February 14, 201114 yr I'm actually fairly certain that that lot now has development on it. The last time I was at the restaurant on the right, it was being prepped for construction, and this was last summer/early fall.
February 15, 201114 yr I'm actually fairly certain that that lot now has development on it. The last time I was at the restaurant on the right, it was being prepped for construction, and this was last summer/early fall. Welcome to UO!
February 15, 201114 yr Yes, that lot is now a dumpy gas station w/ car wash. What a great transition from Bexley to Columbus. Speaking of Bexley, that is just one of several urban suburbs that are actually more progressive than Columbus in their actions for making their urban corridors urban. Bexley, Grandview, and Worthington, they all have their urban commercial streets set up for slower traffic and prioritize pedestrians. Meanwhile, here I am at the new coffeeshop on Parsons where the city hasn't done anything to make this three-block stretch from Broad to Bryden more pedestrian-friendly: traffic moves at 35 MPH (per the signed speed limit) or faster through here. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=Columbus&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.861942,100.019531&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Columbus,+Franklin,+Ohio&ll=39.961176,-82.998794&spn=0.016479,0.048838&z=14&layer=c&cbll=39.963311,-82.981634&panoid=tJCK4Y-_VVCaNZPu2cceqQ&cbp=12,195.23,,0,-3.1&output=svembed Some simple curb bumpouts would help narrow the street design on the west side of the street where there is on street parking and some sharrows would remind both drivers and cyclists that the road is theirs too. In typical Columbus fashion the street's main function, despite revitalizated storefronts, is to act as a traffic sewer.
February 16, 201114 yr You definitely know when you've left Bexley or Grandview and entered Columbus proper. Roadside trees disappear, parking lots triple in size, setbacks do the same and the architecture degrades into post-war boxiness. Infill between the older parts of Columbus and these two suburbs (which were exurbs before the infill) mostly took place after the war.
February 16, 201114 yr News from SWACO The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio Serving Columbus & Franklin County (Ohio) Contact: John Remy 614-801-6410(o) 614-203-5966© [email protected] www.swaco.org Grow Green with SWACO Grants Local governments, school districts, non-profits, and charities can now apply for SWACO’s 2011 grant program. These grants are designed to assist projects that further SWACO’s mission of reducing waste, increasing recycling, and growing reuse efforts. Last year’s grant recipients included the Capitol Crossroads Special Improvements District, Otterbein College, the Canal Winchester School District, Boy Scouts in Washington Township, the Reynoldsburg School District, and Hilliard’s Bradley High School and Memorial Middle School. “We believe these grants educate Central Ohioans on how to be more green,” says SWACO Executive Director Ron Mills. “In the past, SWACO grants have stimulated local groups to move ahead with many projects that needed just a few dollars more to get off the ground. These projects become like public classrooms that teach recycling, reuse, waste reduction, composting and more. We hope they will lead others to move ahead with their ideas. “ Grant recipients are required to provide a 25% cash or in-kind match. The deadline for applications is April 16, 2011. Final approval of the grants will come from the SWACO Board of Trustees. For further information applicants can contact SWACO Grants Manager Bonni Trice at 614-871-5100 or [email protected]. Information on the grant program is also available by clicking on the “grant information box” of www.swaco.org . For existing waste reduction, recycling, and other sustainability projects and programs, SWACO encourages groups, businesses, and individuals to nominate their efforts for a SWACO Emerald award. Each year, SWACO honors the best and most innovative local ideas in waste reduction and recycling during Ohio’s premiere green awards program. This year’s Emeralds will be presented Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at The Ohio Union, 1739 North High Street on The Ohio State University campus. More details including nomination forms can be made at: www.swaco.org/EmeraldNominationForm.aspx. To obtain a written form or for additional information, potential nominees can contact SWACO at 614-871-5100. SWACO serves Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio with innovative waste reduction and recycling projects. We believe that today’s throwaways are the foundation for tomorrow. SWACO also offers residential recycling opportunities through 225 recycling drop off-locations, at major sporting and entertainment venues, at Columbus City Schools, The Columbus Arts Festival and other locations. SWACO provides leadership and advice for businesses wishing to begin recycling and waste reduction programs as well. Our operations include the Franklin County Landfill, three transfer stations, and other programs. More information on SWACO at www.swaco.org.
February 18, 201114 yr Clintonville is the new Eastmoor? I have to say that only two of the neighborhoods listed, Eastmoor and Fifth by NW, match the definition of a first-ring suburb. Clintonville and Merion Village have been around much longer and have the housing stock to prove it. Eastmoor is in horrible shape on E Main. It looks like E Main in OTE, but suburban-style and this neighborhood probably needs the most work. E Broad in Eastmoor is also lined with stripmall development, showing its young age and the fact that it hasn't aged well. Merion Village is still bouncing back as new restaurants and bars are popping up throughout the neighborhood. Fifth by NW just has a very inconsistent W 5th Ave which changes between urban and suburban and has been a stable area with a good deal of amenities, but it does need to be pedestrianized. Clintonville never needed a second look. The problem is that too many residents who are vocal about development are always against any development (unless it's suburban like the McDonalds, Tim Horton's, etc). As for these areas being choice locations towards 2050, I find that hard to believe when there'll no cheap and easy way to get from point A to B thanks to no rail being laid today and COTA will likely become too expensive to use for daily needs. Maybe Columbus will become a great cycling city then. 'First-ring' suburbs getting second look Thursday, February 17, 2011 02:53 AM By Mark Ferenchik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus neighborhoods such as Merion Village and Eastmoor could be mini-boomtowns in upcoming decades as younger and older residents choose houses close to work, shopping and recreation. That's what the leader of the Urban Land Institute told a group of academics and planners last weekend in Raleigh, N.C., while discussing how to reimagine and redevelop "first-ring" suburbs and neighborhoods for the 21st century. Those communities will be on the minds of local leaders, too, as they gather Feb. 25 to discuss principles for a long-range strategic vision for what Columbus and central Ohio will look like in 2050. There are lots of similar initiatives, including the Columbus 2020 economic development plan and the Central Ohio 2015 project. http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/02/17/first-ring-suburbs-getting-second-look.html
February 18, 201114 yr I agree that retail corridors in Eastmoor are in rough shape, but the residential streets are still pretty nice and the housing stock is miles ahead of the more northerly sectors of Clintonville. True Clintonville is pre-war, but then there are too damn many OSU folk. Affordable Clintonville (or Beechwold I guess some might call it), is all crappy postwar stuff. Also there remains a lot of rental in Clintonville that you don't seem to find in Eastmoor.
