Press Release:
Mayor Coleman, City Councilmembers Paley and Klein, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and South Side Residents Celebrate Completion of Parsons-Livingston Avenue Intersection Improvements
Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Councilmembers Eileen Y. Paley and Zachary M. Klein, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Senior Vice President for Strategic and Facilities Planning Patty McClimon and Southside neighborhood leaders today celebrated completion of improvements to the Parsons and Livingston avenues intersection. The widened and improved intersection coincides with Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s improvements and expansion on the northeast and northwest corners or the intersection.
“Our investment of federal stimulus dollars at the Parsons-Livingston intersection, combined with Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s improvements, is a catalyst for jobs and economic development,” Mayor Coleman said. “We selected this intersection for pedestrian and other safety improvements because it is the gateway to Columbus’ Southside.”
The intersection improvements include the widening and full replacement of the roadway on Parsons Avenue between Kennedy Drive and Jackson Street between and Livingston Avenue between Ohio Avenue and 9th Street. Additional pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements within the boundaries of the project include new sidewalks, Americans with Disabilities-compliant curb ramps, bicycle lanes, upgraded traffic signals and new street lighting. The improvements were funded by $15 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 dollars, administered through the Ohio Department of Transportation.
"The rebuilding of the Livingston-Parsons intersection is an exciting step forward for all of South Columbus,” Columbus South Side Area Commission Chair Jim Griffin said. “The new Nationwide Children’s inpatient tower will open next June. Childrens' has also taken the lead in revitalizing the neighborhood around its campus. New homes are planned for Innis Avenue. New retail and senior housing are also planned for the Reeb-Hosack neighborhood. South Columbus is embarking on great projects that will improve all of our neighborhoods."
The Nationwide Children’s Hospital improvements, when completed in 2012, will add one million square feet in clinical and research space to the hospital’s previously-existing two million square feet. The $800 million investment in the hospital’s improvements were funded through internal support, bonds and philanthropy and, upon completion, are expected to create 2,000 new jobs.
"We are delighted that this much needed improvement project is complete," said Patty McClimon, senior vice president, Strategic and Facilities Planning at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "These roadway improvements will support the economic development happening in the Southside of Columbus by improving access and quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors. We are particularly grateful that these improvements support our growth with the opening of our new main hospital and third research building in 2012, as well as the one million patient visits we anticipate next year."
Roadway, curb and sidewalk improvements in the Parsons and Livingston Avenues intersection project are completed. The marking of some crosswalk, planting of street trees and other minor remaining work is expected to be completed by the end of October.
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