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The Columbus Dispatch wrote
Struggle for development in Franklinton
Homes not right fit for neighborhood, leaders say
Sunday, October 28, 2007
By Mark Ferenchik
Vince Gazzara wants to build four houses in Franklinton, the poor Columbus neighborhood of century-old houses just west of Downtown that is struggling to reverse its fortunes. But he doesn’t want to build basements, garages or porches. So neighborhood leaders — as much as they want new construction — don’t want his houses.
The houses Gazzara wants to build aren’t fancy. They’re two-story, vinyl-sided homes on slabs that would sell for $75,000. Carol Stewart, who leads the Franklinton Area Commission, said she wants better.
If nothing else, this episode is another example of the difficulties of building in the city’s core, especially Franklinton, where builders couldn’t go until the massive floodwall around it was finished in 2004.
Related Stories:
- Franklinton: The new Short North?
- City hopes to make Franklinton streets safer
- City demos two more blighted homes in Franklinton
- Franklinton rehabs bring in some new life
So what you’re trying to say is that you’re not really that familiar with what is essentially a giant area and basing your statements on the entire area off of one small part that you are familiar with through anecdotal stories?
I say we should just judge Franklinton based on what the local tv news media has to say about it. They’ve seem to have the inside scoop on Columbus.
buterrior, if all your going to do is refer to the neg aspects of franklinton than this discussion is over as far as im concerned. you seem to be unaware of the many changes that are, and will take place in franklinton. maybe you should catch up. then maybe join back in the conversation.
To me, Franklinton at least looks better than the Short North did around 1980, and you can see, it’s pretty terrible. The flood wall has just been completed. There is hope for Franklinton in my book, but it’s going to take 30 years like it took the SN:
look at the Burgundy room!!!
Unless the city can take some sort of action. Every city leader I’ve talked to realizes the potential of the area. The problem is that there’s a lot of corporate land owners over there just sitting on collected properties and waiting for someone to make a move. I think we’ll see something happening soon though. It’s only a matter of time before a developer makes a move.
At leat in East Franklinton (east of 315). West Franklinton is a whole different story.
yeah, it is.
Oh, man. I hate swat raids.
ya know, tell me about it..
BUTerrier, I disagree with you. My friend in the aforementioned Home Again property couldn’t be happier, and his wife is unfazed by the area. Since I started thinking about moving to Franklinton, I’ve been following this thread with stalkerly interest, and performing some area recon. Compared to every place i’ve worked in town, my Urban Danger VU meter barely blips. Granted, i am an imposing Adonis of a man, but all i am saying is that there’s less on a pioneering spirit needed than you think. Would i hesitate to bring my GF/Mom/Sister/Niecelet to a home I owned there? Not for a minute.
Walker I do not judge it based on what the news media says, I judge it based on my personal experiences in that neighborhood. I have personally seen crack dealers with AR15s, I have personally seen people hit on the head and robbed there, have personally seen people shot there. You know why you feel safer in that neighborhood than in lets say the eastside or Linden, it is because of the race issue. There are white people there, who might be poor, and just as dangerous, but you guys feel safer because you are not the only white person. Let us call it for what it is. I just think it is quite funny thinking that the places I named (again dakota, avondale, hawkhes, that whole area, is going anywhere anytime soon). CDS Sherman I have nothing valuable to add? Is that what you tell residents? Every resident I know feels the same way, who do yo know over on Avondale? Did you ever come and talk to us? We were always like I said on that 4 plex unit right there on avondale across from the car lot on Broad, we didnt see any urban pioneers coming to talk. What we saw were crackheads and shootouts over at Marathon. I will relay this to everyone on Avondale, and Hawkes and Dakota, that they know nothing about the sitauation, and should jut read up, because they are ignorant for thinking nothing is going to get better in their neighborhoods. Sounds like you are jsut mad at anyone who does not share your sentiment. Great job on working with the community. Do you do this in every neighborhood? Move in, tell the residents fears are unfounded, and just bulldoze homes and drive people out? Sounds like what you are doing. What is your connection to franklinton, did you grow up there? Lots of family that grew up there? Or are you jsut some urban pioneer that for whatever reason decides to move to the area and dictate to people on how wonderful it is. yea, I mean everyone I know from all “bad areas” thnks they are great, none want to move out. I mean none of these residents of these areas are moving out to Hilliard because they are sick of the crime in these areas, and that is part of the reason crime is rising in the suburbs of Columbus. People get sick of the inner city and get out, especially when tehse “urban pioneers” tell them how great the area is and how they have nothing to be affraid of. i will relay that message to the multitudes of people I know in the area who have family memmbers who have been victims of crime there.
I guess what it boils down to is there are no bad neighborhoods correct? Linden is great, you know people there, your father lives in OTE, and you live in franklinton, all are great neibhorhoods, no such thing as a horrible place to live. It is all in our imagination, our fears are unfounded. I will again relay this to people that have no other choice than to live there, not to the people that move to these neighborhoods, to become “urban pioneers” because its cool to live in these areas, and a piece of conversation to talk about on the internet or around the dinner table. Maybe when something happens to you or your family, you might be able to see the other side, until then, there is no such thing as a bad neighborhood.
Mike was wondering where I’ve been? Working! No time for the message boards!
