April 23, 201411 yr I've felt the same way about the "Franklin County pays/Delaware County doesn't pay" issue regarding the zoo levy. However, there is another side to that issue I hadn't considered until I watched the latest 'Columbus On The Record' program this weekend - the full youtube recording of it is posted below. They start discussing the zoo levy at the 13:50 mark. And it's a very good (and civil) look at multiple sides of it. One side brought up at the 17:34 mark by an Ohio Public Radio reporter who lives in Delaware County touches upon the Delaware County angle. The OPR reporter noted that Delaware County never asked to have the zoo placed in Delaware County (and it's just barely over the Franklin County border in Delaware County too). And she also noted a not-so-nice history that Delaware County has with the zoo. Mainly that Columbus has used the zoo on annexation and water issues that benefit Columbus and Franklin County.
April 23, 201411 yr FYI: Columbus Underground also had more about the downtown zoo component last week at http://www.columbusunderground.com/zoo-unveils-details-of-new-downtown-attraction-bw1
April 26, 201411 yr Some more about the downtown zoo component earlier this month from the Dispatch at http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/04/09/interactive-exhibits-at-heart-of-new-zoo.html
April 26, 201411 yr 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.
April 26, 201411 yr I heard the story about Citizens for Responsible Taxation on WOSU radio a couple of days ago. Their idea of responsible taxation is no taxes for anything ever.
April 30, 201411 yr I heard the story about Citizens for Responsible Taxation on WOSU radio a couple of days ago. Their idea of responsible taxation is no taxes for anything ever. They sound like the Central Ohio version of this group that our Cincinnati friends know all too well.
April 30, 201411 yr Regardless of the Koch brothers funded national group or the local no-taxes-for-nobody group, this zoo levy already faced an unusually uphill campaign for a number of reasons: 1) Normally, Franklin County voters heavily support zoo levies at the polls. Columbus Zoo levies have passed easily four times in 1985, 1990, 1994 and 2004. However, those were all temporary property tax levies. This one is a permanent property tax levy - and it contains additional components then just the main zoo (Downtown Zoo and The Wilds are in this one). 2) Delaware County has experienced much growth and development since the last levy in 2004. In 2014, the issue of this being a Franklin County only property tax levy is being debated for the first time. 3) The zoo levy is backed by the Mayor and local business leaders. However, it is coming on the heels of a Columbus Schools levy - also backed by the Mayor and local business leaders - that was soundly defeated at the polls last November. That was a Columbus only vote and not Franklin County wide. However, a coalition came together to defeat the November school levy. Near East Side minorities, who felt that the Mayor was "not on their side", combined with Clintonville progressives, who were against the charter school component of the school levy, to vote it down. A similar coalition could come together on the May zoo levy. However, the zoo is also as universally beloved an as institution can get in Central Ohio. So, all of those points might not matter. Although the polling just reported on at http://www.nbc4i.com/story/25377536/survey-columbus-zoo-levy-poised-for-defeat and at http://wosu.org/2012/news/2014/04/30/poll-voters-skeptical-of-proposed-zoo-levy/ shows a 36 percent "Yes" vs. a 56 percent "No" split going into the May 6 voting date. But as with most off-peak voting dates like this, the turnout of the supporters vs. the opponents will be key.
April 30, 201411 yr WOSU did a deep dive into the Zoo Levy with a five-part special report at http://wosu.org/2012/news/2014/04/28/special-report-columbus-zoo-levy/. - Part 3 deals with the Downtown Zoo component of the levy which would be located on the Scioto Peninsula (and relates directly to this thread) at http://wosu.org/2012/news/2014/04/28/columbus-zoo-levy-downtown-zoo/
May 1, 201411 yr The zoo levy will be interesting to watch. If you asked me what I expected to happen two weeks ago, I would have said it would easily pass. Public debate has shifted quickly, however, so I am much less confident. I think that statewide there will be growing debate about central urban counties paying for all amenities. Hamilton County is already having this discussion about Music Hall and Union Terminal. Beyond a state law change, you would need to actually pass a levy in ring counties, so it certainly is not something that would be easy to implement.
