What Indy can learn from two cities that created great neighborhoods

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What Indy can learn from two cities that created great neighborhoods

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Started 1 year ago by Walker
Latest reply from zp945

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Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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What Indy can learn from two cities that created great neighborhoods
12:17 AM, Mar. 13, 2011
Written by
Erika D. Smith

It takes a lot to change a neighborhood: work, money, patience and chutzpah. Few understand that more than Maria Galloway, an artist who opened a gallery in what, at the time, was one of the worst neighborhoods in Columbus, Ohio: the Short North.

Columbus has managed to do what Indianapolis, for the most part, has not: create several large neighborhoods with residential and retail density -- not Manhattan- or Chicago-like density, but good-sized, walkable pockets of continuous urban space.

READ MORE: http://www.indystar.com/article/20110313/LOCAL1806/103130397/1001/What-Indy-can-learn-about-creating-great-neighborhoods

Posted 1 year ago #
2thDoc
Downtown
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Vision, backbone and pride can go a long way. The Short North didn't happen overnight and obviously OTE won't either. If residents, investors and local gov. can get behind and begin to execute a plan, small ideas can snowball into great things. Don't stand by and complain about why things won't work. Find a way to make things better. ( inspirational post over).

Posted 1 year ago #
arenn

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You're good Walker. I just popped over here to post that article, but you beat me to it! Nice press for Columbus.

Posted 1 year ago #
KingLincolnUrbanEnthusiast

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If you are in the Midwest and not in Chicago and like urban living - Columbus is the place now and for the future hands down! Think Batelle and OSU R&D and all the great companies that call central Ohio home

Walker thanks for sharing! Exciting to see all the positive changes that have happened, are underway, in proces and planned for the urban core!! How many donwtown neighborhoods like German Village are constantly being written about and profiled in the Washington Post and New York Times, as well as the fab Short North!

Simply amazing in these economic turbulent times - but also great opportunities for folks with the werewithall today and go power to invest now and wait for the future!

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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arenn wrote >>
You're good Walker. I just popped over here to post that article, but you beat me to it! Nice press for Columbus.

Ha! Just happened to be at the right place at the right time today when I spotted that article. ;) A good read.

Posted 1 year ago #
fringeoutfitters
Columbus reviving its urban core
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Great Article. I enjoy articles about Columbus' past, and those such as the Wood Co and others that pave the way.

Posted 1 year ago #
cadillackid

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and dont forget all of the residents of columbus that enjoy and talk-up areas like the SN and GV, OTE to their friends, people in other towns as they travel, etc.. it all helps...

there are lots that like to Rag on columbus as a "big ole cow-town" or any other number of names we see given to the city...

but I do travel lots.. for both work and pleasure.. and sure like anyone stuck in the burbs that wishes to be urban there is a part of me that enjoys the chicagos, new yorks, SF's, etc.. all very walkable cities.. but for a city our sieze.. other towns just dont have what we have.. even if we toss easton into the mix (and I know there seems to be easton haters because its in the burbs).. regardless it is also something that many cities just dont have.. and it works.... we have our issues like any other city.. However ive seen a lot of other towns arts districts fall apart completely during this economic downtown.. yet the occupancy rate in the SN seems pretty good to me.. seems when a business dies, there is another right behind it to take the space and open...
-Christopher

Posted 1 year ago #
KingLincolnUrbanEnthusiast

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Walker what a great article about hip Columbus urban abodes and the the up and comers like Olde Towne East - lets also be sure we are grateful, thankful and appreciative of all the folks that made German Village and the SN the premier urban neighborhoods and locations they are today!

Without their sweat, vision and hardwork we would not be talking about Olde Towne East as the next "in" place and the places like GV and Victorian Village would still be locked in the urban renewal of 1970! We are very fortunate and blessed to have OSU, hip young urban folks, couples starting out, visionaries, the gay community, hipsters, students and like minded people to call Columbus home!

All these elements contribute to a great urban and downtown mix!

Posted 1 year ago #
lakeerietransplant
On the outskirts of Yuppieville (Weinland Park)
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KingLincolnUrbanEnthusiast wrote >>
Walker what a great article about hip Columbus urban abodes and the the up and comers like Olde Towne East - lets also be sure we are grateful, thankful and appreciative of all the folks that made German Village and the SN the premier urban neighborhoods and locations they are today!
Without their sweat, vision and hardwork we would not be talking about Olde Towne East as the next "in" place and the places like GV and Victorian Village would still be locked in the urban renewal of 1970! We are very fortunate and blessed to have OSU, hip young urban folks, couples starting out, visionaries, the gay community, hipsters, students and like minded people to call Columbus home!
All these elements contribute to a great urban and downtown mix!

Don't forget/ignore the folks that have been there for years.

