The main floor of Weilerts has a ton of green and is extremely nice but at the end of the day it's still just a tavern. The connecting greenhouse / Kaze courtyard is pretty amazing and will be a great place to have a beer. The rest of the stuff seems like it's more event space that normal guests won't see on normal visits. Once the leaves come back on the trees, that courtyard and attached greenhouse might become the most pleasant beer garden in they city. 

Nothing new in Court except the Magistrate kicked her decision date to 3/17/22.

FYI the following is public information about Danny Klingler and OTR Adopt.

 

OTR Adopt has received Community Development grants from the Hale Foundation. For example as recently as 2020 OTR Adopt received a $12,500 grant.

 

I believe that OTR Adopt has actively sought and received other grants for its work from local philanthropic organizations. I can't remember who they were. Grants were mostly received for support of OTR Adopt's work to get dilapidated properties into better hands and save them.

 

OTR Adopt is listed as the owner of three properties on Walnut, McMicken, and Colerain. However Klingler or his interests own several other properties. He is a co-owner of three properties on Magnolia, and I believe two properties on E Thirteenth st. There are probably others.

 

I'd be curious to know if the OTR Adopt board of trustees approved of the recent legal actions regarding Liberty and Elm - or even if they know about it. 

 

This guy and his various organizations own a lot of highly valued properties; he is not some low level cast-off working in the trenches for the aggrieved. His creation of OTR Adopt was a good idea for its time, but now he's used that good will to subvert important development in the region, because he doesn't like it.        

March 14th HCB packet shows a proposal to renovate 1808 Elm Street. Basement, ground floor, and second floor will be used by Blue Oven Bakery. The 3rd and 4th floors will be apartments: a studio, a 1-bedroom, and a 3-bedroom. I love to see this kind of mixed-use renovation that adds a variety of housing types/sizes. 

 

https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/historic-conservation/historic-conservation-board/march-14-2022-case-materials-and-staff-report/

Edited March 9, 20223 yr by jwulsin

On 8/17/2021 at 5:42 PM, ryanlammi said:

 

2025 Vine is listed for sale now. Maybe they couldn't get financing?

 

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2025-Vine-St_Cincinnati_OH_45202_M48045-57935

 

Looks like the property at 2025 Vine St changed hands in October 2021. Not sure what the new owner's plans are, but good to see the cornice is getting repaired/replaced:

New Findlay Market/FCC garage, retail building ensnarled in legal challenge

 

A new, planned parking garage with first-floor retail that would serve Findlay Market patrons and FC Cincinnati fans is embroiled in a legal dispute working its way through the city of Cincinnati’s zoning regulators, with a key hearing scheduled for Thursday.

 

The Over-the-Rhine Foundation has appealed a Historic Conservation Board decision last year to allow Hamilton County to build the new garage at 1815 Logan Street, with the foundation arguing it does not comply with the city’s historic guidelines and the county’s decision to remove historic granite curbs lining Logan Street also runs afoul of regulations.

 

The county agrees with a 4-2 decision made by the board to allow the garage and argues the Zoning Board of Appeals, which is set to hear the case on Thursday, does not have the jurisdiction to hear the appeal and the foundation does not have standing to make the appeal. The county also plans to preserve the curbs and use them at the site.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/03/16/findlay-market-garage-legal-issues.html

 

1 hour ago, ColDayMan said:

New Findlay Market/FCC garage, retail building ensnarled in legal challenge

 

A new, planned parking garage with first-floor retail that would serve Findlay Market patrons and FC Cincinnati fans is embroiled in a legal dispute working its way through the city of Cincinnati’s zoning regulators, with a key hearing scheduled for Thursday.

 

The Over-the-Rhine Foundation has appealed a Historic Conservation Board decision last year to allow Hamilton County to build the new garage at 1815 Logan Street, with the foundation arguing it does not comply with the city’s historic guidelines and the county’s decision to remove historic granite curbs lining Logan Street also runs afoul of regulations.

 

The county agrees with a 4-2 decision made by the board to allow the garage and argues the Zoning Board of Appeals, which is set to hear the case on Thursday, does not have the jurisdiction to hear the appeal and the foundation does not have standing to make the appeal. The county also plans to preserve the curbs and use them at the site.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/03/16/findlay-market-garage-legal-issues.html

 

This person suing will literally try to find anything to hold these projects up. Can we just push all these people against dense development and the ones who think every little thing in OTR and downtown needs to meet the historic conservation boards requirements to the cookie cutter suburbs? It’s a freaking city, if you want low density and everything to match there are plenty of homes in Mason to purchase. 

People just need to learn to pick their battles. Instead of focusing on defeating and slowing new development, we need to focus on preserving the existing building stock. I mean they're suing over curbs while a few blocks south we have a church trying to demolish a 100' church steeple because even though they were donated the money to fix it they have decided they need to go above and beyond to make it earthquake proof. True preservationists get this, but the person suing here and at Liberty/Elm isn't a  preservationist they are obstructionist.