March 3, 201114 yr City plans to demolish or repair 100 more homes Monday, February 21, 2011 By Mark Ferenchik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus will spend millions more dollars to tear down or fix up nearly 100 houses in three neighborhoods hit hard by foreclosure and blight, including a South Side area where a new health center will go up next year. The city will receive $4.8 million in the latest round of federal Neighborhood Stabilization money and will spend the bulk of it in the Linden and Franklinton neighborhoods. Some of the money will go to demolish houses or develop new ones in the South Side neighborhood near Parsons and Innis avenues. The city owns land along Parsons and will build a new $5 million health center there. Construction will begin next year, and the center will open in spring 2013, said David Bush, a city assistant finance director. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/02/21/copy/city-plans-to-demolish-or-repair-100-more-homes.html
March 3, 201114 yr An update of sorts to the previous Dispatch article about the City of Columbus renovating houses in targeted neighborhoods. Scourge of the city: Millions spent on renovating, demolishing eyesore properties Saturday, February 26, 2011 By Mark Ferenchik, The Columbus Dispatch City officials say there are now 6,117 vacant properties in Columbus, the largest number anyone can remember. It's the latest sign that the foreclosure crisis continues to take a toll here as neighborhoods battle eyesores and the city sinks more than $50 million in federal money into boosting the hardest-hit areas. This most recent tally represents an increase of nearly 5 percent from February 2010. If there's a silver lining, it might be that the increase is less than the 8 percent jump from February 2009 to February 2010. "The bad news is, it continues to outpace our ability to address it," said Dan Williamson, spokesman for Mayor Michael B. Coleman. "It's difficult to build strong neighborhoods when you have buildings boarded up." The city said the vast majority of vacant properties are single-family or two-family houses that inspectors have deemed empty for more than 60 days and not up for sale or rent. The hardest-hit areas are the Near East Side, the Hilltop and North and South Linden, said Dana Rose, city code-enforcement manager. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/02/26/vacant_homes.html?sid=101 This map included with the article shows the location of vacant properties in Columbus as of February 1, 2011. Because it is a city-scale sized map, each dot representing a vacant property is vastly oversized for display purposes. But it does give a good identication as to which neighborhoods are more affected. VACANT PROPERTY MAP
April 14, 201114 yr Ohio State making it easier for Columbus State grads to enroll Business First - by Matt Burns Date: Tuesday, April 5, 2011, 12:47pm EDT Ohio State University is opening its doors wider to students at Columbus State Community College with a new pact that will guarantee admission to those on track for a bachelor’s degree in certain majors. Ohio State President Gordon Gee and Columbus State President David Harrison are set to announce the Preferred Pathway program later Tuesday. It locks in access to Ohio State for students at two-year Columbus State. While the agreement assures an easy transition, it isn’t a carte blanche admission. Columbus State students must meet grade-point average and other requirements to make it into specific OSU colleges. READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2011/04/05/ohio-state-making-it-easier-for.html
April 14, 201114 yr Columbus State grads guaranteed chance to finish 4-year degrees at OSU Preferred Pathway Program further links two schools Wednesday, April 6, 2011 By Charlie Boss THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Students entering Columbus State Community College this fall can take their first steps toward a bachelor's degree at Ohio State University as part of a new joint initiative that officials announced yesterday. Under the Preferred Pathway Program, Columbus State students who complete a two-year associate's degree there will be guaranteed admission to Ohio State to earn their bachelor's. GRAPHIC COMPARING COLUMBUS STATE ENROLLMENT WITH OSU'S COLUMBUS CAMPUS READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/04/06/campus-partners.html?sid=101
May 18, 201114 yr The architectural website ArchDaily recently profiled a downtown Columbus housing project completed in 2006. 225 North Fourth Lofts / Jonathan Barnes Architecture and Design 05 May 2011 By Christopher Henry, ArchDaily This project involves the conversion of a four-story 19th Century commercial building on a tight urban lot to residential and commercial use and the replacement of a non-contributing single story adjacent structure with an infill building for residential use and parking. The conversion consists of 6 residential units (2 per floor) above a 3,000 sqf commercial office space while the new structure accommodates 5 residential units (2 per floor with a full floor penthouse unit) and parking at the first floor. An elevator and egress stairs are shared by both structures. READ MORE: http://www.archdaily.com/132872/225-north-fourth-lofts-jonathan-barnes-architecture-and-design/ There is also more about this project at the architect's website: http://www.jbadusa.com/projects/live_225/index.html
May 21, 201114 yr Ohio State's new boathouse opening today Saturday, May 21, 2011 By Mark Ferenchik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The $5.2 million boathouse flanking Griggs Reservoir officially opens today. The Ohio State University women's rowing team and the Greater Columbus Rowing Association already are using the building. And visitors soon will be able to rent it for meetings, family reunions and wedding receptions on the weekends. It's the latter that concerns Beverly Stephens, one of a number of nearby residents who opposed the boathouse from the get-go. They're worried about traffic and speeding cars heading toward the boathouse, not to mention the loss of parkland along the Scioto River. PHOTO OF THE BOATHOUSE EXTERIOR PHOTO OF THE BOATHOUSE INTERIOR READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/05/21/ohio-states-new-boathouse-opening-today.html
May 26, 201114 yr Columbus Commons Park is officially opening today. The Dispatch has a special section on its development today (which can be posted in the Columbus Commons / former City Center Mall section). But they also had an article about the many other downtown projects near Columbus Commons. Most of these projects will be completed either later this year or next year in time for the City's Bicentennial. Below is a link to the article: Columbus Commons opens today, adding a splash of green space in the heart of the city. But it isn't the only development going on. Major projects worth $220 million are reshaping the face of Downtown.
June 27, 201113 yr This topic has been moved to Northeast Ohio Projects & Construction. [iurl=http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=25989.0]http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=25989.0[/iurl] "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 1, 201113 yr With Nationwide putting their moniker on one of their buildings, I think all high-profile non-government towers in Columbus have a corporate name/logo on them, except Three Nationwide... Shop Talk Nationwide to see its name up in lights on HQ tower Business First - by Brian R. Ball Date: Friday, July 1, 2011, 6:00am EDT - Last Modified: Thursday, June 30, 2011, 4:11pm EDT Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. will soon join other corporations with their names lit up on the downtown skyline. Nationwide will be spelled out in white and the LED lettering’s color can be changed to reflect the season – think green and red during Christmas – or special events, such as pink for breast cancer awareness month. http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/07/01/nationwide-eager-to-see-its-name-up-in.html
July 1, 201113 yr Still wish they'd get red lights for those big windows and have them go back and forth like K.I.T.T.
