From the 12/22/22 Hamilton Journal-News:

 

COhatch continuing expansion in Ohio with planning downtown Hamilton location

 

 

HAMILTON — City officials confirmed this week that COhatch, the fast-growing, Ohio-based office and coworking space provider, will open a new location in downtown Hamilton in 2024.

 

John Watkins, co-principal at COhatch, spoke with the Journal-News after the state released information announcing a $1.8 million historical tax credit that will help the company preserve, renovate and eventually reuse downtown Hamilton’s historic Second National Bank building in the heart of the city.

 

“(The building) is a classic example of types of buildings, in a location, in a community, that we like to invest in. So, we began this process of exploration and cooperation on how to develop the site that makes the most sense for the city of Hamilton and for our business,” Watkins said.

 

Part of that exploration was the application for incentives like grants or tax credits that would make the project “economically feasible” from a company perspective.

 

The city was able to offer the Second National Bank building as a prospective site after its Community Improvement Corporation purchased the dormant building for $230,000 last December from U.S. Bank.

 

https://www.journal-news.com/news/cohatch-continuing-expansion-in-ohio-with-planning-downtown-hamilton-location/ZG4U62PVGVAQPC6EHAC2RUARAI/

 

 

More on that...

 

Cohatch to transform Historic Second National Bank in Hamilton thanks state tax credit

 

A historic, vacant bank in downtown Hamilton took a step toward redevelopment Tuesday after it landed state historic tax credits.

 

The Second National Bank, located at 219 High St. in Hamilton, received more than $1.8 million in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits for its plan to convert the building into coworking and dining spaces. The project will be an overall investment of more than $11.1 million.

 

Cohatch, a coworking company with locations in Hyde Park, Kenwood, Mason and Milford, will occupy space in the building and operate it, with the company’s Managing Member John Watkins submitting the tax credit application.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/12/22/hamilton-second-national-bank-cohatch.html

 

Reading back through this thread, it’s incredible how well Hamilton has done with redevelopment over the past 10-15 years. It’s become a really well put together place.


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The historic Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton (CH&D) / Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) train depot in Hamilton is currently being relocated two blocks to the south. Here is a video of the relocation of the three story section of the depot last week:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_bdkh7-N6I

This bad project is gaining steam:

https://www.northhamiltoncrossing.org/

 

The need for this bypass is highly questionable, as the timing of its appearance coincides with the Spooky Nook. 

 

 

If the state really wants to transform Hamilton, place all of the railroad tracks in a trench.  About 10 grade crossings would be eliminated and many old streets could be re-connected.  A passenger station in DT Hamilton could have platforms in the trench and staircases down from street level. 

 

Right now, everything funnels into High St. since people want to avoid the grade crossings near the Black St. bridge.  

 

Do this:

 

Edited February 15, 20232 yr by Lazarus

10 hours ago, Lazarus said:

This bad project is gaining steam:

https://www.northhamiltoncrossing.org/

 

The need for this bypass is highly questionable, as the timing of its appearance coincides with the Spooky Nook. 

 

 

I know I shouldn't be surprised but it's wild that in 2023 they have multiple options that turn residential streets into a "bypass." Out of the 16 options, only 1 actually seems to fit the definition of a bypass and even that one will cut off a small residential subdivision from the rest of the city. It is interesting to see how many people are concerned about the future status of the Butler County Fairgrounds. This seems like a no-win situation, since the other options damage low-income communities and/or a historic district.

24 minutes ago, Dev said:

I know I shouldn't be surprised but it's wild that in 2023 they have multiple options that turn residential streets into a "bypass." Out of the 16 options, only 1 actually seems to fit the definition of a bypass and even that one will cut off a small residential subdivision from the rest of the city. It is interesting to see how many people are concerned about the future status of the Butler County Fairgrounds. This seems like a no-win situation, since the other options damage low-income communities and/or a historic district.

 

I am no fan, either, of the MLK Blvd that squiggles through the original street grid.  

 

They are claiming that the age of the Black St. bridge is the motivator for the whole thing, when really that's the excuse.  Getting the railroads below grade will reduce the pinch points in the surface road layout that cause the Black St. bridge to be underused today.  

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hamilton,+OH/@39.4071205,-84.5549969,835m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x8840464e3b405489:0x215a7220815dfea5!8m2!3d39.3995008!4d-84.5613355!16zL20vMHl0NzM

 

 

4 minutes ago, Lazarus said:

 

I am no fan, either, of the MLK Blvd that squiggles through the original street grid.  

