From here: http://www.columbusunderground.com/bakery-gingham-opening-short-north-location

 

<b>Bakery Gingham Opening Short North Location</b>

By Walker | September 9, 2009 8:00am

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/gingham1.jpg">

 

Bakery Gingham will be expanding for the second time in 2009 as they prepare to open a new Short North retail store at 647 North High Street. “The plan is to open in November,” said owner and baker Amanda Ellis, “but it depends on city inspections.”

 

The 500 square foot retail space will feature all of the cupcakes, cookies, bars, and other baked goods that Gingham has come to be known for. Additionally, Amanda will continue to offer larger custom-made cakes for special events. “We’re excited to be on Wedding Row,” she added, dubbing the area that is already home to Big Rock Little Rooster, Jacob Neal, and Rose Bredl Flowers.

 

We’ll provide an update on the opening date as November draws nearer.

That whole block just kinda appeared out of nowhere.

Yay!  Great location!

A little late on posting this neat story about the Short North Business Association director.  But here it is anyway.  Kind of fascinating about how he came to Columbus and fell in love with the Short North. 

 

Short North ambassador

Staunch advocate for trendy neighborhood arrived at job through serendipity

 

A spontaneous drive down N. High Street forever changed the path of John Angelo's life.  In 2005, shortly before he became executive director of the Short North Business Association, he and his partner were planning a move from Cincinnati to Europe.  In the meantime, they took a day trip to Columbus, where Angelo had never been in two decades of living a few hours down I-71.  Visits to the Easton Town Center and Polaris Fashion Place -- identified by a friend as the highlights of the city -- left them unsatisfied.  Hoping to see more of Columbus, they drove south, avoiding highways.

 

As he passed under the lighted arches of the Short North, Angelo saw crowds packing art galleries and strolling sidewalks.  Although it was past 9 p.m., lines of people waited outside restaurants for tables.  Angelo asked a waiter what was going on; he couldn't imagine why so many people would visit an urban area on a cold February night.  It's just the first Saturday, the server replied: Gallery Hop.

 

Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2009/09/24/1_JOHN_ANGELO.ART_ART_09-24-09_D1_LSF5G6M.html?sid=101

^The arches weren't lit in 2005.

When did they add the lights? I thought I remembered them being up around 2005.

^The arches weren't lit in 2005.

 

Don't ruin the story Kingfish!  :wink:

 

But you're right.  In 2005 the only lighting would been that early fiber-optic lighting, which never did light correctly.  The current lighting is the replacement version, which is much brighter.

Here is the monthly construction progress update from the Jackson On High website.  For larger versions of the photos go to http://www.jacksononhigh.com/construction.html. 

 

   

 

     

 

   

*Barf*. It's hideous. The building has so many disjointed rhythms in its elements. To add insult to injury, different parts of the building vary in mass and setbacks. It's trying to show off in front of some very landmark businesses that are modest in scale nearby. This building is so wrong.

It's the hulk of things to come.

I think it's hilarious. The people who will be living in The Jackson are definitely not the kind of people who patronize Skullys.

One might predict they will protest its very existence without mercy.

by setting the tower back off of high street, the building massing actually creates a nice pedestrian scale that is consistent with the rest of the surrounding buildings.  Vancouver has been very successful with a similar strategy...the first 3-4 stories of the building are at a zero setback while the residential tower (20+ stories) is set back from the street.  Also, the architect at least tried to compliment the finish materials of the neighboring buildings.

 

The finish height of the building is no doubt a departure from the rest of the short north, but the additional density will only aid the surrounding businesses and help to support the city's mass transit improvement efforts.  If we want a great mass transit system and strong urban retail in Columbus, we need to support high-density development in appropriate places, especially when the developer is able to supply the required parking and ROW improvements that go along with it.

by setting the tower back off of high street, the building massing actually creates a nice pedestrian scale that is consistent with the rest of the surrounding buildings.  Vancouver has been very successful with a similar strategy...the first 3-4 stories of the building are at a zero setback while the residential tower (20+ stories) is set back from the street.  Also, the architect at least tried to compliment the finish materials of the neighboring buildings.

