June 23, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, cbussoccer said: Maybe they simply couldn’t make the meeting? Weird reason when you're making a building that big. I'd say funding issues.
June 23, 20231 yr 6 hours ago, columbus17 said: Weird reason when you're making a building that big. I'd say funding issues. Sometimes people get sick. Not everything’s a conspiracy 🤷🏼♂️
June 23, 20231 yr Funding issues isn't a conspiracy. It's a far more likely scenario than a sick day in the major development world. Im not saying it's one way or the other, but rather that calling out potential funding issues as a possibility isn't a conspiracy but rather a valid reality for many big projects. I've been eviscerated for suggesting funding issues before and well... many of those projects are on the heap of never-builts. Suggesting funding issues isn't a slight, just a statistically grounded guess. It could also be they were waiting on another engineer report they thought would be ready beforehand or documents to support demolition etc etc etc. It's all guessing but none of them are conspiracies. Edited June 23, 20231 yr by DTCL11
June 23, 20231 yr I'm glad it's back, while also disappointed it seems they haven't progressed the design any further into details The city shouldn't approve any demo until the new building is ready to go, cash and building permit in hand
June 23, 20231 yr 2 hours ago, DTCL11 said: Funding issues isn't a conspiracy. It's a far more likely scenario than a sick day in the major development world. Im not saying it's one way or the other, but rather that calling out potential funding issues as a possibility isn't a conspiracy but rather a valid reality for many big projects. I've been eviscerated for suggesting funding issues before and well... many of those projects are on the heap of never-builts. Suggesting funding issues isn't a slight, just a statistically grounded guess. It could also be they were waiting on another engineer report they thought would be ready beforehand or documents to support demolition etc etc etc. It's all guessing but none of them are conspiracies. All I’m saying is it could be any number of things, ranging from serious to not. The good thing is it’s back on the agenda this month :)
June 27, 20231 yr Looks like they made it to the meeting today: Cleveland developer wants to tear down several downtown buildings to put up a 15-story tower “The fate of several downtown historic buildings remains in limbo after a Cleveland developer presented plans to preserve one and raze others. Cleveland-based firm Harsax Management Co. showed the Downtown Commission its plans for redeveloping the corner of Town and High Street, centering its project on restoring the old Ohio National Bank building. Harsax CEO Randall Sacks told the Downtown Commission that he envisions the bank building becoming a food court or a bar with the lower-level vaults becoming a restaurant, nightclub or some other retail use. Harsax originally asked that the commission vote on whether they could demolish the buildings from 171-191 S. High, but the two groups tabled that discussion. The developer will come back to the commission with more detailed drawings of the development.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/06/27/town-and-high-harsax.html
June 27, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, amped91 said: The developer will come back to the commission with more detailed drawings of the development. Those renderings seem pretty detailed to me?? Maybe they meant better detail in what type of material that will be?
June 28, 20231 yr The renderings are detailed, the plans and sections submitted are still very conceptual (essentially space planning/ bubble diagrams) Detailed, scaled drawings and material specifications are required ultimately for a certificate of appropriateness. And it would show that the owner/ developer is seriously invested in moving the project forward by proceeding to the next design phase Back to the renderings, ideally I'd like to see liner units screening the parking garage from the street... As much as we complain about Edward's Nicholas building, that's one design move they got absolutely correct. There the second floor has a row of narrow units along the entirety of High which hides the parking level behind very effectively. Unfortunately they give the game away on the cheaped-out side facing Long, but I'll take what we can get
June 28, 20231 yr Proposal for South High, Historic Bank Building Gets First Review A plan to build a 15-story mixed-use development next to the former Ohio National Bank building at 167 S. High St. went before the Downtown Commission for the first time this morning. The submitted proposal, from Cleveland-based Harsax Management Company, calls for 192 market rate apartments, an internal parking garage with space for 207 cars, and ground floor retail space. The project would require the demolition of two buildings – one at 171-191 S. High St. and the other at 171-177 S. High St. – that have stood on the site for over a century and have been home to a variety of local businesses, including the original Lazarus department store. The design of the new building and the plan to renovate the bank building were both generally well-received by the commission, but a request to approve the demolition of the buildings was tabled – the applicant will need to come back with more details and a more fleshed-out plan. