May 16, 200718 yr Jesus, as if it's somehow Coleman's fault. Traditional malls in downtown areas just don't work. Anyone in the industry will tell you.
July 25, 200717 yr Commentary Ann Fisher commentary: City Center sinking, but mayor sees hope Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:31 AM Just about everyone has an idea for redeveloping Columbus City Center, the city's infamous white elephant, and Mayor Michael B. Coleman has probably heard them all. Still, he has changed his tune in recent months about the prospects for the once-great shopping destination. Instead of his usual warning -- "It's going to get worse before it gets better" -- Coleman told a group of local business people last week that he has never been more optimistic. He shouldn't toy with us like that. But I'll give the mayor this: It has gotten worse. The death rattle now is upon the Hallmark store, with everything 75 percent off. What is a mall without a card shop? Not that you would know of City Center's demise by the Web site of its owner, Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, which calls the property "truly the premier Downtown shopping destination" in Columbus. (Dispatch reporter Bob Vitale dug that up for a blog item on the mayor's recent speech.) Read more at http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/07/25/ann25_ART_07-25-07_B1_IR7CDHL.html
July 25, 200717 yr Office space! Rent it out as office space. Its awkward office space but at least everyone would have a convenient food court. -------- "It's going to get worse before it gets better" -- Coleman told a group of local business people last week that he has never been more optimistic. He shouldn't toy with us like that. But I'll give the mayor this: It has gotten worse. --------- People in Columbus keep it real. Lets be honest; city center will never work unless downtown has a MUCH higher population; and even still, they have the short north to compete with. Maybe I don't pay enough attention to malls but City Center doesn't seem that dated to me inside.
July 31, 200717 yr Landlord sues to take control of City Center Mall's operator failed to pay July rent, lawsuit says Tuesday, July 31, 2007 - 5:45 PM By Bill Bush, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH City Center has become “an elephant in this room,” said Mayor Michael B. Coleman, “that is dragging us down.” The mall has declined in recent years, but Coleman said officials coult not act until the partnership that runs the mall missed a July rent payment. Now officials are demanding the “keys to the mall,” he said. Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corp. said in its filing with the Franklin County Common Pleas Court that it has declared the partnership in default and canceled its lease. Capitol South says TL-Columbus, a holding entity comprised of Simon Property Group and the General Motors Pension Fund, failed to make a $202,186 rent payment for July, putting it in default. Further, Capitol South argues that it is now entitled to more than $1 million in money from the parking-garage operations and it asked the court to freeze the account so that it can't be spent. Read more at http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/07/31/city_center.html
August 1, 200717 yr City sues for control of City Center Mayor: 'Absentee landlords' have 3 days to leave Wednesday, August 1, 2007 - 3:25 AM By Mike Pramik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH A battle is being waged for control of Columbus City Center, pitting city leaders against the mall's out-of-town owners -- each with a plan to redevelop the ailing property. Yesterday, the city abruptly ended its lease with the mall's owners and sued for thousands in unpaid rent. It threatened to evict the owner, holding company TL-Columbus Associates, within three days if it doesn't leave voluntarily. At a news conference yesterday, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and others categorized TL-Columbus -- made up of the General Motors Pension Fund and Simon Property Group -- as "absentee landlords" who have turned a blind eye to the 18-year-old property. But Simon Property CEO David Simon took exception to that depiction last night, saying his company had a deal to sell City Center to a local group that included developer Don M. Casto III. Simon said the group had been working with Retail Ventures Inc., which includes Value City Department Stores, to operate stores inside the mall. Read more at http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/08/01/mallsuit.ART_ART_08-01-07_A1_877G16Q.html
August 1, 200717 yr ...But Simon Property CEO David Simon took exception to that depiction last night, saying his company had a deal to sell City Center to a local group that included developer Don M. Casto III. Simon said the group had been working with Retail Ventures Inc., which includes Value City Department Stores, to operate stores inside the mall... So I'm guessing a name-change to "Value City Center?" Classy!
