Newport: Potential for Positive Growth

As I look around Newport, I am either surrounded by aging buildings, construction, and/or empty stores. In addition, some of the closed stores were well known, like Barnes and Noble. Despite the lack of a consistent aesthetic appeal, Newport is a city full of positive potential and growth because of the big renovations being constructed on Newport on the Levee.

A picture of Newport apartment construction.

As stated by Tucker after North American Properties purchased the mall in late 2018, Newport on the Levee has been undergoing a multi-million-dollar renovation that will include new restaurants, bars, and retail stores on its 360,000 square feet of space ( “Newport on the Levee Set to Announce New Tenants.”). By closing down a great number of stores and constructing new businesses, Newport is giving itself the opportunity to create itself a new image and to attract an audience of its choice.

Positive quotes like "New energy on the Levee" are displayed.

Furthermore, the city appears to target a young adult and family audience. For instance, the Newport City Manager, Tom Fromme, discussed how additions like a hotel and a performance venue could potentially be built since North American wants to replace and open up the empty Imax area (Monk, “What Will Replace the Empty Imax at Newport on the Levee?”). In addition, Tucker comments on how the Newport on the Levee developer began offering yoga, bike rides, and weekly concerts this past summer ( “Newport on the Levee Set to Announce New Tenants.” ). By having these types of attractions, more young people will be attracted to visit and/or move to Newport, and, by attracting young adults, Newport will become the home of newly-begun families.

Empty stores are visible throughout Newport.

In addition, by attracting families and young adults, the landscape and identity of Newport could positively be changed and could improve other established institutions as well. For my entire life, I have lived in the Northern Kentucky area, and, candidly, I have never seen Newport as an attractive area to inhabit. I know that the education system in Newport has always been poorly ranked in comparison to other Kentucky schools, and I have physically seen and have learned about the economic struggles of this city and its people. Despite my present perspective, by providing job opportunities and attracting young educated individuals and families, visually appealing homes could be built, and the education system could be improved by the vocalizations of well respected parents and by an increase of funding in the city. 

Newport construction can have positive outcomes.

Thus, despite the construction mess and empty stores, Newport on the Levee could transform into a city with profitable businesses, educated families, and improved institutions. By closing down stores and constructing renovations, Newport on the Levee is giving the city a chance to create a new and better image for itself.

Sources:

Monk, Dan. “What Will Replace the Empty Imax at Newport on the Levee?” WCPO Cincinnati, 10 Sept. 2019, https://www.wcpo.com/money/local-business-news/what-will-replace-the-empty-imax-at-newport-on-the-levee. Accessed 30 Sept. 2019. 

Tucker, Randy. “Newport on the Levee Set to Announce New Tenants.” Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 June 2019, www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2019/06/10/newport-levee-offers-first-glimpse-new-concept/1410351001/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2019.

The Negative Side of the New of Newport

When walking around Newport, there are many different parts of the city that show how diverse and community based it is that make it such a great place. That’s what it looks like on the outside, but taking a closer looking I could see that it is changing and growing into something that isn’t what some communities want. There is a clear divide in Newport, East vs. West, and it is possibly draining the city of its homey feelings. When talking with some of the employees of the area, they expressed their views of Newport and their experiences. They were young people close to our age working in stores around the levee, so even though it wasn’t a wide range they still gave us a window in the life of Newport’s most social environment. None of them lived in Newport, they did not know anything about Newport outside of the levee, and were excited to see Newport expanding.

The expansion of Newport can be seen as a very good thing… for the levee. It is the new of Newport for the east side, and it is growing everyday. It’s not a bad thing, and it is going to help Newport in the long run. But what about the rest of Newport? Just outside the levee are nice family style restaurants and historic downtown, so close and show the beautiful history of the city. But what is outside that homey community? When driving around the west side of Newport, and some of east side too, I see many unfinished projects or projects that need to be thought of to keep the city balanced.


A lot of this just comes from observation and comparing it to what we have been told about Newport from ReNewport, but I think the main thing about the situation is that the history of Newport isn’t heard. The main focus that the people living in Newport are concerned about is the families. The people we talked to said that new families and young people will be moving into Newport with all the renovations and new apartments and such… but what happens to the families that are already settled there? What happens to their work they have put into the community? Where does that family feeling of Newport go? These present issues are something that need to be taken into consideration when looking at the future of Newport.

A Call for Peace: The World Peace Bell

The World Peace Bell in Newport, Kentucky

A Look to its History

On a hot sunny day in the crossroads of Newport, stood a tall monument. A monument that was glistering in the swelling sunshine of the developing land. Some look to this monument as a symbol of hope. This symbol, which has stood on 425 York Street since the spring of 1999, has been an iconic landmark for the community of Newport, Kentucky. Known as the World Peace Bell, the bell has a history that is quite unique in terms of purpose and creation.

For starters, the World Peace Bell is the largest swinging bell in the world. The bell itself weighs 66,000 pounds along with an additional 26,000 pounds the yoke provides. The height of the bell is an estimated 12 feet high and a diameter of 12 feet as well. With these weights and heights, the bell truly conveys a large bell that can create a large surround ring.

The history of the bell actually does not start in the United States; instead, its beginnings originated in France. The bell was first cast in 1998 in order to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Over the weeks of casting and preparations, the bell would be shown to the public in Nantes, France. Eventually, the bell would fine home in the United States.

The journey of the bell to Newport Kentucky involved many stops along the Mississippi Delta. Starting in New Orleans, Louisiana, the bell would make trips to 14 different cities before eventually making Newport its home for the next 20+ years.

What the bell emphasizes is peace. That was what the creators of the bell were inspired by. For the past 20+ years, the bell has stood in Newport, Kentucky, as a symbol for the city that is truly diverse and supportive of each other. Its ring can still be remembered by all who hear its song.

Source:

Southbank Partners. “History.” Southbank Partners, http://www.southbankpartners.com/world-peace-bell/history.aspx.
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