Experience all that our host city (and beyond) has to offer with tours on foot, bike, streetcar, or by bus! You will be invited to sign up for tours after completing your registration for CNU 32, but you may also purchase tickets directly through these links:
Click here for a PDF of the visual schedule.
Click here for tour continuing education credits.
*Tickets purchased using the member discount will be compared to your membership record to ensure it is up to date.
Wednesday, May 15
- Art and Community For All: Camp Washington Bike Tour | 3:00 - 6:00pm
BIKING ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Restorative Urbanism knows no greater laboratory than Camp Washington. Embark on a bike tour adventure as we pedal along Cincinnati's newly updated Central Parkway protected bike lane, making our way to the vibrant streets of Camp Washington! Join us to explore one of this year’s Legacy Projects, where you'll have the unique opportunity to meet the trailblazers behind local gems in this post-industrial neighborhood. Attendees will stop at Mom 'n 'em Coffee & Wine, the heartbeat of Camp Washington's social scene and meet with the owners to learn about their passion for creating a welcoming space that has become a community hub. Other stops include Binski's, the iconic US Chili building, and the CampSITE Sculpture Park. Get ready for an immersive journey through creativity, community, and the evolving spirit of this eclectic locale.
- College Hill and Northside - Old & New | 8:00am - 11:00am
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Residents and business owners in College Hill, Cincinnati's northernmost neighborhood, have been restoring the vibrancy of their urban environment, purchasing property, building businesses, employing Cincinnati’s form-based code, and creating fertile ground for urban development. Hundreds of housing units in newly constructed buildings, have been added to the neighborhood core - and more are on the way. College Hill CURC, the neighborhood community development corporation, has invested $87M in revitalizing the business district over the past 7 years. Tour participants will hear from community advocates who have ushered the way for this neighborhood. Along the way participants will also stop in the neighborhood of Northside to hear about their revitalization efforts including the development of Cincinnati’s first LGBTQ+-friendly affordable senior housing community.
- Dayton Ohio – Renaissance of a great Midwestern City | 8:00am - 12:00pm
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Dayton, Ohio is a classic Midwestern city. Its heritage is grounded in manufacturing which derived from agrarian and entrepreneurial efforts. Led by the Wright Brothers and other renowned inventors, Dayton’s history is extraordinarily rich and proud. The late 20th Century was a period of decline however, from which the city continues to emerge and into which Restorative Urbanism must play a role. Participants in this tour will hear from those who have helped Dayton navigate the waters of a post-industrial economy, seeking its renaissance through newly created public gathering spaces and private developments. From the most extensive bike trail network in the country to the rehabilitation of nearly lost architecture, this tour will immerse participants in the inner workings of civic rebirth. The tour will include the redeveloped Dayton Arcade Building, the most historic, architecturally elegant complex in the heart of Dayton’s downtown. Participants will also visit the Oregon District, recent mixed-use developments around Dayton’s minor league baseball park, as well as RiverScape MetroPark.
- From Airport to Community Hub, Blue Ash’s Summit Park | 1:00 - 4:30pm
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
How can a former airport become a hub for a city? This 130-acre park, located 20 minutes from downtown Cincinnati, has created a central community space for this bedroom community which previously had no downtown. Inspired by European parks, this is a place for everyone to play, work and now live. The park itself is one of a kind with year round programming and a great lawn, Naturescape playground, observation tower, and is now flanked by residential and commercial uses, creating its own community. Attendees will tour hear from City administrators and leasing brokers how this development came into fruition and has become a destination for all ages around the region.
- Lick Run/South Fairmount - Daylighting a Stream Leverages a Neighborhood’s Rebirth | 3:00 - 6:00pm
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Restorative Urbanism can be generated by different types of catalytic projects. From the time First Americans occupied the Cincinnati region until the mid-1800’s there was a creek called Lick Run. Then it was turned into an underground pipe and paved over with streets, houses, stores, streetcars, and even factories. Now the creek has been daylighted once more and turned into a 4-mile long park. Tour participants will hear from the Metropolitan Sewer District and landscape architects for the project and will see how a $103 million stormwater management initiative is leveraging the opportunity to transform a once historic, neglected neighborhood - again.
