Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati

So what kind of development will take the place of the old Lewis Center on Paddock Road?  For years, rumors have circulated that the site might one day be some sort of jail.  And what about when the County transferred ownership to the City?  “I was successful in blocking its use as a jail with the transfer of ownership to the city,” said Commissioner Todd Portune.

The site is currently being demolished.  (Click the image above for a larger view.)

Reportedly, the buildings will be leveled and the land will get put up for sale after some work is done to the remaining surfaces.  Is that true?  (We are still awaiting a response from City Hall.)

One must wonder what was wrong with the facilities being torn down.  If Queensgate is in as bad a shape as we’ve all heard, why wouldn’t the County and/or City seek to house low-level prisoners on a campus that could easily be converted?  Why is the Lewis Center being demolished while Queensgate still gets used?

“The community is dead set against it and the county has no intention of working at odds with the community,” said Commissioner Portune, on the topic of why the Lewis Center never turned into a jail.  “If any new jail is to be built it will happen in Camp Washington.”

But again, why build new and destroy old—when the old could serve a new purpose?

One must also wonder what sort of development could really be envisioned for that land.  Does Cincinnati have a shortage of space for offices, or retail, or condos? 

Mark Miller contributed to this report.

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