But a toy distributor is moving to Mariemount. To bad it couldn't stay downtown.

 

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/developingnow/2010/10/21/toy-distributor-buys-mariemont-warehouse/

^No doubt.  Any type of upward development in SW DT would do wonders for the breadth of the skyline.

Unfortunately the west side of DT is the utility side of town, neither of which are going to build a new tower anytime soon (Duke and Cincy Bell).

The west side of DT has it's challenges.  Along with utility companies, there is also the convention center and city hall.  Residential is definitely a possibility and some more retail to help support the convention center.

^You guys all forgetting about the behemoth surface lot on Plum between 4th and 5th?

BTW One Lytle Place needs a facade makeover ASAP

Yoga Row creating new unions along Main Street

Business Courier - by Jenny Kessler

Date: Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 9:38am EST

 

 

A visit to Main Street between Eighth and Liberty streets nowadays reveals a neighborhood not only on the mend but on the rise.

 

“There are a few signs that keen-eyed observers of urban areas look for that an area is changing,” says Main Street business owner Nancy Willman. “The increased use of bicycles, people walking pets, a new hardware store or successful bakery, and another is the growth of yoga studios. Main Street shows all these signs — especially now with four yoga studios equally spaced along eight blocks of Main Street.”

 

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2010/11/yoga-row-creating-new-business-unions.html

Newest tower creates office space aplenty

 

By Lisa Bernard-Kuhn • [email protected] • January 16, 2011

 

DOWNTOWN - The upcoming move of 2,500 American Financial Group workers into the region's newest skyscraper is expected to set off a major ripple effect - creating the biggest shift in downtown office space in decades and a huge renters' market.

 

The downtown vacancy rate is expected to be at its highest level in 25 years now that the Great American Tower at Queen City Square is starting to open.

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110116/BIZ01/101160308/1055/NEWS/Newest-tower-creates-office-space-aplenty

I think more telling will be for how long the vacancy rates stay high. If they drop within a reasonable amount of time, I would have to say that our local economy is doing pretty well.

Wasn't sure where to post this, but I think it's appropriate here...

 

I noticed last night that the Fountain Square website is down.  To me, the proper management of Fountain Square should be top priority in downtown.  Up until this point it's been a huge success, but this worries me.  Any thoughts?  Who pays for their domain name?

 

www.myfountainsquare.com

I believe it is 3CDC, or some division of theirs. 

It's back online and now it's a blog using wordpress.com's default theme twenty ten.

 

http://www.myfountainsquare.com/

Retail specialist Brandt leaves ‘burbs for downtown

Brokerage hopes to ride increased interest in urban core

Business Courier - by Tom Demeropolis, Courier Staff Reporter

Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 6:00am EDT

 

 

Retail broker Steve Brandt is moving his office downtown as his firm continues its push to fill up retail space in the city of Cincinnati and surrounding urban areas.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2011/04/08/retail-specialist-brandt-leaves-burbs.html

 

Covington worried about Omnicare, Nielsen

6:22 AM, Aug. 28, 2011  | 

Written by

Mike Rutledge

 

First of all, I agree that relocating existing companies/tenants at a reduced tax bill is not economic development, it shrinks the pie for all, but this quote is the best....

 

"The governor of Ohio, I'm being told, is being very aggressive in trying to pull businesses across the river," Banta said. "I don't think that's necessarily good for our region."

 

Oh really?  What about the last 20 years when RiverCenter was sucking tenants out of downtown Cincinnati and the rest of Ohio, where was your moral high ground then? (FYI I worked at Corporex during that time).

Bill Butler even had a Jim Borgman cartoon in his office showing the RiverCenter complex sucking jobs across the river into Covington.

 

 

COVINGTON - Officials in Northern Kentucky's largest city are concerned two significant employers - Omnicare Inc. and The Nielsen Co. (formerly known as AC Nielsen) - may be lured across the Ohio River or to another part of Northern Kentucky, taking not only two prestigious firms from Covington's riverfront office towers, but also approximately $1 million in combined annual payroll taxes.

 

Covington officials believe a combination of forces have increased the possibility Nielsen and Omnicare may move. They say factors like plentiful office space in downtown Cincinnati - prompting building owners to dangle attractive rents - and more aggressive recruitment efforts by the state of Ohio have caused them to consider sites in Downtown Cincinnati their biggest rivals.

