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Council Could Approve Zone Change This Week For Riverfront Apartment Tower

Provided/City of Cincinnati

Update 05/04/16 @ 3:50 PM:   The full Cincinnati Council voted Wednesday to approve a zoning change to allow a 25-story apartment building to be constructed on the city's riverfront near the Purple People Bridge.

Vice Mayor David Mann cast the only vote against the zoning change.  He said he is concerned about the building's height in that location.

Original Post: Cincinnati Council could approve a zoning change Wednesday that would allow a 25-story apartment tower to be built on the city's riverfront next to the Purple People Bridge.  

Skyhouse Cincinnati would have 352 units that are described as "high-end, condo quality."

Jim Borders is with the Novare Group, which is developing the project.

"It's a very high-quality building, it is something that Cincinnatians can feel very proud of in the future," Borders said.  "And it will serve a market need for young people, who either already live in or moving back to Cincinnati after college to pursue their careers."

Some residents who live in a nearby apartment building are not supportive of the zoning change.  They're concerned about building a high rise building on the riverfront.

Kurt Grossman addressed city council's Neighborhood Committee Tuesday.

"I think you need to sit back and think about what is the consequence to us now and over the next several decades of either allowing this or coming back and looking at something different," Grossman said.  "And I submit nobody has figured out what it will do and what we want it to do and I think that's the failing in this process."

The tower would have space for about 3,00 sq. ft. of retail space.  The project would also include a separate four-story parking structure with about 500 spaces.

The 2.7 acre site, on which the tower would be built, is currently used as a surface parking lot.  

If council approves the zone change, developers say the project could be complete in Winter 2017.
 

Jay Hanselman brings more than 10 years experience as a news anchor and reporter to 91.7 WVXU. He came to WVXU from WNKU, where he hosted the local broadcast of All Things Considered. Hanselman has been recognized for his reporting by the Kentucky AP Broadcasters Association, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Ohio AP Broadcasters.