The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority has completed a $50 million makeover of Marquette Manor, a 15-story apartment tower in the English Woods neighborhood that is visible from Interstate 75.
The authority said the project was a 20-month gut rehab of the 140-unit building. Work included replacing electrical and plumbing systems, along with new flooring, bathrooms, and kitchens. The scope also included painting the building’s exterior, renovating space for community and exercise rooms, and improving outdoor space.
CMHA CEO Gregory Johnson described the work as addressing “the bones of the building,” and said the renovation should extend the timeline before major additional work is needed by about 15 years.
For contractors, projects like this highlight why preservation and rehabilitation stay busy even when new construction slows. A full gut rehab is less about cosmetics and more about systems, durability, and the building envelope. When a building has brick or CMU exterior walls, that long-term performance depends on details crews wrestle with every day, mortar joints, flashing and weeps, transitions at windows and doors, and water management that keeps repairs from coming back early.
Rehab work at this scale also puts a premium on coordination. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing replacements drive walls and ceilings open. Exterior work adds access planning, staging, and schedule protection for crews working at height.
Read the full, original article from WKRC here.