Is that pic above with the orange barrels a latrine pit? That could be some cool investigating!

 

I was thinking access to a sub-basement. Something like this.

http://www.otrbrewerydistrict.org/about_news_080307_wxix_tunnels.php

 

Who know what's underground on that site! There so much subterranean infrastructure that's been completely forgotten, I don't think anything they found there would surprise.

What I've heard so far is the shaft goes down ±20' then turns somewhere.  There was a brewery on that side of the block from 1855-1866, though I don't know if it's on the right location.  The neighborhood has numerous lagering cellars that were not located under breweries, as well as many other storage cellars.  It's very common that buildings were demolished just to the first basement and paved over.

Having grown up in OTR in the late 60's to early 80's I remember a garage in the alley parallel to mercer and 13th (we never called the alleys by their names,they were collectively known as the "middle alleys") anyway, this garage was simply a storage area for tires.Every so often you would see this old truck piled sky high with tires bringing another load which would be dumped in this storage/garage area. Ah.....the memories

There is steel in the ground for the new Mercer Commons building/parking garage:

 

 

You can also check out the rest of the pictures I took today and back on August 21.

Partial building collapse on Mercer this morning.

wow... This better be able to be rebuilt. I know the building at the SW corner of 13th and Clay had an entire wall collapse during construction and they managed to rebuilt it. Is this a similar situation that can be fixed?

 

Hopefully it was an accidental collapse and not an "accidental collapse"...

They took out a couple of port-a-lets as well in the process. When I went by, the "claw" machine still had a pile of bricks on its roof. It seems like an unplanned mess. Lots of green vests standing around with clipboards. It's really too bad.

Update from Margo at CPA:

 

As you've probably heard by now, one of the Mercer Commons buildings under renovation apparently was hit by a piece of equipment and had a facade collapse. The architect told me the developer is committed to saving the building; they've already had a structural engineer look at it and have contacted the OHPO about amending the tax credit application.

For reference, here's my photo of this building from August 21:

 

The rumor is they were working very close to the building and a hose or rope that was attached to the fire escape of the building got caught in the excavator.  The rope or hose was pulled by the excavator and basically ripped off the facade.  Pretty crazy.

 

They have already brought in people to work on restoring it.  It doesn't sound like full demolition is an option.

I love seeing development of communities like these. I especially love seeing the old wood windows being restored. My company specializes in restoring buildings both commercial and residential. We are currently working on a building in OTR and the area is absolutely amazing. I cant wait to see what the area continues to develop into.

 

City Council expected to take up funding of Phase 2 of Mercer this week.  If it passes (which is expected) Phase 2 will start before the end of the year, would be expected to open no more than 3-4 months after Phase 1. 67 apartments, 30 of which are income restricted, 30 are market rate.  Some of the income restrictions are high enough that a young person who works full time at something like a small coffee shop could apply as well. 

Some of the income restrictions are high enough that a young person who works full time at something like a small coffee shop could apply as well.

 

Who coordinates the income-restricted apartment applications? Do applicants go through a social service agency or directly through the owner or manager of the property?

I think that's part of the whole McCormack Barron Salazar partnership 3CDC keeps talking about. They will run the whole thing, it's their specialty.

Some construction photos from today. Not a whole lot to look at, just the foundation and beginnings of the parking garage.

An update with some new pictures of the project taken last week:

 

PHOTOS: Mercer Commons Beginning to Reshape Central Over-the-Rhine

 

Mercer Commons has long been considered a critically important site in Over-the-Rhine due to its size and central location.

 

In 2005, Cincinnati Public Schools purchased the land and existing buildings on the 2.2-acre site with the plan to rebuild the shuttered Washington Park Elementary School there.

 

As plans changed over the years, the school district decided to abandon the school plans for the site and instead sell it to the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) to pursue a $63 million mixed-use development.

Mercer Commons' third phase to include office space: EXCLUSIVE

Chris Wetterich Staff reporter- Cincinnati Business Courier

 

 

The hunger for office space in Over-the-Rhine could be somewhat sated with the third phase of the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation’s (3CDC) Mercer Commons development.

 

The next phase of Mercer Commons will infill space between Mercer Street on the south end and 14th Street on the north end and between buildings that border Vine Street on the west and Walnut Street on the east. There is a large parking lot between Rodney and Boots alleys on the east and west and 14th and Mercer streets on the north and south.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2013/09/06/mercer-commons-third-phase-to-include.html

U.S. Bank partners with 3CDC to finance Mercer Commons

Erin Caproni Digital Producer- Cincinnati Business Courier

 

 

U.S. Bank is partnering with Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) to finance another part of its Mercer Commons project in Over-the-Rhine.

 

The bank and 3CDC closed Friday on more than $2.4 million in New Markets Tax Credits that will support 10,600 square feet of commercial space in the mixed-use development.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2013/09/13/us-bank-partners-with-3cdc-to.html

Some steel up on the Walnut St. side of the project.

This is going to make Walnut Street feel totally different. There is essentially no retail on Walnut between 12th and Liberty currently.

Yep.  Honestly, I think this may be the linchpin of OTR south of liberty.  It's going to really change Walnut, which is the one street that has seemed sort of passed over by all that has occurred so far in OTR. 

Very exciting!

The sidewalk on Vine Street in front of Mercer Commons has reopened. It has a new streetscape that matches the rest of the Gateway Quarter.

