jaymillah

I wonder why none of the hotels on the east side of Olentangy, with river frontage, have ever made any attempt to incorporate it into their hotels? The river seems really scenic but the hotels just have walls and teeny room windows overlooking it. Wonder if the new Hampton Inn will take the plunge?

Business First posted a story on this today - along with a few pics http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2013/01/22/columbus-museum-of-art-ready-to-embark.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2013-01-22 http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2013/01/22/columbus-museum-of-art-ready-to-embark.html?s=image_gallery

Signs of the museum moving ahead with the next phase of expansion... welcome news but am really curious to see the designs! From the January 22nd Downtown Commission agenda: IV. Conceptual Review Case #1 635-13 Address: 480 East Broad Street Applicant: Michael Bongiorno Property Owner: Columbus Museum of Art Design Professional: Design Group Michael Bongiorno Zoning: DD (core sub district) Request CC3359.27(D)3) Conceptual review for two story addition on the eastern side of the Columbus Museum of Art. Also: Movement of the sculpture garden to accommodate the addition. The garden will be moved to the north side of the museum (currently parking). Significant alteration of the 1974 addition (northern wing and primary entrance), opening to the new sculpture garden. <i>Two informational meetings were conducted with Downtown Commissioners early last year. Other recent museum property cases reviewed by the Downtown Commission have been the new west entrance and garden (2011) and renovation of Beaton Hall, the administration facility (2009).</i>

This seems to be moving along, am curious to see what the renderings looked like but no matter it will still be an improvement over the current surface lot. From the 12-12-14 Vic Village Commission meeting minutes: 3. No Address (Vicinity of 15 West Poplar Street) Michael Paplow (Applicant) Giannopoulos Properties (Owner) An application, drawings, and photographs have been submitted. This project has previously undergone conceptual review. Construct new 3-story building on vacant lot; with two (2) levels of residential units over ground floor commercial. Building to have brick façades on west, east, and north elevations. South elevation to have metal panels above brick. North elevation to have aluminum storefront system on ground floor and aluminum clad 1-over-1 windows above; an aluminum storefront system will also be on the south elevation. Additional details include: limestone sills, lintels, and coping. No openings are to be located on the east of west façades.

@jbcmh81 I think they still counted the prisoner population at the Ohio Pen still in any census conducted prior to 1960 - that would potentially inflate the downtown count by 5,000+ in 1950.

Maybe too much optimism but as soon as the construction trailers for Cbus Commons apts vacate the parking lot on the southeast corner of that intersection it'd be awesome if Casto dusted off their old proposal for that entire strip on High between Main & Rich...

Exciting news for RiverSouth & Cbus Commons! According to the agenda for the 11/27 Downtown Commission meeting a new 7 story development is up for approval at the northwest corner of Rich & High, the Trautman Building (RIP Artspace but I think this will be better) along with the building to the immediate south. Thank you CDDC & Lifestyle Communities!

Business First published an update on the Westminster-Thurber 7 story addition that's been quiet for a while. Good news is that it's still moving forward despite some tougher economic times for the community's owner, possible groundbreaking in the spring as long as 10 more Seniors put deposits down... still wish that the original 14 story version was moving ahead for the sake of our skyline but 7 is better than a parking lot! http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/11/20/westminster-thurber-on-track-for.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2012-11-20

I never heard if they put in some sort of a pedestrian crossing over the rr tracks, anyone know?

The Born Building/Edward Cos. has a website now with floor-plans and pricing - http://570lofts.com/ Btw, if anyone noticed the word "Hercules" that used to crown the building, the Hercules Clothing Co. operated there after the brewery closed, not sure until when though.

Construction has started on the East chiller plant at High & 14th... wasn't aware that this was on the books so I did a quick google, pretty cool, good compliment to the West version. Here's a link to more pics and a good description http://www.architectmagazine.com/education-projects/ohio-state-university-east-regional-chiller-plant.aspx

I really hope this go-round of the Dispatch's pay-to-play access will run its course soon, very frustrating. I think the last time it lasted 6 months or so...

The article mentioned a windstorm blowing off the original spire so historical curiosity got the better of me and I found this pic taken during construction of the old post office (Bricker & Eckler law offices now). Btw, if you're not already familiar, Columbus Metro Library's image gallery is exceptional http://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/cdm4/cml_collections.php?CISOROOT=/ohio but if you've got a thing for cbus history be prepared to spend way too many hours browsing.

Great article! It mentions the restaurant closing in 1993 but that's a typo, it was still up and running as late as 2002.

A step in the right direction... now let's see this come to fruition - Excerpt from tonight's City Council agenda ENHANCING DOWNTOWN ROADWAYS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: The city of Columbus continues to implement concepts from the 2010 Downtown Columbus Strategic Plan to enhance residential opportunities, business development, job creation, transportation and entertainment options within the Central Business District. Public Service & Transportation Committee Chair Eileen Y. Paley, is sponsoring ordinance 0720-2012, to authorize the expenditure of $515,000 from the Streets and Highways G.O. Bonds Fund for a contract modification with Burgess and Niple for the Roadway Improvements – Downtown Action Plan. The design concepts will include providing on-street parking on High Street, converting Front Street to two-way operation north of Broad Street, reducing the number of travel lanes on Broad Street and including complete streets concepts, evaluating the one-way pairs for compete streets concepts and reviewing on-street parking throughout downtown. The 2010 Downtown Strategic Plan was developed to create an overall vision for downtown economic development for the next 10 years.

Here's more info on the new tower at Riverside Methodist Hospital, the Neuroscience Institute. Press Release - http://www.ohiohealth.com/body.cfm?id=384&action=detail&ref=1197 Riverside's page - http://www.ohiohealth.com/neuroscienceinstitute

Good news for the historic preservationists (myself included)... Columbus Landmarks sent out the following update via email on the fate of the Central Presbyterian Church in downtown: Central Presbyterian Church in Contract We are pleased to have learned that Central Presbyterian Church, 132 S. Third St., is in contract and its proposed new use will preserve the building. The Church closed in November and details of the transaction are not yet available. http://www.columbuslandmarks.org/advocacy/central-presbyterian.php

Impressive new plans unveiled for the Fireproof building - the scale is so much better than originally proposed. The developers launched the project website with all the details - http://1024northhigh.com/

Crossed the new Town Rich Bridge on foot today - it's getting pretty close to showtime and there were some pretty impressive views. Never realized how well the two new bridges compliment one another.

Looks good!

High St. was ugly over the weekend just sound of Nationwide & High while crews painted the skywalk "Nationwide Blue" - doesn't look too bad, big improvement over rusted dark brown

Whoops, here's the pic

Construction on the last phase of the Liberty Place complex has commenced... this was waiting on ODOT but since they've selected the Mound/Fulton option there apparently will be little impact on the site (when that starts in 20 years). They've started grade work if you can't tell from the crappy pic.

I snapped this one Friday as I was walking by... getting closer to the fabric addition

The couple who bought the building deserve huge kudos... they bucked the all too popular downtown Bob Weiler trend of waiting for a business opp before improving a space and instead went with "build it and they will come" approach. The gamble quickly paid off!