Lets hope this gets some rethinking. The thing on the corner is about the cheapest/most suburban way possible to articulate a corner. So generic/boxy. And it's completely unacceptable to remove Doerr Alley for a ramp.

 

Doerr Alley is already capped at 12th Street, so its only use at the moment is as an entrance to a parking lot.  I'm not sure the loss of the alley entrance at Central Parkway would really be a loss.  Could you explain what you mean that it's unacceptable to remove Doerr Alley for a ramp?

The Business Courier did an overview of the recently proposed grocery stores in the urban basin: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2016/01/is-this-the-one-a-look-at-other-proposed-downtown.html

Downtown/OTR residents and worker, make sure you take this poll:

 

If a grocery store opened on Central Parkway, how often would you shop there?

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/pulse/poll/if-a-grocery-store-opened-on-central-parkway-how-often-would-you-shop-there/19028472

A survey of the current and ever evolving grocery landscape.  http://www.soapboxmedia.com/features/022316-soapdish-urban-grocery-stores.aspx

I'm a Kroger corporate employee. My boss just told me that Kroger has bought the big surface lot at Central and Walnut.  When I asked her if it was a secret, she said it'd been posted to Facebook. So... you heard it here first?

...I'll be honest, that's scary to me. What could they need that for beyond parking? They're not developers.

 

I'm also nervous that they're looking to build a standalone Kroger on that site which would be a ridiculous waste of space and terrible for Cincinnati.

 

I'm hoping if this is true that they then partner with a developer and integrate into a tower of sorts.

As long as they don't destroy any more of the old buildings on Court St. Wasn't there something recently about many of those buildings being bought up? Are they trying to turn into Ultra-mega Kroger?

I'm a Kroger corporate employee. My boss just told me that Kroger has bought the big surface lot at Central and Walnut.  When I asked her if it was a secret, she said it'd been posted to Facebook. So... you heard it here first?

 

The auditor's website doesn't show a property transfer.

I'm a Kroger corporate employee. My boss just told me that Kroger has bought the big surface lot at Central and Walnut.  When I asked her if it was a secret, she said it'd been posted to Facebook. So... you heard it here first?

 

What exactly was posted on Facebook? Can you share a link that post?

I'm a Kroger corporate employee. My boss just told me that Kroger has bought the big surface lot at Central and Walnut.  When I asked her if it was a secret, she said it'd been posted to Facebook. So... you heard it here first?

 

The auditor's website doesn't show a property transfer.

 

The most up-to-date property records I can find on their website are about a week old (the "Current Month Sales" are dated thru 2/22, when viewed today 3/1). If they bought it today, or even last week, it wouldn't be showing up there yet - or do you know of a better way to check?

 

I did this little concept when Playhouse in the Park talked about moving downtown.  I'm all for a development there as long as it is the right density, etc.

^What is that "Playhouse in the Park" proposal from? How old is that?

Why would playhouse in the park move downtown, isn't the theater pretty new?

Why would playhouse in the park move downtown, isn't the theater pretty new?

 

looks like it was built in 1968 and renovated in 1994

Well it looks like DT interests want that big fat parking lot occupied by an arts organization so that a skyscraper doesn't go up there and steal their tenants. 

^What is that "Playhouse in the Park" proposal from? How old is that?

 

Playhouse talked in 2008 about moving downtown.  That image is something I did on an old blog I had.  It was just an exercise in pontificating where they could go ... and getting rid of those parking lots.  Had no input from Playhouse in the Park.  Guess that wasn't very clear.

It's 901 Elm Street that they purchased.

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2016/03/01/kroger-eyeing-downtown-site-new-store/81168098/

If they renovate that older building and use the big parking lots around it for customer parking that would be quite a let down and seem very half-hearted attempt at a CBD store.

Interesting. If they built an urban format store with either a garage on the roof or integrated into a mixed-use development that could spur a lot of spin off development in a corner of Downtown that desperately needs it.

