Originally the epicenter of freight rail travel for the western portion of the United States, Cincinnati’s downtown riverfront area has always been central to its identity and its image. In the later portion of the 20th century – like so many other urban cores in cities around the United States – Cincinnati experienced a period of population and commercial decline.
One of the many ways Hamilton County and the City of Cincinnati signaled their commitment to the revitalization of the downtown urban core was by approving the new Cincinnati Central Riverfront Master Plan in 1997. Since that time, the city has welcomed the new Paul Brown Stadium (home of the Cincinnati Bengals), Great American Ball Park (home of the Cincinnati Reds), and National Underground Railroad Freedom Center to the riverfront area.
In 2007, the City and County selected Carter and The Dawson Company, in joint venture, as master developers for the remaining 18 undeveloped riverfront acres through a public-private partnership to create one of the nation’s preeminent urban centers and “Live, Work, Play” destinations. To serve as a catalyst for the projected $2.5 billion in estimated economic growth resulting from the project, a City/County government coalition came together to provide infrastructure for the site, including:an intermodal transit facility, parking garages, street grid improvements, utilities, and a 45-acre riverfront park.
After a formal groundbreaking on April 2, 2008, construction began on the under-build portion of the project and site clearing began. In September of 2008, the first cranes arrived to begin pouring concrete underground columns and by January of 2009, the first above-ground structures became visible to the public. Freedom Way East, the new road between Main and Walnut Streets and a centerpiece of the new development, was delivered in late July of 2009.
In August of 2009, the Carter Dawson private master development team received final approval from Cincinnati’s Urban Design Review Board for its Phase One residential and retail renderings. Construction of the private development portion of the site will commenced in late 2009 and is currently underway. The Phase I residential and retail components are scheduled for a Spring 2011 delivery.