2 hours ago, Lazarus said:

It took them four years to build that hotel and the end product is insufferably boring.  

Not sure about that. I like it. Revenue is thru the roof and the hotel was ranked the top Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel in the country as of earlier this year.

Edited November 14, 20222 yr by 646empire

40 minutes ago, 646empire said:

Not sure about that. I like it. Revenue is thru the roof and the hotel was ranked the top of Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel in the country as of earlier this year.

The rooftop bar is very nice and has a good vibe. Subito is a great restaurant too. They did a great job with those amenities. 

I was able to stay there for one night. We were on the highway side and it felt like we were at a Hampton Inn out in the country at an Interstate exit. Loud as hell. Would not recommend. Key cards were made from wood, so of course we took those with us.

On 11/10/2022 at 9:31 AM, taestell said:

The difference is that on a two-way street you will only have one travel lane in each direction, whereas on a one-way street you have two. So on Main Street, for example, you see cars or dirtbikes going way over the speed limit weaving between the two lanes. With a single travel lane you're limited by the slowest driver in that lane.

 

This is the point that so many people don't realize when debating one-way vs two-way.

 

not saying europe is right, but on my last visit, all kinds of two wheeled vehicles shoot the gaps, if you will. And people in cars pay little attention. Maybe crosswalks should be raised, identified with (flashing lights lights, yellow signs and arrows). Hitting a speed bump once is enough to slow drivers down for a few weeks. It won't take long for the general public to catch on. this has been Bo and "it's just a thought". 

 

Model Group buys downtown Cincinnati building for apartment conversion

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

Dec 5, 2022

 

The Model Group has acquired a building on Seventh Street downtown that currently is being used as a storage facility and plans to convert it to apartments.

 

Model Group’s Yukon Investments LLC acquired 26 W. Seventh St. from Seventh Reading Storage SPE LLC on Nov. 18 for $2.7 million.

 

“We think that storage in a downtown is the opposite of what’s the best use,” Model’s CEO Bobby Maly said. “They’re great buildings. They lay out pretty well for apartments. We felt confident enough that we could find a project that can work there."

 

MORE

 

1 hour ago, The_Cincinnati_Kid said:

Model Group buys downtown Cincinnati building for apartment conversion

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

Dec 5, 2022

 

The Model Group has acquired a building on Seventh Street downtown that currently is being used as a storage facility and plans to convert it to apartments.

That's a neat building! I'm curious what remains (if anything) of the historic storefront. It seems to have originally had a two-story storefront. The first story seems to have been updated in the 70's or 80's and the second story is currently covered in some kind of panels. Hopefully some of the second story storefront is still in tact behind those panels. In any case, will be great to see this building bring more activity to downtown (above its current use as storage). 

Edited December 5, 20222 yr by jwulsin

I can remember when this building housed the Oskamp Nolting store. Their specialty was jewelry but they carried goods of every kind. As a child growing up in the 60's and 70's I can tell you that they had an excellent toy department and probably the best model train selection around. I remember you went from floor to floor by means of an old elevator, with the requisite operator inside. Nowadays people go on and on about the major department stores that Downtown was famous for, but in those days the CBD was home to so many of these mid sized stores as well.  Pretty sure Oskamp Nolting went out of business at the close of 1980, maybe beginning of 1981. Cool place, glad to see it find a much better life than storage. 

 

Can't wait to see how they renovate the exterior of bottom two floors, hopefully they can recreate what it used to look like.

The Auditor page has an OG facade  pic when it was still Oscamp Nolting. Not a two story storefront, but much better than it is now. Too bad that old neon marque above the right side door isnt still there. Id love to see the city in it's neon shopping everywhere prime.

 

5 hours ago, SleepyLeroy said:

Id love to see the city in it's neon shopping everywhere prime.

 

Behind the Friedmans Furs pictured there still is an old clock from the era

THANKS!!!! I saw that on instagram and wondered where it was. Probably for all the smokers in the alley to get back to their work after 5min.

 

 

4 minutes ago, SleepyLeroy said:

Probably for all the smokers in the alley to get back to their work after 5min.

