October 16, 200915 yr The Banks project could greet tenants in one year By Lucy May | Cincinnati Business Courier, October 16, 2009 Construction of the apartment building and retail that will encompass the initial phase of the Banks project should begin within 60 days. That would make the project ready for the first tenants to move in at the end of 2010 or early 2011, said Trent Germano, vice chairman of Carter, the Atlanta-based firm teamed with the Dawson Co. to create the billion-dollar riverfront development. A grand opening celebration is being planned to coincide with the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day in 2011, he said. “I don’t think there’s any impediment to starting,” Germano said in an interview before his Oct. 13 speech to CREW Greater Cincinnati. “Everything is set up to flow.” Read full article here: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/10/19/story2.html
October 22, 200915 yr More Banks details revealed Think earthy, red Colors, materials revealed for Banks Red and tan bricks, metallic zinc paneling, limestone blocks and gray stucco are among the materials that likely will adorn the façades of the first buildings to be part of The Banks riverfront development. Advertisement On Wednesday Cincinnati's Urban Design Review Board gave conditional approval to the first drawings showing the color scheme and building materials that developers say they'd like to use at the $600 million riverfront project. Wednesday's drawings show the skin of the 300 apartments and roughly 70,000 square feet of retail space planned for the project's first phase. Read Full Article Here: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091022/BIZ01/910220336/More+Banks+details+revealed "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
October 22, 200915 yr Local firms bid on Banks Two local firms are among a short list of companies tapped to compete for the top job of overseeing the initial phase of construction at The Banks riverfront development. Advertisement Dayton, Ohio-based Miller Valentine Construction Co., which has offices in Deerfield Township, and D.A.G. Construction of Winton Hills are teaming together to submit a bid as general contractor for the first part of the project. The first leg will cost estimated $75 million to $80 million plan that will include 300 apartments and roughly 70,000 square feet for retail and restaurant space. Read Full Article Here: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091017/BIZ01/910170352 "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
October 22, 200915 yr More Banks details revealed Think earthy, red Colors, materials revealed for Banks Red and tan bricks, metallic zinc paneling, limestone blocks and gray stucco are among the materials that likely will adorn the façades of the first buildings to be part of The Banks riverfront development. Advertisement On Wednesday Cincinnati's Urban Design Review Board gave conditional approval to the first drawings showing the color scheme and building materials that developers say they'd like to use at the $600 million riverfront project. Wednesday's drawings show the skin of the 300 apartments and roughly 70,000 square feet of retail space planned for the project's first phase. Read Full Article Here: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091022/BIZ01/910220336/More+Banks+details+revealed ^ Sighs... Those designs look horrible? Red and Tan bricks with metal? Does anyone else find these images appalling?
October 22, 200915 yr They're what I expected. This isn't the conceptual Banks design, this is the reality of building urban on a budget
October 22, 200915 yr ^ Yep! Looks like streets of westchester south!!! Meanwhile, the real authentic stuff in OTR rots away while we build more homogenized craptacular stuff you can find in nearly ANY community in ANY city across the land. If only we were spending all of this "banks" money in OTR....sigh.
October 22, 200915 yr A ton of investment IS being spent in OTR. Plus, you can't really judge the buildings until you can stand in front of the finished piece. Besides, in The Banks case, substance is more important than looks. As long as we get kickass tenants, then we're golden.
October 22, 200915 yr Isn't OTR the bad part of town, why are they putting money in that "wretched" place? ...yes I was being sarcastic...guess it didn't translate too well on an electronic forum? I knew this would get a response out of Shermal cuz he and I discussed this once before...but I couldn't help but think about that TV show about the murders/crime in OTR and thought it was funny...oh well guess not.
October 22, 200915 yr as of right now those buildings are better than what exists. I think that depending on the overall design of the rest of the area they could look just fine. It's not like they're plunking that down in the middle of OTR...those buildings are between two stadiums and disconnected entirely from the rest of downtown. There's nothing around it. I'll reserve judgment until i see the completed work.
October 22, 200915 yr Isn't OTR the bad part of town, why are they putting money in that wretched place? I hope you are being sarcastic. If not, hop on over to the Gateway Quarter thread and learn about what's going on in our city's most historic and architecturally-significant neighborhood.
