^I was hoping to see the Ohio Historical Connection move their exhibits over there, or at least set up a satellite location on the Peninsula, especially with their current location being so out of the way of anything else. I’d love to see the tip of the Peninsula become a little museum/education district. 

I just want a smithsonian, moma or last but certainly not least a big downtown aquarium. Something on the scale of the Georgia aquarium, but that won’t happen in my lifetime.

3 hours ago, amped91 said:

^I was hoping to see the Ohio Historical Connection move their exhibits over there, or at least set up a satellite location on the Peninsula, especially with their current location being so out of the way of anything else. I’d love to see the tip of the Peninsula become a little museum/education district. 

 

3 hours ago, 614love said:

I just want a smithsonian, moma or last but certainly not least a big downtown aquarium. Something on the scale of the Georgia aquarium, but that won’t happen in my lifetime.

Whatever it is, it needs to be on a large scale. They cannot be too timid about this. As an institution or attraction or cultural whatever, it should be on a scale that is equal to COSI. This is another time when the city really needs to get it together, political and business leaders, etc. to bring something very significant to this location. And this is a time when we really do need the type of cheerleader and driving force that we had with Mayor Coleman. There needs to be a dynamic figure leading this, and we are lacking one right now, unfortunately. Ginther is just not. that. guy. I would rather they leave that area alone until the timing is right for something big instead of filling it in with something mediocre just to get it filled in.

 

Concentrate instead on getting this middle part done and then focus on the Broad street area and the area north of Broad until they can get something together for the Town/Rich end of it. Make the Triangle a simple park for now, and the area to the west of it could remain parking(and a possible festival area, etc.)until they have something important to put there.

 

JMHO.

Edited July 31, 20213 yr by Toddguy

4 hours ago, amped91 said:

^I was hoping to see the Ohio Historical Connection move their exhibits over there, or at least set up a satellite location on the Peninsula, especially with their current location being so out of the way of anything else. I’d love to see the tip of the Peninsula become a little museum/education district. 

 

Watch out, the Koch Buddies don't want anything like that there and they'll stomp it flat

8 minutes ago, GCrites80s said:

 

Watch out, the Koch Buddies don't want anything like that there and they'll stomp it flat

First I’m hearing about this, did something happen before? Does it have to do with the zoo expansion?

19 minutes ago, Toddguy said:

 

Whatever it is, it needs to be on a large scale. They cannot be too timid about this. As an institution or attraction or cultural whatever, it should be on a scale that is equal to COSI. This is another time when the city really needs to get it together, political and business leaders, etc. to bring something very significant to this location. And this is a time when we really do need the type of cheerleader and driving force that we had with Mayor Coleman. There needs to be a dynamic figure leading this, and we are lacking one right now, unfortunately. Ginther is just not. that. guy. I would rather they leave that area alone until the timing is right for something big instead of filling it in with something mediocre just to get it filled in.

 

Concentrate instead on getting this middle part done and then focus on the Broad street area and the area north of Broad until they can get something together for the Town/Rich end of it. Make the Triangle a simple park for now, and the area to the west of it could remain parking(and a possible festival area, etc.)until they have something important to put there.

 

JMHO.

I agree. Whatever it is, it needs to be something that gets national attention and attracts tourists from all over the state/country, just like COSI. 

4 hours ago, amped91 said:

^I was hoping to see the Ohio Historical Connection move their exhibits over there, or at least set up a satellite location on the Peninsula, especially with their current location being so out of the way of anything else. I’d love to see the tip of the Peninsula become a little museum/education district. 

The only thing I don't like about that idea is I don't want a "satellite" of anything, I want the main thing there for maximum impact. I would rather the whole Historical Society move there, and have the satellite up where it is now. Although I would want them to sort of have a more updated and interactive/interesting place if they did relocate there. 

 

But of course with this we would be involving/surely fighting with/etc. the State of Ohio(and it's conservative leadership at the moment)so I don't know about this as it would involve many state $$$'s and all.

14 minutes ago, amped91 said:

First I’m hearing about this, did something happen before? Does it have to do with the zoo expansion?

