CINCINNATI — A proposal submitted to the City of Cincinnati is looking to demolish a former west side staple and turn it into a newly proposed affordable housing development.
In 2022, a fire damaged a large portion of the Western Sports Mall, leaving it vacant ever since. Now, four years later, Louisville-based LDG Development is looking to replace it with affordable housing.
“The property here … is one of the largest properties still available in the Westwood neighborhood,” said Greg Hand, president of Westwood Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (West CURC).
WATCH: What the development group is proposing, and how the community is reacting
LDG’s proposal would bring 167 new affordable housing units to the Westwood neighborhood, including 46 one-bedroom, 95 two-bedroom and 26 three-bedroom units.
Community organizations like West CURC are in support of the development, saying it’ll fill a major need in the community.
“There is a definite need in the Westwood neighborhood for housing, and specifically for housing that people can afford,” said Hand.
The property is right on the edge of the Westwood and West Price Hill neighborhood line. The West Price Hill Community Council told me that they are not in full support of the proposed development, saying in a statement to WCPO 9:
“The West Price Hill Community Council has not taken an official stance on this issue yet, but will do so within the next few weeks. In general, we feel that there is already too much income-restricted housing concentrated in the neighborhood, and regulations on that type of housing have not been properly enforced. We encourage developers to work with the community council and local government to ensure that they are aligned with the goals of our neighborhood.”
Some residents in the area agree.
“I think just bringing more people and more housing is just not gonna make it any more better,” resident Tyler Witt said.
Witt and Caleb Brock work right across the street from the former sports mall.
“We already have the wrong crowd here, especially around our lot, we see it a lot, every day,” Brock said. “So, we think with the housing, it’s gonna bring even more of the wrong crowd around.”
Witt and Brock both grew up going to the Western Sports Mall. They said they prefer to see something like that in the community.
“If it could be something nice like a brewery or anything like that, or just something that brings the community together, would be pretty nice,” said Brock.
Hand said he and his team have been working with the developers to make it the best development for the neighborhood, including addressing safety concerns.
The City of Cincinnati Planning and Engagement Department will hold a virtual meeting on April 30 to share project details, gather community input and allow residents to ask questions.
