There could be any number of reasons why the tiara has been built yet including something as simple as they needed the staging area for something more important. Be patient. It's not a race.

I wonder how many people are going to go to a Reds game this year, see the Banks above ground, see a new tallest building and say "hey, maybe Cincinnati has turned a corner"?

 

you kind of scooped a small piece of my column for tomorrow....

 

And I was hoping for a overview of the Chong Company, Inc.

IF the total  height of the building is 665 ft. and as someone said the tiara is 90 ft, then the height without the tiara is 575 ft, I foot higher than Carew....is the 90 feet correct?

From my article, which I've linked to several times in the past --

 

"On January 19, 2010 at 11:20 A.M., the final beam was lifted 560 feet into the air that marked the completion of the tower's steel superstructure."

 

"The project's details were modified, in that the project height was increased to eclipse the Carew Tower by 86 feet..."

 

"The project, as proposed, was a 660 ft., 41 story high-rise..."

 

http://urbanup.net/index.php?catid=569

IF the total height of the building is 665 ft. and as someone said the tiara is 90 ft, then the height without the tiara is 575 ft, I foot higher than Carew....is the 90 feet correct?

 

Ok, technically the building is roughly 575' tall including the concrete core. But the height of the floors which Sherman is referring is around 560' or so. If you look at the webcam you'll see what looks like 1.5 levels of concrete core sticking out past the top (41st) floor . This is the current unofficial height of the building IMO. Since the total height of the building is 665', I just subtracted that height from the current height and that's where the 90' came from. The concrete core will be inside the tiara so it won't add or subtract to the overall height of the building once it's built. So the tiara from the top of the 41st floor to it's peak will be around 100' or so extra. Hope I didn't confuse you. :lol:

 

I believe the actual height of the building changed from 660' to 665'?

 

Many articles suggests 665':

 

"At 563 feet above Third Street, the tower's current height surpasses downtown's 495-foot tall PNC Tower and 468-foot Scripps Center. It will remain the building's peak height until work begins in March on a grand 400-ton tiara that will top off the tower, crowning it at 665 feet."

 

My math:

(13' Floors x 41) + 20' Lobby + 10' Mezzanine = 563'. The height of the building + Tiara 102' = 665'.  So it will be 91' taller than Carew Tower excluding the flagpole.

Let's just say 670' and we all can be happy.

IF the total height of the building is 665 ft. and as someone said the tiara is 90 ft, then the height without the tiara is 575 ft, I foot higher than Carew....is the 90 feet correct?

 

Ok, technically the building is roughly 575' tall including the concrete core. But the height of the floors which Sherman is referring is around 560' or so. If you look at the webcam you'll see what looks like 1.5 levels of concrete core sticking out past the top (41st) floor . This is the current unofficial height of the building IMO. Since the total height of the building is 665', I just subtracted that height from the current height and that's where the 90' came from. The concrete core will be inside the tiara so it won't add or subtract to the overall height of the building once it's built. So the tiara from the top of the 41st floor to it's peak will be around 100' or so extra. Hope I didn't confuse you. :lol:

 

I believe the actual height of the building changed from 660' to 665'?

 

Many articles suggests 665':

 

"At 563 feet above Third Street, the tower's current height surpasses downtown's 495-foot tall PNC Tower and 468-foot Scripps Center. It will remain the building's peak height until work begins in March on a grand 400-ton tiara that will top off the tower, crowning it at 665 feet."

 

My math:

(13' Floors x 41) + 20' Lobby + 10' Mezzanine = 563'. The height of the building + Tiara 102' = 665'. So it will be 91' taller than Carew Tower excluding the flagpole.

 

sounds good to me

Queen City Square as seen from GABP:

 

At the game yesterday

Second picture, realized I forgot to take the picture of the crane on top of the building, I believe that's about how high the tiara will be, not sure though.

Wow, I distinctly remember someone making a comment on UO when QCS was still just a proposal about how cool it would be to one day see the new building towering over GABP.  Weird that it is already a reality.  I just wish they would get working on the tiara already!

Second picture, realized I forgot to take the picture of the crane on top of the building, I believe that's about how high the tiara will be, not sure though.

 

The tiara will not be that tall lol! Most likely it will be a little over half that. Remember the crane is about 725'.

Okay cool, yeah I didn't think it was going to be that tall.

Broadway Commons would have provided a great vista of Mt.Adams.  Just saying. 

 

I like the river view but Newport needs at least a couple high-rises to add interest and perception that it is not East St. Louis.  And they need to figure out something to do to eliminate those ugly water towers on top the far hills - it makes NoKY look like farm country...could we replace them with something more stately like you find in Mt. Washington, Mt. Adams or the one on the westside?

I predict they will be done with the curtainwall by the end of May.  If they keep up with the current pace.  This is awesome.

When the tower is finished reds fans are really going to get a "Great American" overdose while in the stadium! You'll sit in Great American Ballpark and have QCS with its GAI sign looming overhead. People from other cities are going to think Cincinnati is run by one company! All kidding aside, they are making tremendous progress on both the tower and the banks. Both my brother who lives in West Chester and my uncle from Columbus were excited to hear what all the construction was about when we went to yesterday's game. I think interest in these projects will swell after people who attend reds games this year see all the progress being made.

