Stitching the Severed City

I published an op-ed in the Cincinnati Business Courier this week. It’s about the thing that sits underneath every project we work on at Trilobite Design: the physical connections between Cincinnati’s neighborhoods, and what happens when those connections fail. Read the full op-ed in the Cincinnati Business Courier → The argument is simple. We have … Read more

Opportunity: 2342 Banning Rd, Springfield Twp

I’m not expecting any of my regular readers to jump on something this big. But this is a very interestig opportunity for development in a fantastic central location. Springfield Township is not entirely contiguous, and this 6-acre parcel is part of a neighborhood section that is nestled between the Cincinnati neighborhoods of Mt Airy (south) … Read more

Opportunity: 2422 Riverside Dr, East End

Every so often, a piece of land presents an opportunity that transcends mere construction. We’ve found such a place—an easily buildable lot whose true value lies not in its soil, but in its context. A Canvas for the Unconventional: A Unique Lot Awaits Your Vision This lot is nestled between two stunningly different neighbors: a … Read more

aeriel view of 4050 Colerain Ave

Opportunity: 4050 Colerain Ave Northside

In real estate development, we often hunt for hidden gems—parcels with unique potential that require a bit of vision to unlock. While I love a challenging project, sometimes the most exciting opportunities are the ones staring you right in the face. This is one of those times. The combined lot at 4050 Colerain Avenue in … Read more

Opportunity: 1713 Frintz, Over The Rhine

This parcel popped up with a price change in my feed, and the listing specifically says “Listed at a fraction of the cost of similar parcels in the area.” Often that just means that a seller is motivated, but sometimes there’s something more complicated about the site that has been keeping it from closing. I … Read more

Opportunity: Dream Valley Lake, Green Twp

The Children’s Home of Cincinnati (formerly the Lakewood Baptist Church) is parceling out the north half of their property on Westwood Northern Blvd. 4.95 acres of wooded hillside and a huge urban lake. This one would be a super fun spot to build an eco home or compound on. Officially it’s in Green Township (Hamilton … Read more

Opportunity: 2899 Maisel Dr, CUF

Contrary to the listing, locals know this isn’t Clifton. But it’s a super interesting spot in CUF. Behind the bustle of the University of Cincinnati and some student housing lies some neat hillside housing. This street is a good exampe of a bizarre Cincinnati urbanism enigma: it’s a street of nicely maintained, small, dense single … Read more

Opportunity: 2361 Concord St, Walnut Hills

Cincinnati’s zoning isn’t great. In some aspects, it needs a ton of improvement. We’ve undergone a couple of different incremental upgrades and my biggest complaint when these happened is that it actually added complexity to the code instead of simplification. Both the Form-Based-Code (FBC) of 2013 and the Connected Communities (CC) of 2024 created overlays … Read more

Opportunity: 4361 Badgeley, Northside

This one’s in my backyard, so I absolutely love the location. BUT it’s not an easy site to work on. It is over an acre across 4 parcels. But they’re separated by a paper street, and doesn’t directly connect to the existing street. The skinny parcel is near the end of Badgeley (by the trail … Read more

Opportunity: 127 Valencia St, Mt Auburn

I’m all about the weird spots to build that can contribute (and benefit) from urban density. This big lot in Mt Auburn is tucked away from the traffic, down the hill from Christ Hospital and nestled on a quiet street next to Inwood Park. This spot wouldn’t be about the view (like other Mt Auburn … Read more