March 7, 200520 yr Little is happening with this, but since it's planned for the future I'll start a thread that we can add to later as the project moves along. From the city of Covington website: The Riverfront West site is bordered by the Ohio River, the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, Fourth St. and Johnson Street. Historically, site use has included scrap iron, generator and auto parts manufacturers. The area is scheduled to be redeveloped as a multi-building complex including office, commercial, retail, and residential development. The city is currently working with the state of Kentucky and the United States Army Corp of Engineers to acquire initial project funding. http://www.covingtonky.com/index.asp?page=brownfields Expansion of Covington’s Riverfront West is slated as a three-pronged project bringing an estimated $813 million to Kentucky as well as nearly 10,000 jobs. Anchored between Covington Landing, a floating entertainment complex, and the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, the mixed-use 15 acre site is being positioned as serving the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week with residential, commercial, and parking developments. Covington’s Riverfront West will be a place to live, work, and play and will fulfill a demand for moderate to upper income housing, commercial high rise office and hotel developments, as well as restaurant, entertainment, and shopping facilities. Strategically positioned near I-75, the Riverfront West area will have an approximate minimum square footage design of 400,000 SF of residential; 500,000 SF of Office; 100,000 SF of Hotel; 30,000 SF for restaurant/entertainment related development; and a 1800 car garage. Of the 15 acres, state assistance is needed to acquire 5 acres, infrastructure improvements, and a new expanded flood wall/opening. Covington will provide the funds for the 1800 multi-modal parking complex and riverfront park improvements. Commercial developers will invest funds on the overall market driven development involving residential and commercial uses. The state is estimated to increase its income and sales tax by $12.9 million according to a University of Cincinnati Economic Research Group. Approximately 32 percent of the fiscal impact will be a one-time gain from construction and $8.7 million will recur each year of operation for businesses within the development. http://www.covingtonky.com/index.asp?page=eco_future_development_projects
March 7, 200520 yr Interesting, is that the site directly across from Cincinnati's own huge scrap iron facility. In about 10 years both sides of the riverfront will be nice
March 7, 200520 yr Author I think I mentioned this about a year ago, this is a neat project, but think it is more long term than the city of Covington leads everyone to believe. I don't know if the City controls much or any of the land, and the link says that "State assistance will be needed to acquire 5 of the 15 acres". Isn't the State of KY in quite a budget crunch these days? They are also talking about new floodwalls and openings, which I am sure won't come cheap. I am not trying to be pessimistic, just realistic. In some ways, the Banks is ahead of this by miles in land acquisition, funding and infrastructure.
March 7, 200520 yr Kentucky is in somewhat of a budget crunch (as is every state), but they seem much more willing to part with money for funding projects. You're right, though--this is a long-term project and I don't expect much action anytime soon.
March 7, 200520 yr From the 3/7/05 Enquirer: Kevin Holt and his family are the only residents on a short block of Locust Street in Covington. He hopes his new neighbors are better behaved than the former ones. The city is promoting it as part of an art district. The Enquirer/Patrick Reddy Wanted: Artists to revitalize old block By Mike Rutledge Enquirer staff writer COVINGTON - After observing Locust Street's plagues - drugs, prostitution, killings, robberies, terroristic racial threats - Teresa and Kevin Holt appreciate the silence around them. Still, they wouldn't mind having someone else live on the 1100 block, where all the other buildings are boarded up or empty. ... http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050307/NEWS0103/503070331/1059/news01 Former tenants’ names are written on a boarded-up building on Locust Street in Covington, a street once riddled with crime but now part of a proposed arts district. The Enquirer/Patrick Reddy Pike Street part of arts vision By Mike Rutledge Enquirer staff writer COVINGTON - Pike Street, which intersects with the popular Main Street of MainStrasse fame, can become a trendy place with funky galleries and Internet cafes, city officials believe. And Collin Rowland, 37, who plans to launch a company called Living Studios in his building at 264 Pike St. this summer, loves their concept of the Covington Arts District. ... http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050307/NEWS0103/503070332/1059/news01
March 7, 200520 yr IMO, it's a farce that the city should even have to step in and offer incentives to revitalize this area. The Pike/Madison district is one of the coolest in the area, and the lack of private interest in it speaks volumes about the anti-urban mentality of the population. still, i support the city's actions and wish them well.
