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Cincinnatus

November 3rd, 2007, 08:37 PM

After the long delayed project that has kept the city in county bunting heads for almost a decade ... we are finally seeing approval, financing details and have a ground-breaking set for early next year! I will try to keep this thread updated and the renderings coming as they become finalized.

Council voted 9-0 Monday to approve the agreements with the developer

Banks approved; 'An incredible thing'
BY JESSICA BROWN | JLBROWN@ENQUIRER.COM

Cincinnati and Hamilton County governments have approved the Banks agreements, paving the way for the project to begin.

The voting —which took several minutes due to the multiple pieces of legislation —were greeted by a hearty round of applause. The votes were unanimous. Commissioner Pat DeWine was unable to participate because of a potential conflict of interest involving his law firm.

Elected officials termed it a historic occasion. Each took several moments to thank the Banks Working Group, the city-county body charged with jump-starting the project-- for getting things done. They also thanked each other for their roles, and the community for their patience.

“We’ve stared problems speed bumps and all manner of difficulty in the face and we’ve decided that in spite of it all we’ll find a way around it and we’re going to move on and we’re going to do it together,” said Commission President Todd Portune at the ceremony at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

“That’s an incredible thing for a community to realize.”

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory echoed those remarks, calling the Banks “the biggest development deal in the history of Cincinnati."

He said it shows a new era is dawning in city-county cooperation.

“Cooperation has never been the issue. But we’ve built a relationship. This is how we’re going to develop things in the future.”

The Banks is a proposed 18-acre neighborhood district on the Cincinnati riverfront between the Paul Brown Stadium and the Great American Ball Park. Developers hope to break ground early next year.

(Updated since the renderings were released: The height of the buildings have been increased to 24 story cap and residential and commercial space to be doubled. Like I said, I will update renderings as they become available)

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=AB&Dato=20070514&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=705140802&Ref=PH&Item=1&MaxH=320&MaxW=375&Border=1

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=AB&Dato=20070514&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=705140802&Ref=PH&Item=3&MaxH=320&MaxW=375&Border=1

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=AB&Dato=20070514&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=705140802&Ref=PH&Item=4&MaxH=320&MaxW=375&Border=1

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=AB&Dato=20070514&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=705140802&Ref=PH&Item=5&MaxH=320&MaxW=375&Border=1

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=AB&Dato=20070514&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=705140802&Ref=PH&Item=6&MaxH=320&MaxW=375&Border=1

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=AB&Dato=20070514&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=705140802&Ref=PH&Item=7&MaxH=320&MaxW=375&Border=1

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=AB&Dato=20070514&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=705140802&Ref=PH&Item=9&MaxH=320&MaxW=375&Border=1

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/jmecklenborg/carew-1-1.jpg

Complete story from the very beginning: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=newsbanks

What is the Banks?

Location: Downtown, an 18 acre site that sits between Paul Brown Stadium and Great American Ballpark. "It would be a 24-hour destination spot with housing, restaurants, shops, offices and a riverfront park."

Green-space: A 40 acre park-space that will include fountains, carousel, bike pathways, statues and a connection to the Ohio River.

Total Size: 2.8 million square feet of space. (residential, retail, commercial, and entertainment.)

Move In: Expect People living there by late 2009 or early 2010. I'm going with the latter.

Cost: Over $1 billion.

How many people will live at the Banks? Roughly "3,000".

First Phase:

"Among the details of the proposed development discussed so far: A new employee readiness committee and local inclusion consultant will help make sure the project meets its goal of at least 22 percent of labor hours worked by minorities and women; widened sidewalks along Freedom Way, for cafes and kiosks; and workers will be paid a prevailing wage.

The first phase would consist of 300 rental units and 70,000 square feet of retail space. Next would be 120 for-sale condos and 300 square feet of office space. The rest, Germano said, would be affected by what the market demands: “The worst thing to do would be to build it and have it be vacant.”

The apartments likely will be among the most expensive in the city, renting at $1,000 for a smaller unit of about 700 square feet, and up to about $1,600 a month. “It’s going to take those kinds of rents to be successful,” said Tim Riordan, a member of The Banks Working Group."

First Phase Financing:

"Of the up to $200 million in public money, $106 million will be used for street improvements, utilities and to build parking garages. The garages will be a platform for the rest of the project and will raise it out of the level of the flood plain. The rest ($80 plus million) will be used for the riverfront park.

Of the $106 million, $27 million will come from as yet unspecified grants, according to county officials; $10 million will come from the developers, $26 million will come from the city, $21 million will come from the county. The remaining $22 million will come from tax increment financing, according to Eric Stuckey, an assistant county administrator.

The city has already set aside $17.5 million in its existing budget to put toward its $26 million chunk of the project. Any cost overruns or funding gaps would be shouldered jointly by the city and county."

Cincinnatus

November 3rd, 2007, 08:43 PM

The Banks is a done deal

10 YEARS IN THE MAKING
BY JESSICA BROWN | JLBROWN@ENQUIRER.COM
E-mail | Print | digg us! | del.icio.us! | Click-2-Listen
With glowing remarks, handshakes all around and even a little humor, Hamilton County and Cincinnati's elected leaders Thursday approved the Banks project.

"This marks moving from a vision and dream to a reality," Councilwoman Laketa Cole said. "We can finally say we did it."

The culmination of a decade's worth of work on the long-stalled project came about 2 p.m. Thursday at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. In a series of "yes" votes, in front of a crowd of more than 150, Cincinnati City Council and the Hamilton County Commission approved what is intended to set the riverfront development in motion.

The Banks is envisioned as an 18-acre neighborhood on the Cincinnati riverfront between Paul Brown Stadium and Great American Ball Park. It is to include apartments, condominiums, shops, restaurants, office buildings and a 40-acre park.

Thursday's vote came, not coincidentally, less than a week before Election Day. The timing was not lost on anyone at the table. Many thought that it was critical to get the deal sealed before Tuesday because all nine City Council seats are up for grabs.

Atlanta developers Carter Real Estate and the Harold Dawson Co. expect to break ground early next year and have people living and working at The Banks by the end of 2009 or early 2010.

Officials expect The Banks to be a signature project that will spur new economic development by bringing jobs, residents and visitors to the riverfront.

Thursday's separate votes were unanimous among the nine City Council members and two county commissioners. The third county commissioner, Pat DeWine, did not participate in the vote because of a potential conflict of interest involving his law firm. Mayor Mark Mallory, under the city's charter, also does not vote on council ordinances. Both men said they support the project.

Councilwoman Cole said she still has concerns about certain parts of the project such as the construction of decks over Fort Washington Way, which is not yet funded, and making sure minorities continue to have fair representation in the project and financing. But she expects those concerns to be worked out.

No one at the table Thursday underplayed the importance of approving the project, or its significance to the region, in their view.

"We're about to sign off on one of the biggest development deals in the history of Cincinnati," Mallory said.

The elected officials called the vote a historic moment and a launching point for the turnaround of the region. They said it marks a new era in city-county cooperation.

"We've stared problems, speed bumps and all manner of difficulty in the face, and we've decided that in spite of it all, we'll find a way around it, and we're going to move on and we're going to do it together," Commission President Todd Portune said. "That's an incredible thing for a community to realize."

Each person took several moments to thank the Banks Working Group - the city-county body charged with jump-starting the project - for getting things done. They also thanked each other for their roles and the community for its patience.

The event was punctuated by some moments that drew chuckles from the audience. Cole instructed council to "Get 'er done."

Chris Bortz practically shouted his "Yes" during the last string of votes by council.

When Portune's turn to vote came, he pretended for a moment that he was having second thoughts.

Councilman John Cranley said he's "looking forward to having my beer at ESPN Zone," referring to a sports bar he hopes will locate at The Banks.

The votes took several minutes because of the many pieces of legislation needed to launch the project.

To the natives here ... this picture means a thousand words! ;)

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Dato=20071102&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=711020412&Ref=AR&Q=80&MaxW=450&MaxH=475&Site=AB&Q=80&Border=0&Title=0

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071102/NEWS01/711020412/-1/newsbanks

Unionstation13

November 3rd, 2007, 08:45 PM

I hope this helps downtown Cincinnati. :cheer:

cityfan

November 3rd, 2007, 10:39 PM

Now we just need high speed rail between Indy and Cincy (and Chicago) to connect two great downtowns and cities.

This is great for Cincinnati and I can't wait to see the final project (even if it's still 5 or 6 years away).

