Corporex chairman Bill Butler and architect Daniel Libeskind plan the 18-story tower just west of the bridge. It would add 75 to 90 condos to the Covington riverfront, a Corporex spokeswoman said Monday.

Libeskind won a competition to design the new buildings at the site of the World Trade Center - including the Freedom Spire, which would be the world's tallest structure.

He also designed the Jewish Museum in Berlin.

The Covington project's signature feature would be a sloping, terraced rooftop featuring gardens, landscaping and snapshot views of Cincinnati's skyline.

Butler wants to start construction in April for a September 2006 opening.

The Covington high-rise is the latest proposed in what's becoming a crowded urban condo market. A December 2003 survey commissioned by Downtown Cincinnati Inc. showed more than 250 units were under construction at or near downtown with plans to build another 265 units.

Among the larger projects now being built downtown are renovations of the Polk building and the vacant McAlpin's store on Fourth Street.

Butler has tested the for-purchase market in urban settings with his Domaine de la Rive penthouses built atop the Madison Place office tower.

So far, seven of 13 have sold.

Plans for the Covington high-rise project are still being developed.

Through a spokeswoman, Butler said preliminary designs showing a multi-layered exterior may change, but the developer wants to keep the terraced roof.

Corporex still needs design approval from the city.

The developer also expects to seek some assistance from Covington to build a parking garage at the base of the condo tower.

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E-mail kalltucker@enquirer.com