August 1, 200717 yr This is much better than anything involving Casto. Anything he touches downtown turns into a 5 year delay.
August 1, 200717 yr Go mayor go! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 2, 200717 yr You would think that if they cannot work with the existing facility(which is bunker like..(How could they have designed that awful High street side like that???)They could do Something with the site itself. I would think the site would be good given that is has that mega parking garage behemoth attached to it by those walkways. I would not shed a tear if they imploded/demolished it. Wish they would line that strip of S. High between the garage and the street with some mid rise housing with ground level retail-close enough to the new courthouse and all. Thjey could incorporate resident parking(this is C-bus and people MUST have their cars) in the garage that would be right behind the housing. I really hope Nationwide Realty can build off of the Judicial/Courthouse hub that is southern downtown and with this and RiverSouth pull off something that is even halfway as successfull as the Arena district.
August 2, 200717 yr Columbus city center Skipping rent was final straw Thursday, August 2, 2007 - 3:54 AM By and Robert Vitale, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH City Center's landlord said yesterday that it tried for months to work with the Downtown mall's owners on plans for a revival, but they became increasingly uncooperative. The final straw came when mall owners Simon Property Group and General Motors Pension Trust withheld a $202,186 rent payment for July without saying why. As a result, Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corp., which is the landlord of City Center, had no choice but to terminate the lease, said Guy V. Worley, Capitol South's chief executive. "The leadership of Simon Property Group and GM Pension Funds have never reached out to me to tell us why they stopped paying rent," Worley said yesterday. "They never reached out to me to say we have a redevelopment plan for this mall. "They simply decided, 'We're not going to pay our rent anymore,' and we don't agree." Read more at http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/08/02/City_Center_biz.ART_ART_08-02-07_A1_MP7GLPO.html
August 7, 200717 yr Courts to decide City Center controversy Monday, August 6, 2007 - 12:50 PM By Mike Pramik, COLUMBUS DISPATCH The landlord of Columbus City Center has asked a court to evict the owners of the ailing Downtown mall from the property. Capitol South Urban Redevelopment Corp. filed a motion today in Franklin County Common Pleas Court to evict TL-Columbus, which owns and operates the mall. There was no word when a hearing on the motion will be scheduled, a lawyer for Capitol South said. Last week, Capitol South and the city announced their intentions to gain control of City Center, which has deteriorated as a shopping destination in recent years. TL-Columbus consists of mall developer Simon Property Group and General Motors Pension Trust. The city owns the land under the mall and the parking garages. Capitol South leases the land and owns the parking garages and the former Jacobson store building. Read more at http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/business/stories/2007/08/06/citycenter.html
August 12, 200717 yr City Center: Can it make a comeback? Downtown malls were reborn in other states, but at a cost Sunday, August 12, 2007 3:42 AM By Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Like Columbus City Center, downtown malls are a dying breed. Survival depends on a buzz of activity that City Center lacks: things to do, places where you can eat, pedestrian access to storefronts, and urban amenities such as parks and libraries. Other cities in Ohio have tackled similar problem properties in different ways. Ohio malls Downtown malls in Ohio's three biggest cities are struggling to different degrees: • Columbus Columbus City Center Built: 1989 Stores: 150 Occupancy: 23 percent Status: Capitol South Urban Redevelopment Corp. is asking a court to evict mall owners so it can take over and renovate the property. • Cincinnati Tower Place Mall Built: 1991 Stores: 31 plus a food court Occupancy: N/A Status: Tower Place has lost several high-profile tenants. There are only a handful of vacancies, but the tenant mix isn't what it used to be. It's getting a boost from the redevelopment of Fountain Square. • Cleveland Tower City Center Built: 1990 Stores: 100 Occupancy: N/A Status: Tower City is busy during the day thanks to the attached office building and rapid-transit stop. At night, its underground parking often is used by Indians and Cavaliers fans. It also has an 11-screen movie theater. Galleria at Erieview Built: 1987 Stores: 35 Occupancy: N/A Status: The Galleria, which never had a department store, has ceased being a mall. Dollar Bank, the Cleveland Bar Association and the Hungarian Heritage Library now are among the tenants. It soon will be the home of WKNR (850 AM) sports-talk radio station. Read more at http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/08/12/City_malls.ART_ART_08-12-07_A1_QG7J3F3.html
August 13, 200717 yr Quoted for emphasis... "It's just a return to form," said Norquist, now CEO of Congress for New Urbanism, which promotes neighborhood-based development. "You had retail stores going back thousands of years. The mall was a radical departure. It was part of a separate-use-zoning phenomenon to take retail away from everything else in the human habitat, isolate it and surround it with a parking lot. "But it's boring."
