jebleprls22

It is truly such a strange design for that intersection. The left hand turn from Third onto Rail seems unnecessary (and poorly executed as-is). And the right-turn-only lane from Third onto Rail should just be a through lane, which would also eliminate the slip lane and the weird treatment of how Rail meets Third. It is overly complicated and convoluted and, as you both have mentioned, it is a nightmare for cyclists and pedestrians just trying to travel along the south side of Third.

I'm not totally sure if it actually does act as service for the museum, because there is a different service drive going into the building directly from Belle St. I'm assuming it must be to literally service the flood wall?

@TH3BUDDHA Yes, but I mean they could add a trail to the east side of the river. There is already one worn in from people trying to do this. It's ridiculous to think that people would have to cross the river twice and cross Goodale to connect to these two all but adjacent parcels along that same river. I know that it's technically redundant, but people are going to try and make that connection themselves (as they already have, given the "desire lines") and will have no official crossing (with any sort of safety precautions) of the RR tracks that divide these two areas. In my eyes, it's like asking a person to walk a number of blocks in the wrong direction just to cross the road to get to a perpendicular destination (which is all but a disease in American planning). We need to make necessary and convenient access for people, not expect them to know that they have to cross the river east/west twice to get immediately north or south.

There is currently no *official* access from the White Castle site down to the new stadium site. There are a great many railway tracks where 670 becomes a bridge/connects to 315. That's another trail extension that needs to be worked out, in addition to roadway access between White Castle and the stadium site. Have you seen actual plans for the trail extension underneath Spring/Long? I hope that this little park becomes an spur for extensions north to Goodale and south to connect with the Scioto Greenway

@VintageLife any of the "new land" they created with the New Cannon Drive is all university land, yes. The old morgue is owned by the county. The parking lot next door to the morgue (to the north) is the university. With the new hospital tower, the existing hospital buildings will be taken out of rotation. Not sure if they'll be wholly demolished or if they plan to maintain and renovate them. There is a lot of planned shuffling with some of the proposed new facilities up at Hamilton Hall and the nursing building being expanded. So some of that new land at Cannon (specifically the parcel that they have now added construction staging/parking, bounded by King/Old Cannon/New Cannon/Medical Center Drive) will likely be land-banked indefinitely until such a time is required to build wholly new facilities to replace existing antiquated ones. As is the nature of medical centers and universities.

What seems to be neglected here is any sort of trail connection to... anywhere. Obviously this is a design for a particular parcel, but the addition of this pedestrian bridge does not accomplish much of anything. For anyone riding down the Olentangy, they continue to have to make a at-grade crossing across Spring/Long, a crossing that does not [legally] exist until you get to Neil Ave, or back across the river where you have to cross Spring/Long to get to the Boat House parcel where the existing pedestrian bridge connects to the north Scioto path. I hope that this is an immediate next phase of this. Otherwise the new pedestrian bridge is accomplishing almost nothing.

We also tentatively have a new parcel for development with the new Franklin County Forensic Science Center taking the place of the old morgue facility at King and [Old] Cannon Drive. I'm unclear as to whether the county is retaining this old facility or if it is now permanently closed? I know OSU had proposed a parking garage on the corner of Old Cannon and Medical Center Drive, too, another development that I haven't seen any updates on. I wonder if the morgue parcel will stay in county control or if the university plans to purchase it?

It will definitely be curious to see how they break up the massing. I wouldn't be surprised if the height was set back from the edge of Cannon as well. In terms of the original "vision" of the now park-facing Cannon Drive frontage, we so far have a gigantic parking garage (whose facade treatment has yet to be realized) and a seemingly imposing hospital tower... Not exactly the Arena District scale/aesthetic as originally envisioned, but I supposed we'll have to wait and see... They did later update a rendering with the idea of another James-scale tower in the position as we're discussing today.

