Liberty Township gave approval in June for the development of apartments and a hotel at a major mixed-use development in the Cincinnati suburb.
Liberty Center, a $350 million project near the Interstate 75 and state Route 129 corridors, received approval to develop 264 luxury apartments and a 145-room hotel at the site, according to a news release. Township approval is the first step to making those developments at Liberty Center happen, and it comes over a year after Liberty Township trustees shot down an over $50 million apartment project at the center.
“This is a significant milestone in our plan to continuously pursue improvements at Liberty Center,” John Taylor, general manager of Liberty Center, said in a release. “We’ve had many new openings over the last year, continuing the leasing momentum. We are committed to a vibrant mixed-use center that brings together this community’s recreational, social and civic passions by giving residents the perfect place to live, dine, shop, work, and enjoy all the benefits this center has to offer.”
It is unclear who would develop both the hotel and the apartments. Taylor did not return requests for comment as of this posting.
According to a report submitted to Liberty Township trustees, the apartments would consist of 46 studios, 94 one-bedroom units, 111 two-bedroom units and 13 three-bedroom units. Amenities would include a dog park, clubhouse, private saltwater pool and a gym with a yoga room.
The hotel would be a five-story structure, according to that same report, though amenities are to be determined.
In addition to the possible hotel and apartments, Liberty Center announced other enhancements to the center Wednesday that would help elevate the property.
Additional changes to Liberty Center include those at the Park, green space at the center of the development. The Park will add a larger grand lawn, new play features, seating areas and diagonal paths to enhance the space and the nearby Foundry entrance. According to a release, Haskell Street also will be closed between Bales and Gibson streets once those upgrades are complete, creating a pedestrian-friendly green space.
Enhancements will be completed this summer, with Haskell Street upgrades slated to be complete this fall.
Developer Dobbins Group and Bayer Properties LLC, the firm handling leasing, property management and marketing for Liberty Center, previously proposed demolishing two existing retail buildings at the southwest corner of Liberty Center to make way for a 273-unit apartment building. Township trustees decided to not move forward with the project in February 2022, citing a desire to stick to the original planned unit development plan for Liberty Center.
Bayer Properties leadership argued at the time Liberty Center needed to evolve with market needs and demands.
The announcements also come as Liberty Center welcomes a new restaurant and other tenants. Toast & Berry, a brunch destination taking a modern approach to classic breakfast and lunch, opened at Liberty Center last month. F45, Elevate Office Suites and Box Lunch also joined the development in recent months, the release states.
