Interestingly enough, the Cincinnati Riverfront Park is already clearly marked on GoogleMaps.

^ Almost... The portions north of Mehring Way aren't there.  But very cool, none-the-less

 

Yep, I added that awhile back via google mapmaker. I also added the Banks but that edit wasn't approved and for some reason the CRP edit north of Mehring Way didn't get approved either. I just added it again, hopefully it sticks.  Positive feedback from other people would validate my edits so if you're so inclined feel free to jump on Mapmaker here:

 

http://www.google.com/mapmaker

Now the part north of Mehring Way is on Google Maps.

Moerlein Lager House and Walnut Street Stairs/Bike Mobility Center looking good:

Thank you for posting pics, Cygnus. I appreciate seeing the progress.

What is the structure at the far left of the bottom picture?

It'll be the elevator shaft.

New video update:

 

Building the Dream: Smale Riverfront Park

Wall cladding going up at the Walnut Street steps, along Mehring Way, and at the Moerlein Lager House (now set to open in Spring 2012):

That sucks. I was really hoping they would stick to the November opening date.

The cladding has arrived! Thank the good lordie. The concrete was starting to get a little harsh.

The Cincinnati Park Board and Moerlein Lager House announced that the restaurant and brewery in Cincinnati Riverfront Park, adjacent to The Banks, will open its doors on Monday, Feb. 6. Hours will be 11 a.m.-midnight Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday, with extended closings as late as 2:30 a.m. for special events.

Moerlein Lager House to open Feb. 6

11:23 am, Sep 16, 2011 | Written by Shauna Steigerwald  

 

The Cincinnati Park Board and Moerlein Lager House announced that the restaurant and brewery in Smale Riverfront Park, adjacent to The Banks, will open its doors on Monday, Feb. 6.

 

Planners had originally said they were hoping for a fall opening. The reason for the setback wasn’t immediately clear Friday. Record rainfall earlier this year delayed some construction, but in June, planners said that work was still on track.

 

 

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/newintown/2011/09/16/moerlein-lager-house-to-open-feb-6/

Discussion about Banks restaurants moved to the Banks thread: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,2772.5370.html

 

 

It's hard to overstate Moerlein.  That place will be great.  Rooftop/balcony dining is a wonderful experience in the city.  The progress overall is exciting.

I went downtown the other day just to take a quick look at the progress of some of these projects after dropping a friend off at work in Mt. Adams and I am quite happy with how the Moerlein Lager House is looking. It's location is much more dramatic than the renderings ever made it out to be and the views from all the different outdoor areas will be great once everything is finished. The architecture of the building itself is a nice contrast to the Banks buildings. I'm excited to get down there once it has opened and the park around it is finished.

 

And speaking of the park, that cladding is very welcomed. Some of those bare concrete walls were very uninviting. But that hasn't stopped people from already enjoying the park even in its unfinished state. Many of the times I went down there in the past (before the Banks) you wouldn't see a single soul. I saw quite a few people jogging, walking their dogs, etc. in the very short period I was down there. Once more is completed down there I'm thinking it's going to be a great area to visit. Here's hoping.

Yeah I bet the design is exceeding even Hartman's expectations.  It was impossible while looking at the renderings to really envision how it was going to be positioned relative to everything else. 

Lager House's east wall cladding is complete:

Lager House windows installation, elevator shaft cladding, roof work, etc.:

Thanks for the pics!!  Everything is really coming along down there. 

In your third photo, Cygnus, what are those industrial looking things above Mehring Way? They remind me of a transit stop, but I know there is not road up there.

^stage canopy at the even lawn

PhattyNati's right. Here is a pic of it's installation last week:

Cool! I'm going to have to get down there to check it out some time!

Mid-Fall video update: http://youtu.be/gOGzu2yqZhg

Continued progress

Cygnus- Thanks for the pics. 

 

I have come to really enjoy those update videos, even with their bad music. 

 

I would like them to to a video sequence of your entry to the park, maybe this spring... so that you can really see how it grows out of the Banks.

Fantastic progress!

That architecture is pretty sweet on that lager house.

Construction has begun on the south side of Mehring Way:

Nearing completion of the Walnut Street steps

I got a few this weekend as well. These are from an iPhone 4S.

 

(Leaving them large to show detail.)

 

 

 

The material choices they've made on the park so far are world class. It's going to be a really nice park.

 

Unfortunately it's starting to highlight how nasty the Banks apartments turned out. That cream colored cinder block is truly shameful and the fact that its on the city's front door...I just don't know, man, I hesitate to speak in hyperbole but that kind of thing really shows a city/nation/culture that's cheap and shameless. It looks like the inside of a high school cafeteria.

 

Some day that location is going to be pretty high demand, at least if things evolve there the way the plan envisions. That our development economics didn't have a way to recognize that and put in something that reflected more value...it's really a failing of our system. It probably sounds like I'm harping on something as small as a material choice, but that cinder block shows that we have forgotten the value of making nice places, we failed to use our creativity and technology to come up with some nicer material choice at the same price, or we just don't give a shit. Either option is pretty sad.

