Mission:  To benefit the city by stabilizing the business environment, increase business and employment opportunities, while simultaneously animating the streets and sidewalks of OTR.

     Goals:

• To leverage the financial investment from the City of Cincinnati.

• To reduce the turnover of storefront occupants, thus increasing traffic, safety and return on investment.

• To support capital improvement in unused and underutilized storefronts for business occupation and expansion in OTR.

• To solicit businesses to compliment and strengthen the neighborhood as a viable place to live, work and play with a diverse collection of services, retailers, galleries and restaurants catering to the cultural district, thus improving the appeal of the neighborhood for residents and visitors.

• To provide an environment for individuals, entrepreneurs, investors and businesses to thrive, thus strengthening the economy by expanding the number of successful, stable businesses.

Program Qualification Criteria

• Desirable businesses include: arts, affordable food service, retail, resident and business services. Franchises permitted.
• The incoming business is new to Over-the-Rhine. It could be an established business in another location, but new to OTR and it has not been in Over-the-Rhine within the last 12 months.

• The incoming business signs a three year lease.

• The incoming business agrees to participate actively in the mentoring program.

• The incoming business agrees to be open to the public at least 50 hours per week.

• Ineligible businesses include churches, convenience stores, check cashing services, temporary labor services, social services, and businesses which are not compatible with adjacent residential uses.  Home based businesses are also ineligible.  Business must locate in a storefront space.

 Components in the Program

1.   OTR Chamber will provide a matching grant up to $20,000 for Tennant Improvements

2.   Business plan requirement

3.   Mentoring program

      4.   Rental Subsidy of four months rent for first year of a three year lease

Co-operative Lease Agreement

1.   Building owners and/or landlord must agree to participate fully in the program

2.   The tenant or owner of the incoming business locates a storefront .

3.   The tenant and business owner/landlord negotiate the required build out, renovation and preparation required of the building and reflect that cost in a lump sum build out cost and the monthly rental amount.

4.   The landlord schedules a meeting with the steering committee that is administered through the OTR Chamber of Commerce to introduce the new business owner, and review the terms of the three-year lease

5.   The tenant provides a business plan to this steering committee at this time.

6.   If the criteria are met, the OTRCC Steering Committee agrees to pay four months rent annually for the first year to the building owner/landlord on behalf of the new business/tenant. These four months are NOT consecutive; NOT the first four months of the co-op lease.

      7.  There is a $300 allowance for a sign for the storefront .

Busniess Plan Requirement

1.   The incoming tenant/new arts related business will be asked by the building owner/landlord to supply a copy of its current business plan before lease negotiations will be completed. 

2.   If the tenant does not have a business plan, but  history and references are good, the new business is invited to meet with the steering committee. The steering committee can recommend the lease be completed and the tenant work with available resources for a business plan as an initial step, prior to entering the mentoring program.

3.   Upon completion the business owner will join the mentoring program for the duration of the first three years of his/her lease.

Mentoring Program

1.   The new business meets with the steering committee to discuss concerns and obtain information.

2.   Based on the needs of the business owner, the steering committee matches this new business owner with an established business owner in OTR. This match is based on the set of skills required and common interests.

3.   The new business owner and the established business owner will define the parameters of a particular project for the benefit of the new business.  This project is submitted to the administrator of the program.

4.   The new and established business owners will meet regularly to work through and accomplish this project.  The administrator will assign a facilitator to help schedule the meetings and keep the project on track.

5.  The administrator monitors the progress of each match and each project.

This program is administered by OTR Chamber of Commerce with the support a steering committee to oversee leases, programs and funding.