Fountain Square, Cincinnati
Encyclopedia
Fountain Square is a city square in Cincinnati. Founded in 1871, it was renovated in 1971 and 2005 and currently features many shops, restaurants, hotels, and offices.
Fountain Square has been the symbolic center of Cincinnati
, Ohio
, United States
since 1871. The square, which replaced a butcher's market, was a gift from Henry Probasco in memory of Tyler Davidson. Probasco traveled to Munich
and commissioned a bronze allegorical fountain from Ferdinand von Miller
named The Genius of Water that symbolizes the uses of water, both natural and man-made. Originally, the square was a large island in the middle of 5th Street with buildings to the north and south, much like nearby Piatt Park
. A 1971 renovation of the square included slightly moving and re-orienting the fountain to the west, and enlarging the plaza by removing the original westbound portion of 5th Street and demolishing buildings to the north. It is used for lunch-breaks, rallies, and other gatherings.
The Fountain can be seen in the opening credits on WKRP in Cincinnati
In the early 2000s, the square was completely renovated and re-designed by 3cdc and BHDP Architecture (consulted by Cooper, Robertson & Partners
and OLIN
) to attract more visitors to the city, and to serve as a cultural/recreational hub for the city. In addition to the renovations, many buildings in and around the Fountain Square district are currently being renovated and redesigned to revitalize the region. The Fountain itself was completely restored and moved to a more central location in the square.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day
2010, the square featured "EcoSculpt 2010", an exhibit of sustainable art
. The exhibit included "Atlas Recycled" by Tom Tsuchiya, a sculpture made of used atlases that doubled as a recycling receptacle for plastic bottles and aluminum cans.
Dining:
Retail:
Hotels:
Office:
History
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since 1871. The square, which replaced a butcher's market, was a gift from Henry Probasco in memory of Tyler Davidson. Probasco traveled to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and commissioned a bronze allegorical fountain from Ferdinand von Miller
Ferdinand Von Miller
Ferdinand von Miller was a German artisan who is noted for his furtherance of bronze founding.-Biography:Von Miller was born in Fürstenfeldbruck....
named The Genius of Water that symbolizes the uses of water, both natural and man-made. Originally, the square was a large island in the middle of 5th Street with buildings to the north and south, much like nearby Piatt Park
Piatt Park
Piatt Park , is the oldest park in Cincinnati, Ohio. It stretches two blocks between Elm Street and Vine Street on Garfield Place/8th Street. The park is owned and maintained by the Cincinnati Park Board.-History:...
. A 1971 renovation of the square included slightly moving and re-orienting the fountain to the west, and enlarging the plaza by removing the original westbound portion of 5th Street and demolishing buildings to the north. It is used for lunch-breaks, rallies, and other gatherings.
The Fountain can be seen in the opening credits on WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
In the early 2000s, the square was completely renovated and re-designed by 3cdc and BHDP Architecture (consulted by Cooper, Robertson & Partners
Cooper, Robertson & Partners
Cooper, Robertson & Partners is an international architecture and urban design firm headquartered in New York City.Founded originally as Alexander Cooper and Associates by Alex Cooper in 1979, the firm has designed a number of significant planned communities, urban infill, and transit-oriented...
and OLIN
Olin
-Organizations:* OLIN, a landscape architecture and urban design firm in Philadelphia and Los Angeles* Olin Corporation, a chemical corporation with a history of producing chemicals and ammunition* F. W. Olin Foundation, a foundation endowed by Franklin W. Olin...
) to attract more visitors to the city, and to serve as a cultural/recreational hub for the city. In addition to the renovations, many buildings in and around the Fountain Square district are currently being renovated and redesigned to revitalize the region. The Fountain itself was completely restored and moved to a more central location in the square.
Tyler Davidson Fountain
After the death of his brother-in-law and business partner Tyler Davidson, Cincinnati businessman Henry Probasco went to Munich, Germany in search of a suitable memorial to him. Many years before, artist August von Kreling had collaborated with Ferdinand von Miller at the Royal Bronze Foundry of Bavaria to design a fountain to rival the great fountains of Europe but which would glorify mankind rather than fanciful creatures and gods of mythology. When Miller could find no patron to sponsor the fountain, the designs languished until Probasco came to him with an interest in a similar theme. Probasco requested the addition of four figures with animals that would act as drinking fountains, which Miller's sons designed.Features
- The renovated Tyler Davidson FountainTyler Davidson FountainThe Tyler Davidson Fountain is a statue and fountain located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is regarded as the city's symbol and one of the area's most-visited attractions. It was dedicated in 1871 and is the centerpiece of Fountain Square, a hardscape plaza at the corner of 5th and Vine Streets in the...
