The Banks Plan Update
Realizing the final phase of development for The Banks and Cincinnati’s riverfront
Welcome to your resource for information on the Plan Update for The Banks! Our Public Input page will provide facts and feedback on the purpose, progress, and the elements of the development strategy update taking shape under the guidance of Perkins & Will/MKSK team leading the effort for The Banks Public Partnership (City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County). To stay informed, bookmark our Public Input website.
The Banks is one of the most significant redevelopment initiatives in Cincinnati’s history, transforming underutilized riverfront land between Paycor Stadium and Great American Ball Park into a vibrant, mixed-use district. Since the 1990s, the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County have collaborated on the vision for a lively downtown riverfront that welcomes residents, visitors, and businesses alike. The current plan update continues this legacy by exploring how to enhance public spaces, improve connections to Downtown and the riverfront, and guide future development on remaining sites.
Why Update The Banks Master Plan?
The Banks is no longer a blank slate—there is potential that remains unrealized. Since its inception, The Banks has delivered major public space, infrastructure, and development successes following both the original 2000 Master Plan and 2006 Amendments.
Much has changed since the most recent Zoning Amendment (2019) which paved the way for the Andrew J Brady Music Center and Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame. With surrounding areas evolving rapidly and new investments on the horizon—including reinvestment in sports venues, office-to-residential conversions, and regional infrastructure—this is a pivotal moment to realign the vision and ground that vision in the market realities of today.
Today, there are five developable parcels remaining. By considering the future of these parcels together to frame a more impactful and coherent development strategy, this Plan Update will provide The Banks Public Parties (City and County) a framework as they engage private development interests in future infill projects.
Ultimately, this update is about moving beyond piecemeal progress toward a coordinated, forward-looking strategy that completes The Banks as a connected, vibrant, and beloved destination.
An updated master plan allows us to:
Reassess what’s working—and what’s not
From gaps in street-level vibrancy to underutilized parcels, the update will evaluate how existing elements are functioning and what needs to adapt.
Respond to new opportunities and pressures
The district’s context is changing—more residents downtown, a growing music and events scene, shifting retail dynamics, and increased demand for walkability and transit access.
Clarify land use, design, and development pathways
Clearer guidance is needed for remaining sites and public spaces, including zoning updates, development review processes, and infrastructure planning.
Strengthen district identity and governance
A more cohesive approach to branding, programming, and long-term management can help unify what is currently experienced as a collection of separate venues.
Center public benefit and flexibility
Stakeholders emphasized the need for spaces that work for residents, families, and visitors year-round—not just event days. The updated plan will promote inclusive design and adaptable public spaces.
Project Schedule
There are two primary phases of work on the horizon for The Banks:
Phase 1: The Banks Plan Update
Think of this phase as refining the vision and market-driven strategy to realize development on the remaining sites in The Banks and coordinate related investments to improve the overall experience in the area. The planning process spans approximately six months, with the goal of providing a development vision to The Banks Partnership by the end of 2025. The ultimate recommendations by the planning team aim to ensure that future development leverages highest and best use—and therefore maximum economic impact–of the land within the current footprint of The Banks.
Phase 2: Formal Approval and Adoption of The Banks Plan as a Zoning Amendment
Think of this phase as establishing regulatory tools that the City and County will use to guide future private development in alignment with this new vision for The Banks. The Banks Plan Update will become the basis for a formal Zoning Amendment Application that will be initiated by Hamilton County and reviewed and approved by the City Planning Commission and City Council through established public planning processes.
The Banks Plan Update, in the form of a formal Zoning Amendment, will be presented to both the Cincinnati City Planning Commission and the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners for formal adoption in 2026.
Project Team
The City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County—the Public Parties responsible for The Banks development—solicited bids from qualified firms to prepare an urban plan for The Banks. Of 14 firms submitting qualified proposals, the Public Parties selected Perkins & Will/MKSK for the task.
The Banks Plan Update is led by a multi-disciplinary team of local and national experts selected by a committee of City, County, and Stadium interests:
- Perkins&Will – Prime Consultant, Urban Planning + Design
- MKSK – Landscape Architecture + Public Realm Strategy
- HR&A Advisors – Market Analysis + Development Strategy
- Nelson\Nygaard – Mobility, Transit, and Parking
- Kolar Design – Wayfinding, Branding + Placemaking
Two stakeholder groups will convene to shape The Banks Plan Update:
The Steering Committee
- The Banks Partnership
- City of Cincinnati
- Hamilton County
- Cincinnati Reds
- Cincinnati Bengals
The District Advisory Group
- Cincinnati Park Board
- Downtown Residents Council
- National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
- Banks New Community Authority
- Heritage Bank Center / Arena Management Holdings LLC
- The Brady / ICON Festival Stage – Music & Event Management, Inc. (MEMI)
- NAI Hiffman / Hiffman National
- Pyramid Global Hospitality Group – AC Hotel
- Crawford Hoying & Anderson Real Estate (landowner)
- Lincoln Property Company (landowner)
- Eagle Realty Group (landowner)
Who makes the development decisions at The Banks?
The ultimate goal of the planning process is to encourage private development of the remaining 5 sites in The Banks. Control over the future of the remaining lots at The Banks is shared equally between the Cincinnati City Council (nine members) and the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners (three members), with each body holding 50% decision-making authority. In addition, longstanding contracts signed over the past 25 years grant the Bengals and Reds ownership groups a role in shaping what gets built on these sites.
Will there be opportunities for public engagement?
Absolutely. To stay informed, bookmark our Public Input website. At several milestones in the planning process, the public will be invited to comment on elements of the plan—especially those designed to impact the user experience.
Throughout Phase 1: The Banks Plan Update, this website will be your one-stop-shop for updates and engagement. Periodic polls and surveys will be posted here which are designed to include the community of residents and users of The Banks in the planning process.
Phase 2: Formal approval will be initiated by the County and managed by the City as a familiar process to Amend a Planned Unit Development (PUD) in the City of Cincinnati. The Public can anticipate opportunities to review, provide input, and make public comments at each of the review phases with Planning Commission and City Council, respectively.