MasonsInquiries

November 4th, 2007, 05:01 PM

glad you created this thread, cincinnatus. this is LONG overdue. cincinnati's been neglected for far too long on skyscrapercity.

Unionstation13

November 4th, 2007, 06:05 PM

I am excited about the streetcars! I hope more midwestern cities follow.
Cincinnati had an extremely complex street car system, thats great! I can't wait to see the river project finished. I was in Cincinnati a few weeks ago, and I was wondering what they were going to do with the land on the river front. I'v been waiting for a Cincinnati development thread FOREVER. :cheer:

Cincinnatus

November 4th, 2007, 11:11 PM

glad you created this thread, cincinnatus. this is LONG overdue. cincinnati's been neglected for far too long on skyscrapercity.

I can't take credit for this ... thank the mods, but you can blame UrbanOhio.com for the Cincinnati and Cleveland neglecting ... ;)

cwilson758

November 6th, 2007, 08:20 PM

awesome...and FINALLY!

eweezerinc

November 6th, 2007, 10:01 PM

That development is hot. :okay:

Indianakid

November 7th, 2007, 05:52 AM

Thats really cool! :)
The buildings are very new.

Cincinnatus

November 12th, 2007, 03:33 PM

Miller-Valentine Group has decided to add 2 more floors, making 'One River Plaza' 15 stories...

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3314.0;attach=3679;image

Condo tower rises to meet demand for unique views
BY LAURA BAVERMAN | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER
November 9, 2007

DOWNTOWN - Downtown condo project One River Plaza still has nine units left to sell before it can begin construction, but recent activity is giving the developers confidence.

Responding to potential buyers' requests for more uniquely positioned corner penthouse units, Miller-Valentine Group and the Gregory family cut the size of the top two floors and added two more floors on top of them, making the building 15 stories high. That kept the 12 penthouse units, but gave the three units on each of the top four floors both riverbend and city views.

The change added $3 million to the $140 million project cost, but those changes helped the developers sell $5 million in volume over the past three weeks, inching closer to the 33-unit required sales marker.

"People who want to pay that premium wanted corner units," said Doug Hine, president of Miller-Valentine's urban lifestyles division. His team also added a swimming pool between the two buildings to meet potential buyers' demands.

The project, announced just over a year ago, includes two condo towers totaling 150 units, two restaurants, a private club and guest suites for residents. They range in price from $400,000 to several million dollars, with prices expected to creep up once all pre-construction units are sold.

Hine declined to share specific price increases, but said that some units at Miller-Valentine's nearby Park Place at Lytle project, completed in 2005, sold for 40 percent more than the original asking price.

Nick Lingenfelter, assistant vice president of commercial real estate at LaSalle Bank, doesn't expect that to happen at One River Plaza. At least not now.

"I don't think in this market you're going to see an immediate jump," Lingenfelter said. "There are definitely buyers out there, but they still have to worry about selling their homes."

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/11/12/story11.html

cityfan

November 13th, 2007, 12:57 AM

Are they building both towers at the same time or in phases?

Cincinnatus

November 13th, 2007, 01:07 AM

Are they building both towers at the same time or in phases?

My guess would be one at a time?

Mike D

November 19th, 2007, 05:11 AM

Great news about the Banks and the streetcar. I'm glad to hear Cincinnati is finally gearing up for rail service. It's long overdue. Here's hoping it's the start of something great for Cincy. I remember reading about a DMU commuter rail service between downtown and Milford. What's the latest word on that?

StevenW

November 20th, 2007, 01:11 AM

Hey, what ever happened to that 700 footer proposed a while back? :?
Is it still going up?

Cincinnatus

November 20th, 2007, 01:51 AM

Hey, what ever happened to that 700 footer proposed a while back? :?
Is it still going up?

What 700 footer?

StevenW

December 2nd, 2007, 11:46 PM

A couple of years ago it was proposed. It was away from the CBD, close to the water as you entered the city from Kentucky. It had an awesome crown.

Cincinnatus

December 3rd, 2007, 07:02 AM

Oh, you're talking about Queen City Square, Phase I&II. Phase I is done. Someone from the "inside" says for us to expect to hear something in Nov-Dec. Check out www.UrbanOhio.com for more details.

Also, that's way over near 3rd & Broadway.

Cincinnatus

December 4th, 2007, 07:51 AM

SCPA photo update, 11/10/07
Building Cincinnati, 11/12/07

Earth is being moved and some rather deep holes are being excavated for the new School for the Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) in Over-the-Rhine.

The $72 million, five-floor building will occupy the block bounded by Race, Elm and Twelfth streets and Central Parkway.

The new school will combine Cincinnati Public Schools' SCPA program for grades 4 through 12 with Schiel Primary's K-3 program. It will serve 1,350 students and be the first public K-12 arts school in the United States.

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2007/11/scpa-photo-update-111007.html

http://schiel.cps-k12.org/images/NewscpaBuilding.jpg

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2568.0;attach=3735;image

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2568.0;attach=3734;image

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/4238/071110064otrseg2.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8620/071110063otrsdi4.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8693/071110056otrsdu4.jpg

Cincinnatus

December 4th, 2007, 07:58 AM

Ikea on track for '08 opening (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071127/BIZ01/311270051)
BY MIKE BOYER | MBOYER@ENQUIRER.COM
E-mail | Print | digg us! | del.icio.us!

WEST CHESTER TWP. – Ikea-fanatics take note. Construction of the iconic home furnishing retailers’ first Ohio store here is about two-thirds complete, paving the way for its planned spring opening.

An opening date for Ikea’s 34th U.S. store hasn’t been set. But spokesman Joseph Roth said today construction of the 344,000-square-foot blue-and-yellow store off Muhlhauser and Allen roads should be finished in January.

That will allow Ikea employees to begin a two-to-three month “build-out” period to install storage racks, finish the store’s 50 different room settings and stock the 10,000 different items – from meatballs to sofas – that each Ikea store carries.

• More West Chester news. Join the discussion.

Located on 56 acres overlooking Interstate 75, the store is one of only two Ikeas to open in the United States in 2008. It is expected to draw shoppers from several states looking for the privately held Swedish company’s mix of value and sleek styling.

Lonnie Rodgers II, store manager, said all 50 department managers have been hired, and hiring of the first of about 350 hourly employees is underway. A particular focus is on food service workers for the store’s 300-seat restaurant, employee cafeteria, quick-serve Bistro and Swedish foodmarket.

Food is an important part of the Ikea experience because Roth said the typical shopper spends three hours perusing the store’s second-floor showroom and first-floor Marketplace, featuring accessories, cookware and lighting.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2394/1566524206_9087bcc2b3.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2297/1793643438_d5c7f04996.jpg?v=0

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=AB&Date=20071127&Category=BIZ01&ArtNo=311270051&Ref=V1&MaxW=315&border=1

Cincinnatus

December 4th, 2007, 08:05 AM

... this is still in the works, so don't hold your breath!

Developer adds hotels, office, cost to Millworks center
Proposal also asks $25M more in tax increment financing (http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/11/19/story5.html)
BY LAURA BAVERMAN | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER
November 16, 2007

OAKLEY - Plans for Oakley's Millworks Town Center have changed yet again, this time driving the project's density from 1.5 million to 2 million square feet and its cost from $225 million to $300 million.

Vision Land Development submitted a new development agreement Nov. 5 to the city of Cincinnati for the 75-acre industrial parcel near Marburg Avenue and adjacent to the Center of Cincinnati retail complex. The new plan ups the amount of office and retail space and adds two hotels to the previous plan approved in November 2006.

The project now includes 715,000 square feet of office space; 463,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space (including a National Amusements theater), two 80,000-square-foot hotels, 275 apartments, 70 townhouses and 200 stacked condominiums.

"We feel that the market will support those additional areas of programming," said Kent Arnold, Vision's president, who first proposed the Millworks plan in 2003. It also allows the developer to ask for more public financing because of the project's expected impact on property and income taxes. It now requests $55 million in tax increment financing, up from $30 million a year ago.

Part of that funding would go toward the construction of the Kennedy Connector, a new roadway that would connect the intersections of Kennedy and Duck Creek roads and Ibsen Road and Ridge Road and build ramps to Interstate 71 south and the Norwood Lateral. The development agreement calls the Kennedy Connector vital to Millworks' success, so much so that a phrase in the document calls the entire agreement null and void if the developer and city do not come to an agreement regarding the construction of that road by Dec. 30, 2008.

"I know we can't do Millworks without it," said Jeff McElvray, an economic development officer with the city of Cincinnati. He expects the second agreement to come quickly behind this one.

