19 hours ago, ucgrady said:

though I do miss the "Song of the Vine / Queen of the West" poem carving.

 

The poem carving stones were supposed to be salvaged and reinstalled in the original drawings I saw, which was before the stage was even part of the project.  The first designs didn't have a new stage included and just had a reworked landscaping bed in that area, which now seems crazy.  Despite all the logos, I'm glad 5/3 stepped up and paid for a permanent stage.  

 

I last heard the poem was going to be carved into the new granite on face of the stage.  I guess it still might happen, but I don't see it in your photo of the stage.  

I heard there is some construction work going on in the old Rockbottom Restaurant on fountain square, hopefully a new tenant is signed.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2021/06/02/downtown-cincinnati-restaurants-royce-open-former-tiffanys/7490717002/?fbclid=IwAR0nFXSmiejGRoGWIr_2OYoOHxGJ_W1ixuzIO_Tczn4Gc64FhlTLJaQ55DI
 

Former Tiffany spot will be transformed to A French Restaurant named “Royce”. 
 

It’s the same Nashville group that is bring Pearl Star to OTR. 
 

They plan on utilizing the widen side walks to create a European atmosphere.

 

I’m just glad we are finally gonna see some life on that corner again. 

I am always hesitant when outside restaurant groups are ambitious in this market.  I think the loss of L and Table meant there was a French cuisine void in the city, and this a great location for it.

 

Edited June 2, 20214 yr by CincyIntheKnow

13 minutes ago, CincyIntheKnow said:

I am always hesitant when outside restaurant groups are ambitious in this market.  I think the loss of L and Table meant there was a French cuisine void in the city, and this a great location for it.

 

Not sure this will be a direct competitor/replacement for the more formal dining experience that L and Table offered. From the article, it sounds like they're going for a casual vibe and "easy on the budget" experience:

Quote

 

Don't expect to be greeted by a maître d' or escorted to a table covered in a white tablecloth for a high-dollar meal.

"The last thing you’ll find in our restaurant is a white tablecloth,'' Raley said. "People tend to look at French food as upscale dining, but this is meant to be very, very casual  ... and easy on the budget.''

 

 

I wonder if they will have good rolls 

Deloitte is taking the eastern half of the second floor.  

 

I thought Kroger IT was supposed to take a big chunk or all of the upper floors, but haven't heard anything yet.  

Edited June 2, 20214 yr by nicker66

2 hours ago, CincyIntheKnow said:

I am always hesitant when outside restaurant groups are ambitious in this market.  I think the loss of L and Table meant there was a French cuisine void in the city, and this a great location for it.

 

Y’all just gonna forget about Boca..? 

20 minutes ago, Pdrome513 said:

Y’all just gonna forget about Boca..? 

Eh Boca's like modern French-Italian-American hybrid.

Agreed. Boca is more French "inspired" than an actual French restaurant.

Construction on Fountain Place is picking up steam including new windows being installed. I’m really excited about this re-do. This along with what 5/3rd did across the street is going to make the square feel new and modern.
 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/53177138@N04/sets/72157716814745566/

 

 

18 hours ago, 646empire said:

Construction on Fountain Place is picking up steam including new windows being installed. I’m really excited about this re-do. This along with what 5/3rd did across the street is going to make the square feel new and modern.
 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/53177138@N04/sets/72157716814745566/

 

 

 

Good to see progress but Fountain Place will always be a third place trophy to failure for that parcel of land. It should have been one of downtown's show-piece towers. Sorry for the negativity.

2 minutes ago, Rabbit Hash said:

 

Good to see progress but Fountain Place will always be a third place trophy to failure for that parcel of land. It should have been one of downtown's show-piece towers. Sorry for the negativity.

Don’t be sorry. I’m guessing about everyone on this forum thinks the same thing. Hopefully 3CDC has plans for something to be built on top in the future. 

build you own salad bowl and wraps chain coming to fountain square.
 

https://www.citybeat.com/food-drink/the-dish/blog/21153815/buildyourown-salad-chain-green-district-coming-to-fountain-square-in-cincinnati-good-salads-near-me-cincinnati?fbclid=IwAR3bjBd7nx4nmsmSTZYLemOYWSPnjVicPluaVUEt0LWdr6PSWdPMRHF84tI

Turner is moving into the second floor of the Foundry. They currently have their office at 250 W. Court St. I would love to see their current building redeveloped with that god awful large parking lot gone. https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/07/12/turner-construction-moving-cincinnati-office.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_6&cx_artPos=6#cxrecs_s

Yeah I would really like to see Turners current building knocked down and that entire block developed.  It's prime real estate on Central Pkwy so you could easily do another Cincy special with a parking garage and residential above it.  Would help bring some vibrancy to that part of downtown which is pretty dead and has way to many surface lots. 