October 22, 200915 yr ^http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,16431.0.html "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
October 22, 200915 yr Isn't OTR the bad part of town, why are they putting money in that wretched place? Aside from our unnecessary prior clash, this is a completely ignorant comment. Reasons for spending money on "that wretched place": Building healthy neighborhoods Revitalizing historic districts Reusing existing building stock Increasing energy efficiency Improving the spatial allocation of resources and services Downtown wasn't all that great during the 90's. Some would argue that it was a "wretched place". So why have they spent money on downtown all?
October 22, 200915 yr Isn't OTR the bad part of town, why are they putting money in that wretched place? It is one of the cities most blighted and vacant neighborhoods, and does have the highest crime rate, but it is definitely worth saving and investing in. The potential there is huge. The first few blocks north of downtown are already very successful in terms of being redeveloped, that's the "Gateway Quarter," mentioned in the few previous posts.
October 22, 200915 yr Isn't OTR the bad part of town, why are they putting money in that wretched place? It is one of the cities most blighted and vacant neighborhoods, and does have the highest crime rate, but it is definitely worth saving and investing in. The potential there is huge. The first few blocks north of downtown are already very successful in terms of being redeveloped, that's the "Gateway Quarter," mentioned in the few previous posts. Do you actually know this or are you just making it up or assuming it is true?
October 23, 200915 yr Isn't OTR the bad part of town, why are they putting money in that wretched place? Aside from our unnecessary prior clash, this is a completely ignorant comment. Reasons for spending money on "that wretched place": Building healthy neighborhoods Revitalizing historic districts Reusing existing building stock Increasing energy efficiency Improving the spatial allocation of resources and services Downtown wasn't all that great during the 90's. Some would argue that it was a "wretched place". So why have they spent money on downtown all? If it isn't a tall skyscraper with a permanently mounted web-cam, then it isn't worth noting. :P Back on topic, folks. I hope Dirty Sandpit is joking (please clarify your original post by modifying it); if not, well... he got spanked a good one on here today.
October 23, 200915 yr Inspired by the hues in the ball park and the freedom center? Not all celebrity babies are as beautiful as their parents... At least that rendering has the hideous office tower portion back to being an amorphous white box.
October 25, 200915 yr Friday, October 23, 2009, 2:57pm EDT | Modified: Friday, October 23, 2009, 3:02pm County ordered to fire Banks project lawyer Business Courier of Cincinnati A dozen Hamilton County judges have signed a court order that would terminate the employment of the county’s special counsel for riverfront development, effective Jan. 1. The order could end a 10-year-old relationship between the county and attorney Tom Gabelman. As the Business Courier reported in July, Gabelman’s work on stadium issues, street grids and other riverfront development matters has cost more than $16.5 million since 1999. http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/10/19/daily74.html?ana=from_rss
November 5, 200915 yr Just rode up the elevator in Atrium II with Trent Germano. He said things are going to start humming in the next few weeks. If you look at the platform now, it is tidied up and pretty much ready to build, other than some final activity on the SW corner.
November 6, 200915 yr Any one have any clue when we'll know how many condos/apartments will be built?
November 6, 200915 yr Ha like the saying in football goes "when turnovers happen, they happen in bunches" and Cincy just recovered about 5 of them! I think we're finally winning the game now.
