Woo Hoo!  Here we go!

 

Vine Street closed Saturday morning

 

Cincinnati Business Courier - 2:15 PM EDT Thursday

 

Vine Street between Fifth and Sixth streets downtown will be closed for several hours on Saturday morning, to install the bowl of the "Genius of Waters" fountain on its base as part of the Fountain Square renovation project.

 

The street will be closed from 4 a.m. to noon to make way for a flatbed truck carrying the bowl, and the crane that will move it onto the square, Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) said in a news release.

 

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/08/14/daily49.html

:whip:

 

Arrrrgggghhhh!!!!!

 

So I go to the Fountain Square I-CAM this morning just before 10:00.  I line up in the queue to take camera control.  Wjen I get it, I zoom out just enough to get the bowl of the fountain and the base of the new fountain both in frame. I leave the camera right there.

 

Out of sheer dumb luck, that is the moment they start the craning operation to lift the bowl onto the new base.  Halfway into the lift of the bowl as it's being moved toward the fountain, my control time runs out, and the next person decides that moving the camera pff the fountain and zooming in to look at some dude taking a picture is more interesting!

:whip:

 

Arrrrgggghhhh!!!!!

 

So I go to the Fountain Square I-CAM this morning just before 10:00.  I line up in the queue to take camera control.  Wjen I get it, I zoom out just enough to get the bowl of the fountain and the base of the new fountain both in frame. I leave the camera right there.

 

Out of sheer dumb luck, that is the moment they start the craning operation to lift the bowl onto the new base.  Halfway into the lift of the bowl as it's being moved toward the fountain, my control time runs out, and the next person decides that moving the camera pff the fountain and zooming in to look at some dude taking a picture is more interesting!

 

LOL! I hate when that happens!

Photo: Progress on Fountain Square

THE ENQUIRER

 

The 16,000-pound lower section of the Tyler Davidson Fountain was lowered into place Saturday by a crew from Meg-A-Lift.

 

The top half of the fountain, the Genius of Water statue, is temporarily on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum while Fountain Square undergoes a renovation.

 

The renovation is estimated to cost $42 million.

 

The square is scheduled to reopen in October

 

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060820/NEWS01/608200387/1056

I am really really looking forward this opening!

When they install the giant TV screen they should set it to Fox News.

^That would draw the suburbanites!!!

hey im an urbanite and i like fox news. 

Yeah, but you are from Harrison ;).

hey im an urbanite and i like fox news. 

 

I was going back to the "Is Cincy Conservative?" discussions.

Yeah, but you are from Harrison ;).

 

hey...i could be from downtown harrison....you dont know!  :lol: 

Downtown is comin' alive, comin' alive, oooh oooh oooh comin' alive!  I was downtown for the Acoustic Lunch today at Piatt Park.  Our downtown is alive, eclectic, unique, vibrant, friendly and fun!  I think we have very healthy urban core because we have an excellent fabric and  urban people who really love this City. 

Glad you enjoyed yourself.

^ I walked by Piatt Park around lunch.  What did you think of Jake Speed & the Freddies?  (Ok, I know this is off-topic.  Sorry.)

The Fountain Is Moving: Celebrate With The Art Museum

 

Reported by: 9News

 

Time is running out to get up close and personal with a piece of Tri-state history.

 

The "Genius of the Water" fountain has been on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum during the construction of Fountain Square.

 

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/08/22/fountain.html

Become a star at new Fountain Square

The Cincinnati Enquirer

Editorial

 

If you'd like to be larger than life and yearn for your 10 seconds of fame, you can become part of Fountain Square's new look.

 

People attending this year's Oktoberfest can be videotaped in 10-second segments, and the 1,000 most irresistible expressions will be shown in a continuous loop on a giant video board that will look down on the re-born square from atop Macy's.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060823/EDIT01/608230316/1090

Jake Speed is the BEST!  Glad to hear the Lady Genius is coming back home.

www.myfountainsquare.com is up as of today.