20 hours ago, Ucgrad2015 said:

This person suing will literally try to find anything to hold these projects up. Can we just push all these people against dense development and the ones who think every little thing in OTR and downtown needs to meet the historic conservation boards requirements to the cookie cutter suburbs? It’s a freaking city, if you want low density and everything to match there are plenty of homes in Mason to purchase. 

 

Like the President of the Pendleton Community Council who bought a condo in the neighborhood three years ago and is now declaring that it is TOO DENSE and that "residents of choice" like her will just leave if you keep densifying. Please do so! We'd all be better off.

Looks like the hotel across from TQL is still in the works. I’m assuming some sort of design change to appease the anti density everything needs to be the same cult. I’m sure they will find some reason to not want this to go through. 

Hopefully there will be some updated designs and renderings. I really thing OTR needs more hotel so i hope that in lieu of demolishing the corner building they push for something much taller on the vacant lots and use the tall buildings across the street as precedent. 

On 3/7/2022 at 1:37 PM, 1400 Sycamore said:

Nothing new in Court except the Magistrate kicked her decision date to 3/17/22.

Again, nothing new except that the Magistrate has kicked her decision due date to 4/7/22.

Edited March 18, 20223 yr by 1400 Sycamore

There's a dumpster in front of 1510 Race St... and it looks like a full gut renovation is underway. The construction permits indicate there will be "9 units," but I'm not 100% sure if that's accurate. In any case, it's good to see this long-vacant building getting brought back to life.

 

I walked through that 3CDC shell recently and it is a very interesting property inside. And, as well located as it is, it will have great rental units. I think it had skylights or a light shaft. Can't remember exactly but I liked it.

 

EDIT:

 

It was a light shaft. maybe 5x5. Sadly, they will probably use it for utility chases. It was cool. And, it is a good building.

Edited March 22, 20223 yr by 1400 Sycamore
Recalled

New apartment tower (12 floors) in the works at the corner of Vine and Central. Current spot is a parking lot and a building (Cannot remember what used to occupy it).
 

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/03/24/central-and-vine-project.html

Edited March 24, 20223 yr by Ucgrad2015

Quote

A bridge would connect the larger building west of Doerr Alley to the smaller building on the east side of the alley.

Any hot takes on this? I thought urbanists have been pushing back against sky bridges for a while now.

That would be a great project.  Nice to see some height with it being along Central Pkwy.  Hopefully the usual anti development losers don't make this fall through. 

22 minutes ago, Dev said:

Any hot takes on this? I thought urbanists have been pushing back against sky bridges for a while now.

 

Skybridges across alleys are great. It allows the developer to make two buildings feel contiguous despite a separation. Skybridges across normal city streets are bad. This sounds like it would preserve Doerr Alley, which I'm supportive of.

17 minutes ago, Cincy513 said:

That would be a great project.  Nice to see some height with it being along Central Pkwy.  Hopefully the usual anti development losers don't make this fall through. 

Hopefully not. They cannot really argue about height since Kroger headquarters is right across the street and the American building is one block  East. 

5 minutes ago, Ucgrad2015 said:

They cannot really argue about height since...

 

Oh, they can

Apartment tower eyed by Kroger headquarters

 

 

It looks like plans for a new apartment tower near Kroger Co.’s headquarters are in the works.

 

The Business Courier obtained a copy of plans for a 12-story apartment tower at 16 W. Central Parkway. Schiff Capital Group, a Columbus-based privately held real estate and investment firm, is planning to develop the property.

 

Michael Schiff, president and CEO of Schiff Capital Group, confirmed he is working on a development, but declined to provide additional information until he presents the project to the proper officials.

 

“I’m excited to bring a development like this to the city of Cincinnati,” Schiff told me. “It’s going to be a great gateway between Over-the-Rhine and the downtown business district and act as a catalyst for the pathways all the way down to the soccer stadium and to the riverfront.”

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/03/24/central-and-vine-project.html

 

1 hour ago, Cincy513 said:

That would be a great project.  Nice to see some height with it being along Central Pkwy.  Hopefully the usual anti development losers don't make this fall through. 

OTR Adopt and Margy Waller are sharpening there pitch forks for another fight...

This looks great and I love that it has some contextual materials and a base/middle/top without feeling faux-historic at all. Height really shouldn't even be discussed in this location with Kroger building, Hale-Justice building, American building, 1015 Vine street (Cincinnatus mural) all being 7 stories or taller and within a block. I would like to see a site plan to see how far back towards 12th street it goes because that 's the only place that substantial height might be an actual issue if it's 12 stories all the way backing up to Tender Mercies. I'm sure the affordability factor will come up, but I see no reason the height should be an issue.