July 1, 201113 yr Columbus Commons Park is officially opening today. The Dispatch has a special section on its development today (which can be posted in the Columbus Commons / former City Center Mall section). But they also had an article about the many other downtown projects near Columbus Commons. Most of these projects will be completed either later this year or next year in time for the City's Bicentennial. Below is a link to the article: Columbus Commons opens today, adding a splash of green space in the heart of the city. But it isn't the only development going on. Major projects worth $220 million are reshaping the face of Downtown. While it's nice to see investments Downtown, how about spreading some of the love (and millions)? I think the Scioto Mile and Rich St Bridge were expendable. That's $76 million that could have been used spur revitalization on choice sections of Parsons (it is right next to German and Merion Village after all), E Main (the one large blemish left in OTE), and a long-neglected business district like E 5th Ave in East Columbus/Krumm Park next door to Bexley. Do we want more miniature "High Streets" or more greenspace? It should be noted that even with these projects nearing completion, only a couple of new businesses are going to open up on the northern end of RiverSouth's business district in the Lazarus building on S High. The rest, aside form the new courthouse, would be indistinguishable from a picture of the same strip ten years ago with empty storefronts, bail bonds, and a wig shop.
July 5, 201113 yr Green space is actually beneficial to luring business to a downtown type area. Look at Central Park in NYC for example, while Columbus Commons is by no means anywhere near the quality of Central Park, the rents and ownership values go up closer to greenspace. So while I completely agree with you on other places that could use the investment more, its not always better. I definitely would much rather see other 'High Streets' but we have to crawl before we walk and walk before we run. Unfortunately for Columbus along the way we forgot that we also had to learn to roll over before we crawl. Change takes time and I believe with higher gas prices development will start to focus on the inside inner belt and specifically on main roads that could use good revitalization, think South Campus Gateway type building.
July 5, 201113 yr Welcome and wonderful first post, vidgms. I would certainly agree with all that you said, especially you last paragraph. I would say Columbus is getting back to the "crawling" stage of development. We've seen many projects take place around the city that 10-15 years ago would have been unheard of. Hopefully the momentum continues to build to get us walking and running to bigger and better things.
July 6, 201113 yr I would have to say the evidence doesn't point to that at all. Downtown already had doubled its population before CC came into play. Could CC have acted as a draw for businesses? Possibly, but it's been well known for over a year that the site was to be a park and so I have to ask: where are the business they lured and are luring? Gay St even before the two-way conversion saw a few businesses already open (Cafe Brioso, Due Amici, and Tip Top) which set the tone for total revitalization, yet even after the park has opened only a MoJoe Lounge is set to open and well after the park debuted. I don't know how either of you expect us to get to the "crawling" stage on Parsons, W Broad, etc when we don't even invest in a decently walkable configuration for any crawling to happen; this type of mindset is exactly why we still have a plethora of empty business districts. In case it hasn't been made obvious enough, no one is going to magically swoop in, rehab a row of buildings in a depressed commercial street for entrepreneurs to move in. The city needs to provide funding to rehab a commercial block on X number of streets and only then will we see some interest in breathing life into these areas. Until the city of Columbus puts its money where its mouth is these streets will mostly be just as sad as they are today and have been for years. $76 million could have poised numerous neighborhoods. therefore the city as a whole, for a serious comeback. Instead, with the exception of east Franklinton, you can be sure to see another 1/5 or more of the urban population continue to flee large chunks of the west, south, east, and northeast sides of the city, respectively. At least it won't be difficult to update the city's 2020 census map (just pretend the eastern portion of Franklinton is a medium-dark shade of blue). Tentative Columbus 2020 Census Map
July 6, 201113 yr With Nationwide putting their moniker on one of their buildings, I think all high-profile non-government towers in Columbus have a corporate name/logo on them, except Three Nationwide... Nationwide to see its name up in lights on HQ tower Business First - by Brian R. Ball Date: Friday, July 1, 2011, 6:00am EDT - Last Modified: Thursday, June 30, 2011, 4:11pm EDT Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. will soon join other corporations with their names lit up on the downtown skyline. Nationwide will be spelled out in white and the LED lettering’s color can be changed to reflect the season – think green and red during Christmas – or special events, such as pink for breast cancer awareness month. http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/07/01/nationwide-eager-to-see-its-name-up-in.html It looks like the name at the top of the One Nationwide tower is the finishing touch to a massive interior renovation project for Nationwide downtown. Nationwide putting finishing touches on 4-year HQ overhaul By Troy May, For Business First Friday, July 1, 2011, 6:00am EDT A big construction project has been going on downtown for the past four years, but unless you work within the walls of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., it may have gone unnoticed. The work involved rehabbing 59 floors in Plazas One and Three, which are on North High Street near Nationwide Boulevard, and other common areas throughout the complex. Both buildings account for 2 million square feet, and 1.5 million of that was renovated. It was what’s dubbed a floor-to-ceiling renovation that included full replacement of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, furniture, fixtures and graphics, said Nationwide spokeswoman Elizabeth Giannetti. The last associate work area will be completed in mid-July. READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/07/01/nationwide-putting-finishing-touches.html
July 8, 201113 yr I would have to say the evidence doesn't point to that at all. Downtown already had doubled its population before CC came into play. Could CC have acted as a draw for businesses? Possibly, but it's been well known for over a year that the site was to be a park and so I have to ask: where are the business they lured and are luring? Gay St even before the two-way conversion saw a few businesses already open (Cafe Brioso, Due Amici, and Tip Top) which set the tone for total revitalization, yet even after the park has opened only a MoJoe Lounge is set to open and well after the park debuted. I don't know how either of you expect us to get to the "crawling" stage on Parsons, W Broad, etc when we don't even invest in a decently walkable configuration for any crawling to happen; this type of mindset is exactly why we still have a plethora of empty business districts. In case it hasn't been made obvious enough, no one is going to magically swoop in, rehab a row of buildings in a depressed commercial street for entrepreneurs to move in. The city needs to provide funding to rehab a commercial block on X number of streets and only then will we see some interest in breathing life into these areas. Until the city of Columbus puts its money where its mouth is these streets will mostly be just as sad as they are today and have been for years. $76 million could have poised numerous neighborhoods. therefore the city as a whole, for a serious comeback. Instead, with the exception of east Franklinton, you can be sure to see another 1/5 or more of the urban population continue to flee large chunks of the west, south, east, and northeast sides of the city, respectively. At least it won't be difficult to update the city's 2020 census map (just pretend the eastern portion of Franklinton is a medium-dark shade of blue). Tentative Columbus 2020 Census Map If you look on that map, the areas where money was poured into the city and surrounding areas, are the areas where population growth was the greatest. Remember, a census covers 10 years, a lot changes in 10 years and I can guarantee that most of those changes were in planning for a significant portion of time before they came to fruition. You can't say that a park is worthless and that no investment has or will happen after it being open for only a few months. Once people see that an area of a city is nice, they tend to flock to that area. The development on Parson and Livingston because of Nationwide investing in that area will probably see that area achieve significant growth and revitalization in that area in the next 10 years. Change takes time and patience and a community that wants to see it happen. 20 years ago, people didn't go into the Short North, Victorian Village, or Italian Village. Now? Those are the places to be and it started with a kick of redevelopment from the city which has turned into private development happening and being the majority of the projects financed in the area by local organizations that care for the region beyond getting a quick buck. Give it time.