I heard from someone who lives near the site that it is going to be a test kitchen. They made no mention of a grocery store.

Elm not Walnut?

 

"Is Kroger eyeing Downtown site for new store?"

 

http://cin.ci/1oWJQbG

 

Edit: Whoops just saw that this was posted above. Sorry about that.

I wouldn't immediately assume that any Kroger land purchase in the vicinity of their downtown HQ indicates that they're going to build a store. They could be simply be buying up land for future office buildings or parking garages.

No real "news" here... but Kroger's head of real estate spoke this morning about urban stores and seems to suggest that they recognize the value of a large scale project that combines a grocery store with structured parking and residential above.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2016/05/kroger-real-estate-exec-we-want-to-be-an-urban.html

No real "news" here... but Kroger's head of real estate spoke this morning about urban stores and seems to suggest that they recognize the value of a large scale project that combines a grocery store with structured parking and residential above.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2016/05/kroger-real-estate-exec-we-want-to-be-an-urban.html

 

Yeah right.  I'll only believe it when the building is up and they're selling their first avocado.  I'm getting pretty tired of the last decade+ of grocery rumors that end in nothing.

No real "news" here... but Kroger's head of real estate spoke this morning about urban stores and seems to suggest that they recognize the value of a large scale project that combines a grocery store with structured parking and residential above.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2016/05/kroger-real-estate-exec-we-want-to-be-an-urban.html

 

Yeah right.  I'll only believe it when the building is up and they're selling their first avocado.  I'm getting pretty tired of the last decade+ of grocery rumors that end in nothing.

 

Not to mention that the attitude that until they build a new, spec grocery store at CP and Walnut, they won't have entered the urban market, is incredibly naive and really just shows how far the blinders are pulled over their eyes. They already have urban stores. They're just terribly designed and do absolutely nothing for the neighborhoods.

No real "news" here... but Kroger's head of real estate spoke this morning about urban stores and seems to suggest that they recognize the value of a large scale project that combines a grocery store with structured parking and residential above.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2016/05/kroger-real-estate-exec-we-want-to-be-an-urban.html

 

Yeah right.  I'll only believe it when the building is up and they're selling their first avocado.  I'm getting pretty tired of the last decade+ of grocery rumors that end in nothing.

 

Fre Sha vaca do!

Kroger CEO: Downtown Cincinnati store is eventually going to happen

 

“We’ve been working with the city for a long time,” McMullen told me. “They want a store downtown, we want a store downtown. We’re going to eventually figure out the right project.”

 

Kroger CEO: Downtown Cincinnati store is eventually going to happen

 

“We’ve been working with the city for a long time,” McMullen told me. “They want a store downtown, we want a store downtown. We’re going to eventually figure out the right project.”

 

Someone who I know who works at Kroger has made the same comment that the City of Cincinnati is holding them up, but I doubt after all these years that's truly the case.  If they really had the heart to do a grocery project downtown they would have done it already.  Making the City of Cincinnati the fall guy is just a convenient excuse for their lack of commitment to doing up a store downtown.

The ONLY way the City is holding them up is if they are asking for $5 million in subsidy and the City is saying... Ya... no...

I feel like when people say downtown lacks a grocery store, what they mean is downtown lacks an upscale grocery store, other wise they wouldn't be completely ignoring the existence of Vine St. Kroger. However if Vine St. Kroger were ever replaced, the replacement would (should) still need to carry all the value brands low income people in the basin rely on.

 

That being said what if Kroger opened one of their specialty brands in the CBD (Mariano's or "Main and Vine" concept) and left the Vine St. Kroger open? (Rather than closing Vine St. Store and building a superstore in the CBD.)

 

I think that could satisfy the upper middle class "back to the city" types while leaving some solid neighborhood-centric retail near Vine & Liberty on the Vine St. commercial strip.