May 7, 201411 yr ^ It failed big time too - 70% NO, 30% YES I heard the zoo president say their next board meeting was next Wednesday. So at least a week before they announce "Plan B".
May 7, 201411 yr There's also a good discussion about the zoo levy defeat at http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-zoo-tax-levy-2014/page/25 I thought this question in that thread was pertinent: "I’d be curious to know how much of this was due to (1) opposition to a Downtown zoo; (2) opposition to a tax increase; (3) opposition to a permanent tax increase; or (4) opposition to a tax on Franklin County alone."
May 7, 201411 yr There's also a good discussion about the zoo levy defeat at http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-zoo-tax-levy-2014/page/25 I thought this question in that thread was pertinent: "I’d be curious to know how much of this was due to (1) opposition to a Downtown zoo; (2) opposition to a tax increase; (3) opposition to a permanent tax increase; or (4) opposition to a tax on Franklin County alone." For me it was options 2, 3, and 4.
May 15, 201411 yr Stephen Colbert gives a shout-out to the Koch Brothers and their 'Americans For Prosperity' group for their part in defeating the Columbus Zoo Levy: http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/jrmo9v/koch-brothers-vs--the-columbus-zoo
May 16, 201411 yr ThisWeekNews had a little bit more about the Zoo's possible next steps after the May 6th levy defeat at http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/northland/news/2014/05/12/zoo-officials-to-regroup-reach-out-after-levy-loss.html According to that article, the Zoo has not committed to putting a levy on the November ballot (although they have until August to decide). Because the current zoo levy funding doesn't expire until the end of 2015, the Zoo could wait until February or May of 2015 to go to the polls again. Although that would present a risk if it failed again. The article didn't say much about what kind of levy might be returning to the polls. They could try to return it unchanged. But that seems unlikely given the 70-30 defeat. Others news sources like NBC4, 10TV and the Dispatch are speculating that any zoo levy returning to the polls could be modified as follows: - The downtown zoo component could be removed from a future zoo levy. If so, the downtown zoo component could be dropped as part of the Scioto Peninsula redevelopment plans, or it could be funded separately. - A future zoo levy could drop the "permanent" property tax and return to asking for a 10-year temporary levy (like the existing levy) - They could also return with a regional levy request that would include more than just Franklin County. The down-side is that would require a change in State Law to allow it. Although, previously, only temporary levies were permitted by State Law for the Zoo. However, the Zoo lobbied to change this law to allow them to ask for a permanent levy, and the State Legislature changed it.
June 5, 201411 yr Well. So much for the zoo project on the Scioto Peninsula? Zoo turns back on Downtown attraction and permanent levy By Kathy Lynn Gray, The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday, June 4, 2014 - 4:05 PM The president of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium said this afternoon that the zoo will not build a Downtown attraction and will not ask voters for a permanent tax levy. “We heard the voters loud and clear,” Tom Stalf wrote in an unsolicited email to The Dispatch. “They didn’t want a Downtown zoo campus so there won’t be one.” He went on to say that the zoo won’t need a permanent levy if it doesn’t build a Downtown zoo and that the next levy request would be less than 1.25 mills. Only 30 percent of Franklin County voters supported the zoo’s permanent 1.25-mill property tax on the May 6 ballot. Opponents said the proposed Downtown zoo was unnecessary. Many said they preferred time-limited levies, such as the current 10-year 0.75-mill tax that Franklin County property owners pay. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/06/04/no-downtown-zoo.html
June 5, 201411 yr Well. So much for the zoo project on the Scioto Peninsula? Looks like we can take the question mark off my previous statement. According to the President and CEO of the Columbus Zoo, Tom Stalf, in a report at http://www.columbusunderground.com/downtown-zoo-project-has-been-cancelled: Some discussion about the project on the Columbus Underground Messageboard has revolved around the idea of raising private donations to fund the project. Stalf says that route is unlikely to be taken. “It’s not just about capital dollars, but also ongoing operational dollars,” he explained. “We wanted to build something affordable to the public, and to make it affordable, it needed to be subsidized through the levy.”