 

Yes. They lost their minds over the proposal.

5 minutes ago, GCrites80s said:

 

Yes. They lost their minds over the proposal.

Damn I must have missed that. Just what the heck was their problem? They need to keep out of this.

On 4/25/2014 at 10:38 PM, Columbo said:

They say "politics makes strange bedfellows".  If that's the case, then those considering voting against the Zoo Levy in May might want to consider the bedfellows opposing it.

 

- Business First reports today in http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2014/04/25/zoo-not-so-popular-with-some.html about a local group called Citizens for Responsible Taxation, a political action committee opposing the zoo’s May 6 ballot referendum asking for a property tax increase for Franklin County residents.  Business First talks with Mike Gonidakis, the spokesman for Citizens for Responsible Taxation.  They also report that Mr. Gonidakis is also a government affairs lawyer and president of anti-abortion/pro-life group Ohio Right to Life.

 

- The Columbus Dispatch also reports today in http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/04/25/national-group-asks-for-defeat-of-zoo-levy.html that the Koch brothers funded conservative group, Americans for Prosperity, is sending out mailings this week urging Franklin County residents to vote “no” on the Zoo Levy. 

 

^Here's some background. I don't know if the new Koch organization is as big on these "nothing nice for cities, only for suburbs" efforts as the old ones were, but how petty.

Edited July 31, 20213 yr by GCrites80s

19 minutes ago, GCrites80s said:

 

^Here's some background. I don't know if the new Koch organization is as big on these "nothing nice for cities, only for suburbs" efforts as the old ones were, but how petty.

Make that one more reason to loathe those sewer dwellers. 🤬

35 minutes ago, GCrites80s said:

 

^Here's some background. I don't know if the new Koch organization is as big on these "nothing nice for cities, only for suburbs" efforts as the old ones were, but how petty.

Well you just know they would fight any tax increases to fund a move of anything to the Scioto Peninsula now too. smh. I loathe them.

 

*probably not just tax increases, but the use of any state funds too. 

Edited July 31, 20213 yr by Toddguy

5 hours ago, amped91 said:

First I’m hearing about this, did something happen before? Does it have to do with the zoo expansion?

https://www.columbusunderground.com/zoo-unveils-details-of-new-downtown-attraction-bw1/

I can't believe it was 2014; I thought it was like 2-3 years ago. Getting old!

2 hours ago, GCrites80s said:

I can't believe it was 2014; I thought it was like 2-3 years ago. Getting old!

This kind of thing sucks doesn't it! I feel ya! lol

It would make a lot of sense to have a proper Aquarium downtown, but considering the zoo has continued to expand its own water exhibits with the seals/sea lions last year I don't see that happening now. Their adventure idea from back in 2014 was certainly a cool interactive proposal that would be great and could certainly still work if the powers that be would let it happen. How long until we get a ferris wheel proposed? 

Let's just bring back the Columbiad.  

3 hours ago, jebleprls22 said:

It would make a lot of sense to have a proper Aquarium downtown, but considering the zoo has continued to expand its own water exhibits with the seals/sea lions last year I don't see that happening now. Their adventure idea from back in 2014 was certainly a cool interactive proposal that would be great and could certainly still work if the powers that be would let it happen. How long until we get a ferris wheel proposed? 

I brought up on the r/Columbus about having a downtown ferris wheel somewhere maybe at the scioto mile and got destroyed for it. I think it would be a good attraction, would look good if it had a nice light up feature, and would help with our spotty skyline. 

2 hours ago, jonoh81 said:

Let's just bring back the Columbiad.  

Don't even mention that atrocity! What a scam that was-that guy actually got paid a lot of money to design that hideous Three Mile Island looking thing-and then had the audacity to suggest it be covered in vines and stuff-in Ohio!-as if it would not look bad enough as it was. 

 

Why not haul out Brushstrokes In Flight from wherever that is and put it right in front of the Vets Memorial...Maybe we can buy back that hideous 100 meter Columbus statue from wherever that is too and plop it downtown-right next to a Ferris Wheel-as if that has not been done enough and would be empty most of the time. lol. 

