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The Tower Green Design Committee held a special meeting at Bartlesville's City Hall Wednesday afternoon. Scott Ambler with Ambler Architects spoke to the committee members about the 99-percent construction plans for the Tower Center at Unity Square project. The canopy for the stage to be built in the area was talked about during this time. Ambler said the final color is to be determined and they may color the structure themselves.

He also talked about pricing for the canopy. He said when they went through the budgeting process, they reduced the price for the canopy to $100,000. According to Ambler, the canopy drawn up in the plans today costs more than $100,000. When bid day comes for the stage canopy, Ambler said he will identify that so they know how much it will cost so money can be raised to meet the cost.

Ambler went on to talk about making the Tower Center at Unity Square project unique to the region. That means using local stone and native plants. As for the stone, Ambler said they could use Osage Limestone from Osage County for some of the structures like the bathroom exterior. The committee also threw around the idea of using the stone for benches incorporated with the project. Ambler did present Cherokee red and black wood benches that the committee wanted to do away with for now to make room for more options with the Osage Limestone.

Lighting possibilites, bike racks, trash receptacles, concrete pavers and more were talked about in the meeting. Undergrounding lighting is in the plans for the 4 rays that strech out from the Bartlesville Community Center through part of the Tower Center at Unity Square space toward the Price Tower. Downward casting light hanging from trees are also in the plans for the project.

As for the project plans as a whole, Ambler added the Tower Green Design Committee did not have to commit to anything right now that does not have electric. He said he would like to discuss further with the committee in their next meeting what they may or may not include in the project as it becomes more of a reality. The projects budget will be the biggest factor in the end.

Later in the meeting, the Tower Green Design Committee talked about the projects logo. Co-chairs Alan Gentges and Jim Curd presented this to the comittee.

Bartlesville's Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Maria Gus siad that she has been able to sell the Tower Center at Unity Square space for events that called take place later this year and well into 2020. Gus added that having a logo that everyone can agree upon would be nice.

Up to this point, the committee has not take action or ultimately decided a logo they wanted to use. Val Callaghan, the Director for the Bartlesville Community Center, said Wednesday that a seperate committee regarding the logo and marketing should be put into place sooner than later. The committee favored the idea, and Gentges and Curd did mention the item should be in the Special City Council meeting on Monday, March 18th.

To end the meeting, the Tower Green Design Committee rehashed the groundbreaking ceremony for the Tower Center at Unity Square project. That will take place on Friday, March 29th.

The Tower Green Design Committee will meet again on Wednesday, March 27 in the 1st Floor Conference Room at noon.