October 21, 201410 yr The demolition of the existing Vets Memorial complex is set to go before the city's downtown commission: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/10/veterans-memorial-demolition-set-for-downtown.html
October 21, 201410 yr While the new renderings for the new Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum that would replace the existing Vets Memorial complex is featured on the front page of the Dispatch. Below is the new rendering of the museum building as seen from the Scioto River, an excerpt of the article and a link to the full article: Military service inspires new Veterans Memorial design By Josh Jarman, The Columbus Dispatch Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 4:13 AM A high-tech, glass-walled museum, a rooftop sanctuary with city views and a secluded memorial grove are among the new features planned for a new, statewide veterans memorial. ... The features are being revealed for the first time today in new plans for the Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum, which is set to replace Franklin County Veterans Memorial. The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, or CDDC, which is leading the project, will unveil the drawings to its board members this morning. These drawings differ from the early artists’ renderings of more than a year ago, when plans to replace Veterans Memorial with a statewide memorial and museum were announced. They’ll be the basis for the building’s construction blueprints and show how the designers think the facility will look when it’s finished. ... Many of the elements of the early drawings remain, including a promenade that will wrap around the building and rise to a rooftop sanctuary. The updated plan now includes an outdoor memorial grove to the north of the museum building. Designs for the building itself have also changed. It will now feature a series of sweeping concrete arches that support the building’s massive glass-curtain wall. Construction should finish by the end of 2016. Initial estimates are that the entire project will cost $55 million. The CDDC has raised more than $50 million of that from about a dozen private and public partners. The Dispatch has previously reported that the new Veterans Memorial would be built using $25 million donated by L Brands founder Leslie H. Wexner and his wife, Abigail. The state also has agreed to contribute about $15 million, and the Franklin County commissioners have said they would pay about $3 million toward construction costs and an estimated $2.6 million to demolish the current Veterans Memorial and clear the site by March. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/10/21/place-to-learn-honor-reflect.html
October 21, 201410 yr Demolition of the existing Vets Memorial and design to build an Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum on the same site was approved by the Downtown Commission today: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/10/21/vets-memorial-demolition-approved-new-museum-to.html
October 21, 201410 yr ^ Speaking on behalf of the many poor souls who took the Bar exam, I am absolutely ecstatic to see that building get freaking imploded asap.
December 29, 201410 yr ^ The Vets Memorial demo bid came in about $1 million less than county officials expected: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/12/01/Bid_for_vets_demolition_$1_million_less_than_expected.html
December 29, 201410 yr Meanwhile and elsewhere on the Scioto Peninsula - the Planetarium has officially returned to COSI. The updated exhibit has seen a million-dollar renovation/modernization and reopened last month: http://www.columbusunderground.com/cosi-reopens-planetarium http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/2014/11/22/cosi-planetarium-returns-after-10-year-hiatus.html
December 29, 201410 yr Meanwhile and maybe elsewhere on the Scioto Peninsula, the Ohio History Connection might move a portion of its museum to a downtown riverfront location. Which sounds alot like the land the Zoo was considering building on, located next to COSI: Ohio’s history museum looks at moving Downtown By Alan Johnson, The Columbus Dispatch Monday, November 24, 2014 - 9:19 AM The Ohio History Connection is considering moving its museum Downtown, perhaps to a riverfront location. Burt Logan, executive director and chief executive officer of the organization, stressed that a decision to move the museum, now at E. 17th Avenue and I-71, has not been finalized. However, talks about a move are underway, he said. (. . .) Logan said the appeal of moving Downtown would be “a more visible and more accessible location.” He would not discuss a specific location under consideration or whether it would be a new building or an existing one. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/11/24/ohios-history-museum-looks-at-moving-downtown.html
December 30, 201410 yr :clap: New images of the upcoming Ohio Veterans Memorial The new Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum planned for the Scioto Peninsula promises to be a unique addition to the Columbus landscape. New renderings of the replacement for Franklin County Veterans Memorial, scheduled to be torn down next year, have been released by Allied Works Architecture. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/12/first-look-new-images-of-the-upcoming-ohio.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 14, 201510 yr Exterior demolition has started at Vets Memorial. Photos: Vets Memorial Demolition Begins
January 14, 201510 yr Exterior demolition has started at Vets Memorial. Photos: Vets Memorial Demolition Begins My only wish is that I could be there to watch that building die!
