Construction to begin on second phase of $640m development next to UC

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Developers are slated to begin work on the $250 million second phase of The District at Clifton Heights.

The plans include a seven-story, 171-room hotel called Hotel Celare at the northwest intersection of Clifton Avenue and Straight Street.

Developed by Columbus-based Crawford Hoying, the hotel will feature a rooftop bar overlooking campus and 18,000 square feet of dining and entertainment space. The Cincinnati Planning Commission approved of the final development plan in June.

A 14-story residential tower comprising 380 unit and 1,112 beds will be constructed immediately to the west of the hotel at Straight Street and Stratford Avenue. The 143-ft. tall building, dubbed the Hub, will include student housing units, a 169-space parking garage and street-level commercial space.

The Hub is being developed by Chicago-based Core Spaces. The Planning Commission approved the final development plan in March, and site excavation on began in April.

The buildings are expected to open in summer 2024.

The District’s master developer, Lafayette, Indiana-based Trinitas Ventures, announced Friday that the development’s second phase is moving forward but did not provide official groundbreaking dates.

“Our vision for The District at Clifton Heights took shape more than four years ago and was built on active input from community residents, elected officials and key stakeholders,” said Aaron Bartels, Executive Vice President of Mixed-Use Development for Trinitas.

“This next phase is an important evolution to The District as we continue to activate Straight Street with a great pedestrian-oriented experience. We’re thankful for our partnership with Crawford Hoying, Core Spaces, the Port and City of Cincinnati to bring The District to this important milestone.”

The District is a $640 million project across five acres straddling Straight Street. It resides within the footprint of the old Deaconness Hospital, which was demolished in 2018.

The District’s first phase yielded The Deacon, an eight-story, $120 million building dedicated to student housing. It opened in August 2019.

The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority and the City of Cincinnati created a tax-increment financing package to fund public improvements and a public parking garage valued at $40 million. Streetscape improvements are also included.

The final development plan envisions two additional buildings on the south side of Straight Street, one of them a high-rise multifamily building, the other a senior housing development.

When complete, The District is expected to be home to more than 3,000 residents, create more than 2,000 jobs and generate around $11 million in annual taxes for the city and county, according to the developers.