^Ha.  I want that thing as far from the center of our region as possible.

Future site of Crossroads branch campus. 

 

http://rcnky.com/articles/2016/02/25/county-building-shines-rendering-what-if-chase-law-doesnt-come

 

Story about the possibility of NKU's law school coming to the riverfront as well. Would be great to have down there and great to re-design that ugly building. Is it a race to see who's first or could both law schools be on the riverfront in a couple years?

And what would be better than to connect the 2 institutions via the streetcar.

The KOI Autoparts building between 4th and 5th street in Newport was demolished yesterday. This must be for the route 9 extension, but  I feel like this project doesn't have a ton of info out there. From what I can find, they are doing the southernmost portion first, then connecting 5th street to the Taylor Southgate Bridge, then last they will demolish the 8 public housing buildings to connect the two halves. They are demolishing ~73  buildings total, including the 8 public housing buildings, to save people commute times from Wilder to Downtown/Newport? If this isn't being done solely to get the Ovation project off the ground, then I'm not sure what the point is.

 

^I think they're mainly trying to get the tractor trailers from KY9 out of the neighborhood, opting instead to run them as near to the Licking as possible.  KY9 currently runs down 12th and Central, which are residential streets.  Between the relocation of a major throughfare from the middle of the neighborhood, and the possible elimination of the abandoned industrial blight near the Licking, this should help Newport's west side bounce back.

^ The demolition of all of those public housing buildings was not accidental. This entire project is being driven by the desire to demolish public housing and replace it with "Ovation".

^ The demolition of all of those public housing buildings was not accidental. This entire project is being driven by the desire to demolish public housing and replace it with "Ovation".

 

Maybe.  Deconcentrating poverty and eliminating "dilapidated, barracks-style" housing projects are both goals of the Hope VI program, grants from which helped Newport remove said housing and construct new affordable housing on vacant lots throughout the city.

 

The initial KY9 study was announced at least a year before the demolition, and the demolition happened before Ovation was announced. My sense is that the state wanted to move KY9, and Corporex just decided to take advantage of the situation, but i have no idea what happened behind closed doors, if anything.

The initial KY9 study was announced at least a year before the demolition, and the demolition happened before Ovation was announced. My sense is that the state wanted to move KY9, and Corporex just decided to take advantage of the situation, but i have no idea what happened behind closed doors, if anything.

 

The City of Newport held a RFP for development of the site (which they bought from the Newport Housing Aurhority), I believe there were five or six bidders and Corporex was selected as the winner.

Interesting quote from Business Courier's article about RiverCenter vacancies in relation Ovation. "Banta also mentioned that Corporex will be turning its attention back to the Ovation site in Newport, which has sat unchanged for 10 years. However, he didn’t set a groundbreaking date for the proposed project". The route 9 extension does seem to be an important link for them, as well as the demolishing of those buildings along 4th/5th streets.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/03/25/rivercenter-plans-change-to-lure-more-businesses.html

There was this little nugget in RCNKY.

 

Is that a wave pool?

If it is, best design evar!!!

The original plan was much more Modernist tower-in-the-park where this site layout is much more new urbanist, which in this case I think is an improvement. Originally it was a suburban style car oriented office/apartment park, where this is attempting to create more of a neighborhood.

 

Also the article mentions that Corporex would be the master developer but would seek other people to fill in parts and pieces of the project. This seems like a good thing too because it increases the likelihood of getting financing and would help prevent the homogeneity that occurs in most mega-developments. Overall I am optimistic that this project will give us something soon, though like the banks, I don't expect full build out for quite some time.

Yeah the original scheme was one of those things that looks cool in renderings but would be terrible as a pedestrian. This is a big improvement.

 

I love the idea of breaking up the development and having different groups be partners on different aspects of the overall plan. That way the vision can still be there but in the end you don't wind up with the same building over and over again. I wish The Banks had been done that way.

This would be great for the Ovation site, and I agree that it'd be wonderful to have a diversity of developers/designers working within the masterplan. I like how it visually draws people up the Licking River. As a tourist and entertainment amenity, the Licking is really underutilized. The Licking is a calm, low-traffic river which is a perfect complement to the bigger Ohio. Families with kids might not want to take them out in kayaks or canoes on the Ohio, but the Licking is perfect for it.

That rendering, along with a couple others, are available on Corporex's site.

 

http://www.corporex.com/our-real-estate-portfolio/mixed-use-development/

 

 

 

I'm sure this is premature, but I actually preferred the architectural stylings of the original renderings quite a bit to these new renderings.  This layout is definitely better than the original, but yikes, this looks like The Banks Phase I all over again.  Can someone smarter than me chime in and tell me if there is a name for this architectural style where they use a bunch of different materials to create a hodgepodge faux-diverse facade?

