Does anybody know what Library's plans are for the NW corner of Walnut and 9th St? They recently removed the brick walls and metal fencing around the parking lot... but I don't see any details on their project website regarding the plans for that site: https://chpl.org/next-generation/main/

 

 

In other Library news, the new "North Plaza" on the Vine St side is now open:

Not sure if these schematics are still in play or not but this is a few ideas of what could be done with the site that they had come up with. I prefer option c.

Edited September 12, 20222 yr by Ucgrad2015

Has anyone seen any movement at the Gwynne Building/future site of the Pendry? That's one of my absolute favorite buildings in the city and the Pendry will definitely be the premier and most luxurious hotel in the city... Can't wait to see the building shine again.

44 minutes ago, küshner said:

Has anyone seen any movement at the Gwynne Building/future site of the Pendry? That's one of my absolute favorite buildings in the city and the Pendry will definitely be the premier and most luxurious hotel in the city... Can't wait to see the building shine again.

I’ve driven past it and they are doing work on it. 

Man it sure feels like the flood gates have opened on new tenant announcements in the central business district and The Banks! I think this new one fits very well into the mix. Right now when I think downtown sushi only Mr. Sushi on 6th comes to mind and its overpriced and not that good in my opinion (I love sushi), so this place is a great addition.

 

Upscale sushi restaurant Baru, new to Cincinnati, coming to long-vacant downtown space

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/09/15/sushi-restaurant-coming-to-downtown-cincinnati.html

 

 

Edited September 15, 20222 yr by 646empire

50 minutes ago, 646empire said:

Man it sure feels like the flood gates have opened on new tenant announcements in the central business district and The Banks! I think this new one fits very well into the mix. Right now when I think downtown sushi only Mr. Sushi on 6th comes to mind and its overpriced and not that good in my opinion (I love sushi), so this place is a great addition.

 

Upscale sushi restaurant Baru, new to Cincinnati, coming to long-vacant downtown space

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/09/15/sushi-restaurant-coming-to-downtown-cincinnati.html

 

 

What was the new banks tenant?

40 minutes ago, Troeros2 said:

What was the new banks tenant?

The Filson just opened last week next to Yard House and 4EG recently announced a new bar/restaurant coming to The Banks as well. The Banks is now 90+ percent leased.

 

https://www.wlwt.com/amp/article/killer-queen-pizza-restaurant-bar-open-the-banks-winter/40919514

Edited September 15, 20222 yr by 646empire

I am surprised they have not announced another apartment complex at the Banks across from Radius. You would think the demand is certainly there. 

15 hours ago, Ucgrad2015 said:

I’ve driven past it and they are doing work on it. 

 

It appears to be on pause right now.

4 hours ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

I am surprised they have not announced another apartment complex at the Banks across from Radius. You would think the demand is certainly there. 

let me rephrase. While I would have thought a project would have happened by now, in the current financing environment, I can see how it would be difficult given the economics of such a build to happen. 

https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/about-city-planning/city-planning-commission/sep-16-2022-packet/

 

Not sure if I'm reading this correctly (Item 10) but looks like the city manager has directed city planning to put an item on the 9-15 planning commission docket proposed by CM Jeffreys which would enact a 3 month moratorium on by-right surface parking lot creation and expansion in the CBD. City planning staff has recommended approval. Specifically it would be an "Interim Development Control (IDC) Overlay District"

Mark is having a press conference about it tomorrow at the crack of dawn

 

 

I wasn't that excited about this...until I realized that the Davis Furniture site is zoned DD, even though it is in OTR. This should prevent them from building a parking lot there.

3 minutes ago, Dev said:

I wasn't that excited about this...until I realized that the Davis Furniture site is zoned DD, even though it is in OTR. This should prevent them from building a parking lot there.

 

I'm pretty sure a parking lot is not an approved use in the OTR Historic District rules anyway.

 

Obviously they can do it if they get approval for one like 3CDC got for the big lot on the former Kroger site, but I don't think the owners of the Davis land would get that approval.

3 minutes ago, ryanlammi said:

 

I'm pretty sure a parking lot is not an approved use in the OTR Historic District rules anyway.

