CINCINNATI —

It's the first big step to the next era of the Tri-County Mall property in Springdale.

On Wednesday, council members voted to approve a preliminary plan to transform the space.

The project, which is a joint venture between MarketSpace Capital and Park Harbor Capital, was laid out in four phases and a representative said he believes the first phase could be completed in just a few years.

"They need to do something. They need to revamp this mall. It used to be good, but now it's nothing in there," shopper, Tameko, said.

For people who've grown weary at the state of Tri-County Mall, there's a new $1 billion vision for the more than 70 acres of land.

The Springdale City Council approved a preliminary plan to completely redevelop the space, keeping intact some elements we all recognize like the skylights, but reimagining it all with restaurants, green space, retail, nearly 2,400 residential units and a dog park.

They're also exploring relocating a community center to the space.

"You're interested not just doing what's great for the developer, you're interested in doing something that's great for the city, something that's great for the school district and that is the part of it that is fantastic," Councilman Lawrence Hawkins III said.

Officials said Princeton City Schools will also have a STEM institute located inside and there will be other educational options.

Developers said they want to create a live, work and play environment, too.

The project, dubbed as 'Liberty Center on steroids' by some, has a 15-year timeline, with a soft opening by fall of 2023 and the first of four phases believed to be completed by Dec. 2024, according to a representative at a special council meeting on Wednesday.

City leaders said they've dreamed of this for years.

Now, it seems this is the start of a new era for an historic part of our area.

"If you build 90% of it, if you build 75% of that, it will truly be another crown jewel in the city of Springdale," Mayor Doyle Webster.

Councilmembers said they never want to refer to the property as a mall ever again, and prefer to look forward and see this project as integrating the community.

Part of that process, they said, is the big discussion about whether moving a community center would work and hearing from neighbors.

Officials said they expect a final development plan to be presented to the planning commission in the next three to six months.

CINCINNATI — FC Cincinnati’s ownership has plans to renovate one of Cincinnati’s most storied former breweries into a massive office space.

The property is the Tri-State Wholesale Building at 1550 Central Avenue. In the early 20th century after Prohibition, the building was home to Burger Beer, extending multiple city blocks at the time. Prior to that, it was home to Lion Beer, or the Windisch-Muhlhauser Brewing Company.

Steve Hampton, the executive director of the Brewing Heritage Trail, said the old brewery used to be one of the biggest in the country. It was also at one point the second-largest brewery in the city after Christian Moerlein.

“This is an interesting building. It’s not your typical historic building,” Hampton said. “It was built post-Prohibition. It’s concrete. It’s actually a pretty wide floor plate because it’s a modern industrial building, so it’s a little different challenge than our typical brick Over-the-Rhine building. So, number one, we’re happy it’s being preserved and re-used.”

Hampton notes it will need some modifications, but is hopeful the developers will maintain the spirit of the building.

“I’d much rather have the building reused and saved than torn down and something totally new built there," Hampton said.

FC Cincinnati and its development teams aim to transform the humdrum industrial space into a sleek, opulent place to work for Cincinnati professionals in post-pandemic life. The office space may have some retail on the ground floor, and be part of a larger mixed-use development.

“It’s the area that we’re really hoping to make this full, kind of vibrant, creative district with all kinds of different uses,” said Scott Abernethy of Cushman & Wakefield, one of the firms collaborating with FC Cincinnati to renovate the building. MSA Design and Perkins Eastman are also supporting the designs and planning for the project.

Offices will be spread across three floors, as well as a basement level. The project is projected to cost about $40 million. The developers are looking to book about three to five tenants to lease the space, then will start construction.

In a statement, FC Cincinnati Spokesperson Anne Sesler wrote:

“When we committed to building the stadium, we also committed to make the area around TQL Stadium a place where people can live, work and play. We want a thriving environment, not just an island...FCC’s Planned Development for the stadium site envisioned mixed-use development and we are pleased to see the former Tri-State warehouse be transformed…”

Developers plan on opening the space by mid-to-late 2023.

