Development guide for residents, Hyde Park fights developer at the ballot box
As the population continues to grow, the U.S. has failed to keep up with needed housing. Developers and cities see opportunities, but neighborhoods don’t always agree with the plan and want an avenue to block construction. What kind of an impact can everyday citizens have in their own backyard on housing and other types of development?
Cincinnati’s Hyde Park
To an outsider, a plan to build a 125-unit apartment building, a 90-room hotel and parking garage with 350 spots on Hyde Park Square might seem like a good way to increase housing and generate business. But members of Save Hyde Park Square are against it. They claim the development would cause too many traffic problems and is too big for the area in which it’s proposed. After being unable to stop zoning changes through their community council and Cincinnati City Council, the group has submitted enough signatures to get the issue on the ballot in November.
Residents say they are not against building more housing but don’t want an 80 foot plus hotel and apartment building on Hyde Park Square. Previously, the height limit was 50 feet. They say the developer, PLK, didn’t listen to their concerns.
On its website, PLK says this:
As we enter the design phase of this project, we are committed to collaborative discussions with neighborhood representatives, the City of Cincinnati and other key stakeholders interested in the long-term success of Hyde Park Square. The project’s design will evolve and improve during this phase. Our design focus will continue to be to enhance the beauty and positive attributes of the Square, while also addressing areas in need of improvement.
To ensure meaningful engagement, we will establish a project-based Design Advisory Council, consisting primarily of Hyde Park residents, to focus on genuine concerns and fine-tune key elements to optimize integration with the surrounding area. This will include a review of heights and setbacks. We are committed to finding balanced solutions that respect Hyde Park Square’s character, enhance walkability and pedestrian safety, and strengthen its future as a thriving neighborhood destination.
Collaboration is key for overcoming skepticism
Five Oaks
Michigan-based developer Magnus Capital Partners plans to break ground this summer on a $70M project in northwest Dayton. Initially residents were skeptical of the 260 workforce apartments Magnus planned.
But Dayton’s Planning Division Manager Tony Kroeger told Brick by Brick there was extensive public engagement and the Five Oaks neighborhood came around because of the “flexibility and interpersonal skills of the developer.”
Here are just some of the things they did, according to Magnus Marketing Manager Jason Chronowski:
- Hosted multiple community meetings, even choosing to delay a formal presentation to further engage with the community and revise the plan.
- Hosted Dayton city officials at other HōM Flats properties in Michigan so they could check out the quality, cleanliness, safety and amenities.
- Reduced three-bedroom units from 50 to 25 in response to feedback and scaled back building sizes.
- Preserved mature trees.
- Added at least 100 bicycle parking spaces.
- Responded to traffic concerns through revised curb cuts and layout.
The Dayton Daily News reports the 11-acre site was once home to Julienne School and the Hampton Square Apartments but now is vacant land.
Also planned as part of the HōM Flats at Forest development is a childcare center, playgrounds, a pickleball court, walking paths and outdoor seating.
Springfield Township
Residents were also involved from the beginning in an 80-acre development in Hamilton County’s Springfield Township. The County’s Assistant Planning Director Steve Johns told Brick by Brick the developer worked with neighbors to make sure there was enough green space and heard their concerns at multiple meetings.
WCPO describes the process in this story which aired in February:
The conversation
Brick by Brick invited Cincinnati Councilmember Mark Jeffreys and Invest in Neighborhoods Executive Director Elizabeth Bartley for a conversation about the impact everyday citizens can have on neighborhood development.
Here are some takeaways:
- Both think Cincinnati needs a revamp of the community engagement process and are planning to create a how-to guide this summer. According to Jeffreys, “so everyone has the same expectation of what that process looks like across different community councils and that’ll involve some engagement with community councils, like what’s worked, what hasn’t worked, how many times is important.” Bartley agrees saying, “So looking at mapping out that city process, understanding what the developer process is so that we can look at where and when and what are the appropriate ways to engage with development.”
- They feel good about the transparency created at Cincinnati City Hall. According to Jeffreys, “Anytime a developer brings anything forward to council there’s a period of time that you’re not supposed to, for example, solicit anything from them and then frankly there’s a lot more distance.” Cincinnati has a fraught history, given multiple pay to play federal cases. Recently, former Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld was pardoned by President Trump. Prosecutors said he solicited donations from an informant posing as a developer. Former Councilmembers Jeff Pastor and Tamaya Dennard also served jailtime for development related bribes.
- They have hope, despite controversy. According to Bartley, having the voice of the community, having the input can lead to incredibly positive changes. I do think that change begins at the neighborhood level.” Jeffreys says, “You have a lot of really thriving areas and a lot of the better outcome is when people provide input. If people do provide input, sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know….I think we can get there and through partnerships with folks like Invest in Neighborhoods in the community…I think we can channel it to really good productive use and end up in a lot better place.”
National advice to developers
Affordable Housing Finance Magazine urges developers to “take a page from a political campaign playbook,” saying, “the candidate won’t win the hearts and minds of everyone. That’s why they focus on reaching and activating the people who will be receptive to their message.”
It suggests:
- Building trust by showing that you’re listening
- Lowering the barriers to democratize the process
- Reducing staff time and increasing efficiency
Safebuilt, a comprehensive community development services provider offers these tips:
- Engage your community
- Lead with a strong goal
- Collaborate across departments
- Create predictable and transparent workflows
Looking Ahead
Cincinnati’s “Connected Communities,” which changed zoning to allow more middle housing and fewer parking spaces, among other things, has opposition. And that council minority is working to change parts of it, as WVXU reported. If any changes are made or how quickly may depend on who is elected to council in November.
Also, Blue Ash residents are closely watching plans for a $150M Summit Park proposed development. The Cincinnati Business Courier reports developers want to build a mixed-use stadium and field house, incorporating luxury apartments and three new hotels on the 110-acre site. Residents worry about traffic and parking issues.
What do you think about the community engagement process for neighborhood development? What would you like to see developers and cities do differently? What about the idea of creating a how-to book for residents? We want to build community around context and solutions in our cities. Your feedback is very important to the effort, as we continue to dig deeper into the responses to some of our most pressing social issues, including the housing crisis. Click on the green button below to take a short survey to help reinforce and refine our work. Thank you.
Ann Thompson – Host, Producer
Over the last thirty years in Cincinnati, Ann Thompson has brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting. She has reported and anchored for WVXU, WKRC, WCKY, WHIO-TV and Metro Networks and freelanced for NPR, CBS and ABC Radio. Her work has been recognized by the Associated Press and she has won awards from the Association of Women in Communications and the Alliance for Women in Media. She is a former News Director and Operations Manager. Ann has reported from India, Japan, South Korea, Germany and Belgium as part of fellowships. Ann thinks of the Brick by Brick project as “journalism for good.” She serves as host and producer. Ann lives in Anderson Township with her husband Scott. They have two boys. Jake graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2022 and Kurt attends West Point.
