January 31, 20241 yr https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2024/01/30/cincinnatis-iconic-carew-tower-may-reopen-famous-observation-deck/72412365007/ I think the enquirer peeps are stalking us. Mentions developer is working with the Cincinnati buildings and fire department for a way to reopen the observation deck safely .
January 31, 20241 yr 8 hours ago, tabasco said: You are correct. It was actually kind of a bizarre set-up because you were free to roam those few floors. You took a regular elevator to the 43rd~ floor, then switched to a tiny elevator to the 45th floor, then had to walk up about 25 steps. Also, admission to the deck was cash-only. The lady who worked up there could have been holding court but seemed completely indifferent to her crazy job. Compare what we had to the too-slick gimmicky observation decks going up in NYC and elsewhere.
January 31, 20241 yr 17 hours ago, ucgrady said: the other idea, which would probably never fly with historic even though its on the 'back' side of the tower is to stick an exterior elevator up the side where the windows are already filled in. Similar to the exterior glass elevators on Peachtree plaza in Atlanta or the Ruth's Chris tower in Louisville I like this idea, and I think it could be designed in a way that would get approved by the state historic preservation office (SHPO). Especially if the design is modern, to make a clear demarcation between the old and new. SHPO doesn't like additions/modifications that confuse old with new, but they're willing to accept "clearly modern" additions that don't detract from the historic fabric. Since it's not on a primary facade and would be hard to see from the street, I think SHPO would be open to it. One technical challenge would be the fact that there's a "step in" for the top 9 floors. But that could also be designed for. But I bet that would be a very expensive elevator. Probably cheaper to create an interior elevator shaft.
September 12, 2024Sep 12 Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority agrees to deal with Carew Tower developer By Chris Wetterich – Staff reporter and columnist, Cincinnati Business Courier Sep 12, 2024 The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority will help the developer of the Carew Tower acquire construction materials without paying sales taxes on it. The Sept. 11 vote on the pre-development agreement is the latest signal that the potential $175 million project is going forward. “This is one of my favorite buildings,” said Todd Castellini, the Port’s senior vice president for public finance and capital strategy. “At long last it’s finally being renovated.” MORE
September 13, 2024Sep 13 There are a lot of massive buildings being developed right now in the downtown core. Carew - 375 Apartments, 10 condo units Mercantile - 172 Apartments Fourth and Walnut - 280 Room Hotel Traction Building - 150 Room Hotel PNC Tower - 281 Apartments Gwynn Building - 180 Room Hotel Convention Center Hotel - 800 Rooms Then the FC Cincinnati development. Any other big ones I am missing? Total: 828 Apartments 1,410 Hotel Rooms This is going to add a LOT to vibrancy around the new "Fountain District" and downtown overall. Not sure what all is left and unoccupied but hopefully this will eventually push for the caps on FWW. Edited September 13, 2024Sep 13 by IAGuy39
September 13, 2024Sep 13 7 minutes ago, Cincy513 said: Former Macy's hq is another big apartment conversion. 341 apartments in Macy's last i heard.
September 14, 2024Sep 14 9 hours ago, IAGuy39 said: Carew - 375 Apartments, 10 condo units I must have missed this news, but interesting that they’re developing 10 of the units as condos.
