Jobs Cafe at Findlay Market

Job Training a Key Component of Revitalization Near Historic Public Market

Jobs Café at Findlay Market is the LEED-Certified revitalization within the historic neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine, immediately adjacent to the landmark Findlay Market. The Model Group is partnering with the Corporation for Findlay Market to preserve and revitalize eleven historic buildings adjacent to the market and constructing a public parking lot. The Port Authority’s contribution to the project funding is through its Capital Lease program that facilitates savings of state and local sales tax on construction materials. The project will contribute 68 market rate apartments to this vibrant sector of Over-the-Rhine. It also has a significant social enterprise component.  City Kitchen, a creation of Findlay Kitchen and City Link, will create a more-inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem through training local workers for jobs in the restaurant industry — filling critical skills gap in the local food economy.  Capital Lease structure is an effective public finance tool that reduces the equity required by the developer; in this case the Port Authority financing represents about 11 percent of developer equity contribution.  The $26 million project is largely financed through New Markets Tax Credits and Federal and State Historic Tax Credits. Jobs Café will offer community benefits well beyond the preservation of historic buildings and addition of housing – its focus on workforce development and job creation will enhance the Findlay Market District for years to come.

Project Neighborhood Description:

Findlay Market is Ohio’s oldest and Cincinnati’s last remaining municipal market. It’s also a public gathering space that encourages community interaction across social and economic boundaries. From its earliest days as a farmers’ market serving a predominantly German immigrant neighborhood to its current landmark status, Findlay Market has been the primary motivating force behind the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood revitalization and reinvestment. Over-the-Rhine is a walkable historic neighborhood, believed to be one of the largest and most intact 19th century urban historic districts in the U.S., featuring one of the largest collections of Italianate architecture in the nation.