January 16, 201510 yr My only wish is that I could be there to watch that building die! I went to check it out today. Unfortunately they only part they have worked on is the North side of the building and the sun was just above it so I didn't get any good shots.
January 22, 201510 yr Recently posted at http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/scioto-peninsula-west-broad-street-open-house Via Email: Open House for Roadway Improvements -- Scioto Peninsula - West Broad Street February 11, 2015 4 p.m.– 6 p.m. Beacon Building, First Floor, Conference Room B, 50 W. Gay Street Project Description: Improvements will be made to West Broad Street between the Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge located west of Starling Street and the bridge over the Scioto River. Improvements include: • Pavement reconstruction, streetscape upgrades, pedestrian and bike facilities • Utility improvements including new water line, street lighting and storm sewer facilities • Sidewalk reconstruction and widening • Granite curb, street trees, planters, and lighting • Bike lane installation along West Broad Street • Installation of two planted medians • Traffic signal upgrade at Broad Street and Belle Street • Relocation of current above-ground privately and publicly-owned utilities to underground Schedule: • Design began in spring 2014 and is scheduled for completion in spring 2015 • Construction is tentatively scheduled to start in summer 2015 Representatives from the Department of Public Service and design consultant EMH&T will be on-hand to answer questions and show plans in an open house format; no formal presentation will be given. Exhibits illustrating roadway features will be on display.
January 22, 201510 yr Recently posted at http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/scioto-peninsula-west-broad-street-open-house Via Email: Open House for Roadway Improvements -- Scioto Peninsula - West Broad Street February 11, 2015 4 p.m.– 6 p.m. Beacon Building, First Floor, Conference Room B, 50 W. Gay Street Project Description: Improvements will be made to West Broad Street between the Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge located west of Starling Street and the bridge over the Scioto River. Improvements include: • Pavement reconstruction, streetscape upgrades, pedestrian and bike facilities • Utility improvements including new water line, street lighting and storm sewer facilities • Sidewalk reconstruction and widening • Granite curb, street trees, planters, and lighting • Bike lane installation along West Broad Street • Installation of two planted medians • Traffic signal upgrade at Broad Street and Belle Street • Relocation of current above-ground privately and publicly-owned utilities to underground Schedule: • Design began in spring 2014 and is scheduled for completion in spring 2015 • Construction is tentatively scheduled to start in summer 2015 Representatives from the Department of Public Service and design consultant EMH&T will be on-hand to answer questions and show plans in an open house format; no formal presentation will be given. Exhibits illustrating roadway features will be on display. Those two catch my interest.
