A Better University in a Better Price Hill

Students at Cincinnati Christian University (CCU) will soon have two entirely new facilities on their school’s Price Hill campus, located just a few miles west of downtown Cincinnati. 

CCU recently announced plans for the construction of a $10 million dorm and $5 million athletic facilities. “The projects are part of the university’s broader strategic plan to grow the university through academic excellence, financial stability and an enhanced environment,” says Steve Carr, CCU director of advancement and development. 

Established in 1924, CCU is a private Christian university whose mission is to “develop students into selfless, well-rounded leaders who follow Christ and positively impact their community, countryand world.” 

The new dorm, expected to be ready for occupancy in fall 2016, will provide student housing as well as a new student activity center. The building will consist of 160 new beds in 33 housing units on three floors and 3,775 square feet on the lowest floor for the student center. The spacious housing units (between 899 and 961 square feet) will include two two-bed bedrooms, a kitchenette and a common area. 

The new building will be financed and constructed by real estate developer Clark Hall and design-build firm Al. Neyer. The companies will lease the building back to the university, and CCU will retain a purchase option on the building – a deal structure that is popular among educational institutions looking for cost-effective housing solutions without up-front expenses. 

Accompanying the construction of the new dorm will be CCU’s new athletic facilities. The Eagles compete in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). 25 percent of CCU students participate in intercollegiate athletics that include basketball, volleyball, cross country, golf and soccer. Next year, CCU will field its first varsity football team, coached by former Bengals All-Pro safety David Fulcher. 

For the entirety of its 91-year existence, CCU has been forced to rent athletic facilities around the city in order to compete in intercollegiate athletics. The Legacy of Legions campaign, a project of the newly founded CCU Athletic Boosters, will fund three major projects to change that: a new 1,500-seat stadium; an expanded turf field for practices and games; and a 10,000-square-foot facility for training, locker rooms, offices and a state-of-the-art weight room. 

“Nothing like this has ever been attempted in our history, and the excitement surrounding the campaign is captivating,” says Carr. 

“One of the biggest improvements that these facilities will bring to campus is the ability to open up our facilities to local schools, club teams and other groups in our community who need a place to play,” says Beth Rogers, CCU director of athletics. “Quality athletic facilities in our area are few and far between, so many of these groups currently have to look outside of Price Hill to meet their needs. We are excited to be able to have these groups on campus, as well as to offer camps to kids in the community to help further their athletic training while also teaching them about teamwork and sportsmanship.”

The success of Cincinnati Christian University benefits Price Hill and the city of Cincinnati, both through its economic footprint as well as its community efforts. “CCU has been strategically placed in the Price Hill community, and we take our location very seriously,” says Rogers. “It is important to us that we are an active member of our community, constantly searching for ways to meet the needs of our neighbors.”

Part of that neighborhood service includes work with Believing and Living One Christ (BLOC) Ministries. BLOC works in underserved areas like Price Hill to offer positive choices, build relationships and strengthen students, families and communities. CCU has been active with BLOC for more than 10 years, and a new partnership between the two will result in a four-semester immersive program with immersive field experience for the students that will complete the last two years of their degrees. 

“The students who frequent our programs come from homes that are high street environments, struggling with extreme poverty, addiction, homelessness, violence, dysfunction and despair,” says Dwight Young, founder and director of BLOC Ministries. “CCU students are in many ways the backbone of BLOC’s four after-school programs in Price Hill. They bring the mentoring and tutoring people power to what we do.” 

Cincinnati Christian University is located at 2700 Glenway Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45204. You can reach them at 800.949.4CCU (4228), by email at info@CCUniversity.edu or visit their website at www.CCUniversity.edu.