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/proposal-for-south-high-historic-bank-building-gets-first-review-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 29, 20231 yr Ha I was just thinking about if this project was going to move forward, since I was by the building today. Glad to see another office to residential conversion, bringing 100 more units online. Downtown Building, Former Car Dealership Both Land Historic Tax Credits “Two local developments were awarded Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits today. The larger of the two projects is the redevelopment of 145 S. Front St., the former state office building which was bought by the Columbus Partnership in 2021. The nonprofit business group is now partnering with local developer Connect Realty to transform the building into a mixed-use development featuring 100 apartments, two floors of office space and a ground-floor restaurant. The building, which has been empty since 2006, was built in 1933 and is one of two similar-looking buildings that sit on either side of the Ohio Supreme Court. The other building, at 25 S. Front St., is still owned by the State of Ohio.” https://columbusunderground.com/downtown-building-former-car-dealership-both-land-historic-tax-credits-bw1/
June 29, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, amped91 said: Ha I was just thinking about if this project was going to move forward, since I was by the building today. Glad to see another office to residential conversion, bringing 100 more units online. Downtown Building, Former Car Dealership Both Land Historic Tax Credits “Two local developments were awarded Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits today. The larger of the two projects is the redevelopment of 145 S. Front St., the former state office building which was bought by the Columbus Partnership in 2021. The nonprofit business group is now partnering with local developer Connect Realty to transform the building into a mixed-use development featuring 100 apartments, two floors of office space and a ground-floor restaurant. The building, which has been empty since 2006, was built in 1933 and is one of two similar-looking buildings that sit on either side of the Ohio Supreme Court. The other building, at 25 S. Front St., is still owned by the State of Ohio.” https://columbusunderground.com/downtown-building-former-car-dealership-both-land-historic-tax-credits-bw1/ This building was not built in 1933. I would have guessed it was built the 1950’s but it was built in the 60’s. Edited June 29, 20231 yr by WagChase
June 29, 20231 yr 9 minutes ago, WagChase said: This building was not built in 1933. I would have guessed it was built the 1950’s but it was built in the 60’s. Yeah the middle building was built in 1933 and you can tell the other ones weren’t, because they don’t look nearly as good as the Supreme Court building. I wish these would have been built at the same time, because they would have looked way way better.
June 29, 20231 yr The error in the date jumped out to me too. I appreciate CU but they consistently mess up with erroneous information like that in the details The buildings (beginning with this one to the south) can be seen under construction in this aerial photo from 1963
June 30, 20231 yr 13 hours ago, NW24HX said: The error in the date jumped out to me too. I appreciate CU but they consistently mess up with erroneous information like that in the details The buildings (beginning with this one to the south) can be seen under construction in this aerial photo from 1963 To be fair to CU, that’s the date that was used in the state release, so the other news outlets used it too. Still should’ve been caught, though. A little more from CBF: ”As currently planned, the cafe would terrace down to Civic Center Drive and help activate the street level there. It would be accessed via both Front Street and Civic Center Drive. DeHays said construction will likely start at the beginning of 2024. "This is going to make the Columbus skyline better. Right now this is a dark spot in the skyline, but soon it's going to be lived in and lit up," he said.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/06/29/historic-tax-credits.html I wonder if they will be allowed to add some unique lighting or something? I’m all for more colors in the skyline.
June 30, 20231 yr 15 hours ago, NW24HX said: The error in the date jumped out to me too. I appreciate CU but they consistently mess up with erroneous information like that in the details The buildings (beginning with this one to the south) can be seen under construction in this aerial photo from 1963 It's just a journalism thing these days. They treat it like I did my school work. Do it really fast one time with no reviews then hand it in and get a B.
June 30, 20231 yr 8 hours ago, TIm said: It's just a journalism thing these days. They treat it like I did my school work. Do it really fast one time with no reviews then hand it in and get a B. Been noticing a ton of obvious grammar and spelling errors on the Dispatch.com site in recent months. Whoever's doing the editing is terrible.
June 30, 20231 yr Rendering for the project, I imagine everyone will be blown away by the hugely discernable changes they plan to make (thanks to Columbus Business First for this important mind altering rendering) Edited June 30, 20231 yr by 17thState Spelling
July 1, 20231 yr 36 minutes ago, 17thState said: Rendering for the project, I imagine everyone will be blown away by the hugely discernable changes they plan to make (thanks to Columbus Business First for this important mind altering rendering) Someone on Facebook was already complaining and said this will ruin the building and the whole point they built it. He didn’t understand why it wouldn’t continue to be city or state employee offices.
