The conversion of a more than 100-year-old, 31-story former office tower into luxury apartments made the recently completed Sky Central building the largest adaptive-reuse project in Cincinnati's history, according to developers.
Sky Central has received a 2026 CoStar Impact Award for Redevelopment of the Year for Cincinnati and Dayton, as judged by real estate professionals familiar with the market.
The project put a heavy focus on sustainability, installing high‑efficiency building systems, including HVAC, electrical, and plumbing, as well as insulated windows. Wherever feasible, original materials were refurbished rather than replaced.
"This adaptive-reuse approach is inherently sustainable," said Trevor Wellbrock, director of site selection and real estate at REDI Cincinnati. "It saved the enormous energy and material costs of demolition and new construction by recycling 100% of the building’s structural shell.”
The developers also leveraged historic preservation tax credits and modern building standards to ensure the project meets today’s environmental and safety codes.
The multiyear project came in at an estimated cost of $99 million.
About the project: The building, which was until recently a mostly vacant office block in Cincinnati's central business district, now features 281 new apartment homes, with more than 60 unique floor plans, bringing more demand to local businesses, from restaurants to shops, outside traditional business hours.
The restored ground floor includes retail space such as a bank branch and a day spa open to the public.
The development team actively engaged local stakeholders throughout the process. They coordinated with the Cincinnati Preservation Association and city officials to ensure the project honored the site’s history and met community needs.
NAIOP Cincinnati hosted tours to showcase Sky Central as a model of urban redevelopment and to educate the public about its significance.
Sky Central is managed by Towne properties. It was developed by owner Trowbridge of Detroit and design by firms 39Forward and GBBN Architects.
Amenities in the building include:
- A resort‑style outdoor oasis on the nineteenth floor with a rooftop swimming pool, hot tub, cabanas, and lounge areas with panoramic views of the Ohio River and the city skyline. Multiple coworking spaces and a private club lounge for residents.
- A 24‑hour fitness center, an indoor and outdoor yoga studio, and an indoor theater.
- A third‑floor urban vegetable garden.
- A dedicated Bark Park on the fourth floor, a secure outdoor dog run where residents’ dogs can exercise and socialize with pet wash stations and pet‑friendly common areas.
What the judges said: Josh Rothstein, vice president of sales and leasing for OnSite Retail Group, noted it's one of the marquee buildings in downtown Cincinnati.
It is an “iconic building that's an incredible piece of Cincinnati's skyline that was reimagined in a beautiful way,” he said.
They made it happen: Daniel Dickson, vice president of owner and development group Marketplace Homes; Kevin Mire, principal at architecture firm 39Forward; regional vice president Marissa Master and executive vice president of apartments John Recob of property manager Towne Properties.