 

Obviously they can do it if they get approval for one like 3CDC got for the big lot on the former Kroger site, but I don't think the owners of the Davis land would get that approval.

Oh okay, that makes sense. Is it more accurate to say that the IDC will prevent them from trying to turn it into a parking lot? In other words, does the IDC prevent them from asking for a CoA or variance to get around the Historic District rules?

If this IDC would enact a "3 month moratorium on by-right surface parking lot creation and expansion in the CBD", I don't think it affects Davis in any way since it's not in the CBD and I don't believe they currently have the ability to build a parking lot there by-right. Also, they already put down grass seed on the site, and it is already collecting empty liquor bottles and dog 💩.

The Davis Building site is in both the OTR Historic District as well as the "Downtown Development" district which goes up to 12th street:

 

28 minutes ago, taestell said:

If this IDC would enact a "3 month moratorium on by-right surface parking lot creation and expansion in the CBD", I don't think it affects Davis in any way since it's not in the CBD and I don't believe they currently have the ability to build a parking lot there by-right. Also, they already put down grass seed on the site, and it is already collecting empty liquor bottles and dog 💩.

It is interesting here because I have seen some working papers about a broader move to crackdown on street parking and parking congestion in the area. Everything is preliminary right now but there are obviously tensions between businesses and rsidents regarding the lack of parking in OTR namely and the continued development of the area with higher end housing without parking and having residents cars fill the streets and clutter things up. IMO it is a good problem to have, but I guess they are gathering ideas on how to deal with this, some good, some bad have been discussed from what I have seen (from lowering the available density in the area)

Compared to the Cranley era we’ve made huge progress in that we’re not doing bad things, and we’re even saying the right things, but we’re not yet doing a lot of the right things and I think this is an example of that.

 

This does sound good on paper but I think if the goal is to reduce surface parking, this won’t do too much and there are more effective options that just might’ve been a little tougher to pull off politically.

28 minutes ago, Guy23 said:

there are more effective options that just might’ve been a little tougher to pull off politically.

Almost certainly

32 minutes ago, Guy23 said:

Compared to the Cranley era we’ve made huge progress in that we’re not doing bad things, and we’re even saying the right things, but we’re not yet doing a lot of the right things and I think this is an example of that.

 

This does sound good on paper but I think if the goal is to reduce surface parking, this won’t do too much and there are more effective options that just might’ve been a little tougher to pull off politically.

its a good start and i think could build momentum towards something much more broad.

15 hours ago, Pdrome513 said:

Mark is having a press conference about it tomorrow at the crack of dawn

 

 

This is not a good plan and it will in the short term diminish the value of land in the city. Yes, parking lots are not great uses of property but, they are meant to generate some income for short term periods while a developer can put together multiple parcels to make a larger development. While this may seem minor, all these restrictions make development a much harder hurdle to achieve in the city. 

 

Also, the thing is, it will only harm the little guy, or even the minority property owner the most. There are a decent amount of run down properties in the area that individuals may have purchased cheaply decades ago or they inherited from their families and the property is essentially a nuisance they cannot get rid of now. Such restrictions only diminish the value that a developer or other investor will pay this individual for the ability to purchase and hold the property because it created higher carrying costs for the developer. The loser in this is the small property owner who takes less money because the developer who will buy it has more limited options on use.  Temporary parking lots are not the worst things in the world. 

Edited September 16, 20222 yr by Brutus_buckeye

21 minutes ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

This is not a good plan and it will in the short term diminish the value of land in the city. Yes, parking lots are not great uses of property but, they are meant to generate some income for short term periods while a developer can put together multiple parcels to make a larger development. While this may seem minor, all these restrictions make development a much harder hurdle to achieve in the city. 

 

If land value is lower, then it should be easier to acquire property to develop vacant lots. And we don't have additional parking lots cluttering our city center. It's a win-win.

