An observation tower for the South Bronx?

If Alec Diacou gets his way, a giant observation tower will be built somewhere in the Bronx, perhaps near the Third Avenue Bridge.

Diacou, chairman of the Yes The Bronx, a non-profit he founded with a business partner, believes the 176-foot tower will go some way towards erasing the negative perceptions of the borough many people still harbour.

I won't rehash what's been written elsewhere (see here, here, and here) but I thought I'd post this photo of Diacou and standing next to an architect's rendering. It was taken Wednesday evening, following a talk Diacou gave to Community Board 5 at their monthly meeting. He's after the board's approval - and that of other boards, too - as he strives to drum up support. Ultimately, he needs $25 million to turn the dream into reality.

Yes The Bronx is essentailly a rebranding campaign for the borough, and the tower is just one idea - albeit the most ambitious - that Diacou has. Also in the pipeline are finincial literacy programs, awards for Bronxites who embody the "Yes" spirit, and Yes The Bronx merchandize. Plans, though, for a massive Yes The Bronx sign near where the Harlem and East rivers meet, have been abandoned.