Wall Street is a little less forgiving of "cool stuff" that isn't profitable than it used to be. Of course I don't know the profitability of that particular location.

With so many hotel rooms downtown and increasing how does Macy's not turn a profit simply from people who have spilled spaghetti sauce on their shirt/dress and need a new one 30 minutes before the big meeting? Being facetious but they are one of the only games in town especially if Saks leaves.

 

If they do build a condo tower on top I'd like to see a huge Fountain Square video board attached to the side of it.

 

Anyway we're getting way off topic.

Macy's leaving downtown would be uhm, catastrophic (too strong). But Macy's is looking at things like converting the top floors of it's Herald Square flagship into condo.  I thought I had heard they did his with a Brooklyn store.  Not sure what their arrangement is with FSW but a similar tactic/exit seems part of the LT strategy.

 

Macy's is currently pouring more money into renovating that Herald Square store than they are renovating/building all of their other stores combined. Obviously the higher up, the less money they make per square foot, but they are still cleaning up everywhere in that building.

 

The Cincinnati Macy's probably does okay because costs are very low, partly due to subsidy. Of course, one could say every suburban mall location is heavily subsidized because of the free infrastructure provided and maintained for them.

Macy's leaving downtown would be uhm, catastrophic (too strong). But Macy's is looking at things like converting the top floors of it's Herald Square flagship into condo.  I thought I had heard they did his with a Brooklyn store.  Not sure what their arrangement is with FSW but a similar tactic/exit seems part of the LT strategy.

 

Macy's is currently pouring more money into renovating that Herald Square store than they are renovating/building all of their other stores combined. Obviously the higher up, the less money they make per square foot, but they are still cleaning up everywhere in that building.

 

The Cincinnati Macy's probably does okay because costs are very low, partly due to subsidy. Of course, one could say every suburban mall location is heavily subsidized because of the free infrastructure provided and maintained for them.

 

 

Wall Street is a little less forgiving of "cool stuff" that isn't profitable than it used to be. Of course I don't know the profitability of that particular location.

 

 

 

I haven't been in it in about 15 years but apparently the New York store is still running the wooden escalators. 

 

 

 

Macy's leaving downtown would be uhm, catastrophic (too strong). But Macy's is looking at things like converting the top floors of it's Herald Square flagship into condo.  I thought I had heard they did his with a Brooklyn store.  Not sure what their arrangement is with FSW but a similar tactic/exit seems part of the LT strategy.

 

Macy's is currently pouring more money into renovating that Herald Square store than they are renovating/building all of their other stores combined. Obviously the higher up, the less money they make per square foot, but they are still cleaning up everywhere in that building.

 

The Cincinnati Macy's probably does okay because costs are very low, partly due to subsidy. Of course, one could say every suburban mall location is heavily subsidized because of the free infrastructure provided and maintained for them.

 

 

Wall Street is a little less forgiving of "cool stuff" that isn't profitable than it used to be. Of course I don't know the profitability of that particular location.

 

 

 

I haven't been in it in about 15 years but apparently the New York store is still running the wooden escalators. 

 

 

 

 

The old Marshall Fields store in Chicago (another flagship store) still does Christmas displays - Macys does put extra work into stores they have in major cities in major shopping districts.

With so many hotel rooms downtown and increasing how does Macy's not turn a profit simply from people who have spilled spaghetti sauce on their shirt/dress and need a new one 30 minutes before the big meeting?

 

 

We need more sloppy spaghetti places aimed at upscale business travelers...

I know I patronized Indy's Nordstrom one time because of this exact reason.  Bought a $50 neck tie before there was such a thing in "regular joe" stores.

With so many hotel rooms downtown and increasing how does Macy's not turn a profit simply from people who have spilled spaghetti sauce on their shirt/dress and need a new one 30 minutes before the big meeting?

 

 

We need more sloppy spaghetti places aimed at upscale business travelers...

 

Haha, maybe that's why Lazarus put all those restaurants in their downtown stores. They hoped guys would drop their ties into their soup.

I love how the GE building reflects the skyline of downtown, especially the PNC tower.

 

(EDIT: the forum isn't letting me upload photos. I keep getting an error that "you cannot upload that type of file" even though it is a JPG and only 185kb in size)

Here is the photo I was trying to attach, but the forum won't let me:

Yeah that does look pretty cool.

There's a new sculpture in the grassy area next to Yard House. It reads: "Sing The Queen City".

Also noticed that they painted the construction trailer west of Yard House gray and added landscaping around it to make it look nicer... would have to think that means it is going to be there a while.

 

Was hoping to hear something announced for that site soon.