- Evans Farm - From Farm to New Urbanist Community in the suburb of Columbus, Ohio | 8:00am - 4:00pm
BUS ($95 Member / $110 Non-Member)
Located just north of Columbus, Evans Farm is Ohio’s first greenfield community designed around the principles of new urbanism, where shops, restaurants, parks, homes, and more are within walking or biking distance of each other. Residential phases 1 and 2 are complete with the commercial phases being built right now. Attendees will walk the development and learn about how this dream came into fruition from a family farm from the developer and hear about how the process challenged this growing suburb of Columbus from Township leaders. Lunch will be provided. - Norton Commons and St. James Court | 8:00am - 5:00pm
BUS ($95 Member / $110 Non-Member)
Norton Commons is a 600-acre new traditional neighborhood that began construction in 2003 and is nearing completion. Charles Osborn, Jr. and David Tomes are the founders and developers, the master plan is by DPZ, the pattern book is by Placemakers, and Michael Watkins is the Town Architect. The community includes two neighborhoods and a hamlet with a wide variety of building types and uses. The Middle is not Missing in Norton Commons—it includes duplexes, stacked flats, 4-plexes, garage apartments, pedestrian townhouses and more. The community also has an extensive park system modeled on Louisville's Olmsted parks.
St. James Court is a fabulous late 1800’s development with a fantastic public square shaped by magnificent large single-family and apartment buildings. This stop will also include the adjacent Belgravia and Fountain Courts.
Thursday, May 16
- SOLD OUT: Downtown Cincinnati and Fountain Square – Reinventing the Heart of the City | 10:15am - 1:15pm
WALKING ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
Cincinnati’s urban core is its downtown and downtown’s beating heart is Fountain Square. Whether sharing in the joy of a sports teams’ championship or celebrating holiday traditions, this is the urban plaza (renovated in 2006 for $49 million) where Cincinnatians gravitate for their collective civic experience. Still the center of the region’s employment, downtown is adapting to post-pandemic employment fluctuations. Several office buildings have been converted into hotels and hundreds of new residential units and, in a Restorative Urbanism twist, a former department store was converted into offices – go figure. Tour participants will see some adaptive reuse projects and hear from 3CDC – developers and financiers of new catalytic projects as well as the group responsible for the Fountain Square renovation. Participants will also hear from architects designing these adaptive reuse projects as well as a retail expert forecasting the future of downtown retail experience, and from residents who experience, first-hand, the city’s heart and soul.
- SOLD OUT: Over-the-Rhine South / Washington Park – Stories behind the renaissance of one of Americas most historic neighborhoods | 2:00 - 5:00pm
WALKING ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
Over-the-Rhine has the largest collection of historic Italianate buildings in the country. It has also been the site of waves of generational transition. Built by German immigrants and later occupied by Appalachians and African Americans, the neighborhood suffered decades of disinvestment during the late 20th century. After hundreds of millions of dollars of investment, the neighborhood has been restored into a vibrant urban community. Hundreds of buildings have been rehabilitated, dozens of new ones built, and the neighborhood’s gemstone, Washington Park, was lavishly restored a few years ago. However, with transformation comes disruption. New architecture struggles to acquiesce to overwhelming historic context and new popularity has led to severe affordability issues and gentrification. This tour will start with a streetcar ride to Washington Park from which attendees will walk throughout the neighborhood hearing from 3CDC, the neighborhood’s primary development force, Landscape architects for Washington Park, and architects of restoration and adaptive reuse projects.