November 6, 200915 yr FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Banks Development Team Announces General Contractor Private Construction to Begin Cincinnati (November 6, 2009) – The Master Development Team of Carter and The Dawson Company announced today it has selected Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC as the general contractor for the private overbuild portion of The Banks. Brasfield & Gorrie, one of the largest privately-held contracting firms in the nation, brings extensive successful experience in building complex, mixed-use, vertically integrated developments in dense urban areas, a unique expertise that differentiated them from other finalists. “The Banks is an incredibly complex project because it involves developing a mixed-use, vertically integrated project,” said Harold A. Dawson, Jr., president and CEO of The Dawson Company. Trent Germano, vice chairman of Carter added, “While all of our finalists were strong, Brasfield & Gorrie brought to the table a track record of successfully completing similar complex projects. Brasfield & Gorrie will be a great fit for The Banks and we look forward to working with them.” As general contractor, Brasfield & Gorrie will be responsible for the construction of Phase 1A of the private overbuild, which will include 300 apartments and up to 80,000 square feet of retail. The firm’s qualifications included: · Extensive experience in building mixed-use, vertically integrated projects in urban areas · Sound financial standing · Experience in LEED certified projects · A proven record of meeting and exceeding inclusion commitments · A commitment to extensive use of local subcontractors and suppliers · Previous experience working in the Cincinnati market and the Midwest Brasfield & Gorrie will achieve the development team’s goal of at least 30 percent SBE participation. And, while there is no set goal regarding use of local subcontractors and suppliers, the development team and Brasfield & Gorrie are committed to utilizing a significant amount of local talent to get the job done efficiently and effectively. “Brasfield & Gorrie are committed to an inclusive process,” said Germano. “We have every confidence they’ll stay true to these commitments, because we have worked successfully with them on similar projects, in similar markets for nearly 20 years.” Brasfield & Gorrie, which is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., has developed projects in 29 states mainly in the Southeast and Midwest. They are familiar with the Cincinnati market as they served as general contractor for the Saks redevelopment. “We are excited about working again in the Cincinnati market and we understand fully the development team’s goals,” said Roddy McCrory of Brasfield & Gorrie, who will serve as project executive. “We are confident that we’ll deliver a quality project that meets or exceeds all expectations. We are eager to get on the site to begin work.” The development team conducted an extensive search – both locally and nationally – for a general contractor and several weeks ago narrowed the field to three candidates. These candidates were chosen based on a variety of criteria which included specific experience and bonding capacity. Several local firms were approached and considered. The Brasfield & Gorrie team will waste no time assembling on site. Construction on the private overbuild will begin in December, with a grand opening of Phase 1A set for Spring 2011. Carter and Dawson make up the master development team and equity partners and USAA Real Estate Company is the primary equity partner for the joint City, County project called The Banks. The Banks is a mixed-use development that will benefit the entire region. In addition to creating a destination where people can live, work and play, The Banks will be a catalyst for regional economic growth. It will drive an estimated $600 million in private investment to our riverfront and provide a place to live for more than 3,000 residents. Once completed, The Banks will be Cincinnati’s largest single, mixed-use development and be composed of a dynamic blend of residential, office, hotel and retail components.
November 7, 200915 yr They want to encourage local business, but they hire a contractor from Alabama? FYI Miller Valentine was also in the running and they build outstanding projects. Not to mention they are from southwest ohio War Hypocrisy.
November 7, 200915 yr Their goal of using as much locally sourced talent does not mean that every component must be locally sourced. Brasfield & Gorrie will achieve the development team’s goal of at least 30 percent SBE participation. That is one of the goals, pushed by the NAACP, and since Brasfield and Gorrie is a small business, it makes sense to use them. Miller Valentine is not, although it is more local than Brasfield and Gorrie is. As for locally sourced companies, have you ignored Messer in this? Or the three other companies that are working on the project right now that are locally sourced?
November 9, 200915 yr Carter/Dawson interviewed all interested firms before selecting three to submit bids to them. MV-DAG, B&G, and a company from Maryland were the only ones to make the cut. I know for a fact other local companies wanted to bid but they didn't pass the interview. B&G has worked with Carter in the past on similar projects so I'm pretty sure that's why they were selected. We all need to remember they are just the construction manager and will only be a small part of the overall construction dollars. Hopefully they will use as many local subcontractors as possible.
November 9, 200915 yr Georgia master developer picks Alabama general contractor? Hmmm. Let's just push Cincinnati into Kentucky and then nobody's feelings will get hurt! :-D
November 9, 200915 yr Banks stimulus funds come up for vote Hamilton County Commissioners will vote this week on an agreement with the state of Ohio that will to put to work $9.2 million in federal stimulus funding on the second phase of the Banks riverfront development project. The Banks project received an allocation of $23.2 million in stimulus funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation in March. This would be the first contract to deploy those stimulus dollars. The money would be spent on road work. A second contract is expected soon for the construction of a new parking garage in the city block west of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
November 9, 200915 yr ^And on that note.. Hamilton County OKs Banks stimulus deal Hamilton County commissioners on Monday unanimously approved an agreement to start spending the first chunk of Banks stimulus money. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
November 11, 200915 yr Mehring Way will be demolished between Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium and rebuilt several hundred feet north to make more room for a planned riverfront park. Crews will also demolish Theodore Berry Way between Vine Street and Paul Brown Stadium in preparation of future use of that land for hotel or office buildings. The money will also pay to improve sections of Theodore Berry Way between Vine and Walnut Streets and to improve Main Street next to Great American Ball Park. The federal government approved a total of $24.7 million in stimulus dollars for The Banks project, which allows parts of the project to proceed more quickly than expected. http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091109/NEWS0108/911100315/1055/NEWS/County+approves+Banks+stimulus+deal So they're demolishing Ted Berry Way in part and improving it in part? I guess I need to go back to the drawings.
