On 4/17/2019 at 1:56 PM, troeros said:

 

 Life is somewhat pointless if you just follow the trail that makes you money instead of what genuinely makes you feel inspired and happy. 

 

Not to argue for the sake of arguing, but this is exactly what I'm doing and it's going OK.

If I was doing my dream job I'd be a city planner, but there's not as much flexibility in public policy fields as there is in engineering.

 

Sometimes it's worth understanding that people work to live, not the other way around.

It's part of the reason why there's been not enough younger people going into skilled trades in recent years... nobody wants to be a plumber, but people need plumbers every day so if you know how to do it it's possible to make an excellent living with a relatively low barrier to entry.

10 hours ago, SWOH said:

 

Not to argue for the sake of arguing, but this is exactly what I'm doing and it's going OK.

If I was doing my dream job I'd be a city planner, but there's not as much flexibility in public policy fields as there is in engineering.

 

Sometimes it's worth understanding that people work to live, not the other way around.

It's part of the reason why there's been not enough younger people going into skilled trades in recent years... nobody wants to be a plumber, but people need plumbers every day so if you know how to do it it's possible to make an excellent living with a relatively low barrier to entry.

 

Like the song Bittersweet Symphony goes, "Your a slave to the money, then you die."

 

I understand life is more complex about doing what you love versus providing food on the table. That said, if you never chase your dreams and just settle for the status quo you will lay on your death bed asking, "What if?"...and to me that's the worse kind of life to live. A life where you settled because it was the "safe" thing to do. 

 

Sure you live, make money and you die. But did you ever actually LIVE?

10 minutes ago, troeros said:

Like the song Bittersweet Symphony goes, "Your a slave to the money, then you die."

 

I understand life is more complex about doing what you love versus providing food on the table. That said, if you never chase your dreams and just settle for the status quo you will lay on your death bed asking, "What if?"...and to me that's the worse kind of life to live. A life where you settled because it was the "safe" thing to do. 

 

Sure you live, make money and you die. But did you ever actually LIVE?

This is getting pretty off-topic, but have you ever considered that maybe some people to work in order to do a passion that is not their 9-5 job? Maybe a hobby or volunteering is your passion, and your boring, comfortable, stable job allows you to be fulfilled with a passion outside of your work. 

 

I'm not disagreeing with you entirely, because I went into architecture because it is my passion. However, I don't look down on those that can't afford the luxury of doing what they love. 

Apperantly workers are continually going in and out of the Diner on Sycamore Street. Appears some type of work is being done...anyone have any inside scoop?

Teak is showing up on Google maps at 12th and Race OTR and the sign on the window says coming soon. 

 

Teak was a really popular resturaunt back in the day when it was at mt Adams and it will be great to see otr add Thai cusine to it's ever diverse portfolio.

I noticed that too. Teak would be a great addition to OTR. It's odd that OTR keeps getting more pizza places, gastropubs, and craft cocktail bars, while we still don't have a good Thai place, a good Indian place (not counting Injoy which is more of a Chipotle-style takeout place), a good Chinese or Chinese-American place (I would love for something like Covington's AmerAsia to open in OTR), etc.

59 minutes ago, taestell said:

I noticed that too. Teak would be a great addition to OTR. It's odd that OTR keeps getting more pizza places, gastropubs, and craft cocktail bars, while we still don't have a good Thai place, a good Indian place (not counting Injoy which is more of a Chipotle-style takeout place), a good Chinese or Chinese-American place (I would love for something like Covington's AmerAsia to open in OTR), etc.

 

Hope its someone other than Chanaka running Teak in OTR. He ran his location in Mount Adams into the ground. Ended up with food poisoning last time I ate in there and never went back. 

2 hours ago, taestell said:

I noticed that too. Teak would be a great addition to OTR. It's odd that OTR keeps getting more pizza places, gastropubs, and craft cocktail bars, while we still don't have a good Thai place, a good Indian place (not counting Injoy which is more of a Chipotle-style takeout place), a good Chinese or Chinese-American place (I would love for something like Covington's AmerAsia to open in OTR), etc.

 

Does the cost of commercial rent have anything to do with that perhaps? I get the impression that leasing a store front in otr is pretty expensive nowadays and might be a deterrent for a lot of immigrant resturauntuers who are typically much more budget concious.  

^ It probably does, as does the fact that almost every available commercial space is a lease. Many of the best hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurants are in buildings owned by the folks running the restaurant, and many of them were purchased with cash. For example, Yum Yum is run by the same couple that owns the building. Off the top of my head, I'd say that most of the Chinese places in CUF are operated by the building owners, as well.

