Downtown attraction on hold
Proposed feature for new downtown plaza expected to cost more than the $300K city budgeted for it.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Downtown Mason's plaza is nearly
"complete" — but that definition may not include the proposed clock tower with a water feature.
Extras
Get latest headlines via RSS feedsThe city budgeted about $300,000 for the tower. However, the "dream" Edward Casagrande designed would likely cost more. Councilman Don Prince said the downtown committee has put it on the back burner. "The icon is on hold for financial reasons," he said. "We are not going to spend that money this year, I don't think."
Casagrande said he was shocked to learn the project is on hold. He said his "heartache" is that he promised residents something special, and now he can't keep that vow.
When Char Pelfrey was mayor, the committee invited five artists to offer sketches for the centerpiece. The committee selected Casagrande and then put things on the fast track.
Pelfrey, at a meeting in November, said because she and Councilman Matt Kline would soon be off council, she didn't want their plans for the icon put at risk.
She said she was dismayed to hear the placeholder for the icon will just hold plantings.
"The icon didn't need to be extravagant," she said. "But it needed to be in downtown Mason."
Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4525 or dcallahan@coxohio.com.
