I'm glad the Piedmont Mews is being replaced... but like too much of UC's new construction, the building is set back awkwardly from the street, creating "green space" that nobody will ever use. I really wish the building were situated more towards Eden Ave. That "Eden Avenue gateway landscape" seems like an ill-advised attempt to mimic the Vine/Goodman intersection, which is a space nobody ever wants to spend time. Those sandstone towers are kind of interesting, but just strike me as a huge waste of space.

 

The presentation even explicitly states that they've planned around an "enhanced and widened MLK Drive". That's a contradiction in terms if I've ever heard one. At least the parking is underground and the building faces MLK in a decent fashion, so no real complaints on those fronts.

 

Ohio gives $6M to renovate historic UC building

 

 

The state of Ohio is giving $6 million to the University of Cincinnati to renovate its historic Health Professions Building at its medical campus in Corryville.

 

Noted Cincinnati architect Samuel Hannaford’s firm designed the building. Hannaford also designed Cincinnati City Hall, Music Hall and the former Dennison Hotel, which is in the midst of a preservation fight.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/06/08/ohio-gives-6m-to-renovate-historic-uc-building.html

Looks like Santa Ono is potentially leaving UC:

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2016/06/12/ono-leaving-uc-vancouver/85808150/

 

Looks like Santa Ono is potentially leaving UC:

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2016/06/12/ono-leaving-uc-vancouver/85808150/

 

 

Gone. The emails to alumni went out a bit earlier.

UC's Santa Ono departs

 

 

As expected, University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono today accepted the top job at the University of British Columbia, returning to his hometown of Vancouver, Canada. UBC is a massive, two-campus school with more than 60,000 students and an endowment of $1.5 billion (CAD).

 

Ono was in Vancouver for the 1 p.m. EST announcement. He'll start what will be a five-year term on Aug. 15. UC officials are set to make an announcement at 2 p.m. on campus.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/06/13/ucs-santa-ono-departs-here-s-what-it-means.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/08/05/get-the-first-look-at-uc-s-new-120m-college.html#i1

 

 

First look at the new Linder College of Business design.

^More on that...

 

 

The University of Cincinnati is working on building a new Carl H. Lindner College of Business, and the Business Courier got the first look at the design for the $120 million facility.

 

UC shared preliminary renderings for the Lindner College of Business, which was designed by internationally renowned Henning Laresn Architects with Cincinnati-based KZF Design as the architect of record. The four-story building has glass facades, a grand atrium and lobby, open workspaces, a courtyard, a large café, lecture spaces, a teaching lab and other features.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/08/05/get-the-first-look-at-uc-s-new-120m-college.html

Renderings of the new residence hall next to Scioto and Morgens were available the ribbon cutting yesterday for Scioto.

Perhaps this will allow them to tear down Dabney Hall and do something to open up that space. It's kind of an unappealing area with the old Sander dining hall there. The space could be better designed for the public as well, for the basketball and baseball games.

Cool looking building but I'd hate to see that beautiful green space over there get eaten up.  I'm sure they're taking precautions about that but still, green space is extremely scarce in urban campuses and UC is very lucky in what they have.  On the other hand, I'd be happy to see those hideous faculty buildings get torn down.  Such eye sores.

UC trustees vote on where to locate new law school

 

 

The University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees made its decision Wednesday night on where to look to locate a new College of Law.

 

After studying a potential move to the Banks for more than six months, the board voted 5-4 to approve $1 million to fund a programming document, concept, location study and probable cost of construction for a new College of Law building on the Uptown campus.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/08/24/uc-trustees-vote-on-where-to-locate-newlaw-school.html

Could've been cool to have it downtown near the courthouse. But The Banks was not a good location. Keeping it Uptown is fine.

The Banks was much better deal for the Banks than it would have been for UC.

Local philanthropist donates largest-ever gift to UC College of Law

Sep 13, 2016, 8:00am EDT Updated Sep 13, 2016, 8:38am EDT

Tom Demeropolis

Senior Staff Reporter

Cincinnati Business Courier

 

Longtime Cincinnati philanthropist Richard "Dick" Rosenthal made the largest-ever gift to any innocence program in the country to the University of Cincinnati College of Law. The funds will be used to help free wrongfully convicted individuals in perpetuity.

