Photograph courtesy Model Group
The Mercantile Library has been a treasured place for Queen City bibliophiles since 1835. Its unique space reflects the city’s (ahem) storied literary reputation; Cincinnati was ranked among the top 10 cities for book-lovers in the U.S. in a 2024 study released by Explore.
The membership library has attracted book writers and readers alike, with a current membership around 2,500 that’s been on the rise since 2015, part of which can be credited to the introduction of the Mercantile Apartments. According to Bobby Maly, Model Group CEO, all residents are granted a library membership upon move-in.
Photograph courtesy Model Group
The Mercantile Library occupies the 11th and 12th floors of the Mercantile Building at 414 Walnut St. (the founders were granted a 10,000-year lease from the building’s original owner). Since its founding, the 11th floor housed the library, and the 12th floor was used as office space.
When the Mercantile Building went up for sale in 2022, Model Group bought the historic property to develop the 12th floor into additional library space and convert the remainder of the former office building into luxury apartments.
Photograph courtesy Model Group
The team went to great lengths to develop the space in a way that maintained the history and integrity of the Mercantile Building, integrating the apartments throughout it and its next-door neighbor, the Formica Building. There are 172 units between the two properties: 81 on floors 2–10 of the Mercantile Building, and 91 on floors 2–13 of the Formica Building. The properties are connected through a corridor on floors 2–12.
Residents can choose from 38 distinct floor plans, from studio apartments to three-bedroom penthouses, each boasting abundant natural light and million-dollar views of the cityscape from a perspective most don’t get to enjoy. “In downtown Cincinnati, the buildings are all so beautiful on top; this is how buildings used to be designed,” Maly says. “You don’t see that from the street.”
Photograph courtesy Model Group
Mercantile Apartment residents can enjoy even more glorious vistas from the rooftop deck (Maly personally loves the view of the Big Mac Bridge and bend in the Ohio River), a perk he says is available to library members as well. Other perks include a 24-hour fitness center, billiards lounge, indoor pet run, and concierge services.
“There’s no doubt this project infused a lot of energy into the library,” Maly says. “It’s an exciting time in the Mercantile Library’s history.”
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