Take a sneak peek of Music Hall in my personal tour of what you’ll see in the newly renovated lobby and Springer Auditorium.

The ribbon was cut at Music Hall this morning, to the applause of about 100 donors and supporters on the front steps. During speeches praising those who spearheaded, shepherded and paid for the 16-month, $143 million renovation, there were a few notable quotes:

“Music Hall is no longer endangered. It has been saved.” — Joe Rudemiller of 3CDC

“This building is a testament and a monument to everyone who built this city.” — Rep. Bill Seitz. Majority Leader, Ohio House of Representatives, adding that the state pitched in $30.5 million, including a onetime historic tax credit of $25 million.

“This place didn’t need a Band-Aid. This place needed a major, major renovation. …  It is the largest philanthropic effort to support the arts in our city’s history. This was just a dream 11 or 12 years ago.” – Businessman and Cincinnati philanthropist Harry Fath

“The building was almost torn down in the 1930s and again in the ‘60s, but the citizens of Cincinnati stepped in each time. Today, I can say that the dream has come true.” – Peter Koenig, president, Society for the Preservation of Music Hall

“Four banks, two kinds of tax credits and thousands of dedicated donors” contributed to the project, said PNC Bank’s Kay Geiger, adding Goethe’s observation that  “Architecture is frozen music.”

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley pointed out that the city considered the Music Hall project so important, that it was the largest single donor to the project. (The city contributed $16 million.)

Donors, officials of the project and the nonprofit developer 3CDC, project manager, were praised. In addition, 3CDC’s Adam Gettler thanked “Messer Construction and the thousands of workers and subcontractors who were in the building every day.”

“Thanks to WGUC’s Jim Nolan for filming and producing today’s video!