. The fact that Mahogany's couldn't even obtain a loan is telling - they aren't listed with the BBB

 

I'm not sure why you keep mentioning the BBB--which is a pay-for-membership organization, as I understand it.  That's like saying they aren't a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

. The fact that Mahogany's couldn't even obtain a loan is telling - they aren't listed with the BBB

 

I'm not sure why you keep mentioning the BBB--which is a pay-for-membership organization, as I understand it.  That's like saying they aren't a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

 

They aren't a member of the Chamber of Commerce either?!?!?!  jk

 

:wink:

. The fact that Mahogany's couldn't even obtain a loan is telling - they aren't listed with the BBB

 

I'm not sure why you keep mentioning the BBB--which is a pay-for-membership organization, as I understand it.  That's like saying they aren't a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

 

They aren't a member of the Chamber of Commerce either?!?!?!  jk

 

:wink:

 

The city will get what they pay for.

god- how many more weeks do we need this Mahogany's bashing to go on.  Look, it's happening. let's hope it ends up being successful. 

 

Does anyone know the opening dates of Crave or Tin Roof? 

god- how many more weeks do we need this Mahogany's bashing to go on.  Look, it's happening. let's hope it ends up being successful. 

 

Does anyone know the opening dates of Crave or Tin Roof?

 

Have they even started construction inside on either of those spaces? Orange Leaf looks like it's going to be the next to open. Walking by there last week it looks like it'll be ready within the month.

I attempted to enter the Moerlein Lager House on Saturday but was beaten back by the mob of 100 people waiting to get in.  It was a total scene. It's just beer and hamburgers, people. 

^ You must be joking at the Burgers & Beer comment... have you seen their menu?  It's amazing.  Hell, I didn't even realize burgers are on there and I've had about 10 items off of it.

Yea, isn't it managed by Stone Creek? That should tell you something right there.

I went at 6:30 last night (Monday) and it wasn't too crowded.  Waited at the bar maybe 10 minutes for a table of 6.  I wouldn't ever even try to go on a weekend for the first month or two, though, I assume it'd be packed.  It does seem to be attracting the suburban commuters, though, as well as a big after work crowd.  The people I met there all came from the suburbs/out of town to check it out, and will come again.

Kind of Banks related ...

 

I was listening to Lance McAlister and Sportstalk last night on WLW (the only thing on that station besides the Reds I can bear to listen to) and they were discussing efforts to lure the 2014 NCAA second and third rounds of the men's tournament to downtown Cincinnati. Incredibly, but not surprisingly considering that station's listener base, the majority of people were against it. One caller from Lawrenceburg said the tournament wouldn't work here because there is nothing around the arena except In-Between Tavern and Holy Grail. Another caller flat-out said Cincinnati "doesn't deserve anything like that."

 

Never mind the fact that Dayton regularly gets the NCAA tournament (deservedly so) despite the fact that there isn't a single restaurant/bar within walking distance of UD Arena. And every one of the regional cities surrounding Cincinnati gets the tournament, including Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, Indy, Lexington and Louisville, but we apparently "don't deserve" it.

 

The self-hate in this city is maddening.

 

 

^I wouldn't say so much that it's from the city, more so from the suburbs. Personally, I don't get it. I grew up in Fairfield and my family regularly ventured downtown for Reds games, circus, museum center, train display, etc. My dad grew up in NYC and ever since moving here really liked downtown Cincy/isn't "afraid" of being downtown. The majority of people I grew up with/went to high school with think it's another world.

 

I remember the first time my friend and I in high school drove down to Cincinnati on our own just after getting our driver licenses, my friend thought OTR was right next to Sawyer Point and that we needed to get out of there as fast as we could.

 

In regards to the NCAA tournament coming here, The Banks is nothing but a big sell and I'm sure the streetcar will be too. The only reason I could see Cincinnati not getting it is due to age of US Bank Arena. The more higher profile games in major cities are usually at really nice, modern arenas. USBA can't even handle a 5,000 crowd Cyclones game.

