columbusmike
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I've always hated the Convention Center and how it meets the High Street. If someone had some foresight, I think the front portion of the convention center could be ripped off and renovated with a new 4-5 story mixed use project, while leaving the main convention space behind. The ground floor could be for retail, while the upper floors could be extra convention banquet rooms and convention center functions or offices.
jbcmh81
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Wow you can certainly tell that photo is old. I agree, though, it was poor planning to have such a huge center and yet have no retail at all at the street level and just blank walls for long stretches. It's very anti-pedestrian. With the other side of High continuing to see development, and a growing city overall, an expanded and redesigned convention center should be considered for an upcoming project.
columbusmike
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With so many people concentrated in that area (conventions, the new hotel, the new nationwide building, the Hyatt), that could be a real hot spot for retail and rent-able meeting centers.
From my understanding, that entire portion of the convention center is 2 story and mostly walkways and a few smaller convention rooms. These could easily be replaced with the addition of a new 5-story tall "front".
labi
Weinland Park
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I think it's clear from the photo that the Eisenman-designed section of the building, at least, was conceived as a sculptural whole. In other words, if you pull the front off and add a couple stories without also altering the "main convention space", the logic (and architectural value) of the whole thing is irrevocably destroyed.
Personally, I hate the appearance of every Eisenman building I've seen in person*, but when they added the non-Eisenman-designed section on the north end of the convention center, I had to admit that it looked completely pedestrian compared to the original part of the building, even as it tried to use the same visual vocabulary. I can only assume that they tried to make Eisenman's original "impracticalities" more practical. The convention center as it is might not be to my taste, but at least it doesn't look like a mall. I don't think Columbus really needs to have its few pieces of distinctive architecture messed with.
*I also hate the way the insides function, but that's not germane here.
columbusmike
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labi said:I don't think Columbus really needs to have its few pieces of distinctive architecture messed with.
I disagree. If it's bad architecture (even if the architect happens to have a big name) then it doesn't have much value. If it contributed to our city in a meaningful way, I'd say preserve it. However, it's an eyesore to our ever-more vibrant city and I'm not convinced it needs to stay.
jbcmh81
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I tend to agree that we would be better served to not mess with unique architecture. At the same time, it also seems like a crime and a hugely wasted opportunity to leave a large section of a prominent space completely devoid of anything that brings in business and people at the sidewalk level. It's too much like City Center was, imo. It may be possible to preserve the design while adding retail and pedestrian-friendly amenities.
columbusmike
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I wonder if there would be a way to connect Pearl Alley in Short North with downtown using this scheme?
GCrites80s
5xNW
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Remember back in '88 or so when one of the choices for the GCCC looked like Union Station?
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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If we're only talking about small retail spaces, I imagine they could be retrofitted into the existing building as is, just as the new skywalk from the Hilton is punching a hole in the side of the Convention Center. That would probably be the better approach to accomplish the goal of adding retail space without totally destroying the existing architecture.
The problem it creates though, is that it reduces the total square-footage of available convention space. I would imagine that a new retail development on High would need to be done as phase 2, with phase 1 being a convention center expansion into their giant parking lot on the other side of the building:
http://www.columbusunderground.com/wasted-space-in-downtown-convention-center-parking-lot
Could fill it in with this:
http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/downtown-2010-plan-idea-9-field-house
rory
NW Short North
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columbusmike said:
I wonder if there would be a way to connect Pearl Alley in Short North with downtown using this scheme?
How about this Ohio favorite for connecting downtown and Pearl Alley? I don't see messing with the facade. It's not like the rest of High Street doesn't have any vacant retail space between there and downtown.
When is someone going to do something with that Madison's building.
ColumbusTime
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Have We Got a Convention Center to Sell You!
From Boston to Austin, politicians spend money on fancy white elephants.
By STEVEN MALANGA
For two decades, America's convention center business has been declining, resulting in a nationwide surplus of empty meeting facilities, struggling convention halls and vacant hotel rooms. How have governments responded to this glut? By building more convention centers, of course, financed by debt backed by new taxes and fees on already struggling taxpayers.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204720204577126603702369654.html
GCrites80s
5xNW
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Centrally-located state capitals in states with large populations such as Columbus do well with conventions and trade shows due to having a lot of "state shows" such as ones for school systems, libraries and the medical field. Other types of cities may or may not see continuous positive ROIs from convention center expansions, depending on various micro factors. Landing shows is a very competitive business in many instances.
Pickerington_Kyle
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I read this article from future discussion, http://www.columbusunderground.com/wasted-space-in-downtown-convention-center-parking-lot and I'm proud of Columbus for building a Hilton across from the Convention Center. But I think something should be built on the parking lot.
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