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The Dispatch wrote
Retailers shunning Downtown
Monday, April 7, 2008
BY MIKE PRAMIK
During a forum last week presented by the local chapter of the Urban Land Institute, developers Don Casto and Frank Kass painted a bleak picture of Downtown’s retail fortunes.
What has happened to the city’s Downtown retail base is apparent but not easily fixed, the developers say. As the city ponders what to do with its retail crypt called Columbus City Center, those whose job is to recruit retailers say they can’t bring them Downtown.
Traditional retailers long ago fled to the suburbs, first to strip centers, then to malls and power centers, and most recently to lifestyle centers. They’re there for the foreseeable future.
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I do like the flea/ thrift market idea. Somewhere in the city where people can set up small irregular shops. Or something like a barter hall. This could be a great income source for low-income people, cut down on rescource consupumtion, and circulate material goods through the community. Even if 1000 a major retailers did set-up shop downtown, there would still be a huge chunck of the population who could not shop there or use those services due to cost. I would visit a downtown flea market over an iPod store, Puma, Deisel store anyday.
I know my idea is not popular becasue it is not sexy or something image oriented, but it is a very practical possibility that would benfit everyone rather than the lucky few.
I know my idea is not popular becasue it is not sexy or something image oriented, but it is a very practical possibility that would benfit everyone rather than the lucky few.
Except for the people who would never shop at a flea market (though, vintage is still considered VERY cool, so you never know with the hipsters where this could turn up).
I do like the flea/ thrift market idea. Somewhere in the city where people can set up small irregular shops. Or something like a barter hall. This could be a great income source for low-income people, cut down on rescource consupumtion, and circulate material goods through the community. Even if 1000 a major retailers did set-up shop downtown, there would still be a huge chunck of the population who could not shop there or use those services due to cost. I would visit a downtown flea market over an iPod store, Puma, Deisel store anyday.
I know my idea is not popular becasue it is not sexy or something image oriented, but it is a very practical possibility that would benfit everyone rather than the lucky few.
Charleston, South Carolina has one that is in the heart of the city and is huge! It was great and there were a TON of people there. I think this could def. work.
They have the added benefit of (mostly) being outside, though. Nice, salty ocean air and a sea breeze… can’t really re-create that environment inside city center.
It’s a nice idea, though, but would remind me of another north market. It’d be cooler if you could make the north market + that market into one big thing rather than split it up.
Paris isn’t too snooty for people to shop at flea markets. I think it’s a good idea. Especially if it also included Etsy-ish local crafters. I think something like this happens in New York as well.
I know my idea is not popular becasue it is not sexy or something image oriented, but it is a very practical possibility that would benfit everyone rather than the lucky few.
Except for the people who would never shop at a flea market (though, vintage is still considered VERY cool, so you never know with the hipsters where this could turn up).
Hipsters are not the ultimate arbiter of taste.
I know my idea is not popular becasue it is not sexy or something image oriented, but it is a very practical possibility that would benfit everyone rather than the lucky few.
Except for the people who would never shop at a flea market (though, vintage is still considered VERY cool, so you never know with the hipsters where this could turn up).
Hipsters are not the ultimate arbiter of taste.
I probably should have put a little :lol: after that.
I know my idea is not popular becasue it is not sexy or something image oriented, but it is a very practical possibility that would benfit everyone rather than the lucky few.
Except for the people who would never shop at a flea market (though, vintage is still considered VERY cool, so you never know with the hipsters where this could turn up).
Hipsters are not the ultimate arbiter of taste.
I probably should have put a little :lol: after that.
Probably so. But something less uber-cool might attract a different type of person to downtown and help change their perceptions of it as a crime ridden wasteland. Hell, redeveloping City Center into a retirement community probably would be the best investment in getting new (old) people into downtown.
It strikes me that the problem with City Center is its location on the south side of downtown. If it were in the Arena District, the story might have been much brighter. That was effectively the Indianapolis formula. The downtown mall there is next to the convention center, the Colts Stadium, and the Pacers Arena, with significant amounts of dining and entertainment. That has enabled the mall to, so far, survive on convention and event business as opposed to relying on downtown office workers to shop during lunch and on the very meager residential base. City Center seems to have nothing to feed off of in the vicinity.
Wow, you guys are starting to convince me of my own smartass remark. :shock: I like the idea, but doubt it could fly until there’s some other sort of drawl, or at least a solid base of people living downtown already. It’s sort of a chicken-egg dilemma without something like an Ikea destination-store anchor.
In other cities, the flea market is more of a one-or-two day a week thing. Maybe not the best use of space for City Center. Somewhere in Town Franklin or Italian Village would be cool, though! Or what about down the Scioto Mile?
They have the added benefit of (mostly) being outside, though. Nice, salty ocean air and a sea breeze… can’t really re-create that environment inside city center.
It’s a nice idea, though, but would remind me of another north market. It’d be cooler if you could make the north market + that market into one big thing rather than split it up.
