Cincinnati is moving forward with plans to transform the former Frisch's corporate headquarters in Walnut Hills into a single consolidated home for its Health Department, a project that carries an early renovation cost estimate of $21.5 million. The Cincinnati Planning Commission unanimously approved the redevelopment plan on Nov. 6, clearing a major hurdle for a move that would bring roughly 180 employees under one roof after years of operating out of scattered buildings across the city.
The $21.5 million figure comes from Health Department spokeswoman Lizz Summers, according to WKRC / Local 12, though no final renovation cost has been determined. The city acquired the property at 2800 Gilbert Ave. in September, paying $2.975 million for the site, which sits in Walnut Hills at the corner of Gilbert and Yale avenues, as wvxu.org reported.
Health Commissioner Grant Mussman said the goal behind the project is straightforward: bring the department's administrative functions together under one roof after years of fragmentation. The same report quotes Mussman explaining that there would be room for some clinical space in the building if the neighborhood desired it, though no decision on that front has been finalized. Per the same account, Mussman said the renovation will take at least three years to complete once underway.
Why the Department Wants to Consolidate
According to the city, the department's scattered administrative setup limits collaboration among staff and forces continued spending on buildings nearing the end of their useful lives. The Cincinnati Health Department currently handles a wide range of services out of multiple locations, including environmental health inspections, death and birth certificate processing, communicable disease response, community health programming and outreach, and general customer service.
The department is run by a board appointed by the mayor and confirmed by Cincinnati City Council. No ultimate project cost has been given, the station's report notes, because the plan remains in its early stages even after the Planning Commission's sign-off.
Part of a Larger Facilities Overhaul
The Walnut Hills project fits into a broader, multi-year facilities plan for the department. Renovation estimates across that plan range widely, and the department intends to move into the Gilbert building in phases over several years, according to citizenportal.ai. That broader plan would consolidate services and renovate multiple health centers, with 2800 Gilbert potentially serving as the department's consolidated public health building, per the same source.
For now, the approved plan gives the city a green light to proceed with converting the former restaurant-chain headquarters into a modern public health facility, though residents and officials alike are still waiting on the specifics of design, construction timelines, and a final price tag before the transformation of the Walnut Hills site truly begins.
