June 22, 200717 yr But why are we comparing Dubai to Louisville? Is it really necessary to compare our cities with one city in an oil-rich field? There is much in Cincinnati, Louisville, etc. that are far superior than what Dubai has -- buildings are just merely facades.
June 22, 200717 yr ^Yeah but it's all fake and not market driven. I know people who have gone on business trips to Dubai and elsewhere in the middle east and the guys over there are typically incompetent. They typically didn't go to college or build their businesses from the ground up, let alone ever work low-level jobs. They just inherited the money and are just playing with it. Osama bin Laden inherited an estimated $250 million for doing nothing more than being born into the right family. You've got a lot of those guys over there and no government accountability since these guys are the government.
June 22, 200717 yr My goal is to be a planner in Dubai. Atleast for a while. That would be amazing. Say what you want about land use and building things not market driven but Dubai is much more impressive than Louisville! I'll take underwater hotels over skate parks.
June 22, 200717 yr Man am I sorry I made that tongue in cheek comment before...can we please return this conversation to the discussion about Captain's Watch?
June 22, 200717 yr I don't know why it bothers you so much that we deviate from the topic. News gets posted in threads which inevitably brings discussion back on topic.
June 22, 200717 yr ya, louisville builds a 64 story building and all the sudden its being compared to dubai...Yikes...
June 23, 200717 yr ^ I was just shaking some Kentucky fanny ass at Ohio. We will have a taller building than you! na na na
October 13, 201014 yr Since I live here, I figured I should be the one who cleans this thread. Thanks to all who took pictures during construction! Buildings II & III have been pushed out at least 5 years per Towne... :-( and will have different names so this thread can be moved to Completed Projects. Oh and... 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. :| Many of us residents walk to GABP, Mt. Adams, Downtown... "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
March 26, 201411 yr Captain's Watch condo owners sue over leaks Owners at the Captain’s Watch condominiums east of downtown Cincinnati are suing Towne Properties’ development company, alleging that construction defects have been causing water intrusion problems. The issue mainly affects wooden balconies, according to a complaint filed in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court on Nov. 16. Towne has failed to remedy the problems, and as a result “in certain areas of the development, algae grows unimpeded, water stains abound, and the wood balconies continue to rot,” according to the complaint. Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
March 26, 201411 yr Towne brings subs into Captain’s Watch condo dispute, seeks mediation Responding to a lawsuit over alleged construction defects at its Captain’s Watch condominium project, an affiliate of Towne Properties filed a third-party complaint against Turner Construction Co., Cole + Russell Architects Inc. and other subcontractors who worked on or supplied materials for the project. It claims that, if the alleged damages are true, then Towne/Adams A-1 LLC is entitled to be indemnified by Turner, Cole + Russell and the other subcontractors. At the same time, Towne filed a motion for court-ordered mediation of the dispute, which it says was the subject of lengthy settlement negotiations before the initial lawsuit was filed. Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
March 26, 201411 yr We should start hearing news soon on continiung the development at Adams Landing. Rumor is we'll see a second 4-story building due east of Captain's Watch. It'll have aproximately 100 apartments with entrances off both Adams Crossing and Parsons Street (curently a gravel road connecting to Riverside Drive). I'd expect a third building is planned at a later date east of Parsons St... "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
March 26, 201411 yr ^Great news! That area just north of the Ted Berry Park has been a real growth corridor for the city, and it's exciting to see it continuing to expand. I would love to live over there, but the area is pretty light on retail and services. It would be great to have a river view and the park as your front yard, but it would suck to have to get in your car to get to pretty much anything.
March 26, 201411 yr The front of that building has been covered in plastic for at least a month. Lucky for the condo owners that everyone who built the building is still in business, otherwise there would be nobody alive to sue.
