tlb919

Update - Looks like the catwalk went up over the weekend! While I do enjoy the angular design, I am honestly disappointed that it's not a fully enclosed walkway. It's just a bridge with steel grating on the sides and a solid "roof" directly above the walkway, why was this honesty needed? If you're going to force a catwalk downtown, why go with a design that barely even gets you out of the elements. Ugh.

I do agree that they are an important player to keep in the city, but also I have grown really tired of these tax games. My more personal pet peeve is with the site plan and buildings themselves, I really wish they would commit and actually build something meaningful Downtown vs building a Google-esque campus in Franklinton. I get that Franklinton is the next up-and-up neighborhood, and that they want that tech campus vibe, but a sub/urban office campus here is not a great use of space. Blah, I guess we will see what happens. I am pretty torn on this one.

If only, No it seems for the most part we are all still in the dark on this one. The LED board at State & High is still running ads for office and retail tenants, ELFORD is still running ads for office tenants, and the tower did get final approval from the Downtown commission... but no dirt has been moved. Theories - The site is currently being used as construction staging for the LC projects, so maybe Arshot is waiting for that to wrap up before they break ground (milk it for every penny they can) - The site also has monthly parking permits that they may be phasing out - The project still has a bit more financial finagling to get wrapped up or construction to schedule (which I hear it'sbecome a nightmare to get labor) - The project is maybe dead I hope its the first or second but time will tell. What I do know is that in the year and a half it took to get approvals the estimated costs went from $90 Million to $150 Million, that concerns me. I walk by it daily looking for signs of life.

Adding to this... as with most Pride events, it was able to draw in some "Christian" protesters who were almost immediately glitter bombed upon arrival. It was a magical moment to witness.

Walking by the Convention Center today and noticed they have installed some living walls along the portions of the High St side of the building where it connects to the Hyatt. A welcome addition, I really wish more places around downtown would consider doing this (looking at you Ohio Theatre facing the Commons).

Im actually impressed with this level of NIMBY in the urban core. Kaufman is basically trying to play nice with the commission and residents but in the end it's going to be built because it is ultimately up to the city. I was at the meeting and people were threatening lawsuits which is absolutely laughable because that's not how this works at all, seeing as no laws are being broken. Realistically this will not hurt any of their property values, just their egos. Yes, the project is large but it's either that or nothing (a parking lot?). What I know is that Kaufman won't build it with less than 200 units and that means it has to go up. Placing my bets now....this is only the start of taller development. Today it was 14 floors but every project they fight is just going to push the next one taller. No we're not NYC or Atlanta, we are however a boom city with rising costs and insane real estate pressures. Chicago is a neighbor with some of the most architecturally diverse neighborhoods with density (high rises) along arteries and single family homes on the same block and guess what.. it's working just fine.

I will say the Convention Center spent the early half of its existence cannibalizing all activity and life from the area. I also however see the recent streetscape improvements, uplighting (personally I think it's geometry is great at night now), plazas, and hardscaping has done a TON to make it feel more human and less oppressive to walk along. I actually see people walking it now and using the space. As much as I'd like it, my guess is anything cutting into the center meeting spaces is a non starter. The GCCC has stated its about maximizing marketable sq footage, thats why they killed off the early hotel proposals. In general, convention centers are terrible in the urban fabric... even new ones like Nashville suck the life out of the area. Based on the ones I have visited, Columbus' is actually handled quite well.

Blade signs are usually vertical signs (tall and skinny) that attach perpendicular to the side of a building, an LED blade would likely have LED displays on both sides. A blade is likely being preferred because this would face the light and visuals up and down the street vs directly across the street. A board like this would reduce the light pollution and intensity for basically all surrounding properties while enhancing visibility from the street. Here are two examples of standard blade signs.

Blade signs are usually vertical signs (tall and skinny) that attach perpendicular to the side of a building, an LED blade would likely have LED displays on both sides. A blade is likely being preferred because this would face the light and visuals up and down the street vs directly across the street. A board like this would reduce the light pollution and intensity for basically all surrounding properties while enhancing visibility from the street. Here is an example of a standard blade sign.

Parks Edge II crane is down and interiors begin. Honestly the street wall these created is giving me Chicago Vibes.

Snapped a picture this weekend of the Short North looking towards Campus... The area is growing up

It's currently a pretty large 'IF'. IF they merge, yes Cincy will take lead. However that likelihood of that happening? Who knows. So unless it does in 2020, Columbus will surpass Cincy soon to become the states largest metro.

Free bus passes for workers: Columbus's big idea to relieve a congested downtown https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/oct/03/free-public-transport-downtown-workers-columbus-car Really great article from the Guardian about Columbus' Downtown transit program. I'm really excited for this and hope it begins to shift CBUS' attitude towards transit.

