Developed by Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, Urban Sites and New Republic Architecture, Vandalia Point opened in February 2025, offering 52 units of affordable housing located in two existing structures along Blue Rock St., and a new building along Vandalia Ave., across the street from Hoffner Park. The project utilized Low Income Housing Tax Credits as well as City of Cincinnati HOME funds to create more housing in our neighborhood for families earning between 30-60% Area Median Income (AMI).
NEST, Northside’s nonprofit community development corporation, spearheaded the artist selection process for interior and exterior murals at Vandalia Point. Thanks to the hospitality of the Vandalia Point management, the NBA was able to take a look inside to see the three murals that are not viewable by the public.
“Free to Be” by Hanna Jones is located on the 3rd floor. Two abstracted figures dance together in this mural, painted in a rainbow spectrum. The figures move with freedom, whimsy and joy–a vibrant message to have fun and engage in your community.
“Vandalia Point Sticker Pack” by LD Nehls and Sofia Castagna is located on the 2nd floor. This duo created a lively mural that celebrates nature, featuring cute critters and flora taken from local resident suggestions. The mural imitates the playful aesthetic of a sticker book.
“Look After One Another” by Ciara LeRoy is located on the 1st floor. The central themes of this mural are community and connection. The letters are styled to huddle close, and sometimes overlap–a nod to the ways in which lives intersect and enrich each other. The wide-ranging color palette nods to the neighborhood’s eclectic population.
“Be Bold” by Jazz Chao (Jazmine Applegate) is located outside, next to the parking lot. This piece is a vibrant representation of artistic freedom, counterculture, and the spirit of tattooing. Her skin is a living canvas of tattoos that weave together symbols of rebellion, spirituality, and the identity of Vandalia Point’s residents.
“Maureen Wood” by Jahsalyn Robinson is located outside, facing Vandalia Ave. This stately mural honors Maureen Wood, an influential Northsider who managed Crazy Ladies Bookstore for many years. She spent her lifetime creating a sense of home for others. In the work, she holds a towering stack of feminist literature that might have been found at Crazy Ladies.
“Marching to Our Own Beat” by Pull Club Studio is located outside, overlooking the dog park. This colorful work honors the long-running Northside Fourth of July Parade. It features a plethora of historic characters who have marched (or still march) in the parade since its founding in 1854, and demonstrates the neighborhood’s commitment to “keep Northside weird” in the best of ways.
Thanks so much to all the stakeholders, especially the artists, for beautifying the neighborhood in and around Vandalia Point!