Perched atop the Tyler Davidson Fountain, the nine-foot Genius of Water has kept a watchful eye over Cincinnati since Fountain Square was dedicated in 1871. Although it has always been considered the heart of the city, the cold, concrete Fountain Square wasn’t anenticing gathering place. Other than a few scattered downtown workers during lunchtime, the area remained virtually empty throughout most days. Not only was the plaza devoid of life, the real estate surrounding the square had grown increasingly vacant.

Realizing that the square was greatly underutilized and in decline, the city last year began renovating the landmark made famous by the opening credits of the vintage sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati.” Soon, Cincinnati will unveil its restyled Fountain Square with the Genius of Water back at her rightful place in the center of the square.

Led by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC), the renovations have created a more welcoming town square with inviting green spaces, a glass atrium restaurant, a jumbo video screen, a flexible stage for events and an ice-skating rink open during winter months. The $72.7 million project also included an overhaul of the north garage underneath the square. The Fountain Square overhaul has spurred development in the district surrounding the plaza, including renovations to the Fifth Third Center, the 580 building, 525 Vine, the Westin and the McAlpin. The renovations are adding and revamping retail, restaurant, office and residential spaces.

Last August, Government Square, Metro’s primary downtown transit hub, was reopened with new passenger shelters, landscaping and public art. The renovations improved traffic flow, passenger accessibility and public safety. Duke Energy Center, Cincinnati’s convention center, also underwent a $135 million expansion and refurbishment. The urban core is attracting residents with newly constructed or remodeled condominiums. In 2005, about 500 new residents moved to the downtown area. They will be joined soon by residents moving into an additional 700 units currently under construction.

In addition to the aesthetic improvements of Fountain Square, 3CDC is rolling out an extensive programming schedule for the public space that will support city events and encourage Cincinnatians to gather at the plaza. The programming ranges from movie nights to a live talk show hosted every other Friday. Bill Donabedian, 3CDC’s managing director for Fountain Square, said the programming aims to show the progressive side of Cincinnati, which traditionally has been regarded as a sleepy, conservative German town.

“We might seem like we’re that slow-moving barge down the river, but there’s actually a great current underneath it,” Donabedian said. “You just have to tap into that — then, you discover the city.”

Despite its small-town atmosphere and hospitality, “Cinci” boasts plenty of big business. Cincinnati is home to the headquarters of nine Fortune 500 companies, including Kroger Co., Procter & Gamble, Federated Department Stores, Ashland and Fifth Third Bancorp, as well as 18 Fortune 1000 companies. Dominant industries include consumer goods, aviation, advanced manufacturing and chemistry. Raymond L. Buse III, public relations director for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, said the large concentration of Fortune companies has spawned a number of creative ventures such as design firms and advertising agencies. The University of Cincinnati is also a major employer in the area.

Brimming with development, the currents of change are churning under Cincinnati.

“We’re on the brink of a major breakthrough — a lot of great things are coming together,” Buse said. “We have reinvented ourselves in the past 10 years — the new Fountain Square is the exclamation point on our progress.”

LODGING

THE CINCINNATIAN

This small luxury hotel has provided fine lodging for visitors to Cincinnati since it opened in 1882 as the grand Palace Hotel. Modern renovations have preserved the historic charm of the hotel. The hotel has 146 guestrooms, including seven suites; a health and fitness club; complimentary high-speed Internet access in each room and lobby; concierge services; and the elegant Palace Restaurant. Afternoon tea is served in the Cricket Lounge where guests enjoy harp music, a selection of homemade teas and tasty pastries. $$$$
THE CINCINNATIAN
601 Vine St.
tel 513 381 3000, fax 513 651 0256
www.cincinnatianhotel.com

HILTON CINCINNATI NETHERLAND PLAZA

Built in the 1930s, this Art Deco masterpiece has earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Situated across from Fountain Square, the hotel is convenient to several downtown restaurants, office buildings, shopping centers and museums. Its 561 guestrooms have been renovated and elegantly appointed with luxury amenities, including pillow-top mattresses and comfy duvets. Original sculptures and a fountain from Cincinnati’s renowned Rookwood Pottery grace the Palm Court Restaurant in the hotel. $$$$
HILTON CINCINNATI NETHERLAND PLAZA
35 W. Fifth St.
tel 513 421 9100, fax 513 421 4291
www.hilton.com

