CINCINNATI — Hyde Park Square could be getting a major facelift starting this year. Developers, community members and Hyde Park council members met Tuesday night to discuss a multi-million dollar development.
Resident Brian Starr lives just blocks away from the square.
"As a small child, that was our favorite place," he said.
Now an adult, Starr said he, his wife, daughter and two dogs frequent the area.
"We walk there almost on a daily basis," Starr said.
He now has a sign in his yard that reads "Save Hyde Park Square." It's part of a petition started by residents to make their voices a little louder regarding their concerns with the development project.
"In fact, when directly asked last month at the neighborhood council meeting, they said they had made zero changes to their original proposed plan based on community feedback," he said.
Nicholas Lingenfelter, Chief of Development Officer for PLK Communities, said the plan includes new apartments, a parking garage and a hotel.
"We want to make sure there's more options for families," Lingenfelter said.
Lingenfelter said they have met with residents and Hyde Park council members more than a dozen times about the development, but community members tell us they are concerned with the height of the development and whether Hyde Park Square will keep its historic charm.
"This isn't about bringing in national chains or just building this massive structure," Lingenfelter said in response. "It's about how do we look at what's there today and figure out where we're going in the future?"
Hear his and neighbors' opinions below:
Local business owner Andrei Dobrin said he's not against the changes but he wants to maintain the square's historic feel.
"Keeping Hyde Park a historical landmark of what it truly is, that is the number one thing that a lot of people are aiming towards," he said. "And that is what they are afraid of. Is the new development making it to Manhattan?"
He said he worries about traffic and customers' shop access. But bringing Hyde Park Square back to life is something he's interested in.
"I think it would be nice to make Hyde Park a destination again," said Dobrin.
Hyde Park Square Development early-stage renderings from PLK Communities:
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