July 9, 201410 yr Towne Properties plans luxury riverfront apartments in Mount Adams Tom Demeropolis - Reporter - Cincinnati Business Courier A new luxury apartment project is in the works along Cincinnati’s riverfront. Towne Properties, the developer of Captain’s Watch in Mount Adams, is working on plans for phase two of the development. Originally, plans called for three low-rise towers on the western edge of Adams Landing, a 30-acre residential development at the base of Mount Adams. The first condo tower, a four-story, 40-unit building located at 903 Adams Crossing, was completed in December 2006 and every unit has been sold. Now, Arn Bortz, principal with Towne Properties, said his company is working on plans to build an apartment tower that would house larger, luxury apartments next to the existing Captain’s Watch building. Cont "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
December 3, 20159 yr We should be seeing movement on the apartments soon. Soil samples are being taken and they have placed White (proposed excavation) and Pink (temporary survey marking) stakes around the site. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
December 4, 20159 yr I think that I heard that Towne got burned on those two Adams Place towers when they built them back in the early or mid-90s. Took more than five years to sell out the units. The fact is that site really isn't that great. Tons of noise and ugly views for any units facing Columbia Parkway.
December 4, 20159 yr Quite the contrary. Adams Crossing facing units will be buffered from Columbia Parkway by woods and depending on the buildings height will have partial views of downtown / Mt. Adams. It is a very quiet area, save for the occasional truck on 471 using its engine brake. The units that face Riverside Drive will hear rush hour and river traffic, but nothing that comes close to impacting quality of life. It is a great urban site on the river and close to everything. The problem with Adams Place is ongoing initial construction woes and very high COA fees. Units at Captain's Watch are fully occupied and when one does go on the market it sells within a month. Not to mention we receive several solicitations a month to sell. Towne really should have stuck with condominiums at this site. There is an increasing demand for them downtown. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
December 4, 20159 yr The units in the Adams Landing skyscrapers don't face Columbia Parkway Jake. That wall is more blank because it's where the halls, stairs, and elevators are. The units wrap the other three sides. I worked on a unit in there and trust me, noise and views aren't even remotely an issue.
December 4, 20159 yr My parents looked at one of the top units in that tower building, and they did comment on the amount of ambient noise. I know that as I walk through sawyer point / bicentennial commons every day at lunch there is a lot of noise coming from 471, but then I'm much closer to it.
December 5, 20159 yr Author I think that I heard that Towne got burned on those two Adams Place towers when they built them back in the early or mid-90s. Took more than five years to sell out the units. The fact is that site really isn't that great. Tons of noise and ugly views for any units facing Columbia Parkway. Towne wasn't the developer of the original two towered-complex. It was some LLC that didn't really have any local ties. I didn't recall them ever building anything before or after Adams Landing. The original developer even had a faux-groundbreaking for Phase II (that Towne finally built), it was their key guy driving a bulldozer around the site. The original developer also got nailed with a major lawsuit and had to repair a major renovation of the window systems (if memory serves) in the building, to the tune of $3-5 million.
September 23, 20195 yr Five+ years later... rumblings that Towne is again looking to start Phase II. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
September 23, 20195 yr 19 minutes ago, Cygnus said: Five+ years later... rumblings that Towne is again looking to start Phase II. What was phase II supposed to entail?
September 23, 20195 yr Id assume more apts on the grassy lot to the right of the current ones, is that wrong?
September 23, 20195 yr Take a look back at page 3 of the thread. Original plan was for two more condo buildings. In 2014-2015, they floated building one larger apartment building. They will have some serious competition with The Artistry now under construction down the street. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
October 31, 20195 yr On 9/23/2019 at 2:57 PM, Cygnus said: Take a look back at page 3 of the thread. Original plan was for two more condo buildings. In 2014-2015, they floated building one larger apartment building. They will have some serious competition with The Artistry now under construction down the street. Competition? Or synergy? Sometimes neighborhoods benefit from clustering and density, which allows for some retail (cafe, restaurants, etc), which in turn makes the neighborhood more desirable for residents. This stretch along the river is a bit odd since it's not very walkable and so I don't know how much clustering will play a role here.