September 14, 2024Sep 14 1 hour ago, taestell said: I must have missed this news, but interesting that they’re developing 10 of the units as condos. Sorry I should have had more clarity and meant to then failed to edit but it was 10 short term corporate condo units is what the story said. So guessing that’s short term employees coming in and companies leasing them out
November 21, 2024Nov 21 Author Planning Commission advances public incentives for $175M Carew Tower project A critical public financing mechanism for Carew Tower’s $175 million redevelopment will soon go before Cincinnati City Council. The Cincinnati Planning Commission voted last week to advance the city’s purchase of the Carew Tower from, and resale to, the developer planning its renovation. The sale of the property on 1.928 acres at 441 Vine St. downtown must still be approved by city council. Getting the city in the title chain for the property is necessary to put in place tax-increment financing, or TIF, incentives. TIFs allow developers to capture the taxed value of future improvements to the property and reinvest them back into the development. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/11/21/carew-tower-downtown-redevelopment-tif-financing.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 22, 2024Nov 22 On 11/21/2024 at 2:09 PM, ColDayMan said: Planning Commission advances public incentives for $175M Carew Tower project A critical public financing mechanism for Carew Tower’s $175 million redevelopment will soon go before Cincinnati City Council. The Cincinnati Planning Commission voted last week to advance the city’s purchase of the Carew Tower from, and resale to, the developer planning its renovation. The sale of the property on 1.928 acres at 441 Vine St. downtown must still be approved by city council. Getting the city in the title chain for the property is necessary to put in place tax-increment financing, or TIF, incentives. TIFs allow developers to capture the taxed value of future improvements to the property and reinvest them back into the development. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/11/21/carew-tower-downtown-redevelopment-tif-financing.html The amount of different approvals needed is astonishing. Is this typical or just a Cincinnati thing?
November 25, 2024Nov 25 On 11/22/2024 at 4:38 PM, Ucgrad2015 said: The amount of different approvals needed is astonishing. Is this typical or just a Cincinnati thing? It's not typical because neither is this project. There is public money from the city and from the state, a public entity buying the property for sales tax reasons the selling it back, historic approvals and many other layers that are not typical. It's also one building from a code and structural perspective but with multiple owners inside it that have be condoized. The short answer is that if a developer has a project that is 'as of right' with zoning and they aren't requesting public money/tax incentive/assistance the process can be very quick and our city's building department isn't onerous compared to others I've dealt with.
December 9, 2024Dec 9 The other night I came over the hill and with both the Carew Tower and Central Trust Tower hidden in darkness, the dominance of the bird cage tower made the whole skyline so lopsided that it looked like an eastbound lake freighter.
December 11, 2024Dec 11 Thanks for sharing! I really hope the renovation is successful. It's such a large project, I'm nervous the financing will be difficult and it'll get value engineered down to underwhelming finishes. It "deserves" to be something special. Hoping the developers are able to make it work!
December 11, 2024Dec 11 Are they going to wash the exterior brick or is that even possible? That would, I think, make it really stand out and look much better at least from the outside. I know they are tuckpointing all the bricks.
December 12, 2024Dec 12 Hadn't been to the CBD lately. Funny, when I looked at CT the other day, I felt like it may have already been power washed.
December 13, 2024Dec 13 13 hours ago, anusthemenace said: Hopefully they decide to paint it a nice charcoal grey. No!!!
December 13, 2024Dec 13 On 1/30/2024 at 11:10 PM, Lazarus said: You took a regular elevator to the 43rd~ floor, then switched to a tiny elevator to the 45th floor, then had to walk up about 25 steps. Also, admission to the deck was cash-only. The lady who worked up there could have been holding court but seemed completely indifferent to her crazy job. Compare what we had to the too-slick gimmicky observation decks going up in NYC and elsewhere. Terminal Tower is similar, you take an elevator to 32 and a smaller one up to 42. But you pay online (maybe in the lobby).
May 13May 13 Author Carew Tower redevelopment: $33 million in incentives for a building that ‘has really come to symbolize the city’Cincinnati City Council members likely will approve a major financing and development agreement with the owner of Carew Tower, the iconic but mostly vacant former office skyscraper that stands prominently in the city’s skyline.Council’s budget and finance committee advanced the measure on Monday, May 12, with a final vote expected May 14. Victrix, a firm headed by New York-based developer Anoop Dave, is leading the project, which could cost up to $175 million and bring 375 market-rate apartments and 10 units of short-term corporate housing. The project also includes nearly 65,000 square feet of commercial space in the first three floors.The incentive set to be granted by City Council is a 30-year project-specific tax-increment financing district. The property taxes the developer would otherwise pay on improvements made to the building will instead be channeled back to the project, minus payments in lieu of taxes paid to both Cincinnati Public Schools and the Cincinnati Connector streetcar operations fund.More below:https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/05/12/carew-tower-redevelopment-project.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
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