looks like demolition might be in the near future? i hope it comes soon, if we have a few more harsh storms, and that overhand might collapse on its own.

oh, and 1st floor – yeehah.

art lyfe wrote That spot was used to house a buisness that never relied on a storefront identity. They were a banquet service company that rented equipment for large events. The owner is a dear friend of my family and organizer of OSU best tailgate for years. He recently became very ill and is now bound to a wheelcair. His service and tailgate will be missed by many, but I’m quick to agree that it would help the face of the short north to improve to cosmetics of that storefront.

I actually remember seeing some equipment in there that looked like catering equipment when I peeked in when walking by awhile ago, but I wasn’t sure if it was a business, or just being used for storage space since I don’t ever remember seeing the lights on in there (or are the windows just THAT dark?). Either way, I’m not wishing for the business to go away, just the ugly building. If the business could stick around and just relocate that would be cool. Sorry to hear about your family friend though.

:?

Walker wrote It’s really not too bad to park when you know where to look. Anne & I hit the gallery hop nearly every month and we’re always parked within a few minutes, and just have a short walk to high. 8)

But yeah, I’d love to see this new development happen. I’ve been a fan of tearing down that FUGLY building for a long time. It’s always looked like such a waste of space.

That spot was used to house a buisness that never relied on a storefront identity. They were a banquet service company that rented equipment for large events. The owner is a dear friend of my family and organizer of OSU best tailgate for years. He recently became very ill and is now bound to a wheelcair. His service and tailgate will be missed by many, but I’m quick to agree that it would help the face of the short north to improve to cosmetics of that storefront.

But yeah, I’d love to see this new development happen. I’ve been a fan of tearing down that FUGLY building for a long time. It’s always looked like such a waste of space.

I was lucky while I was at OSU; COTA was free and it was an easy ride down the #2 to get to the Short North. Most folks who wanted to go to Gallery Hop (or, heaven forbid, just to shop or grab an overpriced cup of coffee) didn’t have it so well; the few times I drove down there with others, it often took a darn long while to find a parking spot.

Condo developer hopes to include garage with Short North project

Monday, November 20, 2006

Mike Pramik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Public parking is in short supply in the Short North. But a central Ohio development team plans to address that need as part of a residential proposal.

Arms Properties is floating an idea to build a 250-space public-parking garage as part of a project that would include a 10-story, 179-unit condominium building. Ibiza Urban Oasis would rise in the place of a nondescript office building in the 800 block of N. High Street.

The classic urban-infill project is across the street from Arms Properties’ Dakota condo building, which is expected to be occupied in February. Rajesh Lahoti, a co-owner of the development company, said he thinks Ibiza’s biggest asset could be a three-level, publicparking garage.

“The lack of public parking in the Short North has held us back, especially the business district,” Lahoti said. “It’s hurt merchants a lot. This would solve that problem.”

Lahoti, who with his partners owns three Short North nightclubs and three residential projects including the Dakota, said Arms Properties would operate the garage through a third-party company. He said they’re still working out financial details, but he thinks the condos and garage could be built by the end of 2008.

Condominium owners would have access to underground parking between the building and the garage. The plans also call for a row of townhouses running along Hubbard Street.

READ MORE

But he seems to me to be a wise man.

NIIICE indeed.

8)

http://columbusretrometro.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/urbanoasis.jpg

Supporters of neighborhood governments on these issues can tell euphonic stories about “preserving neighborhood character,” etc., but there’s usually a darker side: by creating government-mandated supply shortages (forcing there to be 3 stories where there’s demand for 10), insiders (those who’ve already bought in) can artificially increase the value of their own properties in elections where they wield all the power because the interests of prospective residents are unrepresented. It’s the same principle underlying exclusionary zoning. You get to effectively soak the “outsiders,” those on the outside looking in, by making sure there’s not enough housing for everyone who wants in, forcing them to bid up prices to buy into the neighborhood … at which time, they become the next “insiders” because they paid the supply-shortage premium to get in, and will want everyone else to have to do so, too (and will need to keep that premium in place to recover the price they paid, ceteris paribus), perpetuating the cycle. It’s a hard cycle to break, and often requires action by a higher authority (i.e., state government, which represents a broader sphere, placing limits on exclusionary zoning by local authorities), but this is very difficult to accomplish.