April 4, 200916 yr "A lot of people I know aren't familiar with Gallery Hop -- parts of the inner city and urban community," he said. "This is something that is needed." Wow. I know that there is a disconnect between the major, healthy urban neighborhoods and obscure, forgotten poorer ones, but wow. I guess a lot of these people stay in their corner of the city. Certainly explains why when I'm in some of these neighborhoods that I don't feel like I'm in Columbus.
May 9, 200916 yr TV special to spotlight theater WBNS-TV (Channel 10) will salute the Lincoln Theatre renovation and reopening with A Look at the Lincoln, a half-hour program to air at 7 p.m. Saturday. A $13.5-million restoration has transformed the 80-year-old theater at 769 E. Long St. into a multiuse performing arts and education center. A week of opening events will begin May 25. The special, hosted by WBNS-TV Community Affairs Director Angela Pace, will include features on the theater's artistic director, Maurice Hines; oral histories of people who grew up in the Lincoln Theatre neighborhood; and efforts to make the venue true to its original design.
May 16, 200916 yr Reborn Lincoln Theatre ready to rise Business First of Columbus - by Brian R. Ball Saturday, May 16, 2009 The reopening of the Lincoln Theatre this month will create more than another performance venue in the central city. The 80-year-old building has undergone a $13.5 million transformation from an East Long Street eyesore into an active component of the city’s growing King-Lincoln District. The building that opened in 1928 as the Ogden Theatre and Ballroom will serve as a performance venue, the home for several dance companies, and the new base for the Jazz Arts Group. Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/05/18/story1.html?b=1242619200^1829102
May 16, 200916 yr More info from Reborn Lincoln Theatre ready to rise: Lincoln Theatre Address: 761-777 E. Long St. History: Opened in November 1928 as the Ogden Theatre and Ballroom for performing arts and a movie theater. Renovation start: October 2007 Construction cost: $13.5 million Owner: City of Columbus Developer/manager: Lincoln Theatre Association General contractor: Quandel Group Inc. Architect: Hardlines Design Co. Theater operator: CAPA General manager: Suzan Bradford Artistic director-in-residence: Maurice Hines, a Broadway dancer, director and choreographer. Reopening: May 21 ribbon-cutting ceremony with May 25 public tours. First performance is set for May 28. Seating: 566 seats, including a balcony with 149 seats. Resident arts groups: Jazz Arts Group, Ohio State University Department of Theatre, Alfred Dove Dance Studio, Thiossane West African Dance Institute, Columbus Children’s Theatre, Clarity Creative Institute, liturgical dance groups. Fun facts: The renovation restored the original Egyptian Revival decor of the Ogden Theatre, with large, gilded stage pillars, stenciled images and architectural details. The theater’s new logo is of the winged solar disk of the Egyptian god Horus.
May 21, 200916 yr Mayor Michael B. Coleman and other dignitaries will rededicate the Lincoln Theatre at 10 a.m. today after its $13.5 million renovation. The 566-seat Egyptian Revival-style theater at 769 E. Long St., just east of I-71, was built in 1928 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It will be used as a performing arts and education center, hosting local and national acts. A free open house, with performances by the Columbus Jazz Youth Orchestra, will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday. See the Life section in Saturday’s Dispatch for more on the theater and performances that start next Thursday. Learn more about the renovation during a WBNS-TV (Channel 10) half-hour special at 7 p.m. Saturday.
