By Gregory Korte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Cincinnati Planning Commission on Thursday put its rubber stamp on a $100 million-plus deal to allow Convergys Corp. to buy the Atrium One Building downtown.

Convergys hopes to consolidate its Cincinnati operations in one building - with the help of considerable city and state tax breaks - rather than move its headquarters to Kentucky.

It took the commission just nine minutes of discussion to lay the foundation for a 5-0 vote at an emergency meeting Thursday. City Council, which is two weeks into its summer recess, will follow up with a special meeting next week.

The issues before the Planning Commission were much more limited than the council's issue of whether to approve $63.4 million in tax incentives to the company, a former Cincinnati Bell subsidiary that provides billing and customer services for other companies.

Those issues were:

• The sale of a city-owned parking lot on Third Street for $371,250.

• The release of a pedestrian easement through the Atrium One lobby, to increase security and allow it to be converted into a single-owner, private building.

• The grant of two easements for an alley near Third Street, to allow Convergys access to its parking garage - possibly by use of a skywalk.

Mayor Charlie Luken and Council President Pro-Tem Minette Cooper have called a special meeting of City Council for Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.

E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com