Here's a pic of the new sculpture:

Is that thing permanent?  If so it's no match for my dad's truck. 

Based on the concrete foundation, I assume it is meant to be permanent.

Is that thing permanent?  If so it's no match for my dad's truck.

 

It's also nowhere near the road

Is that thing permanent?  If so it's no match for my dad's truck.

 

It's also nowhere near the road

 

Where were going....

I would have preferred a giant sculpture of a 3-way.

I personally think it looks great and is a great way to welcome people into Cincy from KY, though I have no idea what it means.

It's for the CincyInk project.

 

http://www.artworkscincinnati.org/public-art/cincyink/

I have mixed feelings about public art.  Since it imposes itself on a place and it's people I guess I feel it should be extra special. 

What's the latest on the Spec Tower?

 

I heard if there's no lease agreement by this year then the tower will be greatly reduced in size and scope? Or something of that sorts, not sure...That would be a shame. You would think GE locating down by the Banks, along with the AC hotel, and other developments would make local Cincinnati businesses more excited to jump on board.

 

Also, when will we hear an announcement on who the 2nd restaurant will be next to the lot by Yard House? I heard on here in Summer it was going to be announced soon, but still nothing for now...

 

 

Finally, I really hope something develops with the retail/dining scene. Can't tell you how many times I was like, "Going to banks would be cool" with my friends, but there wasn't anything really to do there. None of us really like to drink, and don't exactly have that much money to splurge on food. A few good lunch spots/cafe's/starbucks/panera type places would do really good. I typically hate chains, but I feel certain chains such as those would be really welcomed down there. For now, it's kind of dead both retail wise, and dinning wise, and I don't get why.

I thought they had to start building soon or lose it. But then the mayor threw out the random idea that it should just be a condo tower instead. So, maybe the city is going to work with the developer and come up with a new plan for that pad.

Is it really that hard to find and attract a business to locate by the banks?

Is it really that hard to find and attract a business to locate by the banks?

 

There are very few businesses that need an entire office tower to themselves. The developers of The Banks could build it as a spec tower and lease it out floor-by-floor, but without a tenant in mind, it's going to be hard to get financing for that. Not to mention that W&S is going to be building a new tower in the near future and there is still a decent amount of vacant office space available in the CBD. The quicker that older office space is converted to other uses, such as residential, the sooner that new towers can start popping up.

Another Campaign has been set up similar to GE's Global Operation Center, where there is outcry to bring CDK to the Banks, and you have the opportunity to message CDK and tell them why they should locate downtown, and at The Banks. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/BringGEtotheBanks?fref=ts

 

 

If it's true they are still deciding on where to locate, why not give them a public opinion, "nudge". The banks has a lot reserved for a business this sized, and the street car line is literally at there doorsteps. You would have many employee benefits such as nearby restaurants/cafes/hotels/as well as the largest parking garage in North America right beneath them, so I can't exactly see why the suburbs should be an immediate choice. Especially this is a tech forward company, who are probably trying to attract millennials.

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GE created good momentum for attracting big companies.  Let's hope CDK follows that with another tower downtown.

^It won't be a tower. Startek's 682 similar jobs in Hamilton are only taking up one floor of the former Elder-Beerman store. So 40,000 sq. ft. if I remember correctly.

^Also, they're looking to move quickly and it's a call center, so it won't be a new building and it won't be in a place with expensive rent like downtown.

It's confirmed to be in Norwood from I would understand.

 

Which is fine. 5 minute drive to the urban core anyway.

The problem is the drive part.

TKILTBAG isn't struggling and every time I see it it's literally jam-packed. The issue here is Tin Roof. Apparently Toby Keith's feels their lease was violated when The Banks brought in a competing country music venue, which Tin Roof sort of is. So the matter is going to court. But, as usual, the negative media in this city took liberties with the story and the "struggling to make it downtown" angle spread like wildfire. Cunningham today was trashing Toby's, saying it was about to close and that it's pretty bad down there when businesses can't hold off another month or so until baseball season. Typical WLW trash.

 

Bowdeta Tweh of the Enquirer just tweeted: "BREAKING: Toby Keith's I Love The Bar and Grill at The Banks has closed as a result of defaulting on its lease. Full story soon. @Enquirer"

 

It's unclear at this point whether it's related to the lease dispute from two summers ago, or if they're actually in financial trouble.

 

From the Arizona Republic via The Enquirer, a very in-depth article: Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill closings, lawsuits raise questions across the country

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/education/2015/10/02/charter-school-freedom-center/73163988/

 

School coming to The Banks?

