ColDayMan, thanks for sharing this rendition of the proposed Millennium Tower that "could have, would have, should have" graced Newport, NKY in the "90's."

 

Needless to say, this game-changer became just another one of Cincinnati's dreams lost and forgotten.  But then, what else is new in a city that blotched a long-ago subway and, possibly today, a state-of-the-art streetcar?

 

I'm not sure even all of our Cincinnati boosters realize what a grand structure "Millennium Tower" would have been not only for NKY, but all of SW Ohio...

 

If I'm correct, the original tower (featuring a restaurant and observation deck) would have risen 1100-ft. and been able to be seen from 50-miles away.  But soon afterward,  it was downsized to conform to some FAA standards to around 700-ft., then later abandoned entirely--and thus, today, only an edifice resides where a structure could have graced Cincinnati/Newport's riverfront sky that would have rivaled St. Louis' Arch.  (Too bad.)

Millennium Tower

 

If I'm correct, the original tower (featuring a restaurant and observation deck) would have risen 1100-ft. and been able to be seen from 50-miles away.  But soon afterward,  it was downsized to conform to some FAA standards to around 700-ft., then later abandoned entirely--and thus, today, only an edifice resides where a structure could have graced Cincinnati/Newport's riverfront sky that would have rivaled St. Louis' Arch.  (Too bad.)

 

This doesn't make since to me.  How is it that it had to be shortened to conform to FAA standards?  How is it that there are much taller structures all across the US in major cities, but in the vicinity of downtown Cincinnati the FAA doesn't allow it?  I'm not buying it.  I would want to see that report from the FAA and the ridiculous reason of why it's not allowed here, and how it's allowed elsewhere across this country.  :whip:   

^The whole the Millennium Tower thing was a giant stunt.  They said it was going to steal the Maisonette from Cincinnati, for example. 

Millennium Tower

 

If I'm correct, the original tower (featuring a restaurant and observation deck) would have risen 1100-ft. and been able to be seen from 50-miles away.  But soon afterward,  it was downsized to conform to some FAA standards to around 700-ft., then later abandoned entirely--and thus, today, only an edifice resides where a structure could have graced Cincinnati/Newport's riverfront sky that would have rivaled St. Louis' Arch.  (Too bad.)

 

This doesn't make since to me.  How is it that it had to be shortened to conform to FAA standards?  How is it that there are much taller structures all across the US in major cities, but in the vicinity of downtown Cincinnati the FAA doesn't allow it?  I'm not buying it.  I would want to see that report from the FAA and the ridiculous reason of why it's not allowed here, and how it's allowed elsewhere across this country.  :whip:   

I'm totally unfamiliar with FAA restrictions that might have caused the downsizing of Millennium Tower, but I do recall the sensational Enquirer article about it becoming an addition to Newport.  (And, at that time, it would have been the world's 11th-tallest building.)  However, one of the subsequent articles mentioned that a 1000-ft.+ structure would prove hazardous to CVG, and so on.  Not long afterwards,  the project was cancelled.

 

Today, like a useless relic, only the gigantic bell hangs just above ground-level at the spot.  One only need look to either Seattle or Toronto to see what could have been there instead.  :cry:

The whole project was definitely "real", but it was not grounded in reality.  I reviewed the original funding plan when I was at Downtown Cincinnati, Inc. in the mid 90s.  The revenue projections were outrageous, $5 million annually in skating rink revenue, $10 million in observation deck revenue, etc.

Here it is

No, it wasn't "real".  It was a way to generate hype about NKY, a centerpiece of the 1990s narrative that "everything" was moving across the river, since Cincinnati City Council was so helplessly stupid.  Seemingly every day, for five years, there were articles in the Enquirer and TV news hyping whatever new thing was being built in NKY.  Now look at it: NOTL struggling (to use the language they once dumped on DT Cincinnati), the Mike Fink and Waterfront are rusting hulks, Rivercenter I and II are virtually empty, etc. 

No, it wasn't "real".  It was a way to generate hype about NKY, a centerpiece of the 1990s narrative that "everything" was moving across the river, since Cincinnati City Council was so helplessly stupid.  Seemingly every day, for five years, there were articles in the Enquirer and TV news hyping whatever new thing was being built in NKY.  Now look at it: NOTL struggling (to use the language they once dumped on DT Cincinnati), the Mike Fink and Waterfront are rusting hulks, Rivercenter I and II are virtually empty, etc. 