Ya- last Banks comment and then we can get back on topic-

 

The nicest part of the very slow roll out of the development (no new blocks until probably 2013), is that as we do blocks 5 and 6, that will likely be 4 or 5 years from when blocks 1 and 2 opened- Allowing for better quality as demand rises and the economy grows.

_________________________

 

The Moerlein Lager House pays rent of $400,000 a year to the Park board.  Considering the major funding cuts that have come from City Hall lately, it's good to see them embracing new sources of revenue.  I plan to be there on opening day!

I don't understand why this damn beige-on-beige color scheme keeps proliferating.  The Moerlein Lager House was looking good until they attempted to match that drab stone on the Freedom Center, which itself appears to have attempted to match the Suspension Bridge.  I mean, considering the Suspension Bridge tower stone came from around Portsmouth, I'd imagine there's still some more there, and they could have quarried some if they really gave a damn. 

 

Civik, agreed, the cheapness of The Banks apartments is startling.  It's so cheap that the whole thing doesn't even look square. The saving grace might be the space for the low-rise apartments between the Moerlein Lager House and the new apartment, which now faces the riverfront with a blank wall and cheap-looking balconies.  The Freedom Center looks cheap too, even though it wasn't.

 

So far, the strength of The Banks is the concept.  We don't have a single element yet that is of the quality appropriate to the site.

^There is still stone at the quarry where the Roebling Bridge stone came from, but the quarry has been out of operation for many years. Stone has to be commercially available to be used economically.

 

The stone used in the Freedom Center came from Italy. The designers of the Freedom Center built those unusual curving stone walls to mimic the curve of the river. It seems that the symbolism is lost by surrounding the Freedom Center with other buildings with so many sharp corners.

 

I like the Freedom Center, personally. I think it's appropriate, aesthetically.

 

But I don't dismiss people's criticism of it.

 

The saving grace might be the space for the low-rise apartments between the Moerlein Lager House and the new apartment, which now faces the riverfront with a blank wall and cheap-looking balconies. 

 

And you might be right-  Since those low-rise (3-4 stories) units will actually be condo's/townhomes and not apartments.  I'm hoping since they are for sale and not for rent they will be built with higher quality and better design.

 

The saving grace might be the space for the low-rise apartments between the Moerlein Lager House and the new apartment, which now faces the riverfront with a blank wall and cheap-looking balconies. 

 

And you might be right-  Since those low-rise (3-4 stories) units will actually be condo's/townhomes and not apartments.  I'm hoping since they are for sale and not for rent they will be built with higher quality and better design.

 

I thought they were still considering a hotel for that space.

^ I think that would be opposite the baseball stadium, there's also a blank spot lining the little park with the stage that was recently finished.

^ Correct.

Well I hope that ever what they build in that blank spot (between the south apt. building and the event lawn) doesn't obstruct my awesome view of the river and Roebling Bridge!

I am on the  6th floor of Current and I love it!

^ you will probably be fine. The plan seems to imply it will be a 3-4 story building. But anyone on the 2nd 3rd or 4th floor will have all of their view gone!

Well I hope that ever what they build in that blank spot (between the south apt. building and the event lawn) doesn't obstruct my awesome view of the river and Roebling Bridge!

I am on the  6th floor of Current and I love it!

 

When I toured the apartments at The Banks, they definitely made some comments like, "these people will have a good view of the river for now, but eventually something will be built in that space."  Although I would agree that you'll probably be fine on the 6th floor.

Were the apartments at The Current priced differently, depending on what floor you're renting? Or will rents go down, once something is built south of it, and view is taken away from some tenants?

Yes, BlueLine, the higher - up your apartment, the higher your rent. Although I'm on the 6th floor, my rent still isn't as expensive as the units with the wrap-around windows on the 6th floor. And, units with balconies are higher priced. I don't know if rent will go down, if I lose some of my view....that would be a good question for the front office....

Not exactly the CRP but what is the big hole in the ground between Mehring Way and Pete Rose Way - Gas Alley and Rose Street?

In today's budget announcement Dohoney explained that his proposed budget to the Mayor & Council fully funds the Riverfront Park. I know that was a concern in the past.

Not exactly the CRP but what is the big hole in the ground between Mehring Way and Pete Rose Way - Gas Alley and Rose Street?

I've wondered that too since running past it in the Hudepohl 14k...

 

http://g.co/maps/4vw8j

It's a Duke Energy clean up site.

http://www.duke-energy.com/westend/

It's a Duke Energy clean up site.

http://www.duke-energy.com/westend/

 

So that explains it but there sure is some weasel wording on the page.

 

In looking at that aerial they have, is there ever any hope of developing the Hilltop site?