New multi-use buildings under construction on Morning Sun Road
Two new buildings being constructed on Morning Sun Road make use of a unique zoning district.
Construction has begun on two multi-use buildings at the corner of Morning Sun Road and West Sycamore Street.
Scott Webb, the architect who designed the project, said the two buildings will each be three stories tall. The first floor of each building will house businesses, while the second and third floors will each be four-bedroom apartments marketed toward students. Because of the site’s slope, the back of each building will have basement garages for resident parking.
The property is the first — and so far only — parcel in the city to be zoned as neighborhood business. The city’s code describes this type of district as “intended to provide small-scale retail and services on sites in or near residential areas, while having little impact on them.”
Webb said he requested the change in the parcel’s zoning for this project back in 2018. Other nearby properties with frontage on Morning Sun Road are zoned for light industrial use.
“There’s value in having some commercial space among residential areas,” Webb said. “It cuts down on car trips and allows pedestrian access.”
The project has changed owners since Webb began working on it in 2018. He says the current owners hope to finish construction in time for Miami University’s 2025-26 school year.