November 11, 200915 yr I think what they mean is that the part of Ted Berry Way currently supported by the fill and retaining walls will be removed and part of that area eventually rebuilt as a parking garage. The fill I presume will be pushed south to help form the park. The remaining part of Ted Berry Way will be reconfigured close to the Suspension Bridge. Freedom Way, currently being built on stilts between Elm & Race, will take over Ted Berry Way's light traffic duties.
November 11, 200915 yr Right....I just dusted off the plans. Ted Berry Way will basically only exist between Vine and Walnut, providing access to/from the bridge.
November 12, 200915 yr What's interesting about the Banks streets is that the parking garages will continue directly beneath Freedom Way, meaning hundreds more spots than possible otherwise. But I've never understood why above-ground decks are being built on the the new blocks instead of more underground parking where The Freedom Center's lawn is now, although I do suspect that the reason why The Freedom Center has never landscaped the lawns is so that this fill can be moved south for the park and the space replaced by a garage. All the dirt fill down there now was part of the original FWW levee. If the Transit Center hadn't been built, that dirt would have been supporting 2nd St. right now and the temporary Ted Berry Way would have been built on stilts or not at all.
November 12, 200915 yr I too wondered what would be done under the Freedom Center lawn. The pics below, taken Tuesday and Wednesday, are of the NE Corner of the lawn. As you can see, it'll remain built upon fill. I'm guessing this will eventually be one of two restaurants planned for the lawn. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
November 12, 200915 yr I haven't been back to Cincinnati in a long time. Last time, I was there that area was just a flat piece of land. It's amazing to see.
November 12, 200915 yr But I've never understood why above-ground decks are being built on the the new blocks I've always understood the difference to be public v private garages. The above ground decks being for residents only.
November 12, 200915 yr ^Those above-ground decks don't bother me so much. At least so far they just appear to be your run of the mill donut blocks with a 60' or so retail bay wrapped around the outside of a couple levels of parking, and then an amenity deck on top. There's not much you would be able to do with the inside of the donut otherwise.
November 12, 200915 yr Talked to one of the construction workers today. My pics above are that of an "electric vault". Currently they are above ground at the SE corner of the lawn. Eventually they'll be relocated to this below ground vault and the restaurant will be built in their former location. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
November 13, 200915 yr Reread what I wrote. There is space for at least 500 below grade parking spaces where The Freedom Center's lawn is. I'm assuming that there are still plans to do this or else we'd have seen some modicum of landscaping on this plot by now.
November 13, 200915 yr They recently installed a new retaining wall along the eastern half of Walnut from Freedom Way East all the way down and around Theodore Berry Way. Couple that with the Electrical Vault being installed underground at the NE Corner of the lawn, restaurants to be built on both the SE and SW corners of the lawn, and the Berlin Wall display being put somewhere on the lawn, I can't see this happening. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
November 13, 200915 yr Where's the ESPNZone announcement?!? Can you guys imagine ... I think I'd go nuts. We're seriously thinking about signing a lease for an apartment there ... anybody else throwing that idea around or thinking about it?
November 13, 200915 yr Reread what I wrote. There is space for at least 500 below grade parking spaces where The Freedom Center's lawn is. I'm assuming that there are still plans to do this or else we'd have seen some modicum of landscaping on this plot by now. The Freedom Center deleted the lawn landscaping during construction due to lack of funds. They do not have any plans for underground parking there. The winding brick pavers around and between the three buildings were supposed to carry through freedom way into the park. Here is a drawing of what Freedom Way and the lawn should have looked like before the money wasn't there:
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