FC Cincinnati West End plans catch momentum

Article posted by Coliseum, June 28^th, 2023

Image: TQL Stadium & FC Cincinnati

The Major League Soccer (MLS) team FC Cincinnati is moving forward quickly with plans to build what it describes as a “world-class mixed-use district” in the West End in Cincinnati, Ohio, US.

‘FOX19 NOW’ stated that the club recently announced global design firm RIOS as the master plan architect for the $300 million project. RIOS is tasked with creating a “transformative design” the club hopes will build on the “distinct heritage” of the West End.

The FC Cincinnati is an American professional soccer club based in Cincinnati (US). The club plays in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The team was first announced on August 12^th, 2015 as a United Soccer League (USL) franchise which played from 2016 to 2018.

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The 25,513-capacity TQL Stadium, called the West End Stadium during construction, is a soccer-specific stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio (US). It is the home of FC Cincinnati, a Major League Soccer (MLS) team that had been temporarily playing at the 40,000-capacity Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati.

Tampa, Florida (US)-based the United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as the United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men’s and women’s leagues, both professional and amateur.

Los Angeles (US)-based RIOS is an international design collective working beyond boundaries to inventively combine disciplines and amplify the impact of design. Combined, its talents comprise a wide range of professional skills including architecture, landscape, urban planning, interior design, video, graphics and signage, and experiential and product design. The firm’s work is irreversibly connected to the narrative of place and the complex order of human culture, creating solutions that are joyful, authentic and unexpected. Its projects are diverse, including commercial, civic, hospitality, institutional, and residential.

Said Jeff Berding, FCC Co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO), “We look to RIOS to create a community hub at the front steps of the TQL Stadium, rooted in history and legacy, which aesthetically inspires and unites our City with a bold and inclusive vision for the future.”

Jeff Berding, Co-CEO, FC Cincinnati, US, is a Member of Coliseum Strategic Committee.

FCC recently also announced Marquee Development as the Master Developer, Messer Construction and TriVersity Construction as the Construction Managers, Cushman & Wakefield (American real estate services firm) as the commercial broker, the Sanders Development Group as a development partner, and the North American Properties as the multifamily developer.

‘FOX19 NOW’ further stated that the project will proceed in two phases. The first phase, to be finished by 2026, will reach Westward from the Central Parkway to the Central Avenue. The second phase, for which there is no timeline currently, will reach all the way to John Street. The total site is around 7.5 acres.

Stated a club spokesperson, “The district will welcome all and include all, bringing new investment, residents, visitors, and experiences to the neighborhood with a hotel, apartments, office space, retail, restaurants, entertainment venues, and a public space.”

The FCC announced the hotel partner last July. The hotel, dubbed ‘The Compendium’, is scheduled to open in early 2025.

The FCC presented a development plan to the West End Community Council in late 2022, prior to the demolition of the Tri-State Wholesale building, which commenced in February.

The club has pledged to meet or exceed inclusion goals set by the City and the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority.

RIOS’ portfolio includes a slew of massive urban development projects from Sacramento to Atlanta to Wuhan, China.

Stated Chad Munitz, FCC’s Chief Development Officer, “RIOS was selected because of their global design talent and their commitment to seek out and incorporate community input into their design. From Day One community input has been important to FC Cincinnati, and we believe RIOS’ experience working with communities during the design process will result in an exciting, world-class district.”

The project will add to the area’s significant development momentum, including the completion of the Findlay Market Garage.

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