 

Rosenthal, 83, donated $15 million to the Ohio Innocence Project at UC’s Lois and Richard Rosenthal Institute for Justice at the College of Law. The gift is also the largest that the UC College of Law has ever received and Rosenthal’s largest gift to date.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/09/13/local-philanthropist-donates-largest-ever-gift-to.html

The Lindners are giving more money to fund the new Lindner College of Business building:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/10/05/uc-lindner-college-of-business-lands-largest-gift.html

 

 

^A lot of that master plan is dated at this point and will never happen...so I wouldn't necessarily read into that all that much.  The YWCA is a really unfortunate situation due to some personal issues that happened with ownership there that resulted in one of the people coming in and stripping the building of most of its architectural jewels.  While the building has some issues structurally, it's my understanding that it is definitely salvageable.  I've heard that CCM has had its eyes on it for their library for some time now...never underestimate the power of a premier college like DAAP or CCM at a university.

 

UC now wants to renovate the historic YWCA building on Calhoun and use it as the new Alumni Center. The existing Alumni Center will be demolished to make way for the new College of Business.

^That's good news that the YMCA is being saved, and that will be a great location for the Alumni Center.

^That's good news that the YMCA is being saved, and that will be a great location for the Alumni Center.

 

Good news, unless they just save the front door and window stone and recreate the rest in a mirrored glass.  :roll: Hopefully they can restrain themselves a bit and just let old and historic be both old and historic.

 

Yeah, I hope we don't end up with another TUC.

Yeah, I hope we don't end up with another TUC.

 

 

Yep, or like the Sears Building.

Credit where credit's due.  They did fine work on the renovations to Braunstein, Baldwin, Memorial Hall, and Van Wormer.  I haven't seen the renovated Swift, Old Chem, or Dyer/Teacher's College but those sound like fine projects from what I've heard.  Has there been recent work on McMicken or Blegen Library?

[Hi, Chas here. Long time lurker, first time poster*]

 

The spire on McMicken was recently renovated... its almost too good because the urns and ornaments look plastic-like now.

 

After reading through the RFQ, I am guessing that this project is going to attract a lot of firms who have significant interest in maintaining as much of the existing building as possible while adding on a contemporary addition. The challenge here, is doing it well for $30,000,000. I have high hopes for this project.

 

[*was a member about 8 years ago and faded/forgot my credentials/got a new e-mail address, Good to be back]

This just gets weirder and weirder.  First they rip off the brick walls and ornamental details and open up the structure to the bare concrete floor slabs (except at the tower), now they're putting it back with concrete block and adding more windows while also adding a new bay where they tore off the 1940s addition.  I found a newer rendering than the one posted by the Business Courier.  It looks like they're rebuilding and possibly even reusing some of the old details, or at least the overall rhythm of the building on the east, south, and west sides.  http://www.kjww.com/projects/adaptive-reuse-of-campus-building

 

 

Odd indeed, but i like it better than the rendering where the front was all flat glass and they had added a fourth floor that obscured the tower. I wonder if they planned on saving the facade bricks then noticed the straps had deteriorated and punted with the previous plan then as they thought more about it (and got input) decided to revise.

 

Anyone here notice that some of the articles on the new $30 million Alumni Center say it will be on the SITE of the YMCA or that it will use DETAILS of the YMCA. Not as hopeful on a renovation as i was initially but it is still early in the process.

That first rendering was still of the back.  You can see the same stairs and curtain wall as in this rendering.  I think the first one was just at a lower angle so you couldn't see the tower, or they simply never put it in. 

Anyone here notice that some of the articles on the new $30 million Alumni Center say it will be on the SITE of the YMCA or that it will use DETAILS of the YMCA. Not as hopeful on a renovation as i was initially but it is still early in the process.

 

Yes, it's basically up to the architecture firms to come up with and propose an actual plans. But it could be doing a true renovation plus an addition, or only saving a part, like they did with TUC or the Sears building.

UC approves $21 million for campus upgrades

Oct 19, 2016, 11:19am EDT

Tom Demeropolis

Senior Staff Reporter

Cincinnati Business Courier

 

 

The University of Cincinnati board of trustees approved $21 million in funding on Oct. 18 for three projects on the university’s Uptown campus.