^ While it's more of a planning concept than an architectural style, "New Urbanism" typically leads to buildings that look like the ones in this rendering, and buildings like we see at The Banks.

That is also a pre-Route 9 with roundabouts rendering. I have a feeling what will be built there will look quite different.

Meanwhile...

 

Heres when the Ark Encounter will open

 

 

A full-scale replica of Noahs ark built to specifications in the Bible has been underway in Williamstown for months, and now the opening date for the structure and an accompanying theme park has been revealed.

 

Answers in Genesis founder and president Ken Ham announced Thursday that the Ark Encounter park will open to the public on July 7, 2016. The conservative Christian group that also owns the nearby Creation Museum selected the date because of the verse in Genesis 7:7 about Noah.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2015/11/12/here-s-when-the-ark-encounter-will-open.html

 

This Arc Park was being advertised on DC urban radio today. Stated it was "near Cincinnati". Must be nearing completion.

Looks like they stole the whole idea for the "Ark Encounter" from the Titanic attractions in Gatlinburg and Branson, MO.

 

 

I drove by the other day on the way to Covington's permit office. It looks so good in person. They're doing a very nice job.

Are the kitchens located directly inside the first floor storefronts? None of the interior photos in that article show an interior photo of the storefront windows, so I'm not entirely clear on how that space is being used. The photos show the first floor rear which has a garage door, but I'm curious to see how they re-purposed the storefront windows.

Rivertown brings townhome development to Bellevue

 

 

Located at 203 Robson Lane, Rivertown features new construction with three attached townhomes offering 2,800 square feet of living space.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2016/06/03/rivertown-brings-townhome-development-to-bellevue.html

UrbanOhio.com Forum » Ohio Discussion » Restaurants, Local Events, & Entertainment » Topic: Cincinnati Beer / Brewing News: Newport to OK New Riff's 'whiskey campus'

 

Newport is expected to approve a development agreement Monday night to land a new "whiskey campus" on the city's west side.

 

New Riff Distilling is planning a $7.5 million project to renovate two historic buildings and build a new structure that can store bourbon and rye whiskey. The older buildings will feature a distribution center, office space, space for storing and bottling raw materials, and a building to store the filled bourbon barrels. The new 17,300-square-foot building, or rickhouse, would be built so 15 bourbon and whiskey barrels could be stacked on top of each other.

 

City officials say the New Riff project will be a catalyst for economic development opportunities along the rebuilt Kentucky 9, which will provide a direct path from the AA Highway and Interstate 275 to Newport's west side and downtown. The route terminates at the Taylor-Southgate Bridge, which connects Newport and Cincinnati.

 

Cont

Newport Hooters may move ... but just a little

 

Hooters and the adjacent bar, Beer Sellar, in Newport might have to move slightly west - closer to the Purple People Bridge - to make way for development.

 

What that development is, Newport City Manager Tom Fromme couldn't say. It's too early in the process.

 

Cont

http://www.rcnky.com/articles/2016/09/01/newport-skywheel-moves-forward-peace-bell-lot-may-soon-be-developed

 

Looks like the giant wheel resubmitted drawings to the Army Corps and is still on track and there is also a tease of a development on the lot next to the peace bell. That would be huge for Newport as that has been an ugly asphalt lot since the 1000' millenium tower wasn't built.

http://www.rcnky.com/articles/2016/09/01/newport-skywheel-moves-forward-peace-bell-lot-may-soon-be-developed

 

Looks like the giant wheel resubmitted drawings to the Army Corps and is still on track and there is also a tease of a development on the lot next to the peace bell. That would be huge for Newport as that has been an ugly asphalt lot since the 1000' millenium tower wasn't built.

 

Ironically, the city's only "skyscraper" was torn down for the bell.  It was about 7 stories tall and a pretty interesting building, from what I remember. 

 

It seems like Northern Kentucky is really starting to pick up steam between Newport and Covington with some fairly large infill projects, if the Liberty Bell site comes to fruition. 

 

Hopefully we get some of the large surface lots in Cincinnati filled up, or at least partially filled up, to keep on top of the demand.  Though I am not a big fan of huge developments for infill, maybe they can make them more tasteful architectually, though that's a lot to ask for it seems.

http://www.rcnky.com/articles/2016/09/01/newport-skywheel-moves-forward-peace-bell-lot-may-soon-be-developed

 

Looks like the giant wheel resubmitted drawings to the Army Corps and is still on track and there is also a tease of a development on the lot next to the peace bell. That would be huge for Newport as that has been an ugly asphalt lot since the 1000' millenium tower wasn't built.

