Uptown Consortium, Inc. (UCI) and its design partner Sasaki recently completed new plans for the Innovation Greenway. This multi-acre green space will be incorporated into the developments at Martin Luther King Drive and Reading Road. Much of the Greenway will run through the Node, a mixed-use development by MLK Investors I, and the new site renderings show how the green space will be laid out.
The updated images also highlight a prominent water feature, contributing to the area’s sustainability efforts by feeding into the site’s stormwater management system. In addition to the water feature, the Innovation Greenway will include a bicycle path connecting to surrounding streets and to a larger network of trails in the area, including Wasson Way. The focus on walking and bicycle paths within the Greenway is part of UCI’s broader effort to increase transportation options within the neighborhood and continue working to make the area more pedestrian-friendly.
Plans for the Innovation Greenway follow the design principles UCI and Sasaki created for the development: Great Streets, Great Spaces and Great Places. Specifically, the Innovation Greenway is designed to meet five goals:
Connect regionally: Help connect Uptown to other neighborhoods in the region through walking and bike paths and by serving as a transportation hub.
Connect locally: Serve as a gathering and recreation space for everyone in the community who lives in, works in, or visits Uptown, where people can connect by chance and by choice.
Embrace community context: Integrate the Innovation Greenway and surrounding developments into the community by incorporating community feedback into thoughtful designs.
Promote people-centered spaces: Create spaces focused on positive pedestrian experiences where community members can come and stay to interact with one another and the surrounding infrastructure.
Express district identity: Incorporate the design principles for the innovation district and serve as a focal point for the development.
“The design intention is to improve physical, social and cultural connectivity between this site with adjacent neighborhoods such as Avondale and Corryville,” said Fred Merrill, partner, Sasaki. “It is intended to be an outdoor place of convergence where scientists, researchers, employees working in the adjacent buildings can come together with neighborhood residents to enjoy activities such as a local farmer's market, art & cultural events, food & beverage festivals, outdoor games and quiet respite, among other programmed events.”
The images below are conceptual examples of what the Innovation Greenway could look like upon completion based on other Sasaki projects across the country.
Over the past few months, UCI has been working to engage Avondale community organizations and residents around the updated conceptual Innovation Greenway plans. On October 7, UCI hosted a virtual open house event with the Avondale Development Corporation and Sasaki to present plans to residents. Attendees were able to view plans, ask questions and provide feedback in real time using a technology platform called Miro.
While feedback to-date has been largely positive, UCI continues to incorporate community input in all planning and design phases with Sasaki to ensure that the Greenway reflects the community’s needs. UCI plans to host another engagement session in November.
“For us, community engagement is an ongoing process,” said Beth Robinson, President and CEO of UCI. “We are still early in the planning and design phases for this project, so we want to ensure that Avondale residents and stakeholders have an opportunity to provide meaningful feedback—now and in the future.”
UCI recently received a $25,000 grant from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) to continue its planning and design efforts for the Greenway. The grant is in the category of environmental sustainability and was awarded because it met GCF’s equity criteria of providing accessible, quality green space serving underserved communities.
Upon completion, the Innovation Greenway will provide accessible, quality greenspace for the Uptown community at large. The Innovation Greenway will create direct linkages to the Avondale community and support an accessible and flexible environment while advancing community health and resiliency. The result will be a signature green space and recreation greenway that directly enhances connectivity to the Avondale and Corryville neighborhoods. All of Uptown and Walnut Hills will benefit from increased access to nature.
For more updates on the Innovation Greenway, view recent stories by WCPO and WVXU.