 

I put no validity into the statements of callers/folks on WLW. Even Lance McAllister, I had to stop listening to him, that guy is an idiot.

 

Hopefully Cincinnati can nail down an NCAA tourney game and the MLB All-Star game. We have the downtown to support these kinds of events and the sports market for them.

Anyone know what the population build out of the Banks maybe?

funny story, also slightly off topic.  I moved to Ciny in 08 from NY and had been following what was going on in the urban core for years.  I am at my new job orientation and a guy from L.A. who had never been to Cincy asked the group at the table what food options downtown there were.  2 others at our table were from Cincy; one guy was nice enough but said there is really only Rock Bottom and nothing else.  The woman chimed in by saying don't go dowwntown, you'll get mugged.  me bbeing the out of towner said "well, if you want Italian you can go to Via Vite, upscale Mexican, Nada, French, Jeanro, seafood Mccormick or Oceannaire etc etc etc.  I was the out of town guy that knew the stuff and the two local yokels were clueless.    It was my first experience (of many) seeing that many people in this city don't want anything to do with downtown; they could care less. Coming from NY, it is very puzzling to me.

Today someone at work went on another tirade about the streetcar, bringing up that bass player who was killed in OTR in 1996.  I told him that was "like 15 years ago" and his response was "so?".  There are tons of these people, and that mindset has been forged by decades of talk radio.  You will usually hear them repeat some talk radio exhortation, verbatim.  The effect of 700 WLW on this city's collective mood cannot be overestimated. 

^The effects of awful formal education and de facto segregation in the Cincinnati metro cannot be understated when considering the city's sour attitude towards embracing new experiences in the same place they've always been. 

 

Can't worry about Cincinnatians hating Cincinnati, there are too many.  Supporting ventures that make sense in Cincinnati is the best way to drown that leviathan out.  A streetcar system (minimum 4 lines) is one of the few ventures Cincinnati can afford to embark on that cannot possibly fail.  The Banks unfortunately doesn't own that classification, that's why I feel the City would have been prudent to have reached a little bigger with the upstart of the Streetcar.

That's why it's imperative to connect to Uptown so UC is connected to the Banks.

 

The Cincinnati Streetcar isn't a done deal. It's only just begun.

funny story, also slightly off topic.  I moved to Ciny in 08 from NY and had been following what was going on in the urban core for years.  I am at my new job orientation and a guy from L.A. who had never been to Cincy asked the group at the table what food options downtown there were.  2 others at our table were from Cincy; one guy was nice enough but said there is really only Rock Bottom and nothing else.  The woman chimed in by saying don't go dowwntown, you'll get mugged.  me bbeing the out of towner said "well, if you want Italian you can go to Via Vite, upscale Mexican, Nada, French, Jeanro, seafood Mccormick or Oceannaire etc etc etc.  I was the out of town guy that knew the stuff and the two local yokels were clueless.    It was my first experience (of many) seeing that many people in this city don't want anything to do with downtown; they could care less. Coming from NY, it is very puzzling to me.

 

Thats pretty sad. Rock Bottom would be the last place i would go.

funny story, also slightly off topic.  I moved to Ciny in 08 from NY and had been following what was going on in the urban core for years.  I am at my new job orientation and a guy from L.A. who had never been to Cincy asked the group at the table what food options downtown there were.  2 others at our table were from Cincy; one guy was nice enough but said there is really only Rock Bottom and nothing else.  The woman chimed in by saying don't go dowwntown, you'll get mugged.  me bbeing the out of towner said "well, if you want Italian you can go to Via Vite, upscale Mexican, Nada, French, Jeanro, seafood Mccormick or Oceannaire etc etc etc.  I was the out of town guy that knew the stuff and the two local yokels were clueless.    It was my first experience (of many) seeing that many people in this city don't want anything to do with downtown; they could care less. Coming from NY, it is very puzzling to me.

That kinda stuff shows more often than not. Just read the newspaper comments and letters. All though it's a very small sampling of the metro. It does show the disconnect some people have. Furthermore it shows how many trolls there are on the news websites.