 

 

Ha - they probably didn't bother to step outside to smoke then

$45 million redevelopment of Cincinnati Club seeks historic preservation tax credits

By Abby Miller  –  Reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

Dec 19, 2022

 

The owners of downtown's Cincinnati Club Building are planning to turn the office space into 99 apartments with the help of state tax credits.

 

MORE

Draw a 500 ft radius circle around the Garfield Statue- there may be over a thousand new housing units coming to this area 

 

(I think I commented something similar this before) 

50 minutes ago, thebillshark said:

Draw a 500 ft radius circle around the Garfield Statue- there may be over a thousand new housing units coming to this area 

 

(I think I commented something similar this before) 

 

Remember, the original streetcar plan was Race/Elm all the way from Findlay Market down to the riverfront.  It shifted to Main/Walnut around 2008, in part to shield Chris Bortz from conflict-of-interest accusations.  

 

From an operational standpoint, Race/Elm would have been simpler, and still could be.  With all of the new residents coming, adding Race/Elm to the existing system to form a "lower-case h" would be very useful.  

 

 

 

 

 

A few projects throughout Downtown were recently awarded Historic Tax Credits.

Here's the press release: https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/OHIOGOVERNOR/2022/12/20/file_attachments/2359968/OHPTCP SW Region.pdf

 

312 W. Fourth St (Cincinnati)

Total Project Cost: $1,501,562

Total Tax Credit: $186,627

Address: 312 W. Fourth St.

Built in 1886, 312 W Fourth St. has provided Cincinnati with a variety of services over the years, including clothing production, an art gallery, and a photography studio. The first floor is currently utilized as retail space, while the upper floors have been vacant for years. After rehabilitation, the building will house seven residential units on the upper floors and preserve the retail space on the ground floor. The rehabilitation project will retain historic features such as windows and wood floors.

 

635 Main St (Cincinnati)

Total Project Cost: $1,676,256

Total Tax Credit: $167,000

Address: 635 Main St.

Building Located in downtown Cincinnati’s Main Street Historic District, the building has been vacant since 2019. Originally developed to host businesses and their accompanying office space, the rehabilitation effort looks to preserve the building’s historical features. The rehabilitation project will reactivate the vacant building, housing a law firm and associated businesses and four, short-term rental units.

 

Mercantile Redevelopment (Cincinnati)

Total Project Cost: $60,153,103

Total Tax Credit: $5,000,000

Address: 414 Walnut St., 115 E. 5th St.

Located in the Fountain Square district of downtown Cincinnati, the Mercantile Redevelopment project includes a pair of buildings, the Mercantile Library Building and the Formica Corporation Building. The project will rehabilitate the vacant portions of the building, creating three new commercial spaces and 140 residential units, in addition to the expansion of the institutional space on the upper floors of the Mercantile Library Building.

 

Gwynne Building* (Cincinnati)

Total Project Cost: $125,058,830

Total Tax Credit: $2,120,000

Address: 602-610 Main St. 216 E. 6th St.

Located in downtown Cincinnati, the circa 1913 Gwynne Building held a variety of office users and commercial tenants over the years and was once home to some of Procter & Gamble's offices. The mostly vacant building is poised to be converted into a 174-room boutique-lifestyle hotel and spa.

 

*Project has been awarded a tax credit in a previous round and has reapplied for increased credits under Senate Bill 225 changes.

 

 

Has anyone heard any updates on the former Chong Inc. buildings on Race St.?  Are they still just boarded up?

On 12/24/2022 at 8:33 AM, The_Cincinnati_Kid said:

Has anyone heard any updates on the former Chong Inc. buildings on Race St.?  Are they still just boarded up?

3CDC is working on them, doing structural repairs at the moment.

