CINCINNATI — New renderings show what developments could come to The Banks — if approved by the city's planning commission.
Last year, the WCPO 9 I-Team spoke with city and county leaders about their plans for the five lots that remain vacant along Cincinnati's riverfront. While the conversation included bringing back the popular Ferris wheel that sat at The Banks from 2018 to 2020, it appears that officials decided to go in a different direction.
The most recent urban design plan — created through the city and county's collaboration with a consultant team and local business and community stakeholders — shows plans for a new plaza concept in front of the Underground Railroad Freedom Center, with the remaining five vacant lots used for a mixture of residential housing, office space and hotels.
Lot 24, the space considered the largest and most attractive of the remaining vacant lots in the area, would host residential space with retail in front of it, the plan details. To the east of it would sit a sculptural pedestrian bridge that crosses Mehring Way and takes people directly to Smale Riverfront Park.
Next door to Lot 24, the plan features more residential space just north of the Andrew J. Brady Center in Lot 25. Underneath it will sit parking and more retail space.
In Lot 1, which sits directly across from Paycor Stadium's entrance, renderings show more planned housing and retail space, including what is listed as a grocery store. The plan says this space is envisioned as an expanded Bengals plaza that accommodates large game-day crowds. Continuing west in front of the stadium, renderings show a hotel in Lot 13 and office space in Lot 4.
The new plaza concept for the Underground Railroad Freedom Center features a sculptural canopy structure that can add shade for programming and flexible food and beverage zones during events. Renderings show Freedom Way will be converted into a curbless space with a heavy tree canopy that will function as a pedestrian-priority street during normal days.
To the east of the center, renderings show new residential and hotel space near where Ruth's Chris and the Street Corner Market currently sit.
You can look at the entire plan here:
