July 13, 200618 yr I love how the East End has evolved but the one thing I would fear there is flooding.
July 13, 200618 yr Great update - thank you! Well, headed east on Eastern towards Collins, there's no space between the end of Twain's Point and the railroad bridge at the S-curve, because of that Kemper Lane extension. Maybe you could fit a something in that corner, but I don't know how much cost you'd add to handle that hillside. Then after the bridge, halfway to Collins, those railroad tracks run between probably 30 and 50 feet north of Eastern. I don't know how much clearance you need to leave for the tracks, but I know it would make any places built along there pretty shallow. Might not be a problem - a nice wide but shallow design that maximized river views might be a great concept - but it will definitely have to be dealt with. Looks like SORTA owns that land, up to the first house. Interesting...looking at the rest of Eastern Avenue, it looks like Betty Burns (who's a high-end realtor from East Walnut Hills) has been buying up land on Eastern Avenue for at least the last 25 years. I put in 1850 through 2350 Eastern in the auditor's site, and there's just a ton of places down there she's purchased. I. T. Verdin and Johnson Electric also own a bunch (the industrial stuff along the river), but I was surprised to see Betty Burns picking so much up. The dates span from 1981 up through last February. You wouldn't imagine someone would do that if they weren't figuring on something big happening there, eh? But if she started in the 80's, one wonders what horizon she has in mind...
July 25, 200618 yr thanks for the pics. it looks like it should be 3 or 4 stories higher from that angle.
July 25, 200618 yr Sweeet. It's really a prime location and it's good to see implementation. They look like they're gonna be great looking buildings. I'd kill to have a view like that.
July 25, 200618 yr Plus its a frickin earshot from Montgomery Inn. That alone should put their value at 2 million each in my opinion :p
August 3, 200618 yr Author From pics from today (8.3.06)... I heard these are going for around $850K, that would be $100K more than Twain's Point. Further down Eastern Ave., I got excited when I saw this, and thought it would be something huge, alas, it was only two homes going in pre-fab. Oh well more homes and residents are always welcome!
August 31, 200618 yr Its looking good thus far....how come downtown housing projects can't have those large balconies looking over the street, etc?? I would love to have more 'eyes on the street' for both safety and sex appeal!
August 31, 200618 yr Author Good point, it made me look back at Phase II, Twain's Point (see pic below), they do have rather large balconies, in front of the large floor to ceiling windows/doors, so I am sure these will as well. The downtown core projects must have setback issues. You can't build a patio over a sidewalk, but the building must be built to the curb. Therefore, the building must either step back to allow large balconies, which reduces the square footage of the units, or the balconies must be inset, similar to the ones above the CVS on 6th and Race.
August 31, 200618 yr The downtown core projects must have setback issues. You can't build a patio over a sidewalk, but the building must be built to the curb. Therefore, the building must either step back to allow large balconies, which reduces the square footage of the units, or the balconies must be inset, similar to the ones above the CVS on 6th and Race. ...never thought about that, but it makes sense. I've always thought balconies that were all enclosed like that were poor design, but I guess it's the only way to satisfy the love of balconies with the needs of economical design with the building policies...
October 3, 200618 yr Author Drove by today and noticed they had started the foundation work on the next 8 units at Foster's Point. Looks like progress is really being made along Eastern Ave. or whatever they call it now.
January 11, 200718 yr Author The outside of Captain's Watch looks almost 100% complete Foster's Point only has two clusters/buildings left to go in this phase. One is just coming up and the other has a foundation poured (you can just see them in the second pic).
January 11, 200718 yr it is amazing how much development a single park stimulated. Think of what a streetcar line could do in other parts of downtown.
January 11, 200718 yr it is amazing how much development a single park stimulated. Think of what a streetcar line could do in other parts of downtown. Enough of that crazy talk out of you...we don't need streetcar, just get those pesky pedestrians out of the way and everything will be fine!
January 12, 200718 yr I really like the East End. The East End doesn't get much controversy because the former residents were poorer whites but this is an example of an area gentrified.
January 12, 200718 yr it seems as though there Captains Watch might have a few more phases planned? The abrupt end to the parking structure and above plaza would suggest that as well as the renderings. can anybody confirm that?
