May 13, 200619 yr Quarry company, city disagree on land appraisals Proposed swap awaits building-cost study Saturday, May 13, 2006 Jodi Andes THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus is closer to swapping land with a quarry company to provide a new South Side home for the city’s impounding lot. But Columbus and Shelly Materials remain far apart on what they say their respective pieces of property are worth. Columbus’ appraisers say the city’s 52 acres on Jackson Pike are worth $4 million. Shelly’s appraisers say the land is worth no more than $2 million. Columbus says Shelly’s 60 acres between a neighborhood and the Scioto River south of Rt. 104 are worth $250,000. Shelly says they’re worth $5.7 million. All that will have to be worked out, city officials say, if a deal is to be struck to move the impounding lot from the Whittier Peninsula near Downtown to the Shelly site. The peninsula is to become home to a bird sanctuary, park and condominiums. Read more at http://dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/05/13/20060513-D3-00.html
May 27, 200619 yr New park begins to take shape Downtown Crews excavating ponds on Whittier Peninsula Saturday, May 27, 2006 Dean Narciso THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Anyone who has recently passed the site south of Downtown might have noticed clouds of dust or the drone of earth movers. Construction has officially begun, and John O’Meara, director of Columbus Metro Parks, mixes optimism and uncertainty when he talks about his agency’s first urban park. "It’s very new, very exciting," he said. "It’s fun being a part of the Downtown energy. To find 80 acres on which to build a park in any major city is really unheard of." The redevelopment of the site is a partnership between Metro Parks, the Columbus Audubon Society and city of Columbus. Metro Parks so far has spent about $5.3 million, $1 million of which will be reimbursed by state and federal grants. The most visible changes include the excavation of nine ponds, which will act as wetlands and as retaining ponds for future residential and commercial construction. Work to replace a boat ramp and a parking lot at the southern edge of the project will begin as early as next week. The ramp will be closed Tuesday through Sept. 1.Taking its place will be an upgraded ramp and an improved parking lot with benches and tables. Read more at http://dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/05/27/20060527-D1-02.html
June 13, 200619 yr I just drove around the site the other day. Besides it's proximity to the river, the best thing about this site are the views of downtown. Phenomenal! That black and white picture doesn't do it justice. They're well on thier way to digging out the lakes and tearing down old warehouses. Now if only they can get rid of those few thousand beat up cars. :)
June 15, 200618 yr ^ That's actually "C-Bus", much to my displeasure. There's even a local mag with that name. I'm looking forward to this park, how long is it going to take to finish? At the very least it'll be a real park, unlike North Bank which barely has any trees.
June 26, 200618 yr Some discouraging news regarding the proposed residential projects at the Whittier Peninsila site: Whittier development uncertain With developers gone, city contemplates its options Monday, June 26, 2006 Debbie Gebolys THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus’ quest to build a neighborhood on the Whittier Peninsula might be an impossible dream. Three years ago, city officials envisioned up to 2,000 apartments, townhouses and condos for people with a variety of incomes. Whittier Metro Park, along with cafes and shops, would fill up half the peninsula; Audubon Ohio would operate a nature-education center there. Metro Parks is building the 80-acre park and wetlands, and Audubon Ohio is evaluating architects to design its 5-acre spread. However, the only two developers who had expressed interest in the project withdrew in May, saying city leaders might have been unrealistic about the cost of turning an industrial wasteland just south of Downtown into a neighborhood. That has left city officials to decide whether to look for other developers, go it alone or rethink the whole idea. The presidents of the two developers, Pizzuti Cos. of Columbus, and Leyland-Alliance of Tuxedo, N.Y., said Whittier faces a triple whammy: contaminated soil, uncompacted fill dirt and the Scioto River flood plain. "The cost to develop the ground as it stands now exceeds what a private developer can do on his own," said Joel Pizzuti, president of Pizzuti Cos., based at Miranova on the northern tip of Whittier. "I don’t believe Downtown can support another 1,500 to 2,000 high-end (residential) units. It’s not what the city wants, either. But that’s what it would take to cover the costs." Audubon will kick off a fundraising campaign for its center by early next year and plans to open it by late 2008. "Our project is not dependent on if there is a master developer or an adjoining neighborhood," he said. "Our business plan is based on an estimate of zero revenue from the peninsula itself." Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/06/26/20060626-B1-02.html
June 26, 200618 yr ^^I think you should post this in the city discussion area where everyone will see it. This looks like it might be a huge blow to downtown's development. I'd like to see some input.