- Four Senses Planter Boxes: planters that tourists can look at, listen to, touch, and smell
- Free Wi-Fi
- A new/renovated Fountain Square Garage
- New granite tiling that resembles woven fabric
- A seasonal ice skating rink as large as the famous Rockefeller CenterRockefeller CenterRockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
rink in NYC - A new/dynamic landscape
- Better lighting and sound design
- Restaurants, shopping, and entertainment options
- Two new stages
- A new 24'x42' high-resolution video board that rests on top of Macy's
- A new interactive water wall in the children's area
- More downtown Ambassadors
Events
Fountain square has many events all through the week including speeches, games, movies, concerts, giveaways, and festivals. The square also has many seasonal events such as Halloween on the square, the ice rink, Octoberfest (largest outside of Germany) and more.To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day
Earth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
2010, the square featured "EcoSculpt 2010", an exhibit of sustainable art
Sustainable art
The expression sustainable art has been promoted recently as an art term that can be distinguished from environmental art that is in harmony with the key principles of sustainability, which include ecology, social justice, non-violence and grassroots democracy....
. The exhibit included "Atlas Recycled" by Tom Tsuchiya, a sculpture made of used atlases that doubled as a recycling receptacle for plastic bottles and aluminum cans.
Fountain Square District
The Fountain Square District is becoming a restaurant and entertainment hub. It contains many offices, hotels, specialty shops and includes signature restaurants that are not found anywhere else in Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky.Dining:
- Via Vite (Italian)
- Boi Na Braza
- Chipotle Mexican GrillChipotle Mexican GrillChipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. is a chain of restaurants in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada specializing in burritos and tacos, founded by Steve Ells in 1993 and based in Denver, Colorado...
- McCormick & Schmick'sMcCormick & Schmick'sMcCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants is an American seafood restaurant chain, based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1979, the publicly-traded company operates a total of 92 locations in North America under various brands. This includes seven Canadian locations that operate under the Boathouse...
(seafood) - Morton's of Chicago
- Mynt Martini
- Palomino
- Rock Bottom Brewery
- Cadillac Ranch — steak house/bar
- Bistro JeanRo
- Graeter'sGraeter'sGraeter's is a regional chain of shops offering ice cream, baked goods, and candy which originated in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1870. Their super premium, thick ice cream has been featured on Food Network, and has earned them many dedicated fans, including Oprah Winfrey.-"French pot" process:Graeter's...
Ice cream - Potbelly Sandwich WorksPotbelly Sandwich WorksPotbelly Sandwich Works is a privately held restaurant chain that sells submarine sandwiches in the United States. Its name is derived from potbelly stoves common in the late 19th century. The company is headquartered in the tower of the Merchandise Mart in the Near North Side, Chicago,...
- Probasco market
- The Restaurant at The Phoenix
Retail:
- Macy'sMacy'sMacy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
- T.J. MaxxT.J. MaxxT.J. Maxx, sometimes referred to as TJ's or the Maxx, is an American department store chain owned by TJX Companies. With more than 900 stores T.J. Maxx is a major clothes retailer in the United States, whilst also operating stores in a number of other countries.-History:In 1976, T.J...
- Saks Fifth AvenueSaks Fifth AvenueSaks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor...
- Brooks BrothersBrooks BrothersBrooks Brothers is the oldest men's clothier chain in the United States. Founded in 1818 as a family business, the privately owned company is now owned by Retail Brand Alliance, also features clothing for women, and is headquartered on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York City.-History:On April 7,...
- Tiffany and Company
- Jones the Florist
- JoS. A. Bank ClothiersJoS. A. Bank ClothiersJoseph A. Bank Clothiers, Inc., also known by the abbreviated name JoS. A. Bank Clothiers, is an American manufacturer-retailers of men's classically-styled tailored and casual clothing, sportswear, footwear and accessories...
- Tower Place Mall — over 75 shops and since late summer of 2007 it is being redesigned.
- A movie theater has been proposed but it's unknown whenn(or if) construction will begin.
Hotels:
- Hilton Netherland Plaza Cincinnati
- The WestinWestin HotelsWestin Hotels & Resorts are an upscale hotel chain owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. As of 2011, Westin operated over 160 hotels in 37 countries.-History:...
- Millennium Hotel
- HyattHyattHyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation...
(in nearby business district) - The Cincinnatian Hotel
- A new hotel may be opening in the Bartlett Building but the date for its opening at this point is unknown
Office:
- Fifth Third BankFifth Third BankFifth Third Bank is a U.S. regional banking corporation, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the principal subsidiary of holding company Fifth Third Bancorp ....
Headquarters - Macy's, Inc. Headquarters
- U.S. BancorpU.S. BancorpU.S. Bancorp is a diversified financial services holding company, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the fifth largest commercial bank in the United States based on $330 billion in assets. U.S. Bank ranks as the sixth largest bank in the U.S. based on...
- Delta Air LinesDelta Air LinesDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
regional headquarters and ticket office - Great American Insurance Group Headquarters
- Carew TowerCarew TowerCarew Tower is the second tallest building in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. However, it is still the highest elevated building in the city. The Great American Insurance building is only taller because of the basement. Completed in 1930, it stands 49 stories tall in the heart of downtown,...
— Art Deco hi-rise containing office space