January 12, 200718 yr monte, you're absolutely right, eastern ave. (or should i say riverside drive?) is exploding with new development, rehabs, and teardowns. i don't particularly care for the majority of it, but they're selling for big bucks.
January 12, 200718 yr Author it seems as though there Captains Watch might have a few more phases planned? The abrupt end to the parking structure and above plaza would suggest that as well as the renderings. can anybody confirm that? I have heard through the grapevine that there is going to be another building adjacent to Captain's Watch, similar to CW. There is also one more development site toward Foster's Point. I am sure these two development sites will be built with whatever type of units/buildings Towne Properties determines is most appropriate for the market at the time. I could not find any renderings or proposed development designs anywhere on the TP website. I really like the East End. The East End doesn't get much controversy because the former residents were poorer whites but this is an example of an area gentrified. Nearly all of the new development along Eastern Avenue has been built on land that has been vacant for at least 30 years, therefore there was little to no displacement. This will obviously change now that most of the vacant land has been built upon. Remember also that this part of the East End was pretty heavily industrial, left over from when the river was a bigger part of the industrial/transportation infrastructure of Cincinnati.
June 3, 200718 yr Author The final building at Foster's Point is nearing exterior completion. There are also new signs up showing a twin building to Captain's Watch.
June 20, 200717 yr I just saw plans for the CW second building adjacent to the new existing one. It looks like it is going to be pretty sweet! It will match the first building but the layout looks a little different. The site plan references a third buiding in the future. It looks as if they will all kind of blend together with each other in one giant complex seperated by terraces. Onward East End!!!
June 20, 200717 yr Good to see this nearing completion! I recalled seeing this area in the early 1990s, and the area was completely devoid of life. The few houses that remained were nothing more than shacks or run-down buildings, surrounded by vast empty lots and reforested areas. Some of the historic properties were converted into slum businesses, and a historic church was shuttered. Many industrial lots began to creep in, and the crime rate increased. And jump forward to 2007, and I was blown away by the amount of new development. Before/after photos would have been nice! :)
June 20, 200717 yr i don't particularly care for the majority of it, but they're selling for big bucks. I wouldn't live there either. I'd rather buy the same condo in a more walkable environment with a neighborhood business district nearby. Not something so isolated. But people appreciate them for their view of the river. I'm just not impressed enough by rivers I guess.
June 21, 200717 yr I'm not impressed by rivers also. because they are all dirty. A large lake like landen lake is much better.
June 21, 200717 yr What would have been nice is a little more street-level retail along this stretch (obviously with residential above). This would have made this more of a community for the residents...but then again, maybe the demographic they're selling to doesn't care for mixed-use and/or walkability. I am really glad that this transformation has taken place though...the area has done a complete 180!
June 21, 200717 yr DPZ was hired to plan this area, but they had to scale the site back by half due to the soil conditions.
June 21, 200717 yr As for the walkability bit, what is going in at Collins and Eastern? If I recalled correctly, the first floor could support retail. As for the whole issue in general, it is a very linear development trend -- there are no north-south connectors, with the exception of a few like Collin -- but those are spread very far apart. Hillside and US 50 to the north, and the river to the south. Perhaps if this was not the case, you might see more retail development.
June 21, 200717 yr Author What would have been nice is a little more street-level retail along this stretch (obviously with residential above). This would have made this more of a community for the residents...but then again, maybe the demographic they're selling to doesn't care for mixed-use and/or walkability. I am really glad that this transformation has taken place though...the area has done a complete 180! A few things, first there is no market here for retail. They forced retail space into Adams Place and they have never had more than one or two tenants in there at best, it just doesn't work, there is no demand for it. As for walkability, they are right across the street from a couple miles of parks, major league sports, and entertainment. I would argue it is very walkable. DPZ was hired to plan this area, but they had to scale the site back by half due to the soil conditions. As far as I know, the original plan was extremely aggressive, somewhere near 1,800 units and the scale-down had nothing to do with soil problems. Do you have any facts on the soil related issue, I would just like to know? I can probably dig up a copy of the original plan, I have it somewhere.
