The City Center Scheduled for Demolition
From The Dispatch:
A Downtown gem when it opened in 1989, the forlorn mall will be torn down by summer
BY MARLA MATZER ROSE AND MIKE PRAMIKColumbus City Center is coming down, and Downtown as we know it is about to change. This summer, nearly 20 years after City Center opened as the shining star of central Ohio’s retail universe, the obsolete and nearly abandoned mall will be demolished. It is to be replaced by an urban park and, within several years, a collection of buildings that will contain residences, offices, restaurants and shops.
The city has dubbed the $165 million project Columbus Commons. It is seeking federal stimulus money to pay for the mall demolition and development of the park, which city officials expect to start this summer and complete within 18 months. The remainder of the project will take shape over the next five to 10 years, as the market dictates.
All that will be left are the parking garage, underground parking and the entryway to the mall off State Street.
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Related Tags: city center • columbus commons • demolition • downtown • green space • retail
February 4th, 2009 at 1:45 am
This is not quite as mixed-use as I had in mind. I like park space, but I don’t know if it’s going to be as big of a draw as what I had in mind. I guess it wasn’t economically feasible though. It’s not like I was stepping up with millions of dollars behind me to develop the thing.
But yeah. This paragraph from the article has me hopeful:
Columbus Commons is expected to include seven or eight new buildings. Four would face High Street and include 70,000 square feet of street-level retail and restaurant space. Three are to be built on the eastern side of the development, containing approximately 434,000 square feet of office space.
February 4th, 2009 at 1:45 am
I’m very happy about this and I hope they get the Federal stimulus package funds to demolish it as fast as the article stated (but I doubt if it will be quick).
February 4th, 2009 at 2:07 am
I’ll be interested in seeing which businesses will become part of the retail space. Coleman’s on record as saying that he wants to invest in small businesses for the downtown. If it’s gonna be more big box stuff one can get anywhere, then the hell with that.
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/rich318/citymouse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=34260
February 4th, 2009 at 2:16 am
Good god it will be wonderful to see that royal cockamamy leveled to dust. I personally can’t imagine a better use of the space then a park. Nice job He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
I look forward to seeing renderings, bulldozers and dynamite. I really look forward to seeing trees and green. On the mixed use, I don’t see any reason this shouldn’t become my idolized piazza/plaza/commons of our great city surrounded by retail and restaurants. Score one for the bad guys!
February 4th, 2009 at 7:17 am
I really like the fact that they’re planning for a lot of open park space. It has the possibility of helping to attract more people to downtown living as well.
And depending how the buildings are done, there could be some really cool opportunities for restaurants that open onto/otherwise utilize the park space.
February 4th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Wait a minute, there really aren’t many of the Big Box shopping opportunities downtown for the residents at all. A Wal-Mart or Target would make a lot of sense for those living down there and those who spend most of their waking hours down there.
February 4th, 2009 at 7:44 am
The retail space sounds interesting. The park…well, they don’t fund park and recs as it is. The underfunding of park and recs predates the current economic crisis, and shows an undervaluing of these types of resources. Why would they add another to not take care of?
February 4th, 2009 at 7:49 am
I would imagine that they would work something out with Capitol Crossroads and surrounding businesses to maintain it. Maybe down the line so much from the office leases to go in the pot?
As I’ve said before, I would love to see the inclusion of a North Market-esque space that could help serve as a small business incubator downtown.
February 4th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Ratzo: I wouldn’t entirely count on small/local businesses to fill in these new buildings. Rent is always high in new builds. But I would expect it to spur new interest for smaller businesses in surrounding properties with cheaper rent. I’m guessing something similar to what we’re seeing going into Broad & High or the South Campus Gateway. Which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.
February 4th, 2009 at 7:52 am
thank god its coming down! would have been nice to reopen town st. maybe they are but those water color renderings have me all turned around. plus the renderings look like they were created in 1989. look at the clothing and hair styles the people are wearing.
February 4th, 2009 at 7:56 am
A phase development is great. The park would be more visible and pleasing to see than the current building. Allowing a clean slate for development is a great way to advertise the development in pieces. Great timing with the federal stimulus money which I hope it gets (and it should)
February 4th, 2009 at 7:58 am
ok so town is to run into the commons but not all the way thru. not sure what that means but ok.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:00 am
town would most likely be pedestrian until it runs to 3rd in the future maybe?
February 4th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Mr. Warmth: A Wal-Mart/Target has been brought up several times, mostly by people who do not live in the city who think it’s what downtown needs. Allow me to summarize: Those of us downtown believe that to be a terrible idea on several fronts. First of all, no one wants a Wal-Mart. No one. At one point, I believe Wal-Mart looked into securing a spot in City Center a few years ago and thankfully nothing came of it. Secondly, a target exists down the road already and on a busline. There will never be one downtown. Now you’re looking at retailers the size of Best Buy or Crate and Barrel and you’re in direct competition with Grandview Yard.
