"Gabe's Ghost." That's the name of a proposal my old friend John Lumea--born and raised in Owensboro, now living in San Francisco--has for the resurrection of Gabe's Tower.

Three years ago, he offered an idea for the iconic old building called "Gabe's Gardens."

That proposal would have converted Gabe's into what John calls a "glass-skinned tower" featuring illumination from within and a light scheme that would call to mind the top of the Empire State Building.

But now he's updated his proposal and I find it more interesting.

He wonders about a Gabe's Tower that would be an observational monument with a restaurant and an event space on top and colored lighting.

John calls it "Gabe's Ghost" because of his vision of a partially GLASSLESS structure with only three of the tower's floors renovated--1, 12, and 13.

Lobby, restaurant, roof garden.

Plus, there would be a glass elevator on the outside.

He even suggests a way to re-create the outside color patterns from the original building.

I love the idea. John has always been a visionary.

I would like to think there would be a way to save something that truly defines the city of Owensboro, and especially its skyline.

But I have no idea what that way would be.

 

 

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