I'll put my vote in for a FOX Sports Grill. It's like an upscale Vegas sportsbook with a bar in the middle, lounge area, good size dining room, and a shop.

 

I'd rather have an ESPNZone because of the casualness, plus they have a giant screen.

^I agree with that. Just as Chipotle isn't worried about having locations in Newport and Fountain Square, I think Dewey's wouldn't need to be concerned either. They're not destination restaurants in the way that, say, Montgomery Inn is. If that were coming to The Banks, I'd be interested to see what happens to the boathouse.

 

Also, I love when people carry a whole Dewey's pizza into a movie. I'm sure that AMC management just loves that!

 

There is a Chipoltle on Fountain Square.

I'll put my vote in for a FOX Sports Grill. It's like an upscale Vegas sportsbook with a bar in the middle, lounge area, good size dining room, and a shop.

 

I'd rather have an ESPNZone because of the casualness, plus they have a giant screen.

 

I don't prefer chains but if other large cities have them and people like them, Cinci should shoot for them I think. Also that trendy bowling alley MonteCarloss used to preach about - would be nice. We need to make up for Jillians moving out. I loved that place!

I have eaten at the Rosa Mexicana at Altantic Station and thought it was pretty bad (as I try to be polite).  I would vote for an ESPN Zone and one of the bowling alley concepts.  In my mind they really need a massive indoor/outdoor beer garden that pays homage to the German heritage and also is reminiscent of the old, gigantic Second Street bars.  Being that close to the stadiums, river, city...and especially in the warm months, it could be an awesome atmosphere.

ESPN Zone def gets my vote!

^I agree with that. Just as Chipotle isn't worried about having locations in Newport and Fountain Square, I think Dewey's wouldn't need to be concerned either. They're not destination restaurants in the way that, say, Montgomery Inn is. If that were coming to The Banks, I'd be interested to see what happens to the boathouse.

 

Also, I love when people carry a whole Dewey's pizza into a movie. I'm sure that AMC management just loves that!

 

There is a Chipoltle on Fountain Square.

 

???  Yeah, and they're puttng one in Newport as well.

One thing that I bet would make a ton of money is a bike shop right by the park.  Just a bigass cyclery to encourage people to bike more (assuming that whole lunken-to-downtown trial gets built) Also, even though arcades are kind of outdated, we still need something similar.  Maybe a big pool hall with an arcade or something.

There's a gameworks on the levy

There is a Chipoltle on Fountain Square.

 

??? Yeah, and they're puttng one in Newport as well.

 

Really?  On the Levee?  Boycott them!  Eat at Habanero!

No, it's one of the restaurants being added to the Newport Pavillion project up on E 10th Street.

One thing that I bet would make a ton of money is a bike shop right by the park.  Just a bigass cyclery to encourage people to bike more (assuming that whole lunken-to-downtown trial gets built).

 

I would look for something like this to happen within the park itself.  From my understanding they are planning to have a big bicycle parking (enclosed) area, with lockers, showers, rental, etc.  If a shop doesn't go in that complex then something in The Banks development would make a lot of sense.

Not really a surprise here!

 

Banks replaces condos with hotel

By Jessica Brown • [email protected] • January 26, 2009

 

Construction of The Banks riverfront development will cost about 6.4 percent more than initially expected and its first phase now will include a 120-room hotel to replace 60 of 100 proposed condominiums, officials for the project said today.

 

Full story text is available at

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090126/NEWS0108/301260034

I was really pleased about the wide sidewalks.  They are definitely a favorite in warm weather along Calhoun St at UPA so it will definitely benefit down there

I can't wait for the day when I can have a beer while sitting streetside with my friends before a Reds game. This project has so much potential that I can't wait for it to be completed.

anyone else notice the sudden emergence of W Hotels advertisements on facebook and cincinnati.com?  Purely speculation, but could this be a tool to introduce the brand to the market before it is announced and built?

Why can't they stick to the original plan? This is doomed to fail.

Why can't they stick to the original plan? This is doomed to fail.

 

negative much...

