Evansville Downtown Riverfront The $10 million Downtown Esplanade and Dress Plaza project section, shown here,  stabilized the aging one-third mile long Ohio River flood protection levee and transformed it from a brutally bleak place to a place of civic pride. Its street level esplanade is a bicycle and pedestrian way that accesses multiple projecting river overlooks and a timeline railing edge of seventy-two stainless steel interpretive plaques. Dramatic lighting beacons in rhythmic bay spacing are a modern foil to the otherwise historically themed downtown. The overlooks break through the levee rail barrier (by developing openings with removable flood panels) to access new river viewing platforms. The promenade plaques create an outdoor classroom chronicling the evolution of the Ohio River, and this place on it, from glacial formation to regional city on a major transportation system.The amphitheater-style tiered seating for 5000 cascades down from the overlooks to Dress Plaza. The plaza, the site of former riverfront wharves, now hosts fireworks, world-class hydroplane racing and a public access boat ramp.  The award-winning design has created a new synergy and vitality for downtown, while providing connectivity between downtown and the adjacent museum district, and to the developing greenway system’s parks and neighborhoods.The City has reclaimed its waterfront […]