I was down in San Antonio this weekend and went to the Alamo Drafthouse. It seems like a good concept for a downtown movie theater (though the location I went to was suburban). Each row of seats has a table in front of it and you are served food while you watch the movie. It is less intrusive than normal moving around in the theater because the aisles have extra space to accommodate. From a management perspective you are losing some seats but gaining food and drink revenue. The place was doing good business when I was there (Friday and Sunday). I also noticed there were a lot of events for fan clubs and the community. While most locations are in Texas, they are beginning to franchise and have a Virginia location. Why not Cincinnati (the Banks, Tower Place, 5th and Race)?

 

http://www.drafthouse.com/main/franchise/

 

I have been informed there are theaters in Cincinnati that serve beer & food.

I know there are theaters where you can get stuff outside and carry it into the theater which is kinda cool, but this is different. there's actually a table/bar inside and you are served. the theater also is big on events for fan clubs and cult movies. it's not earth shattering but provides something unique which i think is important to make it a destination.

The Florence Showcase Cinemas has this type of service.

hm, how bout that

I know there are theaters where you can get stuff outside and carry it into the theater which is kinda cool, but this is different. there's actually a table/bar inside and you are served. the theater also is big on events for fan clubs and cult movies. it's not earth shattering but provides something unique which i think is important to make it a destination.

 

Which theatres in Cincinnati serve beer?

 

And I agree, the table service and cult movies would be a nice time.  The menu you posted wasn't as badly priced as I would have expected, to be honest.

The Cinema De Luxe around town (Springdale) all serve alcohol. Mt. Lookout used to have a cinema grill on this model. I think it is club now. It only had one or two screens as I recall. Portsmouth, VA has a theater, the Commodore, that does full meals with alcohol.

Second Street Lane Closure

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/city/downloads/BanksConstruction7109%20%20_2_.pdf

 

Ongoing construction of The Banks requires the closure of one lane of Second Street. The south curb lane of Second Street will be closed between Walnut Street and Main Street from Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 8 p.m. until Friday, July 3, 2009 at 6 a.m.  This closure is required for a large concrete pour.

 

Pedestrians will be detoured around this site but all vehicular traffic will be maintained on Second Street.  Drivers are encouraged to reduce their speed and use caution when approaching the closure area.  Visit www.cincinnati-oh.gov/dote, for information about the Department of Transportation and Engineering.

 

***

The Banks is a mixed-use development project that will be the premier shopping, dining, residential, and office destination on the banks of the Ohio River. This vibrant riverfront development will include a variety of residential options, entertainment venues including restaurants and bars, riverfront offices and hospitality spaces, and an expansive green riverfront park. This first of its kind project in Cincinnati will benefit the entire Greater Cincinnati region. The Banks will be a catalyst for regional economic growth that will provide a place to live for more than 3,000 residents and create opportunities for businesses and individuals during construction. The Banks development is being managed in a collaborative spirit by the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Carter Dawson Company, and Messer Construction.

anyone able to update with some pictures for this unfortunately recent out-of-towner?

Someone on this blog said they were going to contact some agency responsible for the webcam that has recently been removed...any update on this....being out of town I don't often get to view the site.

7/3/09:

 

 

Just an observation, but nobody ever uses Ballpark Village as a case study for The Banks. Two very similar projects in very similar cities. I know that people love dogging the problems that The Banks has had, but St. Louis is having those same problems. The people with a negative position are often the people who have no idea of the complexities of a project like The Banks, and no idea that these same problems occur outside of Cincinnati. These projects take the stars aligning to happen. So next time someone dogs on The Banks ask them if they know of Ballpark Village or how long it took The Inner Harbor (Baltimore) to get to the point it's at.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_Ballpark_Village

BD your right.  The problem is there are those certain people that no matter what you say, just want the city to fail.  They like seeing things like The Banks fail because they want to sit back and say "see I told you so." It's sad really.  BUT, the great news is Cincy has such a positive momentum swing right now with all the construction, that all the bashers are running out of things to complain about.  I happen to fall into a random conversation with a bystander during a Reds game, and she said all of the buildings of the Banks and QCS will be too tall lol.  TOO TALL.  People around here are scared to death of Cincy actually turning into a true metropolis and destination.  It's ironic considering thats how Cincy started out.  People here think tourism, tall buildings, streetcars, and taxes are the devil hahaha.

BUT, the great news is Cincy has such a positive momentum swing right now with all the construction, that all the bashers are running out of things to complain about.

 

Actually, they're just focusing on the Streetcar now.  I almost wish we had other recent failings to distract them, because I think the Streetcar is the most important project Cincy has seen in decades.

