Friday, March 12, 1999
Activity called key for Ohio riverfront
N.Ky. residents advise planners
BY LUCY MAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — Northern Kentucky residents want to see energy and activity on Cincinnati's redeveloped central riverfront.
But they don't want their neighbors to the north to try to duplicate what Newport and Covington have developed on their own waterfronts.
“We have a focus on entertainment in Newport and on offices and eateries in Covington,” said David Klingshirn, executive director of the Classical Music Hall of Fame and a Covington riverfront resident. “We should focus on destinations in Cincinnati.”
A handful of Northern Kentucky residents shared their ideas with Cincinnati Riverfront Advisory Commission members Thursday during a forum at the new Northern Kentucky Convention Center.
The forum was the second in a series held by the commission to find out what kinds of private businesses citizens would like to see on Cincinnati's central riverfront.
This one was held specifically to find out what Northern Kentucky residents expect from the new view they'll have across the river once all the planned projects are complete.
Peter Rafuse, a Covington resident and architect with A.M. Kinney, suggested private development that echoed the sports themes of the new stadiums for the Bengals and Reds.
He suggested someplace where people could do aerobics and play racquetball, with glass walls that showcase the activity inside.
“I'm afraid that if this thing gets into apartment blocks, hotel blocks and office blocks, I'm afraid it's going to lose its vitality,” he said.
In many respects, the ideas of the Kentuckians were similar to those offered during the commission's first public forum last month.
One big difference was views on housing. While people who attended the first meeting liked the idea of apartments overlooking the river, the Northern Kentucky residents cautioned against it.
Mr. Klingshirn, who said batters in the new Reds ballpark will be looking straight at the bathroom in his riverfront home, said he isn't so sure lots of people would want to live on the riverfront among the stadiums and other attractions.
“I would absolutely dread living there and being there on game days,” he said. “During Tall Stacks, we call it death by calliope.”
But even though Mr. Klingshirn gets his share of riverfront activity, he said he does enjoy it. “I say Tall Stacks is death by calliope, but it's a good way to die,” he joked.
Eric Avner, the Main Street coordinator for the city of Newport, said he was pleased with the enthusiasm shown by those who attended the forum. But he was disappointed the turnout wasn't bigger. “It's certainly not the issue,” he said. “Everyone's interested in it.”
Mr. Avner called the Cincinnati riverfront development “critical” to the success of the attractions being developed by Newport and Covington.
“It has to be active. It has to thrive,” he said. “If the heart doesn't do well, then the extremities don't do well.”
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