 

I can only think of maybe 3 parking lots that have been developed in the last 15 years in the DD map shown (the new Kroger development, the 5th and Race development, and the casino). Two of those projects were done by 3CDC, who is the only developer I really trust will develop a parking lot they construct because it meets their nonprofit mission of developing downtown. Parking lots are too profitable for most owners to bother ever developing into productive uses. We should ban new parking lots downtown.

21 minutes ago, ryanlammi said:

 

If land value is lower, then it should be easier to acquire property to develop vacant lots. And we don't have additional parking lots cluttering our city center. It's a win-win.

 

I can only think of maybe 3 parking lots that have been developed in the last 15 years in the DD map shown (the new Kroger development, the 5th and Race development, and the casino). Two of those projects were done by 3CDC, who is the only developer I really trust will develop a parking lot they construct because it meets their nonprofit mission of developing downtown. Parking lots are too profitable for most owners to bother ever developing into productive uses. We should ban new parking lots downtown.

But the issue that is being overlooked here is which party gets harmed the most by this. I know there are a lot of members on city council that pretend to care about the little guy and minorities and love to virtue signal on that stuff, but this is a perfect example of that in action. 

The issue is there are a lot of small time owners who are barely holding on who may have a hovel or two in the area or who may have had family who grew up in that building years ago and have passed ownership along through the years. Many of these individuals are likely minorities. They may no longer live in the neighborhood but live modestly elsewhere in the city. they have held on to the property for numerous reasons one of which is that the property is a small asset they have and use as a nest egg for their rainy day or to send their kids to college. These individuals are not millionaires but just regular individuals. These policy essentially destroy their wealth or what little wealth they have and transfer it to the pockets of a larger developer who can better develop the property or who can land bank it for years in order to create a larger development. 

So yes, from a pure land use policy, it may seem appealing, but the reality is that it has a disparate impact on poorer landowners with little wealth and transfers the benefit to richer developers.

4 hours ago, taestell said:

Also, they already put down grass seed on the site

As I understand it, this is a requirement for demolition if there are no plans filed for construction. Since this was an ordered demolition I don't think it is evidence that they do not have any plans to build a parking lot in the near term.

9 hours ago, stashua123 said:

its a good start and i think could build momentum towards something much more broad.

The unspoken issue here is that some of the largest surface lot owners in the downtown area are also amongst the biggest donors to the local Democratic Party.

A logical move to pressure surface lot owners towards selling to developers would be to implement some kind of tax on surface parking, but I can’t see that happening for political reasons.

On 9/16/2022 at 1:05 PM, Brutus_buckeye said:

There are a decent amount of run down properties in the area that individuals may have purchased cheaply decades ago or they inherited from their families and the property is essentially a nuisance they cannot get rid of now. Such restrictions only diminish the value that a developer or other investor will pay this individual for the ability to purchase and hold the property because it created higher carrying costs for the developer. The loser in this is the small property owner who takes less money because the developer who will buy it has more limited options on use.  Temporary parking lots are not the worst things in the world. 

 

Why should we care about the returns of land speculators who aren't providing any value to the community?

 

43 minutes ago, carnevalem said:

Why should we care about the returns of land speculators who aren't providing any value to the community?

It's more nuanced than that.

 

 

I'm not saying developers are bad, I'm saying speculators who sit on land for years with no intention of developing it are.

On 9/17/2022 at 10:31 PM, carnevalem said:

I'm not saying developers are bad, I'm saying speculators who sit on land for years with no intention of developing it are.

who said they were speculators? A lot of times they may have inherited the property from family or come about it through other means. These owners are often teachers, fire fighters/policemen, union workers, nurses, etc. who look to grow their nest egg or at least preserve it because they may not trust the market.  They are every day individuals. 

 

If you have been around Cincinnati for a long time and remember the Rookwood exchange development, were the many holdouts who refused to sell for that development speculators? Some owned the property for 50 years, others bought as a small rental but that even when the neighborhood changed, they still did not want to sell. These are not speculators who came upon the property with the hope someday that it would turn into the next "it" development. 

 

Many of the small owners in OTR, and Prospect Hill purchased their properties many years ago, long before the prospects of OTR became what they became today. They had no idea this area would appreciate like it has. They are not speculators. They were just fortuitous. The developer will make a lot of money on their project anyway. Policies such as the ones proposed will just squeeze the little guy more and reward the deep pocketed and politically connected developer.