 

They are claiming that the age of the Black St. bridge is the motivator for the whole thing, when really that's the excuse.  Getting the railroads below grade will reduce the pinch points in the surface road layout that cause the Black St. bridge to be underused today.  

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hamilton,+OH/@39.4071205,-84.5549969,835m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x8840464e3b405489:0x215a7220815dfea5!8m2!3d39.3995008!4d-84.5613355!16zL20vMHl0NzM

 

 

Oh yeah, MLK is a great comparison.

The way they are framing the Black Street bridge is such an obvious strawman.

The west side of Hamilton is neatly organized one main street without any strange situations in search of a solution.  The downtown and east side, however, is a jigsaw puzzle that has been made worse by various makeshift solutions.  The MLK thing didn't solve anything at all.  It just wasted money.  

 

The dilemma is that it's going to take big money to enable Hamilton to get to the next level.  A broad upgrade of the rail corridor between Cincinnati and Dayton could include big projects in Hamilton and Middletown that would benefit the freight railroads, Amtrak, the street grids, and set the table for a future regional rail service that shuttles hourly trains back and forth between Cincinnati and Dayton through these two smaller cities.    There are also smaller places along this line like Trenton that would benefit from a rail stop on a commuter/regional service.   

 

 

It's a long way out of the hole they've been dug but the first needs to be to stop digging.

The city's recent revival is happening in spite of Hamilton's planning missteps.  Go back to 2010 and none of this could have been anticipated.  Houses were selling for $15,000.  Now DT Hamilton and the strip on the west side of the river are turning into Butler County's Over-the-Rhine. 

 

The Fox Highway was open for 15 years before Hamilton started taking off, so while it's part of the story, it doesn't explain it all. 

 

Hamilton is poised to really enjoy the benefits of Amtrak expansion.  It's not inconceivable that 10 or more Amtrak trains will stop each day in Hamilton by 2030.  Several per day to Chicago, several per day to Columbus and Cleveland.  There might even be moments when - gasp - two are stopped in Hamilton at the same time.  

 

 

 

 

^To what missteps are you referring? (genuine question; I'm not trying to suggest there are none)

 

In general, I think Hamilton has avoided building too many "big roads." Compare it to Middletown with its 6-lane (and sometimes 8-lane) boulevard system, Springfield with huge one-way pairs and the Spring Street viaduct, Newark with SR 16 freeway, Elyria with SR 57 bypass, and numerous other cities of similar size and smaller, and I think Hamilton has fared pretty well. Dumping SR 129 right onto the end of High Street eventually created a major congestion point on the urban grid. MLK Boulevard/US 127 improvements are nearly three decades old at this point, but other than the curve at the edge of German Village, the road is fairly unobtrusive to the grid. When it was built, there was still significant industry operating in the Black Street bridge area; now it is the only reason Spooky Nook is a possibility.

 

I have mixed feelings about North Hamilton Crossing, but it does seem clear that a new Great Miami River bridge will be needed at some point in the future, and it makes sense to construct it with future connections in mind, whether or not the funding is ever found to construct another boulevard back to SR 129. Funding just the bridge will be a significant hurdle.

Crawford Hoying plans $150 million development adjacent to Hamilton's Spooky Nook

 

The city of Hamilton could be the site for a massive mixed-use development that includes a hotel and over 100 apartments if redevelopment plans for a former recycling plant move forward.

 

Crawford Hoying, the new owners of the Banks along Cincinnati’s riverfront, is proposing a $150 million mixed-use development at the Cohen Recycling site at 555 N. 3rd St. Hamilton City Council first heard about the project from City Manager Joshua Smith during a June 16 council meeting, where Smith said Crawford Hoying would need a $3 million forgivable loan from the city to greenlight the project and close on the site.

 

Crawford Hoying will have a representative at council’s June 28 meeting, where the firm will provide a brief presentation on the project before seeking approval for the loan.

 

Crawford Hoying is seeking a $3 million forgivable loan from the city of Hamilton in exchange for purchasing and developing the Cohen Recyling site, Smith said. To have the loan forgiven, the firm would need to complete $150 million of development by 2036.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/06/21/banks-development-hamilton-spooky-nook-mixed-use.html

 

Hamilton green lights Crawford Hoying's $150 million riverfront development

 

A major mixed-use development just across the Great Miami River from Hamilton’s Spooky Nook sporting complex has landed city approval.

