August 16, 201014 yr I like the building...it looks awesome at night and at different times of day...I just don't like the top of it, especially when I drive in during the morning...it looks....unfinished up there. It looked great on Saturday night...with the reds game going on, and the blimp flying around...downtown looked awesome...and so did QCS....all the lights and buildings.
August 16, 201014 yr ^Yeah, it does look a little unfinished. I think it will look fine once that arch is framing Great American's logo though.
August 16, 201014 yr I sure hope they thicken up that tiara somehow. It was billed as a mesh crown, not a series of see-thru arches.
August 17, 201014 yr A real tiara glistens... Needs more diamonds. Yeah great, just what the building needs, more bling. Agreed...maybe a nice gold grill too
August 25, 201014 yr Cincinnati Magazine article on Great American Tower: http://www.westernsouthern.com/pdf/082010_CincyMag.pdf Also, the construction elevator is being disassembled. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
August 25, 201014 yr Cincinnati Magazine article on Great American Tower: http://www.westernsouthern.com/pdf/082010_CincyMag.pdf Also, the construction elevator is being disassembled. Typical Bronson. Has to take political digs, instead of just reporting and staying on topic. Why does an article on the GAT have to include digs on the Banks and the streetcar? Why does it have to be a contrast of public and private development? Way to turn something positive into sour grapes. "If you don't have anything nice to say..."
August 25, 201014 yr In less time than it took to name The Banks or buy one streetcar, Barrett and the Lindners at Great American Insurance have remodeled Cincinnati. Except that it has been on the drawing board since the mid to late 1980s, well before the Banks or the streetcar. The city has put $5.5 million into infrastructure improvements for Queen City Square, but Western & Southern put up nearly 10 times that much, and has invested $500 million in city projects over the past six years. “If the government subsidizes it, it’s not going to work,” Barrett says. I don't belittle at all what W&S put into this project and appreciate their investment, but Bronson's writing just sucks. Did he not read the sentence prior to John Barrett's quote about the City putting in $5.5.M before inserting a quote about government subsidization? He also doesn't mention the fact the Port Authority floated the bonds for this at a much lower rate than could have been realized elsewhere. I also agree that he had no need to bring The Banks or the streetcar into this at all.
August 25, 201014 yr I saw QCS and the Carew Tower from the west the other day in the evening sun on a light sky-blue background. While the Carew Tower has a high-contrast, sharp edge, the tiara really blends into the background so as to be hardly visible.
August 25, 201014 yr In less time than it took to name The Banks or buy one streetcar, Barrett and the Lindners at Great American Insurance have remodeled Cincinnati. Except that it has been on the drawing board since the mid to late 1980s, well before the Banks or the streetcar. The city has put $5.5 million into infrastructure improvements for Queen City Square, but Western & Southern put up nearly 10 times that much, and has invested $500 million in city projects over the past six years. “If the government subsidizes it, it’s not going to work,” Barrett says. I don't belittle at all what W&S put into this project and appreciate their investment, but Bronson's writing just sucks. Did he not read the sentence prior to John Barrett's quote about the City putting in $5.5.M before inserting a quote about government subsidization? He also doesn't mention the fact the Port Authority floated the bonds for this at a much lower rate than could have been realized elsewhere. I also agree that he had no need to bring The Banks or the streetcar into this at all. What's wrong with making that comparison? It's pretty commonly accepted that private development works at a much faster pace/schedule than most publicly funded projects, and QCS vs either The Banks and/or Streetcar is a fine example, in my opinion. Rally the only reason I can think of that he didn't need to mention it is because anyone reading it is going to have a reaction of "...well duh!" The "client" for a public project consists of dozens of organizations stitched together with a few dozen rolls of red tape, and it slows every decision to a snails pace. I've worked on a lot of public projects (although in NYC) the past few years, and a handful of private.
August 26, 201014 yr The point is the project was subsidized with government money, $5.5. million in infrastructure plus the floating of the bonds, so it is not an entirely private undertaking. He says the project was subsidized, then immediately puts in a quote saying if government subsidized something it's not going to work.
August 26, 201014 yr Take a look at who owns the land under QCS...not W&S...it's...wait for it.... THE PORT AUTHORITY OF GREATER CINCINNATI!!!!!!! Oh boondoggles. :lol: “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
August 30, 201014 yr Cincinnati Magazine article on Great American Tower: http://www.westernsouthern.com/pdf/082010_CincyMag.pdf "The tallest peak in the downtown mountain range is massive beyond description." Really...massive beyond description? I think that's a tad exaggerated. No offense, but I have to cock my head back to look at the top of the 5/3rd Tower on Fountain Square. Plus, I hardly consider Cincinnati's skyline to be a mountain range, when you consider this new tower is still only the third tallest in the state and nowhere even close to being one of the tallest buildings in the world. Cincinnati's skyscrapers are hardly anything worth comparing to a mountain....they're puny by comparison.
August 30, 201014 yr ^---- Massive beyond description? Tell them to view it from the west. At the right angle, QSC is hidden by the Carew Tower, the Dubois Tower, or even the Central Trust Tower. I don't mind QSC, but I wonder how the editorials and forums would read if they never had tried to promote it as "Cincinnati's tallest."