February 6, 201510 yr More about the roadway improvements coming to W. Broad Street in the Scioto Peninsula. Also, the graphic below does a nice job of outlining the plans for the entire Scioto Peninsula area: W. Broad St. project to reshape streetscape By Rick Rouan, The Columbus Dispatch Sunday, February 1, 2015 - 6:49 AM A city plan to make the area easier for pedestrians and bicyclists to navigate could rewrite the rule book on that stretch of Broad. The proposal calls for bike lanes, wider sidewalks and medians designed to slow drivers. Starting in August, the city will begin moving utilities underground on W. Broad between the Broad Street bridge over the Scioto River and the railroad bridge west of Starling Street. That work will pave the way to reduce the street from three lanes in both directions to two lanes in 2016 and add other accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians. Bike lanes would run from the bridge to the railroad tracks near Starling. The $5 million plan is designed with the broader redevelopment of the Scioto Peninsula and Scioto Greenways in mind. ( . . . ) The Columbus Downtown Development Corp. plans to build the Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum, a $55 million project at the site of the former Veterans Memorial - which could open in early 2017. The $35 million Scioto Greenways plan, a two-year project to remove dams and restore the river to its natural width, is expected to be finished this year. That project will add 33 acres of parkland and 1.5 miles of bike paths to the area. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/02/01/w--broad-st--project-to-reshape-streetscape.html
February 6, 201510 yr Meanwhile, the Vets Memorial building is still coming down. But it's going to take longer and cost more than originally thought. It seems that when the Feds built the Franklinton Floodwall in the 90's, they used part of the Vets eastern basement wall to support part of the floodwall. DOH!!! Razing Veterans Memorial to cost more, take longer By Josh Jarman, The Columbus Dispatch Friday, February 6, 2015 - 8:35 AM It’s going to take months longer than officials first said and more than double the expected cost to demolish Franklin County Veterans Memorial. The county commissioners learned that yesterday when told that the building’s foundation is supporting part of a miles-long floodwall that protects the neighborhood west of there from potential Scioto River floods. The commissioners were asked to extend contracts with two companies hired to oversee post-demolition site work before the property is turned over to the Columbus Downtown Development Corp., which will build the Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum in Vets’ place. ... The unexpected additional underground work is estimated to cost $2.8 million and take several more months to complete. ( . . . ) Downtown Development officials originally said they wanted to begin construction this spring. But that won’t happen until late summer because of problems discovered late last year. The problem is that when the Army Corps of Engineers built the Franklinton Floodwall, it used the eastern basement wall of Veterans Memorial as a retaining wall for a large earthen levee. County officials thought there was an additional support outside the foundation wall to support the levee, but they learned that the building’s basement is essentially part of the levee. Nate Hatfield, a project manager for Gandee & Associates, which the commissioners hired last year to plan the demolition, said the fix will require removal of the rest of the foundation while leaving that wall in place. It eventually will be buried under several feet of fill dirt and graded in a slope that will protect the wall and levee. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/02/06/razing-veterans-memorial-to-cost-more-take-longer.html
February 17, 201510 yr Too bad this project is going to take longer. They are making good progress on reducing the building to rubble.
March 3, 201510 yr Too bad this project is going to take longer. They are making good progress on reducing the building to rubble. The old Vets is coming down pretty quickly isn't it. It seems like the floodwall issues won't slow down this above-ground portion of the Vets demo. Where it looks like the delay will be is at the below-ground portion near the floodwall. So instead of the Vets replacement construction beginning directly after the old Vets demo is finished, there will be a delay while they do whatever work is necessary to the eastern basement wall that ties into the floodwall. Below is a snowy view from W. Broad Street taken in late February by http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-february-2015 to add to your collection of Vets demo pics:
