Peoples Church $60M redevelopment near UC campus gets city planning approval

Randy Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer
Updated ·2 min read
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An artist's rendering of the planned $60 million redevelopment of the Peoples Church campus in Corryville that would include a new sanctuary, apartments, commercial and office spaces.
An artist's rendering of the planned $60 million redevelopment of the Peoples Church campus in Corryville that would include a new sanctuary, apartments, commercial and office spaces.

The Cincinnati Planning Commission on Friday unanimously approved a requested zoning change for the Peoples Church campus in Corryville, where the church is planning to build a $60 million mixed-used development near the University of Cincinnati.

The project would revolve around a new three- to six-story residential, retail and office building on top of a three-level underground parking garage with 290 spaces, according to the documents submitted to the Cincinnati City Planning Commission.

The tower would replace the existing church and eight other buildings on the site, which runs along William Howard Taft Road between Eden Avenue and Bellevue Avenue, according to Ed Wiethe, a church member and development advisor for the project.

The zoning change for the proposed redevelopment must also be approved by Cincinnati City Council.

The project would be financed with a mix of private donations, tax credits and government funding − would allow the church to meet its longtime goal of updating the outdated church and expanding the ministry.

"We want to grow the church, but we also want to help the community take a step up,'' Wiethe said.

The new residential and commercial tower would offer a wide range of social services and expand housing options in the neighborhoods.

Peoples Church on William Howard Taft Road is planning a $60 million redevelopment of its nearly 3-acre campus that will include apartments and commercial spaces in a new building in the Corryville neighborhood of Cincinnati.
Peoples Church on William Howard Taft Road is planning a $60 million redevelopment of its nearly 3-acre campus that will include apartments and commercial spaces in a new building in the Corryville neighborhood of Cincinnati.

The first floor of the tower would have commercial spaces for a café, food pantry, health clinic, job training center, and thrift store, as well as an early education center and child care center, Wiethe said. The main floor would also house an 800-seat sanctuary, and a 200-seat event and worship space, according to the planning documents.

About 18 market-rate apartments, ranging in size from efficiencies to two-bedroom units, would be built on the second and third floors, according to Wiethe. The top floors would be used for church administration and other offices, he said.

Colleen Reynolds, who has been hired as a consultant on the project, said the apartments will generate revenue to help support continuing operations the 115-year-old church, which was founded in 1906 at Fourth and John streets in Downtown before moving to Corryville in 1952.

The church, whose congregation is about 50% white, 25% Black and 25% foreign-born, changed its name to People's Church in 2012 to reflect its racial diversity, including 30-plus nationalities worshiping and working there, according to its website.

The Peoples Church campus runs along William Howard Taft Road, between Eden and Bellevue avenues.
The Peoples Church campus runs along William Howard Taft Road, between Eden and Bellevue avenues.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Peoples Church expanding with bigger sanctuary, apartments and retail