 

The board unanimously approved $8.2 million in funding to fund the design and construction of a new pedestrian-centered plaza bounded by the new Lindner College of Business, the Engineering Research Center, the Campus Recreation Center and the Campus Green open space. It also approved $6.8 million to fund design and construction of a new roofing system, improved laboratory rooftop exhaust fans and the reconstruction and updating of the existing rooftop greenhouse at Rieveschl Hall. The board approved an additional $6 million for the phased renovation of the Health Professions Building, now called Kowalewski Hall, for a total design and construction cost of $34 million.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/10/19/uc-approves-21-million-for-campus-upgrades.html

Glad to hear about the "Main Street North Plaza". That will make that area feel more connected to the rest of campus. I'll be curious to see the design of the plaza and "multi-modal transportation hub". I wonder what this means for the big roundabout next to the Rec Center. Right now, it feels like a sea of paver stones, so it would be nice to break up that space with some different materials.

 

The MainStreet North Plaza would provide “a safe traffic management plan” for the space near the new Lindner College of Business. The project would include pavement, lighting and landscaping revisions and enhancements to the end of Main Street at the front entry of the Engineering Research Center.

 

The proposed plaza would remove private vehicle and shuttle bus traffic from the area and improve traffic flow and public safety. A new multi-modal transportation hub is being developed at the Campus Green Drive frontage to the original Alumni Parking Lot as part of the Lindner College of Business building.

Glad to hear about the "Main Street North Plaza". That will make that area feel more connected to the rest of campus. I'll be curious to see the design of the plaza and "multi-modal transportation hub". I wonder what this means for the big roundabout next to the Rec Center. Right now, it feels like a sea of paver stones, so it would be nice to break up that space with some different materials.

 

The MainStreet North Plaza would provide “a safe traffic management plan” for the space near the new Lindner College of Business. The project would include pavement, lighting and landscaping revisions and enhancements to the end of Main Street at the front entry of the Engineering Research Center.

 

The proposed plaza would remove private vehicle and shuttle bus traffic from the area and improve traffic flow and public safety. A new multi-modal transportation hub is being developed at the Campus Green Drive frontage to the original Alumni Parking Lot as part of the Lindner College of Business building.

 

I read into that and assume that they are making drop off traffic turn around at Woodside and Campus Green Dr. either at a roundabout or following all the way along Campus Green Dr. to MLK to exit.

Any idea what will go on the site of the current business school?

^I don't think anything has been announced or proposed yet. Perhaps the new Law School building?

I speculate it will be used as a flex building while other buildings are renovated or as overflow space for overcrowded colleges for a while. While I didn't spend too too much time in that building, I can't remember it being insufferable...

I always had to take a dump within one hour of entering the building due to the moldy smell. That was 10 years ago; maybe it's been fixed.

There's no smell now, but the biggest issue is that it's very overcrowded.  One of my professors said that the building is 100% occupied at all times of the day.   

I always had to take a dump within one hour of entering the building due to the moldy smell. That was 10 years ago; maybe it's been fixed.

 

I always had to take a dump within one hour of entering the building due to a college diet of Skyline, Penn Station, beer/liquor, and other unhealthy edibles.

UC planning $45 million renovation project

 

 

The University of Cincinnati, already in a building boom, is looking at starting another $45 million construction project on campus.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/11/02/uc-planning-45-million-renovation-project.html

I'm glad to see UC is looking to renovate Calhoun... and I'd hope Siddall would follow shortly thereafter. I'm impressed with the design of the renovated Scioto and Morgens towers, so I'm hoping a similar plan is in place to renovate Calhoun and Siddall as a pair of towers, since their design is so dependent on each other.

I can't read the article, is it just Calhoun at this point?  Does it give any details on the renovation?

Yes: "Beeler also said he expects the university to eventually perform a similar renovation to neighboring Siddall Hall once work on Calhoun Hall is completed. UC can’t afford to take more beds offline at the same time, he said."

 

Hopefully they renovate the ground floor to have a Calhoun Street presence. Between that and the renovated YWCA/Alumni Center, that should really put some live into that dead-feeling part of Calhoun.

Well the Calhoun St. entrance has been locked for many years thanks to UC's fear of its surroundings.  You have to go around the plaza to the back side, which people for whatever reason believe offers some measure of safety, even though people hold doors for strangers at all of the dorms, all of the time, and basically zero are staffed by professional staff, let alone a security guard. 

 

Calhoun, Siddall, Dabney, Daniels, Morgan, and Scioto all have RA's at the door but Turner and Schneider do not. 

^Turner "technically" does, but only at the main entrance. Everyone just goes in the side door that doesn't have a person at the check-in table. Schneider and CRC are mostly athletes so I doubt UC cares about what they do.

 

Maybe if/when they get around to re-doing Siddall they can put the rooftop deck back in place. I've been up on Calhoun's roof and it's a pretty cool view from up there.

