BUILDING RESTORATION
The Masonic Lodge was completed in 1912, owned and operated by the Price Hill Freemasons for 77 years until a merger with the North Bend Lodge. Designed by the renowned architectural firm, Samuel Hannaford & Sons in the Neo-Classical style, the lodge stands at the corner of Price and Purcell Avenues in the Incline District of East Price Hill. Price Hill Will had a vision of the lodge as an Events’ Center for the West Side of Cincinnati. Price Hill Will’s offices and it’s MYCincinnati Youth Orchestra would also be housed in the building. A Feasibility & Pre Development Study was completed in July of 2014. Price Hill Will officially acquired the building in September of 2014. The Masonic Lodge has local historical designation as of 2013, but in order to get national historical tax credits, an extensive application has to be completed, along with architectural & engineering drawings. Submission of this application is in progress.
Standing at the corner of Elberon Avenue and W. 8th Street, the Elberon Building, once one of the grandest apartment buildings on the West Side, had fallen into severe neglect. For the thousands of people who passed by here every day, it had become a symbol of everything negative in the neighborhood. It stood as a constant reminder of the disinvestment that had been occurring over the last couple decades. Price Hill Will was determined to save this building from eventually being razed as a nuisance property. After many breaking-and-entering flashlight tours, flea infestations, difficult purchase negotiations, an unsuccessful tax credit application and a lot of hard work, we were able to achieve something truly great for our community. PHW bought the building in late 2010 and partnered with the Model Group to return the building to its former glory while creating 37 units of senior housing. Other critical partners in this project were Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, Red Capital, Ohio Housing Finance Agency, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and the Neighborhood Stabilization Funding from the City of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Hamilton County NSP II Consortium. The completion of the Elberon Senior Apartment Building marked a new beginning for this beautiful landmark and serves as an example of the opportunities that lie in Price Hill.
917 State Avenue was acquired by Price Hill Will in March of 2015 with funding from the City of Cincinnati Neighborhood Business District Improvement Program (NBDIP). The tenant was predetermined to be Waterfields, LLC, a fresh greens supplier utilizing aquaponics for production. The building has approximately 4,400 square feet of open usable space including an ADA compliant restroom and a separate closed office. The renovation was completed in early 2016 and occupied by Waterfields in May of 2016. The facility is primarily used for production, staging and storage. Waterfields has a trifold lease with Price Hill Will and the City of Cincinnati. The building is in the Lower Price Hill business district adding jobs and vitality to the neighborhood.