For the front lawn:  Don't forget about the casino's option to build a hotel after five years.

For the front lawn:  Don't forget about the casino's option to build a hotel after five years.

 

I assumed they would probably attempt to acquire the Greyhound site for that.

The Greyhound idea is possible... but when looking at the aerial footage of the site, there is the giant parking structure, and then a massive surface lot at the back...

 

 

That is a huge amount of space (almost the same size as the parking structure itself) to just keep using as a surface lot.  I'm pretty confident they would fix up some kind of walkway into the casino across the garage space.

 

---------

 

the main reasons for the front lawn are because:

 

That parking lot that is currently there is "ugly" and since it was owned by the county and used for Jail parking, it would never have been developed upon (also a tricky site, not interesting to today's developers). 

County traded free parking for the same number of spaces (actually, I think even MORE spaces) in the new Casino garage plus then paid for the land.

 

Also, "events spaces" are all the rage....

so bad.  so so bad.  there always seems to be excuses for bad design.  this is why Cincinnati is seeing so much bad urban designs as of late - it seems people WANT to hear the excuses ans accept them.  The City deserves so much better. 

I'm thinking the front lawn is actually the back lawn.  Most people are going to enter through the garage and the circle drive off of court.  I won't be surprised if the back door next to the back yard is open as an entrance in a limited fashion.

 

All I can say is that it is better than a surface parking lot and the city could sure use the revenue.  But this could have been so much more. 

 

I really just don't see people venturing out to the surrounding area.  Time will tell and I hope I am wrong.

People want crap.  They don't want excellence, and even vilify it.  Just look at how the local politicians, then the losers at The Enquirer, took turns vilifying the proposed bond issue for Union Terminal.  Then the Enquirer pulled Music Hall into the mix somehow, saying everything but maintenance of the city's two greatest public buildings was a boondoggle. 

I'm not too upset about the "front lawn" as I could see that being used as an event space of some sort when the weather is nice; that said, I hope it has a program of some sort.  What I don't like are the lawns along the bulk of the Reading and Gilbert street frontages.  There is a nice attempt to approach the street along Reading at the main casino building, but the rest is just empty grass.  Those should be plotted into smaller properties and sold off.

Just got confirmation from a friend who works as a consultant with the Casino, main proposed casino site is Center of plot against Court St. Touching both casino & Parking structure (in current map it has a roundabout etc.).

 

That's a much better site- perhaps it could spur development of the parking lot behind the flatiron building.

I wonder if that front lawn will dictate what's going across the street on that triangle piece of land.  I've always liked the look of that spot.  Would be a cool place for a hotel that's triangular shaped.

^ which triangle piece of land? The parking lot? Because that's Actually what the front lawn is - that lot will be gone and Broadway will be vacated. Eggleston will become 2-way.    Or perhaps you meant the one at the reading CPkway split- but I'm pretty sure that's  too small. It's a tiny park.

 

And while i totally agree it would be great to have a triangle building on such a unique plot, but it was county owned, the casino traded free parking to the jail and then bought the land at value, and we have way bigger surface lots that are having trouble being developed (5th & race).  :(

No you're right.  I didn't know that part of Broadway will be gone.  Who knows.  Maybe all that green space would be a good look for that part of town.

heeeere we go.  more excuses and reasons why this design is absolutely pathetic. 

That's not a front lawn, that's a front yard setback!!

Planned unit developments don't have setbacks, for all intents and purposes.

^^^Yeah, all I can say to those who think this is a horrible design is, "You should have been to the meetings that Bridging Broadway has been conducting for over a year."

 

To quote an Avondale Community Council member at Saturday's Avondale Resource Fair, "If you don't fill out the survey, don't come cryin'. Don't come cryin'."

Exactly. This has been discussed in great depth and detail, and it's no secret that this design was coming. It was fine tuned with input from the dozens that came to the meeting, and has more user input than the garbage coming out of The Banks (who took the suggestions and did nothing with). They at least worked with the community, which is more than others.

 

And just be glad the casino isn't being built at Milicron in Oakley! It could have been like Columbus' casino way out in the suburbs!

^Very true.  While not my favorite design, this could have been much, much worse.  So glad that stupid lot is gone.

Casino closer to plaza construction

6:48 PM, Jan. 11, 2012

Written by Alexander Coolidge

 

DOWNTOWN — Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati is closer to starting construction of a 1.5 acre outdoor plaza.

 

Developer Rock Gaming plans to transform a triangle-shaped property, now a parking lot, into a park-like area in front of the casino complex that’s set to open in the spring of 2013.