 

The finish height of the building is no doubt a departure from the rest of the short north, but the additional density will only aid the surrounding businesses and help to support the city's mass transit improvement efforts.  If we want a great mass transit system and strong urban retail in Columbus, we need to support high-density development in appropriate places, especially when the developer is able to supply the required parking and ROW improvements that go along with it.

 

what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling were you even close to anything that could be considered a good post. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

 

 

Seriously though. That setback illusion doesn't work. The entire building is still in the pedestrian's line of sight. Even if you believe the variation in setback heals the wound, 4 stories alone is treading on thin ice for that part of High St. It may only be 4 stories but when you consider all of the 1 story buildings surrounding it, it's a drastic variance.  It's almost a 4 to 1 ratio in height. The building blows. Just admit it.

so youre only response is that the massing setback doesnt work?  ok...  most folks could care less about the perfection of the architectural rhythm 

 

i'd take a reasonably well designed - albeit imperfect to some - building that adds density to our most important urban corridor than an empty lot any day...

The Jackson On High project:  $22.5 million

 

2,564 sf, 7th Floor Penthouse Unit:  $989,000

 

Making David Throw Up:  Priceless

I couldn't care less about unit prices. Most people don't care about rhythm in achitecture but they also don't understand why they buy into half-assed disposable buildings (or neighborhoods for that matter) that they end up abandoning and demolishing within 30 years. Some people will buy anything new and shiny. It's a superficial impulse.

 

The typical "at least it's not a parking lot like it was before" argument doesn't work here considering it is in a prime location. In fact, a city planner could have easily negotiated with the developer to pay a ton of money to the city just to get the ridiculous height variance that puts this building so out of scale. I hope Columbus was able to capitalize on that.

In the the right places (high street) and where market forces allow (SN), Columbus is trying to promote density, not kill it.  If a developer is willing to add density, why would the city discourage it with additional fees?  Negotiating for public amenities (parking) and a reasonable scale at the street is a decent compromise.  City planners can only negotiate to a point where they risk economically killing the project altogether; or the developer walks and builds some crap in suburbia where he knows he can easily make money without the p.i.a factors of a complicated urban site.

 

 

Thank you for your post...

 

I couldn't care less about unit prices. Most people don't care about rhythm in achitecture but they also don't understand why they buy into half-assed disposable buildings (or neighborhoods for that matter) that they end up abandoning and demolishing within 30 years. Some people will buy anything new and shiny. It's a superficial impulse.

 

...and for the ready-made reply to your post.

 

what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling were you even close to anything that could be considered a good post. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Just wait til he notices the 11-story monstrosity down the street that is Ibiza.  ;) But seriously, I don't mind it even though it would look more at home Downtown. Anyone willing to spend a million to be right next to Skully's and across from a greasy spoon diner, plasma center, and some sex shops is a hardcore urbanite. They know what they doing.

^If they were really a hardcore urbanite they'd be living in the apartment above the sex shop, preferably the one with the blinking neon sign right outside the bedroom window.

You got me there. Why take an elevator to get down there when you can just walk downstairs?

Thank you for your post...

 

I couldn't care less about unit prices. Most people don't care about rhythm in achitecture but they also don't understand why they buy into half-assed disposable buildings (or neighborhoods for that matter) that they end up abandoning and demolishing within 30 years. Some people will buy anything new and shiny. It's a superficial impulse.

 

...and for the ready-made reply to your post.

 

what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling were you even close to anything that could be considered a good post. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having seen it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

 

You guys are acting immature. The "Billy Madison" quote was just some light hearted humor.

 

I've seen the renderings for Ibiza and I like it! It looks more traditional and they did a good job receeding floors 5 and up to make them more subtle. Bollinger is kind of bland but it doesn't really bother me.  Like I said, I don't just have an issue with the height of Jackson. It's that the building is ugly and it's mass/height makes it so hard to ignore. I walk past that building about every other day so it's something I've thought a lot about before reaching that conclusion.

