Wednesday, February 17, 1999

Riverfront tower landmark idea toppled

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Mayor, rec chief disagree on origin

BY LISA DONOVAN
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Artist's rendering of the tower designed to be the centerpiece of a new park on Cincinnati's riverfront. | ZOOM |

        Plans for a riverfront tower have been docked, temporarily, after last week's scathing review of the monument to Cincinnati's riverboat heritage.

        Contracts were to be signed and construction was to begin in the coming weeks, but last week officials gave a thumbs-down to the 150-foot riverfront tower being proposed by the Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC).

        Critics focused almost entirely on the tower's location and aesthetic value.

        During a meeting of the riverfront steering committee last week, Mayor Roxanne Qualls questioned what the tower was supposed to be and said it had been described by the public as ugly. She was not alone in that criticism.

        This week, Ms. Qualls wanted to know why the recreation commission hadn't introduced the idea into the regular discussions and planning of the Riverfront Steering Committee over the last two years.

        “In the context of the entire planning process, you had everyone included — the park department — but for some reason you had the recreation department doing their own thing,” Ms. Qualls said Tuesday.

        Later in the day, Commission President Dan Gilday had some questions of his own. He was puzzled about why the mayor and others were surprised by the planned tower.

        Council had approved an ordinance supporting the project, and Ms. Qualls had been part of an entourage that went to Columbus to secure state funding. The presentation even included detailed drawings that highlighted the tower, Mr. Gilday said.

        “It just blows my mind that no one can remember that the tower was on the drawing board then,” Mr. Gilday said Tuesday during a regular meeting of the recreation commission.

        During a phone interview, the mayor said she thought the group was lobbying for state dollars to pay for the park, not specifically the tower.

        For now, members of the recreation commission decided to wait two weeks before moving ahead with the planned project, so recreation officials have time to meet with city and county leaders, as well as Reds officials, to discuss concerns and criticisms about the plan.

        The idea for the tower and park was unveiled in May 1997. The original design featured a giant paddle wheel, too, but officials can't determine where the wheel might be until they know where the new Reds ballpark will sit.

        The Reds have concerns about the tower, too. The structure is designed to be at the Public Landing and will likely be visible from the new ballpark's center field.

        State and private money would pay for the tower, and recreation officials thought they had cleared all the city hurdles to have the structure built in time for Tall Stacks '99 in October.

        One Cincinnati recreation official said he's sure the tower, in some form, will rise out of the riverfront.

        “I think we can tweak if that's what needs to be done,” said Acting Recreation Director Wayne Bain.

        That trip back to the drawing board will have to be a speedy one. The deadline for using state money set aside for the project runs out this year.

        Art Hupp, an architect whose Cincinnati-based Glaser Associates designed the tower, said it's among many images planned to celebrate the city's rich history and relationship with the river.

        “When you look at the cityscape from the river, you see little recognition of the river,” he said. “The tower is intended as a beacon which celebrates the Public Landing,” he said.

       

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