May 21, 200916 yr Veil lifted on renovated Lincoln Theatre Business First of Columbus Thursday, May 21, 2009, 1:08pm EDT City and county leaders celebrated the long-awaited reopening of the historic Lincoln Theatre on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, just a week shy of the first performance in the revamped venue. Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, Franklin County Commission President Paula Brooks and a number of other officials were on hand for the event in the city’s King-Lincoln District. The East Long Street venue first opened in 1928 as the Ogden Theatre and Ballroom and in recent years underwent a $13.5 million transformation funded through public and private dollars. Details on upcoming events at the Lincoln Theatre are available at http://www.lincolntheatrecolumbus.com/. Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/05/18/daily35.html
May 22, 200916 yr Anyone here headed to the open-house event on Monday? Great opportunity to take a tour through the entire building! I'll be there! :D
May 24, 200916 yr <b>Where we live | King-Lincoln</b> OSU geography class project reminds King-Lincoln residents of neighborhood's heyday Sunday, May 24, 2009 3:39 AM By Mark Ferenchik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH <img src="http://dispatch.com/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/images/may/02_king_lincoln_CLH.JPG_05-24-09_B1_BRDV1OK.jpg"> Mapping the King-Lincoln and Mount Vernon neighborhoods on the Near East Side turned out to be more than just an academic exercise for Ohio State University geography students. The students were charged with creating maps for residents so they could find employment agencies, food pantries and stores that stock fresh food. But they also mapped 24 points of pride for the neighborhoods, including the Alpha Building on E. Long Street, the first black hospital in Columbus, and the St. Clair Hotel, which provided rooms for black people when white hotels would not. MORE: http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/05/24/KING-LINCOLN.ART_ART_05-24-09_B1_BRDV1RQ.html?sid=101
May 25, 200916 yr Anyone here headed to the open-house event on Monday? Great opportunity to take a tour through the entire building! I'll be there! :D I'll be there as well. I'm really looking forward to seeing what a great job they've done there!
May 26, 200916 yr Live at the Lincoln: Renovated Near East Side theater striving for vast, varied programming Nearly four decades after going dark, the newly renovated Lincoln Theatre is alive again with plans for broad programming by 10 resident groups. THE OPENING MONTH SCHEDULE • Thursday: Maurice Hines, "Cole and Sinatra With Love," 8 p.m. (sold out) • Friday: bluesman Bobby "Blue" Bland, 8 p.m. • Next Saturday: opera singer Denyce Graves, 8 p.m. • May 31: Harlem Gospel Choir, 3 and 7 p.m. • June 4: Byron Stripling and the Columbus Jazz Allstars, 8 p.m. • June 5-6: Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and Orleans Avenue, 8 p.m. • June 12-13: Leap of Faith Dance Company, "Dance/Life/Faith," 7 p.m. June 12 and 2 and 7 p.m. June 13 • June 19-20: Sean Carney Band, 8 p.m. • June 26-28: Judah Performing Arts Center, "Keep It Movin!" 7:30 p.m. June 26-27 and 3 p.m. June 27-28 TICKETS Tickets are sold at the Ohio Theatre box office (614-469-0939) and Ticketmaster outlets (1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com); and two hours before each show at the Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St. MORE INFORMATION • Lincoln Theatre Association: 614-384-5639, www.lincolntheatrecolumbus.com • Jazz Arts Group: 614-294-5200, www.jazzartsgroup.org • Judah Performing Arts Center: 614-595-3709, www.judahperformingartscenter.com • Leap of Faith Dance Company: 614-228-1533, www.lofdance.com
May 28, 200916 yr A few more interior shots of the renovated Lincoln Theatre. And Walker Evans compiled many photos from the Lincoln Theatre Grand Opening into a photo thread here. Here's a few exterior shots of the theater from the thread...
June 12, 200916 yr <b>The Whitney Condos Break Ground This Summer</b> By Walker | June 12, 2009 1:21pm <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/whitney1.jpg"> It’s been four years in the making, but The Whitney condo development at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Mt. Vernon Avenue in the King Lincoln District is about to start construction later this summer. Their new sales office is also opening soon in the Gateway Building directly across the street from the Lincoln Theatre. We sat down with Tony Hutchins to catch up on the project and get an overview of what they’re going to be building over the course of the next year. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/the-whitney-condos-break-ground-this-summer
June 14, 200915 yr <b>The Whitney Condos Break Ground This Summer</b> READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/the-whitney-condos-break-ground-this-summer Sounds like more good news for the King-Lincoln neighborhood. Nice interview with the developer. He did kinda side-step your question about who were the project's target demographics. (Although his joke about the target demo being "those who can close on a loan" was pretty funny!) Still, you do wonder who would be most attracted to the Whitney Condos. The Whitney's overall design does have decent urban character. Brick exterior, front entrance facing the street and rear garages facing a back alley. But it seems like a hybrid project. Somewhat like a conventional apt/condo greenfield development. And the project website does promise that "This ideal location in the historic King Lincoln district provides access to the many cultural venues of Columbus, Ohio while still preserving an upscale suburban environment." So it's not exactly a project that would appeal to hardcore urbanites. But if someone was interested in living in the King Lincoln neighborhood and didn't want to take on a renovation of a 3,000sf house, then the Whitney might be an attractive property. And there are two major employers located right next door. Columbus State is right across I-71 from the Whitney. Columbus Public Schools Fort Hayes campus is just north of the Columbus State campus. You would think that the Columbus State professors and the Fort Hayes teachers would be able to afford the Whitney's price points. And the neighborhood cultural amenities combined with a quick commute to work might be attractive.