"It's an aggressive plan, and it's years in the making and years in the building, but we think it's a good one," McElvray added.

The Oakley Community Council also is supportive of the amended plans because the developer still promises a lifestyle center despite the higher density.

"We're very excited that the development might actually get on the fast track," said council President Dave Schaff. "But I always question things when you lose that many partners."

Schaff is referring to deals that fell through over the years with Texas-based Trademark Property Co., Bear Creek Capital and Duke Realty. But he believes Vision's capital partner is still involved. Sources say that's Newark, N.J.-based Prudential Investment Management. Vision Land Development would not comment on its capital partner.

CECO Environmental is also hopeful that the project will finally begin. Early in November, it filed an amendment to its Securities and Exchange Commission filing where it agreed to purchase a $4.3 million facility in Springdale as long as the sale of its Kirk & Blum factory in Oakley happens within 90 days. The development agreement, once signed, requires Vision to close on all six Oakley properties within 30 days and to begin demolition within six months. It also requires construction of public infrastructure to begin within a year and a half and to be completed within five years.

Arnold's not afraid of that timeline, claiming the project would be built all at the same time by a number of partners. Once he begins demolition, he expects to announce several local residential development partners and one large national office development partner. The capital partner would assist with the retail development.

"We feel like we are closer than we've ever been to closing a deal and starting," Arnold said.

By that, he means people can live, work and play at Millworks beginning in 2009.

http://www.cincinnatimillworks.com/images/model.jpg

http://www.cincinnatimillworks.com/images/model_cimema.jpg

http://www.cincinnatimillworks.com/images/model_2parkBuildings.jpg

http://www.cincinnatimillworks.com/images/model_alleyShot.jpg

http://www.cincinnatimillworks.com/images/04_projectSiteAccess.jpg

http://www.cincinnatimillworks.com/

Pilliod Njaim

December 5th, 2007, 09:49 AM

^Great, another shopping towne surrounded by massive surface lots. Way to go "new urbanism." When is Ohio going to stop building these God-forsaken consumerist nightmares? It seems two or three of these open every year in this state.

Cincinnatus

December 5th, 2007, 04:47 PM

^ This isn't an Ohio thing, nor is it a midwestern thing.

StevenW

December 8th, 2007, 04:54 PM

Cincinnatus

December 20th, 2007, 02:04 AM

... IT IS FINALLY HERE! ... HALLELUJAH! ...

City's tallest tower to be built
Queen City Square to get started in spring

BY KEITH T. REED | KREED@ENQUIRER.COM

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5778/32947965queencityqb2.jpg

Western & Southern Financial Group met with city officials Tuesday to propose a timeline for building its long-planned Queen City Square office tower, a project that would become the tallest building in downtown Cincinnati. The building would open in 2011.

Executives from the company and its project manager, Turner Construction, met with city officials Tuesday at City Hall to lay out details.

The project is slated to stand 40 stories, bringing a massive 800,000 square feet of office space, 21,000 square feet of ground-level retail and 1,300 parking spaces on nine levels, city officials said. Because of its distinctive arching roof, Queen City Square would be taller than the 574-foot Carew Tower even though it would have fewer floors.

Western & Southern executives declined to comment, but company chairman John F. Barrett has sent invitations to local developers and dignitaries for “a major announcement” Thursday afternoon.

Left unanswered are how much Queen City Square will cost and key details about its financing.

Demolition on an existing 1,500-space parking garage at the site – roughly bordered by Third Street to the south, Fourth to the north, Broadway to the east and Sycamore to the west – is planned to start in mid-2008.

With about 33 months from start to finish, demolition to completion, construction of the building would likely overlap the building of at least the initial phases of The Banks, the planned mixed-use project slated for the riverfront between Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium.

“We are excited that Western & Southern is taking this opportunity to invest in the city,” Holly Childs, the city’s economic development director, said. “Their commitment to Queen City Square is a catalytic development for the Banks project and the future of the central business district.”

The developers of that project are actively looking for an architect for its first residential and retail phase, and groundbreaking for infrastructure improvements at that site is are slated to start in the first quarter of 2008.

The Banks also is scheduled to include two office towers holding a total of 200,000 to 1 million square feet of space.

Western & Southern was among the Fourth Street property owners that raised concerns this fall about an increase in the size of The Banks project and a 30-story height limit. They worried that The Banks would compete with downtown by siphoning off tenants and parking spaces. In response, the Banks Working Group – the city-county group that drafted an agreement with that project’s developers – lowered the maximum recommended building height to 24 stories.

Left unanswered are how much Queen City Square will cost and key details about its financing. Childs said Western & Southern has not asked the city for any financial assistance with the project, but the city has not ruled out that possibility.

Another key piece of the financing puzzle might lie in whether the developer has a primary tenant lined up. Real estate lenders and investors view tenants in office projects as collateral and often require signed leases or letters of intent before approving funding for major projects.

Earlier this year, Barrett said Western & Southern was “out there aggressively trying to pre-lease that tower,” referring to the project.

The company initially floated the idea of Queen City Square roughly 20 years ago, then revived it in 2002.

The new building would be adjacent to the 303 Broadway building, at the northwest corner of Third and Broadway. The building – the first new office tower built in downtown in 14 years – opened in 2005 and is almost full

Cincinnati Enquirer 12/19/2007
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071218/BIZ01/312190003

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9126/42494457queencitysquarekx9.jpg

cmj2k2

December 21st, 2007, 03:30 AM

wtg cinci :banana:

Cincinnatus

December 23rd, 2007, 11:54 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contacts:
Catherine A. Huggins, APR Anne N. Watson
Assistant Vice President of Corporate Communications Vice President – Investor Relations
Western & Southern Financial Group American Financial Group, Inc.
(513) 629-1156 (513) 579-6652
www.westernsouthern.com www.GreatAmericanInsurance.com
www.afginc.com

American Financial Group, Inc. to Anchor
Western & Southern Financial Group’s Queen City Square Tower
-- Cincinnati’s Future Skyline Redefined by Prominent Skyscraper --

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/3989/qcsdx2.png

CINCINNATI – Dec. 20, 2007 – American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE/NASDAQ: AFG) and
Western & Southern Financial Group announced today that AFG has signed a long-term
lease in a major new office tower to be developed and managed by Eagle Realty Group, a
real estate investment and property management subsidiary of Western & Southern
Financial Group.
The architecturally distinctive building to be known as the “Great American Insurance
Building at Queen City Square” will redefine Cincinnati’s skyline with its 40 stories and
prominent tiara. Totaling 825,000 square feet, the building also will provide a spacious
promenade from its main entrance at Fourth & Sycamore to the office building lobby. AFG
will be the anchor tenant and will occupy 22 floors, approximately 530,000 square feet
representing about two-thirds of the building. Construction is anticipated to begin in mid-
2008, with completion in 2011.
According to AFG’s Co-Chief Executive Officers Craig Lindner and Carl Lindner III,
the decision to become the primary tenant of this new development was driven by a common
goal to move many of AFG’s insurance operations into one downtown location.
“We are excited about moving into this premier office tower. It will offer us the unique
opportunity to consolidate many operations of our subsidiaries, Great American Insurance
Company and Great American Financial Resources, into one location. It also will allow us
room for future growth and expansion. AFG has a long-standing commitment to downtown
Cincinnati, and we are pleased to participate in this enhancement to the Cincinnati business
community.”
John F. Barrett, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Western &
Southern Financial Group, described the day’s announcement as a major milestone for
Cincinnati’s Central Business District.
“This world-class, signature office building will complete our Queen City Square
master-planned development. It is the fruition of a long-term vision for Western & Southern
and adds to the vitality of Cincinnati. AFG becoming the premier anchor tenant for Queen
AFG to Anchor Western & Southern’s Queen City Square Tower/Page 2

City Square reinforces this building as a preeminent corporate business address in the
Midwest. It also further strengthens our community and our ability to retain and attract
quality companies like AFG to downtown Cincinnati,” said Mr. Barrett.
City of Cincinnati City Manager, Milton Dohoney, Jr., sees Queen City Square as a
welcomed addition to the city’s skyline. “This is an exciting investment in downtown and
builds on the positive growth and dynamic corporate environment in Cincinnati. We will work
with Western & Southern on the next steps”, said Mr. Dohoney.
The first phase of Queen City Square – the 303 Broadway building at Queen City
Square – was developed in a unique public-private partnership between Western &
Southern, the City of Cincinnati and the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority.
The lease between AFG and Western & Southern, and the development of the new building,
are conditioned on entering into a similar public-private partnership with the City and the
Port.
AFG expects to begin moving its insurance operations into the new building during
2011. The company has approximately 6,500 employees nationwide, with about 40 percent
located in downtown Cincinnati.

