More than 300 entries were submitted, and nearly all of them were grand interventions into the urban context. However, the winning entry was a simple submittal with a small, eloquently written text pasted to the bottom of the competition poster. It stated that there was no need for a new gate because the gate already existed. That’s correct. The renowned architecture firm of McKim, Mead and White had designed the gate at the turn of the century and it already existed on the site proposed by the competition.
I am reminded of the Harvard gate competition with the flurry of articles and donations for the proposed Levitt Pavilion in downtown Dayton. The program for the Levitt Pavilion as published says it shall have a covered stage area, lawn seating for 5,000 people and a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system. I understand that architects have been interviewed and “artist renderings” have been published. I am sure the interviewed architects are already postulating their grand urban intervention at Fourth and Main, much like the ones forwarded by those 300 eager architects for the Harvard Gate. While my architecture firm was not interviewed for the project, I would like to submit my modest proposal for public review at this time. It is quite simple.
There is no need to design and construct the Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Pavilion of Dayton.
It already exists. It is located four blocks north of Dave Hall Plaza at the east end of RiverScape MetroPark. The Pavilion at RiverScape has a covered stage. It has state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems. It has hosted national and local music acts. It was the site of the annual Cityfolk Festival for many years. Ten of thousands of people have crowded RiversScape to listen to artists like Natalie MacMaster and Buddy Guy. RiverScape has public toilet rooms and a concession stand. When additional services were needed for Cityfolk, they were provided by local vendors.
I am sure the Friends of Levitt Pavilion Dayton will tell us the advantage of getting funding from the Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation is the $150,000 commitment for the next 50 years for programming. However, if they were simply to invest the $5 million needed to construct the Pavilion in an endowment which would typically generate a 4 percent annual return, they could have $200,000 a year for programming and never touch the principle. Therefore, music programming could be funded indefinitely.
I also wonder if the Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation would be willing to provide their programming support without the construction of a new and duplicate music pavilion. We could simply rename the Pavilion at RiverScape in honor of their programming support. Let’s remember, Riverscape is proudly called “Dayton’s front porch.” Who won’t want their name associated with a public park that has beautiful views of the Great Miami River and is already host to so many public events such as the City of Dayton’s annual Fourth of July celebration?
While I wholeheartedly support the City of Dayton’s $1 million investment in downtown, there is are problematic issues officials need to honestly address to all of the taxpayers of Montgomery County.
In recent news articles, the City of Dayton has stated the Dayton Convention Center is in desperate need of major renovations. The city-owned Convention Center is the anchor to the near south side of downtown. Mayor Nan Whaley has stated that Montgomery County must participate in any renovations since they also benefit from the Convention Center. While this type of partnering of local government entities should be encouraged, I would like to remind the City of Dayton that it was Montgomery County voters who supported and invested in the development RiverScape MetroPark and the soon-to-be-open River Run.
These parks, not to mention the 2nd Street Market, which is also owned and operated by Five Rivers MetroParks, bring a lot of people to downtown Dayton. Whether they understand it or not, the Friends of Levitt Pavilion and the City of Dayton are appearing to ignore and disregard the investment of county-wide tax dollars in RiverSpace and downtown Dayton. Remember, the majority of the people benefiting from those county-wide tax dollars are the citizens of Dayton.
It is not a stretch to state that the Water Street development, Charles Simms housing developments and Tech Town have benefited from the investments made in community amenities at RiverScape MetroPark and the 2nd Street Market. It would be a shame to see that investment irreparably damaged by constructing the Levitt Pavilion.
I realize that whomever is selected as the architect to design the Levitt Pavilion Dayton will not have the courage to forgo their 8 percent design fee ($400,000) or be self-effacing enough to advise both the City of Dayton and the Friends of Levitt Pavilion Dayton that this investment is counterproductive to whatever relationship they may have with Montgomery County and its taxpayers. But there is time still for the Friends of Levitt Pavilion Dayton and the City of Dayton to step away from the edge and work with Five Rivers MetroParks in programming those 50 local and national acts at RiverScape MetroPark and its pavilion.
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