June 14, 200915 yr <b>The Whitney Condos Break Ground This Summer</b> Their new sales office is also opening soon in the Gateway Building directly across the street from the Lincoln Theatre. Also, that statement about the Gateway Building across the street from the Lincoln Theatre made me put 2 and 2 together. The Gateway Building is this three-story brick building, right? I remember hearing about the Gateway office building project around 4 or 5 years ago. The building's main tenant was going to be the Columbus Police Department's Internal Affairs Division. And I remember that it caused some neighborhood opposition at the time. Then the project must have fell off my radar screen, because I don't remember seeing anything about its construction or completion. Do you know if Columbus Police finally did move into the building? For what its worth, the Gateway Building looks great. It seems to complement the restored Lincoln Theatre very well.
June 14, 200915 yr King-Lincoln being billed as an "upscale suburban environment" is an extremely misleading statement at best.
June 15, 200915 yr The Gateway Building is this three-story brick building, right? Do you know if Columbus Police finally did move into the building? Yes, and yes. I think they have some other small office tenants in the upper floors of the building as well. A lawyer or two as well. The ground floor also has 5 retail units. Four of them are occupied by <a href="http://zanzibarbrews.com/">Zanzibar Brews</a>, a dry cleaner, some offices for <a href="http://www.chpcolumbus.org/">CHP</a>, and now the new Whitney sales office. The one empty retail slot is also the largest and on the corner at Hamilton & Long. It's laid out for a mid-size restaurant space, and my fingers are crossed that we'll see something in there soon now that the Lincoln is open and driving a lot of new traffic to the area.
June 15, 200915 yr The project website does promise that "This ideal location in the historic King Lincoln district provides access to the many cultural venues of Columbus, Ohio while still preserving an upscale suburban environment." I'm going to guess that bit of information was written by a marketing person looking to make the development sound as generically attractive as they want. Because from talking with the developer it sounds like they're really touting the place as urban, walkable, and with close proximity to a variety of neighborhood amenities. And it also sounds like with all of the other properties they've acquired in the neighborhood, they're committed to the continuation of urban infill and development outside of the one specific project. Really, I see little "suburban" about the way they've managed to squeeze 28 units on this one piece of land. <img src="http://www.thewhitney-condos.com/images/siteplan.jpg">
July 4, 200915 yr The King Lincoln neighborhood is featured as one of three areas targeted for revitalization money by the city. Below is the portion of the article that refers to the King Lincoln neighborhood. Also included is a link to the location map for the three areas in the article. Neighborhood boost Columbus is using $22.8 million in federal money to improve several neighborhoods, with an emphasis on three where revitalization already has begun Friday, July 3, 2009 - 3:01 AM By Mark Ferenchik, The Columbus Dispatch Columbus officials say they're targeting areas with the best chance of recovery by pouring $6 million in federal grants into three neighborhoods: the King-Lincoln district, the South of Main area east of Downtown and the neighborhood near Nationwide Children's Hospital. $2.1 million will be used to build and renovate up to 15 homes in the King-Lincoln district. And $870,000 will go to the nonprofit Columbus Compact for 10 to 12 houses south of E. Main Street on the Near East Side. The city also is sending almost $2 million to three lease-purchase, tax-credit projects: 40 homes on the South Side through Columbus Housing Partnership, 40 homes in Franklinton through the Franklinton Development Association and NRP Group of Cleveland, and 30 on the Hilltop through Homes on the Hill and another nonprofit. MAP OF THE THREE AREAS: KING-LINCOLN, SOUTH OF MAIN & SOUTHERN ORCHARDS Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/07/03/HOMETARGET.ART_ART_07-03-09_A1_0NEC9K5.html?sid=101
July 4, 200915 yr More great news for King Lincoln. I wonder if we can get this thread topic changed? It looks like it was originally titled about the NoBo development within the King Lincoln District, but has turned into discussion about the entire neighborhood.