 

I feel like even the chaotic little parking lot of the Vine St. Kroger is good urbanism, as good as a parking lot can be, constantly active while the store is open.

^you could even add a big "by Kroger" sign to the specialty brand store so people wouldn't be confused as to why there was a different supermarket brand in the shadow of Kroger HQ.

It wouldn't be surprising to discover "undercover Kroger agents" snooping about within this brand new Columbus Bexley market, looking for what just might work in downtown Cincinnati.  As for myself, I think they really need to hang around here and take copious notes.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/08/15/bexleys-market-district-express-could-provide-key.html

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/08/16/bexleys-newest-restaurant-opens-this-week-inside.html

I don't know Columbus very well... but based on Google Maps, Bexley doesn't look particularly urban and certainly isn't downtown. Based on Wikipedia, it appears to be a wealthy residential enclave... so it's not really surprising to see high end retail wanting to open nearby. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bexley,_Ohio#2000_census">Median Bexley household income in 2000 was ~$70k</a>. For comparison, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariemont,_Ohio#2000_census">Mariemont (here in Cincinnati) had a median household income of $57k in 2000</a>.

 

That being said - the new Market District appears to be a well designed, smaller format store that will probably be very successful. I'm glad to see them using a 2-story layout, which allows for smaller footprint and should help contribute to the neighborhood business district in Bexley.

Main Street in Bexley is a CBD that's more like a strong NBD.

While Kroger is building one of their typical big box suburban stores at University Plaza, Target announces that they're going to build a new urban format store in U Square on the south side of the University of Cincinnati, which will include a grocery section. I really hope Kroger feels the pain from this. I mean Target is about to install a grocery store in the heart of a walkable business district while Kroger refuses to adapt.

Kroger's relevance in Uptown just took a hit. Millennials will respond kindly to Target.

At 17,000 SF, I'm not so sure it will pose a threat to Kroger. As I posted in the other USquare thread, Target is having trouble keeping its grocery options stay in the black. They have serious supply chain issues with groceries because they are just not bought enough, and their fresh items perish far too quickly. *Every* trip I've taken to Target I've seen a lot of spoiled food in the centerpieces - that's something you'd never see in Kroger, for instance.

 

I think they will excel in packaged items and prepared foods that they already offer at their larger Targets.

At 17,000 SF, I'm not so sure it will pose a threat to Kroger. As I posted in the other USquare thread, Target is having trouble keeping its grocery options stay in the black. They have serious supply chain issues with groceries because they are just not bought enough, and their fresh items perish far too quickly. *Every* trip I've taken to Target I've seen a lot of spoiled food in the centerpieces - that's something you'd never see in Kroger, for instance.

 

I think they will excel in packaged items and prepared foods that they already offer at their larger Targets.

 

Even if this Target focuses on packaged items and prepared foods, that *will* cut into part of Kroger's profits, because the new Kroger is going after those markets as well.

 

Overall, this is great for Uptown so that Kroger will have some competition and customers will have more options.

Yeah that Target will be short on ingredients, kiddie stuff, Murphy's Oil Soap and Alpo as compared to the Kroger.

At 17,000 SF, I'm not so sure it will pose a threat to Kroger. As I posted in the other USquare thread, Target is having trouble keeping its grocery options stay in the black. They have serious supply chain issues with groceries because they are just not bought enough, and their fresh items perish far too quickly. *Every* trip I've taken to Target I've seen a lot of spoiled food in the centerpieces - that's something you'd never see in Kroger, for instance.

 

I think they will excel in packaged items and prepared foods that they already offer at their larger Targets.

 

I've only been in the suburban, big box Targets, but I think their grocery would do better if it was front and center.  I don't think of Target as a grocery store, and on the few occasions I shop at Target, I end up in specific parts of the store and never walk past the grocery section, so it never even occurs to me that I could pick up a gallon of milk or something while I'm there.  And without those first impulse buys, it also never occurs to me that I could go to Target deliberately for groceries.

