Yeah, really reflects the neighborhood, visually.
Welcome to another "Anywhere, USA".

This is a pretty digusting project overall. The worst part about it is that this available piece of land provided a real opportunity to do something great with the Columbia Tusculum business district. They already have great anchor businesses like The Precinct and Allyn's, a couple night spots, plus some other unique local businesses just up the street. This really could have bolstered the district and created a nice area. Unfortunately this totally missed the boat.

Al Neyer, Inc. strikes again.
Avondale is next.

Agreed, this is downright upsetting. Whatever happened to the plan for residential and more mixed-use? I like the office building, but the rest of it should be out in Mason.

A missed opportunity fur sure...

At a community council meeting Neyer claimed that residents were opposed to the residential above retail because it would be competing with their homes when they want to sell. I think that comment was a cop-out as it is a different housing type. None of the neighbors I have talked to have said they didn’t want residential above the retail. It feels like a bait and switch. I know the site ended up being more difficult to work with than they thought so I think they cut their risk. It appears to be a good financial move based on the present state of the housing market. Unfortunately, it ended up making a sub-par project. I do wish there was a planning review process for the design of the building. The facades of these strip retail buildings are terrible. I hope Neyer’s tenant criteria manual requires tenants to install canopies or awnings. I’m guessing they won’t be that restrictive.

I have to agree with you guys. Consider that once the entire length of the street from Delta to Stanley was lined with commercial buildings. And you're right, those commercial buildings look just awful.

Neyer has claimed that they dropped the residential because of other residential projects going on in the area, and the neighborhood's desire for more retail.

So gone are the condos, the planned "European plaza", and the architectural work of Jose Garcia. It's a real shame.

My heart sank even further when reading Kevins last two lines. I hadn't heard of these initial plans. It is exactly what that area needed. The existing buildings are now even closer to the road, space is needed to breathe, a plaza with residences above retail would be great. It would attract people who want to live around a center of something that is alive and not static. It would attract people as they drove by, they would remember it fondly, they would want to visit. Now it is a parking lot, a mini Colerain Avenue complete with rubber-stamped out-buildings to come.
The city could have been more involved and helped work out a plan that had more staying power. I as a taxpayer would be OK with contributing to something (plaza, fountain, roads, etc.) that really improves the quality of life here. This neighborhood today another neighborhood tomorrow. It would be an investment for the city's future. Where are the people with vision?

Boy is that ugly. Neyer pulled out of a development here in College Hill -- maybe we're lucky. That building will be (more) hideous in a decade or two. It's a shame that Columbia Tusculum is stuck with this! Talk about completely different from the neighborhood.

Gail...Whether or not College Hill is lucky that Neyer pulled out of Linden Park is a question of personal taste, leaving aside the obvious economics. But I'm just not seeing many developers out there building anything of lasting value...just bland boxes and unimaginative site plans. It almost doesn't matter anymore who the developer is.

Unfortunately, smaller developers with real vision can't get financing.

I would say College Hill was indeed lucky that that "projects" looking development where the Wigwam used to be is not going to happen. That corner and maybe all three corners combined could become the "center" or "square" of College Hill with plazas, fountains, residences, businesses, etc. that reflect the unique communities that they are - the kind of thing that Columbia-Tusculum just missed the boat on, Burnet Avenue too. And you know Kevin, the one thing all three of these developments have in common, aside from having HAD far greater potential is Al Neyer Inc.

As a 20 year resident of Columbia Tusculum, I truly am disappointed. How did this happen. I am embarrassed for Neyer. Another cookie cutter ugly building and strip mall. Shame on you Neyer. Does anyone remember that Columbia Tusculum has a historic district? We have that designation for a reason. The new school (Riverview) is ugly and the strip mall matches it.

As some one who generally drives through on my way to Mariemont, this is now what comes to mind when I think of Columbia Tusculum, unfortunately.
It makes me want to keep going.

Financial constraints and other factors made Columbia Square what it is. I invite you all to attend Columbia Tusculum Community Council meetings the 3rd monday of each month at the Riverview East Academy. It sounds like you want to be involved, based on your comments, and that is great. By the way, Anytime Fitness is a great gym, don't forget Tostado's with good food and the best karaoke in the city, BeneFIT studio, Gymboree, and the new Greendog cafe coming. I agree the resulting design isn't ideal, however, being the community we are, we embrace the positive associated with this project. We have developed a great mix of restaurants and healthy options (food and gyms). If it was your business, you're pocket book, I wonder what you would have done with the design?

Something better.