Does anyone know when they are supposed to be finished, or when the first classes there will be?!  How about Washington Park, where does that project stand? Are there any final plans or ongoing discussions?

CPS triumphs:

 

 

Just think, all those little artists could have worked here after graduation.  Oh wait, I forgot about that whole reality show gig...

 

^Hmmm!

This pictures remind me, any word on what sort of usage is being looked at for YMCA next door? I know the sports club part is still operational but they shut down the "hotel" part.

This will also compliment the Art Academy of Cincinnati and the new developments along Republic. I can't wait for this to be complete, along with the Washington Park redesign!

 

Work moving ahead on performing arts school

By Denise Smith Amos, Cincinnati Enquirer, October 19, 2008

 

As construction workers erect the walls and enclose the three theaters at the new School for Creative and Performing Arts, supporters are working behind the scenes to finish private financing of the $72 million complex.

 

They’re still about $6 million short of their target. And the $25 million they’ve raised is a combination of cash and commitments.

The schools have a combined enrollment of about 1,400 students.

 

The new building is designed for 1,350 students but can probably accommodate more, said Jan Leslie, a director of the arts group and Petersen’s daughter.

 

So let me get this straight...they built the new school already over capacity for what the enrollment is now.  I was just commenting on how it looked kind of small the other day for the full 1,400 students.  This is one of the premier schools in CPS, they should be trying to grow the enrollment there and attract new people into the district.  Outside of funding I just don't understand.

If they had grown a pair and built it to the sidewalk like almost every other building in OTR, they would have had plenty of room. 

they can expand into the awful surface lot they are creating along the park.  Problem solved. 

Well, the building is pretty much built to the lot line in some respects, but I find the pleasing curvatures of the building better than a solid wall in this instance. It is an art school, and it needs to have some variations in design.

 

In reply to Greg: What surface lot? Along 12th? I wondered what they would be doing with that space... I hope that it is at least concealed.

Well, the building is pretty much built to the lot line in some respects, but I find the pleasing curvatures of the building better than a solid wall in this instance. It is an art school, and it needs to have some variations in design

 

 

I agree about the variations, but the bigger footprint of building closer to the sidewalk would give more room for current and future enrollment.

Another floor would have done the trick too.

I actually think this is a school that would not do well with high enrollment. This is specialized instruction and keeping it limited keeps out the kids who should be focusing on other things besides art (they lack talent). K-12 is hard enough to manage and letting get much larger could have really damaged the program.

^Good point.

They'd better put one hell of a nice fence up around that lot to square out 12th and Race.  I still can't believe the building turns it's back on the park THAT much.  Arts students should walk out the front of their school and see Music Hall, not the surface lot at 13th and Elm...I really don't get it. 

 

...Oh well.  What's done is done and regardless of the design, the school is without a doubt going to be a boon to the area.

 

 

Does anyone know if there are any talks between the SCPA and the Art Academy to keep the students in the neighborhood between 12th grade and College?  They could offer grants to SCPA students or large scholerships, etc.

It's an incredibly mediocre design, teetering between C- and D+.  For many years I would imagine the Central Parkway streetscape with something on this lot and where the Kroger garage was built, but neither buildings have much presence.  The YMCA, Applied Sciences Building, and American Building all have a lot of presence because of their human scale, not to mention the existing SCPA, which also faces all four directions thanks to its classic design.     

 

As for the new school, most of the classrooms are actually in the basement, so they have no windows.  It doesn't face the park at all, and despite it being built on a block that was almost entirely demolished for parking, the tore down the remaining buildings for more parking.  I was on top of the Carew Tower this morning and it has filled in that gaping hole from the air, but at street level it hasn't made much of a difference.   

It's an incredibly mediocre design, teetering between C- and D+.  

 

Unfortunately that seems to be par for the course with pretty much all of CPS' new school buildings.

 

Well, the building is pretty much built to the lot line in some respects, but I find the pleasing curvatures of the building better than a solid wall in this instance. It is an art school, and it needs to have some variations in design.

 

In reply to Greg: What surface lot? Along 12th? I wondered what they would be doing with that space... I hope that it is at least concealed.

