RiversEdge
Hamilton began construction on the redevelopment of RiversEdge, the concert venue at Marcum Park in the German Village area of the city. The $3 million makeover includes $1.7 million in borrowing and $1 million from the 2024 Ohio capital budget. Work includes an upgrade for the canopy and concrete work for the 14-year-old concert venue.
Since 2017, RiversEdge, which is located on the Great Miami River, has attracted nearly 200,000 people to more than 120 events there ― an estimated $6.25 million in economic impact.
The 25 shows in 2023 attracted more than 30,000 people, and coupled with $150,000 in private sponsorships, that impacted the local economy as people spent an estimated $1.1 million around town.
The RiversEdge concert season typically begins around Memorial Day and flows into September.
Boutique hotel number 2
Hamilton’s second boutique and fourth overall hotel is expected to begin construction as soon as this year. The city’s first boutique hotel, The Well House, opened on South Monument Avenue a few days before Christmas.
The Municipal Hotel, which will be in the former city administration building at 20 High St. and is owned by Mueller Hotel, is expected to begin construction sometime between early February and late March.
Redevelopment of the Marriott Tribute brand hotel is expected to take anywhere from 12 to 15 months, which includes a four-story addition where most of the rooms will be located.
It’s expected to take anywhere between 12 and 15 months to complete the renovation project, which includes a four-story addition where most of the rooms will be located. It’ll be part of the Marriott Tribute brand.
The Municipal Hotel was awarded a $6 million in Ohio historic tax credits for the $61.6 million renovation project of the art deco limestone structure designed by famed local architect Fredrick Mueller. The 1935-built building will require major rehabilitation, including the demolition of the non-historic 1969 addition at the east end of the building. The facility was the base of city operations until the mid-2000s when the Hamilton administration relocated to One Renaissance Center at 345 High St.
On the backside of the building is local brewery Municipal Brew Works, which will remain in operations at the hotel that also has plans for a speakeasy and rooftop bar.
Dual hotel project
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The city’s projected fifth hotel is dependent on how long the remediation of the parking lot at North MLK Jr. Boulevard and High Street takes.
Testing on the site started in 2023, and at the end of that year, Hamilton applied for a state remediation grant was submitted in December 2023. In early November, the city was awarded $1 million in support its remediation through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program and Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program, respectively. This site in downtown Hamilton had been a former industrial site, but used as a parking lot since the 1960s. The project has included soil and groundwater remediation, vapor mitigation and environmental covenants. The site is also adjacent to an active rail line.
Hamilton Hospitality Inc. has already committed to invest at least $21.6 million into the development that was announced in September 2023. The total investment in the project, though, is estimated to be $28.8 million, which is projected to create 35 full-time and 9 part-time jobs, according to the city.
The plan is for a Home2Suites and Hampton Inn & Suites. Collectively, they’ll have 160 rooms and a yet-to-be-identified restaurant. As part of the plan, the city is offering a Community Reinvestment Area agreement that would abate 100% of the commercial property tax for 15 years.
Testing is expected to continue into this year.
Shuler and Benninghofen
Redevelopment of an iconic Lindenwald building is expected to be under constriction this year after receiving millions of dollars from the state this past year.
Cincinnati-based Bloomfield Schon plans to invest $28 million to transform the building at the corner of Pleasant and Williams avenues into a 100-unit apartment complex with retail space. The property is in the heart of Lindenwald and is less than miles from downtown Hamilton.
Over the summer, the project received $1 million from the state in its capital budget, and in December, it received $3.5 million in Ohio historic tax credits to redevelop the former industrial building into an apartment complex and retail space.
Bloomfield Schon plans to invest $29.1 million into the redevelopment project. Work that is needed includes a new roof, tuck-pointing, and replacing missing or damaged masonry bricks.
Shuler and Benninghofen closed in 1967 and was a textile mill that made wool goods like blankets and wool felt used in paper manufacturing. Since the mill closed, the building had primarily been used for warehouses, light manufacturing and retail but has been largely vacant in recent years.
Data Center
Logistix Property Group will be starting construction this year on a two-store, 155,000-square-foot data center in Hamilton’s Riverside neighborhood.
What was initially expected to be a $15 million project called Hamilton Innovation Center has shaped up to be closer to $75 million. In addition to the data center, there will be a secured equipment yard and a 95,000-square-foot customer substation.
The planned project in University Commerce Park is off Grand Avenue near South Hamilton Crossing and Logistix founding member and developer has said construction is expected to take more than a year.
Hamilton sold the property to Logistix for $65,000, and the data center is anticipated to consume around megawatts, or 15 million watts, of power annually when it’s fully operational, according to the city. On average, it takes a little more than 1,214 watts to power a home in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration.
Former YWCA building
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Luack Properties, owner of the former Hamilton YWCA building, has filed for permits and plans to start redeveloping the three-story masonry structure in the Hamilton’s German Village soon.
Brad Lacuk, owner of the development firm, received $540,000 for the $5.46 million project and told the Journal-News he intends to create between 36 and 42 apartment units.
The Hamilton YWCA moved out of the building in late 2022 for its new facility on Grand and sold the building in the spring of 2023.
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