 

Ironically, the city's only "skyscraper" was torn down for the bell.  It was about 7 stories tall and a pretty interesting building, from what I remember. 

 

 

This? 

^Yeah, I think that was it.  It was at the NW corner of the block. 

NKU places final beam for $97M expansion

 

 

The final steel beam was hoisted into place Thursday for the centerpiece structure of the $97 million Health Innovation Center under construction on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.

 

The beam was signed by NKU president Geoffrey Mearns, administrators, professors, students and business leaders from the surrounding community before being swung into place during a topping out ceremony to celebrate completion of the skeleton of the building.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/09/09/nku-places-final-beam-for-97m-expansion-slideshow.html

NKU selects development team for huge mixed-use project, student housing

 

 

Northern Kentucky University selected a team to design and build a mixed-use development at the entrance to its Highland Heights campus as well as more on-campus student housing.

 

NKU selected the team of American Campus Communities and Fairmount Properties to develop the 12-acre property at Nunn Drive and U.S. 27. The team beat out three other proposals, including one from a team led by former Cincinnati Bengals defensive-back-turned-commercial-real-estate-developer Chinedum Ndukwe.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/09/13/nku-selects-development-team-for-huge-mixed-use.html

This is just a design proposal (without any funding commitments), but I'm glad to see smaller cities like Ludlow, KY thinking about adding density to vacant lots:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/10/24/greater-cincinnati-s-next-mixed-use-development.html

Greater Cincinnati’s next mixed-use development plays on region’s history

 

 

A new mixed-use development in Greater Cincinnati is designed to mirror the region’s past.

 

Hub + Weber Architects designed a four-story development called Ludlow Yards across from the Ludlow Municipal Building on Elm Street to become the gateway to the city’s main business district. It was inspired by the region’s railroad and industrial history.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/10/24/greater-cincinnati-s-next-mixed-use-development.html

Developer wants to build "gateway to Newport"

Scott Wartman , [email protected] 8:21 a.m. EST November 29, 2016

 

A developer wants to build a “gateway to Newport” on the Ohio River where Hooter’s currently sits.

 

Newport City Commission on Monday approved a development agreement for Anchor Investment Partners to develop a residential and commercial development on five acres in front of the floodwall adjacent to the Interstate 471 bridge.

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2016/11/29/developer-wants-build-gateway-newport/94576344/

Newport is the king of announcing fun developments from Ferris wheels to a Hardrock Hotel on a bridge to Ovation and a 1000 foot tower. Even if only 25% of the things Newport tries actually stick, at least they never stop trying.

Newport is the king of announcing fun developments from Ferris wheels to a Hardrock Hotel on a bridge to Ovation and a 1000 foot tower. Even if only 25% of the things Newport tries actually stick, at least they never stop trying.

 

I think these dudes run wild on the Kentucky side of the river since those cities seem to be more easily tricked than Cincinnati is into giving away ridiculous subsidies. 

 

 

^They're not tricked.  They're just smaller and more desperate than Cincinnati.  They don't have any bargaining power because if Newport doesn't give away the farm, then Bellevue will, or Dayton, or Covington.  And there's not enough momentum pushing people into urban NKY at this point for them to write projects off.  The best thing they could do would be to combine Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, Southgate, and Woodlawn into a larger city (25,000ish total) that can put together a cohesive plan and increase operating efficiency (even better if they could toss in Covington, but that would never happen because of Kenton & Campbell County).  Even with Covington and Ludlow tossed in, the NKY river cities still have a population less than 1/3 the size of Cincinnati's, most of the wealth is concentrated in distinct suburban cities instead of suburban neighborhoods (Fort Mitchell vs Hyde Park), and there aren't many/any major corporate HQs.  Basically, it's a much lower tax base and a fragmented government, so when someone actually wants to build something in the NKY river cities, they don't run into any pushback.

A part of it is developers looking for incentives but in this case Newport is utilizing its existing relationships with developers to market properties. Capital Investments, Anchor, and Towne have all done multiple projects in Newport in the past. It makes sense for them to continue to rely on them if these groups are bullish about revitalizing the city.

I really wish we could combine cities; if Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, Southgate and Woodlawn combined it would be 30,000 people. The Southbank Partner cities combined have 85,000 people, albeit across two counties. In a different world we could combine NKY into a combined Urban-County government like Lexington and Louisville both did, place the seat in Covington, and have a population of ~385,000 between the three counties. That would make Covington the second largest city in Kentucky. It might also make the area feel more cohesive and help promote urbanity if people felt like they lived in the second largest city and not just a series of unconnected towns with no relation or dependence to each other. In an alternate universe Covington and Cincinnati could've been great twin cities, instead of everyone from NKY telling people "I'm from Cincinnati", then when asked what part they panic and say, "oh Northern Kentucky". Without a distinct identity NKY will always feel like a series of suburbs of Cincinnati instead of a rival/partner like St. Paul to Minneapolis (St. Paul only has 300,000 btw).