I guess the TownPlace Suites probably required that second entrance off Lane by code? Even though you can access it through the adjacent parking lot... But the other build, the entrance off Lane seems totally unnecessary with the other THREE entrances off of side streets.

It says a lot that an alley/back view still looks this good. Nice garage doors, still [visual] quality, even though it's facing a parking lot (possible eventual development). Can every other Columbus development take note? Especially those that are in hyper-visible areas downtown and along major corridors. That I even need to say that... It's disappointing. But hopefully this can be a touchstone for the future.

That park pavilion is a nice little treat for this project. The one advantage of the one-story (probably indefinitely delayed at this point) restaurant up front is you'll retain a glimpse of that pavilion from a good length of Goodale

Ugh, so many unnecessary curb cuts on Lane.

Has anyone seen construction progress on this project? Particularly the front apartment building? Still curious as to what the ground floor situation will actually end up being.

I remain angry that the parking for the hotel was allowed to be along 5th while the building was pushed to the back. It also makes a rather unnecessary pinch point for the trail at that part. If they would have hidden the parking behind the hotel, they could have had better street frontage and there wouldn't be such close quarters along the trail. I hope there's at least an actual stormwater strategy in this case with the parking lot further from the river in some regards...

Glad that they're investing in granite curbs like in other parts of the city and OSU. Such a phenomenal long-term savings (and it looks great)

Great find. I wish they would make some reference to this in the new design

The true value of this development is if we get a large-footprint retailer out of it (*cough* Marshalls *cough*). Otherwise... Yea, it's an unfortunate project for the Edwards "urban" portfolio.

Yea, and Toronto has done this on major shopping streets (equivalent to the Short North), so there's no reason not to do so on 4th. And their separated lanes are also raised, which requires less width in tight ROWs. Arguably, both 4th and Summit should be converted to 2-way streets, too, because that's the only true way to slow down their traffic.

@NorthShore647 You are a hero for all of this photo updates. Thank you so much, especially on behalf of us out-of-towners!

For the Family Dollar Site, you have the precedent of taller The Jackson on High to encourage a taller development there. There is also far less residential development just east on 4th Ave there so something north of 10 stories would be appropriate and hopefully not adamantly opposed by immediate neighbors. Something like NBBJ proposed a little further north (https://www.columbusunderground.com/eight-story-hotel-proposed-for-university-district) would be really great and a hotel would help to connect the energy from the Short North and Uni District. The Check Smart site will end up being something more 4-6 stories I bet. Another office-centric project would probably be appropriate there, like the Grandview Mercantile replacement. Make a little node of new office space with The Castle just to the south.

I also hate how narrow the sidewalks are on 4th. Projects like the Spring Cleaners site make it such a claustrophobic pedestrian experience. I hope they end up doing a similar project as in the Short North where they widen the sidewalks, add street trees, and then also do a permanent bike lane treatment, etc. And maybe underground some of the power lines. (My dreams are expensive) Also, SO glad to see the Bethany Baptist Church renovation moving forward. I was worried after the fire there would be some structural issues with that project but seemingly not!

I just hope the little one-story FedEx Office just to the north on the corner of Spring and High stays forever. This block is the epitome of contemporary Columbus ?

I hope when the Family Dollar site gets redeveloped they maintain that alleyway between it and the Third&High. Would be a great little pedestrian corridor for additional bars/retail

I am so satisfied with the street wall this project is creating along this part of High. It's nice particularly because everything on the campus side is set back a considerable amount, so it really helps to hold the street better and make a nice, cohesive corridor. Also the fact that all of this density will allow for a great public plaza that mirrors what is... not one on the campus side at the Wexner, and you have a real improvement to the public sphere (of course the retail tenants, rents, etc. is a whole different conversation, and I am reacting solely to the physical form of this). Also, this new building seems to have a grand double-height space that fronts the street that will be great for events, so that'll be some nice activation as well.

Arguably, that could have been installed pre-decision about stalling building B and it's just going to wait there until they decide to resume that work.