Court & Walnut Development

The $92 million Court and Walnut development is a truly transformational project for Cincinnati’s central business district and Over-The-Rhine communities. Originally a surface parking lot, the multipurpose facility is stationed on the Cincinnati Bell Connector streetcar route, making it accessible to key communities in the urban core. Anchored by downtown’s first grocery store in a half-century, the 1.2-acre site features a second-story food hall, 560-space parking garage, and 139 luxury apartments.

The unique ownership structure of the development made for a complex aerial plat that subdivided the Kroger grocery store, parking garage, and residential units. Bayer Becker’s relationships with each project partner and permitting organization helped keep the intricate project on schedule. This included a close collaboration with Cincinnati DOTE to ensure adequate freight truck access to the constricted site. The design team prepared a traffic impact study and, together with the City’s team, mapped out the timing and frequency of deliveries to minimize traffic impacts to Central Parkway.

Bayer Becker’s iterative design process played an important role in adapting Kroger’s standards for suburban stores to fit within the context of the urban environment. Similarly, the team worked through several concepts for the streetscape improvements to ensure it was engaging, but also remained within budget. Bayer Becker’s urban expertise and creativity were integral to realizing the ambitious vision for this project and this community.