About American Financial Group, Inc.
American Financial Group is an insurance holding company, based in Cincinnati, Ohio with
assets in excess of $25 billion. Through the operations of the Great American Insurance
Group, AFG is engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance, focusing on specialized
commercial products for businesses, and in the sale of traditional fixed, indexed and variable
annuities and a variety of supplemental insurance products. Great American Insurance
Group’s roots go back to 1872 with the founding of its flagship company, Great American
Insurance Company. AFG’s common stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock
Exchange (“NYSE”) and NASDAQ under the symbol (“AFG”).

About Western & Southern Financial Group
Western & Southern Financial Group (Western & Southern) is a Cincinnati-based diversified
family of financial services companies with assets owned and under management in excess
of $47 billion. A Fortune 500 company, Western & Southern has received A. M. Best’s
highest rating of A++ Superior for financial strength, is one of the 10 highest rated life
insurance groups in the world based on Standard and Poor’s ratings, and is consistently
recognized by Moody’s and Fitch for financial strength and sound management. Its heritage
dates back to 1888 with the founding of Western & Southern Life Insurance Company.

About Eagle Realty Group
Eagle Realty Group offers a comprehensive range of services covering three core real estate
areas. Investment Management offers asset management and investment advisory services.
The company’s expertise in real estate development and management are documented by
an array of successful ventures ranging from hotels to shopping centers to low-income
housing to senior housing and office buildings. In addition, Eagle Realty Group’s Multi-
Family Property Management Division serves apartment communities and Eagle’s
Commercial Property Management Division provides property management services. The
organization oversees investment portfolios consisting of over 32 million square feet of all
types of real estate located across the United States and valued in excess of $2.7 billion.

Ratings refer to the financial strength of the insurance company and not to the safety, stability or performance of any investment product.

Cincinnatus

December 25th, 2007, 12:18 AM

... Is it me, or does the tiara look a little shorter in the model? ...

Diana inspired building's 'tiara'
BY JANELLE GELFAND | JGELFAND@ENQUIRER.COM

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Dato=20071224&Kategori=ENT07&Lopenr=71224011&Ref=AR&Q=80&MaxW=450&MaxH=475&Site=AB&Q=80&Border=0&Title=0

The “tiara” at the top of the planned Great American Insurance Building at Queen City Square was inspired by a photograph of Princess Diana.

Design architect Gyo Obata, a founder and principal of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, Inc., was flipping through books in a bookstore when he was struck by the picture of Princess Diana wearing a crown.

“Gyo thought, oh my God, that’s perfect. Here we have the crown of the building, and the nickname for the city is Queen City,” says Joe Robertson, project manager with HOK. “When Gyo first came up with the concept of the design, we were trying to develop something that would be unique and capture your attention. That’s when he came up with the idea of the top of the building.”

Obata’s design for the 40-story office tower, which, at 660 feet, will be Cincinnati’s tallest structure, is generating interest, praise and some criticism among Cincinnati’s architectural community. At 86 feet higher than Carew Tower and massive in form, the building will be a prominent feature on the cityscape.

The tiara helped to satisfy a mandate from client Western & Southern that the tower be instantly recognizable “sort of like the Empire State Building,” Robertson says. “Which was an interesting challenge put to us. It has a classic look. It’s a stable, substantial building. It’s a very strong, important structure.”

To give the façade a “glassy look,” the building will be constructed of glass and aluminum, offering expansive views up and down the Ohio River for the office workers inside.

Some architects and historians are already worried that the importance of Carew Tower will be diminished. Beth Sullebarger, a consulting architectural historian based in Glendale, says the Carew Tower is downtown’s most significant architectural achievement.

“I’m a little sad about the prospect of it being eclipsed,” she says.

But Sue Ann Painter, executive director of the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati and author of “Architecture in Cincinnati” (Ohio University Press, 2006), feels otherwise. And she believes its “arched headdress” recalls the iconic Chrysler Building in New York.

“Queen City Square is a somewhat conservative but handsome design that pays tribute to the city’s penchant for interesting crowns, such as those we see in the Duke Energy, old Times-Star building, and the 1980’s P&G building,” she says.

Architecturally, the design is similar to buildings of the 1980s in cities such as Chicago, New York and San Francisco, says Jay Chatterjee, professor of architecture and former dean of the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning (DAAP), and a member of the Urban Design Review Board.

He would have preferred more risk-taking.

“It certainly doesn’t break any new ground or expressions of architecture today,” he says. It’s very surprising, considering what we have done at the university and Zaha Hadid’s (Contemporary Arts Center), downtown. These are amazing buildings which really stirred the imagination of architectural work all over the world. The Western & Southern building will not.”

David Niland, retired professor of architecture at UC who has served on the Urban Design Review Board, agrees. He praised Daniel Libeskind’s “Ascent” in Covington as “the most responsive building to the nature and spirit of our time,” but says that Western & Southern’s new building looks backward.

“It should be at the same significance that the Carew Tower was in its time. It was pretty much cutting edge,” he says. “Cincinnati is a conservative city. I think thats a synonym for never tapping into what is current.”

John Rademacher, president of the Cincinnati chapter of the American Institute of Architects, says local architects are encouraged and optimistic by the news.
“I just think it’s an exciting time in the city of Cincinnati and for local architects. This is our turn to create our architectural legacy for the city. The way my generation will be remembered is how we treat the Banks, the central business district and Over-the-Rhine. The city needs all of them to survive. Now the Banks is happening, and it’s nice to see the development on Third Street.”

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071224/ENT07/71224011/1025/LIFE

MasonsInquiries

December 28th, 2007, 04:11 AM

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5778/32947965queencityqb2.jpg
^^it's gonna' be a beautiful skyline, cinci!

Cincinnatus

February 29th, 2008, 10:26 PM

... about damn time ...

Banks to start April 2
BY KEITH T. REED | KREED@ENQUIRER.COM

The developers of The Banks will announce this afternoon that they have secured all $74 million needed to finance the first phase of construction, clearing the way for an April 2 groundbreaking on the project.

"This is great news. It means The Banks project will definitely advance," said Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory. "I'm excited that Carter/Dawson (the developers) will be doing the project and I'm looking forward to a great development.''

The financing comes on the last day of a month-long extension of a deadline for the developers, Carter & Associates Commercial Services LLC and the Harold A. Dawson Co., and could signal the end of a decade-long wait for activity at the barren riverfront site between Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium.

It also means Carter and Dawson made good on their promise to weather a tough economy marked by difficult borrowing requirements for developers, to complete the deal. The developers’ agreement with the city and Hamilton County called for them to have commitments for all the money needed to build phase 1A of the project, to include 300 apartments and 70,000 square feet of retail atop a garage at the corner of Second and Main streets, by the end of January.

That deadline passed with Carter and Dawson still between $12 million and $14 million short. The city and county agreed to give them an extension. Today’s announcement should also include details on the sources of funding, which have not yet been disclosed.

If the April construction date holds, the vacant land at that spot will begin a long transformation into a mini-neighborhood along the Ohio River, featuring apartments, parking, retail and office space.

Indianakid

March 9th, 2008, 09:37 PM

Wow what an awesome tower! I miss Cincinnati whenever I come on here! ROFL

Cincinnatus

March 27th, 2008, 11:47 PM

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e33/UncleRando/Misc/thebanks_small.jpg

Dale

March 28th, 2008, 12:25 AM

Unionstation13

March 29th, 2008, 03:04 AM

That kind of seals the structure's fate doesn't it?

Cincinnatus

March 29th, 2008, 06:28 PM

That kind of seals the structure's fate doesn't it?

Yes, all 20 acres of it, including a 40 acre park.

For those of you that are interested or haven't followed this:

Question: What is The Banks?

Answer: The Banks is a proposed 18-acre neighborhood district on Cincinnati's riverfront between Paul Brown Stadium and Great American Ball Park. Currently that land is occupied by parking lots, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and not much else. Developers hope to build up to 1,800 apartments and condominiums, up to 400,000 square feet of retail space, up to 1 million square feet of office space and up to 400,000 square feet of hotel space. The exact amount of each type of space has not been determined. The maximum square footage is 2.8 million. The development will also include an expansive riverfront park.