Posted 1 year ago #
e8453b
Ganthers Place
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Thanks for Sharing Walker!!! Great press for Columbus, and good
inspiration for Neighborhoods like Ganthers Place to continue their
quest to improve their community.

Posted 1 year ago #
anillo
Marzipan City
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Let's make shirts.

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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anillo wrote >>
Let's make shirts.

That read "Columbus > Indianapolis" ?

;)

Posted 1 year ago #
jillg
Westgate
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I would love to have that shirt for my trips home to Indiana! :)

Posted 1 year ago #
KingLincolnUrbanEnthusiast

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great idea!

Posted 1 year ago #
cbennie

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You folks have NO IDEA about the what is really going on in the SN, Oh sure, you have an impression - fueled by the nonsense of articles like this. The turnover in the SN is big. The vacancies are substantial. The rent delinquencies are huge. And many, many of the businesses who are there now were there before this SN orgy started. Most of the businesses in this area don't have two nickels to rub together. Heck the SNBA can't even get all the businesses to be dues paying members - not even close. If Columbusites need a story to hang their hat on, fine. But don't pretend that the SN is some business oasis.

Posted 1 year ago #
myliftkk
Columbus, OH
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@cbennie - You must've read the Short North profile in Conspiracy Quarterly I take it?

Turnover in the SN isn't remotely surprising considering the heavy tilt toward entrepreneurial businesses. What's surprising is that people hyperventilate about it.

Turnover does mean vacancies, no? There's fewer vacancies than in the past, but that's here nor there.

Despite personally knowing quite a number of SN business owners, I've never heard of this rash of rent delinquencies. Perhaps it's something that was spread at the SN bacchanal which started on some date you've yet to reveal.

First with the orgy, now with the nickel rubbing. Did they all turn down some overpriced business service you offered them, or are you their accountant?

Find a voluntary business association in the country that has 100% membership. Perhaps you're mistaking a special taxing district for the same thing as the SNBA, but that would be the SID.

Oh, and Rip Van Winkle, in case you just woke up, there is no business oasis' right now, and no one has ever pretended otherwise.

Posted 1 year ago #
DavidF
Elysium Fields
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cbennie wrote >>
You folks have NO IDEA about the what is really going on in the SN, Oh sure, you have an impression - fueled by the nonsense of articles like this. The turnover in the SN is big. The vacancies are substantial. The rent delinquencies are huge. And many, many of the businesses who are there now were there before this SN orgy started. Most of the businesses in this area don't have two nickels to rub together. Heck the SNBA can't even get all the businesses to be dues paying members - not even close. If Columbusites need a story to hang their hat on, fine. But don't pretend that the SN is some business oasis.

Wow. How many axes do you have to grind? Geez, talk about mega troll.

Posted 1 year ago #
colrex7
Ohio
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cbennie wrote >>
You folks have NO IDEA about the what is really going on in the SN, Oh sure, you have an impression - fueled by the nonsense of articles like this. The turnover in the SN is big. The vacancies are substantial. The rent delinquencies are huge. And many, many of the businesses who are there now were there before this SN orgy started. Most of the businesses in this area don't have two nickels to rub together. Heck the SNBA can't even get all the businesses to be dues paying members - not even close. If Columbusites need a story to hang their hat on, fine. But don't pretend that the SN is some business oasis.

I think it is easy to put the SN on a pedestal, probably because it's so visually successful. There are no doubts that there are problems, there always are...filling vacancies, getting people to pay rents, attracting people, etc... but, like you said, it is a good guide for other hoods to follow, especially ones that are doing it on their own (without a lot of developers and capital spending).

I think the biggest test will be, and what will be most interesting, is how will the SN be able to keep itself a place people will continue to want to go to?

Posted 1 year ago #
zp945
Clintonville/Short North
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cbennie wrote >>
You folks have NO IDEA about the what is really going on in the SN, Oh sure, you have an impression - fueled by the nonsense of articles like this. The turnover in the SN is big. The vacancies are substantial. The rent delinquencies are huge. And many, many of the businesses who are there now were there before this SN orgy started. Most of the businesses in this area don't have two nickels to rub together. Heck the SNBA can't even get all the businesses to be dues paying members - not even close. If Columbusites need a story to hang their hat on, fine. But don't pretend that the SN is some business oasis.

How could you possibly know these things? Are you a landlord of multiple properties? Do you own or manage multiple businesses? It seems pretty reckless to come on a public forum and bad mouth businesses that you have no association with.

Posted 1 year ago #
zp945
Clintonville/Short North
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cbennie wrote >>
The turnover in the SN is big.
[/i]
And many, many of the businesses who are there now were there before this SN orgy started[i].

Which is it, many long term businesses or big turnover. These statements seems to oppose one another.

Posted 1 year ago #