I’ve got to chime in here about the crime factor. In my experience Franklinton’s crime is mostly drug related, or stupidity related (like those white trash boys that were taking pot-shots at the cops several months ago for no good reason). Oddly, most of the dope boys down there are relatively polite, and occasionally helpful.
It’s not like that kind of crap doesn’t happen elsewhere. The area around CCAD, where there are a large number of students residing, is not exactly safe. It’s gotten slowly better over the years, but when I moved down there at the age of six it was as bad as or worse than Franklinton is now. Hell, I got mugged down in Old Town East my Junior year at CCAD (on my parent’s block no less). I knew plenty of other students who had the same experience in Old Town, and in the Discovery District.
Columbus has become a “real” city over the past several decades, and it’s an illusion to think that you’re completely safe in any neighborhood. Look at what happened in German Village recently!
If you are cautious and take precautions you’ll be safe in any neighborhood in Columbus.
If you talk to the old timers (pioneers) of the Short North, or Old Town East they’ll all tell you the same, you have to be vigilant. (Some of them will even advise you to be down right militant). Don’t be afraid to call the police, don’t be afraid to protect yourself, your family, and your property.
It’s hard to be a pioneer in an area. It’s hard for me to recommended it, especially to those with families. I had a frightened and shitty childhood in Old Town East, sidestepping used heroin needles and broken Colt 45 bottles, ducking in a safe place at the sound of gunfire.
It’s not easy, but it can be rewarding to help change an area for the better.
This is all I am trying to say, tell the people who actually had to reside in these neighborhoods their whole lives, how great these neibhrohoods are. I know multitudes of people who grew up in OTE, or the short north, or even franklinton, who now live in places like hilliard or Reynoldsburg, and they would not move back ever. its easy to talk about how great a place is when if it gets too bad, you can move to another area, but tell this to people who really have no other choice of where to live, try to get them to see all the positives. Anyone who has ever resided in a bad neibhrohood with no other choice knows what I am talking about, those who do not just moved to bad neighborhoods because it was the hip thing to do.
Well, I’ve been pretty clear on my view of the Franklinton thing many times, but again…to me…the difference between ShoNo or OTE (and it’s clear even in that photo Columbus posted) is what was there prior to the pioneers that they could build on.
Now, maybe I’ve been on the wrong streets in Franklinton…but I’m not seeing huge brick, turn of the century buildings…or giant 5 and 6 bedroom Victorian mansions…
I’m seeing a lot of 50 year old sided, crappy houses that there’s really no point in rehabbing other than the fact you can buy them for 30 or 40 grand.
I’m sure there are a few exceptions, and there are some great buildings (even like the 20k brick home Mike posted)…but again, are those really there in any real numbers?
p.s. I was in OTE prior to most of the pioneers as well, at the corner of Bryden and 20th in about 91…and I can definitely tell you 90% of the “pioneers” who are there now wouldn’t have touched that place with a 10 foot pole. 10.00 hookers spaced every 100 feet apart on Bryden, gun battles nightly, Sheriff’s drug raids visible on some nearby home at least weekly, etc.
I share those sentitments also Core, and completely agree with you about that issue. While there are some brick structures (mostly cpo properties) here and there, there are a few more in the area people here dub as “eastern franklinton” (never heard any residents refer to it as this, everyone I know just calls the whole area the bottoms from the time you cross the bridge, until you go up the hill, must be an urban pioneer thing).
Plus let me defend Chris (CDSherman) here to the last poster, although he can ably defend himself. Chris and I have been best friends since we were about six or seven. We both grew up in terrible neighborhoods, he split his time between the Short North and Old Town East. I don’t appreciate you accusing him of being some shifty asshole that’s come down to the neighborhood to start gentrifying it. If he says he not scared down in Franklinton it’s because growing up where he did he knows how to conduct himself. There’s probably plenty to be afraid of in Franklinton BUTterrier, but as I said previously, there’s plenty to be afraid of anywhere if you’re not careful.
If I had 20k I’d buy a house in Franklinton, despite my previous bad experiences with being a “pioneer” child. For the opportunity to own my own house I’d gladly put up with a few years of more gunshots, and ghetto birds, and people jumping my fence to try to hide from the cops under my porch.
well BUTerrior i know many of people who live through out the neighborhood.
if you want to go talk shit about me to other people go right ahead there bud. most likely they have never heard of ME unless they serve on a commision or something of that nature. you think im supposed to know every person who lives down here. and btw im one of maybe 3 white people who live in this part of frankilinton. and you can bring race into this all you want, race has no issue with me, but i guess it does with you, based on the fact that you have brought this up now many times about blacks and whites. i think all you want to is argue and not have a decent conversation on here. you bring up the marathon station like its the only thing in the fucking neighborhood. we have one of the nicest UDFs in the city and we will have the most tech advanced fire station in the nation when its completed near cypress and broad. like i said before do some home work and and join back in later.
OK…on a less serious note…possibly the funniest thing I’ve heard about Franklinton so far ;)
Lets keep this clean and not make any arguments personal.
That said, argue away.
you want to stay stuck in the past with all this shit go right ahead. alot of the framed homes were built turn of the century and early 20th century. theres alot of doubles. idk go to clintonville and grandview you see alot of those kinds of homes. ive lived all this city and you dont see me bitching about it.
whys that core