Tonight is the last Gallery Hop night in the Short North for 2009.  It's the 25th anniversary of the first Gallery Hop held in 1984.  Below is a link to a very decent Columbus Alive article that looks at the history of the Gallery Hop in the Short North.  Especially interesting is the descriptions of the area circa 1984.  You would be hard pressed to believe then that the Short North would evolve into the urban destination it is today.  Also included are some photos of some Short North blocks from 1984 and their rehabbed condition today.  Very dramatic change for the better.

 

Columbus Alive: History of Gallery Hop

 

BEFORE       AFTER    

 

BEFORE       AFTER

The transformation from the 70s is even more dramatic, as the gentrification had already begun by the 80s. It is nothing short of amazing. It was described once as a street of broken dreams.  An urban mess, with abandoned storefronts, sidewalks with winos and strung out druggies littering the way were the norm.  I used to walk down High Street daily to work because  COTA was so bad then that it was not really an option.  Parking downtown was too expensive for me.    Was especially scary at night walking home...so I avoided the Short North and walked up Fourth Street. 

 

Now when I come to Columbus, it is the first area I want to see.  I love the changes, even the ones in questionable taste or that don't quite "fit in". 

The transformation from the 70s is even more dramatic, as the gentrification had already begun by the 80s. It is nothing short of amazing. It was described once as a street of broken dreams.  An urban mess, with abandoned storefronts, sidewalks with winos and strung out druggies littering the way were the norm.  I used to walk down High Street daily to work because  COTA was so bad then that it was not really an option.  Parking downtown was too expensive for me.    Was especially scary at night walking home...so I avoided the Short North and walked up Fourth Street. 

 

Now when I come to Columbus, it is the first area I want to see.  I love the changes, even the ones in questionable taste or that don't quite "fit in". 

 

Wow, most people would avoid 4th street and walk up High St. instead - now. Amazing how things change. Edit: I take that back. They would probably only do that if they were in Weinland Park area.

 

So another large tower existed where Bollinger sits? Interesting. What was there? I see a large crane. Had that just been built?

I think what the Short North really demonstrates, whether it's gentrification or revitalization, is that a neighborhood's business district (or in this case two which share the same one) absolutely needs to be a focal point. These serve as the face of the neighborhood and if that looks bad then it's going to be hard to attract several good residents to fix homes and have pride in their neighborhood. It's kinda funny how the area was referred to as the Near North Side (notice the generalization and indifference to any sort of neighborhood identity), much like many currently refer to the Near East Side, though more are starting to recognize the identities of two major neighborhoods: Olde Towne East and King-Lincoln. East Main here is also known as a place to pickup prostitutes and that's unfortunately true in the present tense.

 

The West side neighborhoods have stretches of W. Broad which most closely resemble anything like the Short North in the before photos, especially the handful of dense commercial blocks in Highland West, though what Franklinton has left is closer to Downtown and walkable, but not as dense. W Broad is definitely the next best thing for intact urban commercial building stock.

 

In the Short North today, High between 4th and 5th Ave most closely resembles the before photos (also the first place where a light was stolen from my bike), although there are quite a few more businesses that have popped up recently in commercial buildings that would look at home on a depressed street like W Broad. Even that looks much better than the before photos of the SN, even though it's seen little improvement. I think local urban pioneers have gotten a lot softer than they used to be.

 

Seeing these side by side makes it easier to picture this...

 

 

 

 

occurring here (W Broad in Highland West)...

 

 

 

and here (W Broad in Franklinton)?

 

 

 

Sorry, this story just highlights my frustration with most residents being content with just having High St (and by that I mean N High, not S High). If we're going to be a great, nationally renowned city, and we can be, then we really need to branch out and offer more than one major street. There just doesn't seem to be much interest for that though.

I think what the Short North really demonstrates, whether it's gentrification or revitalization, is that a neighborhood's business district (or in this case two which share the same one) absolutely needs to be a focal point. These serve as the face of the neighborhood and if that looks bad then it's going to be hard to attract several good residents to fix homes and have pride in their neighborhood. It's kinda funny how the area was referred to as the Near North Side (notice the generalization and indifference to any sort of neighborhood identity), much like many currently refer to the Near East Side, though more are starting to recognize the identities of two major neighborhoods: Olde Towne East and King-Lincoln. East Main here is also known as a place to pickup prostitutes and that's unfortunately true in the present tense.