 

It's a shame, because Covington and Newport have some very intact historic neighborhoods. Maybe if they focused on revitalizing their existing urban areas -- instead of building crap like Newport on the Levee, Ovation, and Newport Pavilion -- they would be onto something. Just look at what Bellevue, KY has done and use that as a model.

JMeck, we will have to agree to disagree.  I saw multiple presentations on the tower to many different groups.  There were a lot of Northern Kentuckians (average citizens, business owners, and politicians) that poured a lot of effort, heart and soul, and cash into something that wasn't real.  As unrealistic as the plan was, there was a lot of real effort in trying to make it happen.

I have the two original newspaper articles on the Millennium Freedom Tower.  I could post them if there is interest. 

^ Yes, please post them!

> As unrealistic as the plan was,

 

It was as unrealistic as our 2012 Olympic bid, which also had real meetings, real reports, etc.  The tower was part of a hail mary attempt to lure a truly big tenant across the river, and it never happened.  It's obvious at this point that the plot of the 90s was dependent upon establishing a critical mass that truly rivaled Cincinnati as the region's business and entertainment center.  The flaw in the plan is that the tenants at Rivercenter I and II were vulnerable to moving to cheap DT Cincinnati office space after QC Square (or other unbuilt large towers) took prime tenants away from existing DT office towers.  Plus, The Banks was barely on the drawing board when Newport on the Levee was actually under construction. 

 

NKY threw down all of its cards, Cincinnati still had many moves it could make.  Long-term Cincinnati still holds control, since we have the influence to control how the BSB project pans out, can permanently prevent a subway tunnel from being dug under the river in such a way as to locate a station in prime Covington riverfront territory, etc. 

"permanently prevent a subway tunnel from being dug under the river in such a way as to locate a station in prime Covington riverfront territory"

 

We totally need something like PANYNJ. PATO train FTW.

 

I have the two original newspaper articles on the Millennium Freedom Tower.  I could post them if there is interest.

 

Do you have to ask?  Yes!

>"permanently prevent a subway tunnel from being dug under the river in such a way as to locate a station in prime Covington riverfront territory" We totally need something like PANYNJ. PATO train FTW.

 

 

Won't happen.  A big reason why light rail of any kind hasn't happened in Cincinnati is because it threatens to re-arrange property values, especially Class A office space.  The big wigs in this city only want towers in a few blocks of the downtown area.  They completely control that area and act tirelessly to prevent any and all competition from appearing.  A light rail subway coming down from UC would inevitably have a station at Central Parkway, and suddenly CP not only becomes a viable location for skycrapers, it's one stop closer to the rest of nearly all the city. 

 

I don't think the big cats sweated the Covington towers too bad because they knew that in its current form Covington can never really rival DT Cincinnati in the way that Central Parkway can.  It could become a formidable competitor if a first-class subway station was located right there where the parking lot is between the convention center, the towers, and the Ascent.  In the 90s at least, with Delta still on the rise at CVG, Covington was one stop closer to the airport. 

 

I am skeptical that a subway tunnel will ever be dug directly between DT Cincinnati and DT Covington for these reasons, even though it makes so much goddamn sense. 

^And a subway tunnel implies a regional transit network, which is a huge hurdle as well.  We've seen how much trouble a simple streetcar loop stirred up, and that's just with one city.  Imagine the hornet's nest that building a system touching 4+ counties would be.

Levee seeks 3-year extension on tax-break incentives

Development: We need time to meet competition

Dec. 15, 2013 

Written by Amanda Van Benschoten

 

More than a decade ago, state tax breaks allowed developers to complete construction of Newport on the Levee, the 400,000-square-foot entertainment complex on the southern shore of the Ohio River.

 

Now, the Levee says an extension of those tax breaks is needed to breathe new life into the facility and compete with a slew of new entertainment options along Cincinnati’s riverfront.

 

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20131215/NEWS0103/312150018/Levee-seeks-3-year-extension-tax-break-incentives?odyssey=mod|newswell|img|FRONTPAGE|p

> As unrealistic as the plan was,

 

It was as unrealistic as our 2012 Olympic bid, which also had real meetings, real reports, etc.  The tower was part of a hail mary attempt to lure a truly big tenant across the river, and it never happened.  It's obvious at this point that the plot of the 90s was dependent upon establishing a critical mass that truly rivaled Cincinnati as the region's business and entertainment center.  The flaw in the plan is that the tenants at Rivercenter I and II were vulnerable to moving to cheap DT Cincinnati office space after QC Square (or other unbuilt large towers) took prime tenants away from existing DT office towers.  Plus, The Banks was barely on the drawing board when Newport on the Levee was actually under construction. 

