Cincinnati Riverfront
A community driven vision with spectacular results
UDA was commissioned by the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County to prepare a master plan for the downtown waterfront that transformed the waterfront into a major attraction for the city. The primary objective was to create a new mixed-use district and two new sports stadiums directly connected to the CBD. The secondary objective was to generate maximum economic benefit for the downtown and to revitalize the central Ohio River riverfront. During a design charrette and a series of public forums, UDA developed a series of urban design principles and alternative plans to build consensus on future redevelopment and growth. The design creates a new riverfront park and includes the National Underground Railroad Museum, a mixed-use district, a transit center, and a restructured interstate urban highway to remove the downtown’s separation from the river. The riverfront restored as the “front door” of the city, and has emerged as a hub of activity and a place that connects people in a dynamic and meaningful urban environment.