Development momentum continues in Uptown as a zoning change was recently approved for a key area of the MLK & Reading Road Redevelopment Area. The City of Cincinnati approved rezoning 15 properties to allow for large-scale, mixed-use development in the southwest quadrant of Avondale.
Preparation for this critically-important location began in 2017 when Uptown Consortium, Inc. (UCI) purchased the former Marathon gas station and the former Dual Manor Health Care Center and three adjacent properties.
In 2018, Queen City Hills, LLC, a minority-owned development team, signed a letter of intent with UCI to develop the site. Demolition of the southwest quadrant began in early October and was completed in December of 2022, significantly improving the appearance and marketability of the area. UCI received funding from JobsOhio to cover the cost of demolition, the removal of all paved areas and the grading of the site.
Battle Axe Construction, a Black-owned demolition contractor, handled this phase of the site clearance—and they have been involved with demolition in the area since 2015. Battle Axe is a minority business enterprise (MBE) success story in Uptown.
The site is primed and ready for the next addition to the Cincinnati Innovation District in Uptown Cincinnati. UCI will continue to work with the Queen City Hills team to develop the 5.85-acre site to bring jobs and investment to the Greater Cincinnati region.
