North Kentucky News

This photo, used courtesy of Bray Construction Services, shows Bray building Phase 1 of the public infrastructure on the 23-acre site.

Federal RAISE grant to fund streetscape, transportation connections at CCR

COVINGTON, Ky. – From the beginning, the City of Covington has proclaimed that its transformation of the 23-acre former IRS site near the Ohio River would create more than just a development but a “mixed-use, multi-modal center of regional activity.”

In layperson’s terms? A new neighborhood whose very design – its public spaces, its restored street grid and sidewalks, and its transportation connections – would take what for 60 years was a virtual island and not only reintegrate it into the rest of Covington but also tie the city to surrounding communities.

With a newly announced $16,282,700 grant, the federal government is saying that it agrees with Covington’s vision and the City’s ability to implement it.

Today, Covington was informed that it is the recipient of a federal RAISE grant to be used for Phase II public infrastructure at the Covington Central Riverfront site – including wide sidewalks, a land bridge that reaches to the top of the Ohio River levee, and a public parking garage topped by a podium structure that will support festival and park space.

The announcement comes a year after a $1.635 billion investment in the nearby Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project that was delivered by President Joe Biden himself when Biden in January 2023 became the first sitting president in more than 80 years to stand on Covington soil.

Covington Mayor Joe Meyer said he lobbied the President and his staff on behalf of the city during that visit and a follow-up visit to Washington.

“What an incredible day for Covington,” Mayor Meyer said today. “From the beginning, President Biden, the White House, and Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg have been very generous with their time and their attention -- not only giving Covington the opportunity to make our case for our needs but also then investing in those needs and this region. They are a full-fledged partner in this momentum.”

But securing this $16.3 million grant was no easy task said Elizabeth Wetzel, Covington’s Director of Special Projects and Intergovernmental Affairs who led the application for this competitive USDOT grant known as Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE).

“This is a competitive USDOT grant with very specific requirements,” Wetzel said. “A lot of communities around the country were vying for these limited funds. That Covington succeeded speaks highly of our collaborative hard work and also of the value of City’s vision to transform this prime 23-acre site into a connective center of activity.”

The City’s application can be seen at “Reconnecting Covington: Central Riverfront Hub.” The application details how City’s vision for site addresses an array issues: safety; environmental sustainability; quality life; mobility community connectivity; economic competitiveness opportunity; state good repair (infrastructure); partnerships collaboration; innovation.

For example site will include estimated 6,228 linear feet sidewalks; 1,552 feet off-road trails; 260 trees; two acres public green space. It will also connect Riverfront Commons hiking biking trail reconfigured Fourth Street include dedicated bike lane better pedestrian uses. The City exploring improved bus streetcar water taxi services.

The RAISE grant will help fund Phase II public infrastructure at site. Currently Bray Construction Services building Phase I infrastructure $14.9 million contract include streets sidewalks utilities public plaza.

The RAISE announcement follows $10 million investment infrastructure Kentucky General Assembly.

City subdivided site history below many different parcels accommodate many different uses including offices retail hotel housing tourism public green spaces series announcements spring begun filling those parcels:

Drees Homes build sixteen townhomes seven million dollar project block B .88 acre parcel fronting Fourth Street east Russell Street.

Silverman Company Inc build estimated two hundred fifty-seven market-rate apartments seventy-seven hundred square feet retail space one hundred ninety-four parking spaces partially below-grade parking structure sixty-seven point two million dollar development blocks M N Fourth Street west Madison Avenue.

Kentucky General Assembly allocated one hundred twenty-five million dollars toward relocation Salmon P Chase School Law Northern Kentucky campus University Kentucky four-year School Medicine.

Covington Economic Development Director Tom West leading charge recruit developers build out many different-sized parcels make up site said one top goals twenty-three acres create jobs produce tax revenue fund services rest city same time looking create modern site complements evolution modern communities helps set trends vision RAISE grant picked on.

“As I tell many groups I speak ‘we live region designed cars accommodates pedestrians new neighborhood designed pedestrians accommodates cars’” West said.

Site history

Twenty-three acre-site located west Madison Avenue north Fourth Street home sprawling one-story IRS tax-processing facility more five decades told twenty-twenty City news release titled “$1 grows $20.5 million” assembled from one hundred sixty-one properties aggressive attempt woo federal government.

Attempt successful processing facility opened May fifteenth nineteen sixty-seven employ about four thousand full-time seasonal workers heyday decommissioned twenty-nineteen bought twenty-twenty demolished O’Rourke Wrecking twenty-twenty-two.

During time worked public Atlanta-based consultant Cooper Carry create conceptual master plan mixed-use seamlessly integrated surrounding commercial residential districts worked address environmental archaeological concerns engineering architectural team led KZF Design design so-called horizontal infrastructure.

More about history master plan conceptual renderings found Central Riverfront.