Tag: developments

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Business Development News

Nolen Park development to complete Mariemont’s original town plan

In 1862 an 18-year-old Brooklynite named Mary Hopkins came to Cincinnati with ideas for a walkable community in her new home. Long story short, she soon became Mary Emery, one of Cincinnati’s most celebrated philanthropists, and is credited with founding the planned community of Mariemont.

She was at the groundbreaking of the neigborhood in 1923. 90 years later, Mariemont is a walkable community worth emulating, and its newest development, Emery Park, will help to finally complete Mary Emery’s original town plan. In conjunction with North American Properties, Cincinnati-based Greiwe Development Group broke ground for the $12 million project on August 31, 2010 and it is expected to be complete this November.

Emery Park is an extension of the Village Square, and thanks to CR Architecture + Design, continues the tradition of Tudor Revival design signature to the Mariemont community. Developers tout the project as having interior features open one-level floor plans with expansive windows, large balconies, and immaculate finishes, providing both a perfect space and location for Baby Boomers. To date, nearly one-third of the 31 units of been sold.

“Emery Park is the realization of Mary Emery’s vision for downtown Mariemont, and 90 years later, we’re able to say that we have fulfilled a part of her well-designed plan for this walkable community,” said Rick Greiwe, principal of Greiwe Development Group.

Emery Park is one of three condominium complexes in Mariemont that have been built by the development team. The first of which, Jordan Park, was dedicated in October 2008 and has since sold all 26 of its residences. The other, Nolen Park, is slated to break ground in spring of 2012 and has already sold six of the 29 units. And developers say that all of the developments are available in one to three bedroom floor plans with energy-efficient materials to provide residents with comfortable, low-maintenance living.

The project is in partnership with Greiwe Development, Sibcy Cline and North American Properties. Sibcy Cline listing agents are Patti Harrier and Elaine Greiwe. Homes at Emery Park start at $295,000 and open houses take place at the Mariemont Lifestyle Sales Center each Sunday from 1pm to 4pm at 3514 West Street.

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Development News

Green home show enters second weekend in historic Columbia Tusculum

Following the success of recent CitiRama home showcases, the City of Cincinnati has decided to present another urban home show but this time with a decidedly more green focus. The new Greenarama Home Show first opened to the public this past weekend, and still has one more weekend for public viewing.

Organizers say that Greenarama is the first home show of its kind which focuses on green homes built pursuing LEED for Homes certification. In total there are nine homes constructed, by five builders, along Strafer Street in Cincinnati’s historic Columbia Tusculum neighborhood.


2011 Greenarama home at 463 Strafer Street.

One of the three-story townhomes has already sold, but the remaining eight feature outdoor space, state-of-the-art green technology and modern finishes meant to accentuate the urban location.

Organizers say that beyond Columbia Tusculum’s urban location, it also boasts inherently green lifestyle features that have made the neighborhood a destination for new homebuyers. Within a short walk of the Greenarama homes is the new Columbia Square development, dozens of neighborhood businesses, Alms Park and Riverside Academy Elementary School.

Those interested in seeing the new green homes first-hand can still do so this weekend. Tickets cost $10 per person (children under 12 years of age are free) with all proceeds going to benefit the Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation.

The 2011 Greenaram Home Show will be open on Friday from 2pm to 9pm, Saturday from 12pm to 9pm and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm. Tickets can be purchased online or at the event.

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Business Development News

Capital Shoe Repair heals the sole in OTR’s Gateway Quarter

Capital Shoe Repair in the Gateway Quarter, picture by Jenny Kessler for UrbanCincy

Worn footwear, busted purses and torn leather car interiors will live to see another day, thanks to leather extraordinaire and soul musician James Napier and Capital Shoe Repair & Shine Parlors.

Though believed by many to have gone the way of the milkman or the service station attendant, there is strong evidence to the contrary at 1344 Vine Street. Business is good, the door is open and Napier can’t finish a sentence without returning a wave to someone on the street, signifying Capital is in good company. “The neighborhood is great,” said Napier.

The Northside native was in the market to open a second location to supplement the original Capital Shoe Repair downtown and decided on the Vine Street location after a friend insisted he take a drive through Over-the-Rhine.