Unionstation13

March 30th, 2008, 04:27 AM

Isn't that area where people first settled in Cincinnati?

DooMer_MP3

March 31st, 2008, 06:56 PM

Is there a list of retailers that have committed to the project yet?

Cincinnatus

April 1st, 2008, 05:58 AM

Isn't that area where people first settled in Cincinnati?

Yes, the downtown area was one of the first areas to be settled.

Is there a list of retailers that have committed to the project yet?

I'll keep you guys posted. I plan on attending the groundbreaking festivities on Wednesday! I'm pumped! I'll be sure to take plenty of photos too.

The Enquirer posted an article in the past where ESPN wanted to put an ESPN Zone in ... I'd love to see something like this, as well as a Target.

To be honest though, I'm most interested in the entertainment, bars/clubs, 40 acre park system, and marina. It's going to be fantastic. It's almost like we're building a second downtown onto our existing one really. That's a lot of space and acreage. We'd really like to buy a condo in that area, but I don't see it happening ... that's the most valuable piece of property in the entire region, it won't be cheap.

Adding 2,000+ downtown residents is also going to be an awesome guarantee of CBD growth as well.

This, plus Covington and Newport are creating a very dynamic riverfront! Newport is already in the process of completing a condo tower and will soon be starting on their 2nd one.

UrbanTom

April 1st, 2008, 06:36 AM

Cincinnatus

April 1st, 2008, 02:35 PM

Great for Cincy! It's nice to hear the enthusiasm again for downtown Cincinnati. It'll be fun to get over there to check it out as it moves along. I've been following this for at least 12 years - I've got clippings from 1996 when I first started reading about it.

lol ... I know!

It's funny though ... my wife and I were standing in Baltimore's new first-class harbor and we were commenting on how beautiful it was to an older lady that resides in one of the condos on the Harbor. We were talking about how we're trying to do the same thing in Cincinnati ... blah, blah, blah ... and how it seems like we're hitting hurdle after hurdle, and she said, "Oh, this didn't happen overnight. This is 30 years in the making."

... so, we felt a lot better about things! ;)

Cincinnatus

April 3rd, 2008, 02:26 AM

A beautiful day to signify a new beginning for Cincinnati!

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/109/dsc04172fq2.jpg

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http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/7519/dsc04197ki8.jpg

Good night from Cincinnati!

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8550/dsc04194gd4.jpg

Cincinnatus

April 22nd, 2008, 04:35 PM

Work is moving right along! This live video feed is kind of neat!

http://207.250.90.73/mjpg/video.mjpg

Cincinnatus

April 23rd, 2008, 03:12 PM

... now at 41 stories, instead of 40 ...

HOK-Designed Office Tower In Downtown Cincinnati Will Be Iconic Landmark In The ‘Queen City’

41-story Great American Building at Queen City Square will be city’s tallest tower, crowned by a distinctive tiara.

Cincinnati (Vocus/PRWeb) April 17, 2008-- The crown jewel of Cincinnati’s skyline – the Great American Building at Queen City Square – is moving toward reality following approval by the city’s Urban Design Review Board.

This world-class, signature office building will complete our one-million-square-foot Queen City Square master-planned development

Designed by HOK, the 41-story, 800,000 square-foot office tower awaits final approval from the City Council before taking shape as the city’s tallest and most iconic structure.

HOK Founding Partner Gyo Obata designed the building and its unique tiara top to serve as a distinctive landmark for Cincinnati, the “Queen City.”

“This building will redefine the Cincinnati skyline and serve as an instantly recognizable beacon to the city,” Obata said. “There isn’t another building in the world that resembles this.”

The façade of the building will include a contemporary look, constructed with glass and aluminum. The building will include numerous environmentally sustainable features and is expected to be the “greenest” office tower in downtown Cincinnati.

A 25,000-square-foot promenade, lobby and retail areas will welcome occupants and visitors inside the building, creating a spacious internal streetscape adjacent to a 1,700-space parking structure. The tower is sited on the southern portion of the site to provide unobstructed views in all four directions, including of the city, the riverfront and the HOK-designed Great American Ballpark.

The building will be developed and managed by Eagle Realty Group, a real estate investment and management subsidiary of Western & Southern Financial Group.

“This world-class, signature office building will complete our one-million-square-foot Queen City Square master-planned development,” said John F. Barrett, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Western & Southern Financial Group. “It is the fruition of a long-term vision for Western & Southern and adds to the vitality of Cincinnati.”

American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG), the anchor tenant, will occupy 22 floors, or about two-thirds of the building. AFG will consolidate many operations of its subsidiaries, Great American Insurance Company and Great American Financial Resources, into a single location, while allowing for future growth and expansion.

Accent lighting at the upper levels of the building will illuminate the distinctive tiara, and additional lighting also will illuminate the building’s architectural massing at the corner and center of each façade. Great American's logo, a red eagle with blue script, will be illuminated in an area beneath the tiara.

The first phase of Queen City Square – the 303 Broadway building – was completed in 2006. This HOK-designed office building includes eight floors of office space atop a 665-space parking facility.

Construction of the Great American Building at Queen City Square is anticipated to begin in mid-2008, with completion expected in 2011.

http://www.emediawire.com/releases/HOK/Queen_City_Square/prweb867734.htm

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/5585/queencitysquaregj8.jpg

cwilson758

May 7th, 2008, 03:59 PM

WOW...congrats Cincy. It is finally going to happen. Coupled with teh Banks, there are going to be some significant changes to one of the country's best river fronts.

arenn

May 10th, 2008, 09:30 PM

I recently visited Cincy for the first time in a year or so, and here is a writeup of some of my impressions, along with some photos I took.

http://theurbanophile.blogspot.com/2008/05/cincinnati-midwest-conundrum.html

Cincinnatus

May 11th, 2008, 03:30 AM

GarfieldPark

May 11th, 2008, 04:48 AM

While we're noting "errors", its "write" up. :)

redbaron_012

May 11th, 2008, 05:04 AM

Here is a pic I took of the Carew Tower last August on a 100 deg day....I think it will always be a landmark in Cincinnati even if taller towers go up. It's a classic....amazed at open rooftop deck...and great views! Impressed Australian....
http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/8564/dsc08540largenm0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
By redbaron_012 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/redbaron_012)

Cincinnatus

May 11th, 2008, 05:06 PM

While we're noting "errors", its "write" up. :)

Well, the errors were misstatements of facts and stats.

Shoot me a PM to discuss this more.

Cincinnatus

May 22nd, 2008, 10:50 PM

New riverfront park model shown

http://cmsimg.enquirer.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Dato=20080522&Kategori=NEWS0108&Lopenr=305220067&Ref=AR&Q=80&MaxW=450&MaxH=475&Site=AB&Q=80&Border=0&Title=0

BY JANE PRENDERGAST | JPRENDERGAST@ENQUIRER.COM
E-mail | Print | digg us! | del.icio.us! | Click-2-Listen
There will be balconies overlooking the Ohio River, sculptures tucked into groves of trees and pools of water into which you can dip your toes.

Details of Cincinnati’s newest park, part of the long-awaited Banks project, became clearer Thursday at the unveiling of the designers’ model amid champagne-sipping members of the Women’s Committee of Cincinnati Riverfront Park.

The group has raised nearly $500,000 as an endowment for maintaining the park, said Debbie Oliver, co-chairwoman.

Designer Alistair MacIntosh, of Sasaki Associates, the Watertown, Mass., firm planning the park, explained that the first phase will be at the eastern foot of the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge. That’s where people will be able to walk along terraced stairs and waterfalls.

The park will grow along both sides of the bridge, but will start to the east, between Main and Walnut streets. Workers are getting the site ready now before a Sept. 29 groundbreaking.

The womens group continues to raise money, in part with a Penny Pond fountain that will be moved around the city so people can pitch in even a few cents. The group copied the penny-pitching idea from Central Park in New York City, Oliver said.

“All the pennies,” she said, “add up to changing our landscape.”

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080522/NEWS0108/305220067/

Jim856796

June 8th, 2008, 01:05 AM

Shouldn't we build something over the 4 block over Interstate 71 stretching from Elm Street to Main Street or just leave it like it is?

Cincinnatus

June 11th, 2008, 03:10 PM

Shouldn't we build something over the 4 block over Interstate 71 stretching from Elm Street to Main Street or just leave it like it is?

A FWW cap is the idea. When construction would start, I don't know.

