Westwood’s long-quiet Oskamp Mansion is getting a new shot at life. Cincinnati entrepreneur David Berger, known for owning local brewery operations and working as a developer, has bought the landmark 1896 estate on Harrison Avenue along with the sizable former senior-care campus behind it. The deal hands a key, long-dormant property to a private buyer just as Westwood leaders are pushing hard for fresh investment in the neighborhood, and residents are already wondering whether they are getting a careful restoration, a major redevelopment or something in between.
What Berger Bought
Berger’s purchase includes the roughly 8,000-square-foot Oskamp Mansion plus two large adjoining rear buildings that together total about 81,000 square feet. The rear structures went up in the 1960s and 1990s and previously housed senior housing and a care center, while the mansion itself most recently served as administrative office space, according to Local 12.
A 19th-century Willadel
The main house dates to 1896 and was originally built as “Willadel” for William S. P. and Adele Oskamp at 2373 Harrison Avenue, according to local histories. Digging Cincinnati traces the mansion’s early years and its transition from private residence to a Baptist-run retirement campus.
From Nursing Home To Empty Campus
The estate eventually became part of Judson’s retirement and skilled-nursing campus, known in recent decades as Judson Care Center. Local accounts note the center closed in July 2024 amid rising costs and staffing challenges, according to The Judson Legacy Project. Public property records show the site covers about 181,950 square feet, roughly 4.18 acres, and carried a multi-million dollar building valuation in older assessments. That kind of valuation helps explain why developers were circling. The parcel data appears in tax-assessment listings at City-Data.
Why Westwood Is Watching
Reporting describes Berger as a local entrepreneur, brewery owner and developer, which is why the deal is being read as more than just a real estate flip. Westwood leaders adopted a plan last year that leans on preserving historic landmarks while encouraging housing and mixed-use projects along Harrison Avenue. The Oskamp property sits squarely in that targeted corridor, according to WCPO, so whatever happens here will be a test case of how those goals play out on the ground.
What’s Next
So far Berger has not released any formal redevelopment plan, and there is no public timeline for renovations or a larger project. The next steps will hinge on what he submits to city planners and how neighbors and preservation advocates weigh in on the balance between saving the mansion and adding new housing or other uses on the campus. For now, the sale ends a lengthy stretch of vacancy and puts a prominent property in the hands of an owner with the resources to break the stalemate and, potentially, reshape a high-profile corner of Westwood.