November 13, 20159 yr Some updates on the Scioto Peninsula. While work was being done nearby on the narrowing of the Scioto River and creation of 33 acres of parkland due to that narrowing (see the Scioto Mile Riverfront Park thread), the demolition of the above-ground portion of Vets Memorial was being completed in March. Below is a photo from http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-march-2015-part-1:
November 13, 20159 yr However, it was discovered in February that part of Vets Memorial’s foundation was supporting a section of the Scioto River floodwall, which stretches for miles protecting Franklinton. And so the demolition contractor needed to take extra care to not weaken the floodwall while removing concrete slabs and steel and concrete pilings as part of the demolition: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/04/07/vets-demolition-costs.html Construction was expected to begin this spring on the new Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum on the site, but the additional work extended the on-site demolition into the fall. Now this below-ground demo work has been completed and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation has taken possession of the property, according to a CU interview this week with the CDDC President/CEO at http://www.columbusunderground.com/scioto-greenways. Below is a link to the most recent Google Streetview of the former Vets Memorial site (and through Google's past views feature, you can see previous streetviews with the Vets Memorial building still standing): August 2015 Streetview of the former Vets Memorial site
November 13, 20159 yr So with the former Vets Memorial site now cleared, the future Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum is free to begin construction. Well, almost. Here's what Guy Worley, President/CEO of the CDDC had to say about that in his interview with CU at http://www.columbusunderground.com/scioto-greenways: CU: What’s next for the CDDC? GW: Next project is to redevelop the Scioto Peninsula, and the first project as part of that is the Ohio Veterans Memorial Museum. So, as we went through the permit process on this project, it took 20 months to get the permit. So now we’re going through the Army Corps of Engineer process to get the permit to build the museum, which is next to the flood wall. The county did the demolition, we’ve taken possession, and our application is in before the Army Corps of Engineers. So we’re working with them, and it’s an appropriate step to take, in the post-Katrina world, flood walls are very important, so it’s taking some time, and we respect that. So we’ll go through that process, and when that process is over, we’ll start building. CU: And what about the other plans, like the underground parking garage and park next to COSI? GW: In the next month or so, we’ll be working with the city to start that up ... more to come on that soon.
December 29, 20159 yr Hmm... Wexners: The Smithsonian and American Museum of Natural History may come to the Scioto Peninsula http://www.columbusmonthly.com/content/blogs/the-latest/2015/12/scioto-peninsula-wexners.html
February 3, 20169 yr I know the headline says Franklinton, but the first phase is in the Scioto Peninsula area: Broad Street into Franklinton getting traffic-calming, bike-friendly changes By Carrie Ghose, Staff Reporter - Columbus Business First February 1, 2016, 11:53am EST The Broad Street gateway to Franklinton is up for a major makeover designed to slow down traffic and make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists, perhaps as soon as this year. The city wants bike lanes and pedestrian improvements such as landscaped medians providing "refuge" while crossing the street in the stretch of Broad between COSI and the replacement Franklin County Veterans Memorial, said Rick Tilton, Columbus' outgoing deputy public service director. A yellow pedestrian alert light will flash when people are in the crosswalk. The first phase of roadway improvements, from the Scioto River bridge to the railway, also would upgrade water and sewer lines and beautification elements such as street lights and a decorative street light at Broad and Belle. The city has not yet put the job out for bids so no budget is set, but it's tentatively scheduled for this year. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2016/02/broad-street-into-franklinton-getting-traffic.html
February 15, 20169 yr More about the "road diet" for W. Broad Street on the Scioto Peninsula from CU: http://www.columbusunderground.com/broad-street-bike-lanes-bw1 Bike Lanes and Medians Planned for Section of West Broad Below is a site plan of the project area on the Scioto Peninsula. It runs from the railroad bridge just west of Starling Street to the Broad Street Bridge that spans the newly narrowed Scioto River. The new bike lanes, streetscaping and medians will be installed in front of the existing COSI located south of Broad, and the future site of the Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum located north of Broad. Construction, re-striping and planting are tentatively scheduled for this fall.