July 10, 201113 yr Keep in mind that when you include the several months before each park space was completed that it's been a year, not a couple of months or days, so developers and prospective entrepreneurs have known this was a long time coming. Compare that with Gay St, as I did earlier, before the pedestrianized two-way improvement was made. It took a couple of years for the rest to fill in afterward, but there were at least a few new places that opened there before such improvements were ev en made, unlike the lack of businesses that have opened on the closest available storefronts to these parks. Your comparison of Parsons and Livingston to the Short North/VV/IV simply doesn't hold water. What made the Short North great were the art galleries and daring entrepreneurs who made a couple of blocks good and that provided a clear picture of what the rest could look like. If a hospital had been built there and renovated that wouldn't have made a difference for the casual visitor. Mt Carmel West and University Hospital East haven't exactly served as shining examples of hospitals playing a large role in urban revitalization. It's great that Nationwide is revamping the hospital, but that's not going to do the job. What would is if they helped fund facade improvements for entrepreneurs who occupy commercial buildings on Parsons and Livingston within X number of blocks from the hospital. Unfortunately, we just don't see that here and that is why so many business districts are just as bad or worse off as they were a decade ago: they get neither public nor private investment to plant the seed for change. Expecting people to stick around and wait for positive changes is ridiculous and as evidenced by that map, thousands of Columbus residents agree that they already gave the city a chance and waited long enough. You need to do what I did and take a ride or drive down all of these corridors and look at what the city has and hasn't done to encourage improvements on them in the coming five to ten years.
July 11, 201113 yr The Gay Street conversion was done in 2007 - very different economic times than now. The private sector is taking less risk these days and the public sector is going through a fiscally conservative upheaval. The city's planners want to do more, but resources are thin. The concentration downtown is likely due to the fact that Columbus has very few iconic urban images. I agree 100% that the inner city neighborhoods are the key to boosting the quality of life and economic sustainability, but they don't advertise as well as giant fountains, unique bridges, and parks that double as outdoor concert venues. It's one thing for people across the country to know little about Columbus, but even Midwesterners are often pretty clueless about what the city offers. It's especially sad when OSU students think of the place as a 'college town' because the campus offers more urban life than downtown. Bright future professionals aren't going to stick around long enough to discover the unique neighborhoods if they retain that perception. I guess one could look at it as if Columbus were a business; downtown development is Marketing and neighborhood development is R&D/Quality Control. I think everybody who lives here desires (and deserves) a better quality product, but the city needs to compete and draw more customers to increase its revenue base. And if Columbus is going to invest in its image, it might as well go all out, rather than half-ass it like we've done before. Besides, neighborhood development is typically private sector driven.
July 11, 201113 yr I would have to say the evidence doesn't point to that at all. Downtown already had doubled its population before CC came into play. Could CC have acted as a draw for businesses? Possibly, but it's been well known for over a year that the site was to be a park and so I have to ask: where are the business they lured and are luring? Gay St even before the two-way conversion saw a few businesses already open (Cafe Brioso, Due Amici, and Tip Top) which set the tone for total revitalization, yet even after the park has opened only a MoJoe Lounge is set to open and well after the park debuted. I don't know how either of you expect us to get to the "crawling" stage on Parsons, W Broad, etc when we don't even invest in a decently walkable configuration for any crawling to happen; this type of mindset is exactly why we still have a plethora of empty business districts. In case it hasn't been made obvious enough, no one is going to magically swoop in, rehab a row of buildings in a depressed commercial street for entrepreneurs to move in. The city needs to provide funding to rehab a commercial block on X number of streets and only then will we see some interest in breathing life into these areas. Until the city of Columbus puts its money where its mouth is these streets will mostly be just as sad as they are today and have been for years. $76 million could have poised numerous neighborhoods. therefore the city as a whole, for a serious comeback. Instead, with the exception of east Franklinton, you can be sure to see another 1/5 or more of the urban population continue to flee large chunks of the west, south, east, and northeast sides of the city, respectively. At least it won't be difficult to update the city's 2020 census map (just pretend the eastern portion of Franklinton is a medium-dark shade of blue). Tentative Columbus 2020 Census Map Same song and dance as always. The city is conspiring to ignore certain neighborhoods. The city isn't doing enough. The developments that have been done suck or aren't enough. Why aren't things moving faster? Why isn't anyone listening to me? Disagreement means you don't know anything and are holding back progress... and so on... And what is your obsession with Parsons? Do you have investment property over there? You do realize that every city on the face of the planet has neighborhoods that aren't walkable, aren't high density, and frankly, aren't nice... right? In fact, for most cities, that is the majority, at least in the US where the suburbs outnumber true urban environments. You may not like that reality, but it continues to be reality. I just don't get your constant negativity and unrealistic expectations. You expect Columbus to be this urban Shangri-La where every neighborhood is transformed within months and 100% of the population uses public transportation while planning community gardens as they bike to work on 10,000 miles of new trails. Frankly, I think what the city has accomplished despite terrible economic times (which continue btw) in a state where every mid and major city is seeing declines, speaks to a forward-thinking city government. Not perfect, but certainly on the right path. I just talked to a couple who moved from Seattle. Their words were that Columbus was rapidly gaining a positive reputation even in places like that, and they moved not only for job opportunities and quality of life, but because they found the city to be making huge strides in development/progress. And I hear this constantly from other new transplants. Why can people 3000 miles away in cities much larger than Columbus appreciate the city more than some of it's residents... and so much so that they choose to relocate? What are they seeing here that you don't?
