The problem now is that the City has a moratorium on street closures during the holdiday season. You're not supposed to be able to close the streets until after the new year's. Hopefully they can make an exception.

 

I actually think the moratorium is a good idea.  With the probable increase in holiday shoppers/visitors downtown, I think it would be better to keep the square clean (ie no construction junk lying about (like the first half of November), and the streets unblocked.

 

I suspect the businesses around the square would appreciate the break during the holiday shopping season.

Word is, they're shutting the street down again this weekend to try again for the tower crane for the 5/3rd project. Let's hope it's a success this time. The good news is they'll get to start before next year.

if some of you have not noticed (maybe its already been mentioned) most of the trees have been planted.  i was under the impression..at least because they were making a big deal about how they selected them...that the trees would be much older.  apparently i was wrong.  the base of the crane is in place.

There was a shot tonight on the Bengal's game of folks skating at Fountain Square, with the fountain behind the ice rink...it was absolutely fantastic!  Looked great...just needed the fountain to be more prominant, but I'm sure redoing the 5/3rd facade will have a huge impact on seeing it - won't be dark-against-dark anymore...

 

^I liked the shot a lot too, but I was a little disapointed that the video board was left out of the view.  That would have been great...the city looked great, and so did the Bengals!!!

That earlier shot from across the river?  I cheered that one almost as much as the punt-fumble-recovery!

bah!  i wish i could have seen them.  any way/where to see them anyway? 

who-dey

I am stuck in Reno working night shift, I missed the game :(

I have a thought---I have noticed the reatiler H&M seems to be slowly moving Cincinnati's direction.  They have stores in Indy, Columbus, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.  They have opened stores in downtown areas.  Could this be a youthful new store that would attract people to downtown?  It seems plenty of retail space is being developed around fountain square that could accomodate this retailer.  It would be unique to the Cincinnati area.

^ That would be an excellent fit for downtown, but unfortunately the rumor I have heard is that they are headed to Kenwood... :x

 

That place is getting a number of good retail outlets, but the congestion the is nuts.  People usually talk about finding parking downtown as hard, but Kenwood is getting to be aweful - especially during the holidays.

People usually talk about finding parking downtown as hard, but Kenwood is getting to be aweful - especially during the holidays.

 

Amen...here's something I wrote back in December 2003:

 

We made the mistake of trying to go to Kenwood Towne Center on Saturday afternoon.  I was amazed - there was not a single parking space to be had.  We spent probably fifteen minutes cruising around the lot along with dozens and dozens of other cars.  This wasn't a question of not wanting to walk, it was a question of there being absolutely zero spaces, but two or three vehicles in every row, circling like vultures.  Kenwood has 5,600 parking spaces (the lot that had been torn up on Montgomery Road was supposed to be opened by now - we didn't get to that side, so I don't know if that's the case - supposedly they weren't going to lose any parking</a> due to the redesign, though) - all filled to the gills.

 

Just crazy - I can only imagine how many people were actually in the mall.  The lines at checkout were probably horrifying.  We ended up just leaving, dropping movies off at Blockbuster, then seeing a spot open up on the street near Hyde Park Square, browsed around a bit, got some lunch, then walked all the way to Rookwood...it was a great idea on the way there, but hefting back towels and sheets and sweaters and such was far less appealing on the 3/4 mile walk back to the car.

 

 

 

...I'd neglected to mention in that how damn long it took just to get out of the mall and back to parts south - surely a half hour, at least, just going down Kenwood from between Montgomery and Galbraith, back to I-71.  Just straight-up gridlock.  But yeah, it's downtown with the congestion issues, can't have shopping there!

 

The Square is coming along well.  The tower crane is now erected.  Good things are happening.

The Ice Rink is packed again today. It's 3:30 on Sunday and there's a line to rent skates.

 

I'm glad the tower crane is finally up. It's a bit eerie walking under that thing though.

 

Has anyone parked in the garage yet? I haven't heard too many comments on the garage itself. They've moved to pay-on-foot machines which in the long run should be more efficient. Last time I was in there a couple people were a bit confused on how to use the new system.

The garage is beautiful, brightly painted, clean and well lit.  I was aware of the new payment system, but could not find the machine (I didn't look very hard either).  We went straight up the stairs into the Westin, and they have no machine there, so we just used a credit card when we got to the gate.

I parked in the garage last week and it seemed like a definite improvement over the old garage.  Better lighting and paint and just overall much cleaner.  The pay system worked alright but there was a line to pay up in the pavilion...but really no complaints.

 

Totally different topic but I would like to suggest the make your own salad at Ingredients.  Very good...but also very expensive.

Totally different topic but I would like to suggest the make your own salad at Ingredients.  Very good...but also very expensive.

 

Unfortunately, salads are not cheap.  :(  Even Subway charges $6 for some of their salads.

13.50ish for a salad, soup, and a drink...thats hard to justify in my opinion.

^Not cheap, not overly expensive either.  This however depends on the amount of salad and soup you get.

What is "Ingredients"?

Ingredients is the new dining option in the Westin.  They are open 7 days a week from 6AM-6PM.  I go there at least once a week to build my own salad as mentioned in a previous post.  They also have grilled sandwiches, pizzas, etc.  Kind of like a Panera without the chain-like atmosphere.  The coffee they carry is Starbucks. 

BTW, the holiday hours are Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

 

P.S. Try the chicken club, it's awesome! ;)

BTW, the holiday hours are Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

 

Great!  I hope they decide to do this after the holidays as well. 

 

The brick oven pizzas are good, too.

