March 29Mar 29 proposed riverfront whodey pickleball covered stadium. it's all about tradition. you're not in Cleveland anymore, dorothy. of course, there will need to be a few corner seats removed. pickleball; it's a new sensation for a new generation.
March 30Mar 30 I...uh... "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 9Apr 9 Panel: A course correction for the Banks, but does it need more? By Brian Planalp – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier Apr 9, 2025 The following is supplemental coverage of the Courier’s April 4 weekly cover story, “Sporting chance,” in which a panel of four local leaders discussed the importance of the region’s sports assets and the development opportunities around them. The discussion was the centerpiece of the Business Courier’s annual Commercial Real Estate Developers Power Breakfast, held April 1. It was a watershed moment last December when Hamilton County and the city of Cincinnati collaborated on a solicitation for urban planning and design firms to review the Banks’ decades-old master plan governing its future buildout. That moment was outdone weeks later, when the county and city collaborated again on a request for proposals, or RFP, asking developers to submit plans for the Banks’ largest undeveloped parcel, Lot 24. MORE
April 9Apr 9 Quote The pipeline of new mixed-use projects at the Banks has been drier for longer – for nearly a decade, in fact, following the 2016 completion of the Radius apartments and the former GE Global Operations Center. 1996: planning for the reimagined riverfront starts 2000: Paul Brown Stadium opens 2003: Great American Ball Park opens 2004: NURFC opens 2008: The Banks breaks ground 2011: Smale Riverfront Park and first phase of The Banks open 2016: Radius and GE office building completed at The Banks So basically, in the 25 years since Paul Brown Stadium opened, it took 8 years for ground to be broken at The Banks, construction actively happened for 8 years, and it's been sitting there with no progress for another 9 years. Great work, city and county leadership.
April 9Apr 9 I don't understand how no progress has been made over the last decade. Surely there's been demand for new development and the fault lies simply with the city and country being lazy?
April 9Apr 9 I think the answer lies with whose job it was to move this project forward. No one solely had that responsibility, so it didn't happen. They need a 3cdc-like development corporation to handle the banks, and not wait for developers to come to them and insist that their way is the only way forward (concert venue).
April 9Apr 9 Which is ironic because 3CDC was originally supposed to be in charge of developing The Banks before it became a weird city/county/master developer partnership.
April 9Apr 9 me thinks the Banks needs a signature building. Something not limited by height. something that doesn't look like every other apartment building put up in the last 15 years. How about a space needle?
April 9Apr 9 I mean, you had a successful Ferris wheel... "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 9Apr 9 There are 2 developers in negotiations to develop Lot 24 is the only thing I took away from this article. Edited April 9Apr 9 by ucnum1
April 10Apr 10 9 hours ago, RustyBFall said: I don't understand how no progress has been made over the last decade. Surely there's been demand for new development and the fault lies simply with the city and country being lazy? Because Queen City Square Phase II messed everything up. It created tons of vacancies throughout downtown. Instead of 1 million square feet of residential and hotel being built on The Banks (or on Downtown's dozens of surface parking lots) they were built in buildings left vacant by tenants who relocated to Queen City Square.
April 10Apr 10 You're right. We should tear it down and put back the giant parking garage. You're so knowledgeable, I can't believe we haven't done so already.
April 10Apr 10 23 hours ago, RJohnson said: me thinks the Banks needs a signature building. Something not limited by height. something that doesn't look like every other apartment building put up in the last 15 years. How about a space needle? How about instead of the top being round, it being in the shape of a skyline cheese coney.
April 10Apr 10 1 minute ago, Ucgrad2015 said: How about instead of the top being round, it being in the shape of a skyline cheese coney. Or a crown for the queen city
April 10Apr 10 3 minutes ago, Ucgrad2015 said: How about instead of the top being round, it being in the shape of a skyline cheese coney. i thought about a top of THE Flying Pig.. but it is probably too small to get the effect I want.
