Local News
By Joseph Hammann, Staff Writer
This past fall, St. Louis Church, located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati at 29 E. Eighth St., was listed for sale for the first time in its 96-year history. The Archdiocese of Cincinnati enlisted members of Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (CBRE)’s Cincinnati office to market the building for $2 million.
The original Florentine-style church building was built and completed by Al Neyer Inc. in 1928 as a Catholic Church. The first Mass held at the church occurred on March 2, 1930 and the church itself replaced a prior church that stood since the late 1840s before its closure. It served its final Mass on New Year’s Eve 2020 and completely ceased all of its services in summer 2021.
Since the church officially closed, many of attendees have been continuing their church services at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in downtown Cincinnati. According to Archdiocese of Cincinnati Director of Media Relations Jennifer Schack, the decision to close St. Louis was one made in consultation with the Presbyterial Council.
St.Louis Church, as it currently stands on Eighth Street
The preliminary listing was originally posted at the beginning of November, and the real estate was referred to as “the best redevelopment opportunity” in the downtown Cincinnati area. According to the listing, the church is an estimated 35,000 square feet and stands out mostly because of its iconic architecture and multiple floors. The different floors have served various purposes over the years. From worship spaces to mezzanines to office spaces to residential units. The nearby parcels, however, which are owned by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, are not up for sale.
With recent developments in the downtown Cincinnati area and its convenient location between the Fountain District and Court Street, a sale could bring new use to a piece of treasured architecture in the hearts of the Queen City.
“We just got out of Blink, and with how we’re chasing after Sundance Film Festival, there’s just a lot of really positive momentum downtown,” CBRE Cincinnati Office Associate John Schenk Jr. said.
Other nearby projects that have been completed in the recent timeframe in the area include the Vibe, the Rye, Jeff Ruby’s Lempicka, the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library renovations, Court Street Plaza, and many more.
As of 2025, no decisions have been finalized on the purchase of the St. Louis Church in Cincinnati, leaving its future up in the air.
