Another big announcement coming out of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District annual meeting this afternoon is that a $490,000 grant was received from the Department of Energy for the addition of new bike facilities throughout Downtown. The grant will fund the development of new bike shelters, bike lockers, and additional bike parking within existing parking garage structures. These new facilities will be spread out to around dozen locations where workers are likely to benefit for commuting purposes and residents are likely to benefit for recreational riding. [Read More]
The Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District is holding their annual meeting Downtown this afternoon and also using the occasion as an opportunity to unveil their new Downtown retail incentive program. Kacey Campbell will be taking on the new full time role of Retail Recruiter after working as Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for the past 3 1/2 years with Capital Crossroads. The new “matchmaker” role will have her exclusively focusing on retail outreach, building relationships between retail and landlord partners, and assisting with the entire process of setting up new retail businesses Downtown. [Read More]
There’s an interesting blog post today from Cleve Ricksecker on the “Right Now Downtown” blog titled In Search of a City: Schools That Rock. There, a short summary of the Columbus City Schools (CCS) system is given along with a quick analysis of what the latest round of proficiency scores could mean for the future of young families considering a move into the CCS district.
In this week’s ColumbusUnderground.com Podcast, we sit down to chat with Cleve Ricksecker, the Executive Director of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District. Cleve shares a lot of additional information with us on the recently announced streetscaping improvements, as well as his thoughts on how entreprenueral involvement is the key to bringing Downtown back to life.
You can use the player below to listen to the podcast, click here to download an mp3, click here to subscribe via iTunes, or click here to subscribe to the rss feed.
Could the Hilltop be hip? Yes, and that’s the image it needs to project to spur an economic turnaround, says Cleve Ricksecker, a veteran of urban revitalization efforts in Columbus.
Ricksecker will share his thoughts on the Hilltop’s potential in a talk Wednesday, May 6 at 7 p.m. at the J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center, 85 Clarendon Ave. The free event is presented by the Hilltop Business Association and the Westgate Neighbors Association. [Read More]
In Search of a City: New Year’s Wish List Part Deux
With 500 new, market-rate housing units between Broad Street and Nationwide Boulevard, the area has gained enough households to support some neighborhood retail stores. Add 41,000 employees and 1135 hotel rooms within a five-minute walk of Broad and High, and the walk-in trade area has nearly $100 million of spending power.
Likely candidates for retail success include a green grocer, new and used book store, florist, bakery, GNC-style vitamin and nutrition store, pet supply store, dry cleaner, pharmacy, gift shop, Radio Shack-style electronics store, and office supply store. The challenge is finding vendors who will fill the void. If corporate chains will not open stores, are there independent folks who will?
Business First of Columbus wrote Fast food dies slow death downtown
Friday, December 19, 2008
by Dan Eaton
Downtown Columbus workers are within walking distance of all manner of lunch meals - Venezuelan arepas, Ohio-style Monte Cristo sandwiches, micro-brewed beer. But good luck finding staples like the Big Mac, Whopper and or a single with cheese.
“Any property owner would love to have fast food as a tenant,” said Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District downtown. “Am I personally distraught? No.” Ricksecker said the district does feature several good independent restaurants, as well as some lower-profile fast-casual chains such as Potbelly Sandwich Works and Einstein Bros. Bagels, owned by Einstein Noah Restaurant Group Inc.
Said downtown restaurant owner Jeff Mathes of fast food’s flight: “As an independent owner and an urbanite, I think it’s OK.”
And one major player stands out: Subway, owned by Doctor’s Associates Inc., has seven sandwich shops scattered throughout downtown.
Image Courtesy Giles Clement
The Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District is holding their annual meeting Downtown this afternoon and also using the occasion as an opportunity to unveil their new Downtown retail incentive program. Kacey Campbell will be taking on the new full time role of Retail Recruiter after working as Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for the past 3 1/2 years with Capital Crossroads. The new “matchmaker” role will have her exclusively focusing on retail outreach, building relationships between retail and landlord partners, and assisting with the entire process of setting up new retail businesses Downtown. 
There’s an interesting blog post today from Cleve Ricksecker on the “Right Now Downtown” blog titled 
In this week’s ColumbusUnderground.com Podcast, we sit down to chat with Cleve Ricksecker, the Executive Director of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District. Cleve shares a lot of additional information with us on the recently announced 
Could the Hilltop be hip? Yes, and that’s the image it needs to project to spur an economic turnaround, says Cleve Ricksecker, a veteran of urban revitalization efforts in Columbus.
In Search of a City: New Year’s Wish List Part Deux
Fast food dies slow death downtown