 

Don't get me wrong. There is obviously a benefit to developing properties and making a walkable community. there is a benefit to keeping blight away and parking lots certainly do not fit that goal. However, policies like this are not as simple as they are presented and they do have unintended consequences. One of those unintended consequences is the redistributive effect to the detriment of lower to middle income property owners to the benefit of wealthy developers. This is clearly a policy that will have that effect. 

Fusian has closed their vine st location downtown.

 

Definitely get the impression we are still burning quite a lot of spots downtown/Otr and aren’t nearly keeping up with the same level of pace with replacing them. 
 

 

 

32 minutes ago, Troeros2 said:

Fusian has closed their vine st location downtown.

 

Definitely get the impression we are still burning quite a lot of spots downtown/Otr and aren’t nearly keeping up with the same level of pace with replacing them. 
 

 

 

This is definitely incorrect. I watch this kind of activity very closely.

Edited September 19, 20222 yr by 646empire

13 minutes ago, 646empire said:

This is definitely incorrect. I watch this kind of activity very closely.

And a lot of them haven’t been because of slow business but more of the buildings owner planning on doing something else with the space. Could be the same reason for Fusion closing. 

we were downtown in OTR on Saturday afternoon. We normally do not get down much now but had a football game over at Stargall.  I was impressed how lively and active the OTR neighborhood is during the day especially when an event like Oktoberfest is going on only a mile away. IN the past this would suck all the energy from the area but to see such a vibrant area with city flea and the street activity on Vine was quite impressive.

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/09/21/former-terrace-plaza-hotel-has-new-owner.html
 

Could the saga finally be over? I would love to see a mixture of hotel and apartments. So many cities have been having these types of developments but we have yet to see that in Cincinnati. Could see the same type of development for Carew. 

19 hours ago, Ucgrad2015 said:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/09/21/former-terrace-plaza-hotel-has-new-owner.html
 

Could the saga finally be over? I would love to see a mixture of hotel and apartments. So many cities have been having these types of developments but we have yet to see that in Cincinnati. Could see the same type of development for Carew. 

Nonsense. I'm sure we'll see some surprises come up when they start renovations. Who knows what secrets lie inside that 7-story brick facade?

 

Realistically, I imagine this now being in the hands of a local developer with sucessful prior projects that this will go smoother than an international firm. 

An iconic building and ripe for a modern, upscale hotel like an Edition, Ace, Four Seasons, et al. I know the Pendry is coming, but the city needs another high-end luxury hotel and this building deserves to shine and be as glorious as she can be. 

The redevelopment of the Fourth and Walnut Centre has fallen through.

 

 

3 hours ago, küshner said:

An iconic building and ripe for a modern, upscale hotel like an Edition, Ace, Four Seasons, et al. I know the Pendry is coming, but the city needs another high-end luxury hotel and this building deserves to shine and be as glorious as she can be. 

 

Is the Kimpton still happening at 5th and Walnut?

On 9/21/2022 at 4:06 PM, Ucgrad2015 said:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/09/21/former-terrace-plaza-hotel-has-new-owner.html
 

Could the saga finally be over? I would love to see a mixture of hotel and apartments. So many cities have been having these types of developments but we have yet to see that in Cincinnati. Could see the same type of development for Carew. 

Walked past today, The building is already completely fenced off, looked like Turner Construction.

Sooooo I just just walked thru the new Jeff Ruby’s restaurant on Fountain Square and it’s straight up Casino Royale 007 AMAZING! I mean this is going to be a legendary location for the city and blow out of town visitors away FORREAL!

4 hours ago, 646empire said:

Sooooo I just just walked thru the new Jeff Ruby’s restaurant on Fountain Square and it’s straight up Casino Royale 007 AMAZING! I mean this is going to be a legendary location for the city and blow out of town visitors away FORREAL!

Is it still going to have the bull? I remember hearing on the radio last week, his daughter was on. She was talking about how they had set a budget but he blew way past it. 