July 4, 200915 yr More great news for King Lincoln. I wonder if we can get this thread topic changed? It looks like it was originally titled about the NoBo development within the King Lincoln District, but has turned into discussion about the entire neighborhood. Sounds like a good idea. Done.
August 24, 200915 yr Looks like some new fencing is up around the site of the Whitney Condos and there's a bit of dirt being moved around. Glad to see that work is being started over here! <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/whitney-1.jpg"> <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/whitney-2.jpg"> <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/whitney-3.jpg"> Bonus photos of two properties across the street that are both boarded up and look like they have a lot of potential. Perhaps could also be redeveloped as affordable housing? The one on the corner of St. Clair & Mt. Vernon is for sale (Keller Williams) but I can't any details online about it. <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/whitney-4.jpg"> <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/whitney-5.jpg">
August 24, 200915 yr There is so much potential all along Mt. Vernon Ave. in King-Lincoln. It'd be great if the corridor could ride the wave of an economic recovery and really regain a large portion of its former glory. The revitalized Lincoln Theater and surrounding development is a good start; I hope it continues to blossom.
August 24, 200915 yr I don't see why these condos wouldn't spur some revitalization of neighboring abandoned buildings. Looks like the last one has some neglected retail space. If any part of Mt. Vernon is going to be revitalized first, the western-most section would be it.
August 24, 200915 yr If any part of Mt. Vernon is going to be revitalized first, the western-most section would be it. Agreed. There are already some bright spots immediately south of Mt. Vernon Ave along I-70/71. It's just a matter of moving that progress eastward.
October 14, 200915 yr Not sure how serious this name change idea really is because its being championed by neighborhood activist Willis Brown. Willis Brown regularly speaks/rants at City Council meetings against just about everything that the City, City Council and the Mayor is in favor of. So his idea to nix the King-Lincoln name in favor of the Bronzeville name seems like another attempt to "stick it to man" - so to speak. His prior actions of endorsing Mayor Coleman's 2007 election challenger, Republican Bill Todd, and opposing the income-tax increase that was approved by voters in August would also seem to doom this proposal. But the article is still an interesting read. ARTICLE: King-Lincoln leaders want to restore the neighborhood's historic 'Bronzeville' name GRAPHIC: King-Lincoln vs. Bronzeville Boundary Map Note: The lettering is kind of messed up on the Dispatch's on-line graphic link. The King-Lincoln District is the smaller area on the map and the Bronzeville proposed area is the larger boundary on the map.
October 14, 200915 yr The guy is ridiculous, sorry. Charity has done more for the neighborhood with Urban Spirit with all of the community outreach in just over a year than this guy has his whole life in King-Lincoln. If you're going to criticize the city, and I do, then offer (an) alternative solution(s) and back it up with sold logic and facts. Hell, I never resided in the neighborhood and still got the speed limit on Long lowered to 30MPH.
October 24, 200915 yr Seems like there is name change on the brain from the near east side lately. First a proposal to change King-Lincoln to Bronzeville, now a proposal to change Mount Vernon Avenue. Interesting fact, there already is a Martin Luther King Boulevard that runs between Spring Street and Mount Vernon Avenue! Business group wants to rename street for Martin Luther King Monday, October 19, 2009 - 10:04 PM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch The head of the Mount Vernon Avenue District Improvement Association has a new idea to improve the area. Dump the name Mount Vernon Avenue. Melvin Steward, longtime leader of the Near East Side business group, told Columbus City Council members tonight that a name change would erase the street's violent reputation and give the area a fresh start. He presented officials with a list of churches, civic groups, neighborhood associations, business owners and residents who support his effort to rename the street after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The idea, like another effort to adopt the historic name of Bronzeville for the entire neighborhood, doesn't enjoy unanimous support, though. Barry Edney, chairman of the Community Leadership Council for Justice, said the city should keep the Mount Vernon name. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/10/19/council20.html?sid=101
October 24, 200915 yr Unfortunately, the name change if successful would be off-putting, since most streets named after MLK Jr. are in ghettos. Instead, Mt. Vernon should be well lit, given over to pedestrians and cyclists, and way-finding signage pointing passersby to Mt. Vernon, is what should be done to attract more businesses that will increase the quality of life in the area. If the head of a local business group doesn't see that, then there's not much hope. Community leaders didn't change the name of the Short North; they changed the Short North.