 

The West side neighborhoods have stretches of W. Broad which most closely resemble anything like the Short North in the before photos, especially the handful of dense commercial blocks in Highland West, though what Franklinton has left is closer to Downtown and walkable, but not as dense. W Broad is definitely the next best thing for intact urban commercial building stock.

 

I think you're being purely idealistic. You need commercial activity in such an urban, walkable environment, but you don't need it centralized or linear. German Village doesn't have a clear focal point and that's part of its charm. The most memorable parts aren't near a vibrant corridor of commercial activity. It's very deconstructivist and disorienting but people love it. I think real estate there is actually higher per sq. ft. than in the Short North. Then you have Bexley; is the focal point E. Main or E. Broad? Broad is larger, probably gets more traffic, has Columbus School for Girls, churches and maybe some other institutions but E. Main has the commercial businesses as well as the university. Who knows. It's pretty confused.

 

Also, I would argue the most vibrant part of the older west side is Westgate and it's focal point is Westgate Park and institutions near it that bring residents 'inward', definitely not towards Broad or Sullivant which is half obliterated at that point. The institutions are very strategically placed inside the neighborhood at corners to give a sort of hierarchy in value of land. Commercial use is kinda irrelevant to them. I think most of those folks shop in Hilliard anyway lol. That's kind of the shortcoming of the traditional American grid though; space is of equal value and size (the logic was fair competition for developers) so its harder to create focal points unless you do it by creating districts. Personally I think districts and land use separation can be overrated in many cases.

 

I guess it's also important to note that different neighborhoods serve different purposes. If you're a young professional and have a lot of disposable income with no kids, you're a better fit  for the Short North model rather than the Westgate model. The Short North model is definitely a little more Transit-Oriented, i'll give you that. But a lot of its success is due to suburban tourists, not just the people who live in the neighborhood.

 

Side note: I do think Westgate would be better off with a vibrant business district but can you imagine the potential if a walkable business district were feasible 'inward'? Residents and developers would totally go for it. However, restoring that part of Sullivant or W. Broad to its former glory? I can't see that happening at any fast rate.

I think what the Short North really demonstrates, whether it's gentrification or revitalization, is that a neighborhood's business district (or in this case two which share the same one) absolutely needs to be a focal point. These serve as the face of the neighborhood and if that looks bad then it's going to be hard to attract several good residents to fix homes and have pride in their neighborhood. It's kinda funny how the area was referred to as the Near North Side (notice the generalization and indifference to any sort of neighborhood identity), much like many currently refer to the Near East Side, though more are starting to recognize the identities of two major neighborhoods: Olde Towne East and King-Lincoln. East Main here is also known as a place to pickup prostitutes and that's unfortunately true in the present tense.

 

The West side neighborhoods have stretches of W. Broad which most closely resemble anything like the Short North in the before photos, especially the handful of dense commercial blocks in Highland West, though what Franklinton has left is closer to Downtown and walkable, but not as dense. W Broad is definitely the next best thing for intact urban commercial building stock.

 

I think you're being purely idealistic. You need commercial activity in such an urban, walkable environment, but you don't need it centralized or linear. German Village doesn't have a clear focal point and that's part of its charm. The most memorable parts aren't near a vibrant corridor of commercial activity. It's very deconstructivist and disorienting but people love it. I think real estate there is actually higher per sq. ft. than in the Short North. Then you have Bexley; is the focal point E. Main or E. Broad? Broad is larger, probably gets more traffic, has Columbus School for Girls, churches and maybe some other institutions but E. Main has the commercial businesses as well as the university. Who knows. It's pretty confused.

