Lead Cincinnati recently highlighted Steve MacConnell, president and CEO of Cincinnati Union Bethel, as a C-Suite honoree class of 2015. Like many of the honorees, MacConnell’s efforts have had a tangible and lasting impact in the city of Cincinnati.
On Tuesday, June 9, 2015, as the ribbon is cut on the new Anna Louise Inn, yet another of MacConnell’s efforts will begin to bear fruit in the community.
Established in 1909 by Cincinnati Union Bethel and the family of Charles P. Taft as a shelter for young working women, the Anna Louise Inn provided low-cost housing and health services for more than 100 years. Its female tenants included those leaving abusive relationships or prostitution, recovering from drug and alcohol addiction or aging out of foster care.
Since its founding, The Anna Louise Inn had operated across from the Taft Museum of Art in Lytle Park, until in 2013 the property was sold to Western & Southern Financial Group for $4 million. The sale was part of a company initiative to revitalize that quadrant of downtown by turning Lytle Park into a premier business district.
Located at 2401 Reading Road in Mt. Auburn, the new Anna Louise Inn is the realization of more than 4 years of planning and partnerships with stakeholders in the area. The new building has 85 efficiency apartments complete with kitchenettes, separate bedroom and bathroom and living space. These apartments have modern amenities such as individual thermostats, new furniture and beds, full-size refrigerator, range oven and microwave. Also, new intercoms and key-card entry provide the utmost in security and comfort. The new apartments are 4 times larger than the current rooms available at the original Anna Louise Inn.
The new Anna Louise Inn is also the home for the Off the Streets® (OTS) program which assists women involved in prostitution to move towards safety, recovery, empowerment and community reintegration. Off the Streets has their own specially designed area of the Inn where they will live and work together to create positive life changes for the women, leading to reconnection to family, stable jobs and permanent housing.
“Our wonderful new home in Mt. Auburn will provide the opportunity for all of our residents to live independent and meaningful lives and to achieve their full potential,” says MacConnell. "They know they have a safe, affordable and spacious place they can call their very own. We couldn’t be more pleased.”