The Cincinnati City Council's Historic Conservation Board decides a building's historic significance. The structure must have at least one of the following attributes, as stated in the Cincinnati Municipal Code:[1]
Association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; or
Association with the lives of persons significant in our past; or
Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, method of construction or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
That has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
Structures that would not be given landmark designations, as stated in the Cincinnati Municipal Code, include:[1]
A cemetery, birthplace, grave of a historical figure or a property owned by religious institutions or used for religious purposes, unless it is a religious property deriving primary significance from architectural or artistic distinction or historical importance; or
A structure that has been moved from its original location, is a reconstructed historic structure, is a property primarily commemorative in nature or a property that has been erected within the past 50 years, unless the structure or property is an integral part of a district that meets the above criteria or falls within one or more of the following categories:
A structure removed from its original location but that is significant primarily for architectural value or that is the surviving structure most importantly associated with a historic person or event; or
A birthplace or grave of a historical figure of outstanding importance if there is no other appropriate site or structure directly associated with the subject's productive life; or
A cemetery that derives its primary significance from graves of persons of transcendent importance, from age, from distinctive design features, or from association with historic events; or
A reconstructed structure when accurately executed in a suitable environment and presented in a dignified manner as part of a restoration master plan and when no other structure with the same association has survived; or
A property primarily commemorative in intent if design, age, tradition or symbolic value has invested it with its own historical significance; or
A property achieving significance within the past 50 years if it is of exceptional importance or is unique within the city.
Application process
Historic districts, landmarks, and sites require filing of a designation application. This must be filed by the property owner or owner of a property in the area to be designated, or by the city council or its members, by the city council, city manager, city Urban Conservator, City Planning Commission, or by local preservation societies and community councils. After filing an application and during its nomination process, the site may not be demolished or evacuated.[1]
Within 60 days of receiving the designation application, the city's Urban Conservator prepares and sends a report and guidelines for conservation to the city council's Historic Conservation Board. For historic districts, the Urban Conservator also sends a proposed boundary map, a list of all included structures, and a list of non-contributing structures.[1]
The Historic Conservation Board schedules a public hearing to consider the landmark within 30 days of receiving the report and proposed guidelines. After the hearing, the board decides whether or not to recommend the designation, and forwards the decision and materials to the City Planning Commission. Within 30 days of the recommendation, the planning commission holds a public hearing to determine whether to follow the conservation board's recommendation. Afterward, the planning commission likewise forwards its decision and materials to the city council, which votes to ordain or overrule the planning commission's decision. If the planning commission approves of the designation, only a simple majority vote in the council is needed. However, if the planning commission does not approve of the designation, two-thirds of the council would need to vote in overruling the planning commission.[1]
List of landmarks
For consistency, the list below uses the name from the City of Cincinnati website.
_(2015-01-30_10.45.07_by_Ohio_Redevelopment_Projects_-_ODSA).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
