New condo building opens in Washington Park area

CINCINNATI - More progress continues to be made in renovating the Washington Park area of Over-the-Rhine. Additional newly-renovated condos and apartments officially became available on Tuesday.

A blue ribbon was cut Tuesday morning on the second phase of the City Home project, which along with the Jimmy Heath House, aims to bring more forms of mixed income housing to Over-the-Rhine.

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, Council member Wendell Young and Over-the-Rhine officials came together to cut the ribbon on a building with four renovated condominiums and retail restaurant space.

The renovated area, located at 14th and Race streets, overlooks the new underground garage being built on the north end of Washington Park, across from Music Hall.

The condos range from $230,000 to $349,000 for multiple bedrooms with hardwood flooring.

The Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) says the new condo building compliments previously opened apartments and homes in the City Home project.

"This is what it is about: building a neighborhood, taking everyone's joint commitment to building a neighborhood that is for everybody," said Chad Munitz of 3CDC. "And really being able to see this move forward has been a very exciting time in the city of Cincinnati."

Organizations like 3CDC have often found themselves at odds with groups like the Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, but not on this phase of City Homes.

Coalition president Josh Spring tells 9 News that his organization has no problem with these condos because the building was formerly vacant and no residents needed to move out to make way for construction.