The rents in OTR are probably a bit too expensive for a hole-in-the-wall type of place like Krishna or Thai Express, but I would think that a slightly more upscale type of restaurant or a "fusion" style place would do well. Green Papaya in Oakley comes to mind as the type of Thai and sushi place I wish was in OTR.

I've noticed out in the suburbs of Mason/West Chester/Sharonville it's always in a old 80s era strip mall...which I'm also assuming means cheaper rent. 

 

It's funny, Mikey's Late Nite Slice actually looked at 3cdc owned buildings around south of liberty but 3cdc told them that they weren't looking for another pizza joint tenant. Yet 3cdc allowed Taglio to take over the old Lacheys spot. Go figure...

 

Last point, OTR is so saturated with, "American" fusion food that I know a good amount of people who have stopped going to OTR all together because they are simply tired of the lack of diverse offerings. 

 

Zundo, Teak, and I guess Quan Hapa/Kaze are a decent selection of Asian offerings. But I still hope 3cdc and Urban Sites begin to heavily target ethnic cuisine tenants that offer Korean/Vietnamese/indonesian food as well.

 

Also authentic Greek/Isreali food (Kinneret Cafe in Deer Park is amazing!!)/Ethiopian food is on my bucket list as well. 

 

I love the that otr is home to a handful of really successful resturaunt groups, but I can't help that their, "chains" doesn't differ all that much. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I saw that Bridges Nepalese (formerly in Northside) is opening on Court Street near the new Kroger. So not exactly in OTR, but close. 

On 4/20/2019 at 6:01 PM, troeros said:

Last point, OTR is so saturated with, "American" fusion food that I know a good amount of people who have stopped going to OTR all together because they are simply tired of the lack of diverse offerings.

 

I do think that 3CDC overplayed their hand a bit in the past few years. They assumed that OTR will always be Cincinnati's top restaurant and bar destination, and doubled-down on new concepts from Thunderdome, Dan Wright, A Tavloa/Taglio, etc. Meanwhile, several of Greater Cincinnati's other gentrifying urban areas have gotten a handful of good restaurants and bars, and a few (i.e. Covington or Northside) have become bigger destinations that compete directly with OTR. I think the addition of national retailers like Bonobos and Warby Parker to Vine Street shows that 3CDC is rethinking their strategy a bit and trying to find the type of retails that would only locate in OTR or the CBD.

Does anyone know what is going on with these buildings? They are owned by a mixture of 3CDC and Model Group based on CAGIS. I included the sale date for each one.

 

 

EDIT: Saw a couple of comments about these from November. It seems like 3CDC is making moves on acquisition. Hopefully something is actually brewing. Perhaps they are looking to get control of the other properties from Model Group.

Where is that?  

West side of Main street just south of 13th.

13 hours ago, ryanlammi said:

Does anyone know what is going on with these buildings? They are owned by a mixture of 3CDC and Model Group based on CAGIS. I included the sale date for each one.

 

 

EDIT: Saw a couple of comments about these from November. It seems like 3CDC is making moves on acquisition. Hopefully something is actually brewing. Perhaps they are looking to get control of the other properties from Model Group.

 

This stretch is one of the few eye sores on main Street...plus the empty boarded up buildings give refuge for some elicit activity at night and the homeless to take refuge on the stoop. 

On 4/22/2019 at 9:12 AM, Largue said:

I saw that Bridges Nepalese (formerly in Northside) is opening on Court Street near the new Kroger. So not exactly in OTR, but close. 

 

They're still in Northside. The Court Street location will be a second location. 

On 4/19/2019 at 4:40 PM, troeros said:

Apperantly workers are continually going in and out of the Diner on Sycamore Street. Appears some type of work is being done...anyone have any inside scoop?

I heard Hang Over Easy.  But just what I heard.

23 minutes ago, BallHatGuy2 said:

I heard Hang Over Easy.  But just what I heard.

 

That would be a good spot for them. That said, I would they expand their hours since the Clifton location is only open till 4pm. A waffle house type of Hang Over Easy that has late night hours to cater to the bar crowd on weekends would be ideal.

https://amp.cincinnati.com/amp/3541469002

 

Hopefully 3cdc purchases the Emery. That said, it sounds like it will cost alot of money to rennovate the theater.

