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From The Dispatch:
Historic but crumbling Near East Side church faces uncertain future
By Sherri WilliamsWhite boards cover the windows at Centenary United Methodist Church. A fence guards a hole where bricks and shingles have fallen. A broken marquee sign stands in front. But down the block on Long Street, the new Urban-Spirit Cafe bustles with customers, Zanzibar Brews is open for business and a neon sign illuminates the nearly restored Lincoln Theatre.
That east end of downtown and the eastern neighborhoods are missing out on all the love. Too many great opportunities for those areas to keep ignoring.
There is a lot going on right now on the East Side, Lincoln, East High, some new housing, hopefully a cap over 71 at Long. More new development today than in decades. Although watch out for Willis Brown, he does not represent the neighborhood.
Still seems like so much focus tends to be in other areas. I’m looking at the Long/Spring corridors specifically, which are the gateways to these communities.
Mr. Brown has been asked, on several occasions, to work with 2nd Baptist to find a way to fix this problem. In my opinion, many bridges have been burned, therefore he comes to the city to propose his solutions when he knows full well that the city does not own the building. The city (government entity) can not fix every private problem that arises. This church probably has an asbestos problem, and to fix it up will be a challenge.
So if Willis Brown does not represent the neighborhood, who does? I would think that as the head of the neighborhood association, he does. At least, as much as Mayor Coleman represents the City of Columbus. From what I heard, the City steamrolled over the neighborhood association with that building at Long and Hamilton.
Willis is a representative of King Lincoln. But on this issue, he should work with the residents that he represents (2nd Baptist), who happen to own the facility he is fighting to save to get something done. He is not wrong for wanting something more out of that facility, but the issue is not with the city. The Church owns the place. If I were Mr. Brown, I would use my energy to help the church figure out what they want to do with it, then find the resouces to get it done. Coming to the city every time there is a problem with a private owner is not productive. The City is trying to hold up its end of the deal by working through the code violations, but in the end, the church will have the final say. Willis should work with them.
I can agree with that, jawjack. But to say that the head of a neighborhood association does not represent the neighborhood sort of writes off the whole neighborhood association. Of course, he doesn’t represent the wishes and ideas of everyone in the neighborhood. Just as Coleman doesn’t represent the wishes and ideas of everyone in the city.
I think what Mike was trying to get at was the fact that there are other viewpoints in the neighborhood, and we should all be careful about this particular viewpoint on this particular issue. There are alot of competing factors here. Primarily, the building’s current owner. Sometimes people try to shake things up knowing full well they are barking up the wrong tree. Not writing off KLBNA or their leader, just the intent in going public about what the “city” needs to do on this particular case. We can not be everything to everybody.
I’d be happy if the KLBNA felt more like a neighborhood association and less like a private club. I’ve sought out information on meetings and can hardly find anything. Last I heard from an individual, meetings were sporadic and irregular at best.
Sounds like you just need to get involved ;)
I don’t particularly care for OTENA but since I don’t have time/inclination to get involved, I try to not bitch too much about them.
Updates on meetings are typically posted on their yahoo group calendar.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/klabna/
King-Lincoln has great potential with great housing stock and two commercial corridors. The problem is, no one wants to take advantage of this and there is a lack of vision. I can picture infill and renovated buildings, but everyone else just sees muddy, littered lots and abandoned buildings.
Columbus really could market itself to urbanites on the east and west coasts (and Chicago) who are feeling the pinch on their wallets and find themselves pushed further and further from the centers of their cities, not to mention those that would like to live in a nice single-family home right next to a downtown in a large city. In Chicago, these small residences go for over a million just north of the Loop.
I walked along this street myself and it’s nice, but yowza, in a city like this you could never imagine having a house in or near Downtown. In neighborhoods surrounding Downtown over here, especially the KLD, there are gorgeous homes lining the streets and they’re detached. Even in Cincinnati you have Over-The-Rhine bordering Downtown where this is not the case.
People from other cities where transformations occur more often can see how great the KLD could be vs. jaded locals such as those who simply see the neighborhood in a perpetual state of its current conditions. I mean, how many people within this city even knew about the neighborhood before the city heavily invested in it? I only knew by the sign on Long St myself.
There’s just too much of a disconnect both physically and mentally between established neighborhoods and those that aren’t and that poses a problem for improving places like this. For many, “Columbus” means Downtown, the Short North, German Village, OSU, and Clintonville, that’s it. It’s a comfortable bubble and I understand why people don’t want to venture outside of it, but then that bubble won’t expand any further to include more great neighborhoods.
