By Marilyn Bauer
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Cincinnati Park Board is expected to approve a contract with sculptors Susan Ewing and Vratislav Novak for the construction and installation of the seven-story Crystalline Tower at its meeting today.

"We had questions about the feasibility of the project: the ability to build it, build it on budget and its maintainability. Now that engineering designs have been done, the questions have been answered," said Steven L. Schuckman, parks superintendent for design and planning.

Park Board staff will recommend the board move ahead with the project. The next step is to sign a contract with the artists who will then begin the project estimated to take about 32 weeks.

"Hopefully, it will be in the ground by the end of the year," Schuckman said.

The tower was the winner in a contest held more than a year ago by the parks department to select artists for site-specific sculptures to be installed in the Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park. Ewing and Novak's Crystalline Tower was selected by a committee, which included the heads of the city's three major art museums, for a $200,000 commission. Welsh land artist David Nash won the second commission for $100,000, and his work also will be installed in the park this year.

Problems arose late last year when Ewing was informed that Willie F. Carden Jr., the parks director, intended to kill the project and use $160,000 of the project funds to cover overruns in construction.

In a standing-room only meeting in November, arts community members and Ewing spoke out about the importance of the piece and of the parks department living up to its international commitment.

During the meeting, Ewing received a $55,000 donation from concerned citizen John Hutton. That money allowed her to have structural engineer Shayne Manning draw up plans that helped convince the parks department to recommend the board OK the contract.

The board meets today at 9 a.m. at 950 Eden Park Drive. For further information, contact the director's office at 352-4079.

E-mail mbauer@enquirer.com