March 26, 200817 yr Does anyone know what phase consists of the decks being built over Ft Washington Way? I've seen a couple renderings that have all the gaps covered..and then a few where just the center one is covered. Should be cool either way.
March 26, 200817 yr Those aren't part of a "phase", per se. They're optional additions, should the city find the funding to add them. I do agree that they would be amazing assets for residents, but I'm not sure how likely they are to actually happen. Perhaps someone here can tell us in greater detail what needs to occur for these to get built.
March 26, 200817 yr They will probably happen since the piers and columns of the new Fort Washington Way are designed for the caps, BUT I doubt you will hear much about completing that portion until the Banks is nearing completion.
March 26, 200817 yr ^^You're going to need some ODOT money to help pay for those. The Cincinnati Park Board will certainly not be able to do it alone, especially with all of their resources being put towards the Cincinnati Riverfront Park. As oakiehigh mentioned, the support columns are key...had those not been engineered to hold possible decking it would be a non-issue. There is a good chance that it will happen, but The Banks is going to have to make significant headway and other things (i.e. Cincinnati Riverfront Park, Cincinnati Streetcar, etc) will have to get some closure to free up the necessary funds.
March 26, 200817 yr The Feds can pitch in billions of dollars for Boston's Big Dig, but cant pony up the 30 million or so to cover Ft. Washington Way? (30 million is just a guess btw, anyone know how about how much this would cost?)
March 27, 200817 yr Did they ever mention what those two pointed buildings in front of the Freedom Center will be?
March 27, 200817 yr Just more imagining, I used my lame basic skills to throw in a few streetcars (improbably spaced, but how else do you fit three in the picture) Just for fun :)
March 27, 200817 yr The decking piece is actually what makes it easy to argue that the Banks are a part of downtown and not aprart from. This is really important to at some point cap it so that it can support things like a park or some pubic art that will connect the two.
March 27, 200817 yr Also the portion of land west of the practice field is what'll really makes this area pop.
March 28, 200817 yr The decking piece is actually what makes it easy to argue that the Banks are a part of downtown and not aprart from. This is really important to at some point cap it so that it can support things like a park or some pubic art that will connect the two. ^^Indeed!!!!
March 28, 200817 yr Heh, Yeah, they are small, but with the scale of the renderings, they kinda have to be that small without screwing up the scale. If I had a closer up rendering, I could do a lot more with it, but as you zoom that image, it really isn't that high resolution. Where is waldo is definitely appropriate :)
April 1, 200817 yr Just more imagining, I used my lame basic skills to throw in a few streetcars (improbably spaced, but how else do you fit three in the picture) Just for fun :) if 1/2 of the entire rolling stock (including reserves) is within four blocks along the line we might have some bunching issues, but that wouldn't be totally unrealisitic if it was the 9th inning at a reds game. the streetcars are at 3rd and main, 3rd and walnut and freedom and walnut. look for freedom and walnut first, it is turning right onto walnut.
April 2, 200817 yr Newport and The Banks together could virtually be the biggest entertainment spot in the entire Mid West. Just think of the potential.
April 2, 200817 yr ^Maybe your right but as this project has languished it looks less and less spectacular everyday. This will be a good project but I kind of look at it as a component to a vibrant basin area. What people will really talk about is the streetlife that is created and not just a collectino of buildings so if this is done right then this will help create some on the ground vibrancy that'll spill over to Covington, Newport, OTR, the West End, and the CBD (let's hope).
April 2, 200817 yr This is a (surprisingly) great article that tells of the history of "The Bottoms" aka Banks. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080402/NEWS01/804020346/1077/COL02
April 2, 200817 yr Shovels begin turning for Cincinnati Banks project By Lucy May, Business Courier of Cincinnati, April 2, 2008 Of all the elected leaders holding shovels at Wednesday's groundbreaking of the Banks riverfront development, three have been involved with the project the longest. Cincinnati City Councilwoman Roxanne Qualls was mayor when Hamilton County voters passed a half-cent sales tax increase in 1996 to fund the construction of new homes for the Cincinnati Bengals and Cincinnati Reds.
April 2, 200817 yr Groundbreaking marks start of The Banks The Enquirer, April 2, 2008 Elected officials prepared for a ceremonial groundbreaking this afternoon to mark the start of the construction of The Banks. Hamilton County commissioners earlier today praised the work of everyone who helped bring the project to this point. “The event’s been a long time coming,” said Commissioner Pat DeWine. "People have been waiting and waiting and waiting. The (Banks) Working Group should be congratulated on getting it this far.”