Cincinnatus

June 11th, 2008, 03:12 PM

Check out the link with the slideshow below ... pretty awesome stuff.

"Cincinnati Riverfront Park" - $80 Million - will connect the existing park, creating almost 4 miles of continual park space along river.

http://www.crpark.org/slide_show/index.html

(I'd seriously like to hear comments on what you guys think about this plan, what would you change or improve upon?)

GarfieldPark

June 12th, 2008, 06:08 AM

I think it is looking nice - although it is a little difficult to get a good feel for how everything fits together in the somewhat small space. The slide show shows each of the individual elements - but the plan showing where everything fits was a little small and lacking in details. I think having the bike trail go through the park will be good and hopefully will help bring people to the park (although there might be a concern that the northern route for the bike path swings right in front of the main pedestrian stairway access to the park. Seems like that could cause some conflicts.) Benches and trees will help make it a nice place to just go and sit. I like the "swinging benches" down by the river. That seems like it will be nice. I think a big part of how successful it will be will depend on what gets built at the Banks and how easy it is for people to get to the banks from the heart of downtown and then, how easy the flow is to walk from the stores, restaurants, etc in the Banks and go walk around in the park.

There were a couple of things that I noticed with the slide presentation that seemed a little strange or a little "over done". One example of "over done" is that I think it is too much hype to say on slide 5: "Cincinnati Riverfront Park will serve as the new "Great Room" to the City and the Midwest". I think it will make a nice "Great Room" for Cincinnati - but to call it the "Great Room" to the Midwest is going a little far in my opinion. I don't think many people in Kansas City, Milwaukee, Chicago, or even nearby Indianapolis for that matter will consider this their "great room". Its just a nice riverfront park in Cincinnati. I don't think over-hyping a new plan is a good idea. It often just leads to over expectations. The slide show also lost credibility on the slide that presented information about the cost per acre of the park, comparing it to other riverfront parks in the Midwest. They simple made an incorrect statement by first saying that Capital costs per acre for Cincinnati's park are equal to or less than comparable parks - and then showing the list which shows Cincy's park costing $2.5 million per acre followed by three (Louisville, Friendship, Tall Stacks) that are less. Someone should have proof read the slide show.

I hope it turns out nice. My guess from watching other parks be developed is that - as time goes by - things will change and the final product won't be exactly like this initial idea. I just know that - whatever gets built - it will be nice to visit and see some good looking trees and grass down by the River. The asphalt and dirt that have been there for decades need to be gone soon. (Although, as I was writing that - it did make me think of one other concern: When the types of high water and/or floods that typically hit riverfront cities like Cincinnati come through, how do you think the grass will hold up? I guess I can see that keeping nice, green grass growing most of the time could be a little difficult with waters rising and falling. I know the upper part of the park is raised - but the lower part is going to have to deal with high water everyonce in a while - maybe once or twice a year. I hope the grass will be okay.)

Cincinnatus

June 12th, 2008, 03:51 PM

^ I wouldn't call 40 acres a small space, but a good and thorough response. I think the bold or over hyping is something that we haven't seen here in a while. It's actually quite refreshing. Good points all together.

GarfieldPark

June 12th, 2008, 07:40 PM

Yeah, it is a nice sized space. I guess what I was thinking was that - it seemed like there were a lot of different things proposed to fit in the area - and I was kind of wondering how well it would all fit. Still 40 acres is plenty large. I think it will be a good size to keep it feeling busy enough. If it were much larger - there could be large areas that might not stay real busy. Another thing I like after having looked at the plans a little longer is the "steps" or seating areas going right down into the river. That will be a great place to just hang out. It looks like an exciting place. It'll be great to see it happen and especially as it gets completed with the commercial and residential development of the Banks next door. I can't wait to get over to visit it and see it being built and then to enjoy it when it is done.

StevenW

June 14th, 2008, 01:08 AM

Great news on the waterfront park development and the 41 story tower. :)

Cincinnatus

June 14th, 2008, 02:50 AM

Great news on the waterfront park development and the 41 story tower. :)

What about the $1 billion-dollar mixed use development between the parks? :guns1: Out of the "big 3" this is my fav.

... also, the streetcar is getting very close! ... probably the best out of the 4, really.

Dale

June 16th, 2008, 05:38 AM

^ Tell me about the streetcar. And how close to becoming a reality ?

Thanks.

Dale

June 17th, 2008, 05:33 AM

Hello ?

Cincinnatus

June 17th, 2008, 03:15 PM

Hello ?

Here you go ... all 150 pages!

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,9.4470.html

Dale

June 17th, 2008, 06:18 PM

Thanks for that! However, I got the impression that streetcars are very much up in the air from what I read.

Cincinnatus

June 17th, 2008, 08:22 PM

Thanks for that! However, I got the impression that streetcars are very much up in the air from what I read.

No, not at all. The city approved the plan, has financing lined up for part of the project and is seeking out financing for the rest of the project. It's going to happen.

Dale

June 18th, 2008, 03:38 AM

Good news then.

Cincinnatus

June 26th, 2008, 11:46 PM

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3170.0;attach=4964;image

Cincinnatus

July 13th, 2008, 06:30 PM

Demolition started yesterday to make way for Queen City Square:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3170.0;attach=5053;image

ljubav_aha

September 2nd, 2008, 05:31 AM

the city needs to pay attention to the bank area,river side-line is totaly forgotten,there is no decent "touch" of horticulture

what is going on with plan about financing urgent changes and reconstructins of two bridges I-75 hghw and it's naighbour bridge with RR and hgwy transit ?
first two top bridges on the picture

http://www.cincinnati-transit.net/ln95.jpg

Cincinnatus

September 2nd, 2008, 07:07 PM

the city needs to pay attention to the bank area,river side-line is totaly forgotten,there is no decent "touch" of horticulture

Read up-thread ...

http://207.250.90.73/mjpg/video.mjpg

I don't understand what you're asking in the rest of your response?

ljubav_aha

September 2nd, 2008, 10:11 PM

Read up-thread ...

http://207.250.90.73/mjpg/video.mjpg

I don't understand what you're asking in the rest of your response?

do you know what is horticulture ?

Cincinnatus

September 2nd, 2008, 11:59 PM

do you know what is horticulture ?

And do you know what the Cincinnati Riverfront Park is?

ljubav_aha

September 3rd, 2008, 02:04 AM

And do you know what the Cincinnati Riverfront Park is?

^^ park ,that makes sense ,indeed

I was refering to muddy riverside :)

Cincinnatus

September 3rd, 2008, 02:19 AM

^^ park ,that makes sense ,indeed

I was refering to muddy riverside :)

Yeah, that's what we call "construction."

ljubav_aha

September 3rd, 2008, 01:46 PM

Yeah, that's what we call "construction."

nope,riverside is muddy since I know this city

Cincinnatus

September 3rd, 2008, 03:02 PM

nope,riverside is muddy since I know this city

You obviously don't know what this is:

http://www.crpark.org/slide_show/index.html

You can stop trolling now ...

MilwaukeeD

September 3rd, 2008, 09:02 PM

quick question for you folks. i'm coming to town in a few weeks to catch some Reds v. Brewers games. I'm staying at the Marriott in Covington, but heard that the Roebling Suspension Bridge is closed right now...is that true? Can you still walk over it?

seicer

September 4th, 2008, 02:35 AM

seicer

September 4th, 2008, 02:38 AM

The Banks (http://urbanup.net/index.php?cityID=8&ID=333)

The Banks is a planned 15-acre mixed-use development between the Paul Brown Stadium and the Great American Ballpark, situated between Second Street and the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio. First proposed in 1999, a host of problems besieged the project for years, including disputes between the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, financing issues, threats from Congress, lawsuits, and developer drop-outs.

Ground was finally broken on April 2, 2008 and construction is just now beginning on Phase One of the infill development.

Check out the new Banks (http://urbanup.net/index.php?cityID=8&ID=333) landing page that contains an exhaustive history of the development, along with renderings of the past and present. Photographs will be added throughout the construction process.

--

As a side note, check out the new UrbanUp Blog (http://urbanup.net/index.php#19). It now features commenting abilities, where unregistered users can add in comments on entries (I am working on the registration form tonight). I will be updating this regularly -- not just with site updates. Enjoy!

ljubav_aha

September 4th, 2008, 05:05 AM

You obviously don't know what this is:

http://www.crpark.org/slide_show/index.html

You can stop trolling now ...