Kentucky doesn't have many cities (11) that cross county lines. By comparison, Ohio (66) has many more. Is that just because Ohio has more cities, or is there something that makes it harder for Kentucky cities to cross county lines? Ohio has roughly 3x the population of Kentucky, so you wouldn't expect - based on that alone - Ohio to have 6x more cross-county cities.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._municipalities_in_multiple_counties

Kentucky also has 120 counties to Ohio's 88.

I really wish we could combine cities; if Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, Southgate and Woodlawn combined it would be 30,000 people. The Southbank Partner cities combined have 85,000 people, albeit across two counties. In a different world we could combine NKY into a combined Urban-County government like Lexington and Louisville both did, place the seat in Covington, and have a population of ~385,000 between the three counties. That would make Covington the second largest city in Kentucky. It might also make the area feel more cohesive and help promote urbanity if people felt like they lived in the second largest city and not just a series of unconnected towns with no relation or dependence to each other. In an alternate universe Covington and Cincinnati could've been great twin cities, instead of everyone from NKY telling people "I'm from Cincinnati", then when asked what part they panic and say, "oh Northern Kentucky". Without a distinct identity NKY will always feel like a series of suburbs of Cincinnati instead of a rival/partner like St. Paul to Minneapolis (St. Paul only has 300,000 btw).

 

So, from an Ohio/Cincinnati perspective, the fragmented governments of Northern Kentucky may be a benefit.

Kentucky also has 120 counties to Ohio's 88.

Interesting... so there should be even *more* cities that cross county lines, since each county is smaller.

 

The <a href="http://www.nkadd.org/local-government/public-administration">Northern Kentucky Area Development District</a> says that part of its mission is to help with "Service Merger and Efficiency Studies". Does anybody know if this organization actually does meaningful work on that front? I haven't heard of anything substantial.

Covington is actually fairly large...people assume that it's only the basin that is visible from Cincinnati office towers and overlooks but it in fact includes Latonia and extends several miles south of I-275 into lightly populated hills.  It looks like Covington annexed a bunch of that land in anticipation of a suburban boom along and south of I-275 that never happened.  I believe that Fidelity is within Covington city limits but otherwise they haven't attracted a significant employer down there. 

I really wish we could combine cities; if Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, Southgate and Woodlawn combined it would be 30,000 people. The Southbank Partner cities combined have 85,000 people, albeit across two counties. In a different world we could combine NKY into a combined Urban-County government like Lexington and Louisville both did, place the seat in Covington, and have a population of ~385,000 between the three counties. That would make Covington the second largest city in Kentucky. It might also make the area feel more cohesive and help promote urbanity if people felt like they lived in the second largest city and not just a series of unconnected towns with no relation or dependence to each other. In an alternate universe Covington and Cincinnati could've been great twin cities, instead of everyone from NKY telling people "I'm from Cincinnati", then when asked what part they panic and say, "oh Northern Kentucky". Without a distinct identity NKY will always feel like a series of suburbs of Cincinnati instead of a rival/partner like St. Paul to Minneapolis (St. Paul only has 300,000 btw).

 

So, from an Ohio/Cincinnati perspective, the fragmented governments of Northern Kentucky may be a benefit.

 

I see it the opposite way.  If you just had Cincinnati and a strong Covington, they could form a gentlemen's agreement to stop poaching eachother's companies, developments, etc., and to cooperate on things like a unified transit system.  It's a lot harder to do that between Cincinnati and a few dozen small cities.

All of this aside, I do think that Hooters and Beer Sellar would make a lot more sense in front of Newport On The Levee than they do over by the Big Mac Bridge.  On the other hand, why not just move them into the old Jefferson Hall and Claddagh spaces at NOTL and be done with it?

Until the dock at Smale Riverfront Park is built, Beer Sellar/Hooters is really the only dock to tie up to downtown, so I don't want it to go anywhere.

 

Villa Hills Poised to Create Mixed-Use Development Across 100+ Acres

 

More than 100 acres in Villa Hills may soon be home to new houses, apartments, and commercial spaces.

 

The City of Villa Hills is working with the Benedictine Sisters of St. Walburg on selling and then developing the sisters' sprawling property. A nearby collection of 30-plus acres owned by a media company and home to a radio tower, may also soon be part of the mix.