Hot-dip galvanized steel was specified for the picnic table and bench frames at the Castellini Esplanade of Smale Riverfront Park because of hot-dip galvanizings industrial look and rugged durability. The picnic tables were designed to roll along railroad tracks, emulating the produce carts that once rolled over the same grounds a hundred years ago in The Bottoms, Cincinnatis riverfront produce market. In the nineteenth century the produce carts, like most things, were designed to last forever. The use of hot-dip galvanizing represents an enduring, industrial design typical of the period. The picnic tables and benches were designed to withstand the ware of the public and the humid, outdoor environment. In all, twenty eight picnic tables and twelve benches were installed totaling six tons of hot-dip galvanized steel.

Set in the foreground of the stunning Cincinnati skyline and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, the Castellini Esplanade of Smale Riverfront Park occupies the old riverfront produce market of Cincinnati known as The Bottoms. The land for the park was donated to the city of Cincinnati by the Castellini family who operated their produce business in The Bottoms from the 1890s through the 1990s before relocating the business to northern Kentucky. At one point in Cincinnatis rich history, almost all produce sold in the greater Cincinnati area flowed through The Bottoms. At the heart of The Bottoms was a network of railroad tracks running through the cobblestone streets. Here, vendors filled their produce carts and paraded them along the maze of tracks through the market.

The benches are adorned with images of old produce advertisements to remind us of what once crossed the landscape. The twenty eight picnic tables were laid across railroad tracks just as the old produce carts would have traversed in The Bottoms. The tables are designed to glide along the tracks to be positioned for everyday use and special events.

Because hot-dip galvanized steel is so durable and offers exceptional longevity and corrosion resistance, a wood with similar properties needed to be sourced. Ipe, a Brazilian hardwood, was chosen to pair with the hot-dip galvanized steel frames for the picnic tables and benches. Ipe is extremely hard, dense, and has exceptional rot resistance. The pairing of Ipe and hot-dip galvanized steel will provide the necessary protection from wear and corrosion for this bustling, outdoor setting.

With the specification of superior materials, the timeless design of the picnic tables and benches will provide the people of Cincinnati decades of maintenance free enjoyment in one of the most picturesque parts of the city.