 

*You deserved the poison vote for even thinking of that monstrous thing. I am having PTSD now! lol.

You know you loved it.

 

Looks like a Chinese Finger Trap

 

Since we probably shouldn't bring back the Santa Maria, Brushstrokes in Flight would be nice.

 

And Snake Bridge.

2 hours ago, GCrites80s said:

Looks like a Chinese Finger Trap

 

Since we probably shouldn't bring back the Santa Maria, Brushstrokes in Flight would be nice.

 

And Snake Bridge.

Blue Serpent Bridge Covering was an awesome idea and would have been inconic as hell. I still think we should get it-but maybe a smaller version over a Scioto River pedestrian bridge(we really need a couple of those, unlike many of the horrors that have just been mentioned.)  

4 hours ago, ColDayMan said:

You know you loved it.

 

The. Absolute. Horror.  

 

And to make it worse, the city is bathed in brown like all the buildings were smeared with sh*t-just to try and make this hyperboloid nightmare look even slightly less Gawdawful! 

 

*goes to pop some Xanax after seeing this thing...

More cladding and windows in on the office building. 

14 hours ago, FudgeRounds said:

More cladding and windows in on the office building. 

Looking good. I need to get down there and check it out for myself in person. I can't wait until this central Peninsula section is finished and Gravity2 is up. 

 

Thank God they dropped Buckingham and their anemic plans.

Sorry this isn’t an update on anything. I was on Instagram and saw a post of the Providence Pedestrian Bridge that was finished in 2019 or so. Felt like with pedestrian bridge talk, something like this would be a great direction to go. 

I like how these are turning out.

Construction progress from a pretty great picture I came across on Flickr. I think I count 11 tower cranes in this picture 😮

 

 

43 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

Construction progress from a pretty great picture I came across on Flickr. I think I count 11 tower cranes in this picture 😮

 

 

Driving on the interstates around town it's actually very impressive how many cranes are actively up and going!!  And honestly, I don't see it slowing up.  Loving how Columbus is continuing its boom!! :)

They are not wasting any time. Really hoping that the Cosi “pass through” project comes to fruition. Not sure if that is the right way to describe it.

11 hours ago, NightNectar said:

They are not wasting any time. Really hoping that the Cosi “pass through” project comes to fruition. Not sure if that is the right way to describe it.

Absolutely. It'll be a great place for a food hall-type collection of restaurants that can serve both COSI and the surrounding population later into the evening, activating the whole area and the waterfront. 

Edited September 8, 20213 yr by jebleprls22

As a refresher I've reposted the concept art. 

 

I'll be contrary and say that as it was originally conceived, it doesn't excited me much. I feel it would be underutilized and one of those novelties that goes relatively unnoticed with a revolving door of vendors. I think of similar pass throughs in Chicago or even the one across from the statehouse and they aren't really destinations and the amount of people using it for the purpose of a lass through seems relatively limited to me as well. If you're going to walk the river, going around COSI does not appear to be an access issue. Even once the peninsula is built out. 

 

I will always advocate for more use of the waterfront in this city but it didn't give me that. I'd love to see a full expansion of Cosi. A new huge, modern atrium along the riverfront the entire length of the structure on both sides to add another architectural gem to the river front. It would also allow for expanded exhibition space for further collaboration with the Museum of Natural History. It could, in theory, also be large enough to house the Ohio History connection. A full on atrium with more dinosaurs etc. A riverfront restaurant and retail component, sure but the first, limited plan we saw, I could go without. 

 

There is potential. But like alot of things Columbus does, it just didn't seem like it went far enough for the right amount of oomph and substance.

I would prefer to see the historic facade of COSI remain untouched. It's a beautiful building and I would hate to see it messed with. 

I am going to have to agree with @cbussoccerhere. 