THE WESTIN CINCINNATI

Overlooking Fountain Square, the Westin Cincinnati is in the heart of the city and within walking distance to the downtown sites. The hotel’s 450 guestrooms feature plush bedding, flat-screen televisions and high-speed Internet. An on-site, 24-hour Kinko’s makes the hotel especially convenient for business travelers. $$$$
THE WESTIN CINCINNATI
21 E. Fifth St.
tel 513 621 7700, fax 513 852 5670
www.starwoodhotels.com

DINING

JEANRO

Chef and Owner Jean-Robert de Cavel has infused the rich taste of Paris into this relaxed Cincinnati French bistro. Posters and photographs from de Cavel’s personal collection decorate the walls. Favorite menu items include the Belgian endive salad with walnuts, Swiss cheese and apples; sautéed trout; and sautéed salmon; and nicoise salad with seared tuna. $$$
JEANRO
413 Vine St.
tel 513 621 1465, fax 513 621 2701
www.bistrojeanro.com

SKYLINE CHILI

Skyline Chili is a tasty Cincinnati tradition. Founder Nicholas Lambrinides opened his first restaurant in 1949, named for the sweeping view of the city skyline from his establishment. His secret blend of spices is still used today to create the authentic dishes. Try the classic three-way chili, a plate of spaghetti covered with the Skyline chili and a mound of cheddar cheese. Add red beans or diced onions or both for the four-way and five-way chili dishes. There are several locations throughout the area $
SKYLINE CHILI
643 Vine St.
tel 513 241 2020
www.skylinechili.com

THE CELESTIAL STEAKHOUSE

Sumptuous fare accompanies the most dramatic views of the city at the Celestial Steakhouse. Choose from such dishes as kobe gnocchi, crab-stuffed salmon, Kobe Wagyu filet, a rack of lamb, and the black and blue flat-iron steak.The Celestial also boasts a stunning wine collection with nearly 800 choices, with an emphasis on champagne, port and dessert wine. $$$-$$$$
THE CELESTIAL STEAKHOUSE
1071 Celestial St.
tel 513 241 4455, fax 513 241 4855
www.thecelestial.com

DIVERSIONS

Since 1939, the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Arts (44 E. Sixth St., tel 513 721 0390, www.contemporaryartscenter.org) has presented the work of progressive, modern artists, encouraging discussion and stimulating creativity and thought. In May 2003, the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) moved into its first free-standing home in the innovative building, designed by architect Zaha Hadid. The exhibit Tom Marioni: Beer, Art and Philosophy runs through Oct. 29. This exhibit explores the social interaction of drinking beer through installations, drawings and sculptures of Marioni, who was born and educated in Cincinnati. Ending Nov. 5, the Paper Sculpture Show is an interactive exhibit where museum-goers assemble paper art sculptures from instructive drawings on paper, created by 29 artists. Housed on the sixth floor of the CAC, the UnMuseum reveals a revolutionary educational art experience for children.

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (50 E. Freedom Way, tel 513 333 7500, www.freedomcenter.org) is a powerful experience that educates visitors on the Underground Railroad and celebrates the heroism of those involved with the network that led many slaves to freedom. The centerpiece of the museum is a restored slave pen, recovered from a farm in Kentucky less than 60 miles from the museum.The Freedom Center also spotlights contemporary freedom and human rights issues.

The Cincinnati Art Museum (953 Eden Park Drive, tel 513 639 2995, www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org) is the first museum in the country to establish a permanent space to recognize and exhibit the art history of a city. The wing includes 400 pieces from artists born or trained in Cincinnati during the last 200 years.

At Home with Mark Mallory, Mayor of Cincinnati

Born and raised in the West End, Mayor Mark Mallory served in the Ohio General Assembly for more than a decade before being elected mayor of Cincinnati in 2005. He is the first directly elected African-American mayor of the city.

