By Meagan Pollnow
Enquirer staff writer

OVER-THE-RHINE - Cincinnati Public Schools is one giant step closer to realizing its dream of opening the nation's first K-12 arts school.

Leaders of a private fund-raising group, the Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Center, said Friday the group had raised $26 million for a new School for Creative and Performing Arts, clearing the way for the $52 million project to proceed.

The new school, to be at Central Parkway and Elm Street, would replace the school at 1310 Sycamore St., Pendleton.

The district had committed $26 million toward the project once the center met its goal. The Cincinnati school board is expected to formally approve such action at its meeting Monday night.

"It's not easy to raise $26 million in eight years in this town," said Erich Kunzel, conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and chairman of the fund drive. "But we did it."

The project is part of a major push to redevelop the Washington Park area and make the arts community an integral part of the neighborhood.

As of April, the group had raised $13 million. Corporate donations - including those from Procter & Gamble, Fifth Third Bank, U.S. Bank, Union Central Life and Western-Southern - along with charitable contributions helped the group reach its goal.

"This is a very historic day for the future of Cincinnati, especially the arts," Kunzel said.

After the school board's approval comes 12-18 months of design and planning of the building and another two to three years of construction. The school could open as soon as 2007.

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E-mail mpollnow@enquirer.com