 

While cool at surface, I was never sold on the corridor. Yeah COSI is essentially a giant wall along the river, but this would destroy the last piece of the old Central HS facade and virtually split COSI in half. There really isn't as much space there as this plan wants people think; I don't see any way this could be more than just a walkway. Absolutely there is merit in finding a more welcoming way to move around COSI, I just don't see spitting the building with a giant glass corridor as the right solution.

I'm not as worried about the original facade. There are fantastic examples of combining the two. The facade is easily preserved. It's just a matter how to use the space. If there is concern over whether the facade is visible to exterior, then that's where the new wings I advocate for are even more important.  Then the east facing courtyard is left open and spruced up and the wings take the new amenities desired. 

 

Cleveland has an amazing example but it's great for a museum. And I think Cosi would look great with a similar atrium. But it's Not great as a pass through. That's why I'm concerned over the concept as presented. 

Hopefully they will try and focus on the ends of COSI-where there are already vehicle and pedestrian passages. And where there is already a "place to go" on the one side with the Vet's Memorial, and hopefully another one coming(some cultural something or other) in "the Triangle"-not to be confused with the soccer stadium triangle-to the south of this. Activate the existing passageways first. 

 

I like the large versatile atrium/atria idea better than 'the retail passageway' idea also.

3 hours ago, DTCL11 said:

I'm not as worried about the original facade. There are fantastic examples of combining the two. The facade is easily preserved. It's just a matter how to use the space. If there is concern over whether the facade is visible to exterior, then that's where the new wings I advocate for are even more important.  Then the east facing courtyard is left open and spruced up and the wings take the new amenities desired. 

 

Cleveland has an amazing example but it's great for a museum. And I think Cosi would look great with a similar atrium. But it's Not great as a pass through. That's why I'm concerned over the concept as presented. 

The problem is you have to go inside to see the facade. I don’t want that to be the case. I want to be able to see the original facade from the other side of the river. There’s going to be a lot of contemporary buildings on that side of the river. Let’s save the one marque historic facade and keep it the way it is. 
 

Also, I don’t get the need to create a corridor through COSI. All pedestrian traffic flows from the bridges and will go around COSI once the peninsula is built. Creating a corridor through COSI is completely unnecessary. 

Here's a pretty cool shot of COSI with the Scioto Peninsula and Gravity construction activity behind it. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTk1FpSrIpE/

Looking NW from Belle and Town. It's really feeling like it's filling up (and there's still a long ways to go!). 

Construction nearing completion on Scioto Peninsula parking garages

 

Construction on the two parking garages that will support the Scioto Peninsula development continues to hum along and the city continues to pay down the debt on the structures.

 

The Starling Street parking garage – which is really two structures with a total of 1,400 spaces – will cost about $32.5 million.

 

On Monday, Columbus City Council issued $28 million in limited tax bond anticipation notes to continue to pay toward what the city owes on the garages, said Joe Lombardi, Columbus' finance director.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/10/12/scioto-peninsula-parking-garage.html

 

12 hours ago, ColDayMan said:

Construction nearing completion on Scioto Peninsula parking garages

 

Construction on the two parking garages that will support the Scioto Peninsula development continues to hum along and the city continues to pay down the debt on the structures.

 

The Starling Street parking garage – which is really two structures with a total of 1,400 spaces – will cost about $32.5 million.

 

On Monday, Columbus City Council issued $28 million in limited tax bond anticipation notes to continue to pay toward what the city owes on the garages, said Joe Lombardi, Columbus' finance director.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/10/12/scioto-peninsula-parking-garage.html

 

Now, add a pedestrian bridge between Veterans Memorial and North Bank Park and this becomes another feasible option for game parking with slightly less congested ingress/egress. 

25 minutes ago, NightNectar said:

Now, add a pedestrian bridge between Veterans Memorial and North Bank Park and this becomes another feasible option for game parking with slightly less congested ingress/egress. 

 

A pedestrian bridge would be awesome. Unfortunately, the RR bridge makes things very inconvenient. Below are three different options for a pedestrian bridge, in my opinion. The red is probably the best option in terms of how things are currently built out. The purple could be a solid option depending on how the vacant lots behind Vets Memorial get developed. The yellow is probably the worst option in terms of accessibility from the Scioto Peninsula/Franklinton Developments, but would likely be the cheapest option due to it likely being a shorter bridge. 