Monique John covers gentrification for WCPO 9. She is part of our Report For America donor-supported journalism program. Read more about RFA here.

If there are stories about gentrification in the Greater Cincinnati area that you think we should cover, let us know. Send us your tips at moveupcincinnati@wcpo.com.

CINCINNATI — Robert Killins wants to be a part of the change that is happening in his neighborhood. That's why the West End resident is an organizer for WE Speaks, a plan to help make sure residents of all incomes have a voice in developments and investment in the area.

“There always has to be oversight," said Killins, who is also a member and former president of the West End Community Council. "And so what I think it'd be incumbent upon the community is to watch the process very closely to track it very carefully. If we see deviations from the plan as it's laid out, then that would be a time to say, 'Hey, the plan says X. We don't see X occurring. We see Y occurring. Why is that?’”

Killins joins scores of residents and community stakeholders joining forces to update development plans and neighborhood goals for the West End.

They're also hoping the West End Speaks Plan can set a new precedent for a historic neighborhood weathered by demolitions, urban renewal and displacement.

WE Speaks outlines residents and community partners’ goals for quality of life in the neighborhood. Areas for improvement include housing, business, employment, uplifting the youth and more. Organizers say they are fixated on getting as many residents as possible to share their feedback through public meetings and surveys.

“Having people engaged in the community always makes a difference,” Killins said.

Leaders of this project include the city’s planning department, Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses and the West End Community Council. Other entities like The Port, the Community Building Institute, and LISC have also been providing support. Kristen Baker, the executive director of LISC, says organizers have the challenge of uniting people with conflicting priorities for the West End. Despite this, she says they are trying to still impart onto residents that they are more alike in their wants than they may readily recognize.

“Everybody wants a neighborhood where they feel safe, where they have housing that meets their needs, where they know their neighbors, where they have access to jobs and to the services,” Baker said. “We all want those things. And so that's what these planning processes can really help us get to.”

The effort is a local iteration of HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods program. A hallmark initiative for HUD, Choice Neighborhoods restores communities, maintains affordable housing and fosters opportunities for residents. The WE Speaks plan was first drafted and approved by the city’s planning department and city council back in 2016. However, major events in recent years that have impacted the neighborhood drew organizers to revise the initial plan.

“A lot has changed in the neighborhood since 2015,” said Tia Brown, Community Engagement Director of Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses.

The plan is being renewed this year to account for unprecedented events like Seven Hills and the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority receiving a grant through HUD Choice Neighborhoods, the findings in a 2019 housing study and the arrival of TQL stadium.

Organizers say they’re pushing for a collaborative agenda that better informs future redevelopment while safeguarding against the pitfalls of gentrification.

“There are lots of really wonderful outcomes for a neighborhood when big investment comes in,” Baker said. “There's also, I think, an important note to pay attention to those who might not be directly benefiting from those changes, but that are part of the neighborhood, too. And so their voice needs to be heard.”

Upcoming meetings to update WE Speaks will be held monthly through November at the Seven Hills office on Findlay Street. The next meeting takes place Sept. 27.

“It's your neighborhood and you have a say," Brown said. "You have input. You have firsthand experience about what it is to live in the neighborhood or work in the neighborhood or own a business.

“These efforts need your voice and we need to hear from you so we can make sure the things that you're most concerned about are addressed.”

Organizers encourage residents and stakeholders who want to take part in WE Speaks to visit the project’s page on the city’s website, or contact the city’s planning department or Seven Hills to share input and get more information.

Monique John covers gentrification for WCPO 9. She is part of our Report For America donor-supported journalism program. Read more about RFA here.

If there are stories about gentrification in the Greater Cincinnati area that you think we should cover, let us know. Send us your tips at moveupcincinnati@wcpo.com.