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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.
The thing we all can do right now in King Lincolnn is not tolerate a “anti snitch” attititude – if illegal activity is going down call it in 645-4545 give the police the description of the offenders and then the house address (street and #) where the activity is happening – use your cell phone camera – crime is like roaches it can’t tolerate the light and as more eyes of folks who won’t “take it anymore and a not in my neighborhood or on my street vibe” kicks in, which it is :-)these folks will move to other more hospitable locations. I agree with Walker and jawjack the “scene” is changing and the attitutde of what is cool and should be happening in this neighborhood is becoming less tolerant of the thugs and those who accept and embrace the “status quo” and go along to get along with em… In 3 years people won’t recgnize this area – guaranteed
Gays, blacks mix in shifting neighborhood
Melissa Eisenberg
With her short, spunky haircut, big hazel eyes and a Star of David hanging around her neck, Naima Vander Does symbolizes a historical shift. She is a lesbian in an inter-racial relationship, living in the newly gentrified King-Lincoln district, a predominately black neighborhood.
Vander Does represents a new wave of gays inhabiting an area of Columbus that has been home to one of the largest African American populations since the Civil War. Since 2004, the King-Lincoln District Redevelopment Initiative has been restoring historical landmarks and businesses, including the Urban Spirit Coffee Shop, which was the first African American hospital in Columbus. Sharing the same space, these two different communities are finding ways to relate to one another.
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Had my first opportunity to walk through the KLD. Stopped and had some coffee at Urban Spirit. Great place.
I attended a KLBNA meeting tonight that was mostly about the topic of saving this church building. It was fairly well attended… maybe 30-40 people in the audience. Was nice to finally meet Jawjack in person too. ;)
Anyway, to briefly summarize, Willis and the KLBNA want to purchase the property & building from 2nd Baptist with the help of Bishop Williams at the nearby Yeshua is Lord Ministries. They said that they’ve submitted an offer to buy it at market price and have rough plans to turn it into a youth/community center. They said that they’ve mostly been brushed off by 2nd Baptist, but no one from 2nd Baptist was present at the meeting to explain anything from their end.
Most everyone who spoke up was in favor of doing whatever it takes to save the building from demolition, although it doesn’t sound like 2nd Baptist has announced any intention of demoing the building. They do have a track record with other properties in the neighborhood though, so I wouldn’t completely put it past them… but there was an implied sense of urgency in the room that felt like it had no real basis behind it at the moment.
Personally, I’d love to see the building saved and repurposed, no matter who owns it and who restores it. A youth center wouldn’t be a bad use if the money can be raised somewhere for it. I was also thinking that some sort of business incubator might be a good use. The neighborhood could use some new jobs and a resource to assist and encourage entrprenuers in the area.
I’m glad to see so many residents in the neighborhood passionate about projects like this, but I can’t help but feel like some of the strategies being used aren’t optimal. While I don’t know who has been spoken to, and who has not, there are a lot of great people and resources that can be tapped for help with projects like this. And all of the constant bashing of city leaders, city council, and other politicians felt like a bit of a pointless exercise. Perhaps things don’t always go the way you want them to, but I’d imagine that being on good terms with local leaders is going to beneficial to getting these types of redevelopment projects moving.
Anyway… in closing… I left the meeting somewhat encouraged yet slightly confused. It felt like the long term plan was very loosely defined and the next step in the project (attending the May 28th Environmental Court hearing mentioned in the original Dispatch article) are about as far in advance as anyone has really thought about all of this. As a resident in the neighborhood I really have no clue as to what I can do to assist. There were talks about signing a couple different types of petitions for a couple different reasons, but those comments were so scattershot that I really am not too sure what’s being prioritized here.
I think the group needs to lay out a clear, well-defined plan, establish some tangible goals, and give concerned citizens some action items to take home. Otherwise, everyone is just going to get worked up one evening and then go home and set their thoughts aside until the next meeting where they can get even more worked up that no progress has been made.
Old church reclaimed for new task
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 3:11 AM
BY MEREDITH HEAGNEY
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Yeshua Is Lord Ministries, 116 Miami Ave., plans to pay Second Baptist Church $135,000 for the building, said Bishop Gerald Williams of Yeshua.
Then, with the help of the King-Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association, the church hopes to raise $3 million to $4 million to transform the 8,700-square-foot building during the next two years.
Williams envisions a place for recreation with a bowling alley and a theater screen. He wants to build an addition for an indoor swimming pool. The interior must be gutted and about 20 percent of the exterior bricks replaced.
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For any of you who haven’t been by the area lately…it is turning for the better…and very fast. I am one of the people who pulled the trigger and bought a house over there…about 93 a sq foot…but it is the best deal you can find ANYWHERE in columbus…especially so close to downtown
I believe there are 8 houses under construction @ the moment and the condos are near finishing on mt vernon.
From the Dispatch…
Church razed; ‘gaping hole’ left
Building had been major part of city’s development plan
By Mark Ferenchik
Just eight years ago, Centenary United Methodist Church was touted as one of the King-Lincoln neighborhood’s 25 “major community assets” and a key to plans to redevelop the historic heart of the city’s black community.
Today, there’s a hole in the ground where the church had stood for more than eight decades.
http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/05/29/copy/church-razed-gaping-hole-left.html?adsec=politics&sid=101