Bringing back Mt Vernon and Long should prove much more feasible than other once urban streets which have been suburbanized to the point where they have lost nearly all functionality. Also, unlike High St. they don’t go on and on for several blocks. Both face different obstacles and I’d go with Long St being easier to fill in and far enough removed from the blatant thug culture up on Mt Vernon, which will have to be faced one way or another for the neighborhood to come into its own. Gentrifying or pushing it out seems to be the easiest route and most likely. Filling in Long St. from the west to the east is just as important as any rehabs on the corridor, since there are numerous grass lots that are doing nothing for the neighborbood and are just a drain on the city.
In case you couldn’t tell, I don’t see this church as a priority as there are so many other pieces of the puzzle that need to be filled and will also have more potential for a more positive impact.
So nice to get some chatter going on the KLD, I love the potential of this great neighborhood.
Yes, Mr. Willis Brown is a rep of a group. In that role, over a group he created, he has publicly opposed every public and private investment in the area to date and also has been aggressively politically active opposing the Mayor and Council… at some point you realize that some folks don’t care about the impact on the neighborhood unless it personally enriches them. To say he lacks credibility is an understatement and I have no problem publicly stating it. He is aware of this, and has had many chances to prove otherwise.
To get real momentum, we will need residents, businesses, property owners and government working together. Some properties will be easier than others, due to the site control, physical structure, etc. We try to focus on projects that are realistic and have teams who want to achieve for the benefit of the neighborhood. Small successes then have a ripple effect. Some great proposals have come forward, but still have no financial backing. regardless, we will continue to explore every option to lift up the area, bring in new homeowners, housing, new shops and activity.
I appreciate Mr. Jawjack more than most will ever know, he is right that we cannot do as much, sometimes anything, when we have no property control. I’ve personally never been asked to help with 2nd Baptist or had any input on their situation, but imagine our Development Dept. has looked at it. I do however know that there is more good investment and partnerships forming that will lead to new construction in that area. This is heavy lifting to create a market where none existed, and it will take time. We have only just begun to see the results. The opening of the theatre will be a good step forward.
I don’t understand why this thread is the focus on one individual who is characterized as someone who hasn’t gotten anything done to improve the neighborhood. And everyone gets on me for being a negative nancy.
If I decide to stay in Columbus, this will be one of the first neighborhoods I look at.
I think the thread is focused on him because the original article is about him. That’s his photo up there. ;)
But going back to the neighborhood… I agree that there’s loads of potential in the King Lincoln District given the housing stock and proximity to downtown. The city and county are both doing a lot as far as public investment goes, and at this point I really feel like it’s up to private investment to fill in those gaps. The government is not the cure-all for everything. We need residents and business owners to step up. There’s been several great success stories (The Alpha Building & Urban Spirit) and plenty of opportunties for anyone looking to make a personal investment.
So, I guess my next question is… what should be done about the whole neighborhood group situation? Do more residents need to just get involved with the existing group and help turn it into something more productive? I personally want to be more involved with bringing this area back to life, but if the existing KLBNA group is too busy being opposed to things instead of trying to work with the city on various projects I feel like it would be a waste of my time and resources to even bother with.
Walker,
Please don’t be discouraged about KLBNA. I think your influence on that group would be healthy. It would also bring some diversity of thought (much needed). King-Lincoln is coming back. I am in the neighborhood almost daily. I belong to St. Marks Lodge at Long and Miami. I am sensing momentum in the attitude of the residents, and once that theatre opens, look out!
LOTW, when I start shopping for a downtown residence in three years, this is at the top of my list too.
I did my degree audit the other day and was happy to see how much closer I am. The one thing I love about Columbus is the ability for someone like me, coming out with a liberal arts degree, to be able to afford a home in the near downtown area within a year or two of graduating.
The King Linclon District is the last urban opportunity in the City for a great house and a great location. North of Broad is a charming sliver of great old houses and benefits from Olde Towne as well as KLBNA and King Lincoln District We live between Long and Mount Vernon and talk about houses – most brick, cheap and a rehabbers delight just waiting to be turned into super urban homes with character and charm. Great location and quiet - This is happening and the “smart money” is on this neighborhood N of Long – There is also a Green house in NOBO on 21rst – the only one in the city and a model for sustainability and good infill. This is not a might happen – but just how fast will the turn be. As for Mt Vernon thug culture that is fading too and a tenth of what is was just 5 years ago – this crap and the drug dealing, hustling, bs and the loafing ain’t goona cut it with the Mayor and a Theatre focused on celebrating the arts not a “culture of death.” This element is on its way out boys!!