 

Also, I would argue the most vibrant part of the older west side is Westgate and it's focal point is Westgate Park and institutions near it that bring residents 'inward', definitely not towards Broad or Sullivant which is half obliterated at that point. The institutions are very strategically placed inside the neighborhood at corners to give a sort of hierarchy in value of land. Commercial use is kinda irrelevant to them. I think most of those folks shop in Hilliard anyway lol. That's kind of the shortcoming of the traditional American grid though; space is of equal value and size (the logic was fair competition for developers) so its harder to create focal points unless you do it by creating districts. Personally I think districts and land use separation can be overrated in many cases.

 

I guess it's also important to note that different neighborhoods serve different purposes. If you're a young professional and have a lot of disposable income with no kids, you're a better fit  for the Short North model rather than the Westgate model. The Short North model is definitely a little more Transit-Oriented, i'll give you that. But a lot of its success is due to suburban tourists, not just the people who live in the neighborhood.

 

Side note: I do think Westgate would be better off with a vibrant business district but can you imagine the potential if a walkable business district were feasible 'inward'? Residents and developers would totally go for it. However, restoring that part of Sullivant or W. Broad to its former glory? I can't see that happening at any fast rate.

 

??? How do you explain successful linear streets like N High and to a lesser extent, Gay, Parsons, and Summit (OTE)?  Even 3rd in German Village is rather commercially-oriented. Hardly "purely idealistic".

I'm not saying it wouldn't help to have it or that linear commercial districts as a focal point don't work; I just don't think they're always necessary. I see some great neighborhoods that are set back from commercial areas and they function pretty well (though they're obviously more car dependent). I don't think 3rd is much of a commercial street. People in German Village seem to enjoy the small-village feel don't you think? I don't blame anyone for preferring your model; seems like it would result in better public transit ridership numbers.

 

I was thinking about Franklinton development while I was walking through the neighborhood recently and it seems like new development there is also more inward. I see a lot of gentrified houses and proposed projects near Mt. Carmel Hospital and the library, on those side streets perpendicular to Town. Not much going on, on W. Broad St. I think a lot of times you have to have the critical mass move in, before you see significant changes in the business district. Especially when it comes to risk-averse businesses.

For better or for worse, I like the varied character of High in the Short North. We live directly adjacent to the most "done" stretch--Italian Village between 1st Ave & The Cap. If it were all that precious, it would be unbearable. I welcome the dodgier mix as you get toward 5th. But then, I'm not from around here.

N. High St. also has a pretty incredible streetscape. I first came to that realization when I noticed there was something for my dog to mark his territory on every 5 seconds. Lots of street lamps, trees, giant pots with plants inside, (arches - duh!), bus stop shelters - though they could be designed to look much more cool but I can't be mad at 'em because the design is pretty much standardized. Just look at that one Prokno5 took a pic of in Milwaukee though; it's a work of art!

What businesses aren't brought to the sidewalk make up for it by adding fences/ornate entrances to parking lots and patios - sealing in the gaps. Perhaps Franklinton could take notes from that in the future when they need to find cheap solutions. Their sidewalks for the most part are also too narrow. The sidewalk in the Short North is usually pretty wide, meaning there's room for people to set up booths or eat outside. The great streetscape is one of the first things I noticed about the Short North.

 

I really think street furniture makes a bigger impression than people consciously think.

*If you have bus shelters, public transit seems to be a more respectable mode of transportation.

*If you have arches, you give the neighborhood a sense of vibrancy and give the NBD a sense of enclosure and intimacy

*Public outdoor seating makes the neighborhood look more welcoming, comfortable and brings more people out on the street.

*Lots of lighting prevents crime.

*Bike racks are practical and can be customed designed to look like civic art.

*Trees and plants contribute to the aesthetics and uniformity/character of the street.

*Wide sidewalks make things like the Gallery Hop more feasible. Insane traffic at peak times of the week/month but still practical any other time.

 

The Short North prides itself so much on being "artsy" I think they should recruit their artists to design some really creative back racks, benches, or if they're so skillful - a bus stop. I wonder if they could get the wealthier people in the neighborhood to fund a project like that and even get help from the city. It would definitely turn out interesting if it were implemented.

 

I agree that if any neighborhood were to able to get the best, most creative streetscaping that it would be the Short North, but it's up to the neighborhood associations and the SNBA if they want it. Heck, even 3rd in German Village lacks benches, perhaps because they're paranoid about the possibility of homeless people using them to sleep on? Columbus is rather lacking when it comes to good, functional streetscapes.