December 2, 20204 yr A year plus has passed and another survey crew was recently out placing pink stakes around the site. I've not heard any rumblings. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
February 10, 20214 yr Towne Properties is considering developing a new luxury market-rate multifamily rental apartment community on Adams Crossing just east of Captain’s Watch Condominiums. Current proposal: • 5 stories tall with 100 units • Attractive “E” shaped building • 184 Parking Spaces (122 Garage, 62 Surface) • 6 Townhomes • 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 2-bedroom + Den • Swimming Pool • Fitness Center • Community Room • Car Wash / Dog Wash • LEED Silver certification • Construction could start by Q3 2021 with an estimated Q4 2022 completion "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
February 10, 20214 yr Looks good! Wish it was a little bit taller but if you get too tall I’m sure you’ll have the Mt. Adams people complaining about view obstructions like they did with the Skyhouse, may it RIP. Edited February 10, 20214 yr by Ucgrad2015
February 10, 20214 yr 42 minutes ago, Cygnus said: Towne Properties is considering developing a new luxury market-rate multifamily rental apartment community on Adams Crossing just east of Captain’s Watch Condominiums. Current proposal: • 5 stories tall with 100 units • Attractive “E” shaped building • 184 Parking Spaces (122 Garage, 62 Surface) • 6 Townhomes • 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 2-bedroom + Den • Swimming Pool • Fitness Center • Community Room • Car Wash / Dog Wash • LEED Silver certification • Construction could start by Q3 2021 with an estimated Q4 2022 completion Was this submitted to the city/zoning or where did this come from?
February 11, 20214 yr Not a one of those buildings has any idea that the others are there, despite the fact that the two newest are (will be) fraternal twins. It's definitely a tough spot to work in, but the flip side to that is that the challenge of building there can sponsor something interesting. These buildings are just cynical. They have nothing to do with Cincinnati, and Cincinnati is staring them in the face.
February 11, 20214 yr 4 hours ago, zsnyder said: Not a one of those buildings has any idea that the others are there, despite the fact that the two newest are (will be) fraternal twins. It's definitely a tough spot to work in, but the flip side to that is that the challenge of building there can sponsor something interesting. These buildings are just cynical. They have nothing to do with Cincinnati, and Cincinnati is staring them in the face. What is “cynical” about this? I agree it’s not the most inspired design, but I also don’t find it particularly offensive. It seems just like a continuation from the first building (its “fraternal twin” as you call it). I would love to see a taller building, but I’m not the one financing the project. I’m not trying to be snarky... I genuinely am curious what you are suggesting in terms of a design that has more “to do with Cincinnati”.
February 11, 20214 yr 2 hours ago, jwulsin said: What is “cynical” about this? I agree it’s not the most inspired design, but I also don’t find it particularly offensive. It seems just like a continuation from the first building (its “fraternal twin” as you call it). I would love to see a taller building, but I’m not the one financing the project. I’m not trying to be snarky... I genuinely am curious what you are suggesting in terms of a design that has more “to do with Cincinnati”. I think the criticism is that the buildings do not engage with the street in any meaningful way. They are across the street from a park and tennis courts but they might as well be miles away. This is of course by design since the road diet ended at Bains for no good reason.
February 11, 20214 yr 17 minutes ago, Dev said: This is of course by design since the road diet ended at Bains for no good reason. Very good point. The City should continue that road diet (or some version of it) all the way into downtown, allowing parking 24/7 on one side (south curb) and extending the bike lanes.
February 11, 20214 yr 22 hours ago, ucgrady said: Was this submitted to the city/zoning or where did this come from? My understanding is that the next steps are to present to the city for zoning changes, LEED tax abatement request, and building permit. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
February 11, 20214 yr 3 hours ago, jwulsin said: What is “cynical” about this? I agree it’s not the most inspired design, but I also don’t find it particularly offensive. It seems just like a continuation from the first building (its “fraternal twin” as you call it). I would love to see a taller building, but I’m not the one financing the project. I’m not trying to be snarky... I genuinely am curious what you are suggesting in terms of a design that has more “to do with Cincinnati”. One that recognizes the topography, the parks, The street, and tries to do something interesting with that problem rather than just give up and plop down a Medium Residential Sim City 3 tile. This looks like it would be right at home on Chester Rd. in Sharonville.
February 11, 20214 yr only had a half hour lunch break... but... bring the building to the sidewalk, eliminate the berm up to the podium, conceal parking with building frontage, provide grand staircase connection of some sort to river and parks, break up massing along street, break up massing in height with multiple levels allowing opportunities for outdoor space/green space on rooftops and allow for views back to city, hide garage entrance, plant street trees.... lots could be done and i didnt even get into the generic architecture cladding - kept their brick and eifs. Edited February 11, 20214 yr by jack.c.amos spelling
February 11, 20214 yr Admittedly, Eastern/Riverside isn't the most hospitable street, and it still looks like an Embassy Suites, but at least you're taking a half hour lunch break to give a damn. Thumbs up.