June 21, 200717 yr The DPZ plan was 1000x better than what we're seeing now, which is a real shame. It was an actual urban neighborhood unlike the linear agglomeration of quasi-suburban "condo communities" that have since risen. Randy, I agree, the target market for those couldn't care less about mixed-use, even if the developers had the gumption to provide it.
June 21, 200717 yr I was personally told about the DPZ plan by a city solicitor, I never read it so I wouldn't know where to find it. It was soil conditions, and topography, the plan called for building almos all the way up to the parkway.
June 21, 200717 yr I would be kind of shocked if people from these condos walked to Reds games. They might, but it just doesn't seem to be those types of people...maybe I'm not familiar enough with the project. :|
June 21, 200717 yr As for the walkability bit, what is going in at Collins and Eastern? Clowncilmember Leslie Ghiz spearheaded the closing of the Collins ave steps ,you can't walk up to shop in Obryonville AND people that live at the top can no longer walk down. Crowley and Cole were against the closing of collins ave steps and we will let Ghiz know that crap like that doesn't go unnoticed.
June 21, 200717 yr Author I was personally told about the DPZ plan by a city solicitor, I never read it so I wouldn't know where to find it. It was soil conditions, and topography, the plan called for building almos all the way up to the parkway. I am not doubting what you say, but the units are built about as close to the parkway as you can get, or would want to get.
June 21, 200717 yr It actually strikes me as one of the few places that you could bike commute to downtown. When the trolley goes great perhaps a trolley or the early light rail will tie it even more to downtown.
June 21, 200717 yr Author If you go to http://www.captainswatchcondos.com/ and watch the activeX flash player in the upper-right-middle you can see the rendering for Phase II of Captain's Watch. The banner also reads "Coming in 2008/2009"
June 21, 200717 yr Nice, I like it, how cool would that be to have the pool and the overlook of the park and the river.
June 21, 200717 yr ^ But the water is brown, and that is such an unpleasant view. :) Second phase looks to be one hell of a project. It's good to see such density in a highly visible location, which will give many passer-bys a more favorable opinion of Cincinnati (like my parents, who think Cinci is still crime ridden).
June 22, 200717 yr Clearly this is in Nky...remember Nky is "overtaking" Cincinnati, and beating them to the punch on everything. Nothing is happening on the Cincy side of the river *cough* it's just Nky booming like none other...comparable to Dubai. :laugh:
June 22, 200717 yr Louisville seems to be more like Dubai than anything. Museum Plaza, new arena, one massive waterfront development (Park Place?), Glassworks... Although the Banks will soon fill up Cinci's skyline! One day.
June 22, 200717 yr Louisville seems to be more like Dubai than anything. Museum Plaza, new arena, one massive waterfront development (Park Place?), Glassworks... Please sell your crazy some place else please.
June 22, 200717 yr (shoves fanny in Randy's face) 62-story tower, avant-garde, diagonal elevator, na na na na
June 22, 200717 yr Come on Seicer ... Us Cincinnati fanboys love our quality architecture ... Museum Plaza doesn't get much respect around here. ;)
June 22, 200717 yr Development in Dubai puts even the most booming and developmentally active US cities to shame. To suggest Louisville is even remotely at that point is humorous.
June 22, 200717 yr ^ ^ Yes, but Dubai is rich with oil, whereas Louisville is rich with... other things. As much as Dubai is getting some fancy skyscrapers, their city is wholly unpedestrian friendly. There is also a lack of a streetscape. Think big-box stores with skyscrapers.
June 22, 200717 yr Louisville is no where near Dubai. Let me just state some dubai facts...they are building a 3.89 billion dollar metro light rail system, dubai is currently building a 123 story skyscraper that will be 2300 feet, the dubai mall they are building will be equivalent to the size of 50 soccer fields put together, they have proposed to build now a 200 story building called the al burj, they have proposed to build a 108 story building as well as 107 story building, they are currently constructing 7 buildings over 60 stories tall and have many more around that height already built, they have an underwater hotel on a manmade island. Thats only the tip of the iceburg...And how does this compare with louisville or any city for that matter? and dubai is BOOMING with tourism for good reason.
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