- Connecting the CROWN | 10:15am - 1:00pm
BIKING ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Imagine a walkable and bikeable loop fully separated from roadway traffic, offering a safe and accessible haven for all Cincinnatians to gather and embrace an active outdoor lifestyle. This guided bicycle tour is your chance to explore this visionary project firsthand. Join us for a guided bicycle tour to discover the transformative vision of the CROWN – The Cincinnati Walking or Riding Network. With plans to span 34 miles around Cincinnati, the CROWN will connect four regional trails to form a loop that links iconic landmarks and hidden gems. Leading the tour, we have two speakers who are integral to the realization of this ambitious endeavor.
- Over The Rhine: Tenement Life | 2:00 - 5:00pm
STREETCAR AND WALKING ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
Have you ever wondered about what changed when Cincinnatians stepped over the canal and into Over-the-Rhine? This tour weaves visitors through the stories of Over-the-Rhine’s earliest residents between the Miami-Ohio Canal (now Central Parkway) and Liberty Street. Starting in the early 1800s with stories of German immigrants, we’ll explore how different people lived in this neighborhood over its long history. The tour concludes by talking about the homes and lives of more recent residents of Over-the-Rhine: Appalachian and African American families.
- Main Street and Pendleton – Saving historic buildings and connecting OTR residents to businesses, housing, and parks | 10:15am - 1:00pm
STREETCAR AND WALKING ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
Main Street and the Pendleton area of Over-the-Rhine contain the neighborhood’s most in-tact collection of historic architecture. Decades of disinvestment, crime, and exodus though, left those buildings empty, its streets worn, and its residents lacking opportunity and pride. In this tour, participants will hear from local developers who have restored most of the area’s buildings one-by-one inserting local businesses in storefronts and attracting new, or long-time residents in apartments above. Participants will also hear from city officials who were involved in calming Main Street and creating a pedestrian-only connection street to Ziegler Park. Tour takers will also learn how the complete re-imagining of Ziegler Park restored a place for OTR’s residents as a local, neighborhood park and playground.
- Clifton / Ludlow Ave. – The lasting benefits of TOD Density for Maintaining Local Business | 10:15am - 1:00pm
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Ludlow Avenue is the Clifton neighborhood’s eclectic, locally-driven neighborhood business district. At the core of the business district is a grocery store that closed and then re-opened as a food co-op. Largely built as a TOD along Cincinnati’s historic streetcar line, residential density is provided by proud apartment buildings proving that “density” is a good thing. Neighborhood advocates have also built and maintained a cultural arts center which provides a nucleus for Cincinnati’s most culturally international neighborhood. Tour participants will walk the business district and several surrounding blocks hearing from long-time residents, architects, community advocates, and shop owners about the value of density and the partnership between housing and business.
- West End / City West / FC Cincinnati - Urban Renewal | 2:00 - 5:00pm
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Cincinnati’s West End neighborhood is a microcosm of 20th century urban renewal: build, demolish, build highway, rinse, repeat. Once a fine-grained vibrant neighborhood of houses, shops, schools, and churches for Cincinnati’s poorer citizens, Interstate highway construction and mid-century urban renewal forced the displacement of thousands of people - nearly all of whom were black. In the 1990’s federal HOPE VI funding was awarded to two projects consisting of 48 acres in Cincinnati’s center-city basin; this became the CNU Charter Award winning City West. Now, Cincinnati’s newest professional sports team has built its 26,000 seat stadium in the neighborhood, raising fears of another wave of displacement. Participants will hear from designers of City West as well as neighborhood stakeholders, including those who helped create a community benefits agreement, and policy-makers seeking Complete Streets as a way to build human-friendly assets.
- Norwood/Factory 52 - The Resilience of an Industrial Town | 10:15am - 1:00pm
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Norwood, Ohio is an enclave city completely surrounded by Cincinnati. Runner-up in 2022’s Strongest Towns competition, it was a factory town that experienced economic upheaval when a large automotive plant closed in 1986. Norwood has embarked upon remaking its main street, an effort stemming from a 2021 corridor improvement plan, and has rehabilitated many previously blighted buildings with new, unique local businesses – some maintaining its “maker” heritage. Developers have nearly completed a $100 million, 21 acre, adaptive reuse of the US Playing Card Factory creating a mixed use destination called Factory 52. Though still a work in progress, Norwood’s people have shown that resident-driven, civic resilience is the core of successful Restorative Urbanism. Tour-takers will visit the streets of Norwood, visit Factory 52, and hear from key stakeholders – including business owners, residents, real estate developers, and designers of the Legacy Project.