^The effects of awful formal education and de facto segregation in the Cincinnati metro cannot be understated when considering the city's sour attitude towards embracing new experiences in the same place they've always been. 

 

Can't worry about Cincinnatians hating Cincinnati, there are too many.  Supporting ventures that make sense in Cincinnati is the best way to drown that leviathan out.  A streetcar system (minimum 4 lines) is one of the few ventures Cincinnati can afford to embark on that cannot possibly fail.  The Banks unfortunately doesn't own that classification, that's why I feel the City would have been prudent to have reached a little bigger with the upstart of the Streetcar.

 

Curious what you mean by awful formal education?  Is it the schools forging these attitudes?  I tend to think it's more the general attitudes forged from generations and propdaogatedreinfoced by talk radio. 

Yes, the schools are definitely part of the problem.  The anti-Cincinnati stuff was actually part of the Cincinnati Public Schools curriculum back in the 1940s and 50s.  I have one of the books that was used in the classrooms, and it quite literally showed facing photos of the West End and new suburban homes, telling the kids one was bad and the other was good. 

Yes, the schools are definitely part of the problem.  The anti-Cincinnati stuff was actually part of the Cincinnati Public Schools curriculum back in the 1940s and 50s.  I have one of the books that was used in the classrooms, and it quite literally showed facing photos of the West End and new suburban homes, telling the kids one was bad and the other was good.

 

Even Vas You Eva in Zinzinnati? says how when the West End (or Kenyon Barr?) was demoed there wasn't much to save...

I went (or tried) to go to the Morlein Lager House last evening (Wednesday) about 6:30 with 3 other guys for dinner.  TWO HOUR wait for a table.  I really couldn't believe it.  I know it'll settle down after the newness wears off, but still, that place is big. 

I went (or tried) to go to the Morlein Lager House last evening (Wednesday) about 6:30 with 3 other guys for dinner.  TWO HOUR wait for a table.  I really couldn't believe it.  I know it'll settle down after the newness wears off, but still, that place is big. 

 

Completely unrelated but there were 45+ minute waits for Senate, Bakersfield, A Tavola, Abigail St. last night. (ToB was a private party) and 1215 was packed. Lavo was mostly empty.

^^^ I don't get that about Lavo. They are seemingly always empty when the other spots nearby are packed. What's up with that?

 

On a somewhat related note, I went to Lavo for Happy Hour last Friday and had VERY mediocre service at that bar even though we were the only ones there. The drinks were good and reasonably priced, but things were generally a little unprofessional.

 

One thing that I think these new OTR hotspots are missing out on is a good patio scene (and a few windows that open don't count). Holy Grail & CM both will do this much better.

^^^ I don't get that about Lavo. They are seemingly always empty when the other spots nearby are packed. What's up with that?

 

On a somewhat related note, I went to Lavo for Happy Hour last Friday and had VERY mediocre service at that bar even though we were the only ones there. The drinks were good and reasonably priced, but things were generally a little unprofessional.

 

One thing that I think these new OTR hotspots are missing out on is a good patio scene (and a few windows that open don't count). Holy Grail & CM both will do this much better.

 

I think you answered your own question.

Lavo has always been underwhelming for me.

 

Speaking of The Banks, here are two photos I recently took. Underwhelmed.

 

 

3 things:

 

1- gorgeous photos Sherman!

 

2- the Bartlett building is GORGEOUS! Ugh, how do we get it renovated into apartments. It's currently empty with the water & power shut off.

 

3- I hope they build those town homes or the hotel soon! It's so depressing with that ugly beige stucco background.

Is it bad that I actually like the "back" of the Banks more than the "front"?

Hopefully what takes the place of the void will take the focus away from this particle board apartment building. 

Hopefully what takes the place of the void will take the focus away from this particle board apartment building.

 

A brand new W Hotel would do that very nicely.

 

Anyone know about how high they would look to build a hotel in that space? I assume it would have to be significantly higher than the apartment buildings in order to get maximum use out of the tight confines.

I really don't think the building looks too bad.

