Sadly, I think the redesign was a waste of time and money. I thought something needed to be done, but the results are disappointing. There’s still way too much concrete, not enough greenery. In the dead of summer, it’s like sitting on a baking sheet, there aren’t enough shaded areass. The big video screen is an eyesore.
--Ed, Price Hill

The new square is a joke. Whoever plans the events needs to be replaced. As a downtown resident, who chooses a downtown, urban, place to live, I can’t walk my dog through the square and the activities planned are very boring. You can’t see the fountain any longer and how many eating establishments can a city this size truly support in a one block radius? How much longer do we have to walk through the street? And what is with these multi-colored lights on 5/3rd. We look like a joke to people from NY pr Chicago. Something needs to be done...thats forsure.
--downtown professional, downtown

Guess what hipsters, all the “new unique” restaurants downtown are chains. Remember that the next time you are ripping on other areas of the city, that d-town you are sitting at the next Applebees. Nothing wrong with what they are trying here but it is 1 yr behind which is inexcusable and has cost the city $ and also it is plain looking. After the initial yr or two of novelty, doesn’t appear there’s anything to hold interest here—(the TV?). And to all you “hipsters” who bought one these condos downtown whose values will plummet when the tax abatement runs out and it is plain they overbuilt, enjoy !!!
--Henry Hip, Mt Adams

The new Fountain Square is terrible. There is nowhere to ‘hang-out’ and just relx. A bunch of tables scattered here and there look terrible. The red gravel on some parts of the square looks very ‘cheap’. The fountain is no longer a center piece - it looks like an afterthought (too bad). The architect did not consider how people congregate, mingle and interact. The current square does nothing to accomplish these goals. It is a big, open, hot, unshaded, sterile marble monument. We need to rethink this design, or else.
--Mike Niehaus, Anderson Township

$42 million and a year late. Fountain tucked way back. Since construction began, I can’t seem to find a good way to get into my bank (jump a fence? cross the street, take the last Skywalk back from where I just came?)or I have to walk around another block to get into a restaurant. I would call it a fiasco, but then what would I call the Banks Project? Does the word “progress” still have meaning? $42 million… unbelievable had I not read it here.
--Andy Kountz, Mt. Adams

Way too much concrete and stone—typical Cincinnati planning, or should I say, lack there of. Fountain Square is not friendly to people in general and especially families with its new design. I guess that’s the way it goes when a city goes for YEARS without any priority given toward city planning. Thanks for cutting all those corners over the years! It’s really worked out great!!! Err… wait a minute, sarcasm may be a bit too high-brow for city leaders. Fountain Square is not any better it is just different. Congratulations on changing things—if that alone was your goal. And, the time that it’s taking to complete this project is laughable.
--Tobias Brauer, Price Hill

A pig in a dress is not a debutante, it’s a pig in a dress. The Fountain Square makeover was a nice try. Maybe they can learn something from this fiasco and do things right with the Banks. C-
--Jerry Osborne, Hyde Park

D-. They should rename it Fountain 3/4 because of the ridiculous restaurant that takes up the entire northeast portion of the square that could have been used for extra seating. Then you can call it a “square.” Terrible design.
--Andy W., Hyde Park

The old square needed some attention, but what we have now was not the answer. Looks like they just drove a dozer through and flattened it all out. They should have kept the sitting walls. They accomodated hundreds every day. Just a few tables and uncomfortable chairs now. Put back some of the sitting walls.
--Wayne, NKY

The square is drab to say the least. Someone is bound to fall down trying to walk down the monchromatic steps. I have missed a few myself and have seen others doi the same. The furniture is barely visible due to the color of the square. It is just not inviting. My grade D.
--rollo orange, Oakley

so ugly and unappealing. if we wanted big screen we could stay home. cinti fountain square is not times square.............nothing unique about it.
--rosemaru franklin, clifton--uc

I can’t quite explain it, but the Genius of Water fountain seems to vanish in the new square, don’tcha think? The focus of the square now seems to be on the lighting towers. I just don’t get it. Also, the ‘sitting ledges’ on the OLD square were fantastic. They invited people to sit a while. There’s nothing like that on the ‘new’ square (now almost a year old). “Move along, don’t stop here” the ‘new’ square seems to say.
--Sean Halloran, Oakley

I would give it a D+. No excuse for being a year behind schedule (rain? what rain?). Doesn’t look as nice as artists renderings, somewhat prison yardish, not as many trees, weak color selection. 5/3 tower not being redone or even cleaned so that now looks even worse vs. everything else. Definitely expected more and done on time for the massive expense.
--Aswab Grassobontackian, Westwood