October 24, 200915 yr Unfortunately, the name change if successful would be off-putting, since most streets named after MLK Jr. are in ghettos. Instead, Mt. Vernon should be well lit, given over to pedestrians and cyclists, and way-finding signage pointing passersby to Mt. Vernon, is what should be done to attract more businesses that will increase the quality of life in the area. If the head of a local business group doesn't see that, then there's not much hope. Community leaders didn't change the name of the Short North; they changed the Short North. Don't you mean BLACK neighborhoods? What is your definition of a ghetto?
October 24, 200915 yr That is the common perception and the comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek regarding the locations of streets named after MLK Jr., but it doesn't help that a disproportionate percentage of young black males conflate being a thug with being black, when the two are actually totally unrelated. The vast majority of homicides in our large cities are young black men killed by other young black men and that doesn't help neighborhoods like this that are trying to get back on their feet. As far as my definition of ghetto, the area would have to be afflicted from a vast social meltdown. This neighborhood does suffer from a little of that from a segment of the population, but this is not a place you're likely to have problems in if you visit and certainly not what I'd call a ghetto. I find it has a more welcoming atmosphere than the OSU area, personally.
October 24, 200915 yr That is the common perception and the comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek regarding the locations of streets named after MLK Jr., but it doesn't help that a disproportionate percentage of young black males conflate being a thug with being black, when the two are actually totally unrelated. The vast majority of homicides in our large cities are young black men killed by other young black men and that doesn't help neighborhoods like this that are trying to get back on their feet. As far as my definition of ghetto, the area would have to be afflicted from a vast social meltdown. This neighborhood does suffer from a little of that from a segment of the population, but this is not a place you're likely to have problems in if you visit and certainly not what I'd call a ghetto. I find it has a more welcoming atmosphere than the OSU area, personally. WTF? I know I'm not reading this? I know I'm not.
October 25, 200915 yr You misread. It's a cultural issue (choice), not intrinsic to one's race. Unless, of course, all the black-on-black crime is just a MSM lie and those "dead" people were just shuffled off to a different city with a new identity.
October 25, 200915 yr You misread. It's a cultural issue (choice), not intrinsic to one's race. Unless, of course, all the black-on-black crime is just a MSM lie and those "dead" people were just shuffled off to a different city with a new identity. Don't tell me what I "did" and "did not" do or understand. Although you say it was "tongue-in-cheek" I found it condescending and offensive. You racially profiled some neighborhoods based on a name of a street. This isn't the first time you've dropped racially tinged comments.
October 26, 200915 yr Your outrage is misplaced since I'm profiling behavior. Some of the most prominent negative examples of neighborhoods (St. Louis) with a MLK Jr. named street are in majority-black neighborhoods where a sizeable minority of young black men choose to associate thuggery with their race. The result is a high crime rate with homicides, assaults, etc, which does exist. This is the main outrage and another are onlookers who believe they act that way because of their race. Violence like this is what sticks out in the general public's mind, hence the first sentence of mine that you highlighted in bold, and this doesn't take into account the lesser-known black neighborhoods that don't experience such a high crime rate. So the name change would be a failure judging by what people already say , by and large, is that neighborhoods with a MLK Jr. named street are unsafe, whether it's true or not. In this case, it would only add fodder since the intent of the name change, if you read the article, is to "erase the street's violent reputation and give the area a fresh start" on a majority-black street that sees a higher rate of violent crime. Of course, you could always see for yourself and hang out at Frank's Place on Mt. Vernon, which I'm sure is a nice place. As the sign out front says: no guns or knives allowed.