Global Traveler: You are a lifelong Cincinnatian — what elements of the city have drawn you to stay there?
Mark Mallory: Cincinnati has a rich cultural history. We have world-class museums, world-class performing arts institutions. We’ve got some of the greatest hospitals in the country. We have a number of Fortune 1000 companies that are headquartered here in Cincinnati. I think the city itself just has a lot to offer. It has rich architecture. We have 52 neighborhoods and each has its own distinct style, flair and characteristics, and the topography adds to that. There’s all this uniqueness in and around Cincinnati. I think it’s just a great city.

GT: Cincinnati has a history of division, and you have built reputation as a consensus-builder in your career. How are you working to unify the city and break down divisions that exist today?
MM: The key in bringing down barriers is to bring people together — putting people who normally would not get along into a room — and coming out of that room with some direction on how a problem is going to be solved or addressed. I think it’s important, not just in Cincinnati but in any city where division exists, that you get the key players into a room and give them the charge: “We’re not coming out of here until we get some movement toward one another.” That’s really the only way it can be done.

GT: Do you feel like there has been progress made on bringing people together since you took office?
MM: Absolutely. I campaigned about being a consensus-builder, talking about bringing people together. I said my first order of business was going to be to bring our city council together because we had a very divisive relationship between council, the city manager and the mayor for years. We’ve cleaned that up. That doesn’t mean we agree on everything but we certainly have cleaned up that relationship in order to do the business of the city. I continue to reach out to other regional leaders beyond the city of Cincinnati — so we can tackle some of the issues that are common between us. Issues of crime, public safety, transportation, economic development, marketing and tourism — those are all things that the entire area has to be concerned about. We just don’t have time for the typical division that has plagued our region to continue to operate. I’ve pledged to work with people, and we’re making progress.

GT: What steps is your administration taking to improve public safety?
MM: We have an awful lot of initiatives that we’ve put into place. We announced a public safety initiative back in February that had multiple components. The key to addressing public safety is for the community to band together. That was the central message we put out. We said, ‘We need your help. We need you to tell us when you know a crime has been committed. We need you to show up in court and testify against people.’ We were having a big problem with people not showing up in court and not reporting crimes and not giving us the tips we needed to arrest people. We’ve had a dramatic increase since February in the number of calls to our local Crimestoppers. One of the local TV stations developed what is called the Wheel of Justice. They put 12 fugitives on the wheel and they spin it every Wednesday morning and they focus for that day on finding that fugitive. I did the first spin — and they caught that guy in two hours. Since then, there have been probably 25 spins and 33 arrests. In addition to that, of course, we’ve done all of the enhanced police patrols. We have what’s called Operation Vortex, which has gone into the hottest crime spot in Cincinnati, which was Over the Rhine. In the weeks they were there, they made more than 1,000 arrests and have really quieted that area down. Since then, we’ve moved into other parts of town — Fighting crime is hard. It’s a long-term approach and commitment that requires the involvement of the entire community.

GT: In your State of the City address earlier this year, you said that the city was poised to move to the next level. What changes will we see in Cincinnati in the next five years?
MM: There will be a tremendous amount of change. First of all, we will see improvements in public safety, without a doubt. We will see the redevelopment of downtown.We just dedicated Government Square, which is where our bus exchanges take place. It was a $9.3 million renovation. It allows us to reclaim that street for pedestrians. Pedestrian foot traffic is critical to the success of a downtown. We have the newly renovated Fountain Square with new shops and restaurants all around the square and a new concept for programming that’s really going to bring people into the downtown area. Our downtown condo sales are off the charts. If people build condos downtown, they sell out. We’re going to be developing the banks of the riverfront — a $600 million development that will involve condominiums, retails, entertainment, some office and a huge park. That’s the gateway of Cincinnati. That area is really going to be alive with a lot of activity — I plan on totally reconfiguring our transportation system here in Cincinnati and the area to really aid with economic development and neighborhood development. Five years from now, our city will be transformed in a way that will surprise most people throughout the region and across the country.

INFO TO GO

One of the nation’s fastest growing airports, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) is located in Kentucky, just 13 miles south of downtown Cincinnati. The Airport Executive Shuttle (www.executivetranscincy.com) provides transportation to the city making prearranged stops along the way. Cab fare from the airport to downtown Cincinnati averages $24.