- Walnut Hills and Form Based Code | 2:00 - 5:00pm
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Cincinnati has a new form-based code and multiple developments in four neighborhoods have stemmed from it - or have they? The Walnut Hills neighborhood, once considered Cincinnati’s “second downtown”, offers insight into how codes can be employed or ignored and how politics, institutional memory, and development industry inertia all play a part in what gets built. Tour participants will hear from community development partners, architects, planning officials, and developers about the code’s effects - intended or otherwise. Attendees will also explore a rich historical neighborhood with a restored main street and a brand-new mixed use development.
Friday, May 17
- Bridges and River City Trails Bike Tour | 8:00 -11:00am
BIKING ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Join us for an immersive bike tour exploring bridges and trails along the river in in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky! Our journey begins at Tri-State Trails’ signature Bike Month event, the 15th Annual Breakfast on the Bridge, where participants will experience Cincinnati’s bike culture firsthand on National Bike to Work Day. Following that festive start, the group will pedal along scenic riverfront trails in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, crossing the Ohio River on several different bridges, learning about how bike trails can play a role in Restorative Urbanism. Along the way, we'll discuss the exciting plans for developing Riverfront Commons and the Ohio River Trail.
- Sketching Over-the-Rhine | 2:00 - 5:00pm
WALKING AND STREETCAR ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
Join Urban Sketcher, illustrator and designer Christina Wald in the iconic Over-the-Rhine (OTR) neighborhood of Cincinnati and capture a unique view of the city as you see it using ink or watercolor. Urban Sketchers aim to show the world, one drawing at a time, raising the artistic, storytelling and educational value of location drawing. All materials (and possibly a stool) and mediums need to be brought by those attending the tours.
- Historic Preservation Bike Tour | 2:00 - 5:00pm
BIKING ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Embark on a leisurely 6.2-mile slow-roll bike ride led by our knowledgeable tour guide, Beth Johnson, Executive Director of the Cincinnati Preservation Association. Explore the rich history of Cincinnati as we wind through iconic landmarks, including the Dayton Street Historic District, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati Fire Museum, Cincinnati City Hall, Piatt Park within the Race Street Historic District, the Cincinnati Times-Star Building, and the scenic beauty of Over-the-Rhine (OTR). Participants will hear how new life is being injected into these historic neighborhoods through incremental steps of restorative urbanism.
- Enhancing Cincinnati's Pedestrian Experience: Reconnecting Communities through Stairs and Alleyways | 10:15am - 1:00pm
STREETCAR AND WALKING ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
Christian Huelsman is the founding executive director of non-profit Spring in Our Steps – dedicated to the cleanup, activation, advocacy, and preservation of Cincinnati's public stairway and alley networks since 2012. He earned his master's and bachelor's degrees from the University of Cincinnati, completing the former with a focus on walkable resilient communities and placemaking. Huelsman focuses on building magnetism in walkable public space centers as places of versatile community gathering and slower urban immersion. He managed a pop-up plaza along a major transit corridor in Saint Paul under Max Musicant, collaborated with and enjoyed mentorship from Jenny Ustick through Step Up to Art and BLINK, and led bicycle tours of public art in Minneapolis' alleys. Now working for the Philadelphia Water Department as a City Planner, Huelsman continues to build projects with passionate stewards in Cincinnati, supported by the Devou Good Foundation and the Tommy Pacello Fellowship.
