Development News (Cincinnati, Ada, Wilson: sale, foreclosures, leases)

[flashes1]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

Outstanding news for the city, downtown and the Fifth & Race area in particular:

DunnhumbyUSA picks Fifth and Race | Cincinnati.com | cincinnati.com

I'm happy that 3CDC is going to be behind the development of this building. But I'm even more thrilled that Dunnhumby is the primary tennant. They will do nothing short of demand the most dynamic building possible, since their company's creativity feeds off their work space. The story indicates that retail space will be a component of this new development but I hope they consider adding residential too. A 20-something story tower with some residential floors is EXACTLY what is needed at this space. And, judging from the wild success at The Banks, OTR and elsewhere downtown, the residential would be in very high demand.

Frankly, downtown Cincinnati is on a roll.

When it comes to new projects, the operative word now is: Next ...

Be nice to have a tower in that part of the city near the convention center as most of the recent development has been in the Banks and in east part of downtown. If I was in my 20's, Dunnhumby is where I would want to work....maybe even ahead of P&G.

[progmac]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

Outstanding news for the city, downtown and the Fifth & Race area in particular:

DunnhumbyUSA picks Fifth and Race | Cincinnati.com | cincinnati.com

I'm happy that 3CDC is going to be behind the development of this building. But I'm even more thrilled that Dunnhumby is the primary tennant. They will do nothing short of demand the most dynamic building possible, since their company's creativity feeds off their work space. The story indicates that retail space will be a component of this new development but I hope they consider adding residential too. A 20-something story tower with some residential floors is EXACTLY what is needed at this space. And, judging from the wild success at The Banks, OTR and elsewhere downtown, the residential would be in very high demand.

Frankly, downtown Cincinnati is on a roll.

When it comes to new projects, the operative word now is: Next ...

From what I understand, the building is going to be four or five stories. That site is bbbiigggggg and I think each floor will be quite expansive.

Edit: i just reread the article. I guess Dunnhumby needs four or five stories but the building will be bigger than that to accomodate other undefined tenants.

....I wonder if they will reconnect the skywalk?

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by CinciFan

That is the Fountain Square West site, right? God, that would be awesome to have that tower built...

Yes, that is Fountain Square West and the air rights above Macy's. The lobby for the tower is already there, where the Tiffany's, Macy's and Palomino entrances are.

Here is an early rendering (at least 12 years old) of what a proposed building at the site would have looked like.

Redirect Notice

And this ... not sure what that other building is sitting smack dab on Fountain Square:

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl...20&tx=99&ty=49

Here is another way early monstrosity that was envisioned for the site - a sort of aquarium/conservatory hybrid:

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl...20&tx=95&ty=77

[jmecklenborg]

The first one is the original circa 1991 Fountain Square West tower by architect Helmut Jahn. I see that the base looks similar to the department store that is there, but the Macy's store that opened in 1997 was not designed to accomodate a tower of this scale.

The second drawing is a still from a 1998 promo video for the CAC's Unbuilt Cincinnati exhibit. The building at right is one of the original buildings that faced the Fountain Square esplanade, before the new square was built in the late 1960s.

The third drawing, of the maligned Ewok Village, was from around 1994. Obviously that drawing was made with colored pencils, a year or two before computers completely took over, which makes the proposal look older than it is.

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

The first one is the original circa 1991 Fountain Square West tower by architect Helmut Jahn. I see that the base looks similar to the department store that is there, but the Macy's store that opened in 1997 was not designed to accomodate a tower of this scale.

The second drawing is a still from a 1998 promo video for the CAC's Unbuilt Cincinnati exhibit. The building at right is one of the original buildings that faced the Fountain Square esplanade, before the new square was built in the late 1960s.

The third drawing, of the maligned Ewok Village, was from around 1994. Obviously that drawing was made with colored pencils, a year or two before computers completely took over, which makes the proposal look older than it is.

Hopefully it can support a building of some decent height. That space needs some height and definition. It's far too prominent to be wasted on a 3-story department store alone. If it can't support a building of the magnitude shown, hopefully it can at least support a 20-story structure in the future.

And the giant TV screen should be included in any new design.

[kjbrill]

If everything is so rosy downtown why is the 580 Building heading for Sheriff's Auction next month? Or are people believing it will be sold cheap and demolished for a much more modern and larger tower?

[neilworms2]

If everything is so rosy downtown why is the 580 Building heading for Sheriff's Auction next month? Or are people believing it will be sold cheap and demolished for a much more modern and larger tower?

Here's your answer since you're getting a bit snippy about us urbanites:

The 580 Building is a bad combination of outdated without any charm, I doubt the building is very appealing to any new businesses wanting to relocate there since Great American left, as it has few windows and probably needs a lot of updates to bring up to the standards that a big company would be looking for. I wouldn't be surprised if it was demoed or massively remodeled.

[Matthew Hall]

Originally Posted by neilworms2

Here's your answer since you're getting a bit snippy about us urbanites:

The 580 Building is a bad combination of outdated without any charm, I doubt the building is very appealing to any new businesses wanting to relocate there since Great American left, as it has few windows and probably needs a lot of updates to bring up to the standards that a big company would be looking for. I wouldn't be surprised if it was demoed or massively remodeled.

Its in a great location though. The new restaurants and shops there are doing great.

[abr7rmj]

The Reserve at Fourth and Race is also quickly moving ahead. I wouldn't expect these residences to last long.

The Reserve Cincinnati - Residences

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by CinciFan

My point was that there are empty buildings everywhere, and both Downtown and Mason are not exceptions.

Nowhere is an exception. I was in the Orlando/Tampa area a couple of weeks ago and there were plenty of vacant buildings that I saw.

My parents live in Centerville, one of the healthiest, most attractive, most desired communities in all of southwest Ohio and one of the top school systems in the state. And there are plenty of vacant storefronts there that have been empty for years. Yet Kroger just opened the largest Fresh Market store in their entire chain in Centerville in December, leaving their old location less than a half-mile away as another huge, dark, cavernous empty big-box eyesore with little hope for reuse anytime soon.

And that's just the way business operates in our society, for better or worse. If Kroger can ditch their old buildings in the suburbs, leaving them dark and empty, why can't companies do that in downtown Cincinnati? Dunnhumby wants their new space to be EXACTLY what they need, complete with large floorplates with plenty of room to grow in a downtown environment. Why should they be forced to move into an antiquated 580 Building that doesn't meet their needs?

That, to me, makes no sense. And if I have a problem with the corporate culture here, it's what corrupt Chiquita and their slimy CEO did chasing dollars all over the Eastern seaboard. Dunnhumby, a company with employees that fly internationally more than Chiquita, didn't act that way. Thankfully.

Incidentally, the 580 Building has some of the city's most popular bars, restaurants and nightclubs at its street level. It's prime location virtually assures that it will be considered in the future, and the owners should make the requisite upgrades to make their property as attractive to potential tenants as possible.