Well the Calhoun St. entrance has been locked for many years thanks to UC's fear of its surroundings.  You have to go around the plaza to the back side, which people for whatever reason believe offers some measure of safety, even though people hold doors for strangers at all of the dorms, all of the time, and basically zero are staffed by professional staff, let alone a security guard. 

 

Calhoun, Siddall, Dabney, Daniels, Morgan, and Scioto all have RA's at the door but Turner and Schneider do not. 

 

Right, but I would hope with all of the new investment along Calhoun, UC would no longer have this fear of its surroundings and would actually re-open the street entrance.

As for activating the street, it'll require some design for the outdoor spaces between the sidewalk and Siddall/Calhoun. Right now, those spaces just seem like voids between the street and the towers, but with a good design, they could be outdoor spaces where students actually want to hang out.

Personally I think it would make way more sense to just build an addition onto the building that extends all the way to Calhoun. I can envision a two story base along Calhoun that integrates fine with the existing tower and can be utilized to expand amenities for residents and bring retail square footage to the building along Calhoun which would bring in money for UC. Do something similar with Siddal, renovate the YMCA, sell the hillside to the west of YMCA to a developer (or UC develop it itself), move the law school, sell the corner and have something major developed there and Calhoun will feel more complete and less disjointed by the post-WWII planning ideas that resulted in the UC side being pretty sparse for awhile.

As for activating the street, it'll require some design for the outdoor spaces between the sidewalk and Siddall/Calhoun. Right now, those spaces just seem like voids between the street and the towers, but with a good design, they could be outdoor spaces where students actually want to hang out.

 

Well people would be loitering on that current patio like crazy if they simply...unlocked the doors.  But they have to keep the black people out and the best way to do that is with a pair of exchange students on their cell phones sitting behind desks next to a row of vending machines inside the back door. 

 

The strip is already over-retailed as there are various large vacancies along McMillan and Calhoun.  There is a large vacant retail space in The Verge and the former Arbys/Burger King is vacant across the street.  UC is no doubt subsidizing the UPA storefronts to give the appearance of a robust mall/lifestyle center to prospective 17 year-olds which makes it tough for the former Arby's/Burger King and other buildings owned by real people to compete. 

^I'm sure the commercial rents in the new buildings are beyond ridiculous (especially for ones that see little action 4 months a year) without subsidy.

 

edit: I "went shopping" for spaces. The rents are sky-high, at least the ones that list rents.

What's weird about that strip is that most of the longtime businesses that own their buildings are between Clifton and W. Clifton.  Papa Dino's, Lance's, probably Thai Express and maybe Campus Cyclery.  They were able to keep UC and its lawyers and their bulldozers away.  But the fast food chains between W. Clifton and Vine could be negotiated with, and were mowed down, to the detriment of various locally-owned businesses that never reappeared like Acropolis Chili and Inn The Wood.  What's amazing is that Mr. Tuxedo owns its own building even though it benefits in no way from its location since nobody in the area rents those crappy tuxedos.  Those guys are playing a very long game, both with their 1970s-era tuxedos and the building that they refuse to upgrade or sell.   

As for activating the street, it'll require some design for the outdoor spaces between the sidewalk and Siddall/Calhoun. Right now, those spaces just seem like voids between the street and the towers, but with a good design, they could be outdoor spaces where students actually want to hang out.

 

Well people would be loitering on that current patio like crazy if they simply...unlocked the doors.  But they have to keep the black people out and the best way to do that is with a pair of exchange students on their cell phones sitting behind desks next to a row of vending machines inside the back door.

 

Weren't the doors being locked and manned part of a much larger regulation on safety that was not only statewide but nationwide after school shootings started becoming a more common thing?

 

I think your insinuation that it's merely a racist move against "black people" isn't grounded in reality.

 

Beyond that, who the hell wants to live in a building that has doors that don't lock? That's a bad move anywhere. No residence should just have its doors wide open to the world, house, apartment, residence hall, or anything else. That's just asking for crap to get stolen.

 

My friends who own a business looked into places Uptown in new buildings. UPA is not subsidized. The rent there is extraordinarily high which is the source of the problem of the revolving door of businesses. Unless you're a business that can sustain itself with a slow summer and slow holidays you won't last long.

 

U Square was the exact same way. They chose OTR and a few other locations instead and have been successful as a result.

^Don't feed the trolls.

 

Every single dorm building in this country has one entrance because of security concerns.  Why would a college dorm have its only entrance opposite of campus itself?  Don't overthink it.