 

I do hate that this project, which is situated a block away from the Gateway garage, Kroger garage and the streetcar feels the need to include 64 parking spaces but it does appear to be hiding them well from this rendering at least, probably where the current surface lot is located off Baldwin alley.

The article indicates that the developer tried but failed to get the surface parking lot owned by Ferguson. And since the building is set back a bit from Vine St (preserving the Jim Tarbell mural), the building east of Doerr wil sit on ~4,700 sq ft footprint. And then west of Doerr, it'll be on ~11,250 sq ft footprint. I like that it's not a "megablock" development (as is so often the case these days). And I like that they're preserving Doerr and keeping it as two separate buildings. 

 

By comparison, the American Building is 16 stories on a footprint of ~7000 sq ft (not counting the 4-story section on the north).

 

What a waste keeping that parking lot in the middle of the block. 

36 minutes ago, Cincy513 said:

What a waste keeping that parking lot in the middle of the block. 

Yeah that's surprising and a real waste of space, imagine how many more units (affordable or not) could have been included with this added lot. We need to do something to our tax code or zoning code to make surface lot owners more likely to sell instead of just sitting on them forever. 

18 minutes ago, ucgrady said:

Yeah that's surprising and a real waste of space, imagine how many more units (affordable or not) could have been included with this added lot. We need to do something to our tax code or zoning code to make surface lot owners more likely to sell instead of just sitting on them forever. 

They may not own the lot in the rear. It could be split amongst the other buildings on Race.

1 hour ago, jwulsin said:

The article indicates that the developer tried but failed to get the surface parking lot owned by Ferguson. And since the building is set back a bit from Vine St (preserving the Jim Tarbell mural), the building east of Doerr wil sit on ~4,700 sq ft footprint. And then west of Doerr, it'll be on ~11,250 sq ft footprint. I like that it's not a "megablock" development (as is so often the case these days). And I like that they're preserving Doerr and keeping it as two separate buildings. 

 

By comparison, the American Building is 16 stories on a footprint of ~7000 sq ft (not counting the 4-story section on the north).

 

Hopefully news of this article makes the owner of that lot change his mind and decide to sell (wishful thinking I know). 

Finally SOME black brick! I thought it was outlawed or something since it is so rare in Cincinnati. 

The parking in the middle of the block is complicated because ownership is shared by multiple surrounding properties, and it has been that way since the block was platted apparently.

 

IMO they should build right up to the corner and block the mural.  The murals are a stopgap measure not a permanent feature

How 3CDC set a leasing record last year

By Chris Wetterich  –  Staff reporter and columnist, Cincinnati Business Courier

Mar 24, 2022 

 

Despite the pandemic, the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. signed a record high number of leases in 2021, with a total of 33 restaurants, retailers, companies or organizations agreeing to locate in Over-the-Rhine or downtown.

 

Some businesses have yet to open, while others are existing businesses that have added space or moved. The nonprofit developer, which has played a vital role in the urban core’s revitalization over the past 15 years has 64,240 square feet of space ready to lease now, with another 55,230 square feet under construction.

 

Lessees signed in 2021 include the new Pearlstar restaurant on Vine Street, barber and art museum Gallery at Gumbo on Main Street and Deloitte LLP.

 

MORE

They are showing outdoor dining and patio space on the ground level so honestly I think they were planning on leaving space at the corner anyway, similar to the empty corner space at the Gateway garage directly across Vine. Placing that desired outdoor space at the location of the mural was probably just a happy accident that they've since embraced. 

1 hour ago, ucgrady said:

They are showing outdoor dining and patio space on the ground level so honestly I think they were planning on leaving space at the corner anyway, similar to the empty corner space at the Gateway garage directly across Vine. Placing that desired outdoor space at the location of the mural was probably just a happy accident that they've since embraced. 

Hopefully this leads to another property owner supportive of traffic calming and active transportation. 

17 hours ago, Jimmy Skinner said:

The parking in the middle of the block is complicated because ownership is shared by multiple surrounding properties, and it has been that way since the block was platted apparently.

 

IMO they should build right up to the corner and block the mural.  The murals are a stopgap measure not a permanent feature

 

I agree,  drives me crazy when there is concern about blocking or covering up a mural.  

I actually like the setback at that intersection, and it's not because of the mural. We should not be using murals as an excuse for less density, smaller developments, no development, etc.

 

The setback with a restaurant/cafe space has a real chance of activating the intersection in a way that a building right up to the lot line couldn't do. I also think it does a nice job of framing the historic architecture on the rest of the block. As a gateway into OTR (yeah, I went there), the emphasis on the rest of the block is welcome IMO.

