Can you see the 5 inclines? As convention center construction kicks off, here's more on the design

Construction kicked off last week on the $200 million renovation and expansion of Downtown's Duke Energy Convention Center.

Where large tanned brick, red granite and the 97-year-old Albee Arch now stand, three-story glass walls will wrap the building by 2026. A series of inverted triangle metal panels hung from the roof will span the block-long building's Fifth and Elm street sides, adding texture and movement to the facade as light enters the glazed spaces between them.

This is different from the original conceptual design, envisioned by local firm Moody Nolan, which featured an undulating roof honoring the City of Seven Hills. But the design changed as the financing was secured and the contractors got involved. (The convention center and future headquarters hotel just received $46 million from the state in late June.)

What's different about this design?

Two years after the initial conceptual renderings were released, the reimagined facade officially coming to Downtown's convention center isn't a toned-down version of that first one, it's just more doable, according to the project team, led by Cincinnati Center City Development Corp., better known as 3CDC.

And there's still local inspiration behind the new version: Those metal panels, five on each side of the building, represent Cincinnati's five iconic inclines once found in Price Hill, Fairview, Bellevue, Mount Auburn and Mount Adams.

Why inclines? In the late 19th century, the city's old inclines "helped the city spread out," wrote The Enquirer's history reporter Jeff Suess, and provided hilltop access to everyone. Yes, they transitioned people from one neighborhood to another, but they also supplied sweeping views of the city − something the convention center will finally boast.

More: What about the Albee Arch?The historic Albee arch won’t be on the renovated convention center. Where should it go?

'A gateway building that engages with the street'

The Duke Energy Convention Center sits at the western edge of Downtown, visible from the northbound lanes of the Brent Spence Bridge and the southbound lanes of Interstate 75. The beloved Cincinnati sign, affixed to the building's western facade, welcomes people into the city and remains a prominent part of the skyline. This section of the 57-year-old convention center was born from a 2006 expansion.

And the rest of the building? It's a mismatch of architectural styles.

"You've got three buildings basically married there in an unfortunate, weird relationship," said Kevin Gordon, principal at TVS Architecture and Interior Design. (Before the most recent renovation, the property was expanded in 1984 as well.)

"It has tremendous potential to be a gateway building to the city that engages with the street because right now it has solid walls," added Brian Sell, principal at Columbus-based firm Moody Nolan. "There are lots of sets of stairs that look very imposing to people, so we wanted to bring more transparency and accessibility to the building while making it read as one type of architecture."

To do that, they created a new "mask or face [that] allowed it to be uniform," Sell said. The final design, featuring the metal panels, a wrap-around glass curtain wall, and, of course, the Cincinnati sign, builds on the 2006 expansion and extends the roofline eastward on one cohesive angle.

The main entrance will be redesigned at the end of the block on the corner of Fifth and Elm streets, welcoming visitors into the convention center through an all-glass cutout. Renderings show light pouring into the lobby.

Inside, circulation throughout the building will improve and light wood paneling will add warmth. Because of the new glass walls, people will be able to see the city from every concourse level. Other improvements include all-new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and a complete renovation of the 20,000-square-foot junior ballroom on the third level. A new 6,000-square-foot rooftop terrace will serve as pre-function and event space, too.

Future-proofing the Downtown economy

The current convention center's outdated design and poor interior circulation have long been a deterrent for organizations and companies looking for convention space, according to Visit Cincy, the region's tourism board. Improving the guest experience quickly meant making this a destination building through design − not necessarily making it bigger.

A market study from international consultancy Conventions, Sports & Leisure International revealed that Cincinnati's convention center is big enough to host the kinds of events the city wants to attract. However, that doesn't mean plans for future expansion are squashed.

As construction begins on the building itself, community engagement will start soon on the design of the future Elm Street Plaza, located on the former Millennium Hotel site. The 2-acre outdoor space will not only serve as functional space for the convention center and visitors, but it may also feature public art and act as a placeholder for a future expansion of the building across Elm Street. Until then, it will be much-needed greenspace in a part of Downtown that lacks parks.

Construction is expected to take 18 months, meaning conventions will return in 2026. All of the events previously scheduled there through the rest of 2024 and 2025 will be relocated to the Sharonville Convention Center, 20 minutes north of downtown Cincinnati.

Once conventions return downtown and the headquarters hotel is complete in 2027, Conventions, Sports & Leisure International estimates that $48 million in new business will come to Cincinnati.