CINCINNATI - The crown jewel of Cincinnati's skyline - the Great American Building at Queen City Square - is moving toward reality following approval by the city's Urban Design Review Board.
Designed by HOK, the 41-story, 800,000-square-foot office tower awaits final approval from the city council before taking shape as the city's tallest and most iconic structure. HOK Founding Partner Gyo Obata designed the building and its unique tiara top to serve as a distinctive landmark for Cincinnati, the "Queen City."
"This building will redefine the Cincinnati skyline and serve as an instantly recognizable beacon to the city," Obata said. "There isn't another building in the world that resembles this."
The façade of the building will include a contemporary look, constructed with glass and aluminum. The building will include numerous environmentally sustainable features and is expected to be the "greenest" office tower in downtown Cincinnati.
A 25,000-square-foot promenade, lobby, and retail areas will welcome occupants and visitors inside the building, creating a spacious internal streetscape adjacent to a 1,700-space parking structure. The tower is sited on the southern portion of the site to provide unobstructed views in all four directions, including of the city, the riverfront, and the HOK-designed Great American Ballpark.
The building will be developed and managed by Eagle Realty Group, a real estate investment and management subsidiary of Western & Southern Financial Group.
"This world-class, signature office building will complete our one-million-square-foot Queen City Square master-planned development," said John F. Barrett, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Western & Southern Financial Group. "It is the fruition of a long-term vision for Western & Southern and adds to the vitality of Cincinnati."
American Financial Group Inc. (AFG), the anchor tenant, will occupy 22 floors, or about two-thirds of the building. AFG will consolidate many operations of its subsidiaries, Great American Insurance Company and Great American Financial Resources, into a single location, while allowing for future growth and expansion.
Accent lighting at the upper levels of the building will illuminate the distinctive tiara, and additional lighting also will illuminate the building's architectural massing at the corner and center of each façade. Great American's logo, a red eagle with blue script, will be illuminated in an area beneath the tiara.
The first phase of Queen City Square - the 303 Broadway building - was completed in 2006. This HOK-designed office building includes eight floors of office space atop a 665-space parking facility.
Construction of the Great American Building at Queen City Square is anticipated to begin in mid-2008, with completion expected in 2011.