^Exactly.  I actually met someone that lives in Norwood and hasn't been downtown in literally fifteen years.  The media has driven people to view downtown as a giant jail for years.  I think their eyes are about to be opened.  A few friends of mine live in OTR too and I love the progression.  One thing I noticed above everything else, original thoughts of QCSII looking stupid from the renderings are quickly being smashed.  People are eating their words becaus even with the curtain wall not finished, it's an amazing color at dusk with the sunset;)

They couldve razed a few blocks of OTR so the stadium could have an opening view to the city!

It appears to me that the heights above sea level for Carew and QCS are about the same, making nice bookends for the downtown skyline when viewed from Kentucky.

I was on the 28th floor of Atrium II and you can see the pieces of the tiara around the QSCII site waiting to be assembled. 

It appears to me that the heights above sea level for Carew and QCS are about the same, making nice bookends for the downtown skyline 800 footer next to Scripps when viewed from Kentucky.

 

Fixed.

I thought that was what those pieces were lying on top of the garage.  I'm wondering if maybe they're just waiting for all the piece to show up to get started.

Is this even queen city square anymore or Great American building?

It appears to me that the heights above sea level for Carew and QCS are about the same, making nice bookends for the downtown skyline 800 footer next to Scripps when viewed from Kentucky.

 

Fixed.

 

Huh?

Is this even queen city square anymore or Great American building?

 

Great American Tower at Queen City Square

 

Confusing? Yeah, a little. I think it will only be confusing for tourists, once everything is set up.

Ditto:Huh?

Great American Tower (@ Queen City Square). Does anyone call QCSI 303 Broadway at Queen City Square?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe outside the ground level there is going to be a bit of open space (a square), hence "Queen City Square", then the tower and its companion building will have stores and lobbies off the square. I don't think the square is meant to be very large, but maybe there will be a few planters or eventually an art piece or something.

 

I might be a little off but I think there is in fact a square of some kind. :-)

hmm... thought it was because QCSI & QCSII shared the block with the Queen City Club...

I'm pretty sure it's just a baseless marketing gesture.

 

Wonder what they will say when they show the building on Monday Night Football. Clearly the name on the building will say Great American Insurance. Im not sure how long the naming rights will last. 20 years?

I stand corrected.

The name of a building is absolutely meaningless.

It will probably be very similar to Key Tower in Cleveland.  Officially I think it's called Key Tower at Key Center (Key Center comprising of 3 buildings on the same block), but everyone just calls it Key Tower.  Same will probably happen in Cincinnati with Great American Tower.

It will probably be very similar to Key Tower in Cleveland.  Officially I think it's called Key Tower at Key Center (Key Center comprising of 3 buildings on the same block), but everyone just calls it Key Tower.  Same will probably happen in Cincinnati with Great American Tower.

 

I agree...the name will be Great American Tower, because the little QCSI is called "Key Bank" Right? Well at least it has the logo of Key Bank on it?

Moved baseball related discussions to --

Cincinnati Reds Discussion

 

Enjoy :)

I'm glad they seem to be keeping up the pace with the curtainwall installation.  Only 6 more levels to go. Bravo! They have done so much work since the start of the vertical construction over a year ago.

The first piece [tiara] is undergoing final fabrication and will go up later this week.  Note that the 40+ individual pieces individually are not large.  It’ll take until July for tiara completion. ( from Rob Alpern)

 

 

Awesome, so the tower's hull will be complete by the end of July? Will they take down the crane then?

The first piece of the Tiara went up today!

My updates from this past Saturday:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gawd ... I can't wait until the crown gets assembled!

This building feels very Cincinnati to me.  Somewhat retro but cool at the same time.

This building feels very Cincinnati to me. Somewhat retro but cool at the same time.

 

I've always thought this as well... Has points that resemble art-deco but is modern by 2010 standards too.

This building feels very Cincinnati to me. Somewhat retro but cool at the same time.

Are you trying to say it looks overweight and stuck in the past?

This building feels very Cincinnati to me. Somewhat retro but cool at the same time.

Are you trying to say it looks overweight and stuck in the past?

 

Lol!  Get ready to taste the flames!

This building feels very Cincinnati to me.  Somewhat retro but cool at the same time.

 

I've always thought this as well... Has points that resemble art-deco but is modern by 2010 standards too.

 

I dont care what anyone says, this building is NOT modern.  1980's mod.  yes.  2010.  no.  what it is is an eyesore of catastrophic proportions. 

 

Ok, so maybe a bit extreme.  but it is ugly. 

This building feels very Cincinnati to me. Somewhat retro but cool at the same time.

 

I've always thought this as well... Has points that resemble art-deco but is modern by 2010 standards too.

 

I dont care what anyone says, this building is NOT modern. 1980's mod. yes. 2010. no. what it is is an eyesore of catastrophic proportions.  

 

Ok, so maybe a bit extreme. but it is ugly.

 

Ack, I have a problem with the word "modern" being used to describe contemporary architecture, but that's something I'll deal with.

 

No, the building is not contemporary in ANY way.  That said, I think it has some great details and I think it WOULD be perfect in the Cincinnati skyline if they hadn't botched the proportions so horribly.  Obata has some really good projects to his name, I don't understand how he messed that up. 

I dont care what anyone says, this building is NOT modern. 1980's mod. yes. 2010. no.

 

Well, the design of this was first proposed in the late-1980s, and shelved until 2002, so yeah...

Who cares if it looks contemporary? Most contemporary architecture looks like trash.

 

The building would look very nice if it were better proportioned. As it is, it looks alright, but not as nice as it could.

 

The sooner a significantly taller building shows up between this one and the Carew, the better. Partly because it will make the sheer chubbiness of the QC/GAT less prominent.