Edited December 27, 20222 yr by dnymck

This is what I meant when I said there could be over 1,000 units of new housing coming within 500 ft. of the Garfield statue in the next few years:

 

1. Macy's Office Residential Conversion into 338 new units https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/11/08/macys-headquarters-conveyance-planning.html

2. Garfield Suites Residential Conversion was 153 suites https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/02/23/developer-buys-back-former-garfield-suites.html

3. potential Main Library Walnut Street frontage development (~125 units?) https://d4804za1f1gw.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/84/2020/06/09112953/FMPCentralZone.pdf

4. Cincinnati Club offices to residential conversion into 99 new units https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/12/19/cincinnati-club-historic-tax-credit-redevelopment.html

5. 26 W. Seventh St. storage to residential conversion (~40,000 sq ft) https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/12/05/model-group-buys-downtown-building.html

6. Jean Robert's Table building redevelopment https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2020/10/06/jean-robert-to-close-flagship-restaurant.html

7. potential Vine Street parking lot redevelopments

8. 31 Garfield Place city owned lot redevelopment https://data.cincinnati-oh.gov/views/b397-t996/files/feed3db1-fe56-4071-bc5c-61dd4cfbea1c?filename=RFP735CEDGARFIELD.pdf (former plans for 20 condos: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/02/15/exclusive-woman-owned-firm-to-develop-downtown.html )

9. Provident building office to residential conversion into 161 new units (completed) https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2020/09/04/the-provident-brings-apartments-to-historical-down.html

Edited December 29, 20222 yr by thebillshark

17 minutes ago, thebillshark said:

This is what I meant when I said there could be over 1,000 units of new housing coming within 500 ft. of the Garfield statue in the next few years:

 

1. Macy's Office Residential Conversion into 338 new units https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/11/08/macys-headquarters-conveyance-planning.html

2. Garfield Suites Residential Conversion was 153 suites https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/02/23/developer-buys-back-former-garfield-suites.html

3. potential Main Library Walnut Street frontage development (~125 units?) https://d4804za1f1gw.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/84/2020/06/09112953/FMPCentralZone.pdf

4. Cincinnati Club offices to residential conversion into 99 new units https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/12/19/cincinnati-club-historic-tax-credit-redevelopment.html

5. 26 W. Seventh St. storage to residential conversion (~40,000 sq ft) https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/12/05/model-group-buys-downtown-building.html

6. Jean Robert's Table building redevelopment https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2020/10/06/jean-robert-to-close-flagship-restaurant.html

7. potential Vine Street parking lot redevelopments

8. 31 Garfield Place city owned lot redevelopment https://data.cincinnati-oh.gov/views/b397-t996/files/feed3db1-fe56-4071-bc5c-61dd4cfbea1c?filename=RFP735CEDGARFIELD.pdf (former plans for 20 condos: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/02/15/exclusive-woman-owned-firm-to-develop-downtown.html )

9. Provident building office to residential conversion into 161 new units (completed) https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2020/09/04/the-provident-brings-apartments-to-historical-down.html

This is incredible! Thanks for putting this together. What is the rough estimate for condo vs. Apartment? It looks like mostly rental units.

4 minutes ago, Dcs3939 said:

This is incredible! Thanks for putting this together. What is the rough estimate for condo vs. Apartment? It looks like mostly rental units.

tough to predict, but I would guess vast majority apartments.
 

My understanding is the 20 condos at 31 Garfield place aren’t happening as the project went back out for RFP.

 

it looks like there are some recently completed condos at 915 Vine as part of a 16 unit project that i missed https://www.3cdc.org/project/court-street-south-condos/

Downtown Cincinnati building to add apartments on Fourth Street after landing historic tax credits

 

A building located downtown's West Fourth Street Historic District will keep its current business space while adding apartments after it landed state historic tax credits.

 

A 11,000-square-foot mid-rise building at 312 W. Fourth St. in downtown Cincinnati received $186,627 in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits during the state’s 29th round of the program. The credits received were equal to the amount requested, according to the project application. The project's total investment is expected to be just over $1.5 million.

 

Nadav Livne, partner at Yolo Investments LLC, which applied for the historic tax credits, told the Courier landing those credits was important to making the project come to life.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/01/05/downtown-historic-district-tax-credit-apartments.html

 

Legal battle between Chinedum Ndukwe, Port over key convention center-area building will continue

 

A dispute over who controls Convention Place Mall, a key downtown Cincinnati site at 435 Elm St. near the Duke Energy Convention Center, will proceed after a Hamilton County Common Pleas Court judge formalized a ruling favorable to developer Chinedum Ndukwe.

 

Ndukwe and the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority have been litigating whether Ndukwe has an interest in the dilapidated former commercial building.

