Cincinnati's 21c future

When the person at the front desk closes with "… and make sure you check out our men's bathroom. It's just down the hall to the right of the big red penguin,"  you know you're in a unique place. And so went a recent visit to the 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville where Cincinnatians can get a glimpse into the future.

When the 21c Museum Hotel announced late last year that they had purchased the old Metropole Hotel building in downtown Cincinnati from 3CDC in the Backstage District, it marked the first new hotel in downtown in over twenty years. Located across from the Aronoff Center for the Arts and just next door to the Contemporary Arts Center, the historic building offers the ability to do many unique things.

"3CDC approached us with the location, and it was pretty much a dream", said CEO Michael Bonadies. 

The hotel will keep its boutique feel - the Louisville location, opened in 2005, has 90 rooms - the Cincinnati location is slated for 160 and Bonadies said the goal is to have it open in 2012.

"Our goal is to be a part of the community and really be one of the cultural centers of Louisville," Bonadies said.  In addition to the hotel's world class art collection,  Bonadies said they also host shows and events to keep things interesting for locals who, surprisingly, make up 90 percent of the revenues at Proof on Main, the hotel's hip, upscale restaurant.

The first ground floor and the level below are filled with art and exhibits that are rotated semi-annually including a few rooms that are big enough to hold an entire collection from an artist. One example was the 'Faces of Fooshegu' exhibit - a dynamic collection of twenty portraits of the people of Tamale, Ghana. This exhibit, among quite a few others at 21c, was created by local Louisville artists.

"21c reflects Louisville," said Bonadies, "and the Cincinnati location will reflect Cincinnati." 

According to Bonadies, owners Laura Lee Brown and her husband Steve Wilson have a passion for the farmland of America and want to make the urban centers a place where people work, play and live.

"They are doing their part to prevent urban sprawl and in turn protect the farmland they care about," said Bonadies who also stated that most of the art shown at 21c is a personal reflection of their tastes.

21c Museum Hotel is visually stunning, thought provoking, fun, and quite impressive, and that is all before getting in the elevator to head upstairs to the rooms which are stylish and modern with an artistic touch all their own.

And as for the men's restroom in the lobby, you will just have to go down to Louisville to see it for yourself. It's just down the hall and to the right of the big red penguin.

Writer: Dave Rolfes
Photography by David De Bol