March 8, 200520 yr This is somewhat related, as it lies on the eastern edge of the redevelopment area. From the 3/8/05 Enquirer: Ice House project moving along Developer gets Covington warehouse By Mike Rutledge Enquirer staff writer COVINGTON - Progress is about to unfreeze on Covington's Ice House building, starting Wednesday with the purchase of a neighboring property. Pleasant Ridge developer Allen Haehnle will buy the 7,000-square-foot Covington Paper & Woodenware building at 428-430 Scott Blvd. for $180,000. He needed that building, which he will raze, to provide on-site parking for 20-25 vehicles, and also to build a stairway and elevators for the 141-year-old Ice House, at 424 Scott, which will become office space. ... http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050308/NEWS0103/503080353/1059/news01
March 9, 200520 yr I don't have one, and I can't seem to find one online. I can't find it in any skyline pics either--Rivercenter blocks the view. Here's an article that describes it...I guess we'll have to use our imagination!: http://www.covingtonky.com/index.asp?fn=news&id=1214
March 9, 200520 yr ok, now that i read that, i remember the original article in the paper which included a picture. excellent renovation, i know that building. what i meant to ask for actually was a picture of the Covington Paper building. anytime i hear "raze," my curiosity demands some photographic evidence to see what we may be losing in the name of parking. i'll keep an eye out.
March 10, 200520 yr The 24 unit homes on the waterfront will be doubtful at best to ever happen. You need to have BUYERS and you need to have CAPITAL to build such a development....and pretty good information tells me neither is or has been in the works. Notice there is no "Coming Soon" sign or "Being Built by" signs on where this is going....anyone ever think of asking WHY? And who the heck is Bora Development anyway? I have asked this question to MANY people and nobody knows nor has anyone heard of them nor can you find them listed anywhere. That would make me weary as heck dropping a deposit on a unit to a company I can't find out squat about.
March 10, 200520 yr Back Door Willie, would you care to share any of this "inside" information with us? Seriously, all four of your posts are the same thing. "If you guys knew the information I knew...."
March 15, 200520 yr The saga continues...from the 3/15/05 NKY Challenger: WEEKDAY TRAFFIC: Madison Avenue in Covington remains busy during weekdays with vehicular business traffic and commuters. Mike Boland / For The Sunday Challenger Greening of Covington Arts District, Farmer's Market to Build City Identity By Jason Feldmann The Sunday Challenger [email protected] COVINGTON - Kathie Hickey, Covington's Renaissance/Main Street manager, sees a future for Covington's Madison Avenue quite different from the current street. "My vision for the city is to see all the buildings restored to some level and brought up to date. I see all of them full. I see people living down here, which will keep it alive 'After 5,' so to speak. I see more social activity. I see more green space. I see a lot of partnerships with our cultural institutions, with our government, with our non-profits, with the private sector. I just have a really good feeling about all of this." ... http://www.challengernky.com/articles/2005/03/15/around_nky/doc42320feb42057615237178.txt
March 16, 200520 yr It's nice that they are exploring that possibility of a Farmer's Market but I think that the logistical set up is still some years off.
March 25, 200520 yr Hmmm here is an idea. How about a developer buys it and floats it across the river to the Cincinnati side?
March 25, 200520 yr That question has been brought up for lots of different ideas: the U.S.S. Cincinnati, Riverboat Casinos, and so on. There is a technical reason why it is not likely to happen: The Ohio Side of the river at Downtown Cincinnati has limited development potential due to navigation concerns. Look at the L&N or the Big Mac bridge. The main span is near the Ohio shore. Several smaller spans are near the Kentucky shore. The big tows stay near the Ohio shore because the water is deeper and because of the bridges. You might remember the Star of Cincinnati riverboat that used to dock on the Ohio side. The Army Corp of Engineers got so many complaints from river pilots about that they are not likely to approve any new development of that scale on the Ohio side. On the other hand, there are other places on the Ohio side besides downtown that it would work.
April 30, 200520 yr Garden to give Devou Park overlook a new look By Feoshia Henderson Post staff reporter The overlook at Devou Park will get a makeover this summer after the Homebuilder's Association of Northern Kentucky breaks ground on a garden project there. The "Devou Park Overlook Memorial Gardens" will mark the association's 50th anniversary in the city that gave it its start, said Executive Vice President Dan Dressman. "We thought about doing a project here at our building site, but decided we'd rather do something in our community that was more visible," Dressman said. "What better place than Devou Park? Everyone in the region uses it. It's a real focal point in the community." Read full article here: http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050428/NEWS02/504280368/1011/
April 30, 200520 yr Groovy. What I want them (not the Homebuilder's Association, obviously... just a generic "them") to do is to not close the park at dusk, so that we may stick around longer for taking night photos!
