CINCINNATI | Development Thread

[natiboy]

It will be great to see so many projects coming together in the coming months!

And just in time for the 2012 World Choir Games. It will be the largest global event that Cincinnati has ever hosted.

• Video Link

[natiboy]

It looks like Cincinnati is pursuing a parking program for the Uptown neighborhood that is similar to the one in San Francisco.

Uptown neighborhoods looking to reform on-street parking policies

The streets of Clifton Heights, University Heights, and Fairview (CUF) are becoming more congested each year. As the University of Cincinnati (UC) enrollment increases, it has become a struggle to provide enough housing units and places to store automobiles.

This growing population shines light on a problem CUF has struggled with for more than 30 years. It is hard not to notice that Cincinnati’s urban core is on the up-and-up, and the work that organizations like the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) and OTR A.D.O.P.T. are doing in Over-the-Rhine is making the area more attractive to young professionals, artists, students, and even some older suburbanite emigres. And this is a trend that seems poised to continue as gasoline prices continue to rise.

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http://www.urbancincy.com/2012/02/up...king-policies/

[goat314]

Originally Posted by natiboy

Well said! I'm still counting down the days until Ohio gets a new Governor, and we can get back to planning the Cincinnati/Dayton/Columbus/Cleveland inter-city rail... Rail from Cincinnati to Chicago via Indy would be amazing too.


I don't think I mentioned it, but Cincinnati and Hamilton county are apparently still planning a commuter rail line from downtown out to the eastern suburbs. The plan is controversial among area rail transit supporters, because there is a better route (an abandoned freight rail line) that could be used instead of the one that is being planned.

Here is a good article on the subject:
http://www.urbancincy.com/2010/08/br...ger-rail-plan/

Cool! St. Louis got its start with light rail by running it in abandoned rail R.O.W. With the 2nd line we got elevated and more subway segments. Why are they planning commuter rail? They should just use the abandoned freight line and start a light rail system like St. Louis. St. Louis and Cincinnati are very comparable. Light rail has been a big success in St. Louis, no reason Cincy couldn't do the same.

[natiboy]

Originally Posted by goat314

Cool! St. Louis got its start with light rail by running it in abandoned rail R.O.W. With the 2nd line we got elevated and more subway segments. Why are they planning commuter rail? They should just use the abandoned freight line and start a light rail system like St. Louis. St. Louis and Cincinnati are very comparable. Light rail has been a big success in St. Louis, no reason Cincy couldn't do the same.

The commuter rail is the county commisioner's pet project. It's a really stupid plan. The tracks run right along the river in the flood plane, so there isn't much developable land or enough population to support the line along the route.

Running light rail along the Wasson corridor through the East side would serve some of Cincinnati's most dense/popular neighborhoods along with Xavier University, so that would be a much better option. But now, there is a plan to turn that corridor into a bike path, and rail bank the tracks for future rail use. I am afraid though, that if the trail is built and is there for a while, people won't want to give it up when we want to build rail.

http://www.urbancincy.com/2012/02/ci...ational-trail/

[natiboy]

OTR townhouses sold out before completion

Twelve new townhouses being built in the 1400 block of Pleasant Street in Over-The-Rhine, as the final phase of City Home Cincinnati are already sold out, and the company behind the transformation has left its surburban roots to build new ones in the city's urban core.

http://www.soapboxmedia.com/devnews/022812schickel.aspx



Source: http://www.schickeldesign.com/City_H...ati_Ohio.shtml

[natiboy]

Construction permits were filed last week for Mercer Commons. Hopefully construction will start soon!

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/bldgins...p_eps45248.pdf

[natiboy]

According to Cincinnati's mayor in this video, Phase 2 of the Banks project will begin within the next couple of weeks.

• Video Link

[natiboy]

Plans have resurfaced to turn the old St. George Catholic Church into a boutique hotel. The old church is near the University of Cincinnati. It's twin spires were iconic, and could be seen from miles around.


Source: http://queencitysurvey.blogspot.com/...hes-of_19.html

A fire a few years ago destroyed both of its spires. Plans for the church include a complete restoration of the church (including the spires) and a new building in an empty parking lot next door.

Plan to convert Old St. George into boutique hotel gets new life

.....
Shafran has been working since 2008 with veteran Cincinnati developer Doug Hine on the $22 million renovation. Old St. George is an iconic Clifton Heights church and monastery, designed by renowned architect Samuel Hannaford and dedicated in 1874. The church closed in 1993 as part of a three-parish merger.

Hine said the project involves “a museum-quality restoration” of the property, including the reconstruction of its twin spires, damaged in a 2008 fire.
.....

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnat...=e_ph&page=all


Old St. George Church hotel design calls for ‘wing’

The conversion of Old St. George into a boutique hotel will involve new construction as well as historic preservation.

“If you’re standing in front of the church, to your right or to the east is a parking lot,” said developer Doug Hine. “We’ll build a wing of rooms on that parking lot, with a courtyard in between.”
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Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnat....html?ana=e_ph

[natiboy]

Here is the spring update for the Smale Riverfront Park. It's really coming along. The park opens to the public on May 18th.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVg6y...f0FAAAAAAAAAAA

Also, the Moerlein Lager House has been open for a couple weeks now and has been extremely successful. They have a 2 hour wait most nights, and they did over $900,000 in sales in the first week of operations.

