Will the building be tall enough to see from Fountain Square? Also, since this was just the first presentation to the urban review board, can't we expect some design changes to come?

Will the building be tall enough to see from Fountain Square? Also, since this was just the first presentation to the urban review board, can't we expect some design changes to come?

 

If a residential building is built on top of Macys that would block a view to Dunhumby Centre. 525 Vine is next to that.

 

^Well obviously if the residential building is built on top of Macys, that will block the view.  I'm talking in the interim (assuming that residential building happens).  You can see the cranes at the Dunnhumby site from the Square now, so I'm assuming you'd at least be able to see a few of the upper floors of the new DH building?

Will the building be tall enough to see from Fountain Square? Also, since this was just the first presentation to the urban review board, can't we expect some design changes to come?

 

In a month or two, Dunnhumby will come back with a final design. Chris Wetterich (@ChrisCinciBiz)  3:10 PM - 20 Aug 2013

 

lol Right out of Baghdad(Located in Louisville though).

 

...truer than you think! (try Banalore, not Baghdad).

 

@@@@@@

 

So this is the long-awaited building to fill that hole.  Hmp.  At least it has a a good sidwalk elevation....

 

I'm not an architect by any means, though I do enjoy architecture, but while this building doesn't wow me, it seems like it would fit nicely into downtown.  I like having a different mix of building d/t and this adds a little variety and isn't completely cookie cutter like the Banks is.

9-15-13:

 

Design OK'd for Downtown's dunnhumby centre

Written by Cindi Andrews

 

The design of the new nine-story dunnhumby centre, under construction at Fifth and Race streets Downtown, was approved Monday by Cincinnati’s Urban Design Review Board, according to developer 3CDC.

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20131105/NEWS/311050019/Design-OK-d-Downtown-s-dunnhumby-centre

Is this typically the point at which design would be approved?  After construction has progressed this far?

Will cranley cancel construction on this project since it's money being spent downtown and not Price Hill?

^He only does that for projects that cost more to cancel than complete.

I know so many people would say, "at least it's better than a parking lot", but come on.  This suburban building should've been put at the banks and not at this location.  So very disappointed. 

Don't worry. Mayor-elect Cranley will cancel it.

I know so many people would say, "at least it's better than a parking lot", but come on.  This suburban building should've been put at the banks and not at this location.  So very disappointed.

 

first floor retail built right up to the sidewalk isn't suburban. Nothing about the form of this building is suburban.  This is just you not liking the architecture of the building (which is totally okay to dislike!) and grabbing onto the word "suburban" as a pejorative.

would be terribly curious to know what some of the detractors definitions of "urban" are when thinking critically about the built environment. if your comments are stylistic in nature, i'd REALLY be curious to know your concept of how this project should have unfolded. Not to say that you dont hold your views, its just that a discussion devolves quickly into "nuh huh... yes huh!" when people make such blanket statments without much qualification

 

first floor retail built right up to the sidewalk isn't suburban. Nothing about the form of this building is suburban.  This is just you not liking the architecture of the building (which is totally okay to dislike!) and grabbing onto the word "suburban" as a pejorative.

 

It sounds more like they are just upset that it isn't taller than fifteen stories.

^Yeah. Although I think we'd all like height, height in and of itself does not make itself urban. A one or two story building can be infinitely more urban than a 40 story tower. It depends a lot more (well, basically entirely) with how it interacts with the street, surrounding urban fabric, etc. Which this building will do well. And honestly, even though it's not tall, it is quite a large building. I have a feeling people will be surprised with its mass when it is finally constructed in its entirety.

What also makes buildings urban is their massing and scale, and in my opinion above all their flexibility to differing demands. That's why I think all buildings with large footprints like this should strive to be as mixed use as possible - office, residential, commercial, and civic, etc. Otherwise even the best ground floor fenestration won't activate a part of town like a good mix of uses does. Above all, that's why this building is a disappointment; what a large swath of land devoted mostly to 8-5ers.

like everything said here, the following is purely conjecture.... i think the type of 8-5ers is very important though. i think i read somewhere that the average age of an employee at dunnhumby is 27 years old (and yes i know that there is no guarantee that dunnhumby will occupy this building forever) but with that assumption, the odds of them wanting to live at one of the several either completed, in the works, proposed projects in the surrounding blocks is pretty high. their age and likely desire to live proximal to their office, coupled with their high income and lack of societal obligations (family, kids, etc), and dunnhumby's expectations of growth, could help push these projects over the top. Also, i think ground retail at this street, and 4th street, and all of race street and most of downtown, benefits greatly from this building, its occupants, and their high incomes.