I think it's a brand recognition problem. People don't associate Target with groceries even though most people know they have a grocery section.

 

Even super busy Targets have perished food problems. I'll occasionally stop at the Target across the street from Barclays Center on my way home from work if there's something they have that I need and can't find elsewhere and there are quite often expired packaged foods, perished "fresh" foods, etc. despite that store being packed every minute it's open.

 

Even so, I would have loved a Target within walking distance while I was in school. It's one of the only big box stores that isn't a miserable shopping experience and they have some "good enough" type home items that are good when on a tight budget but in need of something. Quite a lot of the necessities I had during grad school came from Target until I was making money and could afford to upgrade to something with a little longer lifespan.

I think it's a brand recognition problem. People don't associate Target with groceries even though most people know they have a grocery section.

 

... In Cincinnati. In Minneapolis it certainly does and I'm sure students that are originally from that region. I've met quite a few people that haven't heard of Kroger in the upper midwest. This will definitely be interesting to see how this all plays out in uptown though.

 

Your move, Kroger.

You know this folderol reminds me of my grandmother and great-grandmother clipping coupons and then planning their grocery shopping around 2-3 stores to save $8. 

 

We live in the United States of America.  There is always food available.  It's not interesting. 

I think it's a brand recognition problem. People don't associate Target with groceries even though most people know they have a grocery section.

 

... In Cincinnati. In Minneapolis it certainly does and I'm sure students that are originally from that region. I've met quite a few people that haven't heard of Kroger in the upper midwest. This will definitely be interesting to see how this all plays out in uptown though.

 

Your move, Kroger.

 

It's definitely more than "in Cincinnati." Like the article Sherman posted details, their grocery division is struggling nationwide. This isn't a region-specific problem, it's a national one. Their brand just isn't a go-to for groceries outside of possibly their home market.

You know this folderol reminds me of my grandmother and great-grandmother clipping coupons and then planning their grocery shopping around 2-3 stores to save $8. 

 

We live in the United States of America.  There is always food available.  It's not interesting. 

 

But is it pleasant to buy? Most people hate grocery shopping since it's such a buzzkill. When the store is depressing or hard to navigate that certainly doesn't help. Availability of groceries other than Cheetos, ramen and 40s helps keep people from bolting for the 'burbs.

It looks like there's some truth to the long-rumored Kroger at Central Parkway & Walnut.

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2016/09/27/kroger-eyes-site-new-downtown-store/91161218/

That really would be a best-case scenario site for a high density, mixed-use project with grocery + parking + apartments. Being on the streetcar line and by being on Central Parkway, it's able to serve both OTR and CBD.

We live in the United States of America.  There is always food available.  It's not interesting. 

 

But is it pleasant to buy? Most people hate grocery shopping since it's such a buzzkill. When the store is depressing or hard to navigate that certainly doesn't help. Availability of groceries other than Cheetos, ramen and 40s helps keep people from bolting for the 'burbs.

 

I agree, I hate going.  The worst part is seeing all the crap people buy. 

 

It looks like there's some truth to the long-rumored Kroger at Central Parkway & Walnut.

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2016/09/27/kroger-eyes-site-new-downtown-store/91161218/

 

This is really the perfect location for Kroger downtown. Now what would be neat is if they can use the footprint to develop apartment/condos and/or additional office space for their employees or even county employees. Turn it into a 2 story grocery store, 5 -7 stories of parking, 10 story office and 5-7 stories of apartments.

The whole pad is about 50,000 square feet. Doubling that for a two story store would make for a HUGE store. I'd rather see three separate spaces on the ground floor (grocery facing walnut, storefront on CP, storefront on Court). Then maybe 3-4 levels of parking, and at least a ten story apartment tower on top. Or even 15 stories.

 

We need a tall building and can't squander the space on another 'cincinnati special' that's half parking and half residential.