CMH_Downtown

COUNTY PICKS ARCHITECT FOR CLIPPERS STADIUM Firm that worked on Nationwide Arena says it will tailor ballpark to local fan base Friday, June 23, 2006 By Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Sports arenas and stadiums need to be designed for the fans who visit them, says the man who will put ideas on paper for central Ohio's newest venue, the Columbus Clippers' proposed Huntington Park. Franklin County officials recommended yesterday that commissioners hire 360 Architecture Inc., a firm whose partners designed Nationwide Arena, to build the ballpark that will become its Arena District neighbor. Scott Ralston, the 360 principal who will head the design team, promised a stadium that borrows from the past, breaks new ground and "provides opportunities I don't think anyone thought imaginable." Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/06/23/20060623-B1-03.html

MAY UNEMPLOYMENT REPORT Jobless rate dips in state, central Ohio Wednesday, June 21, 2006 Denise Trowbridge THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Ohio job seekers might have a little more reason to hope. The state’s unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in May, down from April’s 5.5 percent, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. ... www.dispatch.com

Kudos to Youngstown/Warren Regional and Allegiant. Considering G4's track record, I could definitely see their YNG-SFB service being bumped up to 4x weekly service by year's end, assuming aircraft availability allows for such an increase. I'm glad to see Allegiant's venture into Youngstown met with so much success. In regards to a major carrier joining Allegiant at YNG, I think the prospects are good. The rumored Colgan Air service on behalf of a major carrier sounds like it could be a possibility. I've always thought that Comair to CVG would be an excellent route for YNG, since it would provide jet service to one of the most user-friendly hubs in the nation with access to over 100 cities across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe. However, with Delta's recent cutbacks at the hub, such service might not be as viable as it once was. Either way, it definitely sounds like things are looking up for YNG, here's hoping for even greater success in the near future.

Not that I've seen. I subscribe to the Dispatch, but haven't seen such ads. But then again, I don't read the Home and Garden section or other such sections that would likely have an IKEA ad of any sort. Doubt the Alive or The Other Paper would carry such ads, since they cater to the local flare more than anything.

Asia Quest headliners won’t debut all at once Tuesday, June 20, 2006 Robert Ruth THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Four Siberian tigers are the stars of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s newest exhibit, and they’re as temperamental as Hollywood movie idols. So visitors will be able to see only two of the stately beasts in Asia Quest for about the first two months. The 3.5-acre, $15 million exhibit opens Wednesday at 10 a.m. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/06/20/20060620-A1-03.html

Buggyworks developer mulling condo tower for his 'urban village' Business First of Columbus - June 16, 2006 by Doug Buchanan Business First Developer Kyle Katz is promising a sneak preview of the second phase of his Buggyworks project near Columbus' Arena District during the annual City Hop exhibition of downtown housing June 17. The debut of his conceptual plans will reveal a 23-story, 80-condo tower at the north end of the complex on West Nationwide Boulevard. The edgy plans by Jonathan Barnes Architecture & Design also call for 40 loft condos in the former Buggyworks industrial building, plus 32 apartments atop the condos. Tentative plans also call for at least 100,000 square feet of offices and 30,000 square feet for retailers in the Buggyworks building and an 800-slot parking garage to serve what Katz calls an urban village. "By previewing the scope, it gives us the opportunity to listen to the reaction because it is a bold design," Katz said of the high-rise proposal. Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/stories/2006/06/16/story5.html

Here's hoping this time it happens...those arches have stayed dark for far too long. Oh, and I do like the light-up idea for the High St. corridor. Give Easton some competition... :whip:

The Dispatch has been doing a nice job covering the human side of downtown living lately, as well as the progress being made downtown. Hopefully the testimonies described in the article strike a chord with more people in the metro area to consider downtown housing, or at least take up an interest in it. I like that an underlying theme is the subject of accessibility. Hopefully the planned streetcar system will come to fruition and help tie everything together.