April 10Apr 10 39 minutes ago, tonyt3524 said: Or a crown for the queen city We already have one (Great American Tower).
April 10Apr 10 1 hour ago, tonyt3524 said: Or a crown for the queen city already one too many of those downtown...
April 10Apr 10 It seems obvious to fill out the two blocks that already have garage beneath, Lot 24 and 3rd/Walnut, but as pointed out upthread no one has been focused on it in any meaningful way for over a decade. The other lots still need county garage beneath them, and they have onerous Bengals height requirements, just focus on finishing those two blocks for now.
April 11Apr 11 I like the idea of a crayola crayon , but we would have to commandeer the headquarters from Penn. An Ode to Oldenburg. or maybe a gigantic bottle of Fabreze misting in the summer and snow maker in the winter.
April 14Apr 14 Hamilton County readies demolition of riverfront Hilltop plant Hamilton County is preparing to demolish the Hilltop concrete plant southwest of Paycor Stadium in order to build a parking lot for Cincinnati Bengals tailgating. County commissioners unanimously approved April 10 a $633,000 contract with O’Rourke Wrecking Co. and $1.575 million to complete the project. The city of Cincinnati issued a demolition permit for the concrete plant at 515 Water St. on April 8, according to public records. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/04/14/hamilton-county-readies-demolition-of-hilltop.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 14Apr 14 I don't want to seem pessimistic but won't these grass parking lots just be mud pits halfway through the season? Seems like a coy way to say, "Look we put in "green" space!" When it's really just a parking lot. Hopefully they relinquish the land south of the stadium and add it to the park. However it's still there in the render. Edited April 14Apr 14 by anusthemenace
April 14Apr 14 Zero percent chance they actually end up building these grass parking lots. It will be regular asphalt parking lots.
April 14Apr 14 2 hours ago, anusthemenace said: I don't want to seem pessimistic but won't these grass parking lots just be mud pits halfway through the season? Well, that could be remedied by not allowing tailgaters to back into their parking spaces. evyerone will be parked ass out. in the parking lot
April 14Apr 14 2 hours ago, anusthemenace said: I don't want to seem pessimistic but won't these grass parking lots just be mud pits halfway through the season? Seems like a coy way to say, "Look we put in "green" space!" When it's really just a parking lot. Hopefully they relinquish the land south of the stadium and add it to the park. However it's still there in the render. I’ve wondered the same as well. Unless they do turf or something I have no clue how it wouldn’t turn into a huge mud pit after a heavy rain
April 14Apr 14 I believe they are using something like a Eco Block paver system. They are permeable and let the water drain thru them.
April 15Apr 15 The space between the Brent Spence and Clay Wade Bailly Bridges will continue to be occupied by the training bubble which is the majority of the rendering. The funding in this contract would likley only pay for grading the site east of the CWB, and putting down some asphalt and extending the Ohio River trail along Mehring Way mimicing the conditions along Lot E south of Paycor. Parking north of Mehring Way will remain as is.
April 18Apr 18 How much of this area is going to get eminent domain'ed by ODOT for construction of the BSB companion bridge?
April 18Apr 18 Hamilton County taps two firms to help design rest of the Banks By Chris Wetterich – Staff reporter and columnist, Cincinnati Business Courier Apr 18, 2025 Hamilton County has selected Chicago-based Perkins & Will and Columbus-based MKSK, two architecture and urban planning firms, to help design the rest of the Banks downtown, this week awarding a $500,000 contract. Commissioners voted 2-0, with Commissioner Alicia Reece abstaining, Thursday, April 17, to approve the contract. About $200,000 of the total comes from General Electric, which provided the money as a condition of its departure from the Banks in 2024. The rest will come from the Banks operations account. A steering committee that included the city, the county, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Reds unanimously selected the firm, according to Phil Beck, a county employee who is the Banks’ project executive. A request for qualifications was first issued in December 2024. Beck also was on the steering committee. MORE
April 18Apr 18 2 minutes ago, The_Cincinnati_Kid said: Perkins & Will That's...pleasantly surprising.
