the nation’s 250th anniversary,” Mayor Pureval notes. The America’s River Roots Festival centers on the Ohio River, paying homage to the diverse cultures and generations that its influence has shaped. DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH In Cincinnati, the downtown area is the pulse of a regional economic engine that ripples across Ohio and beyond. For Mayor Pureval, investing in this urban core is essential.“Downtown doesn’t just affect our city economy; it has a profound impact on the regional and even statewide economy,” he explains. With the Cincinnati Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) being the largest in Ohio, city leaders bear a unique responsibility to sustain downtown’s energy and walkability. Mayor Pureval and the city’s Administration have taken a proactive approach to address the changing dynamics of work and urban life. “Remote work is here to stay, so we quickly adopted a strategy to transform underutilized office space into housing,” he notes. Through initiatives like state-funded brownfield remediation and city-backed investments, Cincinnati is repurposing non-Class A office buildings to meet growing residential demand. Projects like the former Macy’s building, which is being converted into over 300 units of workforce housing, are reshaping downtown’s identity. Likewise, the old Saks department store building is being redeveloped to house a new Paycor headquarters, a restaurant, and premium office space. The city’s investment doesn’t stop at housing and office space. With a $600 million upgrade planned for the convention center and a new 650-800 room global hotel in the works, Mayor Pureval sees downtown Cincinnati becoming a magnet for tourism and international events. “Last year, Taylor Swift and Lionel Messi came through Cincinnati, and we’re a finalist to host Sundance for the next decade,” he says, noting how these big draws have put Cincinnati on the map. For the small businesses that form the foundation of Cincinnati’s identity, the city has created programs designed to address their unique challenges. “Small businesses are the fabric of our city,” says ing CEO Cynthia Booth on the day of the g plant in Cincinnati’s Bond Hill neighborhood. Photo Credit: Kate Luebkeman 98 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 12
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