Mariemont’s "Jordan Park" - Built using plans from 1921

Friday, August 15, 2008
Mariemont’s new units align with 1921 plan
Business Courier of Cincinnati - by Melissa Haller Courier Contributor

As a resident of Mariemont, David Arends is deferential to the historic character and small-town feel of his community. But as president and CEO of downtown-based Cole + Russell Architects, Arends clearly recognizes the importance of designing to meet the needs of today’s market.

To him, the $10 million, 29-unit Jordan Park condominium project under way on Miami Avenue, just off Mariemont Square, fits both requirements: It’s sensitive to the Tudor Revival architecture style of Mariemont’s environs, yet still serves the needs of residents who want to downsize their living space and upsize amenities and convenience. Proof is in the sales: Only six of the 29 units – which have a price tag starting at $425,000 – remain unsold, even though the project won’t be done until October. Many buyers are empty-nesters seeking single-story residences and safe parking.

“He definitely hit the right button relative to the product type and location and understanding what that buyer wants,” Arends said of Rick Greiwe, whose Greiwe Development Group is the project’s developer.

Cole + Russell played a part in that, too, since it’s the architectural firm that designed the Jordan Park project. The building is 3.5 stories, with one-story units on the first and second floors, and one-story units with lofts on the third floor. They all have nine-foot ceilings and are about 2,000 square feet. The building has elevators that travel to an enclosed garage below.

The location near the square will allow residents to walk to banks, restaurants, entertainment and, of course, Jordan Park, the project’s namesake.

The project is nearing completion, but Greiwe largely credits history for its blueprint. Arends said he heard of the project idea directly from Greiwe as the two sat at a restaurant on the square and looked at the nearby spot.

But Greiwe wasn’t starting from scratch. The project is closely aligned with the plans created in 1921 by John Nolan, the original planner of Mariemont. Nolan was hired by Mary Emery, a Cincinnati philanthropist, to create a community that resembled an English garden. His result was a village with English Tudor-style architecture, large trees, and several small parks that are reachable on foot.

“Nolan was hired to design Mariemont, which is still a national model,” Greiwe said. “Planners from around the world come to look at this plan. I looked at some of the sketches, and they were the real impetus for the development.”

Cole + Russell used both that 1921 plan and Greiwe’s ideas to design Jordan Park with a traditional Tudor style outside and open, contemporary floor plans inside. The Tudor style includes a masonry base and accents, or “overbuilds” of heavy timber. The Jordan Park building also has heavy corner boards and diagonals, with pitched roofs and a façade that changes dimensions. For instance, looking down the block, some of the front porches step back from the street while other accents are forward-reaching. “That undulation of the façade helps change the scale,” Arends said. “It is a very big building, but it fits in with the area and is respectful of the street and street edge.”

The building also provides a transition for the commercial and residential buildings on the street. This transition, Arends points out, is a subtle way to keep the buildings in visual scale along the roadway.

Tudor Style
Project: Jordan Park
Cost: $10 million
Developer: NAP Miami Road LLC
General Contractor: Griewe Development Group
Architect: Cole + Russell
Description: 29 Tudor-style condominiums in Mariemont