By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - City officials want the public's help to develop Covington's last big stretch of undeveloped Ohio River frontage.

"Before Covington selects a developer for Riverfront West, (city officials) want to have a waterfront development master plan in place," said Bill Buren, Covington's marketing and development officer. "That's where the public comes in. We don't want to do this in a vacuum."

Covington residents, business owners and others can offer ideas Tuesday at 6 p.m. in City Hall's commission chambers, 638 Madison Ave., Buren said.

City officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers want the public's ideas on how to develop the Ohio riverfront from the Licking River west to the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge. The area extends south to Third Street, east to Johnson Street to RiverCenter Boulevard and east along RiverCenter Boulevard to the Madison office complex.

Tetra Tech, the Cincinnati-based consultant, is working with city officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a master plan by October. The corps is giving the city $146,256 to study what impact the Riverfront West development, also known as Covington West, will have on the earthen levee.

Three developers who have submitted qualifications envision high-rise luxury housing, retail and restaurants on the 15 acres. Plans also call for a 1,800- to 2,000-car garage, new floodwall openings, improved streets, and bike and running paths.

"We want feedback from the public in terms of some of the amenities we include," said Covington economic development director Ella Frye. "We also want to make it an inviting area from a pedestrian standpoint and talk about street access. ... We want to connect the new with the old."

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com.