August 17, 200717 yr There is an interesting article in this weeks The Other Paper (Aug 16th) which suggests that the recent proclamation by the mayor to take this to litigation was done without any discussion with the current owners. The main point of the story is that the owners may, out of spite, drag this court case out for 3, 4, 5 or more years. I don't know if that will happen or not but the tone of the article made it seem like this was a strong possibility. I'm hoping not.
September 19, 200717 yr MACY'S TO LEAVE COLUMBUS CITY CENTER Wednesday, September 19, 2007 11:33 AM By Mike Pramik, The Columbus Dispatch Macy's will pull out of Columbus City Center in November, its parent company announced today. The parent company said it is closing the Downtown department store because City Center has been underperforming. The company will continue to operate eight other Macy's and related stores in central Ohio. “While Macy's remains deeply committed to the Columbus community, the continued decline of customer traffic and business levels at City Center have led us to the decision to close the store this fall,” said William McNamara, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy's Midwest. “We will be working with the mall's owners to find the most productive long-term use of the Macy's space.” Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2007/09/19/citycenter.html
September 19, 200717 yr And an update from Business First . . . Macy's to close City Center store Business First of Columbus - 2:41 PM EDT Wednesday, September 19, 2007 Macy's Inc. has announced it is closing its Columbus City Center location. The Cincinnati-based retailer said it will begin a clearance sale in mid-October with plans to close the location's doors in November. The 180,000-square-foot store opened in City Center in 2003 as one of eight stores Macy's operates in the Columbus area. Its departure is the latest in an ongoing exodus from the mall, which has seen its business steadily decline and storefronts steadily close in recent years. At the end of July, 37 of the 159 storefronts - less than a quarter - were occupied at the 1.2 million-square-foot mall. Columbus-based Limited Brands Inc. made its exit earlier in 2007. A legal battle broke out over the mall in late July when Columbus and its Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corp. affiliate took owners Simon Property Group Inc. and General Motors Pension Trusts to court, alleging the co-owners didn't pay rent on the mall's lease.
September 20, 200717 yr Anchor abandons ship As city seeks control of City Center, Macy's says it's leaving Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 6:18 AM THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH City Center timeline Rise and decline of Downtown mall Key dates Aug. 5, 1986: Mall construction begins with excavation for its two-level underground parking garage. Aug. 18, 1989: Columbus City Center opens. May 27, 1994: A 15-year-old is shot and killed in a crowded City Center in what is believed to be gang-related violence. Aug. 14, 2004: Lazarus closes. July 31, 2007: The city-backed landlord of City Center, Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation, files suit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court to take control of the mall after its operator fails to make a $202,186 rent payment for July, putting it in default. Aug. 1, 2007: City Center's landlord, Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation, says it tried for months to work with the mall's owners on plans for a revival, but the owners became increasingly uncooperative. Aug. 6, 2007: Capitol South Urban Redevelopment Corporation files a motion in Franklin County Common Pleas Court to evict TL-Columbus, the owner and operator of City Center. Facts & Figures Size: 1.3 million square feet (including three department stores) Original anchors: Lazarus, Jacobson's and Marshall Field's. Number of stores when opened: approximately 100 Cost to build: $116 million Construction facts: Cinder blocks: 80,928 Limestone: 60,724 sq. ft. Concrete: 8,184 cubic yards Skylights: more than 9,200 sq. ft. Light fixtures: 11,400 Air conditioning units: 26 Plants: 2,000 plants Parking garage: 4,700 parking spaces Read more at http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/09/20/macys_city_center_print.ART_ART_09-20-07_A1_5B7V4HQ.html?sid=101
September 20, 200717 yr This is becoming borderline morbid now... is somebody in Columbus going to step up and take control of fixing City Center? Or, is it just going to sit as an abandoned mall in the heart of the CBD for eternity.