Edited October 3, 20222 yr by Ucgrad2015

23 minutes ago, Ucgrad2015 said:

Is it still going to have the bull? I remember hearing on the radio last week, his daughter was on. She was talking about how they had set a budget but he blew way past it. 

I didn’t notice the Wall Street Bull out front but I may have missed it, there is an army of workers on site trying to finish the place before this weekend’s opening. You can tell they put a ton of money into this place. Probably the most expensive food and beverage build out ever in Cincy the way it looks. Lots of Chandeliers and rich colors.

 

Edited October 3, 20222 yr by 646empire

3 hours ago, 646empire said:

Probably the most expensive food and beverage build out ever in Cincy the way it looks. Lots of Chandeliers and rich colors.

 

 

*cough*

 

1 hour ago, ColDayMan said:

 

*cough*

 

Haha, I worked at The Hilton many years ago, and although Orchids is obviously very nice it’s also very much incorporated into the hotel lobby and other functions which made me not consider it in my original point because the space is not really a stand alone F&B venue. For example from what I remember Orchids/Palm Court doesn’t even have its own bathrooms, you have to go out to the ones by the hotel front desk and the 2nd floor in that classic stunning photo aren’t really apart of F&B and instead are part of a maze of halls and conference rooms. Here’s a quick pic of the new Ruby’s and you can maybe get a sense of how grand the design/investment is.

 

Edited October 4, 20222 yr by 646empire

On 10/3/2022 at 5:40 PM, Ucgrad2015 said:

Is it still going to have the bull? I remember hearing on the radio last week, his daughter was on. She was talking about how they had set a budget but he blew way past it. 

It was delivered today from what I was told the delivery drivers took it to the old location on accident lol

Rubenstein Partners' Cincinnati office buildings undergo renovations: PHOTOS

By Abby Miller  –  Reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

Oct 11, 2022

 

As companies try to find new ways to lure their employees back into the office, two major downtown office buildings have completed renovations and will soon deliver further amenities for their tenants.

 

Rubenstein Partners, the owners of 312 Plum St. and 312 Elm St., has renovated the lobbies and other spaces within the buildings. Renovations at 312 Plum were completed both before and after the onset of Covid-19, with the goal of making the spaces more inviting for those transitioning back into the office for work.

 

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Moved Kroger merger discussion to: https://forum.urbanohio.com/topic/98-cincinnati-general-business-economic-news/

Cincinnati may extend downtown parking lot restrictions as it mulls total ban on new ones

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

Oct 24, 2022

 

Restrictions on new downtown parking lots may be extended for a full year as the city of Cincinnati considers a total ban on new ones.

 

Cincinnati Planning Commission unanimously approved a nine-month extension of the current, three-month interim development control (IDC) district around downtown Friday, which would require the panel’s approval before any new surface parking lots could be constructed or existing ones improved, an extra layer of regulation. The current IDC expires Dec. 20.

 

While centered around downtown, the IDC’s boundaries also include parts of the East End, Mount Adams, Mount Auburn, Pendleton, Over-the-Rhine and the West End.

 

Cincinnati City Council must approve the IDC extension for it to go into effect. It could act in the next several weeks. No opponents spoke against the measure.

 

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1 hour ago, The_Cincinnati_Kid said:

Cincinnati may extend downtown parking lot restrictions as it mulls total ban on new ones

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

Oct 24, 2022

 

Restrictions on new downtown parking lots may be extended for a full year as the city of Cincinnati considers a total ban on new ones.

 

Cincinnati Planning Commission unanimously approved a nine-month extension of the current, three-month interim development control (IDC) district around downtown Friday, which would require the panel’s approval before any new surface parking lots could be constructed or existing ones improved, an extra layer of regulation. The current IDC expires Dec. 20.

 

While centered around downtown, the IDC’s boundaries also include parts of the East End, Mount Adams, Mount Auburn, Pendleton, Over-the-Rhine and the West End.

 

Cincinnati City Council must approve the IDC extension for it to go into effect. It could act in the next several weeks. No opponents spoke against the measure.

 

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This is a perfect example of an answer in search of a problem