June 26, 200618 yr I wouldn't go that far. It is a setback, but with the Audobon Center and Metropark full speed ahead, who knows? Maybe they'll act as a catalyst for some development in the future. Also, more federal and state funding could probably be pursued to close the gap for Pizzutti (I actually think that's one of the reasons for all of the gloom and doom).
June 26, 200618 yr I think you're right, but it's also the psyhcological aspect. With the problems we've had with the arches (it's taking, what, over 4 years!) and possibly the new Clippers stadium, this will be quite a downer if the project gets stalled for a long period of time. We just can't afford to lose too much steam. I just wonder if possible federal and state funding was looked into. Surely they would have already done so if they could, or maybe they're just a bunch of n00bs. The city needs some Urban Ohio representatives.
August 6, 200618 yr Whittier Peninsula Park, nature center leading way By SUE HAGAN ThisWeek Staff Writer On a recent rainy Thursday, the future Whittier Peninsula -- the one with houses, shops, office space, a new Metro Park and an Audubon nature center -- was a little hard to envision. Shrouded in misty gray, what one could see was the rough gravel where the paved Lower Scioto Park boat ramp parking lot used to be. Further up the road, the vista takes in partially demolished warehouses, the city's vehicle impound lot, mounds of soil and rubble and an old water tower. Luckily for a visitor, the guide through all the gray was someone able to provide the vision. "This will be a boardwalk right along here, with views to the water," said Metro Parks Deputy Director Larry Peck, gesturing along the side of the road sloping down to the boat ramp. He described a new parking lot interspersed with green "islands" and a dock for fishing or bird watching that will replace one of the old boat ramps; that work should be completed yet this year. It will be the first section of the new Whittier Metro Park, and work is progressing on the rest of the 80-acre site with about $5-million being committed so far. Read more at http://www.thisweeknews.com/?edition=common&story=thisweeknews/080306/GermanVillage/News/080306-News-199957.html
August 8, 200618 yr From the 8/7/06 Dispatch: Impound-lot plan dinged City’s vision for Whittier Peninsula not viewed as cost-efficient by commercial real-estate agents Monday, August 07, 2006 Debbie Gebolys and Jodi Andes THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH City leaders want to move the lot from its 29-acre site on the Whittier Peninsula to make way for parks and a new neighborhood in the Brewery District. They also want new space for police crime labs and storage. The City Council earmarked $12 million in June to make it happen. But officials are talking about building new offices, and the real-estate agents say that could cost more than five times as much as buying existing buildings. Last week, the City Council agreed to spend $1.8 million for architects to design a facility on the Shelly Materials quarry off S. High Street. Columbus Finance Director Joel S. Taylor said he won’t allow that work to begin unless he can reach a cost-efficient deal with Shelly. The $1.8 million is in addition to $100,000 the city already spent to get appraisals and an engineering study of the Shelly quarry. That study found that unstable soil at the quarry would require costly fixes before it could support buildings or blacktop. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/08/07/20060807-C1-01.html
August 8, 200618 yr ^ I read that article yesterday and thought it was rediculous. So the realators are crying because the city won't lease thier small buildings. Then they try to paint a picture of impropriety or a care-free spending attitude by our city leaders. On the honesty meter, real estate agents fall somewhere between lawyers and used car salesmen.