 

The improvements you listed should be applied to all of our urban business districts, not just the fancy ones. The arches could just be at the entrance and exit of a neighborhood with its name, more lighting would be great, and a good deal more seating should be added, including in the SN. Bus stops should all be bus shelters on major streets. The sign only ones do look especially sad with people stuck standing in the rain/sleet/snow/wind.

 

Any word on the empty spaces in the SE & SW? The "for lease" signs should include the tagline, "in the friggin' Short North!" I thought this was prime retail space, but maybe not?

So another large tower existed where Bollinger sits? Interesting. What was there? I see a large crane. Had that just been built?

 

Pretty sure that older photo is of Bollinger under construction.

Yep.

On my walk home from work today, I noticed that both Take 2 Apparel at 668 N High and Luxe de vie at 720 N High have "Store Closing" signs in their windows.  On their website, Take 2 claims the expiration of their lease seemed like a good time to pursue other interests, while Luxe makes no mention of their impending closure.  Hopefully neither of these spots--both are core Short North--will be empty for too long

Jackson on High condos get tax abatement

Business First of Columbus

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

 

The Short North’s Jackson on High project has been cleared for a full real-estate tax abatement over 10 years for residents of the high-end project.  Developer JBH Holdings said Columbus City Council approved the incentive Monday.  A JBH spokesman said about half of the 44 units have been sold in the eight-story development, set for completion early next year. 

 

Full story at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/12/14/daily15.html

Jackson on High construction update for December

 

   

 

   

 

Larger photos and more at http://www.jacksononhigh.com/construction.html

That about wraps it up. Bring on the noise complaints!

That building is so ugly. You wanna see good modern infill, look at Michigan Terrace in Cincinnati.

 

http://www.realestatebook.com/homes/listing/103-1902080/3500-Michigan-Terrace-22-Cincinnati-OH-45208/

That building is so ugly. You wanna see good modern infill, look at Michigan Terrace in Cincinnati.

 

http://www.realestatebook.com/homes/listing/103-1902080/3500-Michigan-Terrace-22-Cincinnati-OH-45208/

 

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder because I happen to like Jackson on High.

What else is beautiful to you? Star Jones? lol!

What else is beautiful to you? Star Jones? lol!

 

Your mom.

Short North success

After helping promote artsy area, John Angelo is moving on to aid others

Saturday,  December 26, 2009 - 2:54 AM

By Marla Matzer Rose

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Over the past 4 1/2 years, John Angelo has become the unofficial mayor of the Short North neighborhood.  He's credited with giving the already-hot arts district, which emerged during the past couple of decades and stretches roughly from Downtown to near the Ohio State University campus, even more prominence.  The area has grown as a regional attraction, even earning attention in the pages of publications such as The New York Times.

 

At the end of the month, however, Angelo plans to step down as executive director of the Short North Business Association to become a consultant to other destinations and attractions in the region.  At the top of his successor's to-do list, Angelo said, will be balancing the needs of the Short North's varied businesses and its growing number of residents, and helping steer the vision of what the district wants to be as it continues to grow up.

 

Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2009/12/26/shortnorth_angelo.ART_ART_12-26-09_A10_NIG3L6H.html

Maybe he can get something started in Highland West, the smaller, emptier version of the Short North. I was confused by this.

 

Angelo estimates that the district's north end, which stretches to 11th Avenue, has a storefront-vacancy rate of 40 percent. That's in stark contrast to the vibrant atmosphere closer to Nationwide Boulevard, on the south end of the Short North.

 

Pretty sure this is a case of the Dispatch getting the facts wrong, unless he considered SCG to be part of the Short North, and I bet he'd rather not. Still, that vacancy rate is really something; Is it even that high on Parsons?. If the 4th to 5th block is anything to go by, we're going to have to wait for a good business or two to trickle in and then the rest will jump all over it.