 

People here think tourism, tall buildings, streetcars, and taxes are the devil hahaha.

 

Well, they're right about the taxes at least!  :evil:

good post, hemroid!

Race Street closing Monday

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090707/NEWS01/307070058/1055/NEWS/Race+Street+closing+Monday+

 

The city of Cincinnati is closing Race Street beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, July 13, because of the ongoing construction of the Banks project...

 

These aren't as good as jmeck's but here they are anyways.

 

The new Freedom Way.

 

 

wow making progress fast

Does anyone else think that the time table is a little unrealistic? They want to start construction on the buildings by June, but the garage isn't even close to being complete.  Am I missing something here?

 

I was right :-P

I don't think there's any hurry to finish this, considering the weak market for housing, office, and retail. The bids will hopefully continue to come in under budget and with little overtime or rush orders, this first phase could come in WAY under budget. 

Banks' design being reviewed today

By Lisa Bernard-Kuhn • [email protected] • July 8, 2009

 

 

 

Refined design plans for the first leg of The Banks riverfront development will go before Cincinnati’s Urban Design Review Board Wednesday...

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090708/BIZ01/307080016/1055/NEWS/Banks++design+being+reviewed+today++

anybody planning on going that could provide the insight that the enquirer will no doubt lack?

Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 6:52pm EDT  |  Modified: Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 6:52pm

Architects for Banks have more work to doBusiness Courier of Cincinnati - by Lucy May Courier senior staff reporter

The city of Cincinnati's Urban Design Review Board concluded a working session on the Banks riverfront development by asking the development team's architects to keep working on the project's design...

 

I don't think there's any hurry to finish this.....

 

After 10 years, that's an understatement!

I just happened to be walking by The Banks yesterday for the first time in a few months and was impressed by the progress.  The last time I stopped by the eastern part of the project I had to look down from 2nd Street and now in areas it's at street level.  Seems like good progress to me.

 

I'm guessing they have secured federal stimulus money and made the required match for the western portion of the project since there appears to be work occurring by Paul Brown Stadium.  Does anyone have the scoop on that second part of the project?

Any renderings from yesterday?  Neither the Enquirer or Biz Courier has them on the article.  One would think that would be a given in an article reporting on the presentation of renderings...

They wouldn't have done any new renderings yesterday.  They only reviews what we've already seen.  But if they keep going at their pace then we should see some very soon.  It's nice to see the review board pushing the designs further!

Hopefully this "design by committee" approach doesn't result in a more generic product with each revision.

The design review board is composed of some creative and knowledgable minds, and I have faith that having them review The Banks design will make it better, not worse. 

From a couple weeks ago

 

 

looks like things are moving along nicely.  with me out of town, I am going to need weekly updates.  fyi. 

Concrete has been poured at street level and rebar is now extending in places above street level.

 

So will construction of buildings commence immediately, or will it follow a period of hesitation after completion of the garage?

there will certainly be a period of hesitation.  they are still hashing out some architectural details so cant imagine they'll have that all squared away by then.  the freedom center pad sat empty for a while, didnt it?

^ I'm sure they'll just take a few years to iron things out and get the buildings started.  :-D

there will certainly be a period of hesitation. they are still hashing out some architectural details so cant imagine they'll have that all squared away by then. the freedom center pad sat empty for a while, didnt it?

 

Well, from the last two review meetings that I've sat in, the main complaints were the building facades not coordinating and the lack of perceived quality.

 

To elaborate, the first major complaint was that the first floor retail shops appeared very much mismatched with the upper floor units. It creates an uneven streetscape, IMO.

 

The second deals with the fact that the units are apartments and not condos, so not as much facade treatment is being applied -- it looks really pretty generic and similar to what is along Calhoun by UC, just with some different colors. The sore point is with Main and 2nd -- whereas the GAB's entrance is rather elaborate and imposing, the corner retail for The Banks is rather mundane and... generic. It has no special treatment, no decorative facade, nothing. Just a storefront. Even Monroe Premium Outlets has better facade treatments in that regard.

The Freedom Center construction started pretty much right away after completion of the garage, from what I remember.  If there was any delay, it was less than 3 months. 

The second deals with the fact that the units are apartments and not condos, so not as much facade treatment is being applied -- it looks really pretty generic and similar to what is along Calhoun by UC, just with some different colors. The sore point is with Main and 2nd -- whereas the GAB's entrance is rather elaborate and imposing, the corner retail for The Banks is rather mundane and... generic. It has no special treatment, no decorative facade, nothing. Just a storefront. Even Monroe Premium Outlets has better facade treatments in that regard.

