cbussoccer

I've smelled sewage multiple times in Manhattan. No more 1,000+ foot skyscrapers for them! That is pretty funny though lol

I didn't see your edit before I replied.

You are proving what I was saying. Those two examples are the "pedestrian corossings that are not located at an intersection" that I was talking about. Columbus does the same exact thing. https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9698115,-83.0039712,3a,75y,162.71h,82.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sc9hF9amGy7UjCmljX_-VDw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9677238,-83.0053276,3a,75y,7.14h,88.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQQ_6HOSITjZxefayixYUzw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9646667,-83.003999,3a,75y,90.95h,83.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfRgL_kLP1EH7gJrBHFP5wg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9634571,-83.0045024,3a,75y,142.87h,82.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWXcn2hAz8hQ8cDi8gdoNxA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

That's a bit of a drastic comparison.

Isn't Elford at the mercy of those financing the development? White Castle was never going to pony up the cash to build a high rise at that location. They've also done their urban projects mostly in the Short North where they couldn't go very high. Obviously it's a risk going with a company that hasn't built high, but it also doesn't mean they won't try.

I was curious so I hopped on the google maps machine and took a trip to both Cincinnati and Cleveland to check out their crosswalk situation. Both cities have the same issue that we are complaining about in Columbus, not that it makes it OK. Cincinnati is as bad as Columbus. Just like Columbus, Cincinnati only seems to use the dashed cross walk for pedestrian crossings that are not located at an intersection, or are located at an intersection but are on a one-way street and on the side of the intersection where no cars will stop. Cleveland is much better than Columbus and Cincinnati, but still inconsistent.

So what you are saying is we need to dig another giant tunnel, and while we are at it we might as well dig out a tunnel for a subway as well? I like that plan!

Did the massive sewer project from a few years ago not help in addressing this at all? I'm genuinely curious because I know nothing about the specifics. https://www.columbusunderground.com/underground-tunnel-columbus

Updates to Gravity Project Approved The second phase of Kaufman Development’s Gravity project was back in front of the East Franklinton Review Board (EFRB) yesterday. Plans for the development’s two courtyards – one public and accessible from West Broad Street, the other private and meant for occupants of the residential building planned for State Street – were approved by the board, as were design updates for the residential building and for the six-story office building to be built at the corner of West Broad and McDowell Streets. Still awaiting a detailed landscape design is a plaza planned for the corner of State and McDowell Streets. The applicant will return to the board for approval of that space, and for a final signing-off on graphics and lighting, according to Belkis Schoenhals of the City of Columbus. https://www.columbusunderground.com/updates-to-gravity-project-approved-bw1

What building are you talking about? That would be one expensive show of commitment!

Ummmm ok? Fair enough. I was just curious how others felt, so thanks!

The only structure that has been built over the tracks has been one parking garage. It's clearly cost prohibitive to come up with an engineering plan to build a structure over top of it and it will likely take a miracle to get someone to attempt it. Doing something with those garages would certainly have a positive impact. It's upsetting that they couldn't even include some ground floor retail in them. I think both options would be great, but that's just my opinion. I wasn't trying to start an argument here, it was just something I had thought about. Every time I walk/drive down High Street, the Nationwide Plaza area feels dead because the green space is just not set up well, in my opinion. It seems to be mainly used for Nationwide employees going out for a smoke and that's about it. Why not try activate at least of it in a way that's a bit more useful?

I didn't say green space isn't useful. This green space, is a bit redundant at this specific location. There is a park across the street and additional green space at the opposite corner of the intersection. Additionally, a tower could be built while still retaining 25-50% of the green space that is currently there. I specifically said Nationwide likely doesn't need more space. I stated that it could a mixed-use development, not just Nationwide office space. Are you referring to the lot with the railroad tracks cutting directly through the middle? It's going to be difficult to get that developed given that type of material moved along those tracks. I suggested mixed-use, not a residential tower.

