As one of the oldest and most historic neighborhoods in Cincinnati, Walnut Hills has seen a lack of care over the last century as people moved to the suburbs.
One example of the dilapidation is how the historic firehouse originally built in 1850 burned down in 1977 and was left abandoned since then. But when developer Kent Hardman offered the city 100 pennies for the building, they accepted.
The condition was terrible. The rear roof was missing and a tree was growing on the first floor. But Kent Hardman was willing to invest the necessary money and has been able to transform this historic building into a vital piece of a now rebounding community.
The top floor of the firehouse was transformed into a luxury loft-style apartment in which Hardman now lives while the first floor became a pizzeria that he has named “Fireside Pizza Walnut Hills.”
To keep some of the building’s history, several original beams and even the fireman lockers were left. These features aside the modern renovations creates a beautiful building that speaks volumes to Cincinnati’s past, present, and future.
While profit was not the main intention of his investment, he does hope that his firehouse renovation does help reinvigorate a neighborhood desperately in need of growth.
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