News
Aug 22, 2023 _ news
City Club to City: U Want Apts? We Got Apts!
Like many cities, Cincinnati is working to create more housing. Progress on 281 new units leapt forward last month as City Club Apartments hosted a topping out ceremony on their latest development, City Club Apartments Union Central.
We’re working with City Club Apartments to transform the 100-year-old former office building from a place of work into a place to live. To do that, we’re capitalizing on the opportunities ripe for reinvention while preserving historical details that celebrate unparalleled quality and craft. The project is on track to be National Green Building Standard (NGBS) Certified and the first Fitwel certified residential building in Cincinnati. It will feature resort-class amenities like its Sky Park, a pet park, and infinity pool, and offer a variety of different unit sizes—from 400sf studios to one, two, and three-bedroom units as well as penthouses. “People don’t build high rises with that many custom unique floors anymore,” GBBN Principal Chad Burke tells The Cincinnati Enquirer. “One of the complexitites of this project was making the new floorplates fit around the structural columns, the stairs and the elevators. Every floor is different.”
The building occupies an entire city block, creating challenges—and interesting opportunities—to use the existing structure to help future residents connect to the outdoors. By reclaiming a series of window openings bracketed by exterior columns, we’ve found a way to maximize these slivers of space to create resident balconies. The project also takes advantage of the roof to provide outdoor access for residents and guests. Part of the roof that once hosted mechanical units will be used to create a pet park. A new rooftop pool is also part of the building’s transformation from offices to residences. The ideal spot for the pool places it above an 18th floor library that features a beautiful neoclassical coffered ceiling. To achieve this, we’re coordinating the design of a steel armature to support the pool and protect the ceiling, ensuring 20th century historic detail and a 21st amenity live happily ever after.
“A huge part of our work at City Hall Apartments is envisioning action we can take to help our city thrive and win the next generation,” Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval said at the topping out ceremony. “Progress like this — creating nearly 300 homes to attract diverse talent Downtown — it’s exactly what we’re talking about.”
Read more about our work on this project here.
You can check out media coverage of the topping out ceremony by going to , WVXU, and The Cincinnati Business Courier and The Cincinnati Enquirer
Learn more about our adaptive reuse projects here.
