3CDC’s Christy Samad puts pieces together to strengthen OTR and downtown

When Christy Samad graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2006 with a degree in marketing and international business, she knew she wanted to be available for her family because her father was seriously ill. But she also wanted to make sure the world did not pass her by. 

So she took a job that looked like a side gig but was actually a strategic decision. She served breakfast and coffee at First Watch in Rookwood Pavilion. The job brought in steady cash and allowed her to help take care of her dad. But there was one other element that mattered to her. 

“Half the people eating there are having morning work meetings,” Samad said. “I met everybody.” 

Even then, she knew the power of connection. 

Nobody who knows Samad will be surprised to learn that her plan worked to perfection. A married couple, a pair of regulars, would always ask Samad how she was doing, what she was up to, and what was next for her. Late in 2007, she told them that the night before she had been to the lighting of the Christmas tree at Fountain Square and that it was terrific.

Because this was Cincinnati, where everybody knows everybody, the couple of course told Samad that their daughter had organized the event. 

The following Monday, that same couple found her number in the phone book, called her and told her that their daughter was looking for an intern.

The daughter was Kelly Leon, at the time the vice president for communications and community relations for the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. – better known as 3CDC. 

3CDC is a nonprofit real estate development and finance organization focused on revitalizing the city’s urban core in partnership with the City of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati corporate community. Its work is focused on the Central Business District and Over-the-Rhine.

Samad got the internship, and somewhere along the way she forgot to leave. But in her 17 years, she has never stood still. She spent four years in Communications, and then 12 years in Events, where she was named vice president and then senior vice president. In 2024, the Event Management and Commercial Leasing teams merged under Samad’s oversight and she was promoted to executive vice president of civic and commercial space activation.

And through it all, Samad is still making connections with people as she did when she was serving egg sandwiches and coffee to regulars at First Watch. 

A destination and a neighborhood

Liz Keating has worked with Samad as both a Cincinnati City Council member and as vice president of government affairs and advocacy with the Cincinnati Regional Chamber. She thinks Cincinnati is lucky to have Samad.

“Christy brings both professional expertise and lived experience to Over-the-Rhine. As a leader, she understands the market forces that make the district flourish, yet as a resident, she sees the deeper story: neighbors, small businesses and local families who bring it alive,” Keating said. “Her approach is about more than filling storefronts; it’s about curating a mix that strengthens OTR as both a vibrant destination and a thriving neighborhood.”

The term “space activation” may seem squishy and confusing, but at 3CDC it boils down to maintaining two vibrant neighborhoods. The fact that those two neighborhoods are downtown and OTR means a lot of people are depending on Samad. 

There is no doubt that there are plenty of good options to eat and drink in downtown and OTR, and those are important pieces for a neighborhood. But Samad knows there is much work to be done. Adding a viable grocery store, Kroger On The Rhine, was a significant step. The next step may mean adding things like florists’ shops and dentists and dry cleaners. 

These are the things, like churches and schools, that keep people grounded in a neighborhood … keep them in a neighborhood. 

“We are always answering the question of how do we keep our neighborhood vibrant and safe,” Samad said.

Samad also works to make sure that, when people commit to the area, they get the help they need to stay successful. Idlewild is a good example. It’s a clothing store for women with good and interesting taste. Idlewild opened 10 years ago on Vine Street, and this year expanded. This must be considered a real success. 

Tessa Clark is co-owner of the store and the person who runs it. She knows how important Samad’s work is for the community. 

“I worked directly with Christy during Idlewild’s recent expansion,” Clark said. “She listens, is personable and has 3CDC’s tenants’ best interests. She’s obviously dedicated to OTR and making an impact on downtown Cincinnati. She lives and breathes downtown, and that was obvious when working with her.” 

Samad is the definition of local. She grew up in Cincinnati, went to Walnut Hills High School, and now lives near Findlay Market with her husband and their two children. So she is committed to her city and her home. 

“Downtown and Over-the-Rhine are our neighborhoods. This is where we are raising our children. It matters to us.”

Connecting separate spaces

3CDC is invested in a lot. The organization is committed to mixed-use developments with residents typically living above street-level commercial spaces – ideally a locally owned business. 3CDC has completed dozens of mixed-use residential developments, resulting in nearly 600 condos and more than 1,700 apartment units and creating over 2 million square feet of commercial space. 

Now it is time to tie it all together. Samad talks about the eight civic spaces that 3CDC manages. Think of these as pockets of development with residents and businesses and amenities. They are: Fountain Square, Washington Park, Zeigler Park, Memorial Hall, Court Street Plaza, Imagination Alley, Elm Street Plaza – which is coming online as the Convention Center is rebuilt – and the Findlay Community Center coming in 2027. 

Sometimes these are a geographic area, sometimes a particular anchor. 3CDC builds spaces to live and work, and then finds ways to breathe life into them. 

“At the end of the day, we all just want a vibrant, well-working community,” Samad said. “We have these assets and want people to enjoy them.” 

Eventually, these civic spaces will run from Findlay Market all the way south to the river. In theory, a person could leave a Cincinnati Bengals game, stop at Elm Street Plaza, then Fountain Square and Court Street Plaza, stop at Ziegler Park or Imagination Alley, see a show at Memorial Hall, and have dinner near Findlay Market in a city that feels safe and connected. 

And yes, safety is part of every conversation. This summer seemed like an endless debate about the safety of our city. Every website, TV station and newspaper was telling stories of lawlessness and danger, despite the fact that many people who work and live downtown and in OTR feel safe. 

“We have so much good happening here. Why the media is focusing on crime is a good question,” Samad said. “Yes, there is some crime, same as anywhere else in the country.”

And the work is not stopping. 

“We are going to continue to lean into local businesses. We are going to continue to have events. We are going to keep working with our businesses to learn what they need and how we can help. And we are going to continue to bring in more services. That is the next step, services for the people who live and work here. We will continue with density and food and beverages, but services are important.”

3cdc.org