Construction could begin next year on a $25 million plan to renovate the YMCA facility at the corner of Central Parkway and Elm in downtown Cincinnati.
Officials say it will do several things including transforming the Y's exercise facilities and keeping its regional headquarters in the building.
Bobby Maly with the Model Group made a presentation Monday to a City Council Committee.
He said his company will be working on the upper stories of the structure.
“Turn 225 dormitory style units of vacant housing on floors 4 thru 9 of the Y, in to approximately 60 to 65 of affordable senior housing,” Moly said.
He said there's a need for the housing component.
“There’s been a lot of affordable housing development in the last decade or so and our company has done a lot of that,” Moly said. “But there hasn’t been a significant senior housing development in the area.”
The building was originally constructed in 1917.
The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority would be committing nearly $1.9 million to the project.
That funding comes from the city forgiving penalties CMHA owes for falling short of housing goals it agreed to when City West was developed on the sites of the former Lincoln Court and Laurel Homes a decade ago.
Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls praised the project in a press release.
“This project will allow us to continue the great progress in Over-the-Rhine and continue to make affordable housing available to the city’s senior citizens,” Qualls said.
The full City Council will likely vote to support the project Wednesday.
