The Scioto Mile Fountain was the centerpiece of Bicentennial Park in downtown Columbus, Ohio — but after only a few years, it started to break down. The original design offered limited maintenance access and made repairs prohibitively expensive.

In 2023, Dugan & Meyers (D&M) was awarded the design-build contract to demolish the fountain and replace it with a state-of-the-art light and water display and surround sound system.

D&M formed a design-build team with Downtown Columbus Inc., AECOM, and an international fountain designer, WET. The project team also worked closely with the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department (Rec and Parks), which operates the fountain and park and kept the team connected to community needs.

The City of Columbus wanted the fountain to be operational in time for spring events. This required that much of the work be performed during the winter. D&M had to work within the existing site footprint to minimize the economic impact on surrounding businesses. Green space and other park features also stayed open during construction.

All the underground piping and wiring had to be installed before winter hit, leaving no flexibility in the schedule. More than 1,000 feet of piping and 40,000 feet of conduit had to be funneled into an area smaller than a basketball court and tested before structural and architectural concrete was poured over it.

The team erected a 7,000-square-foot heated tent so it could continue installation and testing during the cold winter months. To meet the schedule requirements, D&M also self-performed a substantial portion of the concrete, all process piping, and mechanical equipment installation.

Local contractor involvement was also key to efficient project delivery. D&M subcontracted a diverse group of local companies for the work, exceeding the client’s diversity goal.
The Scioto Mile Fountain is a testament to innovative engineering and community collaboration. It’s one of the most iconic features of the Scioto Mile — and it plays an important role in urban living and economic development.

Project Statistics
• Combination of 88 floating and 122 fixed junction boxes
• 452 underwater lights, all installed within a 1,650-square-foot area
• 750 custom granite pavers on 580 paver supports
• 3 “supershooters” propelling vertical water columns over 125’ in the air
• More than 200,000 linear feet of combined low voltage and data copper ground wire