Construction began Monday on the long-awaited renovation of the historic Lunken Airport Terminal into a boutique hotel, after years of delay.
The terminal is a Cincinnati icon that has been empty since the longtime Sky Galley restaurant closed in 2020.
The city-owned building was supposed to be revitalized years ago, but the Federal Aviation Administration rejected the first design as too tall. It forced developer Guy van Rooyen to reduce the project scale, from 55 hotel rooms down to 30, and prompted city officials to contribute a $2 million grant to finalize the new deal…