CINCINNATI — Cincinnati leaders are moving forward with a new downtown neighborhood plan that will set long-term goals for the social, physical and economic development of the city's core. It is the first plan of its kind in 40 years.
The plan will look at development in the Central Business District, the Banks, the Riverfront and parts of Over-the-Rhine. City Council must approve it, and a draft plan is expected to be released in spring 2027.
The planning process is expected to take around 14 to 15 months, beginning immediately. It will be led by city consultant MKSK in partnership with HR&A.
WATCH: Here's what you can expect from Cincinnati's first downtown neighborhood plan in four decades
Mayor Aftab Pureval said a wave of recent investments is evidence that now is the right moment to establish a shared vision.
"There has been an extraordinary amount of investment and momentum driven into downtown," he said. "The Convention Center, Elm Street Plaza, the ongoing headquarters hotel project, the new spaces and businesses we have brought to the Fountain District, the completion of our updated Banks plan, the launch of the Fort Washington Way caps, and of course, reclaiming two city blocks directly west of the Convention Center."
Councilman Mark Jeffreys said the plan will address priorities like infrastructure improvements that affect traffic flow, as well as micromobility and quality-of-life improvements.
Jeffreys said the effort is needed because downtown has changed so much since the early 2000s, when the last major planning effort was undertaken.
"The Fort Washington Way caps, the reclaimed Brent Spence Bridge land around the Convention District," he said. "I think it's the right time to take a step back and figure out what's the right strategy going forward given that different landscape."
Katherine Keough-Jurs, director of the Department of City Planning and Engagement, said the city's planning website is already live, with digital engagement tools available now. Stakeholder engagement and small group conversations are planned for October and November, along with a larger community meeting expected in late October.
Keough-Jurs said the plan will cover a broad range of topics.
"Public spaces, our infrastructure, our walkability, looking at quality of life, streets, connectivity, parks, open spaces, parking, development, housing, office uses, just sort of what you would generally find in a plan," Keough-Jurs said.
A framework of the plan is expected to be ready for review in January 2027, according to the plan website, with a full draft available in spring 2027.
Pureval said funding sources for the planning process have not yet been identified and a budget has not been set.
You can learn more about the plan and share your input by CLICKING HERE.
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