Tag: urban design

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News Transportation

Designs for Brent Spence Bridge replacement narrowed to three

The Brent Spence Bridge project has been a lingering issue regionally for the past several years. The recent elevation of the $2-3 billion project by President Obama now places the replacement and rehabilitation of the 48-year-old Ohio River span on the national radar.

While all of the political debate and media coverage has been ongoing, so has development of final design options for new bridge to be built immediately west of the current Brent Spence Bridge. The six design options presented in February 2010 have now been narrowed to three finalists.

The first option (video) is a contemporary arch design similar to the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge (Big Mac Bridge) to the east. The design is favored by many for its classic look, and the opportunity it presents to create a balanced bookend to the cluster of bridges spanning the Ohio River through the region’s urban core.


Option 1 as seen from the west [LEFT], option 2 as seen from the top deck looking north [MIDDLE], and option 3 as seen from above [RIGHT].

Option two (video) is a standard cable stayed design that includes two prominent towers. The design would be similar to other bridges throughout the United States, and others planned along the Ohio River.

The third option (video) is the boldest, and most expensive, of the three alternatives. The cable stayed bridge would include just one tower structure reaching hundreds of feet into the sky and rivaling some of the city’s tallest office towers for prowess amongst Cincinnati’s famous skyline.

Complete funding and a function funding structure have yet to be identified for the Brent Spence Bridge project. Meanwhile, the designs developed by Parsons Brinkerhoff and Rosales + Partners continue to move forward. What is your preference of the three finalists?

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Arts & Entertainment News

ArchiNATI festival hopes to bring new spark to Cincinnati’s architecture scene

ArchiNATI

Cincinnati’s architectural design scene will take center stage this month at the first annual ArchiNATI architectural week: October 14 through 21.  In a week of architecture-related events bringing together relevant themes in local design, ArchiNATI will showcase Cincinnati’s rich urban history, vibrant contemporary design practices, esteemed cultural arts institutions, and world-class design education.

“We were completely amazed to learn that Cincinnati has never had an architectural festival,” remarks John Back, local proprietor and one of several coordinators for ArchiNATI, “and with all the progress and growth we’re experiencing here in Cincinnati, we think the city is certainly ready for one!”

During the week-long ArchiNATI architectural festival, local organizations such as 3CDC and the Cincinnati Preservation Association will showcase a wide range of Cincinnati’s built environment.  Partner institutions including the University of Cincinnati, the Art Academy of Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Art Museum will hold events throughout the week incorporating current themes of architecture and design in the Queen City. “and by ‘City’, we mean Cincinnati as a whole,” Back reiterates, “This is not a professional conference–this is a festival about architecture and the urban environment for EVERYONE!”

“We have a strong architecture and design community here in Cincinnati,” adds Nicholas Cristofaro, a local architectural professional and event coordinator for ArchiNATI, “and I look at this festival as a way to raise awareness about the architecture of our city, both the old and the new, as an important cultural asset.”

ArchiNATI is hosted by AIA Cincinnati’s YAiF (Young Architect’s and Intern’s Forum). Mercedeh Namei, current president of YAiF, says that the week of events will aim to spark interest in local architecture and the built environment.

In order to reach as many Cincinnatians as possible, the festival will include events all across the city including Downtown, Over-the-Rhine, the West End, Northside, Uptown and other urban neighborhoods.

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Business Development News

Moerlein Lager House takes shape at $120M Phyllis W. Smale Riverfront Park

The new 45-acre Phyllis W. Smale Riverfront Park is making tremendous progress just south of The Banks development along the Ohio River. Phase 1 of the $120 million project is now visually recognizable and the final pieces will soon come together in order to reach its projected completion date in spring 2012.

One of the most anticipated elements of phase one is the Moerlein Lager House. Once complete, the 15,000-square-foot establishment will become the region’s largest brew pub ahead of the Hofbrauhaus just across the river.

In this latest round of updates, Christian Moerlein owner Greg Hardman discusses the inspiration for the dramatic mural that will greet customers as they enter the Moerlein Lager House.