September 14, 200618 yr BREWERY DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT Salvation Army sells property to Grange Insurer plans garage, offices, shops Thursday, September 14, 2006 Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Grange Insurance has purchased the Salvation Army property for $2.8 million to make room for a new parking garage, offices and shops. The project will become part of Grange’s $85 million expansion, which will bring an additional 260 employees to the Brewery District. Grange expects to have 1,000 employees at its rebuilt headquarters at 650 S. Front St. in January 2009. It has been buying property in the area for years. The final parcel belonged to the Salvation Army, which said it will move to 1625 S. High St., a former factory operation of Brewery District fixture Wasserstrom Co. The Salvation Army is moving willingly, said Maj. Dennis Gensler, who was stationed in Columbus from 1995 to 2004. The charity has run out of space and is welcoming the move to the 103,000-square-foot warehouse, which will receive $3.5 million in renovations. Grange said it is donating an additional $1.4 million to the charity. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/09/14/20060914-D1-02.html
September 14, 200618 yr Better than what is there currently. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 15, 200618 yr WOW!!! Maybe the best news of the year for me! I was just going to start a thread about how that salvation army building is so phenomenal and it is being underutilized. I need to go and snap some pics tomorrow. Between the new Kroger, the potential streetcar line, a capped highway split, and now this, my property values are safe and sound!!! Thanks GRANGE!!!!!!
December 1, 200618 yr From the 11/16/06 Dispatch: AUDUBON CENTER Grange donating $4 million Thursday, November 16, 2006 Debbie Gebolys THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Grange Insurance will donate the largest single gift to an Audubon center in the United States to help build a nature center on the Whittier Peninsula. Grange is to contribute $4 million to build and operate the center, officials are to announce today. The $11.5 million Grange Insurance Audubon Center is to open in 2008 as part of a redeveloped Whittier that will include 80-acre Whittier Metro Park. "It’s just a phenomenal gift," said Jerry Tinianow, executive director of Audubon Ohio. Grange’s gift beat the previous high "by at least a million, I know that," he said. Audubon Ohio plans a 12,000-square-foot center that will use energy-saving, environmentally sensitive building materials and techniques. The facility is to include a 200-seat meeting room, classroom space for 90 students, a library and a gift shop. Outdoors, on 5 acres leased from Metro Parks, Audubon is planning a nature playground, gardens, bird-feeding stations, a hiking trail, wildlife viewing decks and wetlands with a boardwalk. "It’s something on a par with the art museum or COSI or the zoo," Tinianow said. Audubon’s natural sciences educational opportunities "just hit the right chord," Grange Chief Executive Phil Urban said. The biggest employer in the Brewery District with more than 900 employees there, Grange will open an expansion to its Front Street headquarters and celebrate its 75 th anniversary a few months after the Audubon center opens. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/11/16/20061116-G1-05.html
January 16, 200718 yr From the 12/22/06 Dispatch: Audubon center gets $810,000 from SWACO Friday, December 22, 2006 Debbie Gebolys THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio has given $810,000 to the Grange Insurance Audubon Center, officials announced. It’s the third-highest amount to date, trailing only the Grange’s $4 million and $1 million from Limited Brands. "A very important part of our plan is our education outreach on benefits of waste reduction," SWACO Executive Director Mike Long said. "We need to get the word out about our programs and how to access them." Other major donors are the Columbus Foundation and the Crane Group and family, $500,000 each; Huntington Banks and an anonymous donor, $200,000 each; and the All Life Foundation, a philanthropy of the late Naomi Dempsey of Delaware, which gave $100,000. The SWACO money has been in the form of three grants. The authority helped pay for an initial business plan and pilot summer education programs in earlier gifts. Most recently, SWACO granted money for environmentally friendly construction elements. "Here’s an opportunity to show how we can rebuild from materials in the waste stream," Long said of Audubon’s "green" building plans. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/12/22/20061222-D2-00.html