February 11, 20214 yr Have questions on the project for Towne? Send them to me by Sunday. I'll be apart of a Zoom call with them next week. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
February 11, 20214 yr 3 hours ago, jack.c.amos said: only had a half hour lunch break... but... bring the building to the sidewalk, eliminate the berm up to the podium, conceal parking with building frontage, provide grand staircase connection of some sort to river and parks, break up massing along street, break up massing in height with multiple levels allowing opportunities for outdoor space/green space on rooftops and allow for views back to city, hide garage entrance, plant street trees.... lots could be done and i didnt even get into the generic architecture cladding - kept their brick and eifs. While I like the street level interaction that comes form the podium being wrapped with appartments, I think that this might not be feasable for this location. Based on the FEMA flood planes, it looks like part of the property is in a flood plane that encorages buildings to be built on a podium. I'm willing to guess that insurance may be part of the problem with this location being built significantly differnt form what's proposed.
February 12, 20214 yr 3 hours ago, Cygnus said: Have questions on the project for Towne? Send them to me by Sunday. I'll be apart of a Zoom call with them next week. My only one is could they provide a space between it and the existing building for the City (Or them if they feel charitable) to build a staircase to Eastern Ave?Riverside Dr. so that you could cut through to access the staircase to Mt Adams?
February 12, 20214 yr 11 hours ago, SleepyLeroy said: My only one is could they provide a space between it and the existing building for the City (Or them if they feel charitable) to build a staircase to Eastern Ave?Riverside Dr. so that you could cut through to access the staircase to Mt Adams? I like this idea a lot! It looks like there's a sidewalk ramp that traverses up the hill and almost connects to the stairs up to Mt Adams, but stops just short. Anybody know why the sidewalk stops short? It is City-owned property. The Towne Properties' current design proposal doesn't seems to include any proper pedestrian connection to Riverside, so if residents want to walk across Riverside to the park, they would have to walk all the way around to one of the far east/west side of the project. A central staircase between the two buildings would be great for residents as well as the broader public.
February 12, 20214 yr 48 minutes ago, jwulsin said: I like this idea a lot! It looks like there's a sidewalk ramp that traverses up the hill and almost connects to the stairs up to Mt Adams, but stops just short. Anybody know why the sidewalk stops short? It is City-owned property. The Towne Properties' current design proposal doesn't seems to include any proper pedestrian connection to Riverside, so if residents want to walk across Riverside to the park, they would have to walk all the way around to one of the far east/west side of the project. A central staircase between the two buildings would be great for residents as well as the broader public. Yep, right there! Currently the kids & I walk up the gravel drive on the right if we park in the friendship park but this new development will cut that access off. Not that it is crazy inconvenient but you would have to go west and around the firehouse to double back to the stairs once this is built. It could be a southern terminus to the 'ART WALK" stairs that are trying to make a path from Walnut hills & thru Mt Addams.
February 13, 20214 yr Seems like they have at least a 24' drive in between the two buildings, so I think this idea would be possible.
February 23, 20214 yr Well the meeting occurred and their feedback was essentially 'we have no concern for the broader public, our residents will have stairs to Riverside Dr. on the east side of the property'. When pressed that Parsons St. is used today by many walkers, they said adding stairs between the retaining walls would require structural engineering, aka, money that will make this project less profitable. Rent estimates are ~$2 ft² and parking is an extra expense, both garage and surface spaces. "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
February 23, 20214 yr 11 hours ago, Cygnus said: Well the meeting occurred and their feedback was essentially 'we have no concern for the broader public, our residents will have stairs to Riverside Dr. on the east side of the property'. When pressed that Parsons St. is used today by many walkers, they said adding stairs between the retaining walls would require structural engineering, aka, money that will make this project less profitable. Rent estimates are ~$2 ft² and parking is an extra expense, both garage and surface spaces. Thanks for the update... sad they're not open to thinking about how stairs would help the design (both for their residents and the public).
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