 

that aside, i actually enjoy the facade. (there was very little gensler could do with the overall massing, DH wanted max plates, and the city wanted max parking) there is a nice rhythm and texture to it, its generally playful and has a certain dynamism lacking in many of our newer buildings *cough QCS* In addition to that, gensler details buildings well and i'm sure this will be no exception. the height comments, while true, i think are a bit overstated. 9 floors of a high floor to floor of something along the lines of 16ft, will give you something right about the height and general proportion of federal building or the courthouse. so while not a tower, it is certainly substantial. given what potential development it could, hopefully, maybe spur... i think its an all around positive.

^ well said.

This building has the potential to add height at a later date, correct?

This building has the potential to add height at a later date, correct?

 

No. Building has ability to add office space into the parking garage floors below.

Does anyone know if the building frame is steel or concrete above the garage levels?  They are moving quickly now and seems as if they will be above grade by the end of the year.

 

Does anyone know if the building frame is steel or concrete above the garage levels?  They are moving quickly now and seems as if they will be above grade by the end of the year.

 

I think they will be above grade within weeks.

 

Looks like steel is now above street level.

Anybody have cool new pics of this?

 

Here’s a look at the progress on Dunnhumby’s new headquarters: SLIDESHOW

Erin Caproni Digital Producer- Cincinnati Business Courier

 

Dunnhumby USA’s new downtown headquarters is expected to open in January 2015, but construction at the site has been progressing at a rapid pace.

 

To see how far along the crew is, click on the image at right.

 

When it’s complete, a charcoal gray concrete tower with an asymmetrical zipper design will stand nine stories on Race Street between Fifth and Sixth streets.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2014/01/heres-a-look-at-the-progress-on.html

From today:

Wow.  Those are some seriously tall floors, based on the first floor.  It looks like you could fit three storeys of the Millennium in there. 

Yeah and the 9 stories will probably look a lot taller.

A good reference is those scaffolding stairs.  <That sounds grammatically incorrect.

A good reference is those scaffolding stairs.  <That sounds grammatically incorrect.

 

"A good reference is that scaffolding stairway."

 

Better?

Yeah and the 9 stories will probably look a lot taller.

They said 9 stories that will be the same height as a 12 story building

I believe it.  I am coming around to it.  Will be interesting to see how it turns out.   

looks good, excited to see how tall it will look when done, and how the design of the outside turns out looking too.  haven't been on that side of downtown in awhile.

BAM!

I like it.

 

Interesting. It's hard to tell from the pictures exactly the depth it has, but it looks like it isn't flat which is good. I'll have to go down and check it out.

good pics of the progress from Thadd.

 

http://www.thaddandmilan.com/2014/03/constructing-cincinnati.html

April 1, 2014:

Yesterday

New skin going on the building!

Here's a photo of the exterior siding from this morning. Anybody know what the siding is made of?

Sure looks like precast concrete to me. (An I like it, especially when the sun is hitting it and it has a shimmer and lots of depth/shadow from the grooves)

I will withhold final judgment until completion, but at first glance I wish it wasn't so dark. 

As long as the glass is lighter, I think it'll look great.

I have a feeling that the glass will be very clear which I think will work nicely with the dark panels. The texture to them is nice. I'm excited to see more of it.

It's the Cleveland Medical Mart's evil cousin:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=1782.msg618417#msg618417

^I think you've got it reversed. If - as the other's say - the Dunnhumby Centre will have clear glass windows to contrast with the dark siding, I think it'll look much more handsome than the Cleveland Medical Mart.

Soooo I just walked past this project and I have no idea what to think, the facade is pitch BLACK I'm starting to think this thing is going to look either really Good or really BAD!

I'm excited. Black is sexy.