- The Cincinnati Riverfront – A Highway narrowing allows Cincinnati’s Riverfront Park, The “Banks” Mixed-use Development, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center | 2:00 - 5:00pm
WALKING ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
Between Cincinnati’s downtown stadiums (for the Reds and Bengals) and between an interstate highway and the Ohio River, lies 120 acres of new development called “The Banks”. From narrowing an interstate highway to resurrecting a downtown street grid, this complex project was guided by New Urbanist principles. $2.5 billion later, it is now home to hundreds of residents, office workers, restaurants, year-round tourists, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Capping off the riverfront development is the newly built, 32 acre Smale Riverfront Park and the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame. Tour attendees will hear from those involved in narrowing the interstate highway, obtaining financing, establishing the master plan, construction of public portions of the mixed-use development, master planning park spaces, and will see inside the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
- Cincinnati Streetcar | 10:15am - 1:00pm
STREETCAR ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
With ridership exceeding 1.1 million in 2023, Cincinnati has one of the most successful modern streetcar systems in the nation. Embark on an excursion aboard The Connector, the electric-powered streetcar which operates along a 3.6-mile loop connecting Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine and Banks neighborhoods via the Central Business District. Attendees will hear from those who staunchly supported creation of the streetcar system who will delve into the challenges that shaped its installation in 2016. Participants will also learn about its day-to-day operations and its role in restoring connectivity and commerce in the city core. Explore The Connector’s current impact and anticipate the exciting prospects ahead, as we navigate the history, challenges, and promising future of the Cincinnati Streetcar.
- SOLD OUT: Over-the-Rhine North / The Brewery District. Beer, food, and real estate development: ingredients of rejuvenation of the most interesting historic manufacturing mixed-use neighborhood in America. | 2:00 - 5:00pm
STREETCAR AND WALKING ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
Founded in 1855, venerable Findlay Market was once one of a dozen farmers’ market houses in Cincinnati. Now it is the only permanent one remaining. It is the multi-cultural epicenter of activity in the Brewery District, the northern half of Over-the-Rhine, which once held dozens of small businesses, hundreds of homes, and over 20 breweries and associated production uses. Now, this exemplar of Restorative Urbanism is beginning to experience a renaissance of housing, retail, restaurants, and maker spaces. Local entrepreneurs now have economic opportunity, revelers have beer, and residents have a safe environment in which to live and shop for their food. Participants will visit a new Charter Award-winning mixed-use project and hear from its developer. Then attendees will tour Findlay Market and Findlay Kitchen, an incubator space for food start-ups. Then participants will see former brewery sites (including an underground lagering cellar) to learn how heritage has fostered growth in the neighborhood. Finally, having worked up a thirst, attendees will end the tour at a local taproom.
- Covington / Mainstrasse | 10:15am - 1:00pm
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
The best views of Cincinnati’s skyline are from northern Kentucky but there’s a lot to see on the bluegrass side of the river as well. Covington is one of northern Kentucky’s largest cities and is experiencing a renaissance of its own flavor – Restorative Urbanism Kentucky style. Covington has historic Mainstrasse which is a boulevard of locally-owned shops and restaurants – and nearby infill development. The biggest effort taking place in Covington is the redevelopment of the 23-acre former IRS tax processing facility just one block south of the Ohio River. An East Coast commercial developer called it “one of the most exciting land redevelopment opportunities between Baltimore and New Orleans.” Tour attendees will hear from City leaders working to make this historic city come alive again.
- Mt. Adams – the topography of time. The history and ongoing evolution of a hilltop neighborhood | 2:00 - 5:00pm
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Overlooking downtown Cincinnati, this topographically isolated neighborhood gives Mt. Adams its compact, walkable charm as well as stellar views of the Ohio River. Once home to the most powerful telescope in the world, Mt. Adams’ residential landscape is peppered with venerable institutions such as The Cincinnati Art Museum, Playhouse in the Park, several churches, and a repurposed monastery. After a few decades of decline, it is now a highly desirable neighborhood with some of the most sought-after real estate in the region. New, contemporary houses have been built throughout the neighborhood, integrating into the existing fine-grained context and steeply sloped hillsides. Tour attendees will walk the hilly streets of Mt. Adams, hearing from those who have designed buildings in the neighborhood for decades. Participants will also learn about Cincinnati’s hillside regulations, and hear from Cincinnati’s head planner who also happens to live in the neighborhood.
