^That would be an interesting idea. They could change with whatever major is happening around UC. They'd certainly be fun and would help cover the garages at the same time.

 

I disagree, I think this would look EXTREMELY tacky.

To add, I think they should cover each side with lattice work and let vines cover the walls.

To add, I think they should cover each side with lattice work and let vines cover the walls.

 

I like that.

Maybe you arch folks have some insight into this -- when a building is three stories tall that's the max for not having to put an elevator in, right? And at six stories is when you have to put in a much more elaborate fire safety system in, correct (at least in Columbus that's how it is)? So that's why you don't see as many four story buildings built because you might as well do five if you're going to be spending $500,000+ on a couple elevators.

From my understanding, an elevator is required in all new multi-story construction (with a few exceptions). The difference between the 3-story and the 4-story is that the 4-story building requires more structural costs that significantly adds to the cost per square foot. 3-story and under are lighter buildings and can use cheaper structural support. Perhaps 4-story buildings require a second elevator, but I don't know about that.

Requirements are actually pretty complicated, and numerous codes (state building code, local zoning code, ADA) apply for various reasons.

 

Basically, any new building that has two or more stories accessible to the public will need an elevator.  Notable exceptions are apartment buildings with 4 or fewer units, or buildings with upper/lower floors under 3000 square feet.  The number of elevators then typically depends on occupancy type and number of occupants.

 

^That would be an interesting idea. They could change with whatever major is happening around UC. They'd certainly be fun and would help cover the garages at the same time.

 

I disagree, I think this would look EXTREMELY tacky.

 

It's a giant parking garage. It's already tacky.

^This. I think if done right having banners can look fine and enhance a project. The ones on the Lager House are nice and add to that side of the building in my opinion. No reason these couldn't be the same if they were to go with that idea.

I thought maybe the red things were to provide some shading for the vehicles inside the garage, but they're also on the north side of both garages, and the sun will never get far enough north to shine into the garage at an angle. Since they're already putting the facade on the garages, I guess we'll find out pretty soon.

I'm pretty sure it's just going to be some pointless metal mesh fence screen type thing that is a cheap, random, pointless way to "break up" the garage.

 

It's the cheap alternative to designing a decent looking garage, or just paying the brick the whole thing over.

A few more pictures from today.

Is that parking garage in the last photo going to have a facade? (I hope)

This development hates America!

Is that parking garage in the last photo going to have a facade? (I hope)

That exact question wound up in the discussion that stretched this page.

 

Basically, no, it won't. But it might get some transparent red mesh-or-something panels which don't cover much of anything up.

 

Truly horrendous. The non-garage stuff is bad enough. CUF needs a community council with some balls. Now. So does Corryville, for that matter.

All I can say about this is "it's better than nothing at all."  That's a shame.

Truly horrendous. The non-garage stuff is bad enough. CUF needs a community council with some balls. Now. So does Corryville, for that matter.

 

The city needs to reform its Community Councils or come up with a different system of local government that's less corruptible and more accountable to community needs.

There are two problems:

 

1) The people who typically run community councils are the ones who get financial benefit from holding positions. We need more people who just want a better neighborhood and aren't in it for personal gain.

 

2) The city doesn't have to listen to the community council. Look a Mercer Commons. OTR Community Council and OTR Foundation objected to the designs and wanted them to redesign the project by paying respect to the surrounding environment and actually follow the design guidelines. 3CDC says that they will lose irretrievable grants if the project isn't approved by a certain time. The BZA conditionally approves the project as long as they make some very minor changes to the design. The actual power of the community councils are too little to change much, but if they were more powerful it would be susceptible to more corruption. I don't know how to improve the system besides getting better people in charge of the community councils.

The parking garage could be worse.  It's not bad within the context of the overall street, which now feels extremely urban.  If the Shell at the end of the block ever gets replaced, the parking garage will barely be noticeable.

Yes, this street looks very urban now. The old houses and buildings on the south side of McMillian now look out of place to me.

This development hates America!

 

This made my day.

There are two problems:

 

1) The people who typically run community councils are the ones who get financial benefit from holding positions. We need more people who just want a better neighborhood and aren't in it for personal gain.

 

 

Actually, it's the urban redevelopment corporation that has had more power in the process. The neighborhood council, in fact, has more concerns with how the development will price out local businesses. It wants to retain more of the historic character. So, your accusation is a bit misguided, in this case. Additionally, having been a board member with a community council, there is no financial benefit. CCs are non-profits and budgets are fairly transparent. I can tell you that no CC president in my community, past or present, has gained financially from their positions. We have conflict of interest statements, which are required by the federal government, in order to safeguard against your fear. Breaching that agreement can lead to revocation of non-profit status.