 

My question is:  why do the street level facades have to look like anything elaborate anyway?  I'd rather it be simply an extension of downtown than anything.

The second deals with the fact that the units are apartments and not condos, so not as much facade treatment is being applied -- it looks really pretty generic and similar to what is along Calhoun by UC, just with some different colors.

 

Why does this comparison keep coming up?  Is it because the buildings at The Banks are brick and so is University Park, and they're at generally the same density?  If you did a rendering of the "elaborate" buildings adjacent to GABP then they would most likely look the same.  Does the infill at 14th & Vine look like University Park...of course not.  The bricks there are normal sized bricks even though they're a veneer.  The bricks used at UP fail because they're half the size of a cement block with brick color.  If The Banks uses accurately scaled bricks (TBD), varies the coloration (check) and offers a few accents here or there (check) then it will be lightyears ahead of UP.

 

The sore point is with Main and 2nd -- whereas the GAB's entrance is rather elaborate and imposing, the corner retail for The Banks is rather mundane and... generic. It has no special treatment, no decorative facade, nothing. Just a storefront. Even Monroe Premium Outlets has better facade treatments in that regard.

 

This is important for two reasons.  1) That intersection serves as a key gateway for The Banks and GABP, and should be done well.  2) You must design the first 3 floors well as that is all that people tend to notice.  They'll take in the storefronts, the street trees and furniture, and the activity going on.  It has been studied that the average person rarely looks up at a building beyond what is in the line of vision.  As anecdotal evidence: when I worked at Panera Bread at the dreaded UP, I had many people come in and not even realize there was another 6 floors or so of apartments on top of the store.  Some were deliveries, some were visitors, but all in all they didn't really notice or care about what was going on above.

I know that, but that was the points they were making during the sessions, which are still valid. UP isn't a failure in my opinion -- it brought in much needed businesses, and the vibrancy that they have created is amazing. The street trees and the active storefronts really make a good impression on UC and Cincinnati, and over time, the trees will mature and will soften the otherwise sterile building facade treatment.

I know that, but that was the points they were making during the sessions, which are still valid.

 

I disagree, lots of people have opinions and just having one doesn't make it valid.

 

UP isn't a failure in my opinion -- it brought in much needed businesses, and the vibrancy that they have created is amazing. The street trees and the active storefronts really make a good impression on UC and Cincinnati, and over time, the trees will mature and will soften the otherwise sterile building facade treatment.

 

Sounding a lot like me. :)

I think it gets compared to UPA constantly becaue it's the same "super-block" development.  As mentioned above, it would be best if it were just an extension of downtown, but designing and building an entire block is nothing like the process that went into shaping an existing block downtown.  Huge variances in scale, materials, quality, and syles are what makes a city block vibrant.  It's tough to achieve that quality all at once, with just one designer.

 

There have been a few super-block type developments in Europe that were designed as individual buildings by different architects, with some loose guidelines.  They have turned out very nice.  It's just tough for one design group to get a similar effect, but that doesn't mean it won't be a good, functioning group of buildings.

Yeah, they tried to address that during the hearings, by noting it won't be one long linear block such as UP, but have variances in building materials.

Commissioners OK $345K in Banks change orders

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/07/13/daily42.html

 

Hamilton County Commissioners on Wednesday authorized nearly $345,000 in change orders for the Banks riverfront development project, money that will be paid from savings achieved in prior bids on Banks contracts...

 

 

New signage at GABP - not necessarily part of The Banks construction but this will be seen from the new Freedom Way.

What am I looking at?  Wasn't the "Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame" always there?

crosswalk? they better not of dug up my commemorative brick.

The crane is holding a new sign that was placed between the banners, above the HOF sign. I'll try and snap another pic Wed.

The Banks Project Could Get Makeover Before Completion

Web Produced By: Jennifer Moore

Email: [email protected]

Last Update: 9:20 am 

 

New Designs For The Banks To Be Unveiled Tuesday

County To Take Soil Samples At Banks Project Site

Grocery Added To Plans For Phase 1A Of The Banks

 

The "look" of the Banks project could be getting a makeover before its even complete.

 

The Banks developers and members of Cincinnati's Urban Design Review Board are meeting at 2 p.m. Wednesday to fine-tune design plans for the project...

The fact they want a grocery really says something.  I'm now convinced that keeping people at The Banks is one of their big priorities.  This is a very good thing.

The crane is holding a new sign that was placed between the banners, above the HOF sign. I'll try and snap another pic Wed.

 

 

As promised...

 

 

Wow.  Looks about as shi--y as the Riverboat pavilion... first class all the way.