October 9, 20231 yr Main Bar site will be sold to out-of-state developer, Columbus attorney Scott Schiff says Columbus attorney and developer Scott Schiff is selling the downtown property formerly home to The Main Bar to an out-of-state developer. In January, Schiff said he wanted to construct an 18-story tower on the site. At that time he said the project was expected to cost between $50 million and $70 million. Now Schiff plans to sell the site to another developer. He said the sale is scheduled to close next month, but declined to share the name of the developer. He would only say they are not based in Ohio.
October 9, 20231 yr Interesting, I have no clue what to make of this. I will say that if Schiff couldn't pull it together, I am glad he sold it vs sitting on it for a decade. The lot is almost a gateway from the south, it deserves something good. I hope whatever it is it can bridge that visual and mental gap between Cap Square and the courthouse complex.
October 9, 20231 yr 50 minutes ago, DevolsDance said: Interesting, I have no clue what to make of this. I will say that if Schiff couldn't pull it together, I am glad he sold it vs sitting on it for a decade. The lot is almost a gateway from the south, it deserves something good. I hope whatever it is it can bridge that visual and mental gap between Cap Square and the courthouse complex. Yeah I’m really hoping that whoever bought it, has a good plan in place. Hopefully it’s just the development company from Chicago that he was already working with. I remember reading they wanted to go bigger and he was pushing back at it. The city better not approve anything under 15 stories at this location.
October 10, 20231 yr 19 hours ago, VintageLife said: Yeah I’m really hoping that whoever bought it, has a good plan in place. Hopefully it’s just the development company from Chicago that he was already working with. I remember reading they wanted to go bigger and he was pushing back at it. The city better not approve anything under 15 stories at this location. Can anyone elaborate how a building can be removed without another plan in place besides a parking lot? Say the building is in eminent danger of collapse?
October 10, 20231 yr 19 minutes ago, KyleofColumbus said: Can anyone elaborate how a building can be removed without another plan in place besides a parking lot? Say the building is in eminent danger of collapse? It was removed because it was seen to be in danger of collapsing. The developer was supposed to have a plan in place and ready to show the commission within a certain timeframe. I’m pretty sure they did that, but didn’t come back again and are now selling. The commission needs to stop allowing demolition before the plans are ready to go.
October 10, 20231 yr 51 minutes ago, KyleofColumbus said: Can anyone elaborate how a building can be removed without another plan in place besides a parking lot? Say the building is in eminent danger of collapse? Money
January 28, 20241 yr Not sure to what extent there will be renovations, but looks like there are 3 new restaurants and a coworking space going into the 11-15 W. State St. (where the old Ho Toy was). A press release on the site indicates some part of the building is getting demo’d, but I would be shocked it’s more than just demo related to the restaurant build-out: https://www.bonnierbuilding.com/news/press-release-january-2024 “Of course we will keep everyone up to date on the construction as well. Construction One and my architect Dino have been working to get the building prepped for demolition - it’s been sanitized and the elevator has been evaluated for repair to make us not only ADA compliant but also to make our location as accessible as possible.”
January 28, 20241 yr 12 hours ago, smjjms said: Not sure to what extent there will be renovations, but looks like there are 3 new restaurants and a coworking space going into the 11-15 W. State St. (where the old Ho Toy was). A press release on the site indicates some part of the building is getting demo’d, but I would be shocked it’s more than just demo related to the restaurant build-out: https://www.bonnierbuilding.com/news/press-release-january-2024 “Of course we will keep everyone up to date on the construction as well. Construction One and my architect Dino have been working to get the building prepped for demolition - it’s been sanitized and the elevator has been evaluated for repair to make us not only ADA compliant but also to make our location as accessible as possible.” That's HUGE!
January 28, 20241 yr 12 minutes ago, columbus17 said: That's HUGE! I still would have rather seen this building torn down and replaced with a 7-8 story. In the end, I love the reworking of the building and hope they are successful. It also looks like one of the spots will be a night club. here is their website with more info: https://www.bonnierbuilding.com Edited January 28, 20241 yr by VintageLife
January 28, 20241 yr 15 minutes ago, VintageLife said: I still would have rather seen this building torn down and replaced with a 7-8 story. In the end, I love the reworking of the building and hope they are successful. It also looks like one of the spots will be a night club. here is their website with more info: https://www.bonnierbuilding.com Three dining options and coworking is a win for me.
