Cincinnati approves Keystone outlot, public access

Cincinnati City Council has passed two ordinances that will facilitate the growth of the Keystone Parke project in Evanston.

The first ordinance, a zoning swap between two properties on Dana Avenue, will allow developer Neyer Properties expand a retail outlot, most likely for a restaurant tenant.

The rezoning changes 0.19 acres at 2117 Dana Avenue from PR Park and Recreation District to CC-A Commercial Community - Auto District, and 0.44 acres at 2103 Dana Avenue from CC-A to PR.

The additional park acreage will be used in the expansion of Evanston Playfield.

The second ordinance grants a public access easement to the development's private drive, allowing access from the I-71 southbound ramp to the public parking garage and Realistic Avenue.

Due to Federal Highway Administration requirements for breaks in their rights-of-way, it was necessary to create the easement because, without it, the tax increment financing bonds that will be issued to fund the garage could have been subject to federal income tax.

A four-story, 69,000-square-foot office building on the site is nearly completed.

Neyer Properties will be moving their offices from Evendale to the new building May 17, and a grand opening and ribbon-cutting is scheduled for June 3.

At buildout, the $100 million Keystone Parke will also include a 10-story, 240,000-square-foot office building with restaurant and/or retail space and a 7-story, 160,000-square-foot office building.

Previous reading on BC:
EDC to hear on zoning change for Keystone outlot (5/2/08)
Keystone Parke seeks easement to allow public access (4/14/08)
Keystone Parke seeking zoning change for retail outlot (3/7/08)
Keystone Parke photo update, 2/3/08 (2/4/08)
Keystone Parke tweaked (1/22/08)