 

In 2021, Hamilton County Chief Magistrate Tom Beridon denied the Port’s bid to throw the case out of court. In February 2022, Beridon found Ndukwe’s limited liability company, 435 Elm Investment LLC, may have the right to cure a default on the property from an entity that used to control it. The Port had asked the court to issue findings of facts and conclusions of law, which would allow the case’s dismissal because Ndukwe had no right to foreclose on the office portion of the property and failed to prosecute any claims.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/01/06/ndukwe-port-convention-place-legal-battle-continue.html

 

On 12/7/2022 at 9:39 AM, SleepyLeroy said:

The Auditor page has an OG facade  pic when it was still Oscamp Nolting. Not a two story storefront, but much better than it is now. Too bad that old neon marque above the right side door isnt still there. Id love to see the city in it's neon shopping everywhere prime.

Another fun anecdote about this building, i just watched CAROL for the first time last night and this building plays the part of the toy store where the two main characters meet. They even used some of the left over displays to recreate the toy store set on the second floor. I guess that all got cleared out when the storage place moved in but crazy that it was still there after the store closed in 1980.  https://www.cincinnati.com/story/tvandmediablog/2014/04/22/carol-cate-blanchett-rooney-mara-oskamp-nolting/8000481/

Saks building in Cincinnati: City sets aside millions to purchase it

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

Jan 23, 2023 Updated Jan 23, 2023, 2:10pm EST

 

Cincinnati City Council is likely to spend $3 million to buy the Saks Fifth Avenue building at 101 W. Fifth St., which would allow the city to have additional control of the site. The high-end retailer closed its downtown Cincinnati location at the end of 2022.

 

The city is using money from a tax-increment financing district covering the southern part of downtown and the Banks to buy the building. Council's budget committee approved an ordinance Monday to buy the building; it will face a final vote on Wednesday.

 

MORE

Marriott hotel Moxy under construction in downtown Cincinnati

By Abby Miller  –  Reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

Feb 6, 2023 Updated Feb 6, 2023, 11:35am EST

 

Three historic buildings in Cincinnati will soon become a hotel and rooftop bar when combined with a seven-story tower downtown.

 

Rolling Hills Hospitality is working on the Moxy, a 111-room hotel located at 312 Main St. The project will blend the Italiante architecture of the three existing buildings with “an adaptive reuse of a newly built 7-story hotel tower,” according to a news release.

 

The Moxy is a hotel brand by Marriott known for its playful design and uniquely curated spaces. The Moxy Downtown Cincinnati and Observerie Rooftop Bar will be designed with “modern Bavarian” touches that serve as a twist on Cincinnati’s German heritage.

 

MORE

 

I love that with this hotel and the Pure Romance offices that entire block of historic buildings are being saved and re-used. I've never stayed at a Moxy, but it sounds like an improvement on Double Tree giving you a cookie. "Forget the front desk. Moxy instantly eases you into a playful stay with a *complimentary cocktail to go along with your room key when you check in at the bar."

18 hours ago, ucgrady said:

I love that with this hotel and the Pure Romance offices that entire block of historic buildings are being saved and re-used. I've never stayed at a Moxy, but it sounds like an improvement on Double Tree giving you a cookie. "Forget the front desk. Moxy instantly eases you into a playful stay with a *complimentary cocktail to go along with your room key when you check in at the bar."

 

I've stayed at one of the Moxy's in Manhattan and found it really nice. Certainly a cut above design-wise compared to mainline hotels. Probably not everyone's cup of tea but it's awesome to have more options in Cincy - especially another more boutique-y hotel in the CBD.

Do they have an exterior rendering? I have not seen one on this project

1 hour ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

Do they have an exterior rendering? I have not seen one on this project

 

3CDC seeking city funds to back Whex Garage purchase

 

The Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. is seeking tax-increment financing dollars from the city to back its planned purchase of a garage near the Duke Energy Convention Center, a key part of assembling properties around the developing area.

 

3CDC wants $1.9 million from the Downtown South/Riverfront TIF — but not to spend it on the Whex Garage at 212 W. Fourth St. It wants the money to be held as debt service reserve for the loan it intends to secure from the state of Ohio and a local equity fund it controls.

