Populous Architectural Firm Hired To Draw Up Fifth Third Arena Renovation Designs
By Chris Bains
With the University of Cincinnati moving forward with renovations of Fifth Third Arena, earmarking the completion for the 2017-18 basketball season, the school has pegged the architectural firm Populous to draw up initial designs.
This per the Cincinnati Business Courier.
"The University of Cincinnati has hired the architectural firm that designed Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center and Great American Ball Park to explore options for redesigning Fifth Third Arena, WCPO reports.Kansas City-based Populous, formerly known as HOK Sport, the company behind Yum! Center and GABP, along with Columbus-based Moody Nolan, which worked on Paul Brown Stadium, will serve as design consultants for the possible renovation."
So it seems UC is moving right along with plans to bring their relatively ancient basketball arena into the 21st century.
If you ask anyone within a 100,000 mile radius of Cincinnati they’d agree that renovations are more than overdue. Not only is Fifth Third accumulating goop, to put it lightly, on the aging walls but the sight lines are horrible for anyone not sitting immediately adjacent to the floor. Plus the concourses are too small and the luxury seating in short supply.
In general, the Bearcats need an upgraded Shoe, especially with schools in a relatively close proximity to UC (Louisville, Xavier, Kentucky, even Northern Kentucky) all with newer venues.
Even though we’re still in the planning stages, it seems Cincinnati’s partnership with Populous is also putting another nail in the “renovate US Bank Arena” coffin. With an agreement between the school, the venue’s owner Nederlander Group, and the city of Cincinnati never able to become anything more than a few meetings, UC is opting to take charge with the venue over which they have full control.
While I’m still in the camp that a deal downtown is better for the long term interests of this program, upgrading Fifth Third Arena will serve the Bearcats well. Hopefully they can actually take the idea and renderings and see the renovations through to fruition like with Nippert Stadium.