 

That's just as bad a comment as all the ones on cincinnati.com

 

If the project does conform to market conditions and isn't flexible, then i would say it is more likely to fail.

Why can't they stick to the original plan? This is doomed to fail.

 

Because several condo projects in the area have stalled due to market conditions.  So put the hotel into phase 1, and move the condos to phase 2 when the real estate market comes back.  Otherwise we're stuck with a completed garage and developers who will refuse to start building until the condos are 50% under contract.

Im just being a realist. Take the bailout for instance. It was not working out like they planned it so they changed things and it's still not working. They should have had the right plans from the start and stuck with it. It only creates doubts into buyers minds.

Im just being a realist. Take the bailout for instance. It was not working out like they planned it so they changed things and it's still not working. They should have had the right plans from the start and stuck with it. It only creates doubts into buyers minds.

 

They thought they did create the right plan. Bush created a plan and stuck with it despite the outcome. Did he do the right thing? or should have have modified his plan to better fit the circumstances.

 

Saying that they should have created the plan right from the beginning is ridiculous and having that type of mentality will only allow you to be disappointed repeatedly by everything. Because NOTHING ever happens according to plan.

This is a permanent project. I surely wouldn't buy into anything that is going to change things on the fly. I'm sure i'm not alone on this. I bet they turned more prospective buyers away they have brought to this project. Do they even have one major tenant signed?

Wow, what insight! People should just create everything perfect from the start and then nothing will ever have to be modified! Why didn't they think of that?!

This is a permanent project. I surely wouldn't buy into anything that is going to change things on the fly. I'm sure i'm not alone on this. I bet they turned more prospective buyers away they have brought to this project.

 

Apartments can be turned into condos quite easily.  The hotel is being put in now instead of at a later phase so that means what would have been a hotel later on will probably end up being residential.

 

Do they even have one major tenant signed?

 

If you read the recent articles that have come out you'll see that they are just now beginning to negotiate with major tenants.  Although I presume that they have a couple of boutique hotel places in mind given their recent statements.

Someone used a not joke on the Enquirer's comment board about the "increased" cost. Yep. A not joke. Seriously.

I want to know about these tenants. I don't want The Banks to be stuck with buildings that cater to highly specialized uses like NOTL. AMC, Cold Stone Creamery for example. How many things can you do with a standalone Cold Stone creamery or Hollister? For the Banks to be successful and sustainable in the long term, we need buildings that can easily adapt for different tenants.

I will give my first born to the person that can hit up their connections and find out what the flag will be for this "boutique" hotel in the flats.

 

My money is on a W, Conrad, Hilton Garden Inn, Hotel Indigo or Kimpton product!

How many things can you do with a standalone Cold Stone creamery or Hollister? For the Banks to be successful and sustainable in the long term, we need buildings that can easily adapt for different tenants.

 

I don't see how an ice cream shop or a clothing store are that hard to modify to different uses?

I will give my first born to the person that can hit up their connections and find out what the flag will be for this "boutique" hotel in the flats.

 

My money is on a W, Conrad, Hilton Garden Inn, Hotel Indigo or Kimpton product!

 

All viable options, but there are dark horse(s) that you haven't mentioned.  That being said, I know nothing of the short list, and especially not the finalist if one has been selected yet.

I will give my first born to the person that can hit up their connections and find out what the flag will be for this "boutique" hotel in the flats.

 

I wish I had those connections...not so that I could get your first born, but rather so I could know for myself.

How many things can you do with a standalone Cold Stone creamery or Hollister? For the Banks to be successful and sustainable in the long term, we need buildings that can easily adapt for different tenants.

 

I don't see how an ice cream shop or a clothing store are that hard to modify to different uses?

 

It's a small awkward space if you ask me. Re use can be expensive, time consuming and unpredictable. We might as well make it as easy as possible for them.

^The buildings in The Banks are on a street grid and fit with the surrounding form.  NOTL and its buildings do not.  It was designed like an open-air mall with an enclosed portion.  This has led to the problematic reuses for that space.  The buildings being proposed at The Banks look like they will be of the typical urban variety that will be easily reused and transformable with the changing world.