Capital Shoe Repair [LEFT] in the Gateway Quarter of historic Over-the-Rhine. Photograph by Jenny Kessler for UrbanCincy.

“I hadn’t even considered Vine a possibility. I had been on the road playing music for three years and when I came home I was surprised to see the neighborhood had come such a long way,” he said.

Napier has traveled all over the Midwest promoting his other passion: soul music. He’s been playing piano and guitar almost as long as he’s been in the shoe repair business – almost.

Capital opened in October 2010, but Napier’s been honing his craft for 37 years. His father, Frenchman Napier, opened Frenchman’s Shoe Repair of Covington, Kentucky in 1969, and laid the foundation for a family tradition.

“My first experience was at my father’s shop. I was fourteen years old and he had left to run some errands and put me in charge. Up until this point I had never operated any of the machines, my father thought I was too young. As soon as he left, I went to the Good Will next door and bought a small, decorative metal shoe and took it back to the shop. I used a scrap of leather and the trimming machine to put a sole and a heel on it,” said Napier.

Napier reached under the counter and showed the metal shoe with a flawless sole and heel attached; his first work, the passing of the shoe. “When he came back I showed him what I had done, he was impressed,” he added.

Impressed indeed. Two businesses and eight soul albums later, James Napier has still got it. He now divides his time equally between the original Capital Shoe Repair on 221 E. 4th Street (8am to 1pm) and the new Over-the-Rhine location (1pm to 8pm) and will mend anything from shoes to baseball gloves – just drop bye and say hello.

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Development News

First phase of Cincinnati Riverfront Park quickly becoming reality

The first phase of The Banks has made dramatic progress in 2011, and has even welcomed its first residents and businesses over the past one to two months. Meanwhile, the new $120 million Cincinnati Riverfront Park (CRP) has also seen significant progress made on its first phase of work.

Project manager Dave Prather gives another visual tour of the construction progress at the CRP, and specifically highlights the rise of the Moerlein Lager House, demolition of the old Mehring Way, Jacob G. Schmidlapp Stage & Event Lawn, Women’s Committee Garden and the Walnut Street Fountain & Steps.

Most noteworth, Prather says that the first elements of the park will be completed by the next video update, and that the event lawn will be recognizable within two weeks. The event lawn will host its first public concert on Thursday, May 26 from 5:30pm to 9pm during Riverfront Fusion.

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Development News

Over-the-Rhine condominium development to be converted into 16 apartments

Urban Sites completed the renovation of 16 condominium units at the Belmain Building approximately one-and-a-half years ago. The residential project has struggled with condo sales, and is now being transitioned to apartment units in a better performing rental market.

As a result Urban Sites and the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) decided to transition the 16 residential units to rental properties just over a month ago. That decision has proved fruitful as NorthPointe Group has been able to lease 70 percent of the units thus far and has applications on the rest.

“The demand to live in Over-the-Rhine is incredible,” according to NorthPointe Group leasing agent JT Barse. “This is a place where people want to be, and a lifestyle that people want where they can be close to work and close to where they want to be after work.”

Even though many are moving into Over-the-Rhine to be close to work, Barse notes that some of the new residents moving in are just trying to take advantage of the urban lifestyle, and are reverse commuting to their jobs elsewhere.

“People have loved Belmain because they love being by Park+Vine and Neons Unplugged, and they love being on Main Street where it has such a vibrant community,” Barse continued. “Many people just want to live smart by being where they want to be.” The evidence of this smart living trend can be found in the projects for which NorthPointe Group is responsible.

The 48 rental units in Parvis Lofts filled up before the first unit was completed, and the development group is planning to add an additional eight to ten residential units behind Republic Street. Belmain’s 16 units will also be completely full by the time the first resident is able to move in on June 1.

Similar to the success at Parvis and Belmain, developers at The Banks saw 60 percent of its 300-unit first phase gobbled up before the first residents could move in. The success of the rental units in particular, Barse believes, is due to the demographics looking to move into the urban core.

“People are really recognizing that this is a great place to live, and for some people, it has been difficult to find this kind of quality at this price point. Plus, the success of downtown is helping drive success in OTR, and it’s all rolling together to be a good center city.”

LEED Silver-certified Belmain building photograph by Thadd Fiala for UrbanCincy.