Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation (WHRF) under its new Executive Director Greg Loomis is taking on the impressive task of facilitating the redevelopment of the McMillan Corridor with the focus on five crucial blocks between Concord and Kemper. This long overdue redevelopment will transform this area back into the great place to live and the vibrant business district that it once was. Close to downtown, several great schools and universities, I-71, WHRF is marketing to people from all walks of life that this is a great location to live. WHRF has identified the future influx of employees the casino will bring downtown as possible homeowners. Watch WCPO Channel 9's story to the right. It covers the first phase of revitalization, which involves knocking down condemned buildings on E. McMillan St. between Concord and Copelen Streets to make way for new construction. The first set of photos below the video represent the buildings and vacant lots in this phase. Move your cursor over the thumbnail images to see them as bigger photos. The Fire House and neighboring grey-stone will be saved for rehab.

In this phase, WHRF is working with Glaserworks, an architecture and urban planning firm at the forefront of creating walkable, "Form Based Code" neighborhoods. They'll develop a home design that fits in to the look of the historic buildings next door, and is mixed-use (with first floor businesses below quality apartments and condos). WHRF is also working closely with the community to study how to achieve and perpetuate a mix of housing that will include people on all socio-economic levels.

WHRF is striving to save and rehab the architecturally and historically significant buildings in the second and third sets of photos. These buildings are mostly located near the corner of E. McMillan St. and Kemper Ln., although the Firehouse and grey stone are on the corner of Copelen St., and the public rest-stop is located on Sedalia Al. We are cheering on WHRF in the enourmous task of saving these beautiful buildings, as the damage of years of neglect becomes apparent as they're emptied of the previous owner's "collections." In the last photo, Executive Director Greg Loomis talks with the crew behind the buildings. WHRF is receiving a lot of support from the community, City of Cincinnati, local businesses, and schools and we are excited to be a part of it!