July 11, 201113 yr Keep in mind that when you include the several months before each park space was completed that it's been a year, not a couple of months or days, so developers and prospective entrepreneurs have known this was a long time coming. Compare that with Gay St, as I did earlier, before the pedestrianized two-way improvement was made. It took a couple of years for the rest to fill in afterward, but there were at least a few new places that opened there before such improvements were ev en made, unlike the lack of businesses that have opened on the closest available storefronts to these parks. Your comparison of Parsons and Livingston to the Short North/VV/IV simply doesn't hold water. What made the Short North great were the art galleries and daring entrepreneurs who made a couple of blocks good and that provided a clear picture of what the rest could look like. If a hospital had been built there and renovated that wouldn't have made a difference for the casual visitor. Mt Carmel West and University Hospital East haven't exactly served as shining examples of hospitals playing a large role in urban revitalization. It's great that Nationwide is revamping the hospital, but that's not going to do the job. What would is if they helped fund facade improvements for entrepreneurs who occupy commercial buildings on Parsons and Livingston within X number of blocks from the hospital. Unfortunately, we just don't see that here and that is why so many business districts are just as bad or worse off as they were a decade ago: they get neither public nor private investment to plant the seed for change. Expecting people to stick around and wait for positive changes is ridiculous and as evidenced by that map, thousands of Columbus residents agree that they already gave the city a chance and waited long enough. You need to do what I did and take a ride or drive down all of these corridors and look at what the city has and hasn't done to encourage improvements on them in the coming five to ten years. You're contradicting yourself here. You're always saying that it takes some development, namely those willing to take risks, to truly begin a trend of revitalization, yet you expect the area around the park to start revitalizing before anything was actually done. If, say, Mojoe is the first, it probably would not have gone there at all had the park not been built, and further, the fact that it will be there adds more incentive to other businesses to move in. And more residents... which leads to more busineses. And if you don't think the city is not actively trying to get people down there, you're mistaken. Gay Street had a few businesses, but it certainly was no destination, nor did it have the reputation it does now. It was not just a few scattered businesses that turned it around, but a collaborative effort by the city and area leaders to help rebuild it. Downtown might as well have been Parsons 20 years ago. It's not anymore. We have the core now, and it will continue to develop. The trick is to keep the momentum going and spread it elsewhere.
July 11, 201113 yr The Gay Street conversion was done in 2007 - very different economic times than now. The private sector is taking less risk these days and the public sector is going through a fiscally conservative upheaval. The city's planners want to do more, but resources are thin. The concentration downtown is likely due to the fact that Columbus has very few iconic urban images. I agree 100% that the inner city neighborhoods are the key to boosting the quality of life and economic sustainability, but they don't advertise as well as giant fountains, unique bridges, and parks that double as outdoor concert venues. It's one thing for people across the country to know little about Columbus, but even Midwesterners are often pretty clueless about what the city offers. It's especially sad when OSU students think of the place as a 'college town' because the campus offers more urban life than downtown. Bright future professionals aren't going to stick around long enough to discover the unique neighborhoods if they retain that perception. I guess one could look at it as if Columbus were a business; downtown development is Marketing and neighborhood development is R&D/Quality Control. I think everybody who lives here desires (and deserves) a better quality product, but the city needs to compete and draw more customers to increase its revenue base. And if Columbus is going to invest in its image, it might as well go all out, rather than half-ass it like we've done before. Besides, neighborhood development is typically private sector driven. Another thing to consider and something that someone like Keith may not get is that not every neighborhood is going to end up as a dense, walkable urban utopia. Some areas just aren't set up to be that way. For example, south of Merion Village, the area becomes more and more a jumbled mess with far less historical properties to rebuild. I think that in many ways has hurt Franklinton, too. It has the historical aspect, but there are so many empty lots, so little cohesiveness, that it is certainly a daunting task to take on for urban planners. Simply put, different neighborhoods are going to have vastly different challenges. Most neighborhoods are never going to be the Short North, and that certainly has to be taken into consideration when it comes to prioritizing urban planning when you are faced with a limited amount of resources.
July 13, 201113 yr <b>Mile by Mile: The Future of Urban Design in Downtown Columbus</b> By: Cheryl Huffman <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/cheryl.jpg"> Seeking inspired recreation, Columbus residents and visitors are reconnecting to the downtown. From the Scioto Mile to the Mile on High, urban redevelopment is in demand. While critics believe there is no reason to go downtown, a culturally diverse audience arrived by foot (from as far as Franklinton), bike, and even classic car to check out the Scioto Mile. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/mile-by-mile-the-future-of-urban-design-in-downtown-columbus
July 13, 201113 yr The Gay Street conversion was done in 2007 - very different economic times than now. The private sector is taking less risk these days and the public sector is going through a fiscally conservative upheaval. The city's planners want to do more, but resources are thin. The concentration downtown is likely due to the fact that Columbus has very few iconic urban images. I agree 100% that the inner city neighborhoods are the key to boosting the quality of life and economic sustainability, but they don't advertise as well as giant fountains, unique bridges, and parks that double as outdoor concert venues. It's one thing for people across the country to know little about Columbus, but even Midwesterners are often pretty clueless about what the city offers. It's especially sad when OSU students think of the place as a 'college town' because the campus offers more urban life than downtown. Bright future professionals aren't going to stick around long enough to discover the unique neighborhoods if they retain that perception. I guess one could look at it as if Columbus were a business; downtown development is Marketing and neighborhood development is R&D/Quality Control. I think everybody who lives here desires (and deserves) a better quality product, but the city needs to compete and draw more customers to increase its revenue base. And if Columbus is going to invest in its image, it might as well go all out, rather than half-ass it like we've done before. Besides, neighborhood development is typically private sector driven. The city is too busy spending a bunch of money on widening roads for extra lanes out in sprawling annexed areas and on too many downtown projects: there's the money right there. I understand the point of Downtown serving as a reference point for urban Columbus, a big however, is that with a decent wayfinding signage system and neighborhood gateways you can open up much more of the city to residents in any neighborhood that is a part of that system. If you're at OSU and there are signs pointing you to destinations in Downtown, Clintonville, Olde Towne East, etc, and vice versa in any order, then you have more people spending in areas they didn't know about and in the case of OSU students it shows them what urban Columbus has to offer. Problem is, this is not seen as important by local businesses or the city government with the exceptions of Downtown and the Short North. The city is directing all attention (and money) to Downtown which has high commercial vacancy rates on High, Long and Main when they could instead be pointing people to the cool stuff in storefronts that actually have businesses today in Merion Village (a smattering of businesses on S High, Parsons, Whittier, and S 4th), Olde Towne East (Parsons and Oak), and yes, Franklinton (a handful of restaurants in close proximity) which make them more interesting destinations than a moribund downtown street. Basically, my point is that Downtown has reached a point of diminishing returns with the numerous big projects with high price tags and of course, the city should have gotten around to converting other downtown commercial streets while the influx of businesses was occurring on Gay St, especially Main St which now has a whole block of "for rent/lease" storefronts.
