Development News (Cincinnati, Norwood, London: parties, highways, commercial)

[CinciFan]

Here's how you make a downtown office building into 2 hotels

About 10 months ago, the Business Courier reported the former Enquirer building on Vine Street would be converted into two Hilton limited-service hotels.

Parag Patel, chief finance and development officer for Charlotte, N.C.-based SREE Hotels LLC, the owner of the building, said then the project would feature two brands and would be the group’s first historic renovation and first hotel in the region.

But what does two hotel concepts in one building look like? I got the answer from the architecture firm and builder working on the project. You can click on the image at right to check out the renderings.

Source: Here's how you make a downtown office building into 2 hotels - Business Courier

[CinciFan]

Opening of OTR garage is only the beginning for 3CDC development project

A new garage with 340 parking spaces on five levels that is part of a larger redevelopment project opens today to house the cars of residents, shoppers, workers and other visitors to Over-the-Rhine.

The Mercer Garage, which will soon be hidden by new construction on Vine and Mercer streets, will be managed by Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC).

Source: Opening of OTR garage is only the beginning for 3CDC development project - Business Courier

[Scott SW Ohio]

Originally Posted by CinciFan

Smale Riverfront Park update video:


Smale Riverfront Park Spring 2013 Construction Update - YouTube


This park is turning out awesome. Once done we'll have one and a half miles of continuous riverfront parks, which will only extend if the Western Riverwalk project gets built.

Early this morning I was passing by the park and saw the barricades around the construction area were partly down. I let myself in to the newly completed section and swung on one of the big swings. When I first saw the renderings of these I thought they looked gimmicky - but you know, it's the coolest thing, swinging with that great view of the river and the Kentucky hills laid out at your feet. I highly recommend it.

[CinciFan]

Originally Posted by Scott SW Ohio

Early this morning I was passing by the park and saw the barricades around the construction area were partly down. I let myself in to the newly completed section and swung on one of the big swings. When I first saw the renderings of these I thought they looked gimmicky - but you know, it's the coolest thing, swinging with that great view of the river and the Kentucky hills laid out at your feet. I highly recommend it.

Yeah, I think they just officially opened that section today:

New Duke Energy Garden brings view, greenery to Smale Riverfront Park

I will definitely be heading down to the park this week to check it out. Looks great!

[motorman]

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs...S01/305130105/

A significant step taken in CBD-development, with the W-S purchase of Anna Louis Inn. Not to reopen this contentious 3-yr. old battle, but I personally believe that this sale will prove to be a win-win for all concerned, most of all Cincinnati.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by motorman

A significant step taken in CBD-development, with the W-S purchase of Anna Louis Inn.

Corporate bullies 1, nonprofit 0.

Wonder what they'll try to buy next? The Taft museum and the Academy of Medicine are old and in the way; let's knock 'em down!

What do you bet John Barrett gets a fat bonus at the end of the year?

but I personally believe that this sale will prove to be a win-win for all concerned, most of all Cincinnati.

What's most important is that this benefits the women that live at the Anna Louise Inn, but nobody cares about that. Out of sight, out of mind.

[unusualfire]

Corporate billies? Howdo you think our country was founded? We didn't buy it we just took it. At least W&S stopped playing low ball and got what they wanted by offering a decent price for the building that THEY wanted.

[flashes1]

This was a big win for downtown...especially for the near East end which hasn't gotten much attention recently. The redevelopment now stretches from Lytle Park in the East to Dunnhumby in the West------and OTR in the North to The Banks in the South.

My only problem with W&S was they tried to low ball Anna Louise Inn ("ALI"). ALI had a valuable asset that W&S wanted......so they should have ponied up the appropriate offer from the beginning and it would have saved them some negative press. You can't stop progress though......ALI was road blocking redevelopment of Lytle Park.......they had to move. But that's what eminent domain is for.....thankfully it wasn't needed in this situation.

[natininja]

flashes1, Ohio has stricts eminent domain laws. Either way, I would not support using ED for luxury housing! Or to just take and give to a developer. There was a Ohio Supreme Court case involving property in Norwood where property was taken to give to private developers, and it was ruled unconstitutional.

I would have supported it in the case of the streetcar shelter, were they unable to strike a deal, and I support it in the case of reconnecting Vine to Short Vine, which there is no good reason to not have happen. I hope Qualls does that. But these are issues of public facilities and right-of-way, and not for-profit housing.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by natininja

flashes1, Ohio has stricts eminent domain laws. Either way, I would not support using ED for luxury housing! Or to just take and give to a developer. There was a Ohio Supreme Court case involving property in Norwood where property was taken to give to private developers, and it was ruled unconstitutional.

I would have supported it in the case of the streetcar shelter, were they unable to strike a deal, and I support it in the case of reconnecting Vine to Short Vine, which there is no good reason to not have happen. I hope Qualls does that. But these are issues of public facilities and right-of-way, and not for-profit housing.

You are correct in your assessment. By law, ED is only supposed to be used for public works projects such as schools, bridges, street widening, new highways etc. and NOT for private use development.