January 19, 200718 yr From ThisWeek German Village, 12/14/06: RENDERING: Architect's rendering of Grange Insurance addition. This view is looking southwest from High Street, just north of Sycamore Street. The existing Grange building is shown on the right, with the addition at the center and left. Grange construction poised to begin Thursday, December 14, 2006 By SUE HAGAN ThisWeek Staff Writer A two-year construction project to build a ten-story addition to Grange Insurance Co. begins today, with a ceremonial ground-breaking that was scheduled for this morning. Brewery District residents could see construction fences go up as early as tomorrow, and dirt will start being moved around the end of the year, according to Milt Lewis, Grange facilities planning manager. The addition will add 247,000 square feet of space to the facility. Currently, the company has 280,000 square feet of office space in its 12-story Front Street building, which opened in 1978. Construction of the addition, renovations to the existing building and a new parking garage should be completed by January, 2009, Lewis said. The expansion, which is estimated to cost $100-million including design costs, is necessary to accommodate steady company growth expected over the next 18 years, said Patrick Faherty, Grange public relations manager. Currently, the company employs more than 1,400 people in 11 states, including about 900 at the Columbus headquarters. Faherty said Grange expects to add 775 new jobs in Columbus, with more than $60-million in annual payroll and benefits, by 2024. Read more at http://www.thisweeknews.com/index.php?sec=germanvillage&story=sites/thisweeknews/121406/GermanVillage/News/121406-News-277826.html
January 19, 200718 yr \ Sidenote: Have you ever thought about how perfectly Columbus is built to ride out downturns in the economy? Insurance, Government, Healthcare, and Utilities make up a huge chunk of the workforce. All of those jobs are relatively safe during recessions. Don't forget those colleges. Kids gotta go to school...
February 28, 200718 yr From ThisWeek German Village, 2/15/07: Brewery District to go for rezoning Thursday, February 15, 2007 By SUE HAGAN ThisWeek Staff Writer Brewery District residents are starting a drive to get portions of their neighborhood rezoned. They want to make the area more conducive to mixed residential and commercial living. Members of the Brewery District Society have drafted and approved a letter, to be sent to city planners, to get the rezoning process started. Area zoning is currently a mixed bag of commercial and manufacturing -- none of which is friendly to single-family residents. "The current zoning is not a big problem if you're a big developer, because you can go in and get a variance," said Lori Baudro, senior project coordinator for the Columbus planning division. "But for a single-family home, it's onerous," she said. Single-family homes are grandfathered in and can exist as they are, but problems arise when residents want to remodel or sell. Read more at http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/021507/GermanVillage/News/021507-News-306192.html
February 28, 200718 yr Clarmont could become place to live, eat, shop 60-year-old restaurant site may be redeveloped Wednesday, February 28, 2007 Mike Pramik and Barnet D . Wolf THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH One of the city’s pre-eminent powerdining spots has plans to shift into overdrive. The owner of the Clarmont Restaurant, 684 S. High St., would like to tear down the 60-year-old icon and build in its place an eight-story restaurant, condominium and retail development. Many of the particulars are to be determined, such as how the project would be funded and how long the restaurant would have to be closed. But owner Thom Coffman thinks that it’s time to take the Clarmont, a longtime favorite of politicians, lawyers and business people, to another level. Current Clarmont building on S. High St. Proposed new Clarmont and condo building on S. High St. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/28/20070228-D1-01.html
February 28, 200718 yr What is everyone's interpretation of that rendering. Are those small windows, or balconies? Is that ivy growing up the side, or artwork? Is the outside pink stucco?
February 28, 200718 yr There's a clearer rendering on the front page of the print edition of the Dispatch. The windows all have balconies. It looks like artwork going up the sides, either in the form of banners or actually painted onto the building. The exterior might be pink or creme in color, not quite sure. Either way, this proposal is certainly unique for that area of town.
February 28, 200718 yr Unique isn't the right word. Horrendous is. But you know what? The Clarmont isn't exactly a looker either so why not? BRING ON BOCA! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 28, 200718 yr I know what you mean about the Clarmont being hideous, but this site is a main bridge between the Brewery District and German Village. It would be nice if they at least stole one design concept from the surrounding area!!! I need to go track down a copy of today's Dispatch.
