Tower already reshapes skyline

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090706/BIZ01/307060014/Tower%20already%20reshapes%20skyline

 

The Great American Tower at Queen City Square is two years from being finished but it is already transforming the downtown skyline.

 

The building, at Third and Sycamore, will be city's tallest building and the first downtown skyscraper in 17 years.

 

Construction of the $322 million Great American Tower is scheduled to be completed in 2011.

 

Turner Construction Co. is overseeing 500 workers and four cranes that will construct the tower, which will spire 660 feet in the air.

 

The skyscraper's defining look is a shining "tiara" modeled after the crowns worn by Princess Diana.

 

The developer is Cincinnati-based Western & Southern Financial Group, which manages more than $47 billion in assets. The anchor tenant is 137-year-old Great American Insurance Group. It will lease 67 percent, or 23 floors of the 41-story tower.

 

• Photos: Tower under construction

• Interactive: See the features of the Great American Tower

• Interactive: Compare Ohio’s tallest skyscrapers

OH the one next to it is no high rise?

^ i caught that too.  im pretty sure the enquirer was smearing "first tower in 17 years" all over queen city square I as well.  you'd think they'd be able to remember a project they most likely criticised to death from only a couple of years ago.

The majority of the people working at The Enquirer don't like Cincinnati.  They get a kick out of everyone complaining about their articles, so they keep doing it.  On a positive note, you really dont see how friggin' massive phase II really is until you stand next to it!

I took this on the way home today.

 

 

Also, this is my new favorite view of Cincy. Just a little FYI.

 

sad thing is after last nights game, thats what the stands are going to look like at the next home game

OH the one next to it is no high rise?

 

QCS II is a mid-rise and not a tower -- or skyscraper, which is what I think they meant to put in. Their fact-checking and poor word choices has been noted by many on the comments section lately. A victim of cut-backs. Reporters are not the best editors or clerks.

CW:  In your favorite my thought is that we will need a 400' on the left hand to start balancing out the old vs. new split in the skyline.

I actually think the city needs to enact a height limit on Third Street. A couple more buildings like QCS and the Scripps-Howard building, and the city will end up with a wall of bland 40-50-story buildings that block views to and from the diverse mix of buildings further north of the river. Chicago does this pretty well by having a relatively low street wall along Michigan Avenue facing Grant Park, with much taller buildings stepping up behind it. I'd hate to see the elegant Carew Tower and PNC Bank tower buried behind a facade of big, chunky office blocks. I'm not opposed to tall buildings being built in Cincinnati, but I'd rather see them being built north of Fourth or Fifth Street rather than along the riverfront.

I actually think the city needs to enact a height limit on Third Street. A couple more buildings like QCS and the Scripps-Howard building, and the city will end up with a wall of bland 40-50-story buildings that block views to and from the diverse mix of buildings further north of the river. Chicago does this pretty well by having a relatively low street wall along Michigan Avenue facing Grant Park, with much taller buildings stepping up behind it. I'd hate to see the elegant Carew Tower and PNC Bank tower buried behind a facade of big, chunky office blocks. I'm not opposed to tall buildings being built in Cincinnati, but I'd rather see them being built north of Fourth or Fifth Street rather than along the riverfront.

 

Agreed! There also needs to be some way to get some taller buildings in between the Kroger building and the CBD, where there is an awfully large gap in height... From an East/West perspective, it looks sort of out of place.

I thought the generally accepted definition of a skyscraper was a building over 150 meters tall.

If so, then QCSII is a skyscraper.

I thought the generally accepted definition of a skyscraper was a building over 150 meters tall.

If so, then QCSII is a skyscraper.

 

I think Sherman meant QCS I, not II.... Sherman?

QCS Phase 2 is the office skyscraper and is QCSII. "303 Broadway at QCS" is often referred to as QCSI and is a mid-rise. I mixed up the building names, sorry.

Older picture, but this is one of my favorite views of the skyline, and I can't wait to see QCS popping up from behind on the left side.  I'll recompose the shot by widening the angle and moving to the left a bit, but I still think it will be a great view.

 

 

Anyone else going to feel old when all of their skyline shots become outdated and have to be redone?  That just hit me..