SPECULATION/THEORETICAL POST I've never seen/heard this topic discussed, but has NRI ever considered building another tower on what is currently the Nationwide Plaza park area along High Street? When looking at the amount space, it's clearly large enough for an additional building and almost seems like the arranged the current towers with the possibility of adding one more. Obviously Nationwide is not in need of a new downtown office tower given the amount of office space they've built at Grandview Yard, but this would still be a great location for a mixed-use tower. Hotel space would work great here with Nationwide HQ being right next door, and the Convention Center and Nationwide Arena being right around the corner. Ground floor retail would certainly work well given the 10,000 employees within a one block radius. Residential space would obviously work as we are still renting out units faster than we can build them downtown. Given that this is obviously theoretical, I'm just curious how everyone would feel about replacing this "pocket park" with something more urban and useful. There are two other urban pocket parks less than a block away - Sensenbrenner Park and the green space at the NW corner of High and Nationwide - so we wouldn't be lacking green space in the area if we lost this area.

To be fair to CBF, they were just quoting the tax credit application. You are correct though. By my count there are 5 surface lots remaining along High Street between 70/71 and 670, as well as the vacant grass lot next to the newest Franklin County Courthouse building. Hopefully by getting these buildings rehabbed and put to use, it will help get the surface lot next door developed. The 12-story hotel idea that was proposed wouldn't be a bad idea.

It's on the Millennial Tower thread which was moved to "Abondoned Projects". It was just brought up the other day.

$60M redevelopment proposal floated for downtown's Madison building and nearby properties The block of buildings on the northeast corner of High and Gay streets has sat vacant and deteriorating for years. Now a developer has a new plan to revive it. Eclipse Real Estate, a division of Edwards Cos., has submitted an application for Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits for the following properties: the White-Haines building at 80-84 N. High St., the Madison building at 72-74 N. High St. and the shorter 78 N. High St. between them. The proposal calls for 48 residential units on the upstairs floors of the three buildings with ground-floor retail space. The $60.7 million renovation would need $4.2 million in tax credits to make the financing work on the buildings, according to the application. The plan doesn't include the building on the corner that contains Cafe Brioso. "The buildings are in an extremely deteriorated condition and it has had a negative impact on the physical environment along a primary downtown corridor," the application states. "Returning these buildings to active (status) will fill in the last block on High Street and enhance the revitalization that has occurred along Gay Street and recently on High Street north and south of Gay Street." More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/10/15/exclusive-60m-redevelopment-proposal-floated-for.html?iana=hpmvp_colum_news_headline

We could somehow project a picture of Anthony Precourt's face above it ?

The middle finger tower would certainly be....iconic.

Is it just me, or does it look like it's giving the sky the middle finger?

Here's another gem from r/Columbus. It's pretty cool to see how prominent High Street is when looking down on the city at night.

I forgot about this project. Is this the first time they've done this type of development? If so, it would make sense for them to do it directly next to their HQ as opposed to an area of a different city that won't let you build over 10-stories.

I agree Kroger should have been mixed-use; however, Kroger is not in the business of building mixed-use developments. They at least did a halfway decent job by orienting their building along the street rather than having it pushed to the back of a surface lot. Having a full-sized grocery story there is crucial for the surrounding neighborhood, so I'm not going to complain too much about it. I completely forgot about Out of the Closet. You are correct, the building is a horrifically ugly design and it would be great if we could tear it down and start over. With that said, at least it's urban-ish in that the entire building fronts the street and hides the parking lot from High Street.

CU is pretty much useless now. They almost always get beat by CBF or The Dispatch (or random people on here) when it comes to development news. Sometimes they can't even manage to get a story out at all. They used to be the go to source for development news, but now I barely even bother to visit the site. Walker seems more concerned with putting out crappy political articles and restaurant reviews that nobody cares about. They can't even manage to put together their monthly construction round-up that everyone always enjoyed. Anyway...that's a discussion for a different thread I suppose.

It would be nice if one of our fine media outlets here in Columbus could hold Arshot's feet to the fire about what exactly there plan is here. Or at the very least, get them to say something. How long has it been since we've heard anything "official"?