It’s no secret that the Cincinnati region is experiencing a housing boom that corresponds to skyrocketing demand. According to an October 2024 report at Realtor.com, the region saw a 4.2 percent increase in rent costs year over year, more than any other major metro area in the country; at the same time, those rent increases are 14 percent less than the national average.
Housing demand remains particularly strong in neighborhoods surrounding major employers, with the Clifton Heights and Corryville areas near the University of Cincinnati, UC Health, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital seeing rapid development in response. Stress on the rental market was illuminated in fall 2023 when the university faced a housing shortage after record enrollment of 50,500 students outpaced available campus beds. The enrollment increases have continued, with UC seeing a 4.5 percent increase in new students for the 2024-2025 academic year and a total student body of 53,235.
The university recently renovated on-campus dorm complexes at Calhoun Hall and Siddall Hall and has broken ground on a new $275-million off-campus, UC-managed apartment development project at Calhoun, East McMillan, and Vine streets. The construction on a formerly empty lot will provide suite-style housing for 1,300 students across four state-of-the-art buildings set to open in fall 2027.
“The new housing complex revitalizes a prominent gateway to both the UC campus and the Clifton Heights neighborhood and business community,” says Carl Dieso, assistant vice president for UC Housing. “The university is dedicated to providing students with a variety of price points and flexible housing experiences, and the project aligns with UC’s long-standing approach of continuous improvement in the living-learning experience for students.”
The Clifton Heights Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (CHCURC) is partnering on the project. CHCURC Director Matt Bourgeois says student housing is driving an overwhelming amount of private investment in housing projects around campus. “It’s a direct response to the growth UC has seen and is projecting,” he says. Beyond the living spaces, CHCURC encourages developers to consider the neighborhood’s urban nature to ensure they’re incorporating in-demand elements such as structured parking in lieu of surface lots and incorporating ground-floor retail spaces to help create a vibrant, walkable community.
Parking is a significant challenge in the Clifton Heights and Corryville area, a concern that has non-student residents and businesses worried for new apartment buildings with high tenant volumes. In 2019, community organizations including CHCURC, the Clifton Heights-University Heights Fairview Neighborhood Association (CUFNA), and Clifton Heights Business Association (CHBA) hired a consultant to conduct a parking and transportation study.
Findings from the report revealed a series of compounding parking challenges: Many homes in the area lack garages or driveways, forcing residents to rely on limited street parking; and while parking structures exist, residents generally avoid them, noting that they’re costly alternatives and inconvenient.
“Parking is an unavoidable issue we regularly grapple with, but we have to admit there’s realistically no way to build yourself out of the problem,” says Bourgeois. “It’s simply too expensive and isn’t the highest and best use of available land.”
Bourgeois notes that the neighborhoods around UC were almost entirely built up before the dawn of the automobile, and there isn’t an abundance of off-street parking today. “Pair that up with the fact that in the 1960s through ’90s UC was very much a commuter school,” he says. “As that image changed and students started living closer to campus, they brought their cars and the problem worsened. We’re grappling with that evolution.”
CHCURC views alternative transportation as the best way to alleviate parking issues in addition to structuring neighborhood development so amenities exist within walking distance. Public transportation infrastructure will improve with Metro’s new Bus Rapid Transit program launching in fall 2027 and summer 2028, with both of the pilot routes using Vine Street from downtown and then Jefferson Avenue adjacent to campus until splitting to travel up Hamilton Avenue and Reading Road corridors. Bourgeois says the routes go a long way toward solving parking problems by giving students and neighborhood residents reliable, frequent, and cheap access to the rest of the city and the region.
Parking concerns represent just one aspect of infrastructure challenges that are typical for rapidly developing areas. The city of Cincinnati is investing $1.1 million to address infrastructure concerns by improving streets and sidewalks in Corryville. The project aims to slow traffic and enhance pedestrian safety near the intersections of William Howard Taft, Auburn Avenue, and McMillan Street at one of the newest student housing projects, The Point.
