Hope fades for new Music Hall skywalk as price of replacement rises sharply

Whether the just-demolished skywalk connecting Music Hall and the Town Center Garage will be replaced now is in doubt.

The price of the proposed project has risen sharply and $1.6 million in private money that had been pledged for the project has been withdrawn. Finally, the Music Hall Revitalization Corp., which has a lease with the city for Music Hall and is supervising its nearly-completed $135 million renovation, has decided not to pursue funding for a replacement.

City Manager Harry Black is asking City Council whether he should pursue ways to pay for the replacement, which now will cost $6 million to $8.2 million.

Original estimates to replace the bridge ranged from $3 to 4 million.

The city also is talking with the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) about a larger redevelopment project on the site of the garage, according to a memo issued by Black on Monday.

More: Battle over Music Hall bridge: stay or go?

More: City promises to build new Music Hall bridge

Initially, a group of arts supporters and Music Hall donors pursued merely repairing the pedestrian bridge, estimated at $1.6 million. But in the meantime, the city manager hired an outside consultant. The consultant determined that the bridge and its connecting “podium” in front of CET offices were beyond repair and needed to be replaced, according to Larry Kellar, a former Kroger executive and a board member of CET public television.

The group of supporters promised to contribute half of the estimated cost of replacement. However, the city countered that the podium must also be replaced, escalating the cost to $8.2 million.

“What started as a $1.6 million project, in their eyes, ended up being an $8.2 million project,” Kellar said. “At that point, we said 'we’re wasting our time.' They are not going to replace the bridge.

"The city wants that lot for future development, as does 3CDC, so we’re going to be realistic and realize they’re going to throw an obstacle in front of us every time we come up with a solution.”

Kellar said there was still no solution of what to do about the broadcasting cables that previously ran under the bridge connecting Music Hall to Crosley Telecommunications Center, home of CET and Cincinnati Public Radio. Both nonprofits used the audio and video cables produce local and national broadcasts of performances and events in Music Hall.

More: Are Music Hall broadcasts in peril?

A Cincinnati City Council committee passed a motion July 31 to tear down the skywalk after a Department of Transportation and Engineering inspection found a portion to be close to collapsing. The bridge subsequently was removed.

The motion also declared council's intent to replace the bridge.

With the private money being rescinded, Vice Mayor David Mann says the future of a replacement is even more uncertain than before.