Yay... my photo was used :)

 

http://www.myfountainsquare.com/event/2006/10/14/

i want the square open now......now i say. 

Did anybody notice the new Fountain Square garage parking rates?

1 hr - $1

2 hrs - $3

 

Nights and weekends - $3 flat rate.

 

So much for cheap parking downtown.

I'm sorry Kendall but compared to otehr cities that is very cheap!!  I don't know another big city where you could park in the middle of the city for 3 dollars after 6:00!!  Good luck finding that!!!

^And of course it's free to park on the street, if you are one of those rare Cincinnatians who can parallel park.  I have absolutely never paid to park in downtown Cincinnati after business hours. 

Well, we have evening and weekend $1 parking now, in at least two garages and we used to have it at Fountain Square.  Street parking can be very tight, especially with an event going on.  My point is that $1 parking makes people who are on the fence about coming downtown (who are accustomed to paying $0 to park) think "wow, that's cheaper than I thought," whereas $3 parking does not.

I have no problem paying $3 after 5 as long as the garage looks clean and doesn't spell like piss anymore.  How much is parking during the day (all day)?  I spent $41 a day in New York City & $35 a day in Boston 3 weeks ago.

Downtown Cincinnati parking, especially after business hours, is very cheap compared to other cities.  Plus, people seem to have no problem paying $3-$5 parking at Newport on the Levee.

 

The director of the square was on City Talk radio a couple of months ago.  He mentioned that several businesses around the square will validate parking, so that will make it even cheaper.

Well, we have evening and weekend $1 parking now, in at least two garages and we used to have it at Fountain Square.  Street parking can be very tight, especially with an event going on.  My point is that $1 parking makes people who are on the fence about coming downtown (who are accustomed to paying $0 to park) think "wow, that's cheaper than I thought," whereas $3 parking does not.

 

So people that come down and are willing to spend their kid's college fund on their gas hog vehicles, aren't also willing to pay $3 for all-day parking?  I would think for someone who values their car that much would be willing to pay a couple of bucks.

 

BTW, I went both downtown and to Kenwood for some shopping over the weekend.  Here's my experience:

 

Downtown: parking readily available, short distance from stores (across the street), covered parking.......$1

 

Kenwood: hunted for a parking spot for 10 min., almost got hit by cars driving on wrong side of aisles (twice), parked the equivalance of 6 city blocks away, uncovered parking.....$0

 

For me I would much rather pay a buck than go through that disgusting-pig of a mess in Kenwood again!!!

And of course it's free to park on the street, if you are one of those rare Cincinnatians who can parallel park.

 

Personal Anecdote:  After getting the basics of driving down in Ault Park, my dad had me drive downtown to learn how to parallel park.  We found an empty space between two cars, and he told me how to approach the situation and correctly pull in.  Then I pulled out, went around the block, and did it again.  We repeated this for about twenty times, then found a similar situation on the other side of the street at which to learn parallel parking the other way.  When I eventually took my driver's test, however, they didn't even test me on parallel parking.  A crying shame really.  You're not a real driver if you can't parallel park.  That's why I hate NASCAR.

^I illegally worked as a fork lift driver when I was 15, they have rear wheel steering, which is how I learned how to parallel park.  I realized that when you are backing a car, you essentially have rear wheel steering and the hood is kind of like the forks.  But in a city where tons of its suburban residents have NEVER parallel parked, obviously, when they go downtown those spots don't even exist to them. 

Yay... my photo was used :)

 

http://www.myfountainsquare.com/event/2006/10/14/

 

Very cool!  How'd that happen?

Downtown Cincinnati parking, especially after business hours, is very cheap compared to other cities.  Plus, people seem to have no problem paying $3-$5 parking at Newport on the Levee.

 

Well...... I have a problem with paying $3 at NOTL.  It's in the suburbs.  I shouldn't have to pay for parking in the suburbs!

