Columbus’ Walkable Neighborhoods: Arena District
Columbus’ Walkable Neighborhoods: Arena District
Apr 8th, 2007
by Toby Boyce
If you need a definition for revitalization, take a trip to one of central Ohio’s top walkable attractions — The Arena District in Columbus, Ohio.
Sites that had been destinations before became hubs of downtown living. The North Market has been around for more than 125 years, but it became a community “market” for those moving into downtown around the area. Reports have a Whole Foods Market moving into the area and of course the new Huntington Park will open in 2009 as the home of the Columbus Clippers.
So why are so many people moving to the Arena District. I guess a better question might be why not?
“With the addition of the Clippers to the Arena District to go with the Destroyers, Blue Jackets, and other venues, it is quite possible we are going to have something going on every night,” said Clipper’s president and general manager Ken Schnake.
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Related Tags: Arena District • blue jackets • hockey • nationwide arena • neighborhoods • NRI • walkable
April 12th, 2007 at 5:41 am
I know I am in the minority, but, I find the arena district to be aesthetically boring and rather depressing. It has basically two elements dark dark brick and dark dark glass. And no matter what proportion you put the two elements in, it still looks the same. Think how you feel walking aroung Easton and compare it two how you feel walking aroung the arena district. Just one man’s opinion.
April 12th, 2007 at 8:44 am
I agree with Josh. Architecturally, it is not very pleasing to me. I rather prefer architecture and aesthetics of short north or GV. But then again, I don’t goto Arena District to look at architecture and aesthetics.
April 12th, 2007 at 9:42 am
But the thing you have to consider is the Short North and GV weren’t created out of nothing by a single entity. So you can’t really discount the sameness of the Arena District when it was the brainchild of one major developer.
April 12th, 2007 at 9:43 am
+1
April 12th, 2007 at 9:49 am
Good architecture costs $$$…especially when you’re building a neighborhood from scratch. I think the area is OK…not great, but not bad either.
I wouldn’t expect that using Frank Gehry would be an affordable way to build an entire neighborhood.
April 12th, 2007 at 9:52 am
I agree as well. I’ve always thought the style was a little redundant and could use some variation here and there. It’s almost uneasy on the eyes sometimes with so much brick everywhere. I haven’t been to Rojo yet in the Short North, but I imagine it would be similar judging from people’s comments that the place is just SO MUCH RED on the inside that it almost hurts.
Perhaps some of the newer buildings in the AD will give it some more contrast. The North Bank Tower, Huntington Stadium, and a lot of the greenspace being filled in might help balance some things.
As far as layout and walkability go though, the Arena District is great. It’s very pedestrian friendly, and when the new bike trails and streetcars are incorporated it should get even better. 8)
April 12th, 2007 at 9:55 am
I agree that the site logistic study was well done with planning of Arena district. It is very walkable and it should only improve with future development
April 12th, 2007 at 11:01 am
I have to say that the conformity of the Arena District doesn’t bother me overmuch, and there’s still a fair amount of variation in the northeastern part of the district (by the clubs) and the western part (i.e., Buggyworks) … they’re brick, but of clearly varying ages and designs. Also, I do like the verticality of the area, with Burnham Square and Arena Crossing clocking in at 6-7 stories.
As was also noted above, there’s also a fair amount of undeveloped and underdeveloped parcels in the area, including Schiller Commerce Park, the lots south of the Buggyworks, and the northwestern lots of the district. I don’t know if NRI plans on developing all of those in-house, but even if they do, they might well not be thinking of doing it all in the same theme as the main Nationwide Blvd. corridor.
Something for everyone. Not everyone goes for the retro eclecticism of the Short North and German Village.
April 12th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Only thing really positive I can say about the Arena District is that when I see the giant video screens and the proximity of all the activity, it feels like a big city. That said, the architecture is inconsistent and for the most part pretty boring.
April 12th, 2007 at 11:32 am
and when it’s dead, it is really dead. like a ghost town ’round them thar parts.
April 12th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
True, but still nowhere near as dead as downtown when it’s dead. Anywhere that there’s a strong white-collar office presence is going to have some dead time. Even Lower Manhattan has a lot of dead time, particularly until recently (they’ve made some moves to bring some residential back to that area but before that, it was every bit as dead after dark as our own downtowns, except for that fact that all the lawyers and bankers there work until midnight … but that doesn’t count because they’re holed up in their offices, not out on the streets).
Almost nowhere is really hopping 24/7, after all. But the Arena District certainly can compete with just about any neighborhood in Columbus, or central Ohio, on that score. The Short North and maybe the Brewery District (though it’s been through some rough patches the last few years) are the only adult districts that top it, IMHO. The University District also has a fairly vibrant activity cycle, but the age factor there is hard to ignore for anyone in their late 20’s or older (unless you have no problem being the creepy 40-year-old at an undergrad bar).
April 12th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
some really good points in this thread. after considering them, i’m definitely seeing the arena district in a different light.
though it probably could have been done better, it does give the city a bit of a spark.
when i was considering the move out here i took a drive through the city. the arena district (along w/ the short north) convinced me that living in a mid-western city might not be all that bad. its also the part of the city i enjoy bringing friends/family when they visit.
between North Bank Park, the arena district and the short north you can give a pretty pleasant tour of the city.
i’m looking forward to seeing what happens to the area when the baseball field opens up.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Eek. I’m not just because I work next door. Parking is already a bitch when you have something going on at the Arena and The LC… now to add baseball?! I’ll probably have to find a new way home.
Even worse than hockey games is when Cirque du Soleil is around. It is a freaking MADHOUSE.
If I didn’t have to be here everyday i’d probably love it though.
I am interested in these North Bank Condos. It has been cool to see how they’ve come together. The one side is just a wall of windows right now. There’s little bits of concrete jutting out that are going to be glass patios. I don’t think i’d want to live there though because everybody could see me in my house… i’d feel like i needed to pose all the time…i’d have to get some kind of frost for my glass or it would freak me out too much. If you look at the construction cam on their website, that little brick turd on the lower right hand corner is my building! HEEHEE.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
LOL… do they really want to use those acts as key examples?!
April 13th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
I saw Evanescence there back when it was PromoWest Pavilion … which was not the most awe-inspiring name but definitely beats “Lifestyle Communities.” Though I sometimes get a wry kick out of calling it “the LC.”