lot of personality, but I think larger new signage would detract more than add to the district. “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
March 18, 201114 yr I agree with JSkinner, we need more DIVERSITY in street signs. The ones now are too homogenous and bland and small IMO.
March 18, 201114 yr Explain too small- If I'm standing on a street corner I can read the signs that are about a block ahead of me. I'm not sure how much larger they are supposed to be...
March 18, 201114 yr I can't, and my eyesight is not perfect. But even with glasses, I find myself having trouble reading the signage from a distance further than 30 feet. I'd like to find some diversity in signage - and this goes with my belief that over-regulation is what drives away too many businesses. Why must we regulate how signs appear? Or what kind of facade treatment they use? Or how their interior fits? We complain about Homeowner Associations and their over-zealous nature, yet we are just as strict with businesses in specific areas, such as the Gateway Quarter. It stifles any creativity in signage and storefront treatment. I guess I really do miss Smitty's light-bulb facade.
March 18, 201114 yr I've posted this elsewhere.. this is Vine St. in 1973, and an example of how I think signage should look. I'm not sure if it's a Gateway Quarter regulation or what, but the signs all being the same sizes and styles seems really bland to me; it looks too sterile for a lively urban setting. This photo came from the US National Archive Flickr photostream, if anyone is interested: http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/3887894424/#
March 18, 201114 yr Urban signage is an emerging area of study, and I know that DAAP is working on developing educational programming for planning students.
March 19, 201114 yr I agree that the signs are too homogeneous. I too would like to see some size variation. It's starting to look "too planned" like a mall or Disney.
March 19, 201114 yr You can see the sign here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-TAVOLA-PIZZA/142505862429672
March 19, 201114 yr I'm fine with the new signs, but I see them every day, so maybe I am just used to them. Partially I'm glad there aren't over the top neon or other overbearing signs, because there are plenty of residents on the street, and more coming every day.
March 19, 201114 yr I can't, and my eyesight is not perfect. But even with glasses, I find myself having trouble reading the signage from a distance further than 30 feet. I'd like to find some diversity in signage - and this goes with my belief that over-regulation is what drives away too many businesses. Why must we regulate how signs appear? Or what kind of facade treatment they use? Or how their interior fits? We complain about Homeowner Associations and their over-zealous nature, yet we are just as strict with businesses in specific areas, such as the Gateway Quarter. It stifles any creativity in signage and storefront treatment. Did anyone here ask A Tavola if they wanted a bigger sign but were told by the city/developer restrictions they couldn't? They could have chosen to want a small minimalist design. I would take todays Signs on Vine, which do a perfect job of telling me where Senate is and where Lavomatic is, over some god-awful flashy neon or two story tall sign as seen in the 70's photo above.
March 20, 201114 yr People choosing to live downtown is far more important than the signage. I must admit though, I'm a fan of old Cincinnati myself.
March 20, 201114 yr There are bigger signs. The sign for the Gateway Q real estate office is quite a bit bigger (though not overpowering). I wonder if it is larger because they want to lure people there. OTR is a great place to live, by the way.
March 21, 201114 yr There are bigger signs. The sign for the Gateway Q real estate office is quite a bit bigger (though not overpowering). I wonder if it is larger because they want to lure people there. OTR is a great place to live, by the way. The signs don't bother me that much. jdm00, whereabouts do you live? like, which street?
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