Its work is specifically focused on the central business district and in the Over-the-Rhine (OTR) neighborhood.

[2] While the organization began as a full-service real estate developer, it has since branched out and become a significant event programmer in Cincinnati, producing over 1,000 events per year[3] at the four civic spaces it manages: Fountain Square, Washington Park, Ziegler Park and Memorial Hall.

In July 2003, 3CDC was formed by former mayor of Cincinnati, Charlie Luken and other corporate community members.

As of May 2018, those funds total over $250 million and have resulted in over $1.3 billion[4] invested in downtown and Over-the-Rhine real estate projects.

Some long-term residents of the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood have voiced concern that 3CDC does not sufficiently attend to the concerns of long-term residents of the neighborhood, which was formerly 80% African-American, and that gentrification caused by 3CDC's development is displacing the existing population and businesses.