Liberty Town Center - Looks like it will actually happen (Columbus: condos, home)

[WheresTheBeef]

Originally Posted by SWOH

Exactly. Easton is Les' baby, and probably will be the best shopping area this state will see for a generation.

Liberty Town Center will be very much akin to The Greene. Same developer, same feel, etc.

I'm a little surprised they weren't able to get Von Maur (supposedly the Nordstrom of the Midwest) and Macy's for their anchors. That makes me a little skeptical about how great this project is going to be. Being in their home town, you would think Macy's would jump right on that location if it was that great.

One thing that makes Easton work is that it is a destination, and in Columbus you can get to basically everything within 30 minutes. Given the terrain in Cincinnati, a drive up there would seem to be a little bit of a chore. I don't know how all the entertainment and restaurants are going to fare for that reason.

[SWOH]

^I am too. Maybe because Von Maur is already at The Greene? I don't know.

Since Saks officially backed out of the Kenwood Collection, it would not surprise me to see Von Maur swoop in and pick up that space. As for Liberty Town Center right now all they have is a relocated Dillard's from Tri-County. And a lot of the reason why there is probably because of Dillard's awkward spot in the mall (no street visibility, no surface parking, etc.). Really surprised they could not draw in Macy's.

Regardless, if it turns into more of a residential/entertainment district, that seems a lot more beneficial to that area and the metro as a whole instead of a heavy retail focus. If done well, maybe Brill is right and it could better encourage that type of living in the area and help propel the Hamilton revitalization. Who knows?

[maxmodder]

Originally Posted by TheMahValley

Not even close. Just look at the retail tenants they have signed up. Easton is far more established, and with the way retail is going these days, it will never "catch up" to Easton. At least Liberty has gone ahead and added some pedestrian activities outside of parking lots/garages. Nice park spaces, fountains, etc will enhance the feel of the place.

Still would take Cincinnati any day of the week over this place. Sorry, some of us don't care for the suburbs. We get it, the nice folks that live in Mason love to bash Cincinnati, but it's not ok for the "city trash" to express their opinions on the suburbs.

A bit of a pre-mature statement on my part. I naturally assumed that the builders would look at the Easton model, which has been a success, and essentially make a better version. The pedestrian activities sounds like a good start, now they need to work on their sales pitch and get more big name retail players in there. As for Lex, he has a lil something going on in New Albany, but I still prefer Dublin over it.

[WheresTheBeef]

Originally Posted by maxmodder

A bit of a pre-mature statement on my part. I naturally assumed that the builders would look at the Easton model, which has been a success, and essentially make a better version. The pedestrian activities sounds like a good start, now they need to work on their sales pitch and get more big name retail players in there. As for Lex, he has a lil something going on in New Albany, but I still prefer Dublin over it.

Easton is a once in a generation project. It is very difficult to get enough critical mass to put something like that together. I see it being more like The Greene than like Easton. How are you going to get everything from offices, to upscale retailers to car dealers all in the same place. (Although I noticed that Germain, the car dealer at Easton, is now in Beavercreek.)

Easton is still expanding - the Gateway just opened as a mini Easton and I noticed Dick's and Jos A. Banks moved across the street to the new project. Whole Foods, Field and Stream and Costco there too.

I like the project, but remember one thing: People who live in high priced homes don't want to live around places like Easton. Easton, The Greene, Liberty and all the rest of them will follow the normal lifecycle of new, --> mature --> Ghetto like all the rest.

[maxmodder]

Originally Posted by WheresTheBeef

Easton is a once in a generation project. It is very difficult to get enough critical mass to put something like that together. I see it being more like The Greene than like Easton. How are you going to get everything from offices, to upscale retailers to car dealers all in the same place. (Although I noticed that Germain, the car dealer at Easton, is now in Beavercreek.)

Easton is still expanding - the Gateway just opened as a mini Easton and I noticed Dick's and Jos A. Banks moved across the street to the new project. Whole Foods, Field and Stream and Costco there too.

I like the project, but remember one thing: People who live in high priced homes don't want to live around places like Easton. Easton, The Greene, Liberty and all the rest of them will follow the normal lifecycle of new, --> mature --> Ghetto like all the rest.