No, it would not be anything like the North Market as the NM is food and new niche things to purchase.
The flea market idea of mine would be a place where you could buy or trade old tools, dishes, clothes, furniture, car parts, small machinery, toys, and such. Not becasue they are hip or cool, but because I might want to bu some cable cutters or I can afford the toys there for my kids or a place to buy a winter coat or trade some lawn mower blades for one.
They have the added benefit of (mostly) being outside, though. Nice, salty ocean air and a sea breeze… can’t really re-create that environment inside city center.
It’s a nice idea, though, but would remind me of another north market. It’d be cooler if you could make the north market + that market into one big thing rather than split it up.
No, it would not be anything like the North Market as the NM is food and new niche things to purchase.
The flea market idea of mine would be a place where you could buy or trade old tools, dishes, clothes, furniture, car parts, small machinery, toys, and such. Not becasue they are hip or cool, but because I might want to bu some cable cutters or I can afford the toys there for my kids or a place to buy a winter coat or trade some lawn mower blades for one.
The SNBA is doing something similar to this at the Fireproof storage building on High on April 19th.
They have the added benefit of (mostly) being outside, though. Nice, salty ocean air and a sea breeze… can’t really re-create that environment inside city center.
It’s a nice idea, though, but would remind me of another north market. It’d be cooler if you could make the north market + that market into one big thing rather than split it up.
No, it would not be anything like the North Market as the NM is food and new niche things to purchase.
The flea market idea of mine would be a place where you could buy or trade old tools, dishes, clothes, furniture, car parts, small machinery, toys, and such. Not becasue they are hip or cool, but because I might want to bu some cable cutters or I can afford the toys there for my kids or a place to buy a winter coat or trade some lawn mower blades for one.
Trading is probably a pipe dream. You’ve got to be able to make some money off it for it to be successful.
The flea market idea of mine would be a place where you could buy or trade old tools, dishes, clothes, furniture, car parts, small machinery, toys, and such. Not becasue they are hip or cool, but because I might want to bu some cable cutters or I can afford the toys there for my kids or a place to buy a winter coat or trade some lawn mower blades for one.
Gotcha. But I was referring to the Charleston marketplace. And by “north market” I was referring to that kind of feel.
They have the added benefit of (mostly) being outside, though. Nice, salty ocean air and a sea breeze… can’t really re-create that environment inside city center.
It’s a nice idea, though, but would remind me of another north market. It’d be cooler if you could make the north market + that market into one big thing rather than split it up.
No, it would not be anything like the North Market as the NM is food and new niche things to purchase.
The flea market idea of mine would be a place where you could buy or trade old tools, dishes, clothes, furniture, car parts, small machinery, toys, and such. Not becasue they are hip or cool, but because I might want to bu some cable cutters or I can afford the toys there for my kids or a place to buy a winter coat or trade some lawn mower blades for one.
Trading is probably a pipe dream. You’ve got to be able to make some money off it for it to be successful.
Trading would be an option there, as it really is anywhere, of course most transactions would be in cash.
The flea market idea of mine would be a place where you could buy or trade old tools, dishes, clothes, furniture, car parts, small machinery, toys, and such. Not becasue they are hip or cool, but because I might want to bu some cable cutters or I can afford the toys there for my kids or a place to buy a winter coat or trade some lawn mower blades for one.
Gotcha. But I was referring to the Charleston marketplace. And by “north market” I was referring to that kind of feel.
I think it would have more of a flea market kind of feel. Something is is not meant to attract visitors but rather locals in need of a wide-range of goods for less than they would pay at a big-box store. It would have a Wal-mart feel maybe.
The structure is only 20 years old. It’s not in bad shape and could be easily converted for a new use.
Very true, but by far, the most expensive/adaptable part of it is the underground parking and detached parking garage….
Ahh…. I think back to the November 2007 Columbus Monthly….
City Center Mall is not exactly the most flexible thing (or urbanistically friendly) in terms of repurposing, but the site has so many potential tie-ins to things around the site: The Statehouse Grounds and the possibility of extending outdoor space for ice skating, performing, chilling; The Greyhound Bus Station (where Central Market used to stand); a pedestrian connection to the river via Town Street, and what could re-emerge as a distinct district of performance theaters.
A new “Central Market”* could be the flea market/arts market in the center of the city, changing its use frequently. It could be paid for by allowing some large “category killer” retail in; might as well have a little fun with it while we are at it.
The site could become 24 hour activity by including some hotel space (desparately needed by our city and now easily accessible to the convention center via streetcar) and -yes- someday we will get past our current housing crisis- some market rate apartments and condos having their own version of “The Arena District Athletic Club” to play in.
*(below is the old central market, where the bus station is now)
i think this sucks for downtown.
Plus, I think I took that photo from the story.
When I met Frank Kaas a decade ago, he said on more than one occassion (and it isn’t just him, this is an axiom in the development world) that retail follows rooftops. If there were 20,000 people living downtown, retail will come. Simple, right? :wink: