The Banks Plan Update continues the vision for a lively downtown riverfront — that welcomes residents, visitors, and businesses alike — by exploring how to enhance public spaces, improve connections to Downtown and the riverfront, and guide future development on remaining sites. Get the full details about The Banks Plan Update here.
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.
An updated master plan allows us to:
- Reassess what’s working—and what’s not
- Respond to new opportunities and pressures
- Clarify land use, design, and development pathways
- Strengthen district identity and governance
- Center public benefit and flexibility
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. Read more about The Banks Plan Update here.