Whats the latest site plan, Randy? Do you have it on hand? This thread is so long..I can't be bothered to go through all the pages.

 

I guess it's a wonderful thing we've always had NOTL right across the river for reference on what not to do lol

I will give my first born to the person that can hit up their connections and find out what the flag will be for this "boutique" hotel in the flats.

 

My money is on a W, Conrad, Hilton Garden Inn, Hotel Indigo or Kimpton product!

 

All viable options, but there are dark horse(s) that you haven't mentioned. That being said, I know nothing of the short list, and especially not the finalist if one has been selected yet.

 

Righto. There are so many others... boutique hotels are the "hot" thing now and every major hotel company has at least one product that would meet this label. 5 years ago it would have been W or Kimpton for sure.

 

I will say this much, having a Westin already in the city makes a W possibility VERY, VERY promising.

Whats the latest site plan, Randy? Do you have it on hand? This thread is so long..I can't be bothered to go through all the pages.

This is the most recent information that I know of. Some of the uses have changed, but the form and layout is still the same from my understanding.

 

http://www.hamiltoncountyohio.gov/hc/hc_pdfs/AugustBanksUpdate.pdf (1.65mb)

Cool. I like it. Thanks for the link.

When i was reading that presentation I realized how close phase I will be to the entrance of GAB and how sweet its going to be to go to after a reds game! Thanks for the link!

I would also note that getting a couple new hotels in the Banks area would be good for getting an All-Star Game in the next decade, it's been 20 years since the last one. Grabbing a couple of those would seriously jump-start energy down there. If the Coliseum was in better shape, I'd say we could make another run at the women's final four of basketball.

I would also note that getting a couple new hotels in the Banks area would be good for getting an All-Star Game in the next decade, it's been 20 years since the last one. Grabbing a couple of those would seriously jump-start energy down there. If the Coliseum was in better shape, I'd say we could make another run at the women's final four of basketball.

 

I don't want an All-Star game to be held here until The Banks and the Central Riverfront Park projects are completed or mostly completed.  The difference in perception of Cincinnati, from out-of-towners, would be immense.

^How far out are those planned anyway?

^From what I see on Wikipedia they have up to 2010 (Anaheim) planned right now.

I will give my first born to the person that can hit up their connections and find out what the flag will be for this "boutique" hotel in the flats.

 

My money is on a W, Conrad, Hilton Garden Inn, Hotel Indigo or Kimpton product!

 

All viable options, but there are dark horse(s) that you haven't mentioned.  That being said, I know nothing of the short list, and especially not the finalist if one has been selected yet.

 

Righto. There are so many others... boutique hotels are the "hot" thing now and every major hotel company has at least one product that would meet this label. 5 years ago it would have been W or Kimpton for sure.

 

I will say this much, having a Westin already in the city makes a W possibility VERY, VERY promising.

 

In Charlotte, the one that went in next to the new NASCAR museum was a Hilton Garden. I'm not sure W would be the right profile for The Banks. But you never know!

 

^I'm not familiar with W.  Would it not fit in?

Hilton Garden is not really much of a boutique hotel.  Conrad is Hilton's luxury hotel.

 

W is very high design, part of the Sheraton group I believe, and may not fit in the profile of a blue collar city, although that is who I am personally pulling for. 

 

The conversation about Cunningham has been move here:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,8839.0.html

 

Lets keep this thread on topic to the best of our abilities.

There is a new website for The Banks - http://carterdawson.com/

 

Also the most recent renderings seem to be evolving as the project moves forward.  They are getting more detailed and realistic looking.  For example...

 

http://carterdawson.com/images/concept-drawing2.jpg

i like the couple of new renderings on the site and how detailed and realistic they look.

Yeah, I think that looks pretty good, especially if you can picture the texture of the facade and how it will look in real life.

Still looks terrible.  Poor render-quality aside...the architecture just sucks. 

Let's hope there are varieties in the setbacks.

^I hope not...I want everything built to the street and no less than 5 stories in height.