January 28, 20241 yr 4 minutes ago, columbus17 said: Three dining options and coworking is a win for me. I think the Statehouse is the only restaurant. There is a co-working space, the nightclub and then Xexnon seems like it will be a bar, no idea if they will have food.
January 28, 20241 yr 1 hour ago, VintageLife said: I still would have rather seen this building torn down and replaced with a 7-8 story. In the end, I love the reworking of the building and hope they are successful. It also looks like one of the spots will be a night club. here is their website with more info: https://www.bonnierbuilding.com I wonder if the lot next door is the same owner. It’s pretty small, but I think you could get something decently tall in there.
January 28, 20241 yr 3 minutes ago, amped91 said: I wonder if the lot next door is the same owner. It’s pretty small, but I think you could get something decently tall in there. Not sure, because when you click on the parking icon on maps, it shows the address as on high street, so it doesn’t let me look up the owner. I can’t remember if the sale of the building included the lot.
January 28, 20241 yr 47 minutes ago, amped91 said: I wonder if the lot next door is the same owner. It’s pretty small, but I think you could get something decently tall in there. I believe that lot is owned by ValStone; the firm that bought and renovated the 5/3 building.
January 28, 20241 yr Just now, aderwent said: I believe that lot is owned by ValStone; the firm that bought and renovated the 5/3 building. So the buyer of this building essentially screwed getting a new building. It's obvious they were planning on buying it...
January 28, 20241 yr We still need an answer to the most important question: what's going to happen to the Ho Toy's large neon sign?
January 29, 20241 yr ^They should hang it on the Ohio Statehouse. For...reasons... "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 30, 20241 yr On 6/27/2023 at 9:44 PM, ColDayMan said: Proposal for South High, Historic Bank Building Gets First Review A plan to build a 15-story mixed-use development next to the former Ohio National Bank building at 167 S. High St. went before the Downtown Commission for the first time this morning. The submitted proposal, from Cleveland-based Harsax Management Company, calls for 192 market rate apartments, an internal parking garage with space for 207 cars, and ground floor retail space. The project would require the demolition of two buildings – one at 171-191 S. High St. and the other at 171-177 S. High St. – that have stood on the site for over a century and have been home to a variety of local businesses, including the original Lazarus department store. The design of the new building and the plan to renovate the bank building were both generally well-received by the commission, but a request to approve the demolition of the buildings was tabled – the applicant will need to come back with more details and a more fleshed-out plan. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/proposal-for-south-high-historic-bank-building-gets-first-review-bw1/ Anyone know what's up with this proposal? I don't think we've heard anything since June. They haven't applied for any government funding like TMUD, correct?
January 30, 20241 yr Just now, CMHOhio said: Anyone know what's up with this proposal? I don't think we've heard anything since June. They haven't applied for any government funding like TMUD, correct? I have a feeling it won’t happen, but hopefully I’m wrong. I haven’t seen anything at all about it.
January 31, 20241 yr On 1/28/2024 at 10:01 PM, ColDayMan said: ^They should hang it on the Ohio Statehouse. For...reasons... I'd just love to see it preserved, restored and displayed somewhere downtown as a freestanding piece of public art. It vibed well with the Planters sign and big video screens at State and High, but would just as easily work anywhere downtown. Edwards could sponsor it to liven up Pearl and Gay, or OBM at Broad and High, or Spaghetti Warehouse to spice up their lifeless, ambiance-free new location But more likely it will just be sold and moved off to wherever, never to be seen again :( Edited January 31, 20241 yr by NW24HX
March 1, 20241 yr I’m hoping they come in with a great development! Schiff Properties sells Main Bar site to Chicago developer for $4 million Columbus attorney and developer Scott Schiff confirmed he sold the property at 16 W. Main St. to Chicago-based Mavrek Development. Schiff said he sold the property for $4 million. Mavrek did not respond to requests for comment.
April 19, 20241 yr I wasn't sure where to post this - it's not River South or Red Brick.... Good to see old buildings renovated and repurposed! Historic downtown Columbus office building gets new life with BBCO https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2024/04/19/bbco.html Quote BBCO is taking about 7,400 square feet on the building's fourth and fifth floors. There are two floors of office space available, each about 3,600 square feet. The ground floor tenant is moving out, and Bania said they hope to attract a commercial tenant, such as a deli or coffee shop. Before BBCO and partners Day Cos. bought the Schlee-Kemmler building for $2.1 million at the end of 2022, it had been mostly vacant since at least 2019. "It's really exciting to take what was a historic, vacant building and bring it back to a good use," Bania said, adding that the architecture firm is the perfect owner to breathe life back into the building. Renovations revealed original tin ceilings hidden by drop ceiling panels and original hardwood that had been covered by carpet for decades. All its windows are original. “As people who appreciate good architecture and whose work is anchored in sustainability, it’s been an honor and joy to restore this space back to its original glory," Bania said.
