FC Cincinnati stadium, Fourth and Race developments get key approvals from city planning commission

Randy Tucker | Cincinnati Enquirer

Show Caption Hide Caption Potential FC Cincinnati stadium site in West End FC Cincinnati hopes to build a stadium on the site of Stargel Stadium in Cincinnati’s West End neighborhood.

Cincinnati's planning commission Friday approved the planned sale of city-owned property in the West End for a new soccer stadium.

The Commission also paved the way for tax increment financing for development at Fourth and Race streets Downtown.

Planning commission approves planned sale of city owned West End property to FC Cincinnati for new stadium. Attorney says design plans may be ready next month? pic.twitter.com/1hBmKuwjOM — Randy Tucker (@rstucker612) August 17, 2018

Packed house at planning commission meeting. FC Cincinnati, 4th & Race on agenda. pic.twitter.com/0CJ2SL05vy — Randy Tucker (@rstucker612) August 17, 2018

Planning commission also approves property transfer at 4th & Race streets Downtown to redevelopment authority to facilitate TIF financing. pic.twitter.com/0HXymWzZ1N — Randy Tucker (@rstucker612) August 17, 2018

The commission unanimously approved the proposed sale of about two-and-a-half acres of mostly vacant city-owned property west of Central Avenue to FC Cincinnati, despite objections from community activists.

Margy Waller, a member of the Over-the-Rhine Community Council, said in a letter to the commission that the proposed sale was premature because the exact boundaries and design of the stadium have not yet been determined.

The commission also unanimously approved the proposed transfer of property located at the northwest corner of Fourth and Race streets to the Greater Cincinnati Redevelopment Authority.

The property transfer would allow developers of a proposed 14-story mixed-use development on the site of the old Pogue's Garage to receive tax increment financing (TIF) for a portion of the development.

The development site is comprised of four different parcels, including 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space that would be owned and operated by Cincinnati Center City Development Corp., or 3CDC.

A six-floor, 584-space parking garage would be owned by the City of Cincinnati and operated by 3CDC. And an eight-story, 264-unit apartment tower would be built by Indianapolis-based developer, Flaherty & Collins.

The air lots for the apartment tower would be transferred to the city and then to the redevelopment authority to allow for the TIF financing.

The sale of the West End property and the transfer of the air lots at Fourth and Race also must be approved by Cincinnati City Council.