Sharon Coolidge

scoolidge@enquirer.com

There's no denying it: The northwest corner of Elm and Liberty streets is in sad shape. It consists of four crumbling buildings and plot of vacant land.

Downtown development company Source 3 plans to build a 110-unit apartment building there that will involve renovating the four buildings and adding new construction.

But the plans for what Source 3 is calling Freeport Row has spurred a debate over the land, the building and the future of Over-the-Rhine: Does this development belong in the Over-the-Rhine historic district?

The developers, city planners and even the city's urban conservator say yes. Opponents -- including OTR residents, architects, the OTR Foundation, the Homeless Coalition and OTR Community Housing say:

* It's too tall.

* It should include affordable housing.

* At least 75 percent of the first-floor leasing should be local businesses, with no national chains.

* The design is too suburban and out of context of the neighborhood.

* There's not enough parking.

The project has wound through city hall over the last year, controversial at every turn. Consider: The project has been in front of the planning commission at least twice, the historic board twice, the zoning board of appeals, the Over-the-Rhine Community Council at least four times, Council's Budget and Finance Committee three times, Neighborhood's Committee and full council twice. And yet, it's still not a done deal.

A day-long mediation between opponents and the developers last week didn't lead to compromise.

It's slated to go to Cincinnati City Council Wednesday for a vote on a tax abatement and the transfer of the rights to an alley. The vote has already been bumped once. And with no agreement between opponents and the developer, it's unclear if it will muster a majority vote.

Since the revival of the historic neighborhood got underway 13 years ago much of Over-the-Rhine development has been small, three-story to five-story buildings turned into populated apartment buildings, affordable housing, market rate condos and bars and restaurants. The focus in many places has been on restoring or spotlighting the neighborhood's Italianate architecture and rich history.

"In development, there's a saying that you can't please everyone," said Seth Maney, a developer and agent with Coldwell Banker. "3CDC was created to change the market and they have. But now we're seeing the evolution of the market and that's that property values can support the development of infill architecture."

Half of the historic neighborhood is developable land, not buildings, Maney said.

"The story now is replacing it," said Maney, who is a trustee of the Over-the-Rhine Foundation but not speaking on its behalf.

The Source 3 project is the largest infill development by a private, for-profit developer in OTR. Other large projects include Mercer Commons the under-construction Empower MediaMarketing building, both done by Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation.

The Over-the-Rhine Foundation board members know Source 3 is only the first of many so its infill committee has worked with the historic conservation office to develop a comprehensive set of guidelines for infill projects that protect the historic character and scale of Over-the-Rhine.

They're expected to present them to Cincinnati City Council for adoption in the coming weeks.

Source 3 head of business development Michael Heekin can testify just how difficult the $26 million project has been to get off the ground. The Over-the-Rhine real estate development spent most of 2016 mired in controversy. They had hoped to start work last fall and then this past March.

The project has approval from the Cincinnati Planning Commission and the Historic Conservation Board.

"We see it as a catalytic project," Heekin said. "You can see Music Hall, Memorial Hall, Towne Properties, Model Group by Findlay Market. This is a connector to all that. Everyone can walk and feel safe and you'll see a lot of life."

Plus, it's on the streetcar route and expected to add ridership, Heekin said.

The developer has made concessions. The original proposal had the building roughly 85-feet at its tallest, 75-feet in the lower section. The final version comes in at 68-feet tall and 60-feet in the lower section.

Few nearly 1.5-acre sites are available to develop in the historic neighborhood because of the density of its building stock.

Margy Waller, who lives near the project, is among the opponents.

"Over-the-Rhine is more than the place we live, it's a national treasure and one of Cincinnati's most important differentiating assets," Waller said. "That's why we've dedicated thousands of volunteer hours to protect the historic fabric and culture."

She said opponents understand all development is not the same.

"But when we're investing city resources there should be community benefits and the community should be involved in the process," she said.