 

NKY threw down all of its cards, Cincinnati still had many moves it could make.  Long-term Cincinnati still holds control, since we have the influence to control how the BSB project pans out, can permanently prevent a subway tunnel from being dug under the river in such a way as to locate a station in prime Covington riverfront territory, etc. 

 

Jake, I don't think it was as much of an "us" against them argument for the office towers on Rivercenter. I agree with your assessment that NKY tried to make a run as the entertainment destination with NOTL and the Rivercenter barges and such. However, the Covington Towers were more a response to business desire and better tax structure that existed at the time in Kentucky vs Ohio. The reason why the towers have a lot of vacant space has more to do with the fact that the KY legislature changed the tax structure and Ohio developed a more favorable tax structure  to lure these tenants back (i.e. Neilsen and Omnicare). If QC square was not built, these companies would still be back in Ohio, they just may have been in other spaces or in Norwood.

Dick's last resort coming to the levee, they're still trying and this place is always popular in Nashville.

 

 

http://www.wcpo.com/news/region-northern-kentucky/dicks-last-resort-to-open-at-newport-on-the-levee-in-april

Woo HOo!!! We're big time now!!

Fitting for the southern side of the river. Would be cool if NPOTL rebranded itself as the region's southern-focused entertainment district.

^Low-key, that would work.  Dick's Last Resort, Wet Willies, ZAXBY'S!!!, etc would be a very popular destination with certain crowds. 

Low key eh? So no Baldknobbers shows then?

 

 

^Low-key, that would work.  Dick's Last Resort, Wet Willies, ZAXBY'S!!!, etc would be a very popular destination with certain crowds. 

 

Never been to the other two, but I'd love to see a Zaxby's in Newport.

We should also throw in a Dixie Stampede!!! LOL!!!

That way everybody in the Tri-State can drink beer out of a cowboy boot glass like I do!

^Low-key, that would work.  Dick's Last Resort, Wet Willies, ZAXBY'S!!!, etc would be a very popular destination with certain crowds. 

 

It would be a good way to not directly compete w/ the Banks, and maintain relevance while the other side of the river is booming. A bit of a "blue ocean" tactic. And it would make the anti-urban aspects of NPOTL less relevant, since I don't think the target crowd cares as much about urban design (or so the Sunbelt would have me believe). It would almost make the sh!tty design a feature, lending to its southern authenticity, rather than a bug. (Almost.)

That way everybody in the Tri-State can drink beer out of a cowboy boot glass like I do!

 

Ever wanted to star in a viral video? Make a cowboy version of the "Das Boot" ad.

TKILTBAG might find that the rent is better at Newport on the Mason-Dixon.

TKILTBAG might find that the rent is better at Newport on the Mason-Dixon.

 

I actually had something about them poaching TKILTBAG in my first post on the topic, but removed it before publishing. It might be a good idea, though it also makes sense to have a venue at the Banks explicitly appealing to sports fans from Real America.

As a side note, I still love the acronym TKILTBAG.

 

TKILTBAG!!!!

^Low-key, that would work.  Dick's Last Resort, Wet Willies, ZAXBY'S!!!, etc would be a very popular destination with certain crowds. 

 

Never been to the other two, but I'd love to see a Zaxby's in Newport.

 

Zaxby's is great - Raisin' Canes is even better, though, and has a bit more of that Southern theme.

I keep thinking that this thread is being updated with news of NOTL adding a hotel and/or apartments.  They were supposed to make an announcement regarding that in late 2013.  I think they're waiting on that tax break extension, but adding a hotel and residential is exactly what NOTL needs.

Hotel in works for Newport on the Levee

Staff Cincinnati Business Courier

 

A six-story hotel is in the works for the expansion of Newport on the Levee, WCPO reports.

 

Musselman Hotels LLC has applied for a rebate of up to $8.3 million in sales taxes over 10 years from the Kentucky Toursm Department Finance Authority for the $33.1 million project.

 

The request will be considered at a meeting in Frankfort on Wednesday, but final approval could take six to eight weeks.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/morning_call/2014/01/hotel-in-works-for-newport-on-the-levee.html

^And... there it is.  Thanks.

Hotel in works for Newport on the Levee

Staff Cincinnati Business Courier

 

A six-story hotel is in the works for the expansion of Newport on the Levee, WCPO reports.

 

Musselman Hotels LLC has applied for a rebate of up to $8.3 million in sales taxes over 10 years from the Kentucky Toursm Department Finance Authority for the $33.1 million project.