July 13, 201113 yr The City of Columbus' large square mileage and large amount of suburban-style devlopment within the city limits is something that we just have to live with. It's expensive to service, especially in relation to the amount of property and payroll taxes collected per square mile. It does hinder the progress in our denser areas, but short of de-annexing expensive-to-maintain under-performing suburban-style areas such as residential portions of the Southwest Side or north of the airport, we do face more of a challenge than older cities that don't have to sink money into roads and sewers through sparsely populated areas with little redevelopment/gentrification potential. Jacksonville and Indy have to deal with it as well.
July 14, 201113 yr Maintaining decent roads is one thing; catering to motorists by throwing millions their way for extra, unnecessary lanes so that it's easier for motorists to live farther away from Columbus with even easier commutes from Delaware County is another, vastly different thing. And it's at the expense of neighborhoods that aren't even getting decent investment to begin with.
July 14, 201113 yr I guess the issue I take with some of your posts, Keith, is that you refer to 'the city' as if it's a single entity that dictates which projects do and do not get funded. From my experience working with 'the state,' I'm pretty sure that's not how things work. With the state, there are many people with different objectives; the attention they get often has to do with regulations and earmarks. For example, sometimes we get federal grants to fund projects that seem to have low priority, but it has to follow the rules for which it was awarded. I'm not disagreeing with your points, because I do think that taxpayer money can be put to better use, like those you've stated. Perhaps you can provide links or quotes from sources that say specifically where and how these millions are being thrown away. I don't read every article that gets posted on this forum. Since many people here are 'in-the-know,' I like to read the opinions, but too often they fail to backup the points they're trying to make. I'm not trying to be a smartass, I'm just to lazy/busy to connect the dots myself.
July 14, 201113 yr I posted on these earlier: http://publicservice.columbus.gov/WorkArea//DownloadAsset.aspx?id=37772 http://publicservice.columbus.gov/WorkArea//DownloadAsset.aspx?id=41548 http://publicservice.columbus.gov/WorkArea//DownloadAsset.aspx?id=37761 http://publicservice.columbus.gov/WorkArea//DownloadAsset.aspx?id=38814 http://publicservice.columbus.gov/WorkArea//DownloadAsset.aspx?id=37766 Not to mention the fact that Downtown gets a bonus park with the Scioto Mile while business district improvements from the city's own neighborhood plans go unfunded in less popular areas.
July 14, 201113 yr *litany of strawman arguments* If you're not even going to stand behind such fallacious statements, most of which are addressed at things I've never stated anywhere on this site, which has a search function, BTW, with your real name and and picture then there's no point in addressing random exagerated posts by a supposed Hilltop resident who I never see at UO meetups or neighborhood meetings in the claimed Hilltop neighborhood of residence. As far as I'm concerned this is just a whiny city employee hiding out behind a ? who is not offering any solutions, whereas I do, to the faults of this city's leadership which hinders development. I will reiterate that whoever you are you need to take a drive this Saturday up N High followed by Cleveland, E 5th, E Main, Livingston, Lockbourne, Parsons, S High, Sullivant, and W Broad (right in your backyard) to better evaluate progress made in the city of Columbus this past decade. N High ≠ Columbus until the city redraws city borders to consist of German Village to Clintonville. Great cities have more than one great street.
July 14, 201113 yr *litany of strawman arguments* If you're not even going to stand behind such fallacious statements, most of which are addressed at things I've never stated anywhere on this site, which has a search function, BTW, with your real name and and picture then there's no point in addressing random exagerated posts by a supposed Hilltop resident who I never see at UO meetups or neighborhood meetings in the claimed Hilltop neighborhood of residence. As far as I'm concerned this is just a whiny city employee hiding out behind a ? who is not offering any solutions, whereas I do, to the faults of this city's leadership which hinders development. I will reiterate that whoever you are you need to take a drive this Saturday up N High followed by Cleveland, E 5th, E Main, Livingston, Lockbourne, Parsons, S High, Sullivant, and W Broad (right in your backyard) to better evaluate progress made in the city of Columbus this past decade. N High ≠ Columbus until the city redraws city borders to consist of German Village to Clintonville. Great cities have more than one great street. Offering solutions to what, exactly? I'm not the one complaining about everything the city does. You are (and calling me whiny is incredibly ironic, btw). And I'm not sure what your point is. If it's that not every street in Columbus has been revitalized... wow, what a true revelation that is! Where is this magical Utopia where the entire city is nothing but high density urban renewal where people frolic to new shops and eateries? Even the greatest cities in this country have entire sections of low-density sprawl or urban blight. Why exactly should Columbus be any different from that reality? More importantly, where is all the money and investment going to come from to do all of it? I ask again, where is this place because I would love to move there. 20 years ago, Columbus had NO streets like High or Gay. 15 years ago, Downtown had nothing going for it but a sh*tty enclosed mall. So you can complain and bemoan that Sullivant is not a top priority, but the truth is that some areas take more precedence than others. That's just the way it is. We needed to focus on Downtown. The city did that. Did it ignore other areas to do it? Probably, but then again, with only so many resources, you put them where you think you're going to get the greatest return on investment most of the time. Parsons, Sullivant, even W. Broad... are not ever going to bring the city the kind of attention and money that Downtown will. Those areas will eventually see attention, and I hope very soon since Downtown seems to be humming along in the right direction now. But the city will NEVER be without blight. It will NEVER be perfect. It will always have streets somewhere like those mentioned above. And so will every other city. And no, I don't work for the city... I just love where I'm from and have seen how far it's moved forward. I will never be as bitter and negative about living here as you. Also, just for your relief, I am going to be moving out of the country for some time very soon, so you will have to put up with me a lot less here in the near future. I will be back, though 8-)
July 15, 201113 yr BTW, Keith, 2 out of 5 links you provided were for projects inside 270, not out in the far suburbs. Second, the last one, Shook Rd, looks awful. Even if you don't like money being spent out there, you have to admit that the road condition is absolutely terrible. The widening of Hilliard-Rome is inevitable. You can't force people to live only in urban areas. The suburbs are always going to attract a certain demographic and a certain % of the population. I'm not a big fan of the surburbs, but I'm not about to tell people where they can and cannot live. If the roads are within Columbus' boundaries, it is unfortunately responsible to take care of them. If anything, this argues that the city should not attempt to annex anymore areas and focus solely on maintaining what it has. Luckily, I think the rate of annexation has slowed markedly over the last 10-15 years and the size of the city grew by only about 5 sq miles since 2000, one of the lowest rates ever.