In addition to the Moerlein Lager House, phase one updates also include the Walnut Street Fountain & Stairs, Bike Mobility Center and Ohio River Trail.

Categories
Business Development News

Redevelopment work shifting north and west in historic Over-the-Rhine

The influx of investment in Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood has been profound over the past five years. Hundreds of millions of dollars have flowed into the neighborhood introducing new residential units, office and retail space.

Much of that investment has come from the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC). To date, the development corporation has rehabilitated or stabilized 74 structures throughout the historic neighborhood, and so far the success has been unprecedented for the long-troubled neighborhood.


Vine Street streetscape photograph by Jayson Gomes for Cincy Images.

More than 77 percent of the 186 condominiums have been sold, 100 percent of the 68 apartment units have been leased, and 64 percent of the more than 91,000 square feet of commercial space has been leased.

The work has primarily been focused in the southern portions of Over-the-Rhine along Vine Street and Main Street. Now development is shifting north and west as the success grows outward from the popular Gateway Quarter of Over-the-Rhine.

In the coming month work will begin on the $51 million Mercer Commons development, the second phase of Parvis Lofts and seven other projects that will introduce 98 additional residential units and another 9,300 square feet of office space.

Interesting to many is the fact that approximately half of them are located on Republic Street – the street where Cincinnati’s infamous race riots began in 2001. The street already boasts two sold-out condominium projects and has seen interest spike recently.

“It seems like every other week, we are opening newly renovated housing in Over-the-Rhine,” stated Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory. “The transformation in this neighborhood is nothing short of remarkable, and we are just getting started.”


Photograph of completed townhouses within the City Home development [LEFT] by 5chw4r7z. Photograph of Cincinnati Color Building, by Jayson Gomes, where work will soon begin [RIGHT].

While much of the work taking place includes building projects that are either constructing new buildings or restoring historic ones, one of the most notable projects is the $48 million restoration and two-acre expansion of Washington Park.

Once complete, this project will include a new dog park, civic lawn, a performance stage, playground, splash park, historic bandstand and a 450-space underground parking garage. In all, 3CDC officials say that the amenities are meant to build upon the existing success and provide additional neighborhood assets for those currently living in the neighborhood.

The large investments are not limited to 3CDC though. The $100 million renovation of Music Hall and the $95 million Cincinnati Streetcar both have neighborhood residents and business owners excited about even brighter prospects for Over-the-Rhine.

“The streetcar is so important for the revitalization of this neighborhood,” says Over-the-Rhine resident and property owner Reid Hartmann. “Over-the-Rhine has the largest stock of historic Italianate buildings in the U.S. and is primed for redevelopment, and the streetcar will provide that needed step.”

Categories
Development News

Significant visual progress being made at Smale Riverfront Park

Major progress has been made on Cincinnati’s new central riverfront park since project manager Dave Prather last delivered an update. Thanks to a $20.75 million private donation, the park is now named the Smale Riverfront Park in honor of Phyllis W. Smale and her family who donated the large sum of money.

The Smale Riverfront Park now also appears poised to host portions of the decommissioned USS Cincinnati submarine which has long been sought for display on the Ohio River. Furthermore, Prather says that an announcement will soon be made on a new hotel to be constructed adjacent to the park as part of The Banks development.

In Prather’s video update he also highlights the progress on the Moerlein Lager House which now includes a tower crane as vertical construction progresses, and the Schmidlapp Event Lawn which is nearly complete.

Surrounding the event lawn are mature Red Maple trees which were purchased by Cincinnati Parks two years ago and prepared for planting. The event lawn itself is largely complete and is awaiting final granite installation and the shade structure for the event stage which will include photovoltaic solar cells atop it.

The demolition of the old Merhing Way has also been completed along with the demolition of the former wall along the Ohio River. The result of those two demolition projects, Prather says, is now improving the visual connection with the river.

Other notable updates are that the Walnut Street Steps are taking form and are aligning with Walnut Street. The steps will then connect activities at the upper level of the Smale Riverfront Park to those lower at the Women’s Committee Garden. Prather also says that the slab for the interactive will be poured soon, and that the cascading water feature spilling down from a glass overlook will also take shape in the near future.