Well...... I have a problem with paying $3 at NOTL.  It's in the suburbs.  I shouldn't have to pay for parking in the suburbs!

 

I hope you are joking, NOTL is not in the suburbs.

hhhmmmm, i wonder what the definition of a suburb should be.  Is Lakewood a suburb of Cleveland?  I would say so.  I dunno though.  I know Newport isnt sub-urban but it is compared to Cincinnati.  So wouldn't it technically be a suburb of Cincinnati?

Newport is in fact a "suburb" of Cincinnati.  Cincinnati is the center city, everything else is a suburb. 

Yes,  Newport is an older town-turned-suburb. 

$3 is nothing.  However, when I go downtown I catch the bus.

I wouldn't say that Newport has a suburban feel.  The only reason it's not part of Cincinnati is that it's in another state.  So while technically it's a suburb, it's disingenuous to say that you're "in the suburbs" when you're in Newport.

Well...... I have a problem with paying $3 at NOTL.  It's in the suburbs.  I shouldn't have to pay for parking in the suburbs!

 

:lol:

 

I'm constantly amazed as to what comments on the board can generate discussion.

 

In case anyone is interested, I don't really think Newport is a suburb (although NOTL is very suburban like).  My point is that I wouldn't expect to pay $3 for parking at such a place anymore than I would expect to pay $3 to park at Kenwood Town Center.

I wouldn't say that Newport has a suburban feel.  The only reason it's not part of Cincinnati is that it's in another state.  So while technically it's a suburb, it's disingenuous to say that you're "in the suburbs" when you're in Newport.

 

That's the case for any "urban" suburb ala Hoboken, Lakewood, Evanston, Cambridge, etc.

Has anyone else seen the unfortunately underwhelming video board that they're installing above Macy's?

You shouldn't be able to call yourself a city unless you meet certain density requirements per square mile.

Has anyone else seen the unfortunately underwhelming video board that they're installing above Macy's?

 

Marion - Haven't had a chance to get down there and see it.  What's underwhelming about it?

 

 

Jake

It just seems small in relation to the Macy's building and doesn't really fit.  The shape is kinda funny as well.  Plus, they've mounted it above the recess in the Macy's building.  It sits roughly five stories above the ground.  Way too high in my opinion.  Maybe I'm being picky and maybe I was expecting something more like in the Reds or Bengals stadium but I thought 3CDC could've done better. 

Ummm whatever... it's way better than not having one.

Well, from the description, I'm actually sort of relieved.  My fear was that the board would be overwhelming.  I'll have to get down and see what it looks like, though. 

I guess everyone will be hitting the fountain square i-cam as soon as the sun comes up to check it out.

If you look at the renderings that 3CDC provided, they show the screen fitting into the "notch" on the top of Macy's facade.  Instead, the thing is raised up one more story with big gray steel supports.  It looks small from the ground, I couldn't imagine trying to watch a sporting event on it.

Here is a screen capture:

 

It sits roughly five stories above the ground.  Way too high in my opinion.  Maybe I'm being picky and maybe I was expecting something more like in the Reds or Bengals stadium but I thought 3CDC could've done better. 

 

5 stories is not that high when you look around other places that have these boards.  It actually seems to be about the standard, IMO.  To expect something like a board at the stadiums would be a bit much.  A board like those would nearly cover the side of Macy*s.  I don't think this board is meant to be the focal point of the square, but rather the fountain...the board is just a component, and to overwhelm the square with it would have been a mistake.  I say...so far, so good!

Vine Street block to close Saturday

Cincinnati Business Courier

August 30, 2006

 

CINCINNATI - A block of Vine Street downtown will close for a 12-hour stretch Saturday to accommodate the start of a restaurant construction project on Fountain Square.

 

The section of Vine between Fifth and Sixth streets will shut down from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. so that building materials and structural steel can be delivered to the square, Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) said in a news release.

 

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/08/28/daily29.html?b=1156737600^1338319