Truly horrendous. The non-garage stuff is bad enough. CUF needs a community council with some balls. Now. So does Corryville, for that matter.

 

The city needs to reform its Community Councils or come up with a different system of local government that's less corruptible and more accountable to community needs.

 

Neil, I invite you to a CUF Neighborhood Association meeting. Your impressions of Corryville may have some teeth, but they do not hold true for CUF at all. Additionally, the population of CUF now consists of 8% owner-occupied units. So, the representation is there, but the participation among transients is not. "There goes the neighborhood" is the sentiment of people who never cared about the neighborhood in the first place.

Next time I'm in town where there is a meeting I'll take you up on that offer :-)

I decided that one of the coldest, windiest days of the year was an appropriate time to go out and take some quick camera phone pictures of projects around UC. So here they are in all their (non) glory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excuse the snow and all around strangeness of the last photo.

 

But as can be seen, these are pretty ugly. That's really all I feel like saying about them right now. Can't wait for mature trees to be growing in the sidewalks...

I actually like the massing of this project.  I just hate the materials and the random vertical elements.  Overall it could've been a LOT worse...like that 65 West garbage across the street. (Sigh...the Friar's Club is still shown on Streetview.)  I'm really happy to see this kind of density here and I do think it's of expected quality for student housing.  HOWEVER we still need to keep demanding more of our developers.

The rents for this place are pretty high. Also, parking is $95 a month.

 

Honestly, this thing makes the quality and design of UPA look amazing.

And since when has cinder block been an appropriate design element.

^ Since 1950s houses in Florida constructed almost entirely of CMUs with those windows that have all those 4-inch segments which can be flipped open like mini blinds.

>Honestly, this thing makes the quality and design of UPA look amazing.

 

Now and in 30 years when this is 30 and UPA is 40.  Hard to believe that UPA, or at least its foundations, is already 10 years old.

Who was the developer of UPA? I was comparing the finishes and quality between the two and its almost incomparable. I don't think UPA has any EIFS and USquare is almost half EIFS on the residential buildings. Yuck.

And since when has cinder block been an appropriate design element.

 

If you look closely, I don't think it's actually cinder block.  The wall itself is cinder block, but looks like it is clad in a calcium silicate cladding, which is a small step above cinder block, and is a sort of cast stone product.  They usually come in the same sizes as CMU so they tend to remind people of basic concrete block.  It's supposed to look like limestone or granite, but instead looks like concrete.  I've had to try hard to talk my firm out of using it in buildings a couple times recently.  I'm not a fan!

If normals can barely tell the difference between it and bare CMUs why spend the money?

^ So (I DARE SAY...), isn't this entire "Calhoun Corridor" looking damn good and doing what needs to be done, especially when looked at by a young UC student (and his/her parents), a Cincy visitor, or an old-timer (like myself) who, for years, begged for more?  Needless to say, I'm impressed and loving every moment of this new development.

^Woah there! You're on urbanohio.com. Here, only anger and disappoint are permitted when describing new construction. :police: :wink:

^Yeah, you're absolutely right, wholtone!  I scrutinized all those U Square photos once again and decided they DO look like s**t.  :laugh: 

^ So (I DARE SAY...), isn't this entire "Calhoun Corridor" looking damn good and doing what needs to be done, especially when looked at by a young UC student (and his/her parents), a Cincy visitor, or an old-timer (like myself) who, for years, begged for more?  Needless to say, I'm impressed and loving every moment of this new development.

 

I'm with you 100%. I live in the area and absolutely hated the field that used to be there. I can't wait for spring when the retail starts opening. And this development makes the entire area come alive. Plus the businesses that will open there, suburban in nature, will definitely stand out as an attraction to college kids and improve the entire McMillan / Calhoun corridor.

 

 

That's all very true, but the materials are still crappy. It's going to be good, but with a little tweaking could have been great.

That's all very true, but the materials are still crappy. It's going to be good, but with a little tweaking could have been great.

 

Well, with all the architectural mediocrity in the area, great would stand out like a sore thumb.  :laugh: :drunk:

To be honest though, I don't think thousands of students will give a crap about the architecture.  They just want to drink, shop, and not be bored while close to campus and where they live.

