Miller-Valentine proposing 75 townhomes for Columbia Tusculum

Miller-Valentine Group has proposed a 75-unit residential development for the Columbia Tusculum neighborhood.

The Village at Walworth Avenue would extend Walworth to an area just behind The Precinct restaurant, creating a cul de sac lined with zero-lot line row houses.

According to Andrew Holzhauser, president of the Columbia Tusculum Community Development Corporation, preliminary estimates are that the townhomes would be priced between $400,000 and $600,000.

Aside from the necessary rezoning, Miller-Valentine needs to acquire 2.4 acres of wooded Cincinnati Park Board land on Walworth.  They would then add 2.5 acres of common park land within the development.

The response from both the Columbia Tusculum Community Council and the East End Area Council has been favorable so far, though some Walworth residents have expressed concerns about increased traffic.

Doug Hine, president of urban lifestyles for Miller-Valentine, says that these concerns will be addressed during the design phase, and estimates that the project is probably at least a year away from breaking ground.

To Hine, the project is designed to complement the adjacent Columbia Square mixed-use development.

"We're adding residential density," Hine says.  "We've created a community you can easily walk to."

Holzhauser says that between the Village at Walworth Avenue and Gary Osterfeld's nearby Cottage Hill residential project, the population of Columbia Tusculum could increase 15 to 20 percent.

"It will be a great destination for young families and obviously a huge boost to the city's tax base," he says.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Sources: Doug Hine, president of urban lifestyles, Miller-Valentine Group; Andrew Holzhauser, president, Columbia Tusculum Community Development Corporation
Rendering Provided by Miller-Valentine Group