Changing face of downtown

 

 

Fifth Third Bank is installing a new façade on the south side of its downtown building, facing the rebuilt Fountain Square.

 

It will be covered in a glass curtain with backlighting, slightly angled from top to ground level to reflect activity on the square.

 

The north façade, along Sixth Street, will have a giant 51-by-355-foot public work of art created by Julian Stanczak, the father of the "op art" movement, who taught in Cincinnati in the 1950s and '60s.

 

The work will consist of a series of 51-foot-long vertical tubes, with the sides painted in contrasting neon colors.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061205/BIZ01/612050387/1076/BIZ

Any ideas when this will be done? 

I can't wait until this building is finished.

 

Side note, not really related but... My father owns a home theater business in my hometown.  One of the projects he did a few years back was a home theater with a bar in it.  He made the bar using glass block with LED lighting behind it.  Much like what this building is going to do.  The bar looked absolutely amazing, lit up the entire room.  Can't wait to see how it will look covering an entire building.

It will be covered in a glass curtain with backlighting, slightly angled from top to ground level to reflect activity on the square.

 

I already find the reflections of the fountain and the video board to be very interesting...and to add another unique element to this will only make it better!!!!

just heard on Channel 5 that TGI Fridays is going to open a restaurant in Tower Place, with a street level entrance...not sure about that one.

^ Great news.  This was rumored for a while.  Now I probably won't ever dine there but it will provide a good balance to the downtown restaurant scene and Friday's is one of the better bland generic suburban chains. (At least better than Applebees, Chili's, Ruby Tuesdays).  Bigger cities have these suburban chains and the fact that a couple want to open up downtown is a reflection on the CBD gaining positive attention.

yea i agree with monte, but where in tower place is this?  where exactly is this gonna front? 

^GAP Store location.

yeah i hate TGIF fridays but if one can make it on times square, all the better.

I think Fridays is among the worst of the chains, but probably a good thing in the long run, even if I never plan on eating there.

I hope this doesn't take up room needed for the Beer Hall of Fame  :-D

^speaking of that, what happened to that project, is there a thread on the BHoF?

im sorry, i havent lived in cincy for almost 4 years now, where was the gap?  is it along vine or 5th or race or.....

^speaking of that, what happened to that project, is there a thread on the BHoF?

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=3390.0

im sorry, i havent lived in cincy for almost 4 years now, where was the gap?  is it along vine or 5th or race or.....

 

4th & Race St.

It is great to hear that not only a typical restaurant will be opening downtown near the square...but it will have street orientation.  This fits in exactly with what the city and 3CDC is trying to accomplish downtown.  Get more people out on the streets, and make everyone feel comfortable downtown!!!  GREAT NEWS

also, TGI Fridays only cares about money.  This means that they probably made the selection to go into downtown based on some corporate revenue formula.  If downtown cincinnati satisfies TGI Friday's formula, I bet it would satisfiy a lot of other places formulas as well.

^good point.  I don't care if they are chains, I would love to see more restaurants with street orientation popping up all around fountain square.  Suddenly then, it is not just fountain square, but an area that just keeps on growing, centered on fountain square.

I thought I read that Fridays would be on the 4th street side of tower place down by the McAlpin. In that case, I think it will be far enough removed from the square such that it does not cause it to lose its character. Plus, chains are always a draw for tourists who are afraid to step out of their comfort zone. In that respect I look at this as a good thing

^ very good point.  wouldnt it be awesome if montgomery inn were to open a restaurant on the sqaure?  obviously this would never happen with the boathouse down the street but that would sure be a draw.

^ very good point.  wouldnt it be awesome if montgomery inn were to open a restaurant on the sqaure?  obviously this would never happen with the boathouse down the street but that would sure be a draw.

 

They used to have a small shop downtown somewhere.  I can't remember if it was just carry out or had seating.  It wasn't open very long.  When I worked at the boathouse, I heard rumors that it was due to certain family members skimming profits from the store.

I was downtown tonight with the family, and the square was absolutely packed!!!  The ice rink had a huge line, as well as, the carriage rides and the train display.  Restaurants were packed everywhere and Tower Place Mall was also hoping (huge line for santa too).

 

Great time though, and was able to introduce my new nephew to downtown for the first time....he is becoming an urbanite more and more everyday with my diligent work :-D

They have to be making a killing on the new ice rink. Every weekend that thing has been packed with lines to rent skates. The great weather has helped, but this is surely a great sign for the future of the square. I'm glad for the success.

 

I'm also glad that most of the trees are finally planted. I guess the irrigation system in each of the bases is very complicated. They'll be starting on the south side of 5th street very soon. You can see that they've already finished the granite in front of the McCormick's new restaurant. This granite will extend down the entire block. There will also be a line of trees that mirror the row of trees already on the square. I think this will create a nice boullevard feel. I can't wait to see it all done.

I think the success of the ice rink is an example of how vital the new square will be.  Very exciting!

I was down at Fountain Square from 2 to 7 yesterday, I was the dude with the camera ;).

we best be seein those pics soon!

Went down to the Square today (a Sunday).  First, stopped in at Fountain Square News and perused their excellent selection of design magazines (then bought one).  Walked by the rink, packed with skaters.  Caught a few plays of the Bengals blowout on the screen.  Went to Macy's, bought gifts for three people (and a little something for myself). Went to the CAC gift shop, bought gifts for two more people.  Walked home.  There were lots of families around and lots of people in general.  The shopping was relaxed and the selections at all three stores were good.  Overall, an excellent downtown experience and one that many a frazzled shopper circling for a parking space at Kenwood probably doesn't even realize exists.