I thought the generally accepted definition of a skyscraper was a building over 150 meters tall.

If so, then QCSII is a skyscraper.

 

I don't think there's a strict definition of the word "skyscraper", although the term was first coined to describe buildings that rely on a steel or concrete frame for their structure rather than masonry walls, and elevators for circulation rather than stairs. However, under that definition even many modern 2-story buildings would now count as "skyscrapers".

 

From a building code point of view, a "high-rise" is generally any building over 75 feet tall, which is the cut-off height for fire truck ladders. If a building is taller than 75 feet, firefighters have to go inside the building to rescue occupants and fight the fire.

If the building is tall enough to look like it should be scraping the sky, then just call it a skyscraper lol.

The majority of the people working at The Enquirer don't like Cincinnati. They get a kick out of everyone complaining about their articles, so they keep doing it. On a positive note, you really dont see how friggin' massive phase II really is until you stand next to it!

 

That is very believable. 

Word has it that exterior work on the building that has the webcam looking down on the site has temporarily disrupted the use of the device....and that this has been frustrating to everyone.

One would think the construction tower would be raised in the very near future!

WOW Is it true that this skyscraper is the tallest one under construction now in the Midwest?

WOW Is it true that this skyscraper is the tallest one under construction now in the Midwest?

 

Even Chicago? That would be cool - but almost unbelievable.

^ Chicago has at least a half a dozen skyscrapers currently under construction that are bigger than QSII.

the core of QCS II is now taller than I.  Steel is about four floors below the top of QCS I from my perspective.

^ Chicago has at least a half a dozen skyscrapers currently under construction that are bigger than QSII.

 

I just went on an architectural tour in Chicago, and was surprised at how many towers are on hold due to the loss of financing.  I'm really glad that QCS II is still a "go" project.

Yes, it IS true QCSII is the tallest building u/c in the Midwet, seeing how pretty much all the taller towers of Chicago are on hold (The Spire, etc).

One would think the construction tower would be raised in the very near future!

 

I was wondering that myself...any taller and the crane would be useless.  I heard they were going to be 4 cranes? Is this true?

I just went on an architectural tour in Chicago, and was surprised at how many towers are on hold due to the loss of financing. I'm really glad that QCS II is still a "go" project.

 

 

I believe it's because QCSII secured it's financing before the Stock Market Crash of '08.

Whatever happened to the planned construction of that ugly Louisville  tower?

On-hold due to a lack of access to the credit markets, much like many other proposed and under-construction skyscrapers in the states.

^I believe it. We have one UC and stopped midway complete right in Kenwood.

On-hold due to a lack of access to the credit markets, much like many other proposed and under-construction skyscrapers in the states.

 

I'm not sure if that has something to do with it, but I did hear that the vibration from the pylon drilling is compromising the structures of the older buildings next to the site.  To avoid damaging those structures they've put the project on hold until they can come up with a solution that they can afford to implement.  As of right now, they haven't figured out what to do.  It's a shame, I went to the website for the building and the thing is incredible, I really hope they can figure it out.  I also hope Cincinnati goes that far out with their next skyscraper like we do for buildings at UC and the Fountain Square West proposal.

Okay here it is, my original source wasn't wikipedia, but this will do:

 

Construction on the building halted in January 2008 after vibrations from digging tools at the site shook nearby 19th century Main Street structures. The building's developers have not yet announced when construction will resume but still project that the building will be completed in 2011.[2][17]

In March 2008 construction was halted due to financial problems and engineering problems related to the bedrock on the site. Construction resumed in June 2008 with the relocation of underground utilities. [2]

By January 23, 2009 two contractors on the project had filed liens against the project, for $2.3 million and $1.4 million. The lienholders stated that they had not been paid for work previously done on the project.[17]

So the Image I saw on their site today is outdated or what? It looked like some work has been done or is that the way it has looke dsince it halted?

I am going to Cincinnati Saturday and will try to check the site out.

So the Image I saw on their site today is outdated or what? It looked like some work has been done or is that the way it has looke dsince it halted?

 

XdesIDtrans was talking about the Museum Plaza project in Louisville.  The Great American Insurance Tower (aka Queen City Square II) in Cincinnati is under construction.

