New home for Cincinnati Public Radio trumps planned apartments

Sharon Coolidge | Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati development officials had it all worked out. The parking lot north of City Hall would be home to a five-story, 124-unit apartment complex – a project five years in the making and viewed as a way to revive the northwest edge of Downtown.

But City Council members, in a 1-8 committee vote, this week vetoed that idea. Instead, council will sell the land for more money to the board of Cincinnati Public Radio, which plans to build a new home for the radio station there. The final vote will take place Wednesday.

"For the past five years Milhaus has been working with the city to address the need for density in this part of Downtown Cincinnati," said Jake Dietrich, director of development for the Indianapolis-based company. "So we are, of course, extremely disappointed int he decision to not support our proposal for the Ninth and Plum property."

Dietrich added that his company, which previously built Gantry in Northside, will continue to seek investments in Cincinnati.

Milhaus was to pay $250,000 for the property, well below market value. Public Radio will pay $1.5 million, the land's assessed value

Public Radio supporters packed Cincinnati City Council Chambers on Monday in support of their project.

"Our most important objective, as it has been for decades, is to provide meaningful information for tens of thousands in our community every day which keeps them informed and offers a meaningful catalyst for our city's progress," said Public Radio Board Chairman Otto Budig, a prominent businessman and philanthropist.

Budig said Public Radio has been asked to move out of its current home in the CET building by CET. There has been some talk that the CET building might be demolished to make way for a new parking garage that would serve the Music Hall and the West End, including the planned FC Cincinnati stadium. But there isn't a current plan in place.

But Richard Eisworth, Cincinnati Public Radio's general manager, said it's been a challenge to find a place Downtown that's large enough, is in close proximity to the station's transmitter and deemed safe enough for staff to come and go 24 hours a day.

Public Radio's new home is expected to cost $12 million, money that will be raised in a capital campaign. Budig said the vision is for a civic campus that has indoor and outdoor gathering spaces and a coffeehouse.

"Public Radio is all about the public good," Budig said.

Councilman Chris Seelbach was the lone no vote, preferring the apartment complex plan.

“Milhaus is making huge community-backed investments in Walnut Hills, and they’ve just received their first approval to add needed housing to a lifeless quadrant of Downtown,” he told The Enquirer. “We know that new housing and new residents help our city grow, and I’m looking forward to what they bring to council.”