 

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20110828/NEWS0103/108290301/Covington-worried-about-Omnicare-Nielsen?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Giving them tax benefits to move within the region is absurd, regardless of KY's tactics used to do the same in the past. We don't need a KCK/KCM-style (Kansas Cities) competition here. If that type of cannibalism is Kasich's idea of job growth, he can shove it!

 

I wasn't chomping at the bit for Sears, but that would've been an infinitely better trophy for Ohio, even ignoring the larger size.

And what are the chances of either of those companies even relocating to Downtown Cincy, let alone anywhere in the city. They'd probably go to some far-flung suburb. >:-(

 

I may just be jaded though.

And what are the chances of either of those companies even relocating to Downtown Cincy, let alone anywhere in the city. They'd probably go to some far-flung suburb. >:-(

 

I may just be jaded though.

 

The article says plentiful (and therefore cheap) office space in downtown is part of what's scaring Covington.

Downtown needs a residential tower catering to an older demographic that doesn't want to pioneer in OTR and doesn't want to hear sports games and bar crowds out their windows at the Banks. Cincy has a relatively healthy business climate. It's the residential base that really needs to be built up.

Downtown needs a residential tower catering to an older demographic that doesn't want to pioneer in OTR and doesn't want to hear sports games and bar crowds out their windows at the Banks. Cincy has a relatively healthy business climate. It's the residential base that really needs to be built up.

 

My spidey sense thinks that Western Southern agrees with you, and thinks that the only realistic location for this was Lytle Park.

They obviously have a vision for and investment in that corner of downtown. I don't know if it's the only place they think is realistic (and if they do think that, I don't agree), but it's obviously where they want to develop whatever projects they have planned.

 

Maybe you've stumbled upon the "why" of that spot in particular, but they've owned property in the area for longer than I suspect they've had their current grand plan. Applying Occam's razor, I think they started in the area because they've owned property there, and they just want all their investments to piggy-back on each other (e.g. bringing a bunch of monied empty-nesters to the Anna Louise Inn property would bolster demand for retail at Queen City Square as opposed to somewhere else).

My feelings mirror those of Natininja--although it would be a coup for DT Cincy to snare Omnicare, it's still a shame that NKY (especially immediately across the river) will have to take the hit.  As already mentioned, better to snag Fortune 500 cookies from cities elsewhere rather than from our brothers & sisters in our own backyard.  I also share several other aforementioned concerns: (1) as yet, there's no guarantee that Omnicare won't choose a suburban location, or (2) under Kasick's "job growth program," fly straight to DT...Columbus!  Lastly, please don't brand me insensitive to the "human-issues" involved, but I do think the city missed a golden opportunity to erect a tall residential tower at the Lytle Park location; what a formidable presence such a structure would be adjacent to the Great American Tower! 

I believe Omnicare was in downtown Cincinnati prior to moving to Covington.  They were spun off from Chemed and I believe they sub-leased space from the parent company (either in the Chemed Center or wherever Chemed was prior to that building) until moving across the river.

 

EDIT:

 

The company's growth led to new offices. In late 1996 it had too many employees for its Chemed Center headquarters in Cincinnati, so it moved ten employees to a small office in Covington, Kentucky's RiverCenter office tower. This initial move came after the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority in November 1996 authorized tax incentives to get Omnicare to cross the Ohio River to nearby Covington. In 1997 Omnicare decided to move its headquarters to the newly built second RiverCenter tower, where it remained after the turn of the century.

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Omnicare-Inc-Company-History.html

^ I wish Kentucky officials thought a little more regionally back in 1996 when Omnicare was lured over there.  I seem to recall they offered serious incentives to Convergys a few years back, which ended up costing the city more to keep them.  There are actually many examples so the call for being regional seems hollow.  I think there needs to be an agreement within the metro to avoid poaching, but I have no problem bringing Omnicare back if that happens.

There was a similar feel when they were asked about their thoughts on pitching in on the stadia construction.  The answer was, "we're not going to pay, but we want both stadiums on the riverfront".  i.e we want all the benefits and none of the cost.

How's that Purple People Bridge hotel coming, Wally?

Battle heats up over Omnicare's HQ

Kentucky, Ohio each offer millions in incentives

Date: Friday, September 9, 2011, 6:00am EDT

 

Kentucky officials have offered more than $20 million in tax breaks and parking discounts to retain Omnicare Inc.    But Covington City Manager Larry Klein fears the offer will fall short of a $30 million package that Ohio is believed to be offering.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2011/09/09/battle-heats-up-over-omnicares-hq.html

Aren't these states and schools suffering from all the tax breaks giving to companies in the past???