I am not trolling

why are you still writing about the same place,it is beautiful,BUT I am writting about muddy and bushy riverside/line,take a look from Covington,maybe you will finally figure it out

seicer

September 4th, 2008, 01:59 PM

You have no idea what you are talking about, again. Have you not walked along the riverfront in Cincinnati? Or are you referring to the massive dirt lot that will be Phase One of the Banks?

Cincinnatus

September 4th, 2008, 02:33 PM

I am not trolling

Sure you are ... you aren't offering any thing constructive to what's not already being done. Your mood and intentions are obvious, now f*cking move on.

ljubav_aha

September 4th, 2008, 04:15 PM

You have no idea what you are talking about, again. Have you not walked along the riverfront in Cincinnati? Or are you referring to the massive dirt lot that will be Phase One of the Banks?

I do not,I allready wrote it

ljubav_aha

September 4th, 2008, 04:17 PM

Sure you are ... you aren't offering any thing constructive to what's not already being done. Your mood and intentions are obvious, now f*cking move on.

I wrote in previous post,take a look from covington side

seicer

September 4th, 2008, 05:12 PM

I can't even understand half of your posts. Judging from your posting history, neither do many others. Just place this user on ignore, it's simple, easy and keeps down the drama.

ljubav_aha

September 4th, 2008, 09:47 PM

^^ "drama" :gaah::lol:

Cincinnatus

September 4th, 2008, 10:43 PM

I can't even understand half of your posts. Judging from your posting history, neither do many others. Just place this user on ignore, it's simple, easy and keeps down the drama.

Oooh! I forgot about that feature! Done!

seicer

September 27th, 2008, 02:27 AM

Gateway Quarter (http://urbanup.net/index.php?cityID=8&ID=320)

The Gateway Quarter is a mixed-use development project bounded by Central Parkway, 13th, Vine and Race streets in Over-the-Rhine. It is being developed by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation, or 3CDC, along with The Model Group, Urban Sites, B2B Equities and Northpointe Group. The four-phase project is slated to have 400 residential units completed by 2010, with each new year coinciding with each new phase of the project.

You can read more about UrbanUp's latest addition here (http://urbanup.net/index.php?cityID=8&ID=320). Enjoy!

seicer

September 29th, 2008, 03:43 PM

Hoff Quad ground broken (http://www.xavier.edu/today/09-29-2008.cfm)
Xavier Today, September 29, 2008

The University officially kicked off the construction of the James E. Hoff, S.J., Academic Quad on Friday, Sept. 26, with a groundbreaking ceremony on the site's northwest corner. University President Michael J. Graham, S.J., blessed the site and then ceremoniously broke ground along with Board of Trustee Chairman Joseph Pichler, Capital Campaign Chairman Robert Kohlhepp, Academic Vice President and Provost Roger Fortin, Associate Provost for Student Life and Leadership Kathleen Simons, Information Resources Technician Annie Jackson, Williams College of Business Assistant Karen Menkhaus, Associate Professor of Education Leslie Prosak-Beres and Student Government Association President Craig Scanlon.

Video (http://www.xavier.edu/insidexavier/media/campus_groundbreaking/) | Photographs (http://www.xavier.edu/insidexavier/photo_gallery/campus_groundbreaking/) (includes renderings) | Fr. Graham's remarks (http://www.xavier.edu/campusuite/modules/news.cfm?action=modify&grp_id=1&news_id=6034&month=9)

seicer

October 13th, 2008, 06:07 AM

Cincinnati, Ohio (http://urbanup.net/index.php?cityID=8)
...as viewed from The View in Covington, Kentucky.

1
http://www.urbanup.net/content/20081013/photos/full_1_2695.jpg

2
http://www.urbanup.net/content/20081013/photos/full_1_5141.jpg

3
http://www.urbanup.net/content/20081013/photos/full_1_2365.jpg

Mudhen419

October 13th, 2008, 06:45 AM

Covington is a cool little town I stayed there a few years back for a wedding at the Hotel near 75 with the turning restuarant at the top of it... I remember they had a sweet basketball court out back that gave you a nice view.... Whatever Cathedral the wedding was at in Covington was beautiful

Cincinnatus

October 14th, 2008, 06:21 PM

^ The Radisson and the Cathedral Basilica.

seicer

October 21st, 2008, 10:36 PM

Although not used to its greatest extent, Cincinnati's Riverfront Transit Center (http://www.urbanup.net/index.php?cityID=8&ID=341) is an intermodal transit center along 2nd Street in downtown south of Fort Washington Way. It is adjacent to The Banks (http://www.urbanup.net/index.php?cityID=8&ID=333), a massive mixed-use development now under construction.

http://www.urbanup.net/content/20080922/photos/full_1_5241.jpg

First proposed in 1998 prior to Cinergy Field being demolished, the Riverfront Transit Center was designed to be a staging area for hundreds of buses coming to Reds and Bengals games, facilitate traffic to and from downtown Cincinnati. It was also proposed that the development be accommodating to light rail and commuter trains (http://www.urbanup.net/index.php?transportID=10), as well as a proposed Chicago-to-Cincinnati high-speed rail line (http://www.urbanup.net/index.php?transportID=11). Both of the plans were coming to fruition as a result of the city's attempts to comply with the 1991 $155 billion federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, that mandated cities reduce air pollution caused by automobile congestion or risk losing transportation funding.

Although both rail plans eventually fizzled out, the center is still being used as a staging area for hundreds of buses coming to Reds and Bengals games. Be sure to check out my latest addition to UrbanUp, Cincinnati's Riverfront Transit Center (http://www.urbanup.net/index.php?cityID=8&ID=341)!

Dale

October 22nd, 2008, 08:14 PM

Any new news on the streetcar ?

Mudhen419

October 28th, 2008, 10:49 PM

Thanks for specifyin what I was talking about Cincinnatus. Can anyone tell me if the old spaghetti factory is still in business in Cincy?

rockin'.baltimorean

December 12th, 2008, 06:17 AM

what's going on with the Great American Insurance Building at Queen City Square? no pics? this is a new tallest for you guys, right? one would think that this thread would've gotten more posts than this.....

StevenW

December 20th, 2008, 05:23 PM

Have you guys ever seen this article? I ran up on it a while ago.
Here it is:

Cincinnati’s tallest skyscraper taking root in finely tuned productionA towering task
Business Courier of Cincinnati - by Laura Baverman Staff Reporter
Might as well call Bob Grace a conductor.

Assigned to bring Cincin*nati’s tallest skyscraper out of the ground, he orchestrates hundreds of contractors, an intense time schedule, tight staging area and the technically challenging assemblage of the building’s crown jewel – the tiara that pays homage to the city’s legacy. The Turner Construction executive oversees development of the Great American Tower at Queen City Square.

“(It) will change the skyline of Cincinnati,” Grace said.

Twenty-five years since Western & Southern Financial Group awarded Turner and HOK the landmark project, construction has begun. By 2011, the 800,000-square-foot office tower will soar 660 feet, 86 feet above the peak of downtown’s Carew Tower. The road there depends on careful planning by Grace and his team of 15 construction managers.

Address: 301 E. Fourth
There is no clear definition of a skyscraper. Some say it’s any building exceeding 500 feet in height. Others define a skyscraper by its impact on a city’s skyline.

Tower construction in the U.S. began soon after the first elevators were installed in 1857. But the first modern skyscrapers came when engineers began using iron and steel to construct buildings.

Turner Construction has built 11 of the world’s 100 tallest buildings and will finish work on the $4.1 billion Burj Dubai in 2009. Its height, likely to top 2,600 feet, is a secret. Saudi Arabia is already out to top it, proposing a building called Mile High Tower to double Burj Dubai’s size.

The last skyscraper built in Cincinnati was 312 Elm St., home of the Cincinnati Enquirer, completed in 1992.

Turner personnel
Turner has brought one of the company’s most experienced high-rise contractors to assist the process. Jasper Defazio, a 33-year Turner veteran, has led the construction of buildings in Dubai, Taiwan and New York City. Grace has some experience with high-rise construction, too. He helped build downtown’s 26-story U.S. Bank Tower as a co-op student at the University of Cincinnati.

Subcontractors
The largest subcontracts, for steel, curtainwall and concrete, have been awarded to Owen Steel in Columbia, S.C., Antamex in Toronto and Baker Concrete Construction in Monroe. No local companies could handle the enormous steel or curtainwall requirement, Grace said.

“You can’t afford to have a problem, so you don’t take a whole lot of chances,” Grace said. He expects to award more than $200 million in core and shell work to up to 30 prime subcontractors and 150 second-tier companies. During the peak of construction in March 2010, 750 people will work on site. The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority requires Turner to pay prevailing wage and meet small- and minority- business requirements.