There are no listed or bookable nonstop flights on AeroMexico's website, nor can I find any on other search engines or travel agent sites. The DOT docket stated service was to begin around April, but I haven't seen any AeroMexico aircraft traveling to Cleveland yet.

Several recent events in the industry, both locally and nationally, could mean that securing a low fare carrier at CVG is no more a matter of if, but when. Locally, Delta's weakened financial state and decreased presence out of CVG could make it a more viable target for a low fare airline. Gate space is not at a premium at CVG, so the airport likely could accomodate a new carrier fairly easily. Nationally, low fare carriers have continued to increase their market share. Lately, carriers such as Southwest and AirTran have begun tackling larger hub markets that they historically have shyed away from. For example, Southwest has entered both the Philadelphia (PHL) and Denver (DEN) markets, both of which are primary airports as well as fortress hubs for legacy carriers. The trend is going to continue, and I doubt CVG can stay without a low fare carrier other than USA3000s weekly services for long. However, I still think it will be an uphill battle. The last low fare airline to fly scheduled service from CVG was Vanguard, with several nonstops to Chicago Midway. Delta matched Vanguard's fares, doubled their flights to MDW, and offered all sorts of SkyMiles incentives on the route. Vanguard lasted about a year, after which Delta rose prices again between Cincinncati and Chicago. Eventually all nonstops to Chicago Midway were discontinued. Even though Delta has eliminated over 100 flights out of CVG since the bankruptcy, they still maintain dominance by a huge margin. If a low fare carrier does decide to enter the market, they will have to be able to endure the marketing ploys that Delta will undeniably unleash upon them. Another stumbling block to securing a low fare airline at CVG is the proximity to Dayton. DAY currently has AirTran and Frontier, both of which have seen great success there in part to travelers driving from Cincinnati and surroundings to take advatange of significantly lower fares. If say AirTran were to start flying into CVG as well, they would effectively be cannibalizing their service at DAY, since the flights there partially rely on people driving from Cincinnati. However AirTran has succeeded in serving duel markets. For example, to serve the Detroit metropolitan population, AirTran has flown out of Flint Bishop Airport for several years, becoming one of the airline's largest outstations. Recently AirTran decided to go into Detroit's main airport at Wayne County International Airport (DTW) and has been quite successful in both airports. Granted, however, Detroit's catchment area is far larger than Cincinnati/Dayton and AirTran has comparitavely seen much greater success in Flint than in Dayton. However, it doesn't mean that AirTran couldn't give it a shot, especially given their success at taking on Delta at their main base in Atlanta. A point can be made for Southwest in CVG, especially since their latest round of new cities have all essentially been large, hub airport markets, such as Denver, Philadelphia, and Washington Dulles. However, all three of those cities are either quite a bit larger than Cincinnati/Dayton and/or do not have Southwest within driving distance. Southwest has CVG covered in Indianapolis, Louisville, and Columbus. Also, Southwest usually enters a new city with anywhere from 8-10 flights to 3-4 destinations. With Terminal 1 closing, I don't know how much space would be readily available in Terminal 2. Even though space would likely be available in Terminal 3, I highly doubt Delta would allow a low fare carrier to takeover any of their gates. Again, it's a possibility, and if the Kenton County Airport Board can convince Southwest that CVG is worth the initial investment and possible returns, Herb's red-bellied warbirds could be in CVG in the near future.

Here’s the BEEF No brotherly love between chains vying to be cheesesteak king Sunday, May 28, 2006 Barnet D . Wolf THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH No one can mistake Columbus for Philadelphia. But if you’re a fan of the Philly cheesesteak sandwich, Columbus bears a strong resemblance to the City of Brotherly Love. Central Ohio has given birth to the nation’s three largest Philly cheesesteak chains and remains the home for two of them, Steak Escape and Charley’s Grilled Subs. These two companies and the third conceived here, Great Steak & Potato Co., have survived more than two decades. The competition, at times, has been less than brotherly. On a few occasions, the chains have met in court to do battle on issues ranging from trademark infringement to franchise poaching. But skirmishes among chains that offer similar sandwiches, fries and fresh-squeezed lemonade seem as inevitable as a return punch from Rocky Balboa. It’s not unusual for one city to develop several chains in the same restaurant segment, said Jeff Davis, executive vice president of market-research firm Sandelman & Associates. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/05/28/20060528-E1-00.html