Yes, that is the problem, the pie shrinks for everyone.  The only winners are the corporations.

Some healthy competition between NKY and Cincy has produced good results over the years, but this seems like just a race to the bottom.

A re-post from the general economic forum, good news for Cincy and Ohio, a net loss for the region though. 

 

 

Omnicare will move to Cincinnati

Business Courier

Date: Monday, September 19, 2011, 12:24pm EDT - Last Modified: Monday, September 19, 2011, 2:05pm EDT

Kristin Davenport

 

Omnicare Inc. will move its corporate headquarters to downtown Cincinnati, the company announced today.

 

The pharmaceutical services firm will begin to leave its current HQ, in Covington's RiverCenter, in December. The move will be completed in June 2012, the company said. Nearly 500 Omnicare employees will make the transition to the new headquarters. Over the next few years, Omnicare anticipates expanding its total employee base in Cincinnati by at least 150 employees.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2011/09/19/omnicare-will-move-to-cincinnati.html

 

Look at the competition as a good thing. Better to have the decision come down between Cincinnati an Covington as opposed to Cincinnati and Charlotte. It is no big gain of jobs but no loss either.  Even though the cities area playing off each other for the same jobs, a company like Omnicare is also doing its due dilligence and soliciting offers from other cities in the US, especially ones where they have an operational base already.

Fifth and Race is another spot that the city can really influence development of.  No luck there yet. 

I'd argue that the city never tried to develop 5th and race after tearing down what was there and pissing nordstrom's off. 3cdc has only made a half way effort as they have undertaking smaller projects in otr. Still, the city or new port authority could do all sorts of things to get it developed. tax exemptions, port authority issued bonds and flexibility on multiple uses could all make a difference as commercial real estate begins to return. I think a plan for developing it in stages starting with mid-rise condos and maybe a hotel might do well. That wouldn't interfere with the market for more apartments in the Banks.

I'd argue that the city never tried to develop 5th and race after tearing down what was there and pissing nordstrom's off. 3cdc has only made a half way effort as they have undertaking smaller projects in otr. Still, the city or new port authority could do all sorts of things to get it developed. tax exemptions, port authority issued bonds and flexibility on multiple uses could all make a difference as commercial real estate begins to return. I think a plan for developing it in stages starting with mid-rise condos and maybe a hotel might do well. That wouldn't interfere with the market for more apartments in the Banks.

 

Read more: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,2772.5490.html#ixzz1dGAXD8fW

 

The City was very close several times and had development agreements with several different parties.  The deal with McAlpins died at the 11th hour due to the McAlpins/May Stores acquisition (and I believe later bankruptcy), then the Nordstrom deal, and then Western-Southern/Eagle had it under development agreement for several years.  I am sure I can remember more details if I put my mind to it.  No way anyone is building condos anywhere anytime soon.

 

 

We ended up with zero new department stores, but if you remember, we came quite close to getting two.  In addition to the Nordstrom site, they were also hoping for a new department store at 3rd & Race (Maisson-Blanche, I think).  The focus on Race St. continued with the first streetcar proposals connecting Findlay Market with Downtown straight down Race & Elm.   

 

 

I think in the end the city is doing things the right way now, even if they didn't plan it this way 20 years ago. They are starting to think about infrastructure and actual city building, rather than chasing marquee projects like department stores. To clarify, in my mind there are smart pursuits:

 

Transportation policy and infrastructure

Correct zoning

Parks and greenspace

Tax policy

TIF and Empowerment Zones

Financing assistance, block grants, bridge loans, etc

 

...and the not-so-smart:

 

Stadiums

Department stores

Downtown malls

Skyscrapers

Big corporate tax breaks

"Identity," theming, slogans, etc

The legacy of Qualls will be that she was the first person to start tilting the conversation in the direction you're speaking of.  She's a big reason why our stadium project was combined with a real city project and didn't simply replicate Riverfront. 

The legacy of Qualls will be that she was the first person to start tilting the conversation in the direction you're speaking of.  She's a big reason why our stadium project was combined with a real city project and didn't simply replicate Riverfront. 

 

We'll see what she can do with the bridgedoggle/75-widening. She's been the one paying lip service to tying it to neighborhood redevelopment. So far, it's just talk, from what I can tell.