April 30, 200520 yr Why is the Devou Park view looking from the Newport side? ;) "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 1, 200520 yr Why is the Devou Park view looking from the Newport side? ;) HA Groovy. What I want them (not the Homebuilder's Association, obviously... just a generic "them") to do is to not close the park at dusk, so that we may stick around longer for taking night photos! I am sick and tired of getting escorted out of Devou Park because I just want to take photos.
May 1, 200520 yr whoa, i didn't realize devou was closed at dark...(when i went there at dark there were other people there too) and nobody came after me.
May 2, 200520 yr A name change...from the 5/2/05 Enquirer: Condo gets new name, developer But WatersEdge on 'fast track' By Mike Rutledge Enquirer staff writer BELLEVUE - The developer has changed, and the 24-unit Bellevue Waterfront Condominiums now will be called WatersEdge at Bellevue. Designs for the spacious riverfront units remain the same. Each will have 3,200 square feet, ceilings nine to 10 feet high, and a great room with a 26-foot length of windows eight feet tall, facing a panoramic river and city view. Each will have 650 square feet of covered terrace outside. Joshua One, a partnership of Paul Zeltwanger of Cincinnati and John Hans of Indianapolis, recently bought the development from Cincinnati-based Donenfeld Group. Units in the seven-story structures (including the parking level) will sell for $705,000 to $845,000, depending on what level the identical units are on. They will have three bedrooms or two bedrooms and a study. A crew last week was preparing to raze buildings near Taylor and Eden avenues. Developers this week planned to demolish buildings and conduct test borings to determine what foundation or piering system they will use. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050502/NEWS0103/505020369/-1/rss
May 2, 200520 yr It seems really dumb to close the park at dark, especially with Drees Pavillion or whatever it is called there. I'm sure they have plenty of events that go until way after dusk.
May 2, 200520 yr it'd be nice if every single new development wasn't named "____ at _____". it annoys me so.
May 4, 200520 yr just as ugly as i'd imagined it would be! perhaps uglier! can you say housing projects?
May 4, 200520 yr I don't think they're that bad. Granted they're not great but I would say average. It is Kentucky after all. <----joke
May 21, 200520 yr They're selling lots on the project around O'Fallon and Van Voast, which is called "City View" (heck of a name, huh?). Only one actual built unit is listed, but there are also lots for sale for around $150K. Here's a rendering of 441 Van Voast, which is going for $798,000. It doesn't look very special to me, view or no view: http://www.huff.com/web/search/SearchDetails.asp?mls=311010&prop=1089847
June 2, 200520 yr Author Home builder Mercurio no longer single Bought by Ackermann, it will expand condo business By Jeff McKinney Enquirer staff writer The Ackermann Group and Mercurio Custom Homes will announce today they have merged, bringing together one of the region's upscale homebuilders and one of its largest commercial and residential development companies. The deal was effective May 1 but is just being made public at the groundbreaking for Ackermann Group's Harbor Greene development in Bellevue, a $90 million project that will include 110 condos along the Ohio River. THE NEW ACKERMANN GROUP Mercurio Custom Homes has merged with the Ackermann Group. Here's a look at the combined company: President and chief executive officer: Dobbs Ackermann. Vice president/residential operations: Mark Mercurio. Headquarters: Norwood. Employees: 31 Revenue: Ackermann: would not disclose. Mercurio Custom Homes said it brought in $2 million in 2004. Recent Ackermann projects: Built more than 265,000 square feet of office space in Norwood. This year the company plans to build more than 300,000 square feet of office and condo space. Upcoming projects include 110 condo units at Harbor Greene in Bellevue, a $90 million project, and The Cornerstone at Norwood, a $50 million development that will include about 285,000 square feet of office and medical space. Recent Mercurio projects: About five custom homes per year. MORE: http://www.enquirer.com
June 4, 200520 yr From the 6/3/05 Kentucky Post: Groundbreaking begins Harbor Greene project By Troy Lyle Post staff reporter The long-awaited Harbor Greene development in Bellevue reached a historic moment Thursday, with about 200 people gathered for the official groundbreaking ceremony of the $90 million project. The ceremony marked the first phase of the project, consisting of 38 condominiums. The project, which will eventually include 110 condos along the Ohio River, involves three phases. Of the 38 phase-one condos, some 15 have already been sold, which will also include office and retail space located adjacent to Joe's Crab Shack and Buckhead Mountain Grill along Patchen Avenue. Condos will range from 1,800 to 5,000 square feet, priced from $400,000 to $1.6 million. The 7.7-acre lot will also feature a bicycle and pedestrian path along the river, connecting Newport and Covington to Bellevue Beach Park, said Bellevue City Administrator Don Martin. Eventually the path will connect Dayton and Ludlow in the second and third phases of the project, he said. http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050603/NEWS02/506030367/1011/RSS02
June 6, 200520 yr "The interesting thing is it's a semi-urban development - you're still within your own community - a part of things." why not make it urban? everything that surrounds it is urban aside from the mistakes that have been built in the last 10 years or so.