So the Image I saw on their site today is outdated or what? It looked like some work has been done or is that the way it has looke dsince it halted?

 

XdesIDtrans was talking about the Museum Plaza project in Louisville. The Great American Insurance Tower (aka Queen City Square II) in Cincinnati is under construction.

 

HOT

This weekend the Queen City Square Project Tower Crane will be raised higher.  In order to accomplish this task, Sycamore Street will be closed at 7:00 a.m., Saturday, 7/18/09 through 6:00 p.m., Sunday, 7/19/09.

Good - about time.

Should be interesting on the "night" skyline next week. Anyone know how high? Maybe 100' (10 stories) or more?

BTW: When is the webcam going to be operational again. It's been nearly 4 weeks (June 23rd) since it was last active?

It really provided an excellent birds-eye view of the QCS II construction site and subsequent progress.

If you guys haven't seen how it's actually done, go down there and watch if you can.  It's pretty damn cool.  But I was driving down Sycamore the other day from Clifton and I didn't realize how much of a presence this building will have once it's built.  Plus that hotel at the old red cross will help too;)

I'm going to take pictures of the process tomorrow if any body can't make it.  I havne't been in over a month I'm excited to see the progress first hand what they've built.  I'm dissapointed they haven't raised the crane sooner, but hey it's about time!

 

 

With that other webcam down I'm sure some people will want to know the progress they've made on the garage. I haven't seen anything in 4 weeks because the other cam only shows the tower's construction. I'm guessing once the steel reaches QCSI's height they will begin working on the curtain wall? It seems they are plastering the steel beams already at the bottom lower left hand facing towards the building.

This weekend the Queen City Square Project Tower Crane will be raised higher. In order to accomplish this task, Sycamore Street will be closed at 7:00 a.m., Saturday, 7/18/09 through 6:00 p.m., Sunday, 7/19/09.

 

Are you sure? I see nothing going on down there? I mean I know they have to if they want to jump the core any more, but damn I don't see anything going on right now and it's 3Pm Saturday.  Perhaps they'll do it tomorrow.  I think theres a Reds Game tonight maybe that's why nothing's going on?

As I reported previously the tall webcam is on hold because of exterior reconstruction of the building , and everyone is somewhat frustrated about this situation.

Gah. I swear, if they took down that web-cam for good, we'd have a riot on our hands judging by some of the comments on here :P

Well I got some pics of the site. They were only raising the main tower crane 80ft because of the height restrictions and the tower itself needs to be higher so that they can tie it down to the building. Also, they plan on raising the tower every month about 80ft from now on. At some point they'll be able to raise it in 100 ft increments. The tower crane now is at 340ft and the building is about 260ft. Well here are some pics of the tower crane and the progress of the QCS site. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of my pictures from today are on my flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26444938@N03/

 

I got a video posting on youtube.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EWqT3J6LRs

 

 

Gah. I swear, if they took down that web-cam for good, we'd have a riot on our hands judging by some of the comments on here 

 

 

Well, Sherman, some of us don't get to Cincy that often (I  live north of Dayton), so it is nice to see different webcam views of the site...

I'm excited to see this tower get built. This is exciting for Cincy.

I'm on floor 28 of Atrium II facing south and the tattered orange flag on the end of that crane is directly at eye level as I look out the window from my desk. It looks like it could swing around and take my windows out.  Steel framing has about two more floors to go before it matches QCS I.

I am amazed at the site's progress.  The WTC or Freedom Tower has barely broken ground. I think it takes 1 month before the core even jumps.  QCSII's core jumps every week.  This site is already reaching towards the heavens while WTC sits idle on the ground.  It's sucks how the PA is acting on the funding for that building.

The guy was telling me Sunday that as the building gets taller the core's inner wall will get thinner make the jumps happen much faster. Wow this sucker should be at full height by the end of the year. I think! Wouldn't you agree? They are basically going 20' per week with the core, and about 20' every 2 weeks with actual steel.

The Ascent is now covered by QCS II when driving SB on Highland, heading towards Liberty Hill ... a sight that blows my mind as I'm used to seeing it clearly between the buildings.