September 20, 200717 yr It may not have been emphasized in the most recent article but the City and the property lease holder Capitol South have stepped up to take control of City Center. Courts to decide City Center controversy Monday, August 6, 2007 12:50 PM By Mike Pramik COLUMBUS DISPATCH http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/business/stories/2007/08/06/citycenter.html
September 21, 200717 yr And still one more story on the City Center saga. This one's from WBNS 10-TV... City Center's Future Pondered Sep 20 2007 7:44PM COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus City Center will likely not return to its retail roots as the struggling mall's future is being discussed. Experts who spoke with 10TV's Kevin Landers said that while there may be some shops at the site, the new City Center should be a job creator. Some possible plans being discussed include City Center being transformed into a mix of smaller buildings, including restaurants and shops. Others see the site being used for artists' studios or residential areas. Developer Bob Weiler said that City Center would be a wonderful casino site, but city officials said not to bet on that happening. Republican mayoral challenger William Todd said that he hopes City Center would transform into a site similar to Easton Town Center. Todd said that the city made a mistake by trying to evict the company that leases the mall. He said that even if they were behind on their rent that they deserve better. "I wouldn't have filed a lawsuit," Todd said. "The way it was done, I don't think that's a technical default in the lease." Everyone agreed that something needs to change with City Center because what is there now is not working and it has not worked in years. An eviction hearing is scheduled for next week to remove the company that leases City Center, Landers reported. If the eviction is granted, the city can begin talking with developers about how to turn City Center around. Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for continuing coverage.
September 22, 200717 yr Posted by Walker at columbusunderground.com Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:52 pm Post subject: Bill Todd Lawsuits: good for schools, not good for malls. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This really cracked me up... Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007, 7:44PM 10tv.com wrote: City Center's Future Pondered Republican mayoral challenger William Todd said that he hopes City Center would transform into a site similar to Easton Town Center. Todd said that the city made a mistake by trying to evict the company that leases the mall. He said that even if they were behind on their rent that they deserve better. "I wouldn't have filed a lawsuit," Todd said. Tuesday, September 18, 2007 The Columbus Dispatch wrote: City schools inequitable, lawsuit says By Robert Vitale Republican mayoral candidate William M. Todd continued his campaign against Columbus schools yesterday, filing a lawsuit that contends the district is shortchanging some of its students. Todd said the action on behalf of five district residents is "an economic issue about the future of our children in Columbus." School board members, including one of Todd's fellow Republicans, called the lawsuit a political stunt. "If he's a serious man, if he's a serious politician, he needs to say something about school funding that makes sense," said board President Terry Boyd, who shares a spot with Todd on the GOP ticket for Nov. 6 elections. Bill Todd Lawsuits: good for schools, not good for malls. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I wondered if someone would point out this "slight" inconsistency in Bill Todd's statements. And regarding the City Center Mall owners being sued for not paying their rent . . . what do you think would happen to you if you didn't pay your rent or mortgage for three months?