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120111/BIZ/301110140/Casino-closer-plaza-construction?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

^

On Wednesday, the city approved vacating the portion of Broadway that cuts between the casino property and the triangular parking lot — agreeing to decommission it as a roadway.

 

When is this going to happen? I drive north on that chunk of Broadway almost every day.  Hopefully the small stretch of Eggleston is going to become 2-way before they decommission Broadway.

Now the casino site is all lit up at night and gives some hint as to what to expect a year or so from now.  We'll have something at that end of Central Parkway for the first time in over 50 years. 

From what I saw of Greektown, it was pretty good....yes that little street is not long but the casino side works pretty well in the context of the little retail stuff across the street. 

 

That's what I would have been open for...

City planners approve casino district plan

 

 

A plan to ensure development around the coming $400 million Horseshoe Casino blends into and compliments the five surrounding neighborhoods was approved today by Cincinnati’s planning commission.

 

Specifically, the Broadway Commons district plan calls for:

 

A rendering of the Horseshoe Casino

 

–The casino to blend into downtown, Over-the-Rhine, Pendleton, Mount Auburn and Mount Adams and to connect to key landmarks along established corridors.

 

–Development around the casino (surface parking lots) to make the area a multi-use destination.

 

Cont

Looks like toothless BS to me.

 

"Improvement to the design and presentation of local streets, making Reading Road into a larger boulevard and creating a regional gateway at the intersection of Liberty and Reading and a neighborhood gateway at the intersection of Pendleton and Reading."

 

And that sounds like suburbanization of the area. What a joke.

Not really. Preliminary discussions included smoothing out the sharp curve at the top of the bend, making the lanes a standard 11' from IIRC 9', and creating an enhanced streetscape with new sidewalks with accents and street trees. It also includes the burying of utilities.

 

A buffered climbing lane for bikes would be nice. I sent in my recommendation to DOTE, and that would be better than on-street parking for that side of Reading since there will be 0 businesses fronting it sans the Casino, which will have that gigantic garage attached to it.

Wasn't the mayor making some noise about a small arena being constructed in order to host boxing matches?

Wasn't the mayor making some noise about a small arena being constructed in order to host boxing matches?

 

It was Mallory who proposed the idea, but not Mayor Mark Mallory ...

 

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-news/boxing-arena-proposed-as-amenity-at-cincinnati-casino-445783.html?showComments=true

 

If we're talking a new arena, let's stop fooling around and look toward replacing USBank Arena with one of the state-of-the-art facilities that just about every city has now. USBank Arena is a dinosaur. And since UC is making rumblings about replacing/renovating Fifth Third Arena, maybe now is the time to get the ball rolling. Louisville has the brand new Yum Center, and it doesn't have an NBA or NHL team. Cincinnati should do something similar ...

About YUM Center...

 

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012301160091

Moody's second rating agency to say KFC Yum! Center at risk of bond downgrade

If we're talking a new arena, let's stop fooling around and look toward replacing USBank Arena with one of the state-of-the-art facilities that just about every city has now. USBank Arena is a dinosaur. And since UC is making rumblings about replacing/renovating Fifth Third Arena, maybe now is the time to get the ball rolling. Louisville has the brand new Yum Center, and it doesn't have an NBA or NHL team. Cincinnati should do something similar ...

 

We're not going to get a new downtown arena without a major league team to fill it.  A new arena around UC could not only host the Bearcats but many of the events now happening at USBank Arena.  Then we'd be able to to tear down the current US Bank arena and build The Banks East...

Wasn't the mayor making some noise about a small arena being constructed in order to host boxing matches?

 

It was Mallory who proposed the idea, but not Mayor Mark Mallory ...

 

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-news/boxing-arena-proposed-as-amenity-at-cincinnati-casino-445783.html?showComments=true

 

If we're talking a new arena, let's stop fooling around and look toward replacing USBank Arena with one of the state-of-the-art facilities that just about every city has now. USBank Arena is a dinosaur. And since UC is making rumblings about replacing/renovating Fifth Third Arena, maybe now is the time to get the ball rolling. Louisville has the brand new Yum Center, and it doesn't have an NBA or NHL team. Cincinnati should do something similar ...

 

I've written the mayor about US Bank and the $ the city misses out on because of that outdated structure, and I get the sense that it isn't anywhere near a priority or a project the city would even consider planning towards for quite some time.  I wouldn't expect the issue to even come up at City Hall for 5-7 years.  There will be obvious changes in city leadership before 2019, but I don't know if any of those deaf ears understands how  important a modern arena is nowadays.