This is many a college student's wet dream, no doubt. There is now a smaller type of this kind of development at the University of Louisville right now. Only slightly better architecturally, with just as crappy a name (Cardinal Towne!). But if it had been there when I was a student, I would have loved hanging out around it, since UofL has a real dearth of entertainment options for students around the campus.

To be honest though, I don't think thousands of students will give a crap about the architecture.  They just want to drink, shop, and not be bored while close to campus and where they live.

 

I know a lot of college students that would COMPLETELY disagree with you.

I think UC's campus proves that wrong. Among many other reasons, an architecturally unique campus is a HUGE draw since good architecture attracts people from every walk of life, even if they don't realize it.

 

I'm curious how the little quarter circle plaza will turn out once this is finished. I'm hoping it's not just pavement or grass but actually has something interesting designed into it so it becomes a focal point for the development.

Noticed on the way to work this morning, crews seemed to be preparing to pour the streetscape concrete just past Shell on the McMillan Street side.  Exciting stuff.

I'm curious how the little quarter circle plaza will turn out once this is finished. I'm hoping it's not just pavement or grass but actually has something interesting designed into it so it becomes a focal point for the development.

 

Well, if someone here is interested in attending, here's the info:

 

DATE:

Fri, 1 Feb 2013 10:39:44 -0500

 

FROM:

Quinlivan, Laure <[email protected]>

 

Hello CUF Residents,

 

I'd like to let you know that Arn Bortz and his team will be presenting their plans for the U Square "piazza" in my Strategic Growth Committee meeting this Tuesday, February 5 at 12pm in Council Chambers.

 

Should your schedule allow, I encourage you to attend and sign-up to speak for 2 minutes. I think it is important that my colleagues hear the neighborhood's opinions on the design plans. Mr. Bortz's presentation will be first on the agenda.

 

Thank you & have a nice weekend,

 

LAURE QUINLIVAN

an architecturally unique campus is a HUGE draw since good architecture attracts people from every walk of life, even if they don't realize it.

 

I'm a firm believer that the success of an area depends on its vibe, not its architecture. Broadripple in Indianapolis proved that to me. Absolute crap architecture, yet people flock to it. The reality is, for most people the buildings aren't important at all. What's important is the feeling that get when they go there, and how much fun they have.

More Retailers Sign on at U Square

 

"...Bortz said he couldn’t name the potential tenants, but described each of them. One is an independently owned ethnic restaurant, another is a sports apparel shop and the third is a “beautification” retailer whose services include body waxing.

 

In addition, U Square has a signed lease with Body Central, a retailer that sells apparel and accessories targeted at women in their late teens and 20s. Body Central joins a group of other apparel tenants in the eastern block of the development that also includes Altar’d State, Rue 21 and Moksha Yoga."

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2013/02/04/u-square-continues-to-draw-interest.html

 

 

^Woah there! You're on urbanohio.com. Here, only anger and disappoint are permitted when describing new construction. :police: :wink:

 

Don't forget there is no concept of what things actually cost or what it takes to get financing  :-P

The clothing retailers signing on to this project seem like they don't necessarily meet the demographics of UC students. I have always percieved Rue 21 & Body Central as stores that cater more to the tween and high school crowd. Most of the people I went to school with at UC shopped at J.Crew, Nordstrom, etc. and were fairly brand conscious. I wasn't even in DAAP or a design-forward program either. I really don't get Altar’d State either, but hey, who knows.

 

Sounds like ULTA Beauty will open a location here which should do well.

The clothing retailers signing on to this project seem like they don't necessarily meet the demographics of UC students. I have always percieved Rue 21 & Body Central as stores that cater more to the tween and high school crowd. Most of the people I went to school with at UC shopped at J.Crew, Nordstrom, etc. and were fairly brand conscious. I wasn't even in DAAP or a design-forward program either. I really don't get Altar’d State either, but hey, who knows.

 

Sounds like ULTA Beauty will open a location here which should do well.

 

It will probably take a decade or more for a stable assortment of shops to settle. So it goes.

 

Same is true for the Banks. I'm still waiting for Johnny Rockets to disappear.

I think it's an issue of national retailers looking at demographic information, and basing their decisions off of that rather than UC specifically.  The student population is only there 9 months out of the year, so it would be hard to justify moving into the neighborhood just to serve students.  I think it's good sign that retailers are signing on to this project, even if they aren't stores that I would shop at.  It will be a long, long time before we see a J. Crew opening a store in a neighborhood business district in Cincinnati (possible exception being HP Square).