[SpiderTre]

i'm loving the project renders and how much development they have planned around the city! can't wait til it's finished :]

[natiboy]

Downtown Cincinnati poised for surge of residential conversions

Developers are in the process of transforming the 85-year-old Federal Reserve Tower at Fourth and Race into 88 apartments after serving as an office structure for its entire life. The process is one being undertaken in old cities all across the United States – transforming old office buildings into unique residences.

In addition to the Federal Reserve Tower, the 86-year-old Enquirer Building on Vine Street has also had an apartment conversion planned. In the wake of the opening of the Great American Tower at Queen City Square, there appears to be many more candidates ripe for such conversion.

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According to DCI officials, developers have expressed interest in converting additional historic office towers into residences, but declined to comment as to which structures or which developers are expressing interest.

Source: http://www.urbancincy.com/2012/03/do...ions/#comments

[Dale]

Downtown Cincy is really setting the table very nicely. All the ingredients are coming to fruition.

[natiboy]

Originally Posted by Dale

Downtown Cincy is really setting the table very nicely. All the ingredients are coming to fruition.

It's definitely an exciting time in Cincinnati. We could have a few towers going up in the city very soon, our neighborhoods are repopulating and crime is WAY down. I don't know what the current number is, but as of two weeks ago Cincy had only 6 murders for the year, which is a huge improvement. Over-the-Rhine was ranked one of the most dangerous cities in the US just a few years ago, and it was reported today that there hasn't been a murder there since September. Things are definitely looking up.

By the way, new details are starting to come out about Dunnhumby's new headquarters. 3CDC was supposed to be the main developer, but apparently several more have come forward and want to be a part of the project. Residential is supposed definitely be a part of the project.

Here is an article from today. The price stated in the article seems very low to me though.

dunnhumby incentive plan detailed

DOWNTOWN — Cincinnati City Council will decide Wednesday whether to award up to $12 million in tax incentives to help growing consumer insights firm dunnhumbyUSA build a new $36 million headquarters at Fifth and Race streets.

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It’s unclear whether the $36 million price tag includes 3CDC’s portion of the project. 3CDC has said it could use a combination of its own development funds, federal new markets tax credits, tax increment financing and traditional bank financing to fund the project. It has yet to submit development plans to the city.

Source: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...ed?odyssey=tab

[Dale]

Any more news on the rumored tower for The Banks ?

[natiboy]

Originally Posted by Dale

Any more news on the rumored tower for The Banks ?

Nope. Nothing yet. The pad for the tower is there, but no news yet on a tennant. I'll definitely post as soon as some news comes out.

[natiboy]

Clifton project a sign of times for University of Cincinnati campus housing

After years of talk about developing the Uptown Crossings site in Clifton, there’s suddenly a burst of activity.

Columbus-based Hallmark Campus Communities is building an $11 million, 92-unit student housing project along Jefferson Avenue. Dubbed “University Edge,” it’s near the University of Cincinnati’s main campus.

The fully furnished apartments will include 232 beds in a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom units. The company also acquired an adjacent parcel at the corner of Jefferson and Ruther avenues for a second phase of 28 four-bedroom units, or 112 additional beds. No dollar figure was available for that phase.

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnat....html?page=all

[natiboy]

Cincinnati Children’s eyes new research tower

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center might build a research tower on its main campus in Avondale that would be similar to the 11-story, $116 million facility it completed in 2007, sources told the Business Courier.

The tower would push the hospital’s research space to nearly 1.5 million square feet. The research footprint, at about 1 million square feet across six buildings, is already among the largest of any U.S. pediatric hospital. Construction could begin this year, sources familiar with the project said.

“It’s going to happen,” said one source, who did not want to be named.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnat...-eyes-new.html

[natiboy]

Just some random streetcar news I read today over on UrbanOhio...

1. Utility relocation is complete for about three blocks on Elm Street.

2. Rolling stock should be selected within the next 3 weeks.

3. Cincinnati is in the process of applying for a grant which will be used to study route alternatives for the Uptown circulator streetcar extension.

[natiboy]

Kao USA moving headquarters to 312 Plum

Kao USA Inc. has picked the 312 Plum Building as its new corporate headquarters.

The owner of the downtown Cincinnati office building, a joint venture between Nashville-based Smith/Hallemann Partners and Harbert Management Corp ., signed a long-term lease with Kao USA, according to a news release. The beauty care manufacturer will relocate its corporate headquarters and occupy 55,000 square feet of space, taking the entire 10th and 11th floors and a portion of the ninth floor.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnat...-312-plum.html

[natiboy]

Here is a cool proposal that became public the other day.

City considers Eden Park station for micro-brewery

The city of Cincinnati is investigating whether a 118-year-old red brick pump station and water tower behind Krohn Conservatory could be sold and converted to a micro-brewery.

A pair of developers recently approached the city to redevelop the 7,000-square-foot property, which was designed by renowned architect Samuel Hannaford to enhance the park landscape. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places.

Source: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/developi...micro-brewery/


Photo Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eden_Park_Station_No._7