Sharonville is getting ready to rip up a big chunk of its core and rebuild it almost from scratch, with officials saying demolition is already underway and a 2026 groundbreaking is the target for a $75 million overhaul of the Downtown Loop.
The plan would take underused and blighted parcels around Depot Square and swap them out for new mixed-use buildings expected to add more than 220 apartments and roughly 20,000 square feet of street-level commercial space. City leaders have teamed up with Elevar Design Group and the Mayerson Co. on what the Cincinnati Business Courier has described as a major, multi-block redevelopment, and Local 12 reports the project is being billed as a $75 million push to bring housing and retail right into the heart of Sharonville.
Mayor Kevin Hardman and other city officials say the effort is the payoff from years of zoning changes and property acquisitions aimed at making the Loop more walkable and commercially viable. Local business owners quoted by WCPO say they are banking on the new residents to boost foot traffic for restaurants and shops already in the district.
Approvals, demolition and financing
Sharonville’s council signed off on several key pieces late last year, approving a development agreement along with emergency appropriations for demolition and asbestos abatement, plus a revenue-sharing deal intended to support a 41 TIF. Citizen Portal summarized the Dec. 16 votes as the package that unlocks the public tools needed for the public-private partnership.
The city’s Loop public-input page carries concept diagrams and project materials for residents to study, and coverage of that Loop public input effort last November highlighted how officials are asking neighbors to help shape what the overhaul should look and feel like.
Local businesses are watching
In Depot Square, small-business owners are walking a careful line, eager for new customers but wary of what a massive construction zone might do in the short term. The operations manager at Mz Jade’s Soul Food told WCPO the restaurant is “extremely excited” about the renovation and what hundreds of new residents could mean for business.
At the same time, a community petition is circulating that presses the city and developers to protect historic character and keep building scale in check. That petition, which has drawn local attention, is hosted on Change.org.
What happens next
Demolition of selected parcels is already in motion while the city prepares to publicly bid asbestos-abatement and demolition contracts and finalize TIF implementation. According to Local 12, officials are eyeing a 2026 groundbreaking, with the exact construction sequencing to be dictated by how bidding and financing shake out.