September 27, 200717 yr City will buy ailing City Center mall for $2.88 million Thursday, September 27, 2007 - 10:27 AM By Mike Pramik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus has struck a deal with the owners of Columbus City Center to take over the struggling Downtown mall. According to a source with Capitol South Urban Redevelopment Corp., the nonprofit developer created by the city in the 1980s to build City Center, Columbus will pay Simon Property Group and General Motors Pension Trust $2.88 million for the mall as well as vacant land at the northeast corner of S. High and E. Rich streets. Pending approval by the Columbus City Council, the mall will be in Capitol South’s hands by Oct. 31. Capitol South has hired Arena District developer Nationwide Realty Investors to create a plan for the mall’s future. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/09/27/city_center.html
September 27, 200717 yr From Channel 10 of Columbus City To Buy Ailing City Center Mall Sep 27 2007 10:48AM COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus has struck a deal with the owners of Columbus City Center to take over the struggling Downtown mall. Link no longer works but you can try this: www.10tv.com/?sec=&story=sites/10tv/content/pool/200709/1979961512.html
September 27, 200717 yr WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 27, 200717 yr $2.8M??? What a steal! With the right planning and development the city should be able to make a good margin off of this.
September 28, 200717 yr excellent news. leave the parking garage and clear the rest of it out of there quick. ok architects, lets the renderings begin!
September 28, 200717 yr And here's the front page story from today's Dispatch . . . City Center owners give in Hours before eviction hearing, city finally has deal to take over ailing mall Friday, September 28, 2007 - 5:28 AM By Mike Pramik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH For months, the city has tried to seize control of its failing Downtown mall. Late Wednesday night, it won the battle for Columbus City Center. The future of the nearly-empty retail property is unclear. But early indications are it won't stay open much longer. Because the mall will be about 90 percent vacant after Macy's leaves in November, it's possible the mall could be closed before it's redeveloped, said Guy Worley, chief executive of Capitol South Urban Redevelopment Corp. That group is preparing to take over the property on Oct. 31. Columbus and Capitol South, the nonprofit development organization that brought City Center to life in 1989, will try to create a new future for the mall during the next six months. They'll be assisted by Arena District developer Nationwide Realty Investors, which has agreed to devise a master plan for the property within 60 days of the takeover at the end of next month. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/09/27/city_center.html
September 28, 200717 yr Bring the skating rink back. I don't ice skate or anything, but they're always a pleasant thing to have around, and State Street could remain open 365.
September 30, 200717 yr If my city wants people to come downtown all times of the day, they need to turn City Center into a Casino downstairs and turn the top floors into a hotel/Restaurant/shops.... I know when I go to visit my girlfriend in St. Louis, their Downtown mall is pretty dead but there are always people downtown because of the river casinos. This would really bring lots of tourists and people downtown all the time.
October 1, 200717 yr Construction Zone Monday, October 1, 2007 - 6:43 AM By Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH • The Columbus City Council is expected to vote on an ordinance tonight approving the city's proposal to purchase Columbus City Center. The council is one of three entities, in addition to the boards of the owners and buyers, that must approve the city's $2.88 million purchase of vacant land near the mall. The deal also requires the current owners to turn over the mall by Oct. 31. Mike Pramik covers development for The Dispatch. Contact him at mpramik @dispatch.com or by fax at 614-461-5107.
October 2, 200717 yr Construction Zone Monday, October 1, 2007 - 6:43 AM By Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The Columbus City Council is expected to vote on an ordinance tonight approving the city's proposal to purchase Columbus City Center. The council is one of three entities, in addition to the boards of the owners and buyers, that must approve the city's $2.88 million purchase of vacant land near the mall. The deal also requires the current owners to turn over the mall by Oct. 31. The ordinance got approved last night.