 

Yea, the corner of Race and 12th has a lot for surface parking.  It looks bigger in person than the site plan floating around here. 

I'm not sure that this will make that much of a difference in that neighborhood. It is already in OTR and it hasn't made the area around its current location particularly special. It's great to get a new building, but this is really just moving around the chairs rather than adding new chairs (I'm not sure k-8 is really a sought after retail demo).

That's not really the point of the project.

>It looks bigger in person than the site plan floating around here.

 

It's a quarter of the block, or 200x200 feet.

 

Today, from the top of the Carew Tower:

 

 

 

I think it looks pretty good.  I drove past it tonight on Central Parkway and was quite pleased with its presence.

jmeck, I was referring to the parking lot, not the entire footprint of the project. 

I'm not sure that this will make that much of a difference in that neighborhood. It is already in OTR and it hasn't made the area around its current location particularly special. It's great to get a new building, but this is really just moving around the chairs rather than adding new chairs (I'm not sure k-8 is really a sought after retail demo).

 

I think the proximity of the new SCPA to other arts organizations like the Music Hall, Ensemble Theatre, and particularly the Art Academy will have a combined influence on the immediate area.  I keep looking back at the Third Ward in Milwaukee.  ALL of the playing cards are the same when considering the two neighborhoods.  I remember being in downtown as a kid and my parents telling me NEVER to cross under the freeway to the Third Ward.  They considered leveling it and turning it into a "red light" district.  Now it's hosting fashion shows every other weekend, and the change started with the Milwaukee Institue of Art and Design moving down there.  Over-the-Rhine is changing for the better, and the new SCPA (albeit a disappointing design) can only help.

 

<---- SWEET, I've reached Carew Tower status!

ProkNo5 ,

 

You have a true understanding of what is making OTR successful again. It is no one thing, it is no one building, it is no one design, instead, it is the cumulative affect of all these things. SCPA is another piece of an ever growing arts community that we have long since wanted OTR defined as. Great design or not, it is here.  Facing the park or not, it is here. Capable of holding another 100 or 150 students or not, it is here. Complaints after the fact are simply complaints. SCPA is, and will continue to be one of the finest schools in CPS and thank God it's in OTR!

^I'm inclined to agree with that, but hasn't it always been in OTR? Was it not always a piece of the puzzle? Did SCPA contribute to the stabilization of Pendleton, and are we expecting a similar effect in Washington Park?

I always thought that a "right hook" from prospect hill, pendelton, main street was going to turn around OTR

Six (12 depending on how you count) blocks is a HUGE difference.  No parent in their right mind would EVER allow their kid to walk from 13th and Sycamore to Music Hall or the Ensemble Theatre for a performance.  Those options are still dicey but not unrealistic from the new location.  They also have more direct access to downtown venues like the Aronoff.  The connection between the SCPA and the Art Academy is better too.  If a college kid wanted to meet up with a high school kid to work on some joint art project, would you rather have them meet at one of the cool shops on Vine St or "somewhere on Clay?" 

 

The problem with the "right hook" as you call it, thomasbw, is that those are three wildly different places.  A stately residential neighborhood, an artists colony, and college bar strip don't really ad up to anything significant.  Despite them all being great places, they don't really grow with each other.  This new Washington Park/Gateway Quarter thingy is all about Art...performance, visual, musical, cultural, architectural, really any medium.  That's why it's significant.  These organizations all being within three blocks of each other will form a strong core for the community. 

^I'm inclined to agree with that, but hasn't it always been in OTR? Was it not always a piece of the puzzle? Did SCPA contribute to the stabilization of Pendleton, and are we expecting a similar effect in Washington Park?

Reread what I wrote and you will see why that didn't happen in Pendleton.

"It is no one thing, it is no one building, it is no one design, instead, it is the cumulative affect of all these things. SCPA is another piece of an ever growing arts community that we have long since wanted OTR defined as."

 

Contrast todays OTR to the yesterdays Pendleton. Even todays OTR to todays Pendleton is vastly different. SCPA is a piece of the puzzle that did not have to remain in OTR much the same way that the Art Academy could have went elsewhere along with the various other arts venues that have come and will now be more and more drawn to.