I think in the end the city is doing things the right way now, even if they didn't plan it this way 20 years ago. They are starting to think about infrastructure and actual city building, rather than chasing marquee projects like department stores. To clarify, in my mind there are smart pursuits:

 

Transportation policy and infrastructure

Correct zoning

Parks and greenspace

Tax policy

TIF and Empowerment Zones

Financing assistance, block grants, bridge loans, etc

 

...and the not-so-smart:

 

Stadiums

Department stores

Downtown malls

Skyscrapers

Big corporate tax breaks

"Identity," theming, slogans, etc

 

Great post, Civvik; one to really think about!  Just one question, though, concerning your "not-so-smart" list--the very last one mentioning "slogans," etc.  Absolutely no disagreement here--we're all probably tired of the relentless and useless "naming" (the "Blue Chip City," etc.).  However, I sense that something important may be emerging here in the Queen City--and that is that the city just could develop as a "Mecca of Marketing," considering the powerful presence of P & G, Kroger, and Macy's, etc.  So, briefly, what are your thoughts here?  In no way do I want to hijack this thread by taking off on this idea, but I really would like to hear from those of you "in-the-know" (perhaps in another thread) if such a development is realistic or feasible?

I think in the end the city is doing things the right way now, even if they didn't plan it this way 20 years ago. They are starting to think about infrastructure and actual city building, rather than chasing marquee projects like department stores. To clarify, in my mind there are smart pursuits:

 

Transportation policy and infrastructure

Correct zoning

Parks and greenspace

Tax policy

TIF and Empowerment Zones

Financing assistance, block grants, bridge loans, etc

 

...and the not-so-smart:

 

Stadiums

Department stores

Downtown malls

Skyscrapers

Big corporate tax breaks

"Identity," theming, slogans, etc

 

Great post, Civvik; one to really think about!  Just one question, though, concerning your "not-so-smart" list--the very last one mentioning "slogans," etc.  Absolutely no disagreement here--we're all probably tired of the relentless and useless "naming" (the "Blue Chip City," etc.).  However, I sense that something important may be emerging here in the Queen City--and that is that the city just could develop as a "Mecca of Marketing," considering the powerful presence of P & G, Kroger, and Macy's, etc.  So, briefly, what are your thoughts here?  In no way do I want to hijack this thread by taking off on this idea, but I really would like to hear from those of you "in-the-know" (perhaps in another thread) if such a development is realistic or feasible?

 

Probably best for another thread, not sure which one though. I'm not a mod anymore. :P

The legacy of Qualls will be that she was the first person to start tilting the conversation in the direction you're speaking of.  She's a big reason why our stadium project was combined with a real city project and didn't simply replicate Riverfront. 

 

We'll see what she can do with the bridgedoggle/75-widening. She's been the one paying lip service to tying it to neighborhood redevelopment. So far, it's just talk, from what I can tell.

 

The state DOT (aka the asphalt mafia...no really, if you've ever worked with these guys, for the most part, you'd understand) is a very, very big boy in the sandbox, and he likes things to go his way. However, there is precedent for working with them; The Banks was a good example of that. Some DOT's are more sophisticated than others, depending on who the current secretary is. Pennsylvania, for example, recently had a very sophisticated secretary, and a lot has been done there to get their DOT away from zombie-road-widening.

 

In Ohio, I'm not sure what will happen now that we have an asphalt boy back in charge. To be sure, high oil and material costs in the 2000's helped more sophisticated transportation secretaries push their agendas forward. I can say, however, that you can't do much better than Qualls to put in the ring with these guys, she is one of those people who "really gets it" in terms of linking transportation and good city building.

the "Blue Chip City,"

 

Who remembers the Laura Pulfer-era "Let the Spirit Move You".  That slogan was introduced a month or two before the riot, which is why it was never proliferated. 

 

I mean, we used to have 200,000 people reading columns by...Laura Pulfer, and can't figure out why our population is so massively uninformed. 

Another thing I noticed while living there is that Cincinnatians overall are quite intelligent. In order to hoodwink them, it takes a level of manipulation much higher than it would to fool the general population. Because of that, they have get all these "Great Manipulators" that are good at tripletalk, being extra slimy, work very hard and maximize the use of every connection they have available in order to sway opinions. It's one of the main reasons Cincinnati politics is so zany if you ask me. Washington D.C. city politics is the same way with all those politicos and highly educated people around. In the City of Columbus things are pretty straightforward because we don't have slimeballs trying to hijack the discourse all the time -- those people hang around the Statehouse instead!