 

What I do dislike is how bland it looks at street level with the wide sidewalk. Maybe some bike racks or flower beds on the sidewalk would help?

 

By the way, didn't see why everyone was complaining about the overhand for TK then I drove by it this morning. Wow...

Are there any bike racks down there at all? Going to Lager House Sunday via bike...

^Haven't seen any. Been locking up on the railing across the entryway from the Lager House both times I went there.

Sherman, nice photos. Do you happen to have a shot with the whole lager house in the frame?

Are there any bike racks down there at all? Going to Lager House Sunday via bike...

On opening night at Lager House I locked my bike up on the hand rail to the right of the ramp as you walk up. Paula Toti then interviewed me as an "urban bike enthusiast." Regardless, that seemed to work well and when I left, several other bikes had followed my lead. That said, I was surprised to not find bike racks. They have them over at the Walnut Street steps, albeit not enough last time I looked.

Thanks everyone... I don't need front door parking, but they really need racks down there...

Hopefully what takes the place of the void will take the focus away from this particle board apartment building.

 

A brand new W Hotel would do that very nicely.

 

Anyone know about how high they would look to build a hotel in that space? I assume it would have to be significantly higher than the apartment buildings in order to get maximum use out of the tight confines.

 

Pretty sure the hotel is supposed to be 10 stories and the townhomes are supposed to be 3-4.

 

 

What I do dislike is how bland it looks at street level with the wide sidewalk. Maybe some bike racks or flower beds on the sidewalk would help?

 

If you walk along that sidewalk you can see spots were the cement is temporary for future tree plantings. Not sure when "future" is though...

^^^ I don't get that about Lavo. They are seemingly always empty when the other spots nearby are packed. What's up with that?

 

On a somewhat related note, I went to Lavo for Happy Hour last Friday and had VERY mediocre service at that bar even though we were the only ones there. The drinks were good and reasonably priced, but things were generally a little unprofessional.

 

Lavo isn't bad, and the rooftop deck is really awesome, you get this very European feel up there but for the price the food and service could be a lot better.

What about that awkward astroturf-covered empty space at GABP directly opposite Main Street from the Lager Haus? It looks like it could be a pad for a future building.

I think that was envisioned as a future expansion of the Reds Hall of Fame.

3 things:

 

1- gorgeous photos Sherman!

 

2- the Bartlett building is GORGEOUS! Ugh, how do we get it renovated into apartments. It's currently empty with the water & power shut off.

 

3- I hope they build those town homes or the hotel soon! It's so depressing with that ugly beige stucco background.

 

I wonder if they couldn't have a great rooftop deck on the Bartlett building. 

Lavo has always been underwhelming for me.

 

Speaking of The Banks, here are two photos I recently took. Underwhelmed.

 

 

 

Excellent photos.  I forget...but is there a plan to alter the flood wall at all as park of Smale Riverfront Park?

What about that awkward astroturf-covered empty space at GABP directly opposite Main Street from the Lager Haus? It looks like it could be a pad for a future building.

 

I believe that is Astro Turf from Riverfront Stadium. The Garden next to it is the "Rose Garden" where Pete's historic hit landed.

^ I've heard that too. Hence why it's next to the "Rose" garden.

 

 

I forget...but is there a plan to alter the flood wall at all as park of Smale Riverfront Park?

 

In the end it will be like the serpentine wall... But less serpentine-y.

^ I've heard that too. Hence why it's next to the "Rose" garden.

 

 

I forget...but is there a plan to alter the flood wall at all as park of Smale Riverfront Park?

 

In the end it will be like the serpentine wall... But less serpentine-y.

 

That's much better than a garden made out of Scottish moss

^Was that really a plan?

^Was that really a plan?

 

No that's a homonym joke (peat, Pete; as opposed to rose, Rose)

^Was that really a plan?

 

No that's a homonym joke (peat, Pete; as opposed to rose, Rose)

 

 

I wonder if they couldn't have a great rooftop deck on the Bartlett building.

 

It would be a great rooftop deck with stunning views - at least until a new skyscraper is built one block south at Third and Walnut.  :wink2: