City officials looking for potential developers for two downtown sites

The City of Cincinnati is looking for developers who are interested in re-imagining two underutilized downtown sites. One is the western part of the Shillito’s complex at 137 W. Seventh St.; the other is a parking lot across the street from City Hall.
 
The western part of the Shillito’s complex once held the department store that later became Lazarus, which left the site in 1997 and moved to Fountain Square West — it is now Macy’s. The site is 400,000 square feet and includes a 10-story and a six-story building.
 
In 2000, a tech company considered Shillito’s West for a data center, but the company ultimately passed on the location. Before that, the site was considered for demolition to make way for a parking garage; in 1996, it was considered for potential Class B office space.
 
Towne Properties opened The Lofts at Shillito Place in the eastern part of the Shillito’s site in 1999.
 
The parking lot that is being considered for redevelopment is at the northwest corner of Ninth and Plum streets. The .8-acre site currently houses 98 parking space and a 17,290-square-foot building.
 
The city is looking for project proposals that will help boost quality home ownership and rental projects downtown.
 
Developers will be asked to compete in two different phases. The first is a submission of qualifications and preliminary concept plans. Then the city will choose finalists to design more detailed plans, and a final choice will be made. As part of the process, developers are required to talk with residents before submitting their final proposal.
 
City development officials are holding a briefing with potential developers from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 9 to discuss details about the two sites.