Building what's next for Clifton Heights
For thousands of University of Cincinnati students, Clifton Heights is more than just the neighborhood surrounding campus — it's where they live, dine, shop and spend much of their time outside the classroom. But behind many of the area's improvements is a collaborative effort dedicated to shaping its future.
The Clifton Heights Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (CHCURC) was established to revitalize the Clifton Heights neighborhood through various initiatives and redevelopment projects aimed at shaping the neighborhood’s future. The University of Cincinnati partnered with the Clifton Heights Business Association and the CUF Neighborhood Association in 2001 to carry out the corporation’s goals.
John Dixon, a professor in UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), has paired his teaching of furniture design with a desire to help shape the future of the campus community and is currently working through his second partnership with CHCURC. Dixon and his classes have planned, designed, built and furnished various empty or rundown spaces throughout the community, including a park at the corner of Calhoun and Dennis streets.
A completed table top from one of Dixon's projects.
The small park had been underutilized for years until CHCURC stepped in and revitalized the area. The group built benches, planters and sculptural furniture to revitalize the space. It has since become a more welcoming part of the community surrounding campus, setting the stage for future development.
Dixon led a similar project in 2018 with AutoDesk, Versteel and Haworth to reimagine the design studios in DAAP, and he believes it is one of the most successful projects he has ever been a part of.
“The students did a really, really good job doing really in-depth user research, like finding opportunities, designing for those opportunities and prototyping really well,” Dixon said. “They then packaged it all together as if it was a real brand. I think the takeaway from that is, of the classes I've ever taught, the result looked like a year's worth of work, and it was the result of one semester. I think they were really successful.”
Students have been able to participate in unique experiences through Dixon and CHCURC that not only provide hands-on learning opportunities but also give them a chance to help shape the future of the neighborhood they call campus.
A student working on a piece of furniture.
"I think the biggest thing is they want exposure,” Dixon said. “They want to be making stuff. I think they want exposure to getting their hands on real material. It's intimidating for them at first, but everything we do will help mitigate that.”
That's why Dixon does it. He wants his students to gain the experience they need to succeed after college, and through partnerships with CHCURC and others, that work also helps leave a lasting impact on the neighborhood. The area surrounding UC is what the people make of it, and each semester, a new group of students leaves a positive mark on the campus community.
Overall, Dixon is thankful to be part of an experience that helps build the future of Clifton Heights.
Creating community-centered design
Each completed project serves as a foundation for the next, allowing students to leave a lasting mark while contributing to Clifton Heights' continued transformation.
CHCURC has planned projects to continue improving Clifton Heights in the coming years, but one currently underway has Dixon's attention. He and his students are building furniture for a lot in Hollister Park, a space just south of campus. The design was completed about a month ago, and students are eager to begin construction on the project.
But this project isn't just another revitalization effort — it's a stepping stone that allows students to help build the neighborhood's future through community-centered design with their own hands. Dixon believes his students have excelled throughout the design process and said their creativity flourished.
For Dixon, every bench, table and gathering space represents more than a class assignment — it represents another piece of Clifton Heights' future.
“To me, it's always trying to figure out a way in which they get something that they couldn't have gotten just by purchasing stuff,” Dixon said. “That's what it's all about.”
Cincinnati is our city
Cincinnati is our extended classroom, lab, career network and a place to explore, learn and serve. UC’s urban location gives students unmatched access to real-world learning, artistic inspiration and vibrant culture. Our research and community engagement continually benefit the city we call home.
Featured image at top of Dixon collaborating with students to design furniture for the projects. Photos/provided
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