- CUF / University of Cincinnati - Development Pressures Surround a Campus | 10:15am - 1:00pm
BUS AND WALKING ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
The University of Cincinnati is the 39th largest in the US. Yet its physical footprint is relatively small at only 253 acres resulting in a tightly woven, quite walkable campus. Surrounding the campus are “Uptown” neighborhoods grappling with growth generated by the university. New student housing is now placed along three of the four borders of campus (the 4th is a park). Tour attendees will hear from the area’s Community Development Corporation and community developers about the challenges faced when designing necessarily large buildings amidst the fabric of these urban neighborhoods. The tour will also include a walkthrough of a new hotel being built directly across from campus.
- Mariemont - 100 Year-Old New Urbanism Is As Vibrant As Ever | 2:00 - 5:00pm
BUS ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Visionary Mary Emery founded the eponymous Mariemont and hired the renowned John Nolen to plan it. Ground was broken for one of the nation’s earliest planned communities in April 1923 and people have been walking Mariemont’s compact neighborhoods ever since. The village boasts a diverse array of housing types, a central business district, and nodes of special places throughout. Mariemont is not a museum; it is a 100-year old evolving community that has thrived even during cloudy economic times. This tour will examine the oldest buildings & blocks as well as the newest ones. Participants will hear from local historians along with the developer and architect of its newest, context-expressive buildings. Participants will see living proof that well-crafted New Urbanism leads to resilient vibrancy for generations.
Saturday, May 18
- Sketching the Riverfront | 10:15am - 1:00pm
STREETCAR AND WALKING ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
Join Urban Sketcher Mark Kinne along the scenic Cincinnati Riverfront and capture a unique view of the city as you see it using ink or watercolor. Urban Sketchers aim to show the world, one drawing at a time, raising the artistic, storytelling and educational value of location drawing. All materials (and possibly a stool) and mediums need to be brought by those attending the tours.
- Bellevue / Dayton - Embracing Local Excellence with Diligence, Pride, and Tactical Brilliance | 10:15am - 1:00pm
BIKING ($50 Member / $65 Non-Member)
Explore two vibrant cities in Northern Kentucky known for their pedestrian-friendly main streets and inviting residential neighborhoods. Bellevue adopted the SmartCode in 2011 revitalizing storefronts and safeguarding the city's character with a dedicated focus on fostering local businesses. Adjacent Dayton strategically utilized federal infrastructure funds to introduce new urbanism elements such as curb bump-outs, street narrowing, and reduced speed limits, creating harmony between drivers and pedestrians. The city is set to finalize a 1.5-mile stretch of the river's edge hiking and biking trail, a part of the Riverfront Commons project, with plans to enhance and expand it further atop the levee using federal funds. Join us on a tour guided by the mayors of Bellevue and Dayton who are intimately involved in restoring these two cities as exceptional pedestrian-friendly locales.
- Urban Art Forum | 10:15am - 1:00pm
WALKING ($30 Member / $45 Non-Member)
Since 2007, a non-profit organization called ArtWorks has been responsible for the creation of over 200 murals in Cincinnati's urban core. Originating as a means to address the dual objectives of employing local artists and providing mentorship opportunities for groups of teenagers, this program has elevated the art of mural creation to new heights. These murals, ranging from the spectacular to the sublime and sometimes even whimsical, consistently carry deep meaning. They have transformed Cincinnati's urban landscape into the largest open-air art gallery in the Midwest. During the tour, participants will have the chance to admire some of the finest murals in downtown and Over-the-Rhine (OTR) while engaging in conversations with the talented individuals behind these vibrant artworks.