CINCINNATI — The City of Cincinnati is asking for ideas on how to repurpose an abandoned, unfinished subway tunnel beneath the city's streets, according to documents filed by city council.
The council submitted a Request for Information, meaning the city is looking for information from businesses capable of improving the space. The request is not an ask for formal proposals — that could come later after the city has gathered the information it's seeking through this request.
"The primary objective of this RFI is to obtain information from potential sources regarding their ability to provide conceptual proposals for possible reuse of all or portions of the existing abandoned Cincinnati Subway tunnel," reads the RFI document. "This RFI is intended for information-gathering purposes only."
The city owns the roughly 2-mile-long subway tunnel beneath Central Parkway. It was built in the mid-1920s with the intention of becoming a fully operational subway system, but the project was never finished and the tunnel has been sitting there, empty, for decades.
It runs along Central Parkway from just north of the Western Hills Viaduct down to Walnut Street.
Inside, a 48-inch diameter concrete water main is housed, along with several communications cables; the city said if the tunnels are deemed feasible to rehab into a project, those will be removed.
After that, though, the tunnel comes as-is, the city says. Because of the water main and "the associated hazards," in-person visits or tours of the tunnel will not be feasible ahead of time, the RFI says.
"Responders may visit the areas within the public right-of-way above and proximal to the tunnel at their convenience," reads the RFI.
According to the tunnel's routine inspection report from 2023, the tunnels aren't in the best shape after all these years. The inspection notes issues with seepage, salt coating, stalactites, cracking surfaces and concrete deterioration.
At the time of the 2023 inspection, the water main was found to be leaking, with "pressure relief valves shooting water at main end causing considerable flow in W tunnel near N portal." The inspector also noted the tunnel was "generally moist" from condensation happening near Liberty Street, where the ventilation was smaller.
Submissions are due by 4 p.m. on October 17 and can be submitted online; hard copy submissions or emailed submissions won't be accepted, the city said.
The city is asking that all businesses interested in submitting concepts provide:
- Company contact information
- Qualifications and experience of the firm who will be developing and/or operating the tunnel space
- A general narrative description of the proposed conceptual use of the tunnel
- A general description of proposed improvements, repairs, renovations, alterations, additions, etc., that may be required
- Any other information useful to the city in evaluating the feasibility of the proposed concept
- Graphical materials such as sketches, drawings, annotated photos, etc., may be included to help convey the concept
Cincinnati's never-utilized subway system is considered the nation's largest abandoned subway tunnel. For over 50 years, the two-mile stretch has been silent, its doors blocked by steel fences that have been vandalized over and over throughout the years.
Two miles of the proposed subway were constructed by 1923, and then the project was more or less halted. Above-ground sections of the planned loop were nearly finished by 1927 but the project ran dry on funds and tracks were never laid.
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