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There is going to be a large new development downtown focused on keeping college graduates in Columbus. This development is going to be located on both sides of Front Street from Rich Street to Town Street (River South.) It will consist of around 300 apartments and condominiums combined. The condominiums are all going to be priced under $200,000 with more than half in the low $100,000′s and the apartments will have two bedrooms at around $950 a month and single bedrooms around $700. The appearance of the development is going to be very similar to Brewer’s Yard or Victoria Gate (i.e. brick row houses.) This is being done in conjunction with the Talented Workforce New Young Professional initiative. The developer is still secret and I only know that it will be someone who has had much experience with this demographic and has mostly focused on the suburbs (my guess is it will be Lifestyle Communities at these price points.)
Along with this project it will be announced that Front Street, south of Broad will become two ways. Other streets downtown will also be two ways by the bicentennial; these include Rich Street, Town Street and Civic Center Drive. In addition, Two new parking garages are going to be built. One is on Town Street where there is already a garage, which will be raised. The other is being done through a land swap with Jeff Edwards, who is doing the Neighborhood along Gay Street. Together these garages will have 1,400 parking spaces.
Other exciting news is there is preliminary talk of putting a 500-room hotel across the street from the convention center. To get massive conventions Columbus need 20,000 full service hotel rooms. Right now, we have about 18,000 hotel and motel rooms. In discussions with meeting planners however, even if we had those rooms the conventions would go elsewhere “because there are not enough other things to do in Columbus.”
To add the tourist attractions needed to make Columbus competitive with attracting these conventions Riverfront Park is going to be greatly expanded from the current design in hope of receiving worldwide significance, similar to Millennium Park in Chicago. The “signature attraction” of the park is going to be a “world class” fountain. There is talk of this being the largest fountain in the world. Right now, they have raised 37 million dollars towards the park.
No real news on the street cars or the City Center other than City Center will be mixed use and encompass whatever is “most economically feasible.” MSI architecture is going to be doing at least part of the planning (except for the fountain) for all of these projects and Messer is doing the construction.
Thanks for the update John! Looking forward to that release.
World’s largest fountain? Why shouldn’t we have it? Hope that goes through. And I hope ODOT realizes that $1 billion for a mile long stretch of highway is a sign that they bit off more than they could chew. It was going to only cost $500 million a few years ago, does anyone remember that? The city should just do what it needs to do and if ODOT comes in wanting to tear it down tell them to bugger off.
As stated in ODOT’s busines plan, the cost of construction materials have skyrocketed in recent years while revenues remained flat. They will have little money to start anything new even if they wanted to.
ODOT used to hold billions in federal and state highway money as a leverage point to get localities to do what they wanted them to do. Hopefully, with a broken funding system, that era is over.
Got the release. I have an editorial meeting at 10 a.m., but I’ll be back soon with maps and more. Actually, what Mike Brown sent is very interesting.
Believe it or not, that site is the leading contender for an ‘intermodal station’ for Columbus. It has been on the drawing board for sometime and that is possibly why Nationwide has been keeping that site in its current state.
My brother just came to Columbus a few days ago with a few coworkers from Cincinnati. They all agreed that a trip by rail to Columbus and a walk across the street to their hotel would have been much easier than what they drove.
Post it, pretty please?
Post it, pretty please?
I’m going to guess it’s this:
http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=11670
^The parking garages are the big announcement?
NO WAY WALKER!
Parking Garages!
It’s at least the first part of the announcements. Parking Garages + Two-Way Street Conversions (if you read further down into it).
I’m sure we’ll be hearing more on Riversouth soon though. One bit at a time.
ok, if the plan for 2012 does not include some type of rail and something interesting at the City Center plot, then I am thoroughly disappointed. If we need an attention grabber downtown, and they turn City Center into gov’t offices, then they have really blown it.
Did anyone see that article in Business First about the marketing campain to target Minority tourism? I think its fantastic we’re looking at recognizing the impact of minority tourism as an significant economic contributor!