October 31, 200717 yr From my blog. If you want to see the pictures go to: http://elephantsonbicycles.teenymouse.com/?p=129 City Center Redevelopment As a companion to Kingsdale let’s not forget City Center. City Center is another shining example of a retail only center which takes up a substantial amount of land in the heart of a city and has failed miserably - sitting on life support for years. The city of Columbus has a vision of building a better future and, as part of this vision, was forced to take City Center over because the owners were unwilling to embrace this vision. Dreams don’t come true without exerting effort and Mayor Coleman understood this. I hope that our leaders in Upper Arlington understand this as well and know that they have the support of the residents when pushing for the Kingsdale we all dream of. Columbus Monthly Magazine, November 2007 issue, has provided a very nice article about the redevelopment of City Center which includes the following proposals from three leading Columbus based architectural firms. I can honestly say that I don’t see any of these plans as a stand-out over the others just because I think they are all fabulous. If I were pushed on it I would probably rate them in the order I have presented them below. As with the previous article, I would suggest you go out and purchase this issue of Columbus Monthly and consider getting a subscription. I have also linked the architect’s websites where you can find more information about the proposals. Lincoln Street Studio’s new City Center proposal: Moody Nolan’s new City Center proposal: Blostein Overly Architects’ new City Center proposal: I think it is fair to say that the Blostein Overly Architect’s proposal is the most feasible in its current draft which is certainly not a bad thing. This proposal seems to respect the current layout of the downtown skyline as well but I think these are also the reasons that it is at the bottom of my list. I think Lincoln Street Studio’s proposal is the most beautiful and dares to dream the most. The Moody Nolan proposal is a nice combination of both and the exoskeleton of the street level glass boxes remind me a bit of the Hancock Tower in Chicago which is one of my all time favorite skyscrapers. As I stated above though, I love all three of these proposals and I definitely hope to see elements of all three appear in the final design.
October 31, 200717 yr Also this Nov. 2007 Columbus Monthly is worth picking up at the news-stand if you don't have a subscription. Lincoln Street Studio proposal: Moody Nolan proposal: Blostein Overly Architects proposal:
November 1, 200717 yr for the love of god not BOA That was my reaction. Between the giant target symbol and the "skypark" it's a wreck. I actually like a lot about Lincoln Street Studio's proposal. If they "ReConnected" it with downtown a little better and added some sort of central feature in the park (fountain/ice rink), I'd really like it.
November 1, 200717 yr Article from today's Dispatch about the City of Columbus/Capitol South officially taking control of the City Center Mall. $2.88 million sale Columbus takes over City Center Thursday, November 1, 2007 By Mike Pramik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus finally has the keys to Columbus City Center, the ailing Downtown mall it has wanted to own for months, and will meet today with tenants to discuss plans. The mall and the rights to vacant land at the northeast corner of S. High and E. Rich streets were sold for $2.88 million by Simon Property Group and General Motors Pension Trust to Capitol South Urban Redevelopment Corp., the city-related nonprofit organization that developed City Center in the late '80s. Whether it will remain open while Nationwide Realty Investors conducts a three-month evaluation of the property for Capitol South is unclear. Spokeswoman Amy Taylor said Capitol South couldn't announce plans before it took control. Kim Watson, an owner of the Door Rouge Salon & Day Spa on City Center's third floor, said she has received no correspondence from Capitol South. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/11/01/city_center.html
November 1, 200717 yr Here are some larger, clearer concept images from Blostein Overly and Lincoln Street Studio. Haven't come across any better online images of the Moody Nolan concept, which is visually much more impressive on the Columbus Monthly pages. Lincoln Street Studio - four images Blostein Overly (aka The Giant Target Symbol Concept)
November 1, 200717 yr THIS is what City Center needs...innovative design replacing cookie-cutter Taubmann. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 1, 200717 yr I take back what I said about the Lincoln Street Studio concept. It's actually connected pretty well to the rest of the area.
November 1, 200717 yr THIS is what City Center needs...innovative design replacing cookie-cutter Taubmann. Bloomfield Hills Salutes you!
November 1, 200717 yr Trash. They have porcupines rolling on their backs trying to get off Woodward in Bloomfield Hills. Trash. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
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