August 31, 201014 yr Cincinnati Magazine article on Great American Tower: http://www.westernsouthern.com/pdf/082010_CincyMag.pdf "The tallest peak in the downtown mountain range is massive beyond description." Really...massive beyond description? I think that's a tad exaggerated. No offense, but I have to cock my head back to look at the top of the 5/3rd Tower on Fountain Square. Plus, I hardly consider Cincinnati's skyline to be a mountain range, when you consider this new tower is still only the third tallest in the state and nowhere even close to being one of the tallest buildings in the world. Cincinnati's skyscrapers are hardly anything worth comparing to a mountain....they're puny by comparison. Wow, are we overly critical much? Give the guy a break he was just being optimistic. We know Cincy's skyline isn't very awe-popping, but hey it's better than Dayton's?
August 31, 201014 yr Well, I would say it isn't massive or mountainous, but it is one of the prettiest, most well proportioned and aesthetically attractive skylines out there.. whether or not QCS was an addition to that or not is debatable though!
August 31, 201014 yr Well, I would say it isn't massive or mountainous, but it is one of the prettiest, most well proportioned and aesthetically attractive skylines out there.. whether or not QCS was an addition to that or not is debatable though! No doubt about this at all ... Our skyline should make us all f*cking proud. One of the coolest in the nation. There's a reason why sports announcers (people who travel all across the U.S. every year - all year for their job) usually always seem to comment on it.
August 31, 201014 yr Well, I would say it isn't massive or mountainous, but it is one of the prettiest, most well proportioned and aesthetically attractive skylines out there.. whether or not QCS was an addition to that or not is debatable though! No doubt about this at all ... Our skyline should make us all f*cking proud. One of the coolest in the nation. There's a reason why sports announcers (people who travel all across the U.S. every year - all year for their job) usually always seem to comment on it. Agreed. Cincinnati has a beautiful skyline, but I actually think QCS hurts the skyline slightly when viewed from Newport. I was down there over the weekend for a bachelor party and didn't like how wide it was. Overall though it's a nice addition. Cincinnati's skyline is certainly the best in Ohio and just a notch below Pittsburgh. I would put it behind only Chicago and Pittsburgh for the best skyline in the Midwest / Rust Belt.
September 1, 201014 yr Overall though it's a nice addition. Cincinnati's skyline is certainly the best in Ohio and just a notch below Pittsburgh. I would put it behind only Chicago and Pittsburgh for the best skyline in the Midwest / Rust Belt. Agreed. Chicago is in a league of its own in terms of size but in terms of "beauty" I think Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are tied for the top spot. It's nice that the baseball park in Pittsburgh faces downtown.
September 1, 201014 yr Pittsburgh's downtown is just in a perfect location. Cincinnati's buildings are on par with P-burgh, but the geographical environment puts Cincy in second place. That wedge is to die for. (via http://www.vmi.pitt.edu/About_Pittsburgh.html) I can't think of an American skyline which tops Pittsburgh's.
September 1, 201014 yr Pittsburgh has a great skyline for sure, but as like any city, has angles where it doesn't look so pretty. I do think they edge out Cincinnati (although the view from the cut in the hill is pretty incredible), but both can't compare to Chicago or New York. I'm also inclined to think Seattle, Philadelphia, Houston, and San Francisco are better as well.
September 1, 201014 yr Crane is still up past the deadline. Looks like they still need to work on the sign and the facade where the service elevator was. “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
September 2, 201014 yr If you walk into the P&G headquarters lobby (the older building), you have stepped out of the midwest and into a "global" culture. It definitely feels like New York City in that building. I think P&G is working to create a company culture that allows them to attract top outside talent and that effort is spreading out into the city itself. Also, if you have seen Queen City Square form the perspective of P&G's buildings, it definitely dominates and I think will motivate them to build something at some point.