I'm sure most people in City Hall understands the potential... But... $$$$?!?

 

Louisville is on great financial footing and they couldn't build it. Municipalities cant be expected to do everything. Building sports stadiums & arenas without a major professional tenant ready to help fund it is a thing of the past. And that a good thing.

 

And tearing it down to build "the Banks east" would be a huge mistake unless the New UC arena was 17,000 seats or bigger and plans to have the circus & dozen or so concerts US Bank arena holds each season.

 

US Bank arena may be out dated, but it's also the regions largest indoor Arena & concert venue by far.

 

Btw- I think we've gotten a little off topic

 

Back to the casino-

 

Apparently Cleveland's casino is going to open in 2012. Anyone have an update?

Tearing down the Coliseum with the intent to redevelop the site as something like The Banks is foolish until The Banks is fully built-out, which is still 20~ years away. 

Drove down Pendleton and was greeted with a giant gray wall at Reading.  I know I have complained before and that they are not close to done yet, but I really am not sure what they can do about this.  It's awful and as lifeless as the backside of the prison. 

 

I also am not so sure about a roundabout at reading/liberty/471.  These are not very bike and pedestrian friendly.  If it means eminent domain to get rid of the check cashing place then cool.

I'm sure most people in City Hall understands the potential... But... $$$$?!?

 

Louisville is on great financial footing and they couldn't build it. Municipalities cant be expected to do everything. Building sports stadiums & arenas without a major professional tenant ready to help fund it is a thing of the past. And that a good thing.

 

And tearing it down to build "the Banks east" would be a huge mistake unless the New UC arena was 17,000 seats or bigger and plans to have the circus & dozen or so concerts US Bank arena holds each season.

 

US Bank arena may be out dated, but it's also the regions largest indoor Arena & concert venue by far.

 

Btw- I think we've gotten a little off topic

 

Back to the casino-

 

Apparently Cleveland's casino is going to open in 2012. Anyone have an update?

 

That's the thing about the potential of a new arena...I feel the city should have thrown its resources and energy toward that a long time ago, potentially putting off or scaling back other projects, even the Banks.

 

Back to the casino...

 

How do they plan to integrate Mt. Adams into the larger casino district?  I haven't heard anything about managing Gilbert.  That boulevard does so many bad things for Walnut Hills and downtown.

A partial collapse at the new casino site at the corner of Reading and Broadway has been reported this morning. No details as of yet.

 

WLWT is reporting about 9 serious injuries. Let's hope they come out of this alright.

 

I drove past it either right before or right after.

Fishwarp cites more injuries & "live" video feed.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120127/NEWS/301270041/

Im pretty sure OSHA will step in and delay all the casino projects in Ohio. This is the second time. First was the Cleveland incident.

^The parking garage that collapsed in Cleveland is already back under construction with OSHA's ok

Pretty wild. A bus just hit another bus during a live broadcast.

WTF, the Cleveland casino garage had a floor collapse

It's DOOMED!!!

As long as my buffet is intact, I'm good to go.

Pretty wild. A bus just hit another bus during a live broadcast.

 

It basically ran over the guys giving the press release. I find it a little bit funny that they set up shop for a big press release in the middle of a bus depot.

Video of the Bus and bus driver stepping out and yelling at the press.

 

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2012/01/27/cincinnati-bus-crash-during-news-conference.html

In 2 years, she's going to be working at Chris's buffet. Watch out.

She won't be working there but she'll certainly be eating there.  Daily.

One of the guys in that video ran against my dad for school board back in 1994.

Construction work at Cincinnati casino to restart tomorrow

Business Courier by Lucy May, Senior Staff Reporter/Associate Editor

Date: Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 11:55am EST - Last Modified: Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 4:37pm EST

 

**Update: Messer Construction announce late Tuesday that construction work at the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati will resume Wed., Feb. 1 **

 

Construction work could resume as early as this week on the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati site where a collapse injured several workers last Friday.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2012/01/construction-work-at-cincinnati-casion.html

Cincinnati Horseshoe Casino to be demolished

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/springfield-news/part-of-cincinnati-casino-being-demolished-1323181.html

Well, just the part that already fell down....

Wonder how this will affect superstitious gambler types.

I have to say, while I'm not a fan of the overall site plan, it's filling in the space better than I imagined it would. The massing is not so bad. If they finish off their open space in an appropriate way, it will definitely add to the city, not detract from it.