February 18, 20169 yr 620-slot underground parking garage, green space planned for Scioto Peninsula A sprawling surface parking lot at the Center of Science and Industry is being targeted for a 620-slot underground parking garage beneath public green space. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/02/18/exclusive620-slot-underground-parking-garage-green.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 20, 20169 yr There's a little more info about this parking garage & park proposal at http://www.sciotopeninsula.com/ RFQ Page: http://www.sciotopeninsula.com/news/Request-for-Qualifications--Scioto-Peninsula-Garage-and-Park/66 PDF of RFQ: http://a4a68517170378517937-83159ccbc9d2d6f7995b42078db7a675.r37.cf2.rackcdn.com/files-SP-Garage-and-Park-Project-RFQ-dtd-120715.pdf
February 20, 20169 yr Here's a bit more context for this parking garage & park proposal. This is a view of the overall existing Scioto Peninsula: (This view shows the narrowed Scioto River (which was recently completed) and it also shows the planned Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum which has not yet begun construction on the former Vets Memorial site.) The parking garage & park project would replace this existing surface parking lot that is located immediately west of COSI and is accessed from Belle Street between Broad & Town: Here is a view the parking garage & park concept that would replace that existing COSI parking lot: (This rendering is from the cover page of the RFQ linked previously.) Here is a conceptual aerial view of the overall Scioto Peninsula Master Plan: (The parking garage & park project is located between COSI and the conceptual buildings that are rendered in blue further west of Belle Street.)
February 22, 20169 yr About time. One of the worst surface lots in all of Columbus. Between this, the High & Long block, and rumors about the Dispatch lot on Capital Square - great to see all of these notorious parking seas giving way to good stuff.
March 22, 20169 yr Site prep work has begun at the Ohio Veterans Memorial & Museum site across Broad Street from COSI. Early March 2016 photo from http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-update-downtown-columbus:
April 1, 20169 yr After Veterans Memorial, attention turns to $37M Scioto Peninsula Park in Franklinton With work on a new Veterans Memorial and Museum well underway, efforts to redevelop Columbus’ Scioto Peninsula will shift next to an underground parking garage and public green space next to COSI. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/04/01/first-look-after-veterans-memorial-attention-turns.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 12, 20169 yr ^ More about this at http://www.columbusunderground.com/new-scioto-peninsula-park-and-garage-coming-in-2018-bw1 "(The) rendering shows what Amy Taylor of the CDDC called a “criteria plan,” created by OLIN, meant to provide a broad outline of how the garage and park will function. This summer, a new team — led by local firms Corna Kokosing, EMH&T and MKSK — will take a more detailed look and come up with a final design. The rest of the timeline calls for the start of construction by the end of the year, with an opening for both the garage and park tentatively scheduled for late 2017."
April 12, 20169 yr Hmm... Wexners: The Smithsonian and American Museum of Natural History may come to the Scioto Peninsula http://www.columbusmonthly.com/content/blogs/the-latest/2015/12/scioto-peninsula-wexners.html Looks like this is it. From today's Dispatch: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/04/12/5-million-requested-for-cosi-dinosaurs.html "The Columbus Partnership requested $5 million for the COSI project, that funding was included in the budget unveiled today. The request says the money will “create a regional attraction” by converting underutilized space within the building to create a dinosaur hall. “Natural history is something our visitors have told us time and time again they would like to see more of in COSI,” said Jaclyn Reynolds, COSI spokeswoman. "COSI has been in talks with the American Museum of Natural History, the New York-based museum portrayed in the 2006 movie “Night at the Museum.” “Obviously the American Museum of Natural History is internationally renowned for natural history,” Reynolds said. “We have been in conversations with them as part of exploring those opportunities to add a natural-history experience.”
April 13, 20169 yr ^ I posted this over at CU as well, but I would bet a partnership between COSI and AMNH is brewing which will be very similar to that of the Museum at Prariefire near Kansas City. The Museum at Prairiefire is a collaboration with New York’s famed American Museum of Natural History. This heartland outpost is the first venue outside of New York to continually host American Museum of Natural History traveling exhibitions. http://museumatpf.org/ The Museum at Prairiefire, which opened in May, secured a partnership with the American Museum of Natural History and will display two main traveling exhibits annually from the New York museum. The partnership is a win-win for both museums. For the American Museum of Natural History, partnering with Prairiefire furthers its mission of enhancing scientific literacy through its traveling exhibits and generates revenue to fund its education and science programs. It also allows Prairiefire to showcase first-rate exhibits without having to finance their creation. http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2014/08/29/museum-at-prairiefire-director-world-class-content.html
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