 

The garage revenue itself will be used to pay off the loans the nonprofit developer will secure to buy the garage, whose purchase price has not yet been disclosed. 3CDC intends to close on it by the end of March.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/02/23/3cdc-seeking-city-funds-to-back-whex-garage-purcha.html

 

https://multifamily.cushwake.com/Listings/30394?Play=Video#TabSet1

 

Fourth & Walnut being auctioned in May.

37 minutes ago, dnymck said:

https://multifamily.cushwake.com/Listings/30394?Play=Video#TabSet1

 

Fourth & Walnut being auctioned in May.

Looks like the hotel developer has backed out.

8 minutes ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

Looks like the hotel developer has backed out.

I think the dual hotel plan fell thru a long time ago. 

27 minutes ago, 646empire said:

I think the dual hotel plan fell thru a long time ago. 

That is a tough corner with the density and availability of parking in the area and being late to the game for a hotel/apartment conversion (not to say it wont work but it seems they may be late to the game for something like that. 

 

Dixie Terminal really offers no excess parking there and Scripps does not have much either I would imagine (could work for hotel but I would think apartments need more). The Renaissance caddy corner already has their spaces locked up and the Mecantile conversion as well as Kimpton likely have secured their spaces. There is just not much else available on 3rd and 4th for parking that could limit the potential of that building to residential (a high end resident is going to want a car) even if they rarely use it. 

 

Hotel works better IMO if there is the demand to do it but it is going to be a tough conversion at this point. 

The half block from Walnut to Vine and 3rd to Ogden place would be a prime block for redevelopment. Two low-rise parking garage bookend the block with Great American's five-story building sandwiched in the middle.

4 hours ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

That is a tough corner with the density and availability of parking in the area and being late to the game for a hotel/apartment conversion (not to say it wont work but it seems they may be late to the game for something like that. 

 

Dixie Terminal really offers no excess parking there and Scripps does not have much either I would imagine (could work for hotel but I would think apartments need more). The Renaissance caddy corner already has their spaces locked up and the Mecantile conversion as well as Kimpton likely have secured their spaces. There is just not much else available on 3rd and 4th for parking that could limit the potential of that building to residential (a high end resident is going to want a car) even if they rarely use it. 

 

Hotel works better IMO if there is the demand to do it but it is going to be a tough conversion at this point. 

The original plan was the dual brand hotel in the main tower and convert the 50s addition along fourth street into a parking garage. Some of the biggest issue with this building is the huge city owned water chiller in the sub basement of this building. Basically a huge area that the hotel could never use but had have access for Duke and the City to access 24/7, lack of secondary fire stair in the main tower, and lack of true stretcher size elevator. Its a beautiful building but will require deeper pockets than NewCrestImage had... 

11 minutes ago, savadams13 said:

The original plan was the dual brand hotel in the main tower and convert the 50s addition along fourth street into a parking garage. Some of the biggest issue with this building is the huge city owned water chiller in the sub basement of this building. Basically a huge area that the hotel could never use but had have access for Duke and the City to access 24/7, lack of secondary fire stair in the main tower, and lack of true stretcher size elevator. Its a beautiful building but will require deeper pockets than NewCrestImage had... 

I remember touring it a number of years back and finding the building to be a great property if someone can figure out how to handle the challenges. I do think I remember the old Duke Call center being converted to parking. I forgot about that part. 

The Rye apartments open in historical downtown building

 

After a pandemic-induced pause, Rookwood Properties’ yearslong plan to convert a downtown building into apartments has reached completion.

 

A ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Rye, which is now home to 35 one-bedroom apartments and first floor commercial space, was held March 23 with project partner TriVersity Construction and Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval in attendance.

 

The Rye, located at 124 E. Seventh St., is in the heart of downtown Cincinnati. Pureval said the Rye – a historic preservation project and redevelopment of the George Bieler Sons building – personifies what’s great about Cincinnati. As the city considers the future of many of its downtown buildings after the onset of Covid-19, turning the former office and Brookfield Rye warehouse into apartments helps bring people back downtown to engage with businesses and create energy on the street.