April 18Apr 18 2 hours ago, taestell said: How much of this area is going to get eminent domain'ed by ODOT for construction of the BSB companion bridge? I thought all the necessary property acquisitions along the river had already been made... but I could be wrong.
April 18Apr 18 4 hours ago, taestell said: How much of this area is going to get eminent domain'ed by ODOT for construction of the BSB companion bridge? I believe all the land for the new bridge is on the west side of the Brent Spence.
April 18Apr 18 The Banks is already "designed". it just needs buildings erected on the empty lots. Someone just got a $500,000 for what? The Interstate Commission has had 20 years to eminently domain any lots that need domaining. There was a great deal of enthusiasm generated when GE decided to rent a building at the banks. They have moved on. If I'm not mistaken, it was supposed to be a new neighborhood. Neighbors imply people, and it seems not that many people want to be surrounded by two, possibly three sports arenas. Not to mention the drunken crowds that go along with their events. The flying pig doesn't help, or the taste of Cincy, or OctoberFest or events at the Icon, and the weekend fundraising events (turkey trot, walk for health, and concerts at the Icon). '
April 18Apr 18 2 minutes ago, RJohnson said: it just needs buildings erected on the empty lots. It needs high quality buildings, not just buildings. So far everything is, at-best, second-rate.
April 19Apr 19 3 hours ago, Lazarus said: It needs high quality buildings, not just buildings. So far everything is, at-best, second-rate. I'd say fourth rate. Perkins and Will design high quality buildings.
April 19Apr 19 4 hours ago, RJohnson said: The Banks is already "designed". it just needs buildings erected on the empty lots. Someone just got a $500,000 for what? The Interstate Commission has had 20 years to eminently domain any lots that need domaining. There was a great deal of enthusiasm generated when GE decided to rent a building at the banks. They have moved on. If I'm not mistaken, it was supposed to be a new neighborhood. Neighbors imply people, and it seems not that many people want to be surrounded by two, possibly three sports arenas. Not to mention the drunken crowds that go along with their events. The flying pig doesn't help, or the taste of Cincy, or OctoberFest or events at the Icon, and the weekend fundraising events (turkey trot, walk for health, and concerts at the Icon). ' Taste of Cincy and Oktoberfest aren't even at the Banks. There's plenty of demand to live down there. The apartment buildings that exist are full and command high rents. Some people want to live in the middle of the action.
April 19Apr 19 1 hour ago, DEPACincy said: Taste of Cincy and Oktoberfest aren't even at the Banks. There's plenty of demand to live down there. The apartment buildings that exist are full and command high rents. Some people want to live in the middle of the action. If there is "plenty of demand to live down there," then what is the problem? Put a sixty-story apartment building on lot 24, and it will fill up immediately, business will be thriving, no more complaints, no more problems, and everyone will be happy. And those 1/2 a billion dollar designers can give that money back. Then the city can build a new arena at CET.
April 19Apr 19 Completely unrelated to the consistently, blatantly incorrect posts we have been seeing lately. Is it possible to block certain posters?
April 19Apr 19 18 hours ago, RJohnson said: If there is "plenty of demand to live down there," then what is the problem? Put a sixty-story apartment building on lot 24, and it will fill up immediately, business will be thriving, no more complaints, no more problems, and everyone will be happy. And those 1/2 a billion dollar designers can give that money back. Then the city can build a new arena at CET. The city and county have not made the lot available for development until now. I'm quite sure there'll be a lot of private sector interest in developing it when they put out an RFP. I agree we should skip the study and just move forward. To be clear though, it is not half a billion. You're off by orders of magnitude. Edited April 19Apr 19 by DEPACincy
April 19Apr 19 17 hours ago, CincyIntheKnow said: Completely unrelated to the consistently, blatantly incorrect posts we have been seeing lately. Is it possible to block certain posters? Yes it is possible.