You can already see it happening near Easton. I remember one time in particular across the street from Easton at the Wal-mart parking lot. It was like 5 degrees outside and some middle aged man driving an old rusted out Cutlass Supreme with the windows down is blasting his Dr. Dre album while driving up and down the parking aisles. The sound system had to be 5x the cost of the car. I don't know if he was trying to impress the ghetto ladies with his ghetto approach or what, but the whole scene was just awkward. On one side of the street I'm drinking Pierre water while I pick up a gift from Tiffany's for my wife, and on the other side of the street I'm experiencing a "Boyz n the Hood" moment. You couldn't make this stuff up.

[WheresTheBeef]

Originally Posted by maxmodder

You can already see it happening near Easton. I remember one time in particular across the street from Easton at the Wal-mart parking lot. It was like 5 degrees outside and some middle aged man driving an old rusted out Cutlass Supreme with the windows down is blasting his Dr. Dre album while driving up and down the parking aisles. The sound system had to be 5x the cost of the car. I don't know if he was trying to impress the ghetto ladies with his ghetto approach or what, but the whole scene was just awkward. On one side of the street I'm drinking Pierre water while I pick up a gift from Tiffany's for my wife, and on the other side of the street I'm experiencing a "Boyz n the Hood" moment. You couldn't make this stuff up.

That location might be a challenge in the long run, but then again it might not since the river separates Easton from the 'hood. I do know that something like that would NEVER end up in New Albany. They don't want it. They don't want the traffic, the dirt and the riff raff something like a mall brings. Almost all wealthy communities are like this. They like things low key. My point being, since something like that will never end up in New Albany, that might be the place where it always stays just because there's nowhere else for something like that to go.

It would be funny if Germain moved over to The Greene.

[maxmodder]

Originally Posted by WheresTheBeef

That location might be a challenge in the long run, but then again it might not since the river separates Easton from the 'hood. I do know that something like that would NEVER end up in New Albany. They don't want it. They don't want the traffic, the dirt and the riff raff something like a mall brings. Almost all wealthy communities are like this. They like things low key. My point being, since something like that will never end up in New Albany, that might be the place where it always stays just because there's nowhere else for something like that to go.

It would be funny if Germain moved over to The Greene.

I agree. I use to live in New Albany and enjoyed my time there and you definitely won't ever see an indoor shopping mall spring up there.

[TheMahValley]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

Yes, because you have zero to contribute to the suburbs. Whenever you wake up and realiaze without the suburbs Cincy is going down the tubes, maybe we could have some meaningful dialogue. Until then we will keep on the same pace.

Just like you have ZERO (repeat that 10 times because it couldn't be more true) to contribute to the city.

Get out and see the world. You do not know me at all. You seem to have an issue with throwing these personal assumptions that you actually know the people in these threads. You might want to check yourself before you do that again.

Get back to me when you actually understand urban life. Until then, continue making the inane comments on city life like you do. It is comical, so thank you.

[TheMahValley]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

Those of us born and raised in Cincinnati all of our lives have a Hell of a lot more feeling for a what a Cincinnatian is than those who can barely claim Cincinnati as home. Multiple generations have lived here. These are the ones who define Cincinnati, not those who constantly want to change it into something else.
Sorry, but in my mind the suburbs define what Cincinnati is today.

You don't even know what Cincinnati is today. Because you read urban development websites you think you know what is going on? No, and that is evident every time you talk about the city of Cincinnati. And don't tell anyone they can't claim Cincinnati as home. I am sure most have done more for the city in the last decade than you have done for Mason. Oh, and you have done this before, too, but if any outsider wants to comment on Cincinnati issues they can. You have no authority to tell people where they can and cannot post.

[TheMahValley]

Originally Posted by maxmodder

A bit of a pre-mature statement on my part. I naturally assumed that the builders would look at the Easton model, which has been a success, and essentially make a better version. The pedestrian activities sounds like a good start, now they need to work on their sales pitch and get more big name retail players in there. As for Lex, he has a lil something going on in New Albany, but I still prefer Dublin over it.

It was nice to see they had added the people aspects to this environment like the green space and water features. I am not against this development at all, I just like to call northern suburban residents out who bash and hate on the city of Cincinnati.

I had no clue something was going on in New Albany. It will probably be a few years into this development (Liberty) before you see how the retail mix works out. You already have some anchors (which are far from impressive) that can be found in any good size shopping center. Kenwood still will be the shopping destination, and they are going through a major expansion. Give it some time. I believe residential will be going in to Liberty as well.