design development

Embedded into the hillside in the historic Mohawk district of Over the Rhine, the Jackson Brewery building has been a looming reminder of the neglected history and architecture of OTR. What was once a bustling brewery, ranked 5th largest of the 36 breweries in OTR in the 1870s, it has become a physical reminder of Cincinnati’s declining urban core. The brewery building has not been used as a public space since 1943 and has remained abandoned since the 1960s. Its Romanesque revival façade has stood proudly on the hillside surviving years of abandonment including a devastating fire in 2019 that destroyed the roof and top level of the building. While the Jackson Brewery has remained stagnant over the years, OTR has been undergoing new development. This has brought new life into the neighborhood, but it has pushed away many community members and left them without homes and resources. As a result, approaching this site through the context of adaptive reuse and placemaking was integral to keeping the community members of OTR at the forefront of this project. Based on community engagement reports, maintaining arts and culture was incredibly important to OTR residents as well as their lack of “third places” for families and specifically children. The Jackson Arts Center will serve as a Third Place where all ages are welcome to come learn and be creative.