Uptown Consortium Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati's Uptown Consortium is spearheading the planning and development efforts for the city's Uptown Innovation Corridor, which encompasses six diverse neighborhoods, five major medical and research institutions and 50,000 employees working within the adjacent town area. Uptown Consortium engaged Landwise to provide the latest understanding of regional employment drivers, market conditions and real estate economics to inform future efforts to brand and market the district to prospective developers and tenants.

The team assessed regional growth trends and how the Uptown Innovation Corridor could position itself in the Cincinnati Metro economy over the next decade. This analysis revealed the market gaps and opportunities for the study area and informed the program for a market supportable mixed-used community, which includes retail, office, lab space, hospitality and residential, as well as any planned institutional expansions. Landwise relied on case studies of other prominent innovation districts, such as Cortex in St. Louis, MO and Tech Square in Atlanta, GA. These precedents were used to compare different implementation strategies, program mixes and phasing and offered insight on how to position the initial phases of the Uptown Innovation Corridor.

The market analysis and recommendations were embedded in the larger Strategic Plan led by Sasaki Associates for the Innovation Corridor and have been used to guide conversations with developers who have significant property holdings in the corridor and for recruiting key tenants.

Recently the University of Cincinnati announced their intention to sign a long-term, build-to-suit lease in the Uptown Innovation Corridor. Terrex Development and Messer Construction will develop a 180,000 square foot building that will serve UC's Digital Futures initiative, where companies can openly innovate and collaborate with UC, the community, and each other.