The Corryville Community Development Corporation will oversee the streetscape and pedestrian improvement project, funded through a tax-increment financing district that redirects property taxes from nearby property improvements. These upgrades will include an expanded pedestrian right-of-way, new street lights, and underground utilities. The goal is to manage traffic and safety at a high-volume intersection that will handle more pedestrians in the coming years.
[Drone photograph by Justin Shafer]
Among the properties that have opened recently and those slated to open in coming years, there is a significant addition of apartments and townhomes to the city’s housing inventory. With more than $400 million in combined investment, these new developments are creating thousands of units to help meet growing housing demands near the University of Cincinnati.
The projects range from affordable housing at 30-60 percent of Area Median Income and student housing managed by the University of Cincinnati to a luxury hotel with panoramic city views, reflecting the area’s evolving demographics and the university’s continued expansion. Here’s a snapshot of the most significant projects reshaping the Clifton Heights, Corryville, and Mt. Auburn neighborhoods.
[Map by Brittany Dexter]
HOTEL CELARE AND HUB CINCINNATI
OPENED: January 2025 and August 2024
HOTEL ROOMS: 171
APARTMENT UNITS: 380
LOCATION: Straight Street at Clifton Avenue
Hotel Celare overlooks the University of Cincinnati and features a modern design, outdoor spaces, and three restaurants: Cincinnati’s first Cap City Fine Diner and Baré, a staple in Columbus; The Vick, a rooftop space with expansive views of campus and the surrounding area; and Iris Café, which is open for breakfast and dinner. Both the hotel and the apartment complex next door, Hub Cincinnati, were developed by Columbus-based Crawford-Hoying, which is known for a series of similar developments near Ohio State University’s campus.
“The hotel has been very well received by the local community,” says Celare General Manager Kollin Hanes. “We’ve seen a great mix of travelers from the university, local hospitals, and business travelers and we’re looking forward to continuing to welcome locals and travelers alike to enjoy all that we have to offer.”
The vibrant exterior features a multi-story mural and a mix of colors, textures, and materials. Hanes says there’s more to come with commercial, housing, and parking in the works. “We’re excited to deepen our investment in the city,” he says. The hotel joins just a few other hotel options in the area: Fairfield Inn and Suites on McMillan Street, The Graduate by Hilton Cincinnati near UC Health’s medical campus, and Hampton Inn and Suites on Short Vine Street in Corryville.
Hub Cincinnati is managed by Core Campus Management, a national firm specializing in campus-adjacent housing, and is completing its first school year of rental contracts.
UNION ON TAFT
OPENED: Summer 2024
UNITS: 103
LOCATION: 237 William Howard Taft Road
The property was once an office building and recently renovated for UC student housing. A fitness center, clubroom, and private study areas are on site, and floor plans range from studios to five-bedroom apartments. Each unit features a fully-equipped kitchen with stainless steel appliances, in-unit laundry, and large windows. The property is managed by the University of Cincinnati with residential advisors on staff, much like on-campus dorms.
THE ALTO
OPENED: Winter 2023
UNITS: 185
LOCATION: 1901 Bigelow Street
The Alto is a $40-million high-rise community on a prominent Mt. Auburn hill, visible from downtown and most of the urban basin. Many units have panoramic views across Cincinnati from its elevation, and the communal spaces are a top selling point. Developed by Uptown Rental Properties, the complex has a higher price point than the other student-focused projects on this list, with amenities that are attractive to working professionals at nearby businesses and hospitals.
THE POINT
ESTIMATED COMPLETION: Summer 2025
UNITS: 55
LOCATION: Auburn Avenue, William Howard Taft Road, and McMillan Street
The Point is a $29-million mid-rise apartment development featuring contemporary design elements throughout, with vibrant color schemes and modern furnishings that depart from conventional student housing aesthetics. There’s a range of floor plans from studios to four-bedroom units, complemented by communal spaces including a dedicated parking garage, fitness center, and multiple social gathering areas. The property—a partnership development from Uptown Rental Properties, North American Properties, and Merus (formerly Al. Neyer)—will house 130,000 total square feet, 2,800 square feet of retail space, and a two-level parking garage.