 

The request will be considered at a meeting in Frankfort on Wednesday, but final approval could take six to eight weeks.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/morning_call/2014/01/hotel-in-works-for-newport-on-the-levee.html

 

Would have preferred to read that a six-story hotel is going into The Banks instead.

 

What's the holdup there?

Great that this hotel is going in, but I thought that it might've been a different type of mixed use project.  Apartments are still planned and I thought the hotel and apartments would've been one building instead of two smaller ones. 

Looks like NOTL is making a lot of good moves!

 

Possibly re-positioning itself as the more family-friendly alternative to the Banks? Wouldn't be a bad idea given the Aquarium is right there.

Newport on the Levee hotel project gets $8M

Staff Cincinnati Business Courier

 

The planned hotel development near Newport on the Levee has been approved for $8 million in tax incentives, the Enquirer reports.

 

Louisville-based developer Musselman Hotels LLC received approval for the tax incentives from the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority on Wednesday. The company is expected to create a $33 million, 150-room hotel across from Hofbrauhaus as well as another project in Frankfort using the funding.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/morning_call/2014/04/newport-on-the-levee-hotel-project-gets-8m.html

I'd rather see apartments go there, but this is still a good boost. One of the biggest problems with NOTL is that there is no good hotel within walking distance. The Travelodge is a hooker haven and while affordable, is well past its prime.

Hotel in works for Newport on the Levee

Staff Cincinnati Business Courier

 

A six-story hotel is in the works for the expansion of Newport on the Levee, WCPO reports.

 

Musselman Hotels LLC has applied for a rebate of up to $8.3 million in sales taxes over 10 years from the Kentucky Toursm Department Finance Authority for the $33.1 million project.

 

The request will be considered at a meeting in Frankfort on Wednesday, but final approval could take six to eight weeks.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/morning_call/2014/01/hotel-in-works-for-newport-on-the-levee.html

 

Would have preferred to read that a six-story hotel is going into The Banks instead.

 

What's the holdup there?

 

Footprint size at Banks would require a Hotel to X amount of stories tall (to be profitable # of rooms) but Mikey Boy doesn't want a

building of a certain height there.

i'm not sure mike brown has much/any control over the hotel site planned for "the banks" phase 1(c or d?) directly adjacent to gabp - be it height or anything else. and i do believe there was a 10+ story hotel supposed to be built on that site should an operator ever be found. now were they to attempt to put a hotel closer to pbs - i think he does have air rights over there, and would probably let his opinion be known.

I'd rather see apartments go there, but this is still a good boost. One of the biggest problems with NOTL is that there is no good hotel within walking distance. The Travelodge is a hooker haven and while affordable, is well past its prime.

 

From the article:

 

According to plans submitted to the state, construction on the project would begin in the summer, and the hotel would open in fall 2015. It’s part of a larger expansion planned for the mixed-use entertainment center, which includes the addition of an apartment development.

 

Probably not right away, but soon.  Sounds like good news for NOTL.

Ran by NOTL today; saw the new Dick's Last Resort. It's aptly subtitled the "Shame O' the River"

Apartments planned next to Newport on the Levee

 

The developer of the Vue 180 apartments took six months to sell out all 93 units along Newport's riverfront this spring.

 

That's why the same developer, Capital Investment Group, is looking a few hundred feet upriver adjacent to Newport on the Levee to build another 230 upscale apartments.

 

The five-story apartment complex will go alongside an already-planned hotel on the parking lot next to the Levee and across from the Hofbrauhaus.

 

Cont

Apartments planned next to Newport on the Levee

 

The developer of the Vue 180 apartments took six months to sell out all 93 units along Newport's riverfront this spring.

 

That's why the same developer, Capital Investment Group, is looking a few hundred feet upriver adjacent to Newport on the Levee to build another 230 upscale apartments.

 

The five-story apartment complex will go alongside an already-planned hotel on the parking lot next to the Levee and across from the Hofbrauhaus.

 

Cont

 

The Hotel and Apartment building would be good for the Levee and Newport. Where I live on the River in Covington I can tell you that

The Marriott and DoubleTree Suites is really busy on Reds weekends in Covington. All of the parking here fills up and everyone

walks over Roebling to the Stadium. The Southbank Shuttle was a live saver when it was cold and I wanted to hit Downtown.

This is What the New Development at Newport on the Levee Will Look Like

 

 

Nice!

Not as awful as Current at the Banks, but wouldn't you think they would want more height in that location?  The lower floors will be staring at a flood wall.  Why not take full advantage of the amazing views?

The apartments look pretty good...but that hotel?? Hmm.