February 28, 200718 yr Eh, the bridge has fallen. Thus, rebuilding the bridge with a more radical design is perhaps more appropriate (I mean, how many MORE German Village overpriced Gingerbread houses do we need?). "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 28, 200718 yr I'm not asking for gingerbread houses. How about we take The Heights in grandview and cover it in red brick? I'm not asking for much. Just don't drop in a building that looks like a hotel from St. Petersburg, Fl.
February 28, 200718 yr So the architect is based in German Village but specializes in Correctional Facilities, Manufacturing, and Single Family Residential design. It makes a little more sense now. http://www.architectureweek.com/directory/firms.cgi?14512 And I have no idea what this means... Ingwersen said his design was inspired by the architectural concepts of firmness, commodity and delight. In other words, it needs to be structurally sound, make money and inspire tenants and customers.
February 28, 200718 yr Oh, I agree that there needs to be some architectural integrity with the design (for the record, the rendering is atrocious) but I think something more radical (ala Oasis in Short North) would do well. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 28, 200718 yr Author Well, OK I saw the design and i was like that looks like a casino. And it does look like Florida. But that is something about Columbus, because of the cities decent economy, we always have new buildings, and they are often a crazy mix of influences. Look at many of the 60's broad st. skyscrapers, some of those look like Florida too. However, if we didn't already have great quality infill occuring I would hate this project. The Short North, downtown, Grandview all have glass modern or great historic brick midrise to highrise infill occuring. However, right now there's a one story building on this site, which is 1940's suburban anyway. An 8 story across the street from the midlevel addition to the Grange Insurance will look fine. I think a splash of crazy color on S. High, which is very low rise and almost all brick will be interesting. Not every building has to be a glass design or turn of the century redo. We have plenty of those going up in Columbus.
February 28, 200718 yr High Street could certainly use some dense mixed use development, but that is one extremely ugly building. It would be better they build nothing than build that. Please, hire an architect with talent!! There are a few in this city (Jonathan Barnes, George Acock for example). Really, one hideous building can really screw up the aesthetics of an entire neighborhood (or skyline - Louisville's twin tower red and white lighthouse topped crap). I really doubt this project ever gets built anyway based on the experience of the developer (none).
February 28, 200718 yr OK...so I got the dispatch in print today and it's even worse when you see a 6"x6" picture of the thing. It really is pink which you can see contrasted with the two story german village brick house on the left of the picture. The "art" looks more like something on a fruit loops box. It screamed "toucan sam"! The torch looked out of place. The roof looks like it's copper. Worst of all...the article mentions a "crosswalk" to the new Grange building. I think this actually meant "skywalk". It actually shows up in the photo on the lower right side (look at the blue protrusion). Why would we want to take pedestrians off the street and close in High St. with another dreaded skywalk? I feel like this is all a bad joke.
February 28, 200718 yr Well, OK I saw the design and i was like that looks like a casino. And it does look like Florida. But that is something about Columbus, because of the cities decent economy, we always have new buildings, and they are often a crazy mix of influences. Look at many of the 60's broad st. skyscrapers, some of those look like Florida too. I don't think we should be recreating the worst of what we built in the past. However, if we didn't already have great quality infill occuring I would hate this project. The Short North, downtown, Grandview all have glass modern or great historic brick midrise to highrise infill occuring. So why not put one in the most appropriate setting...German Village. Why put red brick buildings in Grandview and the SN, but put a big tropical pink casino in German Village. Because variety is good in a historic neighborhood? That's probably what the highway designers said when they built the 70/71 split. I don't understand why you would build anything but "great quality infill" everywhere. However, right now there's a one story building on this site, which is 1940's suburban anyway. An 8 story across the street from the midlevel addition to the Grange Insurance will look fine. I think a splash of crazy color on S. High, which is very low rise and almost all brick will be interesting. Not every building has to be a glass design or turn of the century redo. We have plenty of those going up in Columbus. Why settle? It's not like the site is in the middle of a desolate surface lot. Don't get me wrong, I love that it's an 8 story building. But this is really going to be a laughing stock, and I don't want to live anywhere near it. If it didn't violate copyrights I'd scan in a larger image so everyone could appreciate it's crappyness.
