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    The Atlantic Falls in Love with Columbus

    The Atlantic is a historied cultural magazine with an online reputation as a leading voice in covering urban places and their related issues and trends. Multiple writers at The Atlantic have turned their attention to the city of Columbus during the month of October, publishing some very positive pieces about various facets of the city.

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    On October 1st, John Tierney kicked off a multi-part series on the city with a deep dive into Franklinton. The article starts off the way that many travel pieces involving Columbus do:

    I didn’t know until a few weeks ago that Columbus, Ohio—the state’s capital and by far its most populous city—is a gleaming metropolis. Of course, I knew of it as home to The Ohio State University and had even been there once almost 20 years ago for a conference. But until I was in Columbus again a few weeks ago with Deb and Jim Fallows to report for the American Futures series, I had no idea what a beautiful and interesting place it is.

    With little reputation outside of OSU football, Columbus is often seen as a blank slate to new visitors. There are no expectations that are set too high or too low, so the end result is often one of pleasant surprise upon discovering what the city has to offer. Or in this case, the potential that Franklinton has to offer. Tierney talks to creatives, nonprofits and developers in Franklinton who have been laying the groundwork for the neighborhood, and comes away impressed at the efforts.

    The follow up on October 10th takes a closer look at creative incubation spaces in Franklinton, including 400 West Rich and the Columbus Idea Foundry. Tierney noted amazement at both the scope and scale of these facilities, noting the success of of they perform while remaining affordable:

    The monthly rents these artists pay for space at 400 West Rich are so low as to make them the object of envy from fellow artists in places like Boston, New York, and San Francisco. The studios rent anywhere from 60 cents to $1.10 a square foot. The typical monthly rent is about $175, and that includes heat and WiFi. Every space is filled, and there’s a waiting list to get in.

    The third installment from Tierney dives into regional economic development initiatives and explores the strong public-private-partnership relationships established by organizations like Columbus 2020, The Columbus Partnership, Battelle, Nationwide Insurance and others. A big focus is on a new effort between multiple large companies called the “Columbus Collaboratory” which aims to lead the charge in making the region a data-center hub.

    Last but not least, author Deborah Fallows followed everything up this week with her own piece on Columbus, where she explores more of the current cultural experience and creative environment within the city. Her trip included stops at food trucks like Ajumama, breweries like Seventh Son, Short North boutiques like Co+Op, and the emerging fashion design scene as well.

    Combined, these four pieces make for a convincing travel advertisement for anyone unfamiliar with Columbus. Each one focuses on a different topic, but all speak very highly to the smart and open culture that Columbus has worked to cultivate in recent years during these times of economic prosperity and city growth.

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    Walker Evans
    Walker Evanshttps://columbusunderground.com
    Walker Evans is the co-founder of Columbus Underground, along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.
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