2 minutes ago, Cincy513 said:

Yeah I would really like to see Turners current building knocked down and that entire block developed.  It's prime real estate on Central Pkwy so you could easily do another Cincy special with a parking garage and residential above it.  Would help bring some vibrancy to that part of downtown which is pretty dead and has way to many surface lots. 

isn’t that building a historic brewery? If I recall correctly the facade is Modern but underneath the facade remains…I could also be thinking of the wrong building.

11 minutes ago, Troeros2 said:

isn’t that building a historic brewery? If I recall correctly the facade is Modern but underneath the facade remains…I could also be thinking of the wrong building.

This would appear to be the building before it was modernized:

41 minutes ago, Cincy513 said:

Yeah I would really like to see Turners current building knocked down and that entire block developed.  It's prime real estate on Central Pkwy so you could easily do another Cincy special with a parking garage and residential above it.  Would help bring some vibrancy to that part of downtown which is pretty dead and has way to many surface lots. 

Agreed - the current owner is SLK Global Solutions with a mailing address in Dallas. They've owned it since 2003. Hopefully they're open to selling/redeveloping that block. 

Interesting that the new development is called "The Foundry", implying that 3CDC may have been trying to target smaller companies/startups, and yet the two tenants announced so far are big, established corporations. Also interesting that both of those companies are relocating from other buildings in the CBD to be closer to the core of downtown — I guess central business districts aren't dead.

5 minutes ago, taestell said:

Interesting that the new development is called "The Foundry", implying that 3CDC may have been trying to target smaller companies/startups, and yet the two tenants announced so far are big, established corporations. Also interesting that both of those companies are relocating from other buildings in the CBD to be closer to the core of downtown — I guess central business districts aren't dead.

I was hoping this would add new jobs to the urban core..kind of disappointing that we are only transferring jobs from point a to point b. 

19 minutes ago, taestell said:

the two tenants announced so far are big, established corporations

Not at all surprising that the (arguably) best location for office in the entire region would only be affordable to established corporations. 

48 minutes ago, Troeros2 said:

I was hoping this would add new jobs to the urban core..kind of disappointing that we are only transferring jobs from point a to point b. 

 

If it opens up the block where Turner's current office is for redevelopment then it will be a net win for downtown already, without even knowing what other tenants it'll eventually land.

On 7/12/2021 at 1:00 PM, LAW 21 said:

This would appear to be the building before it was modernized:

It was the Schaller & Gerke, then Gerke Brewery before Prohibition, closing in 1912. The brewery was torn down above ground but the cellars remained, with the French-Bauer Dairy building a milk and ice cream factory on top (which is what is shown in the photos). That building remains under the newer skin, which was added around 1983.

 

http://www.diggingcincinnati.com/2013/05/court-street-center-central-parkway-and.html

 

 

Edited July 14, 20213 yr by mcmicken

 

I have an affinity for the pomo update. I don't know if that justifies the building's preservation.

 

Yeah knock that whole thing down and develop the entire plot of land. 

^ The building is pretty nice on the inside and Turner is not the only tenant. I think they had half of one floor. I don't see why it would need to be removed when you could develop the parking lots around it and wrap the south and east sides of it with mixed use.

Kick out Inspection Bureau, make them cease operations, give electrical inspections back to the city... oh and also redevelop this building I guess. 

1 hour ago, Cincy513 said:

Yeah knock that whole thing down and develop the entire plot of land. 

can’t you just remove the modern facade and keep the historic building and build new mixed use development around the lot? Seems like a waste to knock down a perfectly stable building. 

33 minutes ago, Troeros2 said:

can’t you just remove the modern facade and keep the historic building and build new mixed use development around the lot? Seems like a waste to knock down a perfectly stable building. 

It's a lot easier to develop and a lot easier to sell the entire block then just the parking lot around it.  Not to mention if the building is going to stay as office space I seriously doubt they give up their free on site parking.  If someone doesn't buy up the building and the land it's likely going to stay as is. 

When did Panera Bread bite the dust? Not a good sign for downtown, hope that things will continue to get better.

3 minutes ago, savadams13 said:

When did Panera Bread bite the dust? Not a good sign for downtown, hope that things will continue to get better.

I read Panera bread isn’t doing so hot business wise in general…I guess people got tired for paying for overpriced hospital food. 

20 minutes ago, savadams13 said:

When did Panera Bread bite the dust? Not a good sign for downtown, hope that things will continue to get better.

No way that location was surviving Corona Virus. They made alot  of their money off of office workers and nearby hotel traffic. It’s closure isn’t a surprise at all. Also it’s been closed a while now from what I understand.

18 minutes ago, Troeros2 said:

I read Panera bread isn’t doing so hot business wise in general…I guess people got tired for paying for overpriced hospital food. 

