A revised plan for public art marking the "gateways" into downtown appeared to receive a better reception than the first slate of ideas, at least according to some of the attendees at a public forum unveiling the plan Tuesday.

"It's better than the first set of designs," said Chris Morrey, a local artist who stopped by Columbia College's Dulany Hall yesterday afternoon to check out the gateway master plan.

The Downtown Community Improvement District hired St. Louis urban design and architecture firm Arcturis to come up with plans, and in October the firm began developing concepts for public spaces and art meant to define downtown Columbia. Three concepts it pitched in January � most notably a giant pushpin at Broadway and Providence Road � were panned in surveys and online comments.

Playing on an architectural feature already accepted in town, columns are now envisioned as the central theme throughout the area. Medians at Fourth Street and Broadway and near Waugh Street and Broadway would include 24-foot-tall columns that could light up at night. Smaller columns would mark heavily trafficked pedestrian areas on the north and south edges of downtown, near Ninth and Elm streets and Tenth and Ash streets.

The largest project within the plan would be the plaza at Broadway and Providence, where columns would stand behind large letters spelling "Columbia." The "O" would be a sphere made of words describing the city or names and quotes of famous Columbians.

It's always hard to know how something will look until it's actually built, said former Councilman Karl Kruse, who came by yesterday to peruse the concepts. But he liked the idea of adding greenery to Providence and Broadway. "My first impression is it makes me feel lively," Kruse said. "I like it."

Although he thinks the sphere on the plaza is a little too large compared to the letters, Walter Johnson, a central city resident who came yesterday, wasn't turned off by the plan. "I think it's a reasonable idea because Providence has looked kind of nasty over the years," he said.

Another feature would incorporate local artists, who would be commissioned to design themed spherical art suspended over streets, marking different areas of downtown such as the North Village Arts District or the Sharp End area. Troy Guzman, an environmental graphic designer with Arcturis, said, "There's so many potential stories to tell."

A final plan, revised after the current round of feedback, will need Columbia City Council approval. The bigger hurdle, though, might be funding. The CID has its own revenue from a special sales and property tax levied in the area. It's also hoping to win grant funding for public art and pedestrian spaces, and some help from the city wouldn't hurt, either.

CID Director Carrie Gartner said the project will be built in phases, and the process might stretch over the next couple of years.

"It takes a while, but here's the thing: This is a really massive project," she said. "If we want something that really reflects us and is integrated into downtown, we need to spend some time on it."

This article was published in the Wednesday, March 19, 2014 edition of the Columbia Daily Tribune with the headline "Gateway designs draw praise; Columns serve as main theme."