October 26, 200915 yr Your outrage is misplaced since I'm profiling behavior. Some of the most prominent negative examples of neighborhoods (St. Louis) with a MLK Jr. named street are in majority-black neighborhoods where a sizeable minority of young black men choose to associate thuggery with their race. The result is a high crime rate with homicides, assaults, etc, which does exist. This is the main outrage and another are onlookers who believe they act that way because of their race. Violence like this is what sticks out in the general public's mind, hence the first sentence of mine that you highlighted in bold, and this doesn't take into account the lesser-known black neighborhoods that don't experience such a high crime rate. So the name change would be a failure judging by what people already say , by and large, is that neighborhoods with a MLK Jr. named street are unsafe, whether it's true or not. In this case, it would only add fodder since the intent of the name change, if you read the article, is to "erase the street's violent reputation and give the area a fresh start" on a majority-black street that sees a higher rate of violent crime. Of course, you could always see for yourself and hang out at Frank's Place on Mt. Vernon, which I'm sure is a nice place. As the sign out front says: no guns or knives allowed. Speaking from experience?
October 27, 200915 yr It depends. I do make it over to the neighborhood mostly for Urban Spirit Coffee Shop whose owner Charity goes above and beyond to reach out to the local community. I'm due for a visit at Creole Kitchen on Mt. Vernon for some of the best inexpensive (or not) food in the city, but it's carry out only. As for Frank's Place, no. The fact that they had to put up a sign telling patrons there to not bring in weapons is a red flag. Hell, there are plenty of majority white, rundown, windowless bars where I would never set foot. It's actually businesses like that which are contributing to a bad image and preventing improvements from occurring.
October 31, 200915 yr The Lincoln Theatre renovation won a state historic preservation award. More at Lincoln, Seneca projects among state preservation honorees.
October 31, 200915 yr It depends. I do make it over to the neighborhood mostly for Urban Spirit Coffee Shop whose owner Charity goes above and beyond to reach out to the local community. I'm due for a visit at Creole Kitchen on Mt. Vernon for some of the best inexpensive (or not) food in the city, but it's carry out only. As for Frank's Place, no. The fact that they had to put up a sign telling patrons there to not bring in weapons is a red flag. Hell, there are plenty of majority white, rundown, windowless bars where I would never set foot. It's actually businesses like that which are contributing to a bad image and preventing improvements from occurring. I think a lot of those 'violent streets' across America were probably renamed to MLK as an attempt to cure the problems in the community - with the ironly ultimately backfiring. Everyone has probably heard the Chris Rock joke by now. It's also easy to laugh when you drive through Franklinton and see all these ran down houses on streets like "Yale" amd "Princeton". They're just extremely superficial ways of dealing with complex problems.
October 31, 200915 yr Which is why I find neighborhood leaders suggesting name-changing as a solution and not proposing anything else disturbing. I sent the Mount Vernon Avenue District Improvement Association a long list of what they should be changing instead. Dear MVIDIA, A name change for Mt. Vernon would not change anything and would be a waste of time. Instead; the street needs to be well-lit, standards for the facades of commercial buildings need to exist and be enforced, businesses that attract criminal activity need to be kicked out, an arch should also be erected on Hamilton Park facing Broad to invite visitors, way-finding signage should exist at major entry/exit points of the neighborhood to point people to Mt. Vernon, a UCO (urban commercial overlay) needs to protect existing urban structures and prevent further sprawling development, prioritize pdestrians with wheelchair-accessible curb bumpouts with crosswalks at intersections without a traffic light to shorten the cross for pedestrians and slow approaching traffic, sharrows and signage for cyclists, businesses need to maintain well-kept sidewalks, etc. Like the treatment on Gay St. Downtown prioritizing pedestrians, cyclists, and scooterists/motorcyclists which has attracted several businesses and residential development, a similar foundation is crucial for the revitalization/re-urbanization of Mt. Vernon Ave.
October 31, 200915 yr Which is why I find neighborhood leaders suggesting name-changing as a solution and not proposing anything else disturbing. I sent the Mount Vernon Avenue District Improvement Association a long list of what they should be changing instead. I agree, especially when speaking of the street renaming. Changing the neighborhood name could at least help to create a different brand. Bronzeville does have a nice ring.