When I lived in the south, I couldn't believe how naive the population was.  Generally, people are most easily tricked by their own sons (for example, in the north whites are good at spotting slimy black leadership and vice verse, but it's also specific religions and neighborhoods).  Having some yankee point out the various swindles their favorite sons were pulling on them was total meltdown.  In the south there's a total cultural aversion to criticizing the south in even the most superficial respect, and there is no culture of facts.  It's all folksy emotion, except for the 1/2 percent of the population that figured out how to exploit it and does so with complete impugnity.

 

When I lived in Knoxville, the mayor was George Bush's old college roommate.  When Bush got in the white house, he was named ambassador to Pogo-Pogo or someplace like that.  Immediately -- like within a year -- downtown began its meteoric rebound.  That's because the mayor's brother was the area's top suburban real estate developer and had the mayor kill downtown on purpose right after the 1982 World's Fair.  When that in at city hall evaporated, the (cough) free market was allowed to run its course. 

 

When I lived in the south, I couldn't believe how naive the population was.  Generally, people are most easily tricked by their own sons (for example, in the north whites are good at spotting slimy black leadership and vice verse, but it's also specific religions and neighborhoods).  Having some yankee point out the various swindles their favorite sons were pulling on them was total meltdown.  In the south there's a total cultural aversion to criticizing the south in even the most superficial respect, and there is no culture of facts.  It's all folksy emotion, except for the 1/2 percent of the population that figured out how to exploit it and does so with complete impugnity.

 

When I was an investment adviser, one of my co-workers was a girl from Tennessee (this was in Columbus). She basically couldn't go home and drum up business down there because they wouldn't talk about money with someone they "sort of" knew for the reasons that you mentioned. I guess she turned into a Yankee when she decided to attend OSU.

Fox Sports Ohio moves to downtown Cincinnati

Broadcaster's space in 600 Vine building will include studio for planned productions

Business Courier by Tom Demeropolis, Staff Reporter

Date: Friday, January 6, 2012, 6:00am EST

 

The regional office of Fox Sports Ohio is moving downtown to get closer to the action.  The broadcast group will relocate to Center at 600 Vine from its space on Cornell Park Drive in Blue Ash.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2012/01/06/fox-sports-ohio-moves-to-downtown.html

 

 

Keating, Muething & Klekamp shops for new Cincinnati space

Business Courier by Tom Demeropolis, Staff Reporter

Date: Friday, January 20, 2012, 6:00am EST

 

 

One of Cincinnati’s largest law firms is on the hunt for new office space.

 

Keating, Muething & Klekamp PLL, the 105-attorney law firm, is scouring the central business district for 80,000 to 90,000 square feet of space. KMK’s lease at One East Fourth Street runs to 2014, but the firm is testing the waters because tenants currently have the upper hand in today’s downtown real estate negotiations.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2012/01/20/keating-muething-klekamp-shops-for.html

Fox Sports Ohio moves to downtown Cincinnati

Broadcaster's space in 600 Vine building will include studio for planned productions

Business Courier by Tom Demeropolis, Staff Reporter

Date: Friday, January 6, 2012, 6:00am EST

 

The regional office of Fox Sports Ohio is moving downtown to get closer to the action.  The broadcast group will relocate to Center at 600 Vine from its space on Cornell Park Drive in Blue Ash.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2012/01/06/fox-sports-ohio-moves-to-downtown.html

 

 

 

I am surprised to see the current office is in Blue Ash.

I'm not, it's Fox.  :-D

A few articles on the URS tower and the namesake tenant moving to 525 Vine........

 

URS will leave downtown Cincinnati namesake building

Engineering firm heads to 525 Vine

Business Courier by Jon Newberry, Staff Reporter

Date: Friday, March 2, 2012, 6:00am EST - Last Modified: Friday, March 2, 2012, 8:49am EST

 

Downtown Cincinnati’s game of musical chairs continues, with URS Corp.’s    signing of a new lease at 525 Vine, for office space previously occupied by Great American Insurance Co. 

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2012/03/02/urs-will-leave-downtown-cincinnati.html

Cincinnati's URS Center faces foreclosure

Business Courier by Jon Newberry, Staff Reporter

Date: Friday, March 2, 2012, 6:00am EST

 

As URS Corp. prepares to move out of its namesake downtown Cincinnati tower, the URS Center faces a foreclosure lawsuit, filed last year by creditors.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2012/03/02/cincinnatis-urs-center-faces.html