April 20Apr 20 On 4/19/2025 at 12:36 AM, CincyIntheKnow said: Completely unrelated to the consistently, blatantly incorrect posts we have been seeing lately. Is it possible to block certain posters?
April 20Apr 20 I believe that ODOT has control of the property on the Riverfront for the reconstruction of I-75 and interchanges. Everything west of the Clay Wade Baily and north of Pete Rose Way to Elm will be demolished and reconstructed. I don't believe the Brent Spence design is accommodating any changes to the existing street grid south of Third Street including moving Merhing Way as proposed by the MSA plan last year.
April 20Apr 20 On 4/18/2025 at 1:27 PM, The_Cincinnati_Kid said: Hamilton County taps two firms to help design rest of the Banks By Chris Wetterich – Staff reporter and columnist, Cincinnati Business Courier Apr 18, 2025 Hamilton County has selected Chicago-based Perkins & Will and Columbus-based MKSK, two architecture and urban planning firms, to help design the rest of the Banks downtown, this week awarding a $500,000 contract. Commissioners voted 2-0, with Commissioner Alicia Reece abstaining, Thursday, April 17, to approve the contract. About $200,000 of the total comes from General Electric, which provided the money as a condition of its departure from the Banks in 2024. The rest will come from the Banks operations account. A steering committee that included the city, the county, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Reds unanimously selected the firm, according to Phil Beck, a county employee who is the Banks’ project executive. A request for qualifications was first issued in December 2024. Beck also was on the steering committee. MORE Im a bit confused what exactly are these firms being paid to do? They aren’t working in concert with a selected developer so wouldn’t whatever Perkins put together be just conceptual? and not what will really be built once a developer and financing comes in play? If that’s the case it is a waste. Put a RFP out for the lots make some picks and get things going but having Perkins and crew draw up pretty pictures of buildings that aren’t going to get built is silly work. For example they just closed on a request for lot 24 if I’m not mistaken so what was the point if they are now working on a new master plan/design????. Gov especially on the county level being clearly late on state funding for Paycor and now this has got me scratching my head. What happened to the Project of connecting the east and west sides of The Banks? All the space in front of the Freedom Center I remember it being impressive and a fantastic idea and not a peep since. A lot of this design work/ planning is a joke. The Reds spent 160K on the design and the city approved an initial 1M towards the project and then crickets. Maybe time to call Trumps DOGE to investigate yikes. https://www.fox19.com/2021/12/07/game-changing-pedestrian-park-proposed-banks/ Edited April 20Apr 20 by 646empire
April 21Apr 21 1 hour ago, 646empire said: Im a bit confused what exactly are these firms being paid to do? They aren’t working in concert with a selected developer so wouldn’t whatever Perkins put together be just conceptual? and not what will really be built once a developer and financing comes in play? If that’s the case it is a waste. Put a RFP out for the lots make some picks and get things going but having Perkins and crew draw up pretty pictures of buildings that aren’t going to get built is silly work. For example they just closed on a request for lot 24 if I’m not mistaken so what was the point if they are now working on a new master plan/design????. Gov especially on the county level being clearly late on state funding for Paycor and now this has got me scratching my head. What happened to the Project of connecting the east and west sides of The Banks? All the space in front of the Freedom Center I remember it being impressive and a fantastic idea and not a peep since. A lot of this design work/ planning is a joke. The Reds spent 160K on the design and the city approved an initial 1M towards the project and then crickets. Maybe time to call Trumps DOGE to investigate yikes. https://www.fox19.com/2021/12/07/game-changing-pedestrian-park-proposed-banks/ Private capital is still being raised for this project.A year or so out from asking for the public dollars.