Sneak preview of new apartments at The Banks

Bowdeya Tweh, [email protected] 8:21 a.m. EDT October 10, 2015

 

Apartments are now available for rent at the second residential development at The Banks in Downtown Cincinnati, the mixed-use site's development team said Friday.

 

Although construction isn't expected to wrap up until March 2016, officials led a tour Friday of the new apartments under construction. Carter & Associates and the Dawson Co. - The Banks' master developers - and equity partner Nicol Investment Co. are leading the $67 million project.

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2015/10/09/radius-banks-apartments/73675598/

^ I was surprised that 600 sq. ft. studios at this banks development will rent for between 1300 and 1600/month, or perhaps more than $2.5/ft !

 

 

Those are Chicago prices, not west loop but damn...

That's actually a REALLY good sign. Those prices are where you start to be able to see large scale, highrise construction become financially feasible. If this can rent out at those prices and be a success in leasing that is a big step into financing for other large projects to occur.

Read an article posted on Cincinnati.com a day or so ago....Apperantly the developer Carter is increasingly, "looking" at the Fort Washington Way Caps and what the next steps for that part of the banks would be.

 

Granted, I'm sure that's still a ways off. But I have a feeling we are going to hear something soon about what goes on those caps. Here's hoping for something that's a highrise.

Read an article posted on Cincinnati.com a day or so ago....Apperantly the developer Carter is increasingly, "looking" at the Fort Washington Way Caps and what the next steps for that part of the banks would be.

 

Granted, I'm sure that's still a ways off. But I have a feeling we are going to hear something soon about what goes on those caps. Here's hoping for something that's a highrise.

 

The caps, if built, would only be able to support up to 4 stories of new construction.

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2015/10/09/money-fort-washington-way-could-mimic-columbus-example/73663046/

The reconfigured, below-grade highway was built with foundations to support additional development between Elm and Main streets. Gabelman said four levels of commercial development could be built on top of the decking.

The problem is the drive part.

 

Btw its also a 5 min walk from Metro+ and about 20 mins from downtown using transit.  That better?

The southern terminus of Race Street:

 

 

Southern-inspired restaurant eyes the Banks

A Southern-inspired restaurant in the heart of Louisville's Whiskey Row is planning a sister location at the Banks development in Cincinnati.

The group behind Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse & Raw Bar in Louisville plans on bringing the concept to the Banks.

...

Davis is dropping the "Crow" from the name for his Cincinnati project, though. The name paid homage to James Crow, a Scottish immigrant and distiller.

"It didn't play well. I guess the word 'Crow' is not politically correct anymore, so it's gonna be called Doc's on The Banks," Davis said.

 

Doc's on the Banks expects to occupy 12,000 square feet and would open by August 2016.

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2015/11/12/southern-inspired-restaurant-eyes-the-banks.html

August 2016 rules out the available plot on the Freedom Center's lawn. And at 12,00 square feet, it would take up the majority of space in Phase II. Which would also seem to rule out this:

 

While there's only about 19,000 square feet of retail available at Phase 2 of the Banks, while shooting the S**t with a random construction worker there awhile ago he mentioned they were preparing the space for a grocery store but they were still finishing up the plans for it. Either that guy felt like lying to a random passerby or a grocery store is planning to go there (it could or could not be this one).

 

Meanwhile, the 6,000 square foot space for Two Bits at The Banks has seen zero work on it since their December 2014 announcement.

For Two Bits they have the permits up in the windows, but yeah no construction has taken place inside. A friend said that a Tin Roof worker (same owner as Two Bits) said they could not come to terms on a lease and the project may fall through.

 

Who knows what is true though.

^^ Could this be going into the Toby Keith's spot or has something already been announced there? That was 16,000 square feet but could be potentially split up, in theory, to provide one large space and one smaller space similar to the the Jimmy John's footprint.

What about the space at the Walnut St steps? Could it be going in there?

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0965847,-84.5101933,3a,75y,119.44h,88.53t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqlpJKeJC9rG4N18nMp9r3Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

 

Is it possible for that available space on the freedom center lawn to be used as a potential site for a Grocery store? Or is it mandatory for that space be a restaurant?

Is it possible for that available space on the freedom center lawn to be used as a potential site for a Grocery store? Or is it mandatory for that space be a restaurant?

 

I don't think it's "mandatory" that it be a restaurant, but that site would not work well as a grocery store (no adjacent parking, small footprint, no room for loading bays). There are other locations within The Banks that would work much better for a grocery store.

Could the Banks get a concert venue?

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2015/11/13/could-the-banks-get-a-concert-venue.html