14 College Hill businesses have April rents forgiven during coronavirus outbreak

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - The College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation says it is abating April rent for commercial tenants during the coronavirus outbreak, affecting a total of 14 businesses along Hamilton Avenue.

The month’s rent will be forgiven for all commercial tenants in properties owned 100 percent by the corporation, which works to revitalize the neighborhood through land banking and business attraction and has succeeded in bringing several new mixed-use projects to its Hamilton Avenue corridor.

“This is why the College Hill CURC exists and why we have taken such great strides over the years to own properties in our business district,” Executive Director Seth Walsh said. “Right now our small businesses are some of the most vulnerable, and we are willing to take this burden off their plates during this trying time.

"It is important that our businesses know: College Hill cares.”

The April rents of 14 College Hill businesses will be forgiven during the coronavirus outbreak.(Provided/CHCURC)

The businesses with forgiven rents include: College Hill Coffee Co., Enliven Nail Spa, H&R Block, Inspire Salon and Boutique, College Hill Yoga, G&Shirley’s Herbs and Vitamin Shop; Chung Ching; Hartman and Armentrout; The Lord’s Bounty, Weebee Cuttin’, Sashayed624, Wireless Plus One and Smokeshop, Red Rose Jems Pizzeria, and the Brink Brewing Co. Annex.

“Our State and Local leaders have done an incredible job at taking the lead on controlling the coronavirus. It’s time we followed their lead and eased some of the burden now placed on our small businesses,” Board President Jake Samad said.

The funds come in part from community donations solicited by the corporation after it announced it would cancel its largest fundraiser of the year, Derby Day 2020. Twenty-five percent of each donation went to an emergency response fund that helped forgive the tenants’ rent.

“We’ve always said that the College Hill CURC is the best landlord for our neighborhood because when things get bad, we have the flexibility to help our small businesses first and foremost," Walsh said.

CHCURC officials say it has led over $23.7 million in development along the business district to date. The corporation reportedly owns 23 properties along Hamilton Avenue and anticipates leading an additional $43 million in new development projects in the coming years.