September 2, 201014 yr Pittsburgh's downtown is just in a perfect location. Cincinnati's buildings are on par with P-burgh, but the geographical environment puts Cincy in second place. That wedge is to die for. The hills are also larger and steeper in Pittsburgh. I consider that a weakness due to the fact Pittsburgh can whip up some bad winters. We've all seen those legendary winter driving videos. Cincinnati has the right type of hills for winter. There are a few steep ones, but for the most part, it seems easier to get around. Economically, both cities for sure have rock-solid backbones that are never moving to China/Mexico, but Cincinnati probably has far more potential for growth given the finance culture there. Both cities will continue to maintain nice downtown areas with high occupancy rates. That's at least part of the their appeal. The skylines are actually lit up at night! Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have two of the best "night skylines" in the country. The buildings are well lit and reflect beautifully on the water. I can think of plenty of cities with great day skylines, but comparably weak night skylines. Cincinnati and Pittsburgh do not fall into that category. Right now, I might give an overall edge to Pittsburgh, but ten years from now? No way. Cincinnati is on track to explode. All the indicators are there- there is population growth in the city limits, the college grad retention rate at UC is getting pretty damn high, the financial services industry shows no signs of stopping, P&G is going nowhere but up, and the sour economy has done nothing to stop development in the central city. In ten years, Cincinnati will have the tallest building in the Midwest outside Chicago. Once P&G takes over another company (Johnson & Johnson or Kraft), they'll be making a statement by building a 1000-footer. If that doesn't happen, a Fortune 500 will relocate there. I have a feeling demand for CBD office space will remain high, thus potential for a growing skyline. If they could build Queen City Square in this economy, they can do anything. I love the enthusiasm, but even as a Cincinnatian I think you're being a little over optimistic haha. While P&G is growing and could possibly expand their corporate headquarters, I don't see them doing anything drastic building wise anytime soon. The reason P&G was able to grow to what it is today is because it is a conservative company that values slow and steady growth, and a high amount of fiscal responsibility. They hire people when they're young, and keep them until they're old. They pay their employees well, and offer great benefits, all as an effort to keep the people they have. So far the model seems to be working pretty well, so I say more power to them. Personally, I would much rather see a fully rehabbed OTR than a 1,000 foot skyscraper. I do agree with you that the work that has been done in Cincinnati in the past 10 years has been incredible, and the next 5 years I think will be really transformative for the city. In 5 years, Cincinnati should have : A functional riverfront with hundreds of residents, bars and restaurants, and a great park. A streetcar going from the River to UC. I think OTR will be well on its way to being one of the top neighborhoods in the country. The large vacant area uptown on Calhoun should be filled in. The zoo and hopefully the art museum will be expanded. The casino will be built. <---Yeah I definitely think it's an exciting time to be a Cincinnatian!
September 2, 201014 yr That's a lot done in five years! (particularly that vacant land bit) But hey, if Xi'an can do it... "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 2, 201014 yr That's a lot done in five years! (particularly that vacant land bit) But hey, if Xi'an can do it... All we would need is a plethora of non-union labor and a chop of the zoning code, and we'd be well on our way.
September 2, 201014 yr Then we'd be Houston! :D "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 3, 201014 yr Man you guys got me excited! I think a 1000'er would be horrible for the Cincinnati skyline. I still maintain that another 450' min./750' max. in the Plum Street lot between 4th and 5th would be the biggest "balance and mass value" to the skyline. Or it may be time for a skyline expander...like the Kroger building except further away from the mas of the skyline. How about a 300' hotel at Broadway Commons?
September 3, 201014 yr It would seem that if P&G went in for a new building, it would seem likely that it wouldn't replace the twin boobs but rather older hq or it would be on the land where they are putting the childcare center.
September 5, 201014 yr Looks like they DID place a red FAA warning light on the top of the "tiara" ----- figured so since it's over 500ft.
September 5, 201014 yr There is a huge difference in the before and after shots. Much better now in my opinion.
September 6, 201014 yr That is one of my least favorite angles to see the skyline--it lines up perfectly to make several pretty big buildings (Fifth Third Center, Chemed, Chiquita, Seventh and Vine, the Hilton, and even US Bank tower) seem invisible.
September 7, 201014 yr They are very beautiful shots! Thanks cincyimages!! “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
September 7, 201014 yr Pittsburgh's downtown is just in a perfect location. Cincinnati's buildings are on par with P-burgh, but the geographical environment puts Cincy in second place. That wedge is to die for. (via http://www.vmi.pitt.edu/About_Pittsburgh.html) I can't think of an American skyline which tops Pittsburgh's. I would wager that Pittsburgh has an advantage with towers, but geographically its a wash. I might even give the nod to Cincinnati in that category.
September 7, 201014 yr The crane is coming down! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! So when is the exterior work supposed to be completed? Looks like they're putting curtainwall over the spot where the front service elevator was. Only a matter of time before the building will be on it's on with no visible signs of construction woot!!!
September 8, 201014 yr The crane is coming down! True true. I just saw CNN. They are having a show in Covington and the crane is gone.
September 8, 201014 yr Does anyone know how/when are they going to put the cladding and logo on the lower part of the tiara?
September 9, 201014 yr Does anyone know how/when are they going to put the cladding and logo on the lower part of the tiara? Easy the same way they're putting up the curtain wall on the front without the crane. They already have the pieces up there and the boom lifts are still up there. So it should be no problem.
September 9, 201014 yr Does anyone know how/when are they going to put the cladding and logo on the lower part of the tiara? Easy the same way they're putting up the curtain wall on the front without the crane. They already have the pieces up there and the boom lifts are still up there. So it should be no problem. Thats what I was thinking, I just wasn't sure. Thanks Sandpit.
September 9, 201014 yr the boom lifts are still up there Um, you sure about that? "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
September 10, 201014 yr the boom lifts are still up there Um, you sure about that? Yeah you can still see them in the webcam...unless I'm imagining things?
September 11, 201014 yr I guess we can move this to completed projects now eh? :-P “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
September 19, 201014 yr Final Images...I couldn't take much because of Octoberfest or whatever was going on. I had to take from afar. Will go back sometime when its quiet to get close ups.
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