 

I just really hope we start getting more developments which utilize the river. It's like our best natural feature here in Columbus and it's incredibly underutilized. So many sections of the river are dammed up and surrounded by concrete and unkept areas. That one OSU announcer always use to say "...on the banks of the mighty Olentangy", but if you didn't go to the stadium crossing that one bridge which goes over the river, you wouldn't have any idea there was a river a stones throw away. Just hope we see more stuff like what they're doing down here and places like Bridge Park where they are really complementing the adjacent river and make it more of an accessible attraction in more locations here in the Columbus area.

Edited October 13, 20213 yr by TIm

People got really hung up on the fact that the rivers aren't navigable and ignored them for that reason.

1 hour ago, GCrites80s said:

People got really hung up on the fact that the rivers aren't navigable and ignored them for that reason.

Which is crazy because that makes them entirely a recreation resource and attraction which is so much better than a river which can accommodate large ships that pollute the waters and aren't safe for people to use.

There's been several proposals for boating facilities but nothing ever stuck. Then the failed dredging experiment of the late '80s happened. After that we didn't really see anything.

8 hours ago, cbussoccer said:

 

A pedestrian bridge would be awesome. Unfortunately, the RR bridge makes things very inconvenient. Below are three different options for a pedestrian bridge, in my opinion. The red is probably the best option in terms of how things are currently built out. The purple could be a solid option depending on how the vacant lots behind Vets Memorial get developed. The yellow is probably the worst option in terms of accessibility from the Scioto Peninsula/Franklinton Developments, but would likely be the cheapest option due to it likely being a shorter bridge. 

 

Curious why you think the red option is the best option? As far as I can tell it's exactly the same as walking down the Scioto mile and crossing on broad street. I guess it's slightly more direct? 

 

My opinion would be go with yellow, provides a much shorter way to get to the peninsula. Railroad tracks could be a bit tricky, but you either go over them and land in the parking lot (high hopes for future development there) or connect to the existing bike path that goes under and add another ramp that goes up the flood wall into the memorial grove. I guess cheaper third option would be an at grade crossing, not the best but that rail line doesn't seem heavily trafficked. There's that at grade crossing to connect Marconi Blvd and that seems to not be an issue. 

1 hour ago, 17thState said:

Curious why you think the red option is the best option? As far as I can tell it's exactly the same as walking down the Scioto mile and crossing on broad street. I guess it's slightly more direct? 

 

My opinion would be go with yellow, provides a much shorter way to get to the peninsula. Railroad tracks could be a bit tricky, but you either go over them and land in the parking lot (high hopes for future development there) or connect to the existing bike path that goes under and add another ramp that goes up the flood wall into the memorial grove. I guess cheaper third option would be an at grade crossing, not the best but that rail line doesn't seem heavily trafficked. There's that at grade crossing to connect Marconi Blvd and that seems to not be an issue. 

That rail line is heavily trafficked. That said, I agree that going under would work. 

11 hours ago, 17thState said:

Curious why you think the red option is the best option? As far as I can tell it's exactly the same as walking down the Scioto mile and crossing on broad street. I guess it's slightly more direct? 

 

I feel the red option is the best in terms of access from the majority of the peninsula and Franklinton. If you put the access point at Broad Street it's much more top of mind for people and much easier for visitors to find. If you put the access point at the purple or yellow options, it's not even visible from really anywhere on the peninsula. You have to walk down the path around VMM to see it. 

 

Now, if you want to talk access from the AD, the yellow option is by far the best option. 

18 hours ago, GCrites80s said:

There's been several proposals for boating facilities but nothing ever stuck. Then the failed dredging experiment of the late '80s happened. After that we didn't really see anything.

 

Dredging partially failed because the low head dam at Main kept backing up all the silt.  Now that it's gone, silt refill isn't as bad, but the river is also shallower now.  

Edited October 14, 20213 yr by jonoh81