March 1, 200718 yr Author Ok I do agree, but I don't think brick has to be used. Quality design is different than trying to blend in with the surrounding area. I would like this without the pink siding and maybe incorporate a glass design, if they will go more modern. The new Grange building across the street, i believe is to be a glass mid-rise. Also, the different between 60s ugly design and this, is that this still serves the 3 important modern new urbanist purposes. It functions, many 60s,70s,80s, used plazas and other elements (nationwide plaza) which deny the building the ablity to function with the street level and area. This project does use.. 1. Street level retail 2. mixed used, meaning restaurant 2nd floor living on 3-8 3. Interacts with the street, with underground parking In American new urbanism, we sometimes forget function is the most important aspect BEFORE appearance. I just took a trip to Toronto and the most striking different I notice between US cities and Canadian cities is... Canadian cities often take function before appearance. In Toronto there is less absence of street level retail, even if the building housing the retail is an ugly concrete structure. If your bringing urbanism to the masses less expensive buildings materials have to be used. Glass towers often equal expensive condos. Look at the mass apartment buildings you see in more social leaning countries, they are just large brick, what some call flat ugly high rises, but they serve their function. To supply housing for average incomes in a dense area. That doesn't mean that a building with this design in Columbus a northern city is the answer. Just that we should sometimes think outside of the box when using buildings materials that will function in creating a more affordable condo project. The post world war II new urbanism combines ugly design with a forgotten function. I would rather have this building there than what exists now. It would add more density to the neighborhood and promote more mixed mid-rise use buildings on South High. The columbus condo explosion has resulted in mid rise in downtown up to north high. It would be nice to see it start on south high as well.
March 1, 200718 yr They need to change the look and lose the skywalk which I agree will only take people off the sidewalk making it harder for there to be a busy sidewalk.
March 1, 200718 yr I'm completely in agreement with both of you guys about the functionality of the building (minus the skywalk). I love the density and connection to street level. Lose the pink stucco and the tropical artwork in favor of red brick or something more traditional, and I'm happy.
March 2, 200718 yr Lose the pink stucco and the tropical artwork in favor of red brick or something more traditional Or anything else. This would look out of place even in Puerto Rico.
March 2, 200718 yr It is not necessarily the color or the material that needs to change (though it is ugly), it is the entire design. The Architecture. That is why I recommend they go hire a different architect. This building would be just as ugly if it was covered in brick. The massing, proportion, rhythm of openings, windows, etc. are all wrong. The most basics aspects of the architectural design. I think you can get density in the Brewery District without having to support crap. It was really exciting when the condo boom just started in Miami, seeing all of the cranes and buildings rise up, but after a while it became really depressing when you realized how much total crap got built and that will be there forever.
March 5, 200718 yr Clarmont owner pitching plan for condo, commercial complex on site BRIAN R. BALL | [email protected] March 2, 2007 COLUMBUS - The landmark Clarmont Restaurant in Columbus could become the site of a 10-story condominium and commercial complex under plans owner Thom Coffman is testing for the 60-year-old restaurant. Coffman and real estate broker Peter H. Luft have proposed building a 180,000-square-foot complex with 54 condos and 20,000 square feet of commercial space at 684 S. High St. Read more at http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/othercities/columbus/stories/2007/03/05/story17.html?b=1173070800^1426058
March 6, 200718 yr i have mixed feelings, the claremont is a columbus classic. its a really cool old sinatra crooner to rat-pack era style place and it would be sad to see that go away, its an irreplaceable vibe. otoh the owner has a right to redevelop his property and i take they will still have a new claremont restaurant of some type in there so i dk. sure the rendering is laughable, but the finished product wont look like that. this whole situation kind of reminds me of the stuff going on down on south congress in columbus's texas twin austin, where condos are going up in place of an old iconic car dealership w/ classic neon lights, etc.
