25 Ottawa Makeover - Arena District

[egrguy]

I don't want to get too far off topic, but I'm curious to how this will play out. If the front end staff is taking (what appears to be a pay cut) to pay the back end staff more, why would high quality front end staff want to stay when they can work somewhere else and get paid more?

[GRDadof3]

I don't want to get too far off topic, but I'm curious to how this will play out. If the front end staff is taking (what appears to be a pay cut) to pay the back end staff more, why would high quality front end staff want to stay when they can work somewhere else and get paid more?

 

Paul Lee posted this link on FB:

http://www.eater.com/2015/10/19/9570295/no-tipping-restaurants-faq

The benefits of making cash tips is that you don't have to claim all of that income on your taxes, only a certain percentage of your sales (7 or 8% I believe). But frankly most servers don't make more than $25,000/year so their tax liability is pretty low, if anything. 

The downside is that if you have a bad night and your service is not as good as it could be, your income suffers. 

But if you go to a restaurant that has a really good chef, the chef's efforts aren't rewarded as much as they should be, only the server sees the gratuity. 

If you're a good server who likes to make good money, you want to work at a well known busy establishment so you'll get more hours. And if the service declines overall because there's on cash incentive, the owner of the restaurant (if they care) will know about it. And the servers will end up working fewer hours or being sent home early because the crowds dissipate. 

 

 

 

 

[mgreven]

Staying off topic, any idea where the new place will go on Wealthy?  

[GRDadof3]

Staying off topic, any idea where the new place will go on Wealthy?  

I had a feeling it was going in across the street from Wealthy St Bakery in the old party store building, but that feeling has come and gone. 

[GRJohn]

Staying off topic, any idea where the new place will go on Wealthy?  

Could it be going in the old Jonny B'z?

[GRDadof3]

Could it be going in the old Jonny B'z?

That would be a good guess too. Certainly makes it easier to manage being right across the parking lot from Winchester. 

[GRDadof3]

Ottawa is now reopened near 25 Ottawa and Arena Place. The ground floors of all of this space should make for a really cool urban experience, especially with 120 or so (?) additional night-time events coming to the Venue. The new restaurant Iron has a cool new outdoor space. 

 

 

 

 

[joeDowntown]

Wait, another black first floor? Do people think this it looks like the rest of the building is hovering in mid-air [sarcasm]. haha- How will people find the entrance?!? Actually, I think it looks great (and the Half Century building while we're at it). 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

9 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

Wait, another black first floor? Do people think this it looks like the rest of the building is hovering in mid-air [sarcasm]. haha- How will people find the entrance?!? Actually, I think it looks great (and the Half Century building while we're at it). 

Joe

I almost walked right into it Joe. Thank god I saw my reflection in the window before it was too late. 

[organsnyder]

I work in this building. The bottom floor exterior is so hard to see, I think I might be immune to gravity right now.

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, organsnyder said:

I work in this building. The bottom floor exterior is so hard to see, I think I might be immune to gravity right now.

One does not walk into 25 Ottawa. They walk through it.

[MJLO]

Yeah they should put reflectors up or something.

[john_denver]

4 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

I almost walked right into it Joe. Thank god I saw my reflection in the window before it was too late. 

You must be a Jedi.  May the force be with you.

[GRDadof3]

Take it back to the way it was, so no one gets hurt! and it doesn't fall over.

 

 

Alright, I'll stop. Speaking of dark and light, here's a pic of 25 Ottawa with its new uplighting. Thanks to you know who. 

 

[MJLO]

That uplighting looks great.  I was on Ionia over the weekend and was struck by how friggen awesome the building CWD mounted it's sign on looks too.  I really hope we see more of this. 

[GRDadof3]

23 minutes ago, MJLO said:

That uplighting looks great.  I was on Ionia over the weekend and was struck by how friggen awesome the building CWD mounted it's sign on looks too.  I really hope we see more of this. 

Yes, between 50 Louis, the lights on McKay Tower, the building that houses Reserve's uplighting, and the Blue Bridge's new lighting, you could almost say downtown is getting "romantic." I would bet they uplight The Rowe when it's finished as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And GRAM, I should add.

 

 

Sorry, hogging the thread. 

[GR8scott]

If only they would add a light ring around the top of the AGP to accent the shape!

[Allison Slater]

There's a clear difference between the black first floor here and the other building.  This building has darker brick.  It fits better.  It looks fantastic on this building.  The one next to Morton.. there's just too much contrast.  It's too great a difference between the black and the light brick and thus looks awkward.

[GRDadof3]

Moving on..

[Guest]

I've heard Franklin Partners is selling 25 Ottawa.   Not 100% sure.   It would certainly make sense after a presumably long term lease with Spectrum Health.  

[MJLO]

6 hours ago, urbanland said:

I've heard Franklin Partners is selling 25 Ottawa.   Not 100% sure.   It would certainly make sense after a presumably long term lease with Spectrum Health.  

I can see that making sense.  Maybe a longer term strategy for funding on the Kendall?

[GRDadof3]

3 hours ago, MJLO said:

I can see that making sense.  Maybe a longer term strategy for funding on the Kendall?

And perhaps freeing up capital to redevelop 1340 Monroe. 

But it makes good business sense as a developer. Some you hold (so you can have a broad and deep portfolio) and some you sell (so you can do more projects).