.justin

Franklin County is planning to build a surface parking lot at 50 E Mound St (Franklin Commons). They also own the parking lot to the east. (Taken from slide 23 here)

Looks like there are plastic tarps covering the glass while they work on the restaurant build-out. A couple of them are hanging more loosely now -- it definitely made it look like the glass was frosted before.

Google Street View shows that this building was removed sometime between 2009 and 2014. 2009: 2014:

The northwest corner of Morse and Sunbury seems likely. That parcel is owned by "Easton Innkeepers LLC" and has an owner address of 4404 Buckeye Ln Ste 220, Beavercreek, OH. Sticking that address in Google brings up Middletown Hotel Management, which is the developer mentioned in that article.

Please excuse me while I dream for a second. I couldn't resist...

It seems like that's the main intent -- an expansion of the existing greenways as well as additional east-west connections. The map on the Rapid Project website shows existing and future planned greenway trails, which seems similar to the other greenway trail plans I've seen. There's actually a list of trail projects the city plans to build in the next 5 years on their website, but I can't find it right now as it looks like the city's website is down.

There's definitely a culture (and honestly I think training/education) issue in DPS regarding crosswalk markings... I had reported the crosswalk at Thurman and City Park Ave in German Village (where they had added basic parallel line markings over the summer) asking for ladder style markings to be added and the response I got back referenced NCHRP guidelines for uncontrolled crosswalks from 2006. I looked through those guidelines and they don't say anything about the style of markings used. More recent guidelines from FHWA, NACTO, etc all recommend using higher-visibility markings like the ladder style markings that Columbus uses in some places but not most places.

The Dispatch article yesterday says CSX has been trying to sell the land but has had difficulty due to the challenges at the site:

What further protections do you suggest? Couldn't any protections passed by the city council, the Metro Parks board, or anyone else be overturned in the future if leaders change and priorities shift?

Keep in mind Metro Parks are a wholly separate government entity from the City of Columbus. Metro Parks primary mission is to conserve open space. There is already language in the Ohio Revised Code adding some protections for land that has been acquired by Metro Parks - see ORC 1545.

I don't have a photo but the individual Columbus lettering has been replaced with a single-piece sign.

Yeah they were just doing joint repairs on the bridge. I imagine when the building construction starts in earnest the northbound curb lane will close.

Yeah that's a good example of what Columbus should be doing but isn't. Even in the Short North on the section of High St that was just rebuilt, they have put down standard parallel lines at signalized intersections and no markings or signage at most unsignalized intersections. (There are only two crosswalks at unsignalized intersections that do have markings and signs, and one of those has a rapid flashing beacon)

I don't want to take this thread off-topic so I started a separate thread to discuss this:

Starting a new thread on this so as to not take a separate thread in the Columbus development forum off topic: This bothers me so much. An anecdote: The city added crosswalk markings along Thurman Ave in German Village this summer after repeated requests from the south side commission, but they only added basic parallel lines. I requested through 311 they add high-visibility markings at one intersection (and signs, but I'd be happy just with the markings) and after two months they responded saying that upon further review, the Division of Traffic Management recommended no changes. What's ridiculous is that the city joined NACTO last year and specifically did so to show its commitment to implementing best practices from the NACTO Urban Street Design Guide -- it says as much on their Complete Streets page. The problem they haven't actually implemented even the most basic best practices, because a critical recommendation for crosswalks in the guide is to use "high­-visibility ladder, zebra, and continental crosswalk markings" over standard parallel lines. I for one would absolutely support any means of pressuring the city to actually paint proper crosswalks.

Convention Center Drive by the construction site is also now closed.

So the Columbus Underground article says that the proposal includes the parking lots both north and south of the bank building: "Included within the footprint of the proposed development is a former bank building at 66 S. Third St., the two parking lots to the north and south of that building, and a large parking lot on South Fourth Street, north of the YWCA." It also says the development will be 3 acres (as does the Dispatch), which would have to include that parking lot. (34 South Third is owned by Capitol Square)

Yep - it's going in the new building that replaced Grandview Mercantile at 1st & High:

The new exit ramp to Parsons from 70 EB replaces the exit ramp to 18th St from 70 EB. It will should be opening the same time the 18th St exit closes. (From what I understand, due to hospital access requirements the 18th St exit cannot close until the new Parsons Ave exit opens) Once the 3rd St ramp closes in November, there will not be a direct on-ramp to 70 EB from downtown until summer 2021.

All of the letters were back up when I passed by this past Saturday, but as of this morning the M had gone missing again.

Yes, they came to an agreement that keeps the bar for now but also allows the site to be redeveloped "someday" - https://www.dispatch.com/article/20160417/ENTERTAINMENT/304179886

Yes - the guidelines can be downloaded from this page: https://www.columbus.gov/Templates/Detail.aspx?id=67372#GVg (note the guidelines document is a ~100MB PDF)

Plan is to start playing games in the new stadium in July 2021, playing the first half of the season at Mapfre.

Are you sure the first phase didn't include any affordable units? This article from the Dispatch says "Casto’s River and Rich project will have 230 units, 50 of which must be 'affordable housing.'" Did that change?

Half of the land that Gravity 2 is being built on was owned by Nationwide and sold to Kaufman (mentioned in this article).