 

 

<b>Short North Fitness Coming Soon to Jackson on High</b>

By Brad Howe | January 6, 2010 6:00pm | Filed under Development

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/jackson-dec2009.jpg">

 

Press Release:

 

Real Estate Developer Brad Howe, with JBH Holdings, announced today that Short North Fitness, a cutting-edge fitness facility, will be moving into The Jackson on High commercial space. The fitness club will take up the entire 4,600 square foot, first floor commercial space.  The grand opening will be in early March and additional details can be found at www.shortnorthfitness.com.

 

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/short-north-fitness-coming-soon-to-jackson-on-high

<b>Paul Robinett is Relocating Short North Store</b>

By Walker | January 1, 2010 5:16pm | Filed under Shopping

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/7buttlesavenueholidays.jpg">

 

According to their email newsletter, Paul Robinett Aromatherapy Candles will be vacating their store at 7 Buttles Avenue by January 31st. The building they’re located in is undergoing construction and they were asked to end their lease.

 

The newsletter goes on to say that they’re looking for a retail space to relocate, but nothing in the Short North is available that fits their needs at the moment. In the meantime, their candles will continue to be sold online at www.paulrobinett.com.

 

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/paul-robinett-is-relocating-short-north-store

<b>Dr. Mojoe on High St. is getting cleared out</b>

 

MORE HERE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/dr-mojoe-on-high-st-is-getting-cleared-out

Hotel planned in Short North moves, grows

Business First of Columbus - by Brian R. Ball

Friday, January 15, 2010

 

Plans for a hotel and parking garage complex in Columbus’ Short North have expanded across High Street.  Pizzuti Cos. expects to show its revised plans Jan. 19 to the Italian Village Commission calling for a boutique hotel of up to 130 rooms on a city-owned parking lot a block north of the Cap at Union Station.

 

The Columbus-based developer initially proposed building the hotel and related development on the west side of High Street, on the site of the former United Commercial Travelers of America building at 632 N. Park St. and an adjacent surface parking lot.  That site remains part of Pizzuti’s plan and would get a parking garage with up to 46,000 square feet of offices above it in the revised proposal.  Developments on both sides of the street would offer ground-floor space for retailers and restaurants.

 

More at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/01/18/story1.html?b=1263790800^2733491#

(It looks like the full article is available today on the Business First website.  Read it while you can!)

SHORT NORTH

Boutique hotel on horizon again

Tuesday,  January 19, 2010 - 3:00 AM

By Marla Matzer Rose

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

A boutique hotel project is moving forward again in the Short North, with plans to be presented today to the Italian Village Commission.  The plan now from Pizzuti Cos. is somewhat different from what was first discussed two years ago with the Victorian Village Commission.  For one thing, the project now would include development on both sides of High Street, which is the dividing line between the two neighborhood commissions.

 

Pizzuti controls property on the west side of High -- the Victorian Village side -- that includes a parking lot and the old United Commercial Travelers building facing Goodale Park.  Pizzuti is in talks with the city of Columbus to build the hotel itself on the east side of High in what is now a parking lot controlled by the city.

 

Plans call for a 136-room hotel with up to 5,000 square feet of retail space, said Joel Pizzuti, president of the Columbus-based development company.  That compares with the 160 rooms and 12,000 square feet of retail space discussed in early 2008.  Office space is also planned, Pizzuti said, adding that the exact scale of each component "depends on what makes sense financially."

 

Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/01/19/shortnorth_hotel.ART_ART_01-19-10_A8_BTGBH01.html?sid=101

This just in from Columbus Underground:

 

Ibiza Condos Turning into Apartments

By Walker | January 25, 2010 - 1:20pm

 

The Ibiza condo project in the Short North has faced numerous delays since its announcement in 2006, and the lack of communication over the course of the past year have left many wondering if that dirt lot at High & Hubbard would ever see progress on construction.

 

The veil of silence has just been lifted, and condo pre-buyers were informed via email that the project will now be moving forward as an apartment building instead.  The developers are saying that there will be minimal design changes to the project, and that buyers would receive refunds on their investment in due time.

 

Full email from APEX Realty Enterprises at http://www.columbusunderground.com/ibiza-condos-turning-into-apartments