The City of Cincinnati wants to issue $15 million in public improvement building bonds and to swap land with Hamilton County for a new --> --> --> (MSD) office building near the site of the MetroWest Commerce Park in Lower Price Hill.

As part of the Wet Weather Improvement Program to improve Ohio River water quality, the MSD is required by federal consent decree to add several engineering support personnel, bringing their total on-site workforce to 157.

Their current, outdated space, scattered among three rundown buildings at 1600 Gest Street, can only accommodate 120 employees.

In order to meet the needs of this new growth, the MSD has proposed a three-story, $7.5 million office building on a City-owned site (BIRD'S EYE), between Woodrow and Summer streets.

In exchange for receiving 1.58 acres of City-owned property at 1027-1030 Summer Street and 1000 Evans Street, the county would offer 3.67 acres it owns at 800 Evans Street and 1611 W Eighth Street.

The City would add this property to its MetroWest Commerce Park development site, which is envisioned as a $34 million campus of light industrial, flex, and office space on the former site of Queen City Barrel.

As part of the proposed bond agreement, the City would lease the land that it swapped back from Hamilton County, construct the building, and then sublease it back to the county.

The lease payments from the MSD will be used to service the bonds, after which the sublease agreement would end.

Ordinances allowing the bond issue and land swap are currently in City Council's Finance Committee.

Previous reading on BC:
MSD needs new office building (11/15/07)
MetroWest receives Clean Ohio funds (7/27/07)
City frees $413,000 for land at MetroWest site (6/28/07)
Lower Price Hill: MetroWest update (4/2/07)