CINCINNATI – Surrounded by the sounds of Elder High School’s Steel Drum Band, Vice Mayor Christopher Smitherman and City Manager Patrick Duhaney joined an enthusiastic crowd of community partners in the heart of the Glenway Avenue Business District Wednesday to celebrate the start of a months-long Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP) benefiting West Price Hill.

The NEP is a 90-day community blitz that consists of a series of safety and beautification initiatives. The target zone of this NEP – the City of Cincinnati’s 28th – is the Glenway Avenue Business District. The NEP will run through May 31, 2020.

“The NEP is an investment in one of our City’s greatest assets—our neighborhoods,” City Manager Duhaney said. “Through this program various City departments work directly with residents and partners to make meaningful, lasting investments in our communities. This program is a true catalyst for community capacity building but it’s only possible because of the support of our various partners.”

Every NEP focuses on the theme of transformation – planned community cleanups, several signature projects, and buy-in from the community on various undertakings. What makes the West Price Hill program unique is the inclusion of several exciting business opportunities that will benefit the neighborhood.

The press conference took place in a blighted parking lot that residents, with support of the property owners and neighborhood partners like Price Hill Will, aim to convert into a more inviting space that better serves the community and promotes future business growth in the corridor. The development team of Verge, Cafeo and Daffin Development were all in attendance.

“Price Hill Will is excited to be working with the City and a strong, experienced development team to revitalize the 4000 block of Glenway between Gilsey and Iliff, right across from Elder High School,” said Rachel Hastings, Price Hill Will Executive Director. “We are just in the early stages of our due diligence, but we are hoping to adaptively reuse the existing historic buildings and bring a family-friendly restaurant and craft brewery to West Price Hill.”

In a surprise announcement, a local bank, Warsaw Federal, announced its merger with First Mutual Holding Company of Cleveland.

The West Price Hill NEP happens to overlap with two significant undertakings that will impact the neighborhood for years to come – the West Price Hill Neighborhood Plan and the 2020 Census. County Commissioner Denise Dreihaus and City Planning Director Katherine Keough-Jurs spoke to the importance of an accurate Census count and the impact those results will have on federal funding and vital programs for the next decade.

The City of Cincinnati will also partner with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful to recruit volunteers for its NEP community cleanup. The event will occur Saturday, April 25 along Glenway Avenue, in Rapid Run Park and throughout the NEP target zone. More information is available at keepcincinnatibeautiful.org.

Other updates about the NEP, the signature projects and related community events will be shared on social media and the City of Cincinnati website. The final results will be showcased in the spring.

Additional information about the NEP is available at www.cincinnati-oh.gov/manager/nep/.

Outlined below is a full list of partners in the West Price Hill Neighborhood Program. This NEP would not be possible without their support.

Christ Church Cathedral

Archdiocese of Cincinnati

West Price Hill Community Council

Price Hill Will

PNC Bank

First Financial Bank

Huntington Bank

Warsaw Federal

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful

Santa Maria Community Services

The Sheakley Boys and Girls Club

Community Police Partnering Center.