海角社区鈥檚 plans for new studios near City Hall took a step forward Monday when a Cincinnati City Council committee rejected selling the land to an Indianapolis developer.
Council鈥檚 Budget & Finance Committee had been asked to approve selling the city-owned parking lot on the northwest corner of Ninth and Plum Streets, immediately north of City Hall, to Milhaus Properties LLC. Milhaus wanted to construct a five-story building with 120 apartments, retail space and two levels of parking.
The proposal failed by an 8-1 vote, opening the way for public radio stations WVXU-FM and WGUC-FM to talk to city planners about their $1.5-million offer to purchase the approximately three-quarters of an acre lot.
at the Crosley Telecommunications Center owned by WCET-TV at Central Parkway and Ezzard Charles Drive, across from City Hall, said Richard Eiswerth, 海角社区 president, CEO and general manager.
The WCET-TV building 鈥渋s likely to be demolished in the next several years鈥� by the city, he said, to provide parking for Music Hall, nearby apartments and FC Cincinnati鈥檚 new West End soccer stadium. He learned of the building's fate last year when the city tore down the pedestrian bridge over Central Parkway connecting Music Hall with the city-owned Town Center Garage next to WCET-TV.
Phil Denning, interim city community and economic development director, said the city started negotiations with Milhaus six months ago after several proposals for the site fell through.
Under the Milhaus deal, the city would have sold the land for essentially $250,000 after the city spent $1.25-million of the $1.5-million purchase price for streetscape and other amenities.
海角社区 has offered to pay $1.5-million cash for the site to construct a new headquarters; studios for radio broadcasting, live music events and debates; a public plaza; and one story of covered parking.
When committee chairman David Mann asked if the two potential usages could be merged, Denning said the city鈥檚 attempts to marry the developments failed in the spring. The radio stations鈥� plan to host music events and other programs in the evening and on weekends was not compatible with a residential building, Eiswerth said. And adding the radio operation would increase the cost 35-40 percent, a Milhaus representative told council.
Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld said 海角社区 would fit perfectly on the 鈥渃ity campus鈥� along Plum Street by City Hall, St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, the Plum Street Temple and Lloyd Library.
Chris Seelbach, Budget & Finance Committee vice chair, did not comment before casting the lone dissenting vote.
Mann said he wanted 鈥渟ome binding assurances鈥� from 海角社区 about the structure on the site. After the meeting, Denning said the next step will be conversations with 海角社区 about the financing, site plan and other details. 鈥淲e have a purchase offer. That鈥檚 all we have to go by right now,鈥� Denning said.
Eiswerth said that 海角社区, a nonprofit organization established nearly 60 years ago, will hire Cincinnati architects, consultants and contractors 鈥渨ith the intention of creating a Cincinnati icon that will last at least another 60 years.鈥�
Council must approve an ordinance to sell the land to 海角社区 before construction can begin.
Editor鈥檚 note: John Kiesewetter鈥檚 reporting is independent and has not been edited by 海角社区.