 

Hamilton City Council unanimously voted July 12 to execute a development agreement with Dublin-based developer Crawford Hoying, who plans to redevelop the former Cohen Recycling Site located at 555 N. 3rd St. The development agreement encompasses the property at 555 N. 3rd St. as well as 134 Hensel Place.

 

With the agreement in place, Crawford Hoying will receive a $3 million forgivable loan from the city of Hamilton in exchange for purchasing and developing the Cohen Recycling site. For that loan to be forgiven, Crawford Hoying will need to complete $150 million of development at the site by 2036.

 

The developer plans to turn the former recycling site into a multi-phased, $150 million mixed-use site. The first phase will include more than 100 apartments, townhomes, 5,000 square feet of commercial space, a premium-brand hotel and parking.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/07/21/hamilton-approves-development-spooky-nook.html

Spectrum Investment Group, Acumen Development Partners plan hotel in former Hamilton city building

 

The city of Hamilton is gearing up for another hotel development right near the Great Miami River – and this time, it could be in a former municipal building.

 

Partners Spectrum Investment Group and Acumen Development Partners want to redevelop Hamilton’s former city building, located at 20 High St., and transform it into a boutique hotel. The project would be an estimated $48 investment that targets opening in the fourth quarter of 2026.

 

Spectrum’s founder and managing partner Amro Kamel outlined the partners’ vision for redeveloping the hotel during a July 12 council meeting. Hamilton City Council will vote during its upcoming Aug. 9 meeting whether to sell the 20 High St. property to Spectrum and Acumen, as well as enter a development agreement. If approved, the city would contribute a $2 million grant for the project, as well as a 15-year tax abatement at the site.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/07/24/suburb-eyes-new-hotel-former-city-hall-hamilton.html

 

HAMILTON STRIKES BACK

How a city shed its decaying 1990s image and became a model for post-industrial America

 

The old Beckett Mill building sits on 4 acres between Heaton and Dayton streets in Hamilton, now a charred and aging husk of brick and iron. It shuttered in January 2012.

 

Three months later, the Champion Paper Mill, a colossus 10 times larger than Beckett Mill across the Great Miami River, also closed, casting an especially dark shadow upon a city that earned its keep for 150 years by making things. The closures capped two decades of bad news for Hamilton, beginning with a spate of company sales, bankruptcies and departures in the late 1990s that revealed the city’s post-industrial parachute to be full of holes.

 

“In a very compressed timeframe, some of the largest and most iconic employers in Hamilton left,” Hamilton City Manager Joshua Smith said. “That’s 5,000 to 8,000 jobs… what do you do?”

 

Thirteen years later, Hamilton is the dream scenario of every midsized Rust Belt town. Its dismal 20th-century fortunes have given way to widespread redevelopment, renewed population growth and every telltale of modern prosperity – coffee shops, breweries, coworking spots, public spaces, dog parks, murals, live music, residential infill, green energy, advanced manufacturing and the rescue of its gigantic former industrial sites from oblivion. 

 

The city has around $1 billion in developments waiting in the wings, according to Smith, whom many credit for Hamilton’s comeback. Now he’s ready to make a big move he expects will take it to a whole new level.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/12/08/city-of-hamilton-strikes-back-josh-smith-redevelop.html

 

Hamilton poised for nearly $1B in new projects; here are the 8 biggest ones

 

The revitalization of Hamilton is proceeding full steam ahead thanks to nearly $1 billion in development projects underway or planned and pending historic tax credits. The Business Courier in its weekly cover story published Friday, Dec. 7, detailed much of the work leading up these initiatives coming to town.

 

WAY more below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2023/12/08/hamilton-ohio-development-projects-hotels-spooky.html

 

 

I hadn't seen the site plan shown anywhere before, but it looks pretty impactful. What is the plan for the historic buildings at the corner of 3rd and Black? I've always loved the glass building on the corner and would love to see it repurposed in some way, whatever that may be. 

 

@ink^

On 12/8/2023 at 3:31 PM, ucgrady said:

I hadn't seen the site plan shown anywhere before, but it looks pretty impactful. What is the plan for the historic buildings at the corner of 3rd and Black? I've always loved the glass building on the corner and would love to see it repurposed in some way, whatever that may be. 

 

 

My understanding is that the historic buildings are going to be kept, but I do not know how the glass-clad building at the corner might be used. There is a proposed food hall within the development, which I have assumed is within the historic buildings as there are massive industrial bays inside.