Regarding the article, did anyone notice Coleman’s quote about City Center being built to fail?! That completely diminishes and demeans the value of the mall and its history here in the city. Certainly it turned out to be a failure in the end, but to suggest what he did is laughable. It was built at a time when closed-in malls were popular and City Center thrived for many years. Where it went south was a combination of the opening of Tuttle, whatever the city did to Les Wexner (and his subsequent building of Easton), and the demands of the public for a) open-air malls, b) retail close to home and c) the influx of residents moving to suburbs outside of the outerbelt.
If he believes it was “built to fail,” then he needs to have absolutely nothing with City Center moving forward. How do you think he’d feel if, twenty years from now, Columbus Commons becomes a victim to the public’s new demands for whatever the opposite is of Columbus Commons and someone said it was a poorly conceived project and design from the get go and was built to fail?
February 4th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Re chrisgillespie’s point on park funding, it’s a very good one. What the City should organize from the start is a trust or conservancy (like Central Park in NYC) that will serve as the long-term mechanism to support the park. Following up the initial public investment, adjacent property owners and donors will chip in for maintenance. This is a huge property value boon for them anyway so why not.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:32 am
OH
MY
GOD
That is amazing. Hold on a second while I pick my jaw up off of the floor. Holy Christopher Alexander! I am really excited about the park. And being able to shop, eat, and hang out in some “greenspace”.
Can we make sure there’s plenty of native species in there? Yay.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:35 am
I’ve heard a lot of people say, “Easton would be so much cooler if they had built it downtown.” With Georgetown on board for this, I think those people will get what they want. I wonder how much Georgetown will allow the two to compete.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:41 am
I think this is amazing …. and I love the timeline. I run through downtown nearly everyday and to have a park to run through will be great!
February 4th, 2009 at 8:47 am
This is awesome ! I don’t know what else to say other then that . makes me real happy ! Also that time frame is great too. :D
February 4th, 2009 at 8:47 am
RadioJohnson ….. have you read anything about Grandview Yard? I think you’ll like it and its walking/biking distance from downtown.
Second, I’m with lifeontwowheels, I see downtown as boutique stores everywhere. DO NOT recreate whats already out there. Instead of a Target, why not an eco-friendly ‘everything’ store that is local to Columbus. If you create shops downtown that you can not find anywhere else, it will thrive.
February 4th, 2009 at 8:59 am
In my opinion this is going to make downtown look even more suburban than it already does. We already have the downtown launch neighborhood and and lifestyles project in the River South area being does not fit in the area but most are giving it a chance. The city now can’t come up with a better idea for City Center so they decide to plop a huge field right in the heart of the city! We already have the Scioto Mile under construction and we have the statehouse lawn. Two very large parks both downtown. While they do play a huge role for events and festivals what about about any normal day. I usually only see 3 or 4 people using the parks. We as a 21st century need to set high standards for other us cities with a great urban downtown and its not going that great. While downtown has become a better place, it does not compare to other cities of the same size. Its a downtown spread out far and beyond with nothing to offer!
February 4th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Surber: completely agree. I feel like some people have it backwards: bring in an anchor and everything will be okay. Why can’t it be the opposite? Why can’t it thrive with restaurants and boutique stores to the point where a big box says, “Whoa, we HAVE to be here”?
Looking at downtown Austin, they do quite well without any big box retailers. Sure, there are some mall-type stores, but they don’t need Macy’s or Sak’s or even a Target or Wal-Mart. (quick thought: Staples or OfficeMax would be a fantastic retailer to have in the heart of dowtown)
If we keep looking at Austin, it would be great to do what they do and encourage vibrancy - they pipe music and sounds out all up and down the street. Not blaring and loud and obtrusive, but loud enough to create excitement and energy.
In fact, here is their “mission” - if you will - for 2nd Street District. I think we could adopt a very similar strategy:
A 24-HOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WALKS THE WALK…
Austin is a fusion of culture and style all its own. People want something beyond a cookie-cutter mall experience transplanted from another city. The 2nd Street District speaks to Austin in its unique language. It’s Austin’s very own city neighborhood experience, and looks, feels and tastes like one place and one place only…Austin.
February 4th, 2009 at 9:08 am
I am just glad that this is finally coming down. I was hoping for perhaps another hotel and also as has been mentioned in other posts, I was hoping for a Central Market similar to the North Market. I do like the park setting as long as there is a stage. I think we can utilize this to spawn some downtown music shows on Friday nights during the summer months.
February 4th, 2009 at 9:10 am
There’s been some good questions being thrown around in here so far. What other questions do you all have if you were theoretically speaking one-on-one with Guy Worley (CEO of Capital South) today?
February 4th, 2009 at 9:20 am
With or without federal money …. what is the demo start date?