June 12, 200520 yr Author Here is some more info for The Waters Edge at Bellevue http://www.watersedgeatbellevue.com/index2.html The view... Some renderings...
June 13, 200520 yr If I'm looking at this correctly, there is parking on the riverfront (or close to it, behind the building), correct? Foolish. How hard is it to put in a $240,000 landscape job for residents that have that view? "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 13, 200519 yr ^ Yeah, it looks like there is a parking lot on the river side of each building. Blork!
June 21, 200519 yr This write-up appeared in last Sunday's NKY Sunday Challenger: Full Boil in Bellevue By Jason Feldmann The Sunday Challenger BELLEVUE - Twenty-five years ago, Bellevue council member Jack Meyer was part of the city's urban renewal community development project. The plan: acquire the city's riverfront property from private residents and wait for the right development to come along. Years have turned into decades, but finally, following a string of development projects from Covington to Newport, Bellevue was approached with a development that met its original vision of mixed-use office space and residential housing. Now Bellevue's mayor, Meyer is thankful the city held out for the right development. Phase II of Port Bellevue (Harbor Greene) will include 100 condominiums in three mid-rise buildings, office space, a Gold's Gym (complete with pool), and 75,000 square feet of green space with trails for walking and biking. http://www.challengernky.com/articles/2005/06/21/around_nky/doc42b2ecb211c01811190917.txt
June 22, 200519 yr A small blurb appeared in a story for the 6/19/05 NKY Sunday Challenger: ... Covington mayor Butch Callery says the city still needs to go through necessary steps with the Army Corps of Engineers for the Riverfront West development. Public meetings and input were incorporated in Phase I, with Phase II expected later this year. "I don't expect to see anything for five or six years," said Callery about the mixed-use development that is expected to incorporate residential, commercial and green space. "It'll be an exciting development. I think you might see as much as $300 million invested in it once we get underway," he added. ... http://www.challengernky.com/articles/2005/06/21/around_nky/doc42b332d89b109978302853.txt
July 8, 200519 yr I read today that a developer named Jeff Snyder is going to turn 804-806 Madison into luxury condos. I don't have any pics of these buildings and I don't know if I could even pick them out of a lineup. Help would be appreciated!
July 8, 200519 yr From the 7/7/05 Kentucky Post: Update on Mall Road study planned By Denise Wilson Post staff reporter The evolution of Mall Road continues. Cincinnati retail consultant Stan Eichelbaum will update Florence City Council on the progress of the Mall Road study on Tuesdayat its regular 7 p.m. meeting at the Government Center on Ewing Boulevard. Eichelbaum's vision is to turn the aging corridor into a vibrant mixed-use, lifestyle center. http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050707/NEWS02/507070379/1011/RSS02
July 8, 200519 yr City View in Bellevue has its website up. They've got floor plans and a list of all of the amenities: http://www.city-view.us/index.html These things are starting at $650K and are 4008 square feet. (Or 4 times bigger than my house.) These are being built by Ashley Homes, which has a well-earned reputation for not building anything memorable. The only rendering out there is the one I posted (Van Voast) a few posts ago. I believe there are 7 lots and one lot (#1) is already sold. (EDIT 7/9/05: I should note that one unit is actually built. Those views look amazing--drive up O'Fallon Ave. just up over the railroad tracks.) (Map not to scale...LOL....):
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