Tons of structural steel 6,000
Tons of reinforcing steel 5,000
Cubic yards of concrete 62,000
Sq. ft. of curtainwall 320,000

Joe Hummel, executive director of Allied Construction Industries, expects the project to add to the local labor force. “The good news is it’s a major construction project that will employ thousands of people. The bad news is it’s a major project that we don’t have experience in building,” he said.

Preconstruction is the most difficult task. Turner must factor price escalation, subcontractor participation, cost management, scheduling and green-building standards. In addition, international building codes changed in 2007, so all initial design plans had to be altered.

Model
Turner and HOK looked to the ABN AMRO Plaza in Chicago as a benchmark for the construction and design of the tiara. It has a significant architectural piece on top and a shell of curtainwall.

The tiara alone will cost $3M to $5M.

Grace calls the tiara the most technically challenging aspect of the building’s construction. Spanning 130 feet by 130 feet and 250 tons, the tiara will be installed with electrical wiring mounted on it. Shipped from its manufacturer in Columbia, Mo., it will be partially assembled on the roof of the building’s adjacent parking garage, 11 stories off the ground. A crane will lift it in chunks, and contractors will piece it together over three months in the summer and fall of 2010.

The tiara will weigh 250 tons.

Crane schemes
Four cranes will be used and will be tied to the structure every 50 feet to 75 feet. The largest, to hoist the tiara into place, will be on the north side.

As many as four temporary elevators will be installed in September 2009 to get workers to workstations high in the building. Even with the elevators, it might take 60 minutes to get some workers to their stations.

Turner considered two structural methods. The first – a steel frame with concrete encasement. The second – the method eventually selected – a stiff concrete core with elevators in the shaft. Here, the center of the building takes most of the structural load, eliminating the need for interior columns above the eighth level. Steelwork, which will follow about six floors behind the concrete, supports the floors. At street level, the building will look similar to 303 Broadway with granite and punch windows, aluminum framing and glass. The curtainwall enclosure begins at the fifth floor and continues to the top. When concrete work reaches the 16th floor, curtainwall contractors will begin.

Leed
The tower is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council for its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. Green efforts include the installation of efficient heating and cooling systems, the use of coated, insulated glass to avoid heat transfer, a fresh air monitoring system on each floor, use of materials with low volatile organic compounds and recycled content and water conservation techniques.

After demolishing the parking garage on the site, O’Rourke Wrecking Co. has recycled the debris into material that can be used in the building’s construction.

Staging area
The building is similar in size to Paul Brown Stadium. While the stadium is six stories high and wide, this building is 41 stories with 26,000-square-foot floor plates. It’s easier to move horizontally than vertically, Grace said. The city has closed the sidewalk and curb lane on Fourth and Sycamore streets, giving Turner 25 feet for trucks to make deliveries to the site. Materials cannot be stored on the site, so careful scheduling is required.

Turner will spend $35,000 on temporary docks to facilitate the process.

Materials costs
Turner locked prices in early by ordering materials when it began a University of Kentucky project. But some material costs already had risen as much as 40 percent from September 2007 to May 2008. Western & Southern chose to overspend on three areas: 28 elevators with fast call times, curtainwall cladding and the tiara.

Land investment $22 million
Construction costs $260 million
Design costs $9 million
Financing costs $18.5 million
Soft costs $13 million

Financing
The building and land will be owned by the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, which has the ability to issue the necessary lease bonds. A contract with Western & Southern will allow the firm to master-lease it, said Susan Thomas, the Port’s director of public finance. Western & Southern bears the burden of cost overruns.

The building’s construction is financed through:

City grant $3.8 million
Port-issued lease bonds $220 million
Tax increment financing $54 million
Western & Southern* $39.8 million

*half is land value

Time schedule
Workers will be on site from 5 a.m. to dusk. There is no accelerated construction built into the budget. Priority will be placed on the concrete and steel work.

“Until you get the structural trades up, there isn’t any place for anyone to do their work. They create new space,” Grace said.

Weather is the biggest challenge to staying on schedule. Turner plans for 20 to 30 days of high winds, freezing rain or sleet that could prevent steel erection from happening. Concrete can be poured in the rain or snow. A temporary roof might be installed above the 20th floor so tenant work can begin on the lower levels.

September to January 2008: Excavation, digging of a 50- to 65-foot hole.

January 2009: Mat footing concrete pour – a 24-hour continuous concrete pour will happen in January. Up to 30 trucks will line up to pour the foundation, six feet of concrete to form the base of the building.

2009: Vertical construction.

Mid-2010: Steel tops out.

December 2010: Shell complete.

Early 2011: Begin moving tenants into building.

End of 2012: 100 percent occupancy.

8,600 people will work in the building. Those workers will generate $55 million in taxes to the city over a 10-year period. Their salaries will pump $1.4 million annually to Cincinnati Public Schools.

lbaverman@bizjournals.com | (513) 337-9431

http://assets.bizjournals.com/story_image/211567-300-0-2.jpg
http://assets.bizjournals.com/story_image/211566-300-0-2.jpg
http://assets.bizjournals.com/story_image/211565-300-0-2.jpg

:)

Brisbaner21

December 21st, 2008, 04:48 AM

I was checking out UrbanOhio, lol yes an Australian checks in on this stuff. I was reading, Cincinnati currently has 8 cranes in the CBD. That is great! How many are up for the Banks project?

Cincinnatus

December 24th, 2008, 04:43 AM

I was checking out UrbanOhio, lol yes an Australian checks in on this stuff. I was reading, Cincinnati currently has 8 cranes in the CBD. That is great! How many are up for the Banks project?

About 4 or 5.

Cincinnatus

January 20th, 2009, 05:33 PM

The Banks Update:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn191/CWMccann18/Personal/BanksConstruction.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn191/CWMccann18/Personal/BanksConstruction002.jpg

quigley

January 20th, 2009, 07:27 PM

This is so exciting!

The park starts construction this year as well correct?

Cincinnatus

January 21st, 2009, 12:52 AM

This is so exciting!

The park starts construction this year as well correct?

Yes, groundbreaking was this past September.

Dale

January 21st, 2009, 12:53 AM

Just get the streetcar going and Cincy's got the total package.

Cincinnatus

January 21st, 2009, 01:26 AM

Just get the streetcar going and Cincy's got the total package.

Seriously. Connecting all of this with rail ... and you cannot go wrong.

cwilson758

January 21st, 2009, 09:48 PM

I can't believe that they finally started The Banks project. I look forward to seeing how this shapes out.

I so wish Indy didn't ignore its River.

Cashville

March 25th, 2009, 04:13 AM

This thread seems dead, but I will give it a shot anyway. Do any of you Cincinnati folks know where I can find a good picture of the skyline from I-75/71 in Kentucky. I was in Cincy over the weekend and love how the skyline smacks you in the face with the Cincy/NKY skylines blending together and the highrises on the hills overlooking the city in the background.

Ive been trying to find one on the internet since Ive been home, but cant find one to do it justice. Seems they are either aerials or from a different angle all together. I would prefer a daytime shot if you guys know of any.

cwilson758

April 6th, 2009, 06:38 PM

Is Queen City Square, Phase II U/C?

quigley

April 6th, 2009, 09:41 PM

Yes check out this thread for the latest construction updates:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=3170.1860

cwilson758

April 8th, 2009, 03:41 PM

^^

Thanks

Whosville

May 4th, 2009, 11:31 PM

Thought I would post this in all three forums (Cincy, Louisville, Lexington) since this affects all of them and would draw from all three. Seems to me to be one of the first things officially placed in the triangle with the purpose of drawing from the triangle and it looks closer and closer to happening all the time:

SMI willing to move one of its races to Kentucky (http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/9535254/SMI-willing-to-move-one-of-its-races-to-Kentucky)

Mudhen419

May 6th, 2009, 07:25 AM

Im goin to a Reds game this weekend with a friend.... andy recomendations on whre to eat after the game?? somewhere within walking distance of the Great american Ball Park

Mudhen419

August 19th, 2009, 08:53 AM

Nothin huh?? I went down there and there wasnt much within a few blocks of the stadium..... The place we went to wasnt that great. and expensive wish i could remember the name of the place..... I just remember it was right across from the stadium about a block up... There was some construction goin on across the street looked like the were adding onto/renovating something

Cincinnatus

October 10th, 2009, 07:53 AM