GLENDORA FLATS
ESTIMATED COMPLETION: August 2025
UNITS: 11 units
LOCATION: 2901 Glendora Avenue
Uptown Rental Properties is developing a new $4.1-million student housing project between Jefferson Avenue and Short Vine in Corryville. The project includes studio, two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom apartments located steps from the 86 Coffee Bar at the corner of Glendora and Jefferson. Uptown announced that the building will meet sustainable and environmentally conscious standards that are up to par with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
THE VANGUARD
ESTIMATED COMPLETION: Fall 2025
UNITS: 136 units
LOCATION: 1001 Marshall Avenue
Located down the hill from UC’s campus and visible from I-75 near the Hopple exit, The Vanguard offers an upscale take on student living with amenities such as an on-site yoga studio. Every unit comes fully equipped with complete living room furnishings and appliances, providing the convenience of dorm living with the aesthetic of luxury apartments. The property markets itself as elevating the standard student housing experience through its modern design and luxury amenities. UC shuttles connect residents with the campus at the top of Marshall Avenue.
GATEWAY LOFTS
ESTIMATED COMPLETION: Fall 2025
UNITS: 103
LOCATION: 115 McMillan Street
Luxury townhomes and apartments just steps from UC’s campus are coming this fall next to Adriatico’s Pizza, built by Hallmark Communities, a Columbus-based developer of student housing from South Bend, Indiana, to North and South Carolina. The pet-friendly property has a courtyard with grilling stations, a fitness center, on-site parking, and a roommate match system. Floorplans include one-bedroom all the way up to five-bedroom units.
EUCLID AND CORRY
ESTIMATED COMPLETION: Fall 2027
UNITS: 170-185 units
LOCATION: 2608 Euclid Avenue
A student housing development is set to break ground this fall blocks away from UC’s campus. The $80-million project, led by Kingsley & Co., a development firm founded by former Cincinnati Bengals player Chinedum Ndukwe, will break ground in the fall and will accommodate up to 500 students. The development emphasizes convenience with its location near restaurants, nightlife options, and essential services including grocery stores. The project also plans to tackle a variety of transportation needs including 165-180 parking spaces and secure storage for 170-200 bicycles.
POLK & VINE
ESTIMATED COMPLETION: Summer/fall 2027
UNITS: 57-unit affordable housing project
LOCATION: 2300 block of Vine Street
The planned Polk & Vine development aims to fill a need for affordable housing. “The massive surge we’ve seen in student housing has been great in building density and much needed housing,” says Bourgeois. “But it’s also put tremendous price pressures on service workers and employees of the area’s institutions who increasingly can’t afford to live where they work.”
According to RentCafe, the average rent in Clifton is $1,207, Corryville’s average is $1,566, and CUF (which includes Clifton Heights, University Heights, and Fairview) averages $1,493. In comparison, the city of Cincinnati’s average is $1,364.
The Polk & Vine units will be the first-ever affordable housing development in Clifton Heights offering units between 30 and 60 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), a metric used to determine eligibility for housing programs based on median household income and family size. The units are walkable to jobs and amenities such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and all levels of education.
Bourgeois says Polk & Vine is the only affordable housing project currently planned in the areas immediately surrounding UC’s campus. “It also helps fulfill our long-term goal of rebuilding the Vine Street connection between uptown and downtown, which has suffered from disinvestment for decades,” he says. “We want to make that gateway a source of pride for the city.”
CHCURC is also in the early stages of pre-development on another project, a multi-family property with a planned nine to 12 units at the corner of Riddle Road and Sandheger Place.