 

I always thought that a "right hook" from prospect hill, pendelton, main street was going to turn around OTR

Intead it was an uppercut straight up Vine with some body blows thrown in for fun. And could that have happened without PHill, Pendlton (sort of) and Main Street? I do not know, but those certainly didn't hurt. The others occurred somewhat organically (and widely underfunded) which is very different from the planned development you see now. It is a new day in OTR and Wash Park, Music Hall, SCPA, Gateway, Main, shops on Vine, Prospect Hill, Pendlton, Art Academy, Ensemble Theater, Know Theater, and on and on are just parts to a whole.

I always thought that a "right hook" from prospect hill, pendelton, main street was going to turn around OTR

Intead it was an uppercut straight up Vine with some body blows thrown in for fun.  And could that have happened without PHill, Pendlton (sort of) and Main Street?  I do not know, but those certainly didn't hurt.  The others occurred somewhat organically (and widely underfunded) which is very different from the planned development you see now.  It is a new day in OTR and Wash Park, Music Hall, SCPA, Gateway, Main, shops on Vine, Prospect Hill, Pendlton, Art Academy, Ensemble Theater, Know Theater, and on and on are just parts to a whole.

 

Best analogy ever.

Update 2-24-09:

 

Thanks for the update. This infill really helps the streetwall of Central Parkway.

Wow, I had no clue it was so far along.  It's not my favorite building, but it'll sure help the area.  I REALLY hope they put something in that northeast corner to fill it out.  That really hurts Washington Park.

 

Also, where's the playground?

A great non-conforming addition to Central. I usually like a nice, long streetwall, but we already have plenty of that in downtown. Something that stands out and features some curves is a nice addition.

This does look good from Central As youre driving by, but unfortunately, the other three sides of the building are rather plain.  And the north part of it is disapointing to say the least.  Oh well, I guess I'll take it. 

Also, where's the playground?

 

Washington Park

This building fits great and looks good for Central Pkwy.  I'm just glad they built something on that gigantic ugly parking lot that used to be there.  It was so big it could house The Vortex lol.

Photo taken near Race Street looking northwest from April 29, 2009

Beautiful.  It's really amazing how one building, albeit a big building, can change the feel of that end of Central Parkway completely.

Wonderful.

 

That extended red block on the third floor is rubbing me the wrong way, but otherwise amazing.

The Elm st side is very dissapointing... It's even worse than the whole north side on 12th.

The Elm st side is very dissapointing... It's even worse than the whole north side on 12th.

 

Agreed.  I do like to view from Central Parkway.  But the view on the 3 other sides is very dissapointing. 

Do I have to remind you all that this was once a large parking lot with a couple of builings along Race and 12th????  SCPA, while not perfect, is a VAST improvement over it previous use.

Do I have to remind you all that this was once a large parking lot with a couple of builings along Race and 12th????   SCPA, while not perfect, is a VAST improvement over it previous use.

 

CINCINNATI DEMANDS PERFECTION!!!!!

I would gladly give up this building to have the Belmont cafe building back that was torn down on the NE corner.  The interior was beautiful!!

There was zero justification for tearing down buildings that will now be part of SCPA's surface parking lot.

There was zero justification for tearing down buildings that will now be part of SCPA's surface parking lot

 

Totally agree! they really screwed the pooch on this one (and every other new school in CPS)

It would have been really dynamic if they could have worked to incorporate the SPCA in with the existing buildings. That is something you see a lot of in Europe and D.C.

I would gladly give up this building to have the Belmont cafe building back that was torn down on the NE corner.  The interior was beautiful!!

 

When was the last time you were in this building?  I didn't find anything about the interior beautiful when it was Spurs.  This is why I think the current building is better.

From 5/30:

New SCPA gets $4M earmark

 

The private fundraising group helping pay for the new School for Creative & Performing Arts will receive a $4 million boost from Ohio politicians, putting them close to meeting their goal.

 

A little-noticed earmark in the two-year state budget signed by Gov. Ted Strickland in July directs the additional money to the 250,000-square-foot, $72.2 million arts school now under construction in Over-the-Rhine, six blocks from its current location in Pendleton.

 

Read full article here:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090804/NEWS0102/908050346/1055/NEWS/New+SCPA+gets++4M+earmark