 Lol @ Hospital Food, kinda true tho. 

23 minutes ago, savadams13 said:

When did Panera Bread bite the dust? Not a good sign for downtown, hope that things will continue to get better.

 

Was there an announcement that the downtown location is permanently closed? A lot of spots that do a lot of lunch business and rely on downtown office workers haven't reopened yet. I've heard nothing about Maplewood reopening. Cheapside Cafe closed permanently.

39 minutes ago, taestell said:

 

Was there an announcement that the downtown location is permanently closed? A lot of spots that do a lot of lunch business and rely on downtown office workers haven't reopened yet. I've heard nothing about Maplewood reopening. Cheapside Cafe closed permanently.

Cheapside is being redeveloped by the Crown Republic Rosie's team. Heard that the other day.

Meanwhile Rosie's itself has been closed for the past two months due to a car crashing into their window. It's too bad because they were only open for about a month before that happened.

1 hour ago, taestell said:

 

Was there an announcement that the downtown location is permanently closed? A lot of spots that do a lot of lunch business and rely on downtown office workers haven't reopened yet. I've heard nothing about Maplewood reopening. Cheapside Cafe closed permanently.

I would expect Thunderdome to reopen Maplewood, that place was killing it. Im sure they are weighing the fact it’s very hard to staff restaurants these days 

11 minutes ago, 646empire said:

I would expect Thunderdome to reopen Maplewood, that place was killing it. Im sure they are weighing the fact it’s very hard to staff restaurants these days 

 

They have a reopening soon sign on the window. 

19 hours ago, savadams13 said:

Cheapside is being redeveloped by the Crown Republic Rosie's team. Heard that the other day.

What are they doing there?

Started applying the exterior panels to fountain place. Going to hold judgement til it's further along.

1 hour ago, savadams13 said:

Started applying the exterior panels to fountain place. Going to hold judgement til it's further along.

 

 

looks a little like a sow's ear.

Hopefully they power wash the building.

 

Whoa - didn't expect this, especially since the City just built bigger sidewalks next to their existing space at 700 Walnut. Personally, I'm too stingy to go to Jeff Ruby's, but I think they will be a nice addition to Fountain Square!

 

Iconic Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse to relocate to the Foundry near Fountain Square

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/dining/2021/08/06/restaurants-cincinnati-jeff-rubys-moving-near-fountain-square/5386011001/

 

Jeff Ruby's moving flagship steakhouse to prominent downtown spot

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/08/06/jeff-rubys-steakhouse-moving-to-3cdcs-foundry.html

Edited August 6, 20213 yr by jwulsin

The best part about this new development is that Jeff ruby will act as the anchor tenant which will make it so much easier to fill out the remaining spaces for the foundry. 
 

You know that this new Jeff ruby spot will get a crap ton of traffic and consecutively be book well in advance for months, which means that any new prospective restaurant /bar will probably be eager to grab the remaining spaces so they can grab a piece of that foot traffic that Jeff ruby will easily generate.

36 minutes ago, Troeros2 said:

The best part about this new development is that Jeff ruby will act as the anchor tenant which will make it so much easier to fill out the remaining spaces for the foundry. 
 

You know that this new Jeff ruby spot will get a crap ton of traffic and consecutively be book well in advance for months, which means that any new prospective restaurant /bar will probably be eager to grab the remaining spaces so they can grab a piece of that foot traffic that Jeff ruby will easily generate.

I’m actually surprised that they are moving since they just added that additional outdoor patio space to their current location. 

1 hour ago, Ucgrad2015 said:

I’m actually surprised that they are moving since they just added that additional outdoor patio space to their current location. 

They are keeping the current location as an Event Center.

On 8/7/2021 at 11:17 AM, 646empire said:

They are keeping the current location as an Event Center.

That’s great news.

 

Jeff Ruby is obviously one of Cincinnati’s Crown Jewels as far as restaurants go. They always draw a crowd and always generate revenue.

 

So this will be such a positive addition to the urban core. Very happy Jeff ruby is investing like this in our urban core! 

As much crap as Jeff Ruby may get from time from time, they are one of the best restaurants in the city. From the food to the atmosphere to how all employees are treated, it is a classy operation. A throwback to an earlier time, it seems. I really enjoyed dining at Jeff Ruby's in Lexington KY when I was last there.

FIRST LOOK: Inside Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse upcoming Fountain Square location

 

 

Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse Cincinnati is moving from its current home on Seventh Street to a prominent development off Fountain Square, and the new space will set the standard for the upscale restaurant group.

 

Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment is moving its flagship downtown restaurant into the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp.'s (3CDC) Foundry in the renovated Fountain Place building. The steakhouse is slated to open in September 2022. Flip through the photos for a look at renderings of the space.