I was referring to the crappy abandoned ones in this picture, they are huge eyesores. I think ME or somebody has already rehabbed the 4th and 6th buildings in the pic, the others need some love.

 

^ I think rehabbing those buildings should be a priority for the city, among other things.  For many people, including first time visitors, it's the first thing they see when they exit I-75.  I assume the eyesore buildings have unreasonable asking prices and/or  would be expensive rehabs.  There's also the issue of parking for the buildings.  However,  you would think the area could support the rehabs and, perhaps, even demand it.  The "Flats District", as Huff likes to call it, is pretty much built out and packed with residents.

^^That last building to your right in the pic above is apartments that are being converted to condos, according to Huff.

Hey that looks like it should be our new entertainment district. Although the interior may not be properly set up for that.

There's a lot of nice spaces right there - it seems ripe for some additional entertainment/retail.  It's a cool little area. 

Hey that looks like it should be our new entertainment district. Although the interior may not be properly set up for that.

 

I've always looked at Walnut as a cornerstone for an entertainment district.

There's a lot of nice spaces right there - it seems ripe for some additional entertainment/retail.  It's a cool little area. 

 

Agree, drop Nick Spencer an email.  I know he was looking for locations for alchemize.  Isn't there a bar down there now?  You put another two and it could turn that area into a hotspot.

^The old Spy Club space is now The Poison Room

Topic was split from "Parker Flats Thread".  Discuss...

In the Parker Flats thread, I wrote :

"That area in the West Fourt Historic District is great. I lived on West 5th.  You already have Tina's and Plum Street Tavern and the old Spy Club space.  Back in the day, there were two gay bars - one on Plum and one of 5th (the Levinson Bros. Building I believe) - in the neighborhood.  I think the parking lot across from 4th & Plum would be great for a small park, maybe a hotel with some restaurant/bar space, as well as residential condo/apartments and it could become one of the best "neighborhoods" of downtown."

 

To me, a couple of factors can lend to this area being an entertainment district but those qualities make it a great neighborhood in which to live as well so if they can co exist then all the better.  A few additional thoughts.

 

1. It is relatively isolated from "problem areas" but connected to downtown, convention center, Paul Brown Stadium, etc.  The Convention Center and highway serve as a buffer to north and west respectfully which has its advantages.

 

2. There is an already growing mass of residences to support some dining and bars.  Think what a "Gramercy" like apartment or condo development (150+ units) could do in this block:

 

3. Make Plum Street between 5th and 3rd two-way!  It will facilitate this view and is wide enough you possibly could do a median down the center in this block:

 

4. The entire area is a National Register Historic District and tax credits are available I believe.

 

Some photos of the neighborhood:

 

http://www.pbase.com/ballhatguy/west_fourth_street&page=1

Here is another one:

 

I love those giant windows in that third building from the right. Imagine the view :)

Here is my 1 minute sketch illustrating my concept, developing the park with residential around to hide the ugly parking garage:

^There are endless possibilities for that lot.  I agree with the extension of Perry St. to Home and then a significant narrowing of Plum St. since it is essentially a side street, maybe as narrow as Perry.  Home could be widened or even moved 100ft. west so that a building could back up against the existing garage.  Also, the pathetic building at the northeast corner of the block could be demolished and Perry could be slanted up to hit 5th at a diagonal, improving visibility of the area. 

 

What's great about this area is that it has a ton of interstate traffic visibility but it is actually pretty cozy and pedestrian friendly. 

 

A little pocket park of sorts (like your Plum and 4th location) would really bring this growing neighborhood to life!

One of my Fraternity bro's lives at 4th and Plum apartments...he loves it there...he walks to work everyday, he can see the bengals games from his window ( at least the south endzone :wink: ). This neighborhood could really grow into something neat...

With the Poison Club on the corner it wouldn't be hard to grow this area into an entertainment district.  The area is pretty safe for pedestrian traffic, it is off 4th which is more of a residential area.  You could place some neons around the buildings, put a little park in the area and advertising wouldn't been that hard with the interstate passing by it.

 

Anyone know what some of these buildings are selling for?  I remember Nick posting the price of a building on Main Street (CBD) that was going for around $700,000.  I would imagine these properties would be a far better deal for investors.