1 hour ago, BallHatGuy2 said:

I heard Hang Over Easy.  But just what I heard.

 

This makes a lot of sense. They also bought the Court Street Diner in Athens and are rebranding it as Hang Over Easy. 

Yeah I don't know why someone hasn't just opened a late night diner in the existing location.  It would make a killing during weekend late night hours.  It would probably do pretty well during weekday lunches as well.  

16 hours ago, ryanlammi said:

Does anyone know what is going on with these buildings? They are owned by a mixture of 3CDC and Model Group based on CAGIS. I included the sale date for each one.

 

The idea is that 3CDC and Model Group were going to buy the former Mercy Housing portfolio, renovate the apartments (keeping them affordable) and reactivate the retail spaces (which Mercy did not care about and kept vacant). However, after that was announced, Model Group sold their affordable housing division (Brickstone Properties) to a nonprofit called POAH. So I am not sure of the current status of that project. There doesn't appear to be anything happening with their Main Street properties.

 

In addition to the four buildings pictured above, they also own the building at 1338 Main Street and several on Woodward/Yukon right next to the newly renovated Ziegler Park, all of which appear to be completely vacant right now.

I'm more surprised there isn't a chili parlor in OTR/Pendleton.  Like a Jim's Steaks of Chili on Main or Vine.

1 hour ago, troeros said:

https://amp.cincinnati.com/amp/3541469002

 

Hopefully 3cdc purchases the Emery. That said, it sounds like it will cost alot of money to rennovate the theater.

 

I would have loved for MEMI and 3CDC to partner and renovate the Emery, like they did with Music Hall. Unfortunately, with MEMI focusing their energy on the new riverfront concert venue, I don't think there is any chance that the Emery gets turned into a concert venue.

9 minutes ago, taestell said:

 

The idea is that 3CDC and Model Group were going to buy the former Mercy Housing portfolio, renovate the apartments (keeping them affordable) and reactivating the retail spaces (which Mercy did not care about and kept vacant). However, after that was announced, Model Group sold their affordable housing division (Brickstone Properties) to a nonprofit called POAH. So I am not sure of the current status of that project. There doesn't appear to be anything happening with their Main Street properties.

 

In addition to the four buildings pictured above, they also own the building at 1338 Main Street and several on Woodward/Yukon right next to the newly renovated Ziegler Park, all of which appear to be completely vacant right now.

 

Sounds like these properties will take forever to reactivate. Ughhh.

21 minutes ago, taestell said:

I would have loved for MEMI and 3CDC to partner and renovate the Emery, like they did with Music Hall. Unfortunately, with MEMI focusing their energy on the new riverfront concert venue, I don't think there is any chance that the Emery gets turned into a concert venue.

 

Yeah the city (and county) got it backwards.  PromoWest should have received The Banks project and MEMI is more suited to a place like The Emery.

1 hour ago, DEPACincy said:

 

This makes a lot of sense. They also bought the Court Street Diner in Athens and are rebranding it as Hang Over Easy. 

 

 

When I was at OU there was a band called The Well Hungovers.  

 

1 hour ago, taestell said:

 

I would have loved for MEMI and 3CDC to partner and renovate the Emery, like they did with Music Hall. Unfortunately, with MEMI focusing their energy on the new riverfront concert venue, I don't think there is any chance that the Emery gets turned into a concert venue.

 

"The apartments are not turning a profit and the theater is beyond repair...".  Just the sort of crap university trustees claim when there is some larger movement afoot.  

 

Dating back to the campaign to build the Aronoff Center in the early 1990s, there has always been something not-quite-right with the Emery Theater.  It's always, mysteriously, not quite the right time.  Ever.  

 

 

What's the big deal about turning the Emory into a theater anyway? We already have Memorial and Music Halls, the Shakespeare theater and the theater at the SCPA just a couple blocks away, plus there's the Woodward over on Main, the Ensemble on Vine, and of course the theaters at the Aronoff Center just a few blocks south and the Taft a little further south and east. Isn't the core pretty much good on concert venues and auditoriums? I get that it's a shame that the venue is currently sitting unused, and I'd love to see it turned into productive space, but I don't see the need to create yet another music venue at the Emery. 

The big deal is that the Emery is one of four "acoustically pure" concert halls that was built in the late 1800s/early 1900s. It is on par with Carnegie Hall in New York. And one of the conditions of UC accepting the building is that they were supposed to use the revenue from the apartments to fund the restoration of the theater ... which they failed to do.

