Wonder Bread site eyed for housing

The former site of a Wonder Bread bakery is being eyed for new single-family housing, and could possibly be the site of CitiRAMA 2012.

But the 4.3-acre site, at 930 Cutter Street in the West End, will require a Phase II Environmental Assessment before the City of Cincinnati decides to proceed.

City Council is considering spending $150,000 in capital improvement program project funding for the assessment, which will reveal the extent of the site's contamination and the likely costs of cleaning it up.

If redevelopment is deemed viable, the City will apply for up to $3 million in Clean Ohio Fund grants for demolition and remediation.

A 79,000-square-foot building currently occupies the site.

For the next year, J&R Land Holdings has an option to purchase the land from current owner KRP Warehouse LLC, but, if the Clean Ohio Fund grants are awarded, the purchase option would be assigned to the City. The City then would purchase the property and prepare it for redevelopment.

If the City doesn't receive the funds, the project would be considered dead.

Ordinances for both the capital expenditure and the Clean Ohio Fund application are pending before council.