Get SpookyNook involved and build an indoor pool/waterpark. The parents and families need something to do during the day instead of watching 9 hours straight of volleyball tournaments (especially when your kid's team is on break)

 

7 hours ago, ucgrady said:

Get SpookyNook involved and build an indoor pool/waterpark. The parents and families need something to do during the day instead of watching 9 hours straight of volleyball tournaments (especially when your kid's team is on break)

 

Just like when they wanted to put Hollywoodland in Middletown a few years ago.  

Miami University to acquire Vora Technology Park for manufacturing hub

 

Miami University has shed new light on an ambitious advanced manufacturing hub it intends to create in partnership with Butler Tech, including the revelation that the school will acquire Vora Technology Park in Hamilton.

 

The purchase price was not disclosed in Miami’s Feb. 6 news release announcing the acquisition. The high-tech campus’ current owner, tech entrepreneur Mahendra Vora, marketed the property for sale at a price of $20 million in 2021.

 

The Butler County Board of Commissioners granted Butler Tech $8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to establish the hub, according to the release. The city of Hamilton is contributing $2.5 million as well.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/02/07/miami-university-vora-technology-park-butler-tech.html

 

Developer Crawford Hoying acquires hotel near its planned $150 million development in Hamilton

 

A Columbus developer that’s set to embark on a $150 million development in Hamilton has acquired additional property there.

 

Columbus-based Crawford Hoying announced Feb. 6 its acquisition of Courtyard by Marriott Hamilton in partnership with Shaner Hotel Group. It’s the second hotel acquisition Crawford Hoying has completed with Shaner in the last five months, according to a news release. The acquisition means Shaner will be able to manage the newly acquired hotel and planned hotel at Crawford Hoying’s mixed-use development at Hamilton’s Cohen Recycling site.

 

Matt Starr, executive vice president of commercial real estate for Crawford Hoying, said the developer is excited about furthering its investment in Hamilton.

 

“For the city, this represents the beginning of a new chapter,” Starr said in the release. “The community came together to acquire and re-flag the hotel nearly 15 years ago, and Crawford Hoying will now make a significant investment in the property to re-establish the hotel’s presence in the marketplace.”

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/02/07/crawford-hoying-acquires-hamilton-hotel-cohen-site.html

 

Miami U buying the Vora Tech park is an interesting move in Miami's overall strategy. They spent so many years building up an image of being a "private Ivy", which at least when I was going there the school had about 1/3 of its student from out-of-state, and around 10% of them being international, largely from China. With China's current struggling economic conditions and COVID, they had to pivot back pretty quick from 2020 to a nearly 100% acceptance rate and rely a lot more on bringing in lower-paying in-state students. They have a lot of debt tied up in their 20+ years of nonstop building, tearing down stuff, etc. so it seems like buying this is an acknowledgement that the old normal of high dollar international and out of state students footing the bill might be a thing of the past. As an Alum, I'm not really in love with the idea of them morphing into a more regional directional name style state university instead of a nationally known powerhouse like they once were, but at the same time I'm not surprised and hope they handle the downgrade well. 

^That is an interesting take. I'm not sure if the Vora purchase is really an indication of Miami's overall strategy. As best I can tell, this project was largely driven by Hamilton and Butler Tech officials. Several years ago, Hamilton was trying to start a similar project with Miami at the undeveloped part of Spooky Nook. Over the past two years, Butler Tech has been seeking funding to create a manufacturing hub in another Miami Hamilton property located behind the main Vora (old Champion Paper Knightsbridge) building. Those efforts appear to have come together with the latest announcement. 

 

As an alum of Miami Oxford myself, I'm supportive of the regional campuses becoming a bigger partner in the workforce needs of Hamilton, Middletown, and the rest of Southwest Ohio. There are other factors impacting Oxford--and higher education in general--that seem more concerning than this. 

^Trust me, it’s not a take I like saying, but from what I can tell it’s reality. Various college rankings out there shouldn’t really affect the prestige of a university, but they do, and it’s been a long while since Miami ranked #75 or greater out of the national research universities. It’s even been a while since they haven considered better than University of Dayton academically, and it’s to the point where the University of Cincinnati is almost seen as more prestigious (not that any of those are not great schools, they are all excellent, but it’s a different conversation than before). Ohio State seems to now get the cream of the crop without much dispute, while ~15 years ago the two were seen as fairly equitable.

So I think it’s a smart pivot, and I definitely think it’s a pivot. Butler Tech has wanted as much Miami engagement as possible for as long as I can remember. I’m glad they are getting it now. I also see a great opportunity for Miami to morph into a solid technical university. Which is something it has never been with its fairly new engineering school (aside from the two legacy degrees) and brand new Oxford based nursing school (previously it was regionals only).


