March Monthly Luncheon: Covington's New City Hall

Description

A Home, At Long Last, For All – Covington’s New City Hall

The plan to build a new permanent City Hall for Covington began six years ago. Former Mayor Joe Meyer cast a vision for a building not only containing city employees and services but one that stood for something more—a vibrant community space. And the building’s realization, under the leadership of current Mayor Ron Washington, will ensure this public resource will serve the Covington community well for many decades to come

This City Hall will be the first “permanent” one dedicated solely to City of Covington in nearly 127years.  In the last 50 years, there have been five temporary City Halls.  Now the City’s “nomadic” existence will soon be ending.

By late this year, principals Branstetter Carroll, Elevar Design and Pepper Construction are slated to complete the three-story 41,000 square foot building featuring a limestone and granite stone façade, while a large glass curtain wall will add contemporary elegance.

Moderator: Bernie McKay

Prior to joining the Haile Foundation, Bernie spent 28 years as an attorney with Frost Brown Todd LLC where he concentrated his practice in the areas of trusts, estates and charitable giving and previously served as the Practice Group Leader for the firm’s Privately Held Business & Wealth Planning Practice. Bernie is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, is an alumnus of both Leadership Cincinnati and Leadership Northern Kentucky, named to Best Lawyers in America from 2006 to 2021 and was the Southwest Ohio “Lawyer of the Year” for Trust and Estate law in 2016 by the Best Lawyers in America. Bernie and his husband, Zack Weber, make their home in the East Row Historic District in Newport.

 Kim Patton, Elevar

Kim Patton is the President of Elevar Design Group. He has more than 35 years of experience leading large-scale, multi-phased, complex projects for clients across various sectors, both public and private.

Kim is a Kentucky resident and is actively involved and connected in the City of Covington. As the ambassador of cultivating client relationships for the firm, Kim’s affiliation with Covington is evidenced in his work leading RiverHaus - a new mixed-use development with parking garage on the corner of 5th and Main Streets, The Hayden - the conversion of a former jail into luxury apartments at the gateway into Roebling Pointe on the riverfront, the Kenton County Administration Building - a conversion of a former historic brewery into modern office space, the new City of Covington City Hall, and St. Elizabeth Medical Center - Site Master Plan for the 12th Street Facility.

He is responsible for ensuring the overall success of projects and project teams, as well as the continued development of client relationships. For nearly 30 years, he has led and innovated the design and construction process in this industry. He has worked regionally, nationally, and internationally as both an Architect and a construction manager. Kim is a creative leader and problem solver, having worked on multiple firm teams to meet complex owner requirements. His experience innovating on issues involving teaming, scheduling, process, communications, and technology covers the full range of the design and construction process from programming through design and to construction and post-occupancy.

Kim and his wife, Sarah, live in Covington and own three properties in Covington, in three different neighborhoods.

Tim Berter, Pepper Construction

With over 20 years of construction experience, Tim Berter has played a key role in Pepper’s success in the industrial market, overseeing more than $100 million in projects in NKY and Cincinnati. As the market shifted with rising interest rates and material costs, Tim helped our teams pivot to the public sector, where he has led influential community projects such as a the Green Township Police Station, the City of Alexandria City Hall and Covington’s New City Hall. Tim is known for building strong client relationships, with most relationships becoming repeat clients. He’s is also a valued mentor at Pepper Construction, helping develop our project teams and supporting their success.

 Elizbeth Wetzel, City of Covington