July 15, 201113 yr Oh, OK. Thanks for succinctly proving my point. I'm sorry Keith, I read through your points and didn't see any points other than you want streets that haven't received attention, to receive some attention, and then you go on to show five streets that need attention, receiving attention. Both of you have two different opposing viewpoints but want to achieve the same thing. You both want revitalization in blighted areas but have different viewpoints on how it should happen. While I want to see areas that are in the dumps revitalized, I would rather see a vibrant downtown, no matter how it is attained, and go out from there (Check out some of the projects in the Olde Town East area, wow, that place will be awesome in 10 years). Attract the investment to a downtown area, (Short North, Arena District, Downtown, Riversouth, Etc.) then when private investment comes and certain projects finish up, show them what they could do in a blighted area to spread the revitalization, if they so choose, and provide incentives, much in the way most development has happend already. Now while certain areas are passed over we can't get all bent out of shape that our favorite area is not receiving the attention it deserves. The westside and Hilltop has been passed over for years, why aren't you upset and speaking out that they should receive the same attention as downtown? The plans are there and with the new Main St. and Rich St. bridges are inspring private investment in those areas. Those bridges are public money, so is the new courthouse in Riversouth, along with the Scioto Mile, that public investment has spurred private investment in other areas nowhere near where the investment happend. Quite frankly, just because we throw money at something, doesn't mean it will be successful. You said it yourself when talking about Gay St. and how many of the shops haven't filled up. We threw money at it, and its still not doing great. Its doing ok according to yourself, but not great. Since its not doing great, we should move on right, leave it to fix itself? NO!!! We should work to identify the problems that are keeping it from being great and work to change it. Again, back to one of my points, change takes time and investment beyond a monetary investment. If you want to see Parsons cleaned up so much, go form a neighborhood civic association, get business owners on board to fix up their shops, and let the change roll!!! BTW, love the conversation going on here. I spend most my time at Skyscrapercity, lurking and love this interaction! Thanks guys.
July 15, 201113 yr I, too, love it when there's actual discussion and not simply article postings mixed with ranting.
July 15, 201113 yr Oh, OK. Thanks for succinctly proving my point. You seem to have many points, so which one would that be? You agree that the city has a responsibility to maintain roads within its boundaries, even if you don't like the location? Great, finally we agree on something. Speaking of Hilliard-Rome specifically, I used to live very close to the corner of Roberts and H-R. Long before the city ever decided to widen either, development out there was growing quickly. H-R from 70 up through Hilliard itself is pretty much completely developed now, so the widening is not going to be a catalyst for further sprawl. It's already there. I think the best we can hope for is that changing demographics and economic conditions makes living closer to urban centers a more attractive option than suburban life. Given that many downtown areas across the country saw measurable growth since 2000, that may already be somewhat of a reality. But the suburbs are here to stay. You will always have people who prefer neighborhoods where all the houses look the same, have big yards and strip malls everywhere. It is not an efficient use of resources, it's ugly, it's not walkable, and I would never live there again... but not everyone shares that view.
July 24, 201113 yr Mr. Blundo of The Dispatch shares his thoughts on recent news in downtown development: So to Speak | Joe Blundo commentary: Downtown can't thrive by driving people out Sunday, July 24, 2011 03:15 AM The Columbus Dispatch We had a classic outbreak of Columbusness last week. The city that says it wants a thriving Downtown ordered some Pearl Market vendors off the sidewalks, making the market at least temporarily smaller. Meanwhile, COTA held hearings to see what people thought of the call to further deaden street life by moving bus riders away from High Street. It seems that reinvigorating Downtown is something everyone wants, just as long as it doesn't get too vigorous. Columbus' instincts always run toward maintaining order and moving traffic. http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/arts/stories/2011/07/24/downtown-cant-thrive-by-driving-people-out.html?sid=101
July 27, 201113 yr ^ That was good opinion piece from Joe Blundo. I like it when Mr. Blundo steps away from his usual "humor-columnist" role with the Dispatch and writes about downtown development issues. He seems to bring a good bit of knowledge and common sense when he does. He works downtown. He rides COTA. He's a long time Columbusite (if that's the right word) so he gets the mind-set of the area (both good and bad). And he seems to genuinely care about the vitality of the downtown. This was another thoughtful column.