April 21Apr 21 2 hours ago, 646empire said: What happened to the Project of connecting the east and west sides of The Banks? All the space in front of the Freedom Center I remember it being impressive and a fantastic idea and not a peep since. A lot of this design work/ planning is a joke. It's simply unbelievable that the block between the suspension bridge and the Freedom Center, 25 years on, is two suburban-looking restaurants, a sign that reads "sing the queen city" (whatever that means), and some plain grass. That block is built on the fill dirt from the old FWW levee. It was cheaper to shove it in this location than to cart it off to...Manhattan Harbor. The pickle we now find ourselves in is that this lot can't be cheaply built on since...it doesn't have its own parking. So in order to build something substantial on this lot, they'd have to tear down two restaurants and then dig out and find a home for the fill dirt. It's like, the area doesn't need more "green space" when it borders a 50+ acre park. The Freedom Center doesn't need an unobstructed view of the river.
April 21Apr 21 1 hour ago, ucnum1 said: Private capital is still being raised for this project.A year or so out from asking for the public dollars. But that’s my point if this is true and this is still a go along with the big lot 24 being put out to developers what on earth is the county putting half a mil in to Perkins for?? If you want them to re design/ create a new master plan for the banks then you need to put a stop to “Freedom Park” and lot 24 until Perkins is done. What a mess.
April 21Apr 21 54 minutes ago, Lazarus said: The pickle we now find ourselves in is that this lot can't be cheaply built on since...it doesn't have its own parking. So in order to build something substantial on this lot, they'd have to tear down two restaurants and then dig out and find a home for the fill dirt. This area in front of the Freedom Center is not a place for something “substantial”. The “Freedom Park” concept is perfect in creating a flashy merge/central focal point for the entire development. It would be hot mess foolishness to try to sandwich a building at that location between 2 restaurant buildings with so much land still undeveloped and even more silly to tear the 2 restaurants down and block the freedom center with substantial structure. Remember the freedom center was literally designed with the view of the river/bridge in mind. Also the last thing the banks needs is more parking no new construction down there needs “its own parking” lol Edited April 21Apr 21 by 646empire
April 21Apr 21 yeah, I misunderstood Perkins and Will's role and thought they were designing lot 24. A new master plan makes little sense, given the footprints that have been literally poured into the ground, unless they want a rethink of the middle?
April 21Apr 21 35 minutes ago, 646empire said: But that’s my point if this is true and this is still a go along with the big lot 24 being put out to developers what on earth is the county putting half a mil in to Perkins for?? If you want them to re design/ create a new master plan for the banks then you need to put a stop to “Freedom Park” and lot 24 until Perkins is done. What a mess. Because the Bengals have what amounts to veto power over development on 70% of the remaining acreage and this offers the team a process for structured input. And because the next time the city/county go to the feds for money on FWW highway caps, they want to have a grand development thesis that would compel a funding award, including proof of city/county/reds/bengals collaboration and a social equity component with gobs of feedback and buy-in and community blah blah. That sort of thing might also provide assurances to private developers who would otherwise be wary of investing in a project on Lot 24 when it has such a checkered history, being caught up in the strife of 2019/20. It’s important to remember just how bad things were between the city and the county a few years ago. Did they patch things up by the 2022 application for the FWW caps (that was denied the following year)? Unlikely—signs point to the DECC deal with 3CDC as the first instance of real collaboration between the two. In any event, the toxic legacy of that fight, which played out in public, is likely the sort thing that takes a $500,000 report to clean up, once and for all, in the eyes of federal grant writers and private developers. Edited April 21Apr 21 by Pdrome513
April 21Apr 21 12 minutes ago, zsnyder said: yeah, I misunderstood Perkins and Will's role and thought they were designing lot 24. A new master plan makes little sense, given the footprints that have been literally poured into the ground, unless they want a rethink of the middle? Exactly. Definitely something that should be asked of the commissioners.
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