December 11, 200915 yr I've been meaning to post another photo update for the past few weeks. These were taken on November 14th. The underground water work started first sometime in September and the Condo work started up shortly after. It looks like they've already got most of the underground foundations finished, and the units themselves should be going up relatively soon. Glad to see this project finally happening after it's been in and out of the limelight for several years now. It's also really cool to see the skyline in the background and know that these places are spitting distance from Downtown. <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/whitney-condos-1.jpg"> <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/whitney-condos-2.jpg"> <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/whitney-condos-3.jpg"> <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/whitney-condos-4.jpg"> <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/whitney-condos-5.jpg">
December 28, 200915 yr Two new construction photos from today. These are going up fast! <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/kld1.jpg"> <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/kld2.jpg">
February 22, 201015 yr Group sees history; City Hall sees unsafe building Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 3:07 AM By Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH A 100-year-old commercial building is the latest battleground between City Hall and a Near East Side neighborhood group, which says its history is being bulldozed away. The Columbus Department of Development took possession of the 8,000-square-foot building at E. Long and 21st streets in November and says it must be razed soon because it's a threat to people's safety. Leaders of the Bronzeville Neighborhood Association want to save the two-story building at 1072 E. Long St., which they say is one of the oldest commercial buildings still standing east of I-71. City officials say the building can't be saved. An emergency order issued Dec. 8 by a city inspector said it's "in advance stages of decay, rot and deterioration" and could collapse at any time. The order gave the city 30 days to fix or demolish the building. Assistant Development Director Cynthia Rickman said yesterday that no date has been scheduled for demolition, but there's no time for the second opinion neighborhood leaders have requested. The city bought the building at a sheriff's sale and plans to turn the property over to the Columbus Housing Partnership, which hasn't decided what to do with it. PHOTO OF BUILDING LOCATION MAP OF BUILDING Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/02/17/building_demo.ART_ART_02-17-10_B1_4OGK5T5.html?sid=101
February 24, 201015 yr Oops, didn't see this was already posted. Anyway, the city bears much of the blame for not providing incentives to rehab the building years ago and this same situation is going on all over the city, but under the radar, since few people care if a building gets knocked down in the Near East, Linden, etc. Funny that the city has no problem putting forth efforts to encourage more sprawl in the outskirts of our city to the tune of tens of millions in road widening alone while also able to come up with the money to demolish several buildings like these. Oh well, King-Lincoln isn't the Short North so let's just sh!t all over it.
February 26, 201015 yr More news about the Woodland Park neighborhood that is located east of Ohio State's University Hospital East. City, OSU working to boost East Side Campus hospital expansion to fuel reclamation plan Wednesday, February 24, 2010 - 2:51 AM By Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Ohio State University will reinvest $10 million in tax incentives from an expansion of its campus medical center to improve health care and housing on the East Side, officials said yesterday. Mayor Michael B. Coleman and OSU President E. Gordon Gee made the announcement at University Hospital East, the center of an area that will be the focus of a decade-long effort to reclaim vacant houses, offer help to homebuyers and address problems with residents' health and health care. It will begin with a study of the neighborhood and input from residents. The investment will include programs to buy and fix up homes and provide down-payment assistance to buyers. It also will include a $1 million initiative, run through neighborhood churches, to improve people's diets and encourage exercise. LOCATION MAP OF UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL EAST Full article http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/02/24/city-osu-agree-on-eastside-program.html?sid=101
March 9, 201015 yr Group sees history; City Hall sees unsafe building PHOTO OF BUILDING LOCATION MAP OF BUILDING Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/02/17/building_demo.ART_ART_02-17-10_B1_4OGK5T5.html?sid=101 UPDATE: LINK: City offered $500 for old building that group wants to save Safford rejects offer for 1072 E. Long Just to make official what most everyone saw coming, Development Director Boyce Safford has rejected Bronzeville Neighborhood Association leader Willis Brown's offer to buy 1072 E. Long Street. The city wants to tear down the 100-year-old building at Long and 21st streets, but City Councilwomen Charleta Tavares and Priscilla Tyson stepped in to delay Safford's plans. In a memo to Tavares and Tyson, Safford said Brown's offer to buy the building for $500, shore it up and develop it when the market turns around doesn't meet city criteria. Safford said Brown didn't submit an expert's opinion that the building is structurally sound, and he demonstrated no ability to finance a renovation. FULL POST: http://blog.dispatch.com/thecity/2010/03/safford_rejects_offer_for_1072.shtml
March 9, 201015 yr You gotta love how the city, through the council, makes it appear like they don't want to tear this down when they do. And what are they going to build on that lot immediately after?
March 21, 201015 yr I've been really excited to watch <A href="http://www.thewhitney-condos.com">The Whitney Condos</a> come along really quickly. Going to be a really nice anchor for this area. <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/construction10.jpg">
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