With the residential nature of 4th st. I get the whole park idea.It sounds sensible/practicle etc.Why can't this town think bigger, bolder,just be friggin audacious?What ever happened to talk of the Beer Hall of Fame? this seems like a perfect place for that.It could go right next to the Bootsy Collins/Peter Frampton HOUSE OF Blues (or funk).All of your suggestions are great and preferable to what is there now.

Around 1988, 89, 90 or so 4th Street was sort of an art gallery district.  A number of those storefronts on the westernmost block of 4th where gallery spaces....i guess the idea was to develope lofts above them, or more galleries.

 

For some reason this scene petered out and the street is pretty dead now.

 

 

It's hard to believe that those buildings look like that considering its in a prime location. The owners probably want an arm and a leg for them.

Oh, and you'll need a coffeehouse.

 

http://www.kisscoffeehouse.com/locations.htm

>One of my Fraternity bro's lives at 4th and Plum apartments...he loves it there...he walks to work everyday, he can see the bengals games from his window ( at least the south endzone  ).

 

Yeah, one of my friends from high school lived there for a few years.  There was always a decent amount of partying going on in that building and the roof pool was really cool.  I remember we used to throw beer bottles off his balcony across the alley onto the roof of that next building all the time.   

Around 1988, 89, 90 or so 4th Street was sort of an art gallery district.  A number of those storefronts on the westernmost block of 4th where gallery spaces....i guess the idea was to develope lofts above them, or more galleries.

 

For some reason this scene petered out and the street is pretty dead now.

 

It was that way back in 1980.  Some of us skipped school one day and headed downtown.  A good part of the day was walking through the galleries on 4th.

 

Not quite Ferris Beuller, but we had a good time.

^ahhh the good old days :roll:

Nick is talking about moving Alchemize to Covington on his blog @ http://nickspencer.blogspot.com.

 

I would prefer to keep our nightlife on the Ohio side, what do you guys think? 

 

This is what I envision as the logo for the district (first draft)

 

Awww man nick could atleast keep the venue in the same city... Cool logo too.. and a catchy name brand for a district...West Fifth. Did anyone write Nick and ask him if he considered that area?

There was a good article in Friday's Business Courier about West 4th Street.  Perhaps somebody with access to it online can post it here (I merely read the paper copies from my work).

^ Hmm, I couldn't find the article.

 

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/latestnews.html

The story is here: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/12/18/story3.html

 

But it is not letting me log in right now  :(

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/12/18/story3.html

 

Revitalizing with a Bang

Club owners entertain plans to develop West Fourth Street

Cincinnati Business Courier - December 15, 2006by Laura BavermanStaff Reporter

 

 

Josh Heuser calls his latest nightclub venture, Bang, a wake-up call for the city of Cincinnati.

 

Heuser, who helped found and run Main Street's Club Clau and Covington's Continental Lounge, and partner Nick Grammas, an investor in The Exchange on Main Street, are leading the charge for a group of business owners trying to develop an entertainment district on downtown's West Fourth Street.

 

 

The area's past life featured gallery hops and artists' studios, but its storefronts now sit mostly vacant. Today, signs of life in the Fourth Street district come from residential development. JFP Group and Madison Marquette are finishing The McAlpin condos. Middle Earth Developers' 55-unit Parker Flats loft condominium high-rise is under construction and the firm recently renovated Kinsey Flats into 25 loft apartments.

 

Heuser and Grammas, and a group of interested business owners, including Beluga restaurant owner Michael Hama, hope entertainment and retail venues are the street's next tenants.

 

"Charlie Luken put the big push on Vine Street, but the city has to have a backbone, and we believe Fourth is the backbone," Heuser said.

 

He hopes to create a unique district similar to Louisville's Fourth Street Live or Columbus's Arena District, but with its own flavor. "This can be the young, energetic, YP block for Cincinnati."

 

The pair recently secured a liquor license and a building permit to pump $400,000 into the first floor of 314 W. Fourth St. - the former studio of Cincinnati arts veteran Carl Soloway. Hama is interested in space across the street for a new restaurant concept. And Heuser and Grammas also hope to open a "posh rock" bar called Mainstay next to Bang, with funding from a high-profile local celebrity.

 

The three new establishments would join local bars Tina's, Poison Room, Head First, Fourth & Plum and Federal Reserve in creating a cohesive entertainment destination along the southwest end of downtown.

 

Bang, which will span 6,000 square feet, is the first step.

