Steve Leeper, Steve Smith and Neil Tilow

3CDC purchased the Dennison Hotel in 2010 in partnership with Talbert House and The Model Group, with the intention of developing 63 permanent supportive housing units for homeless veterans to be operated by Talbert House. As with other affordable housing projects undertaken by 3CDC, The Model Group and Talbert House, a professional team was engaged and expenses incurred to determine the feasibility, design and scope, while at the same time attempting to secure the necessary financing required to make such a project affordable for veterans in need. Despite best efforts over several years and written support for the project from the Downtown Residents Council and other neighboring and community organizations, the development team was not able to secure the necessary funding. These efforts were negatively impacted by opposition to the development plan.

Talbert House ultimately built the 34-bed Talbert House Parkway Apartments prioritized for veterans as part of the larger Homeless to Homes Plan, and 3CDC and The Model Group will complete the Central Parkway YMCA renovation this summer, which includes 65 affordable apartments for seniors.

3CDC, The Model Group, Talbert House and others are committed to building high-quality housing of all types in downtown Cincinnati and will continue to seek opportunities to do so.

The Dennison Hotel project did not come to fruition, but 3CDC was able to recoup all its costs in the building. Not only was it not sold at a loss, as previously speculated, but the project design work and other project-related costs were covered in the sale as well.

Steve Leeper, 3CDC

Steve Smith, The Model Group

Neil Tilow, Talbert House