 

I agree with @jmecklenborg, something is off about this whole series of events. If they are not making a profit on the apartments ... in OTR, in 2019 ... they are doing something very wrong.

 

A couple of years ago, somebody was telling that when the Aronoff was first proposed, there was a somewhat sizeable group of people opposed to it, who thought that the Emery should have been renovated instead. And yet again, there is another new venue where the city, county, and MEMI are investing their money while the Emery sits vacant and deteriorating.

So we should create another venue that we don't need, that won't have a host tenant, because....UC said they would renovate the theater 20, 30 years ago? It seems like nearly every theater I go to has some sort of claim about acoustic perfection, so that doesn't resonate with me, true as it may be. Hundreds of millions of dollars were just spent renovating Music Hall and Memorial Hall. Renovating another old theater, which honestly is hidden in plain sight and not an eye sore in the slightest, is a low priority for my OTR wish list. I'd rather see it renovated to office space so that the Salvation Army could move in from next door, and that whole block could be redeveloped as a true gateway to OTR and Main St.

Edited April 23, 20196 yr by edale

29 minutes ago, edale said:

So we should create another venue that we don't need, that won't have a host tenant, because....UC said they would renovate the theater 20, 30 years ago? 

 

It's not that UC "said they would". It was a condition that they agreed to when they accepted the building as a gift. There was a nonprofit that was working to raise money and reopen the theatre, and UC kicked them out under mysterious circumstances.

6 minutes ago, taestell said:

 

It's not that UC "said they would". It was a condition that they agreed to when they accepted the building as a gift. There was a nonprofit that was working to raise money and reopen the theatre, and UC kicked them out under mysterious circumstances.

 

Ok, so where is the legal challenge? If there was a contractual obligation to turn the Emery into a working theater, why not take it to the courts? If it was more of a good faith understanding, then there's not much we can do about it. I think turning the building into apartments at a time when there wasn't much going on in OTR was hugely beneficial, so it's not like UC has been a slumlord for the building.

 

Other than the history, and whatever past agreements were made, can you make a case for why the neighborhood and this part of the basin would need or benefit from another theater? 

You're right, who cares about the history in OTR. Without the history, OTR could really be something awesome.

Just now, taestell said:

You're right, who cares about the history in OTR. Without the history, OTR could really be something awesome.

 

lol, ok cool.

I agree with @edale in that we don't have any use for another theater downtown.  I'm sure the lack of demand is a big reason why this theater has been sitting unused for decades.  That building has really cool apartments and if someone wants to buy it and turn the theater into more apartments I'd be completely fine with it.  If someone wants to buy the building and renovate the theater though I'm also fine with that.  I don't think you're going to find someone who wants to spend the needed money to do that though. Having the theater sit unused for another 10 years doesn't do anything for OTR or the city.

24 minutes ago, edale said:

 

Ok, so where is the legal challenge? If there was a contractual obligation to turn the Emery into a working theater, why not take it to the courts? If it was more of a good faith understanding, then there's not much we can do about it. I think turning the building into apartments at a time when there wasn't much going on in OTR was hugely beneficial, so it's not like UC has been a slumlord for the building.

 

Other than the history, and whatever past agreements were made, can you make a case for why the neighborhood and this part of the basin would need or benefit from another theater? 

 

Talk to anyone who knows anything about music and they will tell you an acoustically pure space is a treasure and anything but a theater is a waste of that treasure. I don't know enough about music to expand, but those (who do know about music/sound) I've spoken with drool and foam at the mouth when discussing the Emery Theater.

The theater is awesome, but it also has tons of problems: it has no rear stage and no room to expand, there are structural issues, plumbing issues and most of all, not enough room to fit all the stuff that would be needed in a modern theater.

 

I'm not sure what the solution is, but I really liked it when they played movies in there.  That worked.

1 hour ago, taestell said:

 

It's not that UC "said they would". It was a condition that they agreed to when they accepted the building as a gift. There was a nonprofit that was working to raise money and reopen the theatre, and UC kicked them out under mysterious circumstances.

 

 

Blue bloods use the construction of arts facilities to the advantage of their broader long-term real estate plans.  Renovating an existing arts facility does not serve that end.  

 

 

 

 

 

I think preserving it for the time being seems like the best course of action. What's the rush to do something with it? There are plenty of other spots around OTR and the Central Parkway corridor that could use development. Just sit on it and don't let it fall apart until someone with the money and the motivation to renovate comes along. Demolishing or retrofitting the theatre is definitely not the answer, though. 