 

The co-owners will showcase the space next week to business and community leaders, the media and potential investors. But come late February, the club will open to the public every Wednesday and Saturday night, with charity events and private parties on Fridays.

 

Nick moved his bar to Northside.  3929 Spring Grove Ave.

Let's see how long before these guys end up shutting this place down

 

it was what....18 months for Club Clau and 12 months for The Continental Lounge?

I believe this is where the nightlife of the city should be located.  Even if they don't stay open long and can at least stir up business to the area, I will call it a success.

^ Oh, I agree.  They just seem to have an interesting business plan.

Man are we just brilliant on here or what....I mean didn't we discuss this over 6 months ago?!?!  About time the Cincinnati scene caught on to our discussions.

Either that or perhaps they read UrbanOhio.  Hmmm...

This is very encouraging. I think w/ a revived Fountain Square district, this entertainment district idea could thrive given how close it is.  It seems OTR was doing ok until safety became an issue.  That probably won't be an issue in this part of town. 

Man are we just brilliant on here or what....I mean didn't we discuss this over 6 months ago?!?!  About time the Cincinnati scene caught on to our discussions.

 

Us UrbanOhio forumers...we're the illuminati of Ohio politics. We're the masterminds of every great idea and the catalyst of every progressive thing Ohio does. Unfortunately, we will never get any credit for it.

 

Haha I seriously wouldn't doubt that very important people come on this forum and gank all of the intellectual property we expose with each post :]

Regardless if people were lurking on here and got the hint to make it happen, I am glad that it is a step in the direction we were all looking for.  Over-the-Rhine has evolved and is no longer the "nightlife area" of Cincinnati and that probably makes the residents of OTR happy.

I agree, it's still great that the information gets out there.

 

OTR needs something more sustainable than nightlife anyway (businesses that operate all day, not just at night on certain days..). 

 

It's good that they're looking into 4th/5th street though because our #1 ranking in nightlife was based on population numbers and those numbers just got a boost.

Let's see how long before these guys end up shutting this place down

 

it was what....18 months for Club Clau and 12 months for The Continental Lounge?

 

I am all for development of the 4th St. area, but.....I agree, these guys have a sketchy record at best and never really fessed up as to why they really closed Club Clau.

if they build a streetcar that goes up elm and down race, that would be great for this area.  Does middle earth have plans for the parking lot between fourth and fifth across from the convention center?

I was referring to the crappy abandoned ones in this picture, they are huge eyesores. I think ME or somebody has already rehabbed the 4th and 6th buildings in the pic, the others need some love.

 

 

Wow, that's some serious blight and some serious opportunity. Luckily, none of those buidings have been torn down.  How is the immediate neighborhood?

^ Actually the photo makes the area look worse then reality.  The area around this cluster of buildings is safe, close to Fountain Square, across the street from the convention center and right in the heart of residential loft conversions.

 

BTW, are there any properties on the market right now between 4th/5th & Plum, if so what is the asking price?

At 335 W. Fifth, there are 22 condos listed between $125k - $280k.  By my count on the MLS, 7 are sold.  However, I toured this building on the downtown tour of living and in my opinion the finishes are going to be a drag on the sales of these units.  Acres of carpet, 90s style cabinets, and nothing particularly sexy or unique about them.

I was actually interested in what one of those blighted buildings would go for, not a remodeled loft.

Mr. Josh Heuser was on the news this morning promoting the area as the "Soapbox District".  Can someone explain the name?  Are there some historic ties to the name that I don't know about?

I saw that as well and thought it was just awful. As far as I know, there's no historic precedent. I think it was just dreamed up by these dudes.

 

I suppose it's possible that at some point in the 19th century there were dry goods manufacturers or stores in the area, and that these either made or distributed soaps or soapboxes, so maybe there's some tenuous connection.

 

But to hear this guy say it, the Soapbox District is a place for young people in Cincinnati to "have a voice" or somesuch nonsense. Really, guy? You sat around and thought about this and, presumably, ran it by your associates and friends, and then you and everyone agreed that it sounded good? Huh.

 

Unless this fellow has a personality cult with which I am not familiar, there is no way that name sticks. If there really is a reason to call it the Soapbox District, well, I am prepared to be enlightened. But I'll still think it's a silly name.

"Cincinnati: Would West 5th/4th Make a Good Entertainment District?"

 

if any city would name a street West 5th/4th, Cincinnati would be the one to do it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:-P