April 4, 200718 yr Nature center gets boost from Columbus Audubon Business First of Columbus - 3:05 PM EDT Tuesday, April 3, 2007 The Columbus Audubon chapter has pledged $100,000 for a nature center in Franklin County. The organization will make its donation to the Grange Insurance Audubon Center over the next five years through local fundraising efforts. In return, it will have naming rights to the center's volunteer program. The nature center, which is scheduled to be completed by early 2009, will be located in the 80-acre Whittier Metro Park near the Brewery District. It will include a 12,000-square-foot indoor facility with a library, meeting room and classrooms, as well as about 5 acres with gardens, a playground, bird-feeding areas and wildlife and wetland observation areas. The center is being developed through a partnership between Audubon Ohio, Franklin County Metro Parks and the Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks. Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/04/02/daily12.html
April 26, 200718 yr Clarmont owner says the show will go on Business First of Columbus April 25, 2007 The owner of the Clarmont in the Brewery District south of downtown is looking to keep the Columbus restaurant going despite tentative plans to build a condo tower on the South High Street site. Thom Coffman, in a newsletter he's started on the back of the Clarmont's menu, said he's planning for the restaurant to remain open at an undisclosed site if the project, indeed, goes forward. A new, larger Clarmont would then anchor what's being proposed as a 10-story, 54-condo complex. A lounge dubbed Thom's Clarmont Club would occupy the penthouse level. MORE: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/04/25/tidbits1.html
April 30, 200718 yr From the 4/30/07 Dispatch: * PHOTO: The first phase of Liberty Place in the Brewery District, 135 apartments in five buildings, should be open for occupancy in late May. The project, first announced in 2000, has been delayed because of questions surrounding the reconstruction of I-70/71, putting plans for seven additional buildings on hold. MIKE MUNDEN | DISPATCH * PHOTO: Onesimo Sanchez, with the Brickman Group, lays down sod at Liberty Place. Although the green stuff wasn't put down until earlier this month, the property manager, in a fit of optimism, filled the pool March 1. * MAP Liberty Place lays out luxury Long-delayed Brewery District complex should be ready for first tenants in May Monday, April 30, 2007 3:24 AM By Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The tale of Liberty Place apartments can be told by the numbers. Not the number of apartments, their square footage or the cost of renting the Brewery District units. Rather, the building numbers as created by developer Winther Investments. "We're opening buildings one, two, 10, 11 and 12," said property manager Jeannette Tannert. Eventually, Liberty Place will have 12 buildings, but only five will open this spring. There will be 135 apartments among them, less than half the planned total of 314 units. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/business/stories/2007/04/30/ZONE0430.ART_ART_04-30-07_C10_IC6H83U.html
May 11, 200718 yr Clarmont update http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/business/stories/2007/05/08/REST08.ART_ART_05-08-07_C10_RM6K92U.html Thom Coffman is considering several plans to keep his classic Clarmont restaurant going during the time it takes to turn the site into a new Clarmont, condo and retail development. One of the ideas is to relocate temporarily to a nearby, undisclosed location, which he says has plenty of parking and space for banquet rooms. The Clarmont would be on the first floor of the eight-story building with a new Thom's Clarmont Club, similar to big, open rooms at the former Maramor or Tommy Henrich's.
May 14, 200718 yr Brewery District still is evolving One-time hot spot has cooled with rise of the Arena District Monday, May 14, 2007 3:24 AM By Debbie Gebolys THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The Brewery District is growing up. A decade ago, the tiny neighborhood south of I-70, between the Scioto River and German Village, was the homecoming queen of the young singles scene. But the spotlight has moved elsewhere, and residents say they're happy to have a quieter neighborhood of familiar, friendly faces. Now, people take their dogs to bars and softball games, and poker nights have replaced ladies' nights. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/05/14/BREW.ART_ART_05-14-07_B2_2V6N7MK.html
May 14, 200718 yr Wait. Victory's is closed?!?! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 21, 200717 yr I dont know, but this store is not in DT Columbus...its in the Brewery District. Its on the other side of 70/71. So dont get too jealous Monte.
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