 

“To have a thriving local economy, we must have a thriving downtown,” Pureval said at the ribbon cutting.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/03/27/rye-apartments-open-historical-downtown-building.html

 

Altafiber overhauling downtown Cincinnati headquarters

By Andy Brownfield  –  Senior staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

Apr 5, 2023

 

Altafiber is overhauling its downtown headquarters, consolidating from seven floors inside of Atrium Two down to just two.

 

Altafiber CEO Leigh Fox said the plan to reshape the company formerly known as Cincinnati Bell's headquarters came from the new hybrid work model foisted upon most companies amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

"People want to work differently," Fox said during this week's episode of "Above the Fold," the podcast by the Cincinnati Business Courier. "In order to keep and retain talent, and to attract talent, I think you have to think about things a little differently."

 

MORE

Textile Building work continues ahead of summer opening: PHOTOS

By Abby Miller  –  Reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

Apr 10, 2023

 

The long-awaited conversion of a historic office building to over 200 class A apartments is nearing completion, with the first residents expected to move in this summer.

 

The Textile Building, located at 205 W. Fourth St., is “at the final stretch,” said Phil Aftuck, director of investments with Washington, D.C.-based Bernstein Cos. It’s been a roughly 18-month, $69 million project for Bernstein Cos., which also landed $5 million in state tax credits for the project.

 

Work on the apartments is wrapping up, with the bulk of the work now focused on the first-floor commercial space and basement amenities. Pre-leasing has begun ahead of the first wave of residents moving in June 1. Over 20% of the 282 apartments have been leased, Aftuck said. Rent ranges from just over $1,000 for a studio up to $2,300 for a two-bedroom, two bathroom unit.

 

MORE

 

Downtown's Lloyd Library eyeing major renovation, expansion project

 

A downtown Cincinnati library focused on research is planning a major renovation and expansion.

 

The Lloyd Library, located at 917 Plum St., is eyeing a renovation and expansion of its 51-year-old building. When complete, the project would increase the library’s size by about 26%.

 

For roughly a decade, the Lloyd Library has seen its number of visitors and program attendees shoot up, Executive Director Patricia Van Skaik told the Courier. A research library founded in the 19th century as a reference source for a pharmaceutical company, the Lloyd Library has traditionally been a home for scholars. Now, Van Skaik said the library’s board is deliberately offering more programs that appeal to the general public, with large success. The library’s audience was historically about 80% scholars, but it’s now largely made up of individuals who are visiting the library’s exhibits or programs.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/04/10/lloyd-library-eyeing-major-renovation-project.html

 

ummm... as both a former new york city resident and architect...  multiple shiny metal window mullions tapering into one larger will always remind me of world trade center.  maybe its just me... but that image was  imeadiatly a punch to the gut.

Edited April 10, 20232 yr by jack.c.amos
spelling

17 hours ago, jack.c.amos said:

ummm... as both a former new york city resident and architect...  multiple shiny metal window mullions tapering into one larger will always remind me of world trade center.  maybe its just me... but that image was  imeadiatly a punch to the gut.

I immediately thought WTC when I saw this rendering. 

It reminds me of WTC but also of the New York Times Bldg, rainscreen entry condition especially with the text in the facade. 

I actually thought of the China WTC in Beijing before the original WTC.  But, ya know, skyscraper-nerd-alert.

 

Would be a great improvement to the Lloyd Library and the area.

The use of a forest or tree image as a motif in architecture is popular due to its biophilic benefits. It's common to draw associations between a new tree-inspired building and other tree-inspired buildings from the past. A lot of the resources I see the Lloyd Library sharing on their great social media channels are nature related. I could see the board wanting the new building to bring a contemporary world closer to the natural world through the design of the building. 

 

Anyway, that's what I first thought of, though I can't disagree with any of the associations others have made. I think it is a very handsome form and patterning. I wish it was mass timber.

In the HCB hearing for 5/22 at 830 Main (Second National Bank building) they are wanting to demolish a two story addition that on the southeast portion of the building and build a steel structure for a staircase. The building is being renovated into apartments and was supposed to have an addition in the parking lot just south of the building. I’m assuming with this, that the addition is no longer in the table.