1 hour ago, edale said:

Other than the history, and whatever past agreements were made, can you make a case for why the neighborhood and this part of the basin would need or benefit from another theater?

 

The Emory is more than just another theatre. It’s near-perfect acoustics have been acknowledged by some of the most notable figures in early 20th music and theatre. It is true that it is one of four “acoustically pure” convert venues that were built in that time period, the others being in Chicago, Detroit, and New York. It also has unobstructed views from every seat, which is also another well-recognized feature. We should consider ourselves very lucky at the fact that this building still stands today, and that we even have such an important venue in our city in the first place, as Cincinnati was a much more prominent city when it was constructed. This theatre is extremely significant not only historically, but also to the disciplines of music, theatre, architecture, and engineering. I understand that there is a surplus of performance venues in the basin right now, but next to Music Hall, The Emery could be considered the most important concert hall in the city. I think it would be a mistake to not preserve this treasure that we have.

 

This is my first post on UO, but I’ve been reading threads for a long time now. Finally got the courage to share my thoughts on something. 

13 minutes ago, jc22 said:

 

The Emory is more than just another theatre. It’s near-perfect acoustics have been acknowledged by some of the most notable figures in early 20th music and theatre. It is true that it is one of four “acoustically pure” convert venues that were built in that time period, the others being in Chicago, Detroit, and New York. It also has unobstructed views from every seat, which is also another well-recognized feature. We should consider ourselves very lucky at the fact that this building still stands today, and that we even have such an important venue in our city in the first place, as Cincinnati was a much more prominent city when it was constructed. This theatre is extremely significant not only historically, but also to the disciplines of music, theatre, architecture, and engineering. I understand that there is a surplus of performance venues in the basin right now, but next to Music Hall, The Emery could be considered the most important concert hall in the city. I think it would be a mistake to not preserve this treasure that we have.

 

This is my first post on UO, but I’ve been reading threads for a long time now. Finally got the courage to share my thoughts on something. 

Thanks for your perspective and your first post!

UC seeks buyer for Over-the-Rhine apartment complex

 

The University of Cincinnati is searching for a buyer to take over an Over-the-Rhine apartment complex and theater it has owned since 1969.

 

The UC board of trustees on Tuesday voted to authorize Robert Ambach, senior vice president for administration and finance, to approve any agreement to sell the Emery Center at 1112 Walnut St. The building, which includes 58 apartments, 2,500 square feet of office space, Coffee Emporium and the historic Emery Theatre, is being marketed by CBRE. An asking price was not listed.

 

"The property doesn’t support our core mission – which centers on teaching, research and service. It’s perhaps better for those who operate downtown residential property to do so," UC spokeswoman M.B. Reilly told me in an email. "As a university, ownership of this property is not compatible with our educational role, and it’s not the first time the university has been gifted downtown property which it later sold in order to maintain a focus on our core mission."

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/04/23/uc-seeks-buyer-for-over-the-rhine-apartment.html

If you go to google and type in "near-perfect acoustics" and the name of any state, a theatre comes ups making that claim. 

21 minutes ago, thomasbw said:

If you go to google and type in "near-perfect acoustics" and the name of any state, a theatre comes ups making that claim. 

 

Yeah I am skeptical of any acoustics-related claim.  The sound in any space varies wildly depending on how large a crowd is.  I wouldn't doubt that summer versus winter clothing significantly changes the sound.  

 

If you want to actually hear what fantastic natural acoustics sound like, listen to any of the classic Columbia Records recordings from the 50s-60s:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBS_30th_Street_Studio

 

 

 

 

 

 

Washington Park deck to get permanent roof

 

The Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. will be putting a roof over the porch at Washington Park.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/04/24/washington-park-deck-to-get-permanent-roof.html

 

I love "renderings" that are just screengrabs from Sketchup. At least put a LITTLE effort into it.

20 hours ago, Largue said:

I love "renderings" that are just screengrabs from Sketchup. At least put a LITTLE effort into it.

 

A lot of applications that go before the HCB only include elevations, with no 3D renderings. I don't blame 3CDC or City Parks for making this the extent of their design... you can see a few other views of the 3D model on page 14: https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/buildings/historic-conservation/historic-conservation-board/april-22-2019-staff-report-and-attachments/

 

I was bummed when I saw the tents come down recently because it was really nice to have the shade in the summer. I'm really glad that they're installing a permanent roof. Will be a great, long-term addition to the park.