Schaefer Project Manager Chris Hahnel, PE is joining a panel discussion on Cincinnati Public Radio – RE-thinking a New Home at REBUILD Conference on October 2, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Other panel participants include:
- Rich Eiswerth | Cincinnati Public Radio
- Nikki Goldstein | emersion DESIGN
- Jeff Smoker II | Skanska USA Building
- Kyle Waymeyer | CMTA
- Ian Holten | ZH Commissioning
About the session | Cincinnati Public Radio – RE-thinking a New Home
The session will cover:
- CPR’s values + vision, and how they influenced the design + construction of the building
- Efficiency, health + well-being, and sustainability choices that were made
- Importance of community within the design
About the project | Cincinnati Public Radio
The home of WVXU + WGUC has a new + innovative space in the Evanston neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio.
The new Cincinnati Public Radio headquarters is one of the first mass timber buildings in the city. Mass timber was chosen for the owner’s sustainability goals as well as for its erection speed. The construction type, a green roof and other design choices have the headquarters on track to be awarded a LEED designation and make it an incredible addition to the Keystone Parke development, Cincinnati’s first LEED-certified corporate campus.
The two-story facility nearly doubles Cincinnati Public Radio’s previous space and has offices, broadcast suites, a publicly accessible podcast studio and spaces for live events.
Due to the nature of the industry, the team adhered to strict vibration requirements in the recording studios. Other unique project details included supporting a 14 ft tall satellite dish on an elevated platform and supporting a cantilever three-sided continuous studio window.
Schaefer was the engineer of record and provided specialty engineering for mass timber connection design.
About the conference | REBUILD Conference
REBUILD Conference is an annual conference focused on sustainability in Cincinnati, Ohio. The one-day event brings together architecture, engineering + construction industry representatives to learn more, connect with each other + inspire the sustainability conversation in the region.
“2025 REBUILD Conference will bring together world-class keynote speakers, real-world case studies, and insightful panel discussions, creating a dynamic space for industry leaders to exchange best practices and innovative solutions.”
About the presenter | Chris Hahnel, PE
Chris’ diverse experience spans new construction + renovation in both established + up-and-coming neighborhoods. He has a passion for designing projects that enhance their surrounding communities and is energized to see the models come to life. He welcomes unique project challenges + strives to develop smart solutions in alignment with the owner’s needs.
He earned a Master of Science, Civil Engineering from University of Cincinnati and a Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering from University of Kentucky. He’s a licensed engineer in Ohio.
Chris has been a structural engineer on the design team for several mass timber projects including Cincinnati Public Radio.
