Comments on CityKin: First Concrete at 14th and Vine

These comments are very interesting. I have been ...

2009-10-08T23:39:35.503-04:00

These comments are very interesting. I have been reading them with some interest considering my connection with the project. I have had the opportunity to speak with a lot of young professionals concerned with the history, integrity, and uniqueness of OTR. Just to update everyone of the success of the project, 5 of the 9 units have sold on 14th and Vine.

To all of you nay-sayers out there...this building...

2008-10-28T09:49:00.000-04:00

To all of you nay-sayers out there...this building could be a lot worse *cough* gateway condos *cough*

this building just reinforces my opinion that architectural design in Cincinnati is incredibly lacking compared to the vibrant arts/cultural scene.

Wow...I had no idea that they were starting actual...

2008-05-20T15:28:00.000-04:00

Wow...I had no idea that they were starting actual construction this soon. This is great.

BTW, that color palette (on the rendering) is not what the final colors will look like. The colors will be reflective of what the materials are (brick and what not). The building should contextually fit nicely with the surrounding historic buildings (I think).

I can't wait to see the final product of what looks to be an interesting infill project in an exciting part of OTR.

love this blog & learn always from entries lik...

2008-05-20T15:11:00.000-04:00

love this blog & learn always from entries like above ^ - always lurking about..

This building has that very "New Urbanist/Retro" l...

2008-05-20T09:22:00.000-04:00

This building has that very "New Urbanist/Retro" look. Unfortunately you can find the same architecture at just about any "lifestyle mall" these days. Its a fine line to walk when you build in historic areas. You want the new construction to be redily identifiable as new, but you want to complimemt existing historic arhcitecture. I hope the rendering doesnt reflect the actual color pallete of the building. I would think however that level of investment should spur other redevelopment efforts.

OTR fan;
Glad to see you back in the blogoshere...

2008-05-19T17:00:00.000-04:00

OTR fan;
Glad to see you back in the blogoshere. haven't seen you around here much lately.

Very exciting - I appreciate these updates - reall...

2008-05-19T16:27:00.000-04:00

Very exciting - I appreciate these updates - really helps me understand because you have both a professional and a personnel point of view as a resident. Let's keep the parade up Vine St. going!

Next stop, Wielert's !!

That project looks like quite an undertaking. I w...

2008-05-19T14:54:00.000-04:00

That project looks like quite an undertaking. I wish the builders well and look forward to the seeing the completion photos.

I don't understand the turret. This is something I...

2008-05-19T14:30:00.000-04:00

I don't understand the turret. This is something I have seen a lot of when it comes to neo-historic design, there are at least two in City West and I think it is what VL is referring to with E.Cambridge reference.

It might make sense at a more prominent intersection, where extending the height creates a bookend effect. But this intersection is low key and it doesn't seem to fit well.

It will be interesting to see how the details at the street level work out. The scale seems appropriate, I just hope the details are a more inviting than the rendering.

Maybe the real thing will look better than the can...

2008-05-19T13:47:00.000-04:00

Maybe the real thing will look better than the candy-colored rendering but, to me, this looks like a run-of-the-mill bit of contemporary half-baked historicism. It's entirely possible to design a building that is both of its own moment in time and respectful of its historic neighbors. The only good thing I can say is that, as you mentioned, the scale fits the rest of the streetscape.

Architects, trained to be retro-modern, have a dif...

2008-05-19T13:05:00.000-04:00

Architects, trained to be retro-modern, have a difficult time figuring out how to fit in a neighborhood like OTR. It takes a practiced skill that is no-longer taught. I think the scale and shape of this building is good, but I'm pretty sure that details will not carry. I also would like more than 1200SF for the retail. I guess that cannot be bigger, because they are trying to fit-in 11 parking spaces.

I do think this project is somewhat mind-blowing. This has been a very rough corner for as long as I know, and this will be the first new construction on Vine Street north of 12th since the Med Center replaced the White Castle at Liberty Street in the 80's. Pretty much everything else on the street is over a century old.

Ugh. The rendering reminds me of a really similar ...

2008-05-19T10:47:00.000-04:00

Ugh. The rendering reminds me of a really similar [and similarly ugly] building near where we used to live in East Cambridge [switch to Bird's Eye view and rotate around to look at the corner of Cambridge St. and 1st St.].