By Christine Russell
Northern Kentucky Port Authority
Over the last two months, the Northern Kentucky Port Authority invited members of the community to get an inside look at the OneNKY Center, the future home of Northern Kentucky’s growth organizations and LifeSciKY.
More than 500 people, including future tenants and their board members, elected officials, donors, and interested community members from throughout the Cincinnati region toured the under-construction building.
The Northern Kentucky Port Authority partnered with the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Northern Kentucky Bar Association, tenants of the OneNKY Center, in addition to the Covington Business Council and a joint NAIOP Cincinnati, ULI Cincinnati, and CREW Greater Cincinnati event to provide tours and showcase the OneNKY Center, increasing awareness of the building’s tenants, unique design and funding model.
The OneNKY Center, owned by the Northern Kentucky Port Authority, is a 47,000-square-foot Class A office building that is home to 10 Northern Kentucky growth organizations: BE NKY Growth Partnership, Catalytic Fund of Northern Kentucky, EducateNKY, Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky, LifeSciKY, meetNKY, Northern Kentucky Bar Association, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, OneNKY Alliance and Thomas More University Division of External Affairs.
This building realizes a community vision that began in the 1980s, under the leadership of Corporex Companies Chairman Bill Butler, to create a visible symbol demonstrating regionalism and unity in Northern Kentucky by locating the region’s growth organizations under one roof to enhance collaboration and efficiency.
The entire second floor of the building is a life sciences lab operated by LifeSciKY. Dr. Christin Godale, Executive Director of LifeSciKY, is actively working with parties interested in renting lab space. With the help of an investment from the lab’s founding sponsor, Thermo Fisher Scientific, LifeSciKY will provide residents with access to lab space and more than $1 million in state-of-the-art equipment.
Phoenix Architecture designed the building and closely collaborated with tenants from the start on the size and location of their office spaces. Each tenant signed a long-term lease.
Phoenix Architecture Principal, Director of Design Jason Williams said all design aspects of the OneNKY Center were intentional. At four stories tall, it was constructed to remain “grounded” and connected to the community it serves. The large terrace at the entrance of the building is a connector for pedestrians, welcoming them to the OneNKY Center.
The blue and white exterior seamlessly blends with The Ascent at Roebling’s Bridge located just west of the OneNKY Center, and together, these buildings create a landmark “gateway” to Northern Kentucky.
Each floor features an outdoor patio on the southeast side of the building, an important amenity that gives tenants access to the outdoors and a visual connection to the Covington community.
Phoenix Architecture worked alongside Corporex, the developer and construction manager for the OneNKY Center, and Hemmer Construction Company, the prime contractor.
The Catalytic Fund, OneNKY Alliance, Kenton County Fiscal Court, and LifeSciKY, which received funding from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, were instrumental in moving this project forward and securing financing for the OneNKY Center.
The $26 million project’s funding derives from various sources, including Kenton County offering credit enhancement for approximately $8.7 million of construction bonds, issued by the Kentucky Association of County Officials (KACo) Finance Corporation. Additional financial contributions were made by LifeSciKY, the Butler Foundation, Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, Horizon Community Funds, Drees Foundation and the R.C. Durr Foundation, Inc.
“After six years and a lot of hard work from many different leaders and organizations, it’s exciting to see this project come to fruition,” said Williams. “Every tenant has the same goal of being part of something bigger than themselves to benefit Northern Kentucky, and it makes me so happy to see their excitement as they move into their new spaces.”
More details on the OneNKY Center can be found here.
Christine Russell is the Executive Director of the Northern Kentucky Port Authority and Vice President of Strategy at BE NKY Growth Partnership.