UNION-ONLY CONTRACTS Ballpark sponsors balk at labor plan Sunday, May 28, 2006 Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The Columbus Clippers could lose millions in corporate help for a new Arena District ballpark if Franklin County gives labor unions exclusive control over construction jobs, a top adviser on the project has warned. County commissioners’ consideration of what’s known as a project labor agreement with 22 area trade unions could jeopardize a $12 million naming-rights deal with Huntington Bancshares Inc., as well as other potential sponsorships, the adviser warned in a recent e-mail to county Administrator Don L. Brown and Commissioner Paula Brooks. "The only way I see this project moving forward is if we take the PLA off the table," wrote Cathy Mayne Lyttle, vice chair of Franklin County Stadium Inc., the board that oversees the current and future homes of the county-owned Clippers. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/news/news.php?story=dispatch/2006/05/28/20060528-A1-02.html

Township living sometimes brings surprises Sunday, May 28, 2006 Debbie Gebolys, The Columbus Dispatch Township living is many things to many people. Here is a look at some of those perspectives from former city folks who live beyond I-270. In 1998, Doug Wrightsel wanted a change. He was divorced and living in Upper Arlington near his two adult sons. He spent his time as a Downtown lawyer and an avid sports fan. "Nothing against Arlington, but I always wanted a little room," Wrightsel said. He was thinking about moving to a 20-acre farm in Fairfield County when his elder son intervened. "He said it was too much for me to take care of and too far away from family," Wrightsel said. "He was really right." The son proposed a 5-acre compromise, south of Powell near Rt. 315. The property had a couple of acres of woods, tennis and basketball courts, and room for Wrightsel to learn to garden. And then there was the house. Built in 1982, it had five bedrooms and four baths heated and cooled by a geothermal system. It’s more than enough space for him, his two dogs and the four grandkids who are welcome weekend guests. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com

Westin owners plan $7.5 million overhaul Hotel renovation could boost room rates Downtown Friday, May 19, 2006 Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The new owners of the Westin Great Southern Hotel say they’re planning a major renovation of the 110-year-old property, a move that could boost prices at all Downtown hotels. Officials of Marcus Hotels & Resorts of Milwaukee said they’ll pump up to $7.5 million into the 186-room hotel. The improvements, which could be completed in February, will include new rooms, a redesigned lobby and changes to the hotel’s cafe and bar.

Hotel owners sleeping well as occupancy is up Business First of Columbus - May 12, 2006 by Brian R. BallBusiness First Central Ohio hotel operators can expect better times in the next few years as rising demand for lodging stays well ahead of construction of more rooms, says a new report on the hospitality sector. The report by Columbus hospitality consultant Eric Belfrage shows occupancy at Franklin County hotels last year rose above 60 percent for the first time since 2000. At the same time, the average nightly rate for a stay climbed to nearly $76 - a 6 percent increase over the previous year.

I think the issue here so much is the gamble the county is taking on this new stadium and possibly issolating its most ardant fan base: those that go to Clippers games because it's CHEAP. I think most believe that even if prices for tickets and parking were to double, the new clientele that would be frequenting Clippers games would more than make up for the loss of patrons that now deem the outting too expensive, but the county is going on the conservative. I think if, when all is said and done, that attendance and parking patronage do exceed current projections, we could see parking fees raised to more market driven levels. However, as mentioned, it would be far more beneficial if the proposed streetcar system was integrated into this project in the manner described by noozer. Here's hoping.

Many congratulations to Nashville, by the way. They're definitely getting the job done!