5 minutes ago, ryanlammi said:

I actually like the setback at that intersection, and it's not because of the mural. We should not be using murals as an excuse for less density, smaller developments, no development, etc.

 

The setback with a restaurant/cafe space has a real chance of activating the intersection in a way that a building right up to the lot line couldn't do. I also think it does a nice job of framing the historic architecture on the rest of the block. As a gateway into OTR (yeah, I went there), the emphasis on the rest of the block is welcome IMO.

Agreed with all that. Murals shouldn't be used as impediments to infill. And in most cases, I don't like front setbacks, especially on smaller lots in OTR... but this specific design seems well considered and (based on the one rendering) I think it creates an inviting transition between the new and old buildings. Due to the walls on two sides, it has a sense of enclosure which I believe will make it a space where people enjoying hanging out, activating the streetscape.

I'm not advocating that all murals be preserved, and I understand why they shouldn't in many cases, but I don't understand removing the mural based upon some implied rule of impermanence. If you can do something interesting with a building that responds to context, it's that much more interesting a building, and that much more interesting a city. 

This will be pretty cool.

 

On 1/18/2022 at 10:52 AM, Troeros2 said:

This church started a shady save the bell campaign, rallied the community to save the tower, otr adopt found solutions and the church repeatedly rejected each solution….they were so dead set on making sure the tower was earth quake proof as part of the renovations that they ignored every other contractor estimate that said it was not needed…the church has shot themselves in the foot.

 

I feel bad for the church community that goes there, but it sounds like they should find a new location that requires less upkeep of the building they occupy. 

 

 

Check out the ridiculous sign that First Lutheran has hung up along Race Street:

 

 

14 minutes ago, taestell said:

Check out the ridiculous sign that First Lutheran has hung up along Race Street:

 

 

Just wait until there's an earthquake!

Food manufacturer moves North American HQ to Over-the-Rhine

By Tom Demeropolis  –  Senior staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

 

A food manufacturer is moving its North American headquarters to Over-the-Rhine.

 

Baxters North America, part of Baxters Food Group LLC, has signed a long-term lease for a full floor of the Strietmann Center in Over-the-Rhine. The company will occupy more than 15,200 square feet of space on the fourth floor of the building.

 

Strietmann Center will serve as Baxters’ North American headquarters. The company will continue to operate out of its facility at 4700 Creek Road in Blue Ash.

 

MORE

^Neat to see a food manufacturer taking the Strietmann back to its food roots (albeit without the manufacturing part). 

Can First Lutheran be charged with disturbing the peace or something because that sign is the written equivalent of yelling fire when there isn't one. 

Edited March 29, 20223 yr by ucgrady

If they truly believe the tower is in danger of catastrophic collapse, smashing and electrocuting the people below, then why are they still holding services in the church?

6 minutes ago, taestell said:

If they truly believe the tower is in danger of catastrophic collapse, smashing and electrocuting the people below, then why are they still holding services in the church?

 

I don't believe they are holding services in the church.

Yeah I see on their site:

 

Quote

In-Person Worship has moved temporarily to Philipus Church (Directions). Please Join us at 11:00 Sunday Mornings

 

16 hours ago, taestell said:

Check out the ridiculous sign that First Lutheran has hung up along Race Street:

 

 

If there's one thing you can rely on a church to do, it's lie. 

Unlike at Liberty and Elm, the Findlay market garage is not letting lawsuits slow it down as they were pouring caissons today, which isn’t cheap work.

Also included a picture of 1723 Vine street which has new windows and is progressing nicely. 
 

Walking around today I noticed a lot, like 7 or 8 different properties along the length of McMicken that are being renovated in some capacity. I think with anchors like Skeleton root/Northern row on one end and Somerset on the other end we are going to see this street change a ton over the next year or two.

 

18 hours ago, ucgrady said:

I think with anchors like Skeleton root/Northern row on one end and Somerset on the other end we are going to see this street change a ton over the next year or two.

 

A friend of mine told me that the owners of Somerset own the surrounding property and are using Somerset as a loss leader to increase the value of the properties.

That's true and at one point that owner was on this forum, not sure if he still visits. One of the guys behind RoadTrippers owns Somerset and they own bunch of other nearby properties through NorthCrown Property company. It makes sense that a rising tide lifts all boats, especially if you have partial ownership in all the boats. 

Random question. Throughout OTR, there are a lot of buildings that have their addresses on wood boards with a distinctive jagged edge. Does anybody know the history of these? When were they put up and who put them up? It strikes me as an oddly consistent thing throughout the neighborhood, which makes me wonder if some single entity (the City or otherwise) put them all up at the same time. I haven't noticed them in neighborhoods outside OTR, but perhaps they're in other parts of the City as well.

 

For example, here's a photo of 1822-1824 Race (before it was renovated):

 

Here's 139 E Clifton (current):