On June 14, 2021, officials cut the ribbon for the completion of Phase 1 of the Smale Expansion and The Banks Phase IIIB near the Andrew J. Brady ICON Music Center.
ABOUT THE SMALE EXPANSION
The John G. & Phyllis W. Smale Riverfront Park is a 23-acre park along the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati that serves millions of visitors annually. The initial phase of the Park transformed parking lots and industrial buildings into an oasis of trees, gardens, fountains, and spectacular overlooks of the Roebling Bridge and the Ohio River.
The Smale Expansion is the next phase to help complete the Park in its entirety, revitalizing pavement into a beautiful event lawn with gardens, pergolas, and tree groves alongside the Andrew J. Brady ICON Music Center.
Phase One includes:
- Race Street Plaza and tree planters
- A grand staircase enveloped in gardens, connecting Race Street with Mehring Way
- Performance lawn with all-weather turf
- Three tree groves
- Landscaping
- Granite on all walking surfaces and steps
- Railings, benches, drinking fountains
- Elevator
- Utilities and lighting
Phase Two includes
- Stone cladding on Mehring Way walls
- Donor Wall
- Twin pergolas on the Race Street Plaza, and one on the mid-level concourse
- Granite seatwalls along the performance lawn
- Eastern Overlook Garden
Thank you to our many partners for making this project a reality, including: The State of Ohio, The City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Cincinnati Parks, MEMI, The Banks Partnership, and the Smale Advisory Committee, and our donors.