April 2, 200817 yr The Banks will bloom like 'tulips' From idea to groundbreaking in 9 yrs. By Keith T. Reed, The Enquirer, April 2, 2008 at 2:00 PM Hamilton County Commissioners this morning offered an open invitation to county elected leaders to attend today’s ground-breaking celebration and praised the work of everyone who helped bring the project to this point. “The event’s been a long time coming,” said Commissioner Pat DeWine. People have been waiting and waiting and waiting. The (Banks) Working Group should be congratulated on getting it this far.”
April 2, 200817 yr I've posted several other articles above :clap: :clap: :clap: Banks to revitalize riverfront Site was once The Bottoms, city's tough, lively cradle By Howard Wilkinson, The Enquirer, April 2, 2008 When the first spade of dirt is turned today on The Banks, it will be the first small step in Cincinnati's riverfront becoming what it once was. A real neighborhood. Over the next decade or so, the Banks project is expected to transform the barren patches between Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium into a vibrant neighborhood where people live, work and play.
April 2, 200817 yr I still can't believe this is actually happening. I remember hearing about this freaking thing when I was still in high school and thinking about how cool it would be to hang out there after Reds games while I was in college. That didn't pan out, but it's still great to see that this finally being built. This city has really turned the corner in recent years.
April 2, 200817 yr yeah i was in grade school when the proposals came out and i thought it would be great when i was in college, and im graduating this year so that wont happen either. better late than never
April 2, 200817 yr It's funny, when I mentioned this ground breaking to some of the many naysayers that I know...they often told me of how they hadn't heard about this, and didn't know it was actually starting. I guess when you bury your head in the sand and/or listen to 700 WLW regularly that can happen.
April 2, 200817 yr I still can't believe this is actually happening. I remember hearing about this freaking thing when I was still in high school and thinking about how cool it would be to hang out there after Reds games while I was in college. That didn't pan out, but it's still great to see that this finally being built. This city has really turned the corner in recent years. OMG, I was 16 when they first dreamed this up!
April 2, 200817 yr Rando that's hilarious hahahaha. Yea, 700WLW tends to "hide" what's actually happening eh? I was down at groundbreaking today and that was the first time I've ever set foot that far down there. The place is HUGE. You really don't get the scope when you look at the renderings. You have to see it. The area for Phase 1 alone is huge. Hopefully all the haters will actually see its happening.
April 2, 200817 yr ^ It will definitely shut the haters down! The only thing they can hold over our heads now will be the decade of squabbling. But I think that even that goes away as soon as we see something start rising out of the ground. We need to get QCSII & this friggin streetcar going so everything will REALLY start falling into place. This is really a historic day in the Nati!!
April 2, 200817 yr I should also add that I am no longer approached by these people on this topic. I am the one who has to bring it up...I guess positive news isn't something they are looking to discuss. :|
April 3, 200817 yr Wow, I guess Ovation must be 50 or 60% complete by now, since they were going to break ground well ahead of The Banks! LOL
April 3, 200817 yr Looks great! 2 years for all that? Not bad at all. Ha! I wish ... the project is about 20 acres, built in 3 Phases. The first phase will have a skeletal structure coming out of the ground by this time next year and in two years from this time, we'll have Phase I complete and people will be living on the Banks. God willing ;) Included in Phase I are apartments, retail, hotel, commercial, office, and 2 restaurants. I'd bank on condos being in Phase II. There will be about 2,000 people living on the Banks when it's all said and done.
April 3, 200817 yr Along with this, we'll have a 40 acre park with many impressive features in between the actual river and the Banks.
April 3, 200817 yr This may just be rumor, but I heard when Mayor Mallory went to throw his ceremonial first shovel full of dirt, the dirt careened wildly to the right and ended up near the Reds dugout at GABP :wink:
April 3, 200817 yr ^ Ha, I didn't see that, but I've never seen the word "careened" used! At least not that I remember! ;)
April 4, 200817 yr This may just be rumor, but I heard when Mayor Mallory went to throw his ceremonial first shovel full of dirt, the dirt careened wildly to the right and ended up near the Reds dugout at GABP :wink: Fantastic. :laugh:
April 4, 200817 yr Aren't they planning on starting the construction of the park at the same time as Phase 1? the reason I ask is because I thought the money raised to build the park is separate from The Banks and could begin at any time.
April 4, 200817 yr ^The money is separate, and the park will be built in phases. The first phase of the park is the same area as the first phase as The Banks. From my understanding the park people are ready to build the first phase when it is most appropriate to build it in relation to construction of the first phase of The Banks.
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