Stakeholders recently broke ground on Cincinnati Public Radio’s headquarters (HQ). Once complete, the new HQ will be the first two-story mass timber building in the city, with the majority of the superstructure utilizing cross-laminated timber (CLT).
Skanska and Cincinnati Public Radio (CPR) were present at the groundbreaking ceremony of the $32 million, 3,252-m2 (35,000-sf) building, which will feature two on-air studios, two interview studios, one performance studio, 1,022 m2 (11,000 sf) of office space, and a public gathering area. The building is set to open in winter of 2024.
The new CPR HQ will utilize CLT in the entire column and beam structure, the second floor, the roof structure, and on a selection of interior shear walls and exterior perimeter walls.
The project is a collaboration between Skanska, CPR, Emersion DESIGN, Schaefer Inc., and Neyer Properties.
“Mass timber projects are gaining traction throughout the country, including the heartland,” says Dean Lewis, director of mass timber and prefabrication at Skanska. “While most mass timber projects are hybrids, in which the lateral system is comprised of steel or concrete, this project’s lateral system is composed of cross-laminated timber shear walls, making it an almost complete mass timber superstructure. I look forward to seeing more mass timber projects in the Midwest, as cities aim to build healthier, more sustainable built environments.”