 

Also, the new building on Walnut (see 4 posts up) is coming along too.  Hopefully I can get some photos and post them soon.

Photos from 11/30/13:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the building that was damaged last year, it appears to have made a full recovery:

 

 

 

 

 

3CDC posted some photos from inside the new condos along Vine Street:

 

 

That is one bad ass kitchen with a killer view!

 

That kitchen is the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

I really like the chosen materials in these units. Obviously you're getting a higher quality at those prices...but they look fantastic. The aluminum tile backsplash is something I'm going to have to consider now for my own place.

You guys need to get out more.  Those are just standard commercial-grade laminate/veneer cabinets and mediocre appliances.  Nothing is the least bit integrated either.  I'm more interested in what, if any, sort of window treatments are going to be installed.  Because, you know, what if you like to cook naked?  I hope you like having an audience.  :)

^Are you sure. It's difficult to tell the quality of cabinets from photos but one of the sales reps for OTR Living mentioned Flottemesch Cabinets. Maybe she was mistaken, but if she was correct then there is no way in hell they're cheap.

They look like IKEA cabinets to me, which are relatively inexpensive, but of much higher quality than the name IKEA implies.

I can't fathom them paying Flottemesch for something like that.  He does fine custom cabinetry, and unless it's for a one-off piece in the lobby or some other special common area, this being new construction they're going to be using stock or semi-custom cabinetry wherever they can.  At the very least, Flottemesch's specialty isn't veneered full-overlay cabinetry, it's the traditional, solid wood, inset-door, raised panel, custom molding, glazed finish stuff that you see in Best Magazine or Hyde Park living.  Now, I wouldn't be surprised if there's something from them in each unit just so they can put it in the brochure, because Flottemesch is a name that definitely carries weight in the high end residential market here. 

^That may be what it is. The firm I have interned at does a ton of work in Hyde Park and Indian Hill and Flottemesch does amazing work for their projects. The style seemed a little out of the ordinary but I took the lady's word. Maybe I can get my realtor friend to get me a showing to see for myself.

I was commenting more on the view and how the kitchen appears to be an extension of the streetscape.

That microwave placement will get old reeeaaaaal quick...

I'm almost positive that those are Ikea handles on the cabinets, I just installed an ikea kitchen with those handles that is about the same size as that one. That's a nice fume hood, though.

You guys need to get out more.  Those are just standard commercial-grade laminate/veneer cabinets and mediocre appliances.  Nothing is the least bit integrated either.

 

What do you  mean by "integrated"?

Integrated appliances, where they're sufficiently "built-in" so as to look like part of the cabinetry.  That doesn't mean they have to be disguised AS cabinets, but the design and arrangement fits with the overall aesthetic.  In this case though, you can see the refrigerator doors stick way out, and the curved elements of the oven and microwave clash with each other because of their proximity and misalignment, and they also don't quite work with the rigidly square and clean design of the cabinets. 

^Thanks.

I agree with the microwave sentiment. I would HATE that thing. Are all units being furnished or is this just a model?

Integrated appliances, where they're sufficiently "built-in" so as to look like part of the cabinetry.  That doesn't mean they have to be disguised AS cabinets, but the design and arrangement fits with the overall aesthetic.  In this case though, you can see the refrigerator doors stick way out, and the curved elements of the oven and microwave clash with each other because of their proximity and misalignment, and they also don't quite work with the rigidly square and clean design of the cabinets. 

 

I would have never noticed any of that.  When I was looking at places, I paid more attention to the basements than anything else. 

 

 

Not knocking on IKEA, but their kitchens can be very nice if integrated properly. If you purchase complimentary appliances that can match your cabinetry, it can look harmonious. What I like with IKEA is that you can match the handles on the cabinets with the handles on the appliances. With some appliances, you can get similar or the same fronting as the cabinetry.

 

Any one have any photo updates of recent work?  It's been a while since anything has been posted?

This is a complex project with a lot of different types of construction occurring simultaneously. There is no general photo set that will give you an overview of how far along Mercer Commons is. 3CDC keeps a good photo stream on Flickr, though. You can find it here:

 

Has anyone heard of any retail activity for the 1st floor of this building? 

 

I haven't noticed much activity on the ground floor.

Which building? Mercer One? That's the new construction condo building facing Vine.  I've heard the 1st floor retail space will be occupied by a restaurant operated by the owner of Kaze.

Which building? Mercer One? That's the new construction condo building facing Vine.  I've heard the 1st floor retail space will be occupied by a restaurant operated by the owner of Kaze.

 

Yes the Mercer One building.. sorry for not being more clear.

 

But that is interesting. Thanks for the heads up.

I'm more curious about Walnut. Main and Vine are auch different streets, I'm curious what the retail mix on Walnut will look like. Urban Sites just rehabbed some storefronts across the street from Mercer Commons. If 3CDC lures some tenants to their new storefronts it could really start something.

The northern-most retail spaces on Walnut in Mercer Commons at 1349-55 are looking for a laundromat  tenant.  The space has been outfitted with a huge exhaust duct for dryers.  Not sure if they have a tenant lined up or not yet.

 

Also, the retail space at 1339 Walnut is already occupied (temporarily?)  by Bill Donabedian who co-founded the MidPoint Music Festival.