CINCINNATI — A landmark building in Cincinnati's skyline is getting new life as the former Macy's headquarters on Seventh Street reopens — not for retail, but as downtown living space.
The transformation has created 341 new residential units in what was once corporate office space, breathing fresh energy into the heart of Cincinnati.
"This is a very, very big deal," Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
WATCH: We give you a tour inside one of the units
The renovated building offers residents an outdoor terrace, full gym and sky lounge where executives once had their offices. Aside from counter space and new appliances, perhaps the most impressive amenity is the floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of downtown Cincinnati and Over-the-Rhine.
"This is the largest housing project in the city, and it's right downtown," Pureval said. "That is incredible for the vibrancy of our community."
The $73 million overhaul comes after remote work emptied offices, starving local restaurants and impacting downtown’s vitality.
Five years ago, Macy's departure marked a concerning chapter for downtown Cincinnati when the retail giant announced it would close its corporate headquarters and return to New York.
"I think people really took a gasp at what is the future of downtown Cincinnati going to be like?" said Andrew Naab, President of the Downtown Residents Council.
Naab sees today's ribbon cutting as a promise by the city.
"It's a promise to say we can think about how we reimagine these office developments. It says, can you be a place that people can work and people can live?" he said.
Cincinnati's solution to turn unused office space into homes is at the top of a nationwide trend.
Currently, 9% of downtown office space is converted or soon will be — the second-highest rate in the country, according to a recent report.
"This is all part of our strategy to go from downtown being almost exclusively a commerce center to a real neighborhood," Pureval said.
While the New York developer, Victrix LLC, has completely renovated the interior, they haven't forgotten the building's retail heritage.
"We've paid a little bit of respect to that with the star, but we tilted it a little bit because of, you know, copyright," said Anoop Davé, CEO of Victrix LLC.
Apartments are available for lease now, with rent starting at $1,500 per month. Most units are one and two bedrooms. The most expensive duplex unit goes for over $5,000 per month.
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