The Ohio Department of Development is looking to sign a company to a two-year contract to continue the tourism marketing initiative the state began last year through print, radio and the Internet. The department’s tourism office released a multicultural Ohio travel guide last July and runs a Web site whose profile the contractor will be asked to raise.
With the value of the minority travel market hitting $90 billion nationally, Ohio officials are hoping to capitalize on a growing population looking to visit friends and family as well as the state’s cultural events and attractions. Statistics from the Travel Industry Association of America indicate tourism among black Americans grew 4 percent between 2000 and 2002, and travel among Hispanics jumped 20 percent. All other travel grew 2 percent, according to the trade group.
The state’s Web site for contractors and vendors indicates proposals and inquiries are being accepted online until Feb. 6.
http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/01/21/daily5.html
I’m eagerly awaiting to decide what I should do. Once my house in Cleveland sells (hopefully June????) I am going to start researching for a 2009 purchase. 2010 at the latest. I have no idea where I want to live. I work in New Albany. I’m thinking either close to downtown and 670, or by Easton, or in New Albany. I like the idea of living downtown in a nice condo though if they are affordable. I don’t want a ton of room. 2 bedrooms, 2 baths kinda thing. Could be fun.
The place we just bought is a historic brick home with 3Br/1.5Ba still walking distance from downtown and has instant highway access to 670 East towards Easton/New Albany. And it was extremely affordable at $39/sqft. There’s also several new condo projects right around me in various phases of development, so you could have a variety to pick from in 2009/2010 if you’re interested in being my neighbor. 8)
The place we just bought is a historic brick home with 3Br/1.5Ba still walking distance from downtown and has instant highway access to 670 East towards Easton/New Albany. And it was extremely affordable at $39/sqft. There’s also several new condo projects right around me in various phases of development, so you could have a variety to pick from in 2009/2010 if you’re interested in being my neighbor. 8)
And you didn’t even mention the amazing architecture. I guess there are too many good things to remember. :wink:
Yes! The neighborhood has a lot of great historic homes and buildings with a mix of new development in the works.
Here’s quite a deal:
1280 E. Long St
5 Bedrooms / 2 Bathrooms
2957 Square Feet
$55,000
That’s less than $19/sqft. The description says it’s actually 2 houses on one lot. Interesting. I wonder what the inside looks like? For that price anyone could afford to fix it up.
Seriously, that’s what… around a $450 mortgage payment after insurance and taxes are included? For nearly 3000 square feet!?! Potentially someone with four roommates could buy this building and rent it out for a mere $200/mo per person and double their mortgage payments.
Wow. I mean WOW. That’s insane. I might have to check that bad boy out.
[quote="Walker"]
Any idea what those condo developments are called :?: Seems like that area is mixed, is there enough to do and get around town for a 20-something? I def need a Whole Foods type of grocery and a coffee shop (starbucks or whatever) close. I’m moving back to Ohio from FtLaud after 4 years and definitely will go into culture shock for a bit so am looking at the downtown areas that would still have green space for my dogs. Thanks.
Sidenote: what columbus ‘neighborhoods’ are The Basement, Newport Music hall and such music venues located in?
Welcome to the site! :D
Hamilton Park Place, The Monroe Cluster, and The Whitney are three of the main ones. I posted a bunch of info about the King Lincoln District here.
You’ll find more in walking distance in neighborhoods like the Short North or German Village, but they’re also much more expensive. I’m pretty happy with my new neighborhood and it’s walking options (although I haven’t done a lot of walking around yet in the 20 degree cold snap we’ve been having in the past week or two). Really, it’s just going to take a little bit of physical exploration to decide what would suit you best.
The Basement is near the Arena District and the Newport is on campus (by OSU). It’s not like you’d have to live next door to either of them to have easy access. Any downtown neighborhood would be within a long walk or short bus/bike/car ride away.
Great info! I’m going to rent first to see where i’ll be most but those houses in olde towne are so appealing.
Anyhoo, thanks again for this great forum, it is so helpful! :shock: