New Development Breaks Ground in the Uptown Innovation Corridor in Cincinnati’s Innovation District

Beth Robinson
Uptown Consortium

Terrex Development & Construction and Messer Construction Co. recently broke ground on Uptown Gateway, a $250 million mixed-use development in the Uptown Innovation Corridor. Developers, city and community leaders gathered at the southeast corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Reading Road to celebrate the newest development in Cincinnati’s Innovation District.

“The Uptown Innovation Corridor is the next big thing for Cincinnati’s economy,” said Mayor John Cranley. “I’m confident that this development, combined with the new interchange and the research power of Uptown’s institutions, will attract other businesses and entrepreneurs to Uptown’s growing innovation ecosystem.”

Phase one of the Uptown Gateway development, set for a 2021 completion, includes a 360,000-square-foot digital futures office complex, a 1,350-space underground parking garage, and a 158-room Hilton Homewood Suites hotel.

The University of Cincinnati signed a long-term lease for a 180,000-square-foot office and research space to co-locate interdisciplinary research and innovation focused on addressing industry challenges and opportunities. Another multi-story office and research building will accommodate companies seeking to create dynamic connections between UC’s researchers and students.

“The digital futures building will increase opportunities for students and faculty to collaborate with business partners to develop new research directions and generate knowledge to position us strongly in our transforming digital world,” said Dr. Neville Pinto, President, University of Cincinnati. “Proximity to the UC 1819 Innovation Hub, which houses many of our key external partners, will be an empowering element for change.”

Developments in the Uptown Innovation Corridor are purposefully designed to foster collaboration between tenants and surrounding organizations.

“The Uptown Innovation Corridor, comprising state-of-the-art developments like Uptown Gateway, is the region’s center of innovation and entrepreneurship where leading-edge organizations connect with start-ups and innovators to harness new technologies and ideas,” said Beth Robinson, President and CEO, Uptown Consortium, Inc. (UCI). “This is a huge step towards creating a world-class innovation district in Cincinnati.”

The Uptown Innovation Corridor is a 65-acre innovation and technology mixed-use hub integrated into Cincinnati’s Innovation District—the region’s center for future-facing research and talent. Plans promote connectivity among start-ups, established firms, and anchor institution partners through pedestrian-friendly features, architectural design, tenant mix, and support services. Uptown Gateway will include green space and public art to create a welcoming, collaborative environment and integrate the development into the existing neighborhood.

“We have been working on the Uptown Gateway project for three years and invested millions of dollars because of the tremendous opportunity it presents for the neighborhood, the City and the entire Cincinnati region to attract and retain the best and brightest talent from around the world. Virtually all successful research, innovation and technology districts in the U.S. are anchored by a major college or university,” said Tom Rowe, Principal of Terrex Development & Construction.

As the master planner for the Uptown Innovation Corridor, UCI established a preferred developer agreement with Terrex that sets goals for minority, women and resident inclusion. Terrex works with WEB Ventures, UCI’s economic inclusion consultants, to find and select contractors and complete community engagement initiatives.

Uptown Gateway is one of multiple planned developments in the Corridor. More than 1.1 million square feet of new space totaling more than $1 billion of investment has been completed or is currently underway. When complete, the Corridor master plan anticipates $2.5 billion of project investment and more than 2.5 million square feet of mixed-use development.

For more information about Uptown Gateway and the Uptown Innovation Corridor, visit http://www.uptowncincinnati.com.

Beth Robinson is the President and CEO of the Uptown Consortium, a nonprofit community development corporation dedicated to the economic development of Uptown Cincinnati. To learn more about the Uptown Innovation Corridor, visit www.uptowncincinnati.com.