Transformation along Walnut Street downtown nearly complete

Published June 16, 2009 at 12:00 a.m.
In the early 1990s Walnut Street, through downtown began a significant transformation rooted in the development of the Aronoff Center for the Arts.

Thisanchor provided a spark for the surrounding area that led to newrestaurants geared towards serving hungry and thirsty theatre patronsbefore and after performances.

During that time, the city introduced a variety of entertainmentdistrict improvements around the Aronoff Center following itscompletion in 1995.  Those district improvements created the area nowknown as the Backstage District.

In 2003, the world-renowned $34 million Contemporary Arts Centerwas completed at the corner of 6th and Walnut streets.  Within the pastfew years the Backstage District has seen a second wave of investmentand interest along its streets.  The success of Fountain Square'srenovation has spread outward and sparked the opening of several newrestaurants and nightlife establishments such as Nada, OceanaireSeafood Room, Cadillac Ranch and Bootsy's.

This past week thedistrict saw one of the area's longtime trouble spots go away for goodas the Phoenix Cafe building was reopened after an extensive renovationproject.  This is in conjunction with a new streetscaping project meantto freshen up the district's appearance.

The$2 million project was made possible by a $150,000 grant from the cityand financed through 3CDC.  641 Walnut Street now features three newcondos on the building's three upper floors with a new neighborhoodstyle bar opening at street level this summer.

The RighteousRoom had to be "completely gutted" says owner Ben Klopp and willfeature over 1,000 square feet of interior space complimented byanother 700 square feet of outdoor space in the bar's courtyard space.

Klopp,who got his start in Chicago and is part owner of several localestablishments such as AliveOne, The Stand, Mount Adams Pavilion andKeystone Grille, is excited about the project and has even purchasedone of the three condominium units on the upper floors.

Thestreet's transformation has turned one of Downtown's more troubledstreets into one of its best.  City Manger Milton Dohoney says that"641 Walnut Street will be an address of significance and bring a smileto people's faces."

Writer: Randy Simes
Source: Ben Klopp, Righteous Room; City of Cincinnati; 3CDC
Photography by Randy Simes



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