CINCINNATI People's Liberty is open for business.

The philanthropic laboratory unveiled its newly renovated office space Friday in the old Globe furniture building near Findlay Market in Over-the-Rhine.

"This is a big day in the life of People's Liberty," said CEO Eric Avner. "This is the real concrete beginning of our activities."

For People's Liberty, those activities all revolve around investing in people to show that philanthropy focused on individuals can change communities.

The organization announced its first two Haile Fellows late last year, awarding each a $100,000 cash prize and 12 months of working space in the Globe building. Its first gallery installment at the building will open Friday evening. And in the coming months it will be awarding project grants of up to $10,000 each, too.

Eric Avner, CEO of Peoples Liberty, led a tour through the building on March 27, 2015. Emily Maxwell | WCPO

The building renovation has allowed People's Liberty to invest in other important ways, too, Avner said. The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation one of the People's Liberty funders has spent about $3.6 million on the renovation. And the vast majority of the work on the project has gone to businesses located in or near Over-the-Rhine, Avner said.

Camp Washington-based Brush Factory was among them.

Owned by Rosie Kovacs and Hayes Shanesy, who live in Over-the-Rhine, Brush Factory designs and makes furniture for homes, offices, restaurants and retail spaces.

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People's Liberty to spark change in OTR