College Hill invites the community to see, feel, and experience the projected business district

In recent years, the annual meeting of the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corp. (College Hill CURC) has been a community gathering and an update on the progress being made in the West Side neighborhood’s business district. This year, as part of the annual event, College Hill CURC is inviting the community inside all of the development projects occurring along the Hamilton Avenue district.

“It’s better to show, not tell, so this year we’re inviting the community in to see the work themselves,” says Seth Walsh, College Hill CURC’s executive director.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4 at the Patrick Wolterman Memorial Park on Hamilton with a short welcome from Walsh and Jake Samad, board president. Behind-the-scenes tours of in-progress projects along Hamilton Avenue will take place from 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Guides will take guests on tours inside the developments, including HaNoBe at Linden Square at 6201 Hamilton Ave.; the $9.5 million KeyMark development project, which has four buildings, including the future home of a Sleepy Bee Café and The Big Chill bar and ice cream shop; and the Hollywood Theatre.
Information about CHURC’s ongoing facade Improvement and outdoor improvement programs will also be available along the avenue. 

“The College Hill success story has been made possible by the people in the community who have fought tooth and nail to make their vision a reality,” Walsh says. “But too often development happens inside buildings,” he continues. This year’s event, which the organization is calling The Avenue Experience, “will turn that on its head and allow the community to see, feel, and experience the results of their hard work.”  

College Hill CURC now owns 31 buildings, including 55 affordable housing units and 29 occupied commercial spaces. Since 2016, CHURC has led more than $83 million in development, with another $56 million lined up in the coming years, it says.

The party in Patrick’s Park will last for the duration of the event, until 9 p.m., and will include live music, games for children, drinks, and snacks. The Cincinnati Opera’s Share the Love Truck and Wyoming Winds concert band will provide musical entertainment. The annual Mike Cappel Community Excellence Award will be presented during the event.