April 20, 20241 yr 21 hours ago, Pablo said: I wasn't sure where to post this - it's not River South or Red Brick.... Good to see old buildings renovated and repurposed! Historic downtown Columbus office building gets new life with BBCO https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2024/04/19/bbco.html Wouldn't it be nice if we would design and build these today? People say costs prohibit this from happening, but were they rolling in dough back then?
April 20, 20241 yr 1 hour ago, John7165 said: Wouldn't it be nice if we would design and build these today? People say costs prohibit this from happening, but were they rolling in dough back then? We definitely can - but codes have laxed as has pride in our workmanship. We're an architectural "throwaway" society. Buildings have a "useful life." They're not built to last and made for a legacy anymore, they're just built to be built.
April 20, 20241 yr Especially when they are in the 40-80 year "death zone" when people don't care about them.
May 17, 20241 yr Architecture Firm Heading Up Renovation of Downtown Building A local architecture firm now occupies the top two floors of the historic Schlee-Kemmler Building at 326 S. High St. BBCO, the largest woman-owned architecture firm in the region, partnered with The Day Companies to buy the Downtown building for $2.1 million in late 2022. The company then took on the task of designing a space for itself that that would showcase the many historic remnants still intact in the building, like original hardwood floors that had been carpeted over for decades, and a painted tin ceiling on the top floor that had been hidden by ceiling tiles. The end result is a light-filled office with a variety of different spaces to accommodate the growing firm. BBCO, founded in 2009, has grown from seven to 15 team members and hopes to double in size again by 2028, according to a press release. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/architecture-firm-heading-up-renovation-of-downtown-building-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 18, 20241 yr On 4/20/2024 at 11:37 AM, John7165 said: Wouldn't it be nice if we would design and build these today? People say costs prohibit this from happening, but were they rolling in dough back then? How it's been described to me is that it used to be that labor was cheap so materials could be expensive and now labor is expensive so materials have to be cheap. I'm not in the industry but that always made sense to me.
May 18, 20241 yr Before the 1990s skilled labor was plentiful. But go further back from that unskilled labor was heavily oversupplied. People think that everybody from the '50s to the '90s had a good job and that could be true if you weren't unskilled. Unskilled labor was a massive part of the economy yet it had an even more abundant supply. So they were getting laid off constantly and were always seeking work. Think Grapes of Wrath. Eventually more of construction work went to skilled laborers and of course heavy equipment/power tools. Unskilled labor (which now is undersupplied) shifted more to things like restaurants and warehouses. All these people hammering people to throw their degrees in the trash and go into the skilled trades always leave out that even they were constantly laying people off until about 1995 and that's why everybody got told to go to college. Nowadays the skilled trades know to not just be "work" but be "jobs" and offices have forgotten it -- which always happens with oversupply. Offices are going to be whining just as bad as the trades when they can't make everybody go though 13 interviews and they just have to take whoever walks in off the street like they used to until the dot com crash and blue-collar jobs do now. That's going to take a while though. Edited May 18, 20241 yr by GCrites
May 18, 20241 yr 3 hours ago, 17thState said: How it's been described to me is that it used to be that labor was cheap so materials could be expensive and now labor is expensive so materials have to be cheap. I'm not in the industry but that always made sense to me. Working on that now... I've got some tricks up my sleeve to start building like this again.
June 26, 2024Jun 26 Ohio National Bank building A Cleveland developer seeking to redevelop the Ohio National Bank building at 167 S. High St. was awarded a $1.45 million tax credit. The building was built in 1911 and was home to the bank until it closed in 1999. It's been vacant for 20 years. Harsax Management, which bought the building in 2023, plans to convert the bank building into a restaurant or an entertainment venue. The upper three floors would house a handful of apartments. According to the state, the total project cost is $14.6 million. When Harsax bought the building, it proposed a plan to build a 15-story building next door to the bank building. Harsax wasn't able to be reached for comment on the latest plans for the project.
Create an account or sign in to comment