July 27, 201113 yr Redevelopment of New Market Mall Begins By: Walker Evans, Columbus Underground Published on June 24, 2011 - 12:00 pm The Casto development company announced that demolition is beginning on a redevelopment of the New Market Mall, located at I-270 and Sawmill Road. Demolition of the building that formerly housed Comp USA will make room for two additional restaurant spaces, an 80-room hotel and an additional 40,000 square feet of retail space. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/redevelopment-of-new-market-mall-begins Redevelopment coming to Sawmill & I-270 Wednesday, June 29, 2011 - 07:39 AM By JENNIFER NOBLIT, ThisWeek Community Newspapers Two new restaurants, a hotel and retail space are coming to the northeast corner of the Interstate 270-Sawmill Road interchange. Real estate group Casto on June 23 began demolishing a 115,000-sqaure-foot portion of the New Market shopping center that once housed Media Play and CompUSA, thus making way for redevelopment. New construction will include two sit-down national restaurant chains, an 80-bed hotel and at least 40,000 square feet of retail space. Lifestyle Fitness and Golfsmith currently occupy part of the New Market development, and Casto spokeswoman Sarah Benson Heinrichs said they would remain open throughout construction. READ MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/dublin/stories/2011/06/29/redevelopment-coming-to-sawmill--i-270.html?sid=104
July 27, 201113 yr Coleman recommends incentive for Morse Road site Tuesday, June 28, 2011 - 09:54 AM By KEVIN PARKS, ThisWeek Community Newspapers Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman announced on June 27 that he is recommending a 25-percent, five-year jobs growth incentive to assist Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. in consolidating local operations at 3219 Morse Road. The planned expansion of Progressive, which has already received the blessing of the Northland Community Council's development committee, would bring 75 jobs to Columbus, according to the mayor's announcement. The company will invest $4.75 million in the property, with work on the project expected to begin in July. The estimated completion date is March 2012. READ MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/northland/stories/2011/06/22/Coleman-recommends-incentive-for-Morse-Road-site.html?sid=104 Progressive aims to bring Dublin, Worthington workers to Columbus Business First - by Brian R. Ball Friday, June 24, 2011, 6:00am EDT Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. is asking the city of Columbus for a tax incentive to move forward with plans to consolidate leased claims centers in Dublin and Worthington into a facility planned for the 3100 block of Morse Road. The Mayfield Village-based insurer has proposed building a $4.4 million facility on 3 acres it owns close to the Easton mixed-use development. It plans to relocate 75 workers split between its suburban operations in February. The Columbus Department of Development has proposed a five-year, 25 percent Jobs Growth Incentive that would return $29,517 a year to the company based on Progressive’s $4.7 million in annual payroll. That works out to nearly $147,600 over the five years of the incentive. The legislation is expected to be introduced to Columbus City Council on June 27. READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/06/24/progressive-aims-to-consolidate-at-morse.html
August 29, 201113 yr Updates on two apartment projects quoted below from Business First. According to this article from last week, expect to see construction on these two apartment complexes along Olentangy River Road near Ohio State University before winter. Business First: Dueling Columbus apartments getting start soon Abandoned Columbus industrial plant gets grant for Lennox-area apartment conversion Business First - by Brian R. Ball Date: Thursday, June 30, 2011, 11:31am EDT The site of a former industrial magnet manufacturing facility on Kinnear Road will receive a $2.34 million Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grant through the Ohio Department of Development. The Clean Ohio Council approved the grant during its Wednesday meeting to prompt the cleanup and redevelopment of the 2.4-acre site at 811 Kinnear Road. An affiliate of Columbus developer Klingbeil Capital Management LLC plans to use the grant to acquire and prepare the abandoned industrial site for construction of 120 market-rate apartments that will be close to the Lennox Town Center and Ohio State University. READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2011/06/30/abandoned-columbus-industrial-plant.html An update to the apartment project/brownfield cleanup from the previous story quoted above: Lennox apartment project gets bigger before it gets started Business First - by Brian R. Ball Date: Friday, August 12, 2011, 6:00am EDT Klingbeil Capital Management LLC is expanding an apartment development project near Lennox Town Center in Columbus even before it begins making way for construction. The developer originally planned to build a mix of 120 one- and two-bedroom apartments on 2.4 acres off Kinnear Road, but has an agreement to buy an adjoining 2.5 acres so it can expand the complex to about 190 apartments. The additional site, a parking lot from a neighboring office building, will give Klingbeil room to build a 94-apartment first phase while it works to remove contaminants from the original development ground – site of a former industrial magnet plant. That remediation work may take more than a year, said Klingbeil Chief Operating Officer Jim Schrim. In the meantime, the company will build one-bedroom apartments targeting what Schrim called the “eds and meds” market of graduate students at Ohio State University and young workers at OSU Medical Center, Battelle and neighboring technology companies. The first phase of Klingbeil’s $15 million project should be completed by April, Schrim said. The second phase will have about 100 apartments, including 20 with two bedrooms. READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/08/12/lennox-area-apartment-project-gets.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Edwards planning apartments north of Gowdy Field Business First - by Brian R. Ball Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 6:00am EDT A slow-rolling wave of redevelopment along Columbus’ border with Grandview Heights is attracting the interest of Edwards Communities Development Company. The developer wants to build 205 apartments on 5.1 acres off West Third Avenue in the city, north of a trio of office buildings that have gone up at Gowdy Field. The site is adjacent to 2.6 acres that Northstar Realty Group LLC wants to redevelop following the move of Lyon Video to the west side. Northstar, which owns both sites after affiliated partnerships bought them for a combined $4.3 million, is seeking to rezone them. The rezoning request is scheduled for a first hearing April 18 before the zoning committee of the city’s Fifth by Northwest Area Commission. READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/04/08/apartments-on-tap-north-of-gowdy-field.html According to the article: "Don’t expect Edwards and Klingbeil to duke it out for renters, even though their apartments may hit the market within a month of each next year. Klingbeil plans to focus on what it calls the “eds and meds” market – young adults working on their graduate degrees at Ohio State or those employed at the university Medical Center, Battelle and neighborhood businesses that hire science-trained workers. Edwards, by contrast, will focus on those working near OSU and downtown." MORE: Dueling Columbus apartments getting start soon
August 30, 201113 yr Slightly tardy on passing along this report from Northland ThisWeekNews. Not the first time a Kroger store was ever closed down. But it would be interesting if it got converted into office space. Former Kroger at Columbus Square Shopping Center Space still in running for county office use Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - 10:27 AM By KEVIN PARKS, ThisWeek Community Newspapers The Columbus Square Shopping Center remains in the running to have a portion of the closed Kroger store become office space for Franklin County Children Services. George Hadler of the Hadler Cos., owners of the shopping center at Cleveland Avenue and East Dublin-Granville Road, said as much last week and the communications director for Children Services confirmed it. Such a move would help salve some of the wounds left when officials with Cincinnati-based Kroger announced the closing of the Columbus Square store. The last day of business was July 10. Kroger had operated a store in the center since the late 1980s after purchasing it from Cub Foods. Commensurate with the news from Kroger, Hadler said his firm had responded to a request for proposals from Franklin County Children Services regarding office space. He said the Hadler Cos. was willing to spend "millions of dollars" in turning part of the 83,000-square-foot grocery store into offices. The proposal had made the short list and is still on it, Hadler said last week. "They have not yet made a decision, and basically, they just sent out a notification saying they were continuing to evaluate all their options," Hadler said. "As far as I know, it's still very much a possibility. We would be delighted. We feel we have the best location and we've worked hard to keep the rent reasonable." READ MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/northland/stories/2011/07/27/space-still-in-running-for-county-office-use.html?sid=104
September 15, 201113 yr One of the original tenants of the Capitol South redevelopment is being replaced after 27 years in Columbus. The 400-room hotel - Hyatt on Capitol Square - became the Sheraton Columbus Hotel at Capitol Square on September 1st. This is the 20-story tower at the southwest corner of Third and State that was built along with a similar sized office building with ground floor retail. Both are located next to the restored Ohio Theater. Below is the link to the news from Business First along with photos of the new and old names. Sheraton officially takes over Hyatt on Capitol Square I'm glad a new hotel is going into this prime location. But I'll miss the old "Hyatt on Capitol Square" name. It had a nice ring to it.
September 23, 201113 yr This topic has been moved to Roads & Biking. [iurl]http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4526.0[/iurl] "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
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