This, in my opinion, illustrates just about everyone's point on a project that will not only make an incredibly beautiful and impressive impact on a city skyline, but create a mixed-use project that will fit into the urban landscape and add much to the downtown area as a whole, unlike the monstrosity being built in Louisville. I would love to have a building like this in Columbus or Cincinnati (Cleveland already has one, lucky dogs ;) )

You guys have it a home run here, I love it! The entire layout is very well thought out and can be appreciated by those familar to Cincinnati's streets as well as people that are unacquainted with the Cincinnati area. I especially love the moving car on the map that orientates the viewer to the location of the car in the video. Very original and very well done. Please copyright or confirm this idea as yours; I could see online sites such as Mapquest being very interested in applying an idea such as yours to their product.

You have to have patience with the Clevelanders and Cincinnatians. Columbus is the red-headed stepchild of the Three C's in their eyes, and every topic concerning the city (assuming it lasts 24 hours on the first page) is an opportunity for quip remarks. I've gotten used to it.

I was working the ticket counter at Port Columbus one afternoon when two young men approached me asking where they could find Southeast Airlines. (For those that don't know, Southeast was a scheduled-charter airline that flew from Columbus Rickenbacker with flights to Orlando-Sanford and St. Petersburg back when the airport had scheduled commercial passenger service. Also, the airport is a good ways away from Port Columbus, on the far southeast side by Groveport.) I proceeded to tell them that they were at the wrong airport, and whether they knew where Rickenbacker was and how to get there. The guy driving his friend to the airport had recently relocated to Columbus and didn't know the highways at all, and his friend didn't know where it was either. Since they were in a race against time, I quickly scribbled out directions on the back of a luggage tag, telling them to take International Gateway Drive back to I-670W, then to take I-71S to I-270E until they got to Alum Creek Dr., which is a straight shot all the way to the Rickenbacker airport terminal. They thanked me and ran back to the parking garage. I went back to work, but during that time, I realized in my own haste to get them on their way and to continue checking people in, that I might have accidently wrote "I-270W" by mistake instead of east! I would love to know whether they ever made it to Rickenbacker...

The Grandview Metropolitan is set to begin construction this summer. It's a few blocks down 3rd St. from The Heights, which is currently under construction. "The location of The Metropolitan is just one aspect of its uniqueness. The other facets are designed into the building and individual residences. The mid-rise, four-story building has a distinctive flatiron-shape. Architecturally, The Metropolitan draws from the 1930’s “Brick Deco” design of the neighborhood that surrounds it, then spins it in an unmistakably modern and timeless direction." http://www.metropolitangrandview.com/ Information about The Heights: "The Heights is a 5-story, 20 unit condominium home project on the corner of Grandview and Third Avenues. The condominium homes are on the second through fifth floor, with private, secure parking is on the ground level." http://www.cityspaceresidential.com/theheights.asp

Ahh, gotta love the privileges granted to the bearer of a SIDA badge... :-D Very nice photos of Fort Widget #2 (behind ATL). I love the overview of Concourse C, with the 767-300 parked on the B Concourse on the right, dwarfing all the CR2s and CR7s parked at C. Well done, especially without a tripod!

More condos set for Short North Business First of Columbus - April 21, 2006 By Brian R. Ball, Business First JBH Holdings LLC has tentative plans to build 37 condos at North High Street and West 4th Avenue, next to Skully's bar and diner. JBH's Jackson on High project, now before the Victorian Village Commission for approval, is contingent on the expected April 19 acquisition of a vacant building at 1127 N. High St. and an adjacent parking lot for $1.6 million. Lakota Investment Co. had planned to build an 18-unit project dubbed Fusion Lofts on the property. Brad Howe, a former banker leading the $11 million project, said a two-level parking garage will offer about 80 parking slots for condo owners and neighboring property owners. "The weakness in the Short North is parking," Howe said. "The Jackson on High's garage gives us a competitive advantage." "It's really a dynamic-looking building; it's not like anything we've had in the Short North," he said. "So it introduces new architectural element I think will improve the district." Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/04/24/story1.html