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City of Hamilton buys back historic substation after failed craft brewery concept

 

The city of Hamilton will repurchase a decommissioned, vacant electric substation it sold to a private firm after plans for a microbrewery at the site floundered.

 

Hamilton City Council at its Feb. 14 meeting voted unanimously, and without discussion, to repurchase the substation at 514 Maple Ave., as well as adjacent property, from Great Miami Brewing Inc., for $200,000.

 

The city council initially approved the sale of the substation, which at the time was owned by the city, in August 2021 following a five-month request for proposals process that yielded two submissions.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/02/15/hamilton-buys-back-substation-amp-house-brewery.html

 

Developers sign Marriott Tribute deal for planned Hamilton city hotel

 

The much-anticipated hotel at 20 High St. on Hamilton's riverfront will be a Marriott Tribute, just the second such brand from the company in Greater Cincinnati.

 

The development team behind the project, Indiana-based Spectrum Investment Group and prolific hotel developer Acumen Development Partners, headquartered in Utah, signed the agreement in the days before announcing it March 22.

 

The $49 million effort will see the Mueller Building transformed into a 159-room hotel. The building was originally constructed in 1934 as a Public Works Administration project.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/03/22/marriott-tribute-hamilton-hotel-acumen-spectrum.html

 

PLK Communities unveils $40M Remington Lake apartments in Hamilton

 

A Cincinnati developer has announced its latest community, a $40 million, 272-unit apartment project in the city of Hamilton, which is in the midst of a construction boom. 

 

PLK Communities broke ground on Remington Lake in early April following site clearance work that began in December. The first buildings are expected to be complete by the end of the year, and pre-leasing will begin in July. 

 

Remington Lake is PLK’s first new construction project in Hamilton. 

 

The apartment units will be housed in 21 two-story buildings on 27.5 acres at Watercove Court off Eden Park Drive. 

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/04/30/plk-communities-remington-lake-apartments-hamilton.html

 

Hamilton's Marriott Tribute hotel conversion lands $6M in Ohio historic tax credits

 

The largest award for Southwest Ohio in the latest round of historic tax credits will go to a $61 million adaptive reuse project converting a former municipal building in Hamilton into a boutique hotel.

 

The conversion of the Mueller Building into a 159-room Marriott Tribute hotel won $6 million from the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program, which Gov. Mike DeWine announced June 26.

 

The 130,000-square-foot Mueller Building, at 20 High St. on Hamilton’s riverfront, is being developed by Indiana-based Spectrum Investment Group and prolific hotel developer Acumen Development Partners, headquartered in Utah.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/06/28/marriott-tribute-hamilton-hotel-tax-credits.html

 

Miami University seeks to develop a master plan for one of its regional campuses

 

Miami University is turning its attention toward the future of one of its regional campuses.

 

The region’s second-largest university has issued a request for qualifications seeking consulting services to create a master plan for its Hamilton regional campus.

 

The university finalized its acquisition of the 55-acre Vora Technology Park for $11.2 million in May this year, and is now looking to create the plan to help guide future improvements.  

 

“This is a planning tool for us to map out how might we focus our resources so that we’re making good long-term decisions,” Cody Powell, associate vice president of facilities planning and operations, told me.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/12/06/miami-university-hamilton-master-plan-vora-tech.html

 

Cincinnati developer gets historic tax credits for $29 million Hamilton project

By Brian Planalp – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

Jan 6, 2025

 

The Cincinnati firm behind the $29 million redevelopment of the Shuler & Benninghofen Woolen Mill in Hamilton expects to start work this year after receiving state tax credits.

 

East Walnut Hills-based Bloomfield/Schon is planning the redevelopment and transformation of the former mill at Pleasant and Williams avenues in Hamilton.

 

The project will yield 127 loft-style apartments, 80 to 90 indoor parking spaces, some amount of additional parking spaces and around 7,000 square feet of commercial space.

 

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City of Hamilton, local developer advance project at historic Beckett Paper Mill site

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By Brian Planalp – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

Jun 11, 2025

The city of Hamilton is working with a local real estate development company on the adaptive reuse of a building steeped in history, one of several projects expected to transform the city’s urban core in the years to come.

The Beckett Paper Mill, a 128,415-square-foot vacant industrial building that dates from the 1880s, occupies several acres on the west side of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard about a quarter mile north of High Street in downtown Hamilton.

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