Now if the busses looked like that...

Honestly this is great news for not only the CMAX (still hate that name so much), but also how we look to the FTA. Things like this regarding the use of funds could help COTA with future applications and grants. Kudos COTA.

"Red Brick District"... Hmmm... What is this. Lol

Oddly enough... Columbus can. Currently Franklinton, which is literally across from downtown is basically a blank slate ripe for development. Much of the property in Franklinton is city owned with Mt. Carmel about to free up even more space, its an up and coming creative neighborhood, plus it has the benefit of being on high frequency bus corridors of Broad and Town streets that could easily become LRT corridors. Anyway, I think things are about to get interesting... and maybe brutal with this competition.

Pen West was the name some gave to the NRI & City of Columbus properties west of the railroad tracks. Not sure if that'll be the name they use. Schottenstein appears to want to have its own little district here instead of tying into a greater neighborhood. Same with the White Castle property. I mean..."Grand Central" only makes sense if you're in the center (they're not) or they're building on a site that was formerly a (Grand) Central station. Otherwise...wtf? I mean... the whole project is basically wtf so I feel it's par for the course on this one.

I will say that while I agree the original proposal was too much video board, I really don't see this latest proposal as an issue let alone a "non starter" as the commission is still claiming. It seems strange that they are so hell-bent on ending the LED board on this building when the developer has honestly taken it down to the minimum in comparison. Anyway, my real question is what will they use as the facade treatment for the garage? Are we getting 360 degree 7 story ad space (Kill me now)? Public murals? Matching glass/steel screening to the rest of the structure? or an open garage? Living green walls? I very much want this tower to happen so this may be my biggest concern because the garage podium structure right now looks like an entirely different piece and I think its a mistake to focus on one LED board at this point if were gonna end up with such a fragmented tower.

Barrio's co-founder sold his share in Barrio - then founded the similar Condado in Columbus as a potential national testing ground. They don't appear to be/have been sister concepts from the same company: http://www.thelantern.com/2014/11/condado-tacos-giving-columbus-a-test-2/ Okay I came here to say exactly this... Barrio and Condado are not affiliated or owned by the same people. So yeah, Condado is owned/founded by one of the old Barrio cofounders after what I've been told was a difference in opinions on expansion and direction of the concept. I think Condado has effectively killed any chance of Barrio surviving in the Columbus market, actually they may hurt any major Barrio expansions outside of the Cleveland metro. Currently Condado is killing in CBUS, but its also expanding regionally. They have 3 Columbus locations, just opened in downtown Pittsburgh, and have downtown locations announced in Cincinnati, Nashville, and Indianapolis. Barrio is delicious, but so is Condado... they are the same concept and food with virtually no difference to the average consumer. Condado just seems more aggressive with it's goals.

Oh yeah, I knew that. My bad for not clarifying. I meant these pieces of the actual structure. A very unique design for a steel structure of a midrise... I'm intrigued on how that will add to the final product. Also yes.... These parcels sold super rapidly and I love it. The density and design is perfect for downtown.

I already love the way this is filling in the park and adding to the street wall. However they have sparked my intrigue with the steel structure having that inward angle... I'm fascinated to see how that'll work for the shape once they start building out the exterior.

Considering this will exist for 50+ years.... we should always at least expect the best, then go from there. How I am viewing this is that currently we just have renders and stats, with just those pieces the response seems to be 'It's decent enough and tall, its also better than an empty lot that we may have to wait 50+ years to fill'. So aside from the proposal seeming out of place, most seem to think its okay at best. A proposal/render is usually the wow factor... impressive because it's the pristine, flashy, perfect result of the developers dreams. With that in mind don't forget that we will likely see this project go through value engineering (as they usually do). So my question is if it's already meh, then what will be the final result? Also... does the gold color bother nobody?

From how I understand it, retention/detention ponds are required for flat lot greenfield developments as a form of drainage and wetland preservation. In a location like downtown this is not only unnecessary due to existing drainage systems and connections but negated by the proximity to the river itself. So around the metro, yes but being as no other development even remotely close to this has such ponds, it seem's this one is aesthetics.

I'm just going to be super real here.... The proposal is garbage. We have the Schottenstein Group (a suburban luxury developer) entering the urban market with the "SUB/URBAN" adaptation garbage they all seem to be obsessed with. What I think is important to note is that just because something is tall does not mean it's urban, and this is not urban. Development for development sake isn't the answer. The proposal has no business in the core let alone downtown, I mean retention ponds?! Come on... it's 5 blocks from the river. Honestly, just accepting this is borderline... no actually worse than just accepting highpoint because at least highpoint is actually urban. I know we all want something to happen here and fill in this space, but people, this is just bad.