Time to think big in Dublin

By: wyliemac

21 Comments

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  DublinDiver July 10, 2007 2:17 am

  I really like that idea. Old Dublin just isn’t big enough to walk around, given its about 4 blocks. Putting a cap over the river would connect the two sides nicely. However, pedestrian crossing over 33 could be a problem.

  I’d also like to tear down the strip mall in the northwest corner and build a new one. There aren’t very many tenants left, especially since Capriano’s closed up.

  On a side note from that. I’d like to tear down the east strip mall on North Sawmill road, that the old Krogers used to be in. They built that nice giant new one across the street, leaving 70% of the store fronts empty…

  Oh Columbus and its strip malls, at least we got Northland Mall torn down…
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  backstagerob July 10, 2007 4:02 am

  I think that is a GREAT idea. With that new shopping center and the zoo expanding and rebuilding the old Wyandot lake it would really make it a visiting destination.
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  Brewmaster July 10, 2007 7:38 am

  Idunno. I support funding the 670, 70/71 caps because they are “righting a wrong” that was done to the old neighborhoods. In this case, Dublin grew up around 270, it seems like better planning could’ve avoided the need for a cap. Shame on them.

  And are they really running out of land up there? Seems like they could just buy a few houses (acres) and have something to work with. It’s not like they need to bulldoze hundreds and thousands of houses like ODOT did in German Village and Old Towne East when the interstates built.

  Now if a private developer wants to step up and build it, then go for it. That just brings Tuttle and Polaris one day closer to thier predetermined destiny of being ghost malls.
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  Roscoe July 10, 2007 8:11 am

  Sorry to be the lone naysayer, but this is atrocious! Traffic is congested enough in the area, this area should remain a corridor and not a destination.

  It’s only a matter of time before the City starts claiming right-of-way and widening the road from the bridge to at least Sawmill Rd. IMO.
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  vestanpance July 10, 2007 8:24 am

  Are they not building some big new shopping area right up the road from this by La Scala?

  and if you’re knocking down strip mails don’t forget the one with the Dublin AMC. That place has been empty since “just for feet” went out in my high school days (I grew up in Dublin) :P I think they just use it mostly for car storage from the Honda dealership. And that theater sucks bad.

  Side note: It’s gonna be a long time before Tuttle Mall is a ghost town, have you been there during xmas season? The place is just as full as Easton and I would say more full than Polaris.
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  shroud July 10, 2007 9:03 am

  I don’t think anyone’s disputing that Tuttle is still going strong now, but if (when) someone DOES get around to building the next great shopping center/town centre/mall, especially if it’s out that direction from town, Tuttle will likely suffer for it. Just the way the market works these days.

  Though, to be fair, Northland was miserable and full of crappy stores long before Easton & Polaris dealt the killing blow.

  As for this specific recommendation, it seems like a cap over the river would be crazy expensive to build… I suppose it could be a cool way of “extending” the old Dublin area, but I doubt they’d get the funding for it.
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  columbus native July 10, 2007 9:08 am

  yeah the strip mall on that corner is like a ghost town currently. I’m not even sure you would need to tear it down more than to repopuolate the area with freah businesses. I think this could make a nice touch in the neck of the woods.
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  gramarye July 10, 2007 9:09 am

  They might well be able to come up with at least a reasonable amount of funding for it themselves, and private capital might be available for portions of the project (not for the purely public areas, perhaps, but for retail space).
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  vestanpance July 10, 2007 9:15 am

  Does anyone even go to those newish shops in Old Dublin? I don’t even know what’s in there besides the Starbucks.
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  aaminian July 10, 2007 9:27 am

  Installing a cap and revamping that strip mall in addition to opening the new Shoppes at River Ridge would just be waaaaaaaaay too much. That area just isn’t equipped to handle that amount of traffic, nor should it be made to. Old Dublin is able to maintain its charm because of the absence of massively shoehorned retail. It’s not supposed to look like Easton. Besides, how would you accommodate parking? I think the new Shoppes and a makeover of the corner strip mall would be perfect.
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  wyliemac July 10, 2007 9:29 am

  The only time I go to Old Dublin is for an after dinner walk (Tucci’s is an excellent place to dine by the way), or if there is some event going on there like the Dublin Art Fair. But other than that, I don’t shop there.
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  CbusIslander July 10, 2007 12:23 pm

  I don’t think a cap is needed at this location, even though I can see Dublin using the Ponte Vecchio as inspiration at this location. Maybe when Dublin becomes landlocked years from now.

  http://www.parkpalace.com/immagini/ponte_vecchio.jpg

  I rather see riverside dr. becoming more of the scioto mile project reducing the lanes and adding street parking to make the area more pedestrian friendly.
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  BUTerrier July 10, 2007 12:50 pm

  Speaking of dublin have you guys been to the Martage? It is a Crawford Communities development I believe, god damn is it nice. The condos are gigantic and are really nice, plus you get access to an insane club for liek 200 a month I think it was.

  http://www.maratage.com/
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  jpizzow July 10, 2007 11:09 pm

  i don’t go to dublin, too much traffic, too much suburbm , too much “my sh*t don’t stink” attitude (generally speaking) ok, i lied, i go to the irish festival, it’s pretty kick ass…….and not free. go figure. a cap over the river huh, i’ll believe that when me sh*t turns purple and smells like rainbow sherbert.
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  Walker July 12, 2007 1:06 am

  While the small space known as “Old Dublin” looks quiant, I don’t know if a new development including a cap over the river gorge and new shopping centers would really accent that older style. I’m assuming there would still be a need for a large parking lot since everyone would be driving to this shopping destination (not really mixed use), and pedestrian traffic probably wouldn’t work well along 161/33.

  Besides, why would you want to cap over and block out the nice scenic view of the river? I can understand highway caps, because that’s a noisy eyesore, but I’d hate to see caps on the river bridges downtown. It would be concealing nature with commerce.

  :?
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  joshua July 12, 2007 6:15 am

  Didn’t someone propose a Ponte Vecchio type bridge for downtown a couple years ago? To replace the bridge they are doing now? I think it was a Shottenstein? I thought it was a great idea for downtown, linking franklinton to the other side. Whoever planned this city didn’t really do a good job.
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  Brewmaster July 12, 2007 8:22 am

  ^ It was Edwards, but ODOT couldn’t get their act together and decide on a solution for the split.
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  DublinDiver July 13, 2007 2:30 pm

  jpizzow wrote ok, i lied, i go to the irish festival, it’s pretty kick ass…….and not free.

  btw, Flogging Molly is coming back to play at the festival this year. I saw them maybe 4 years ago at the fest. & it was one of the craziest concerts I’ve ever been to. It was so hot and muddy inside the tent. It smelled nasty, everyone was smashing into each other. It was so crowded that instead of moshing, the entire crowd seemed to fall from one side to another. You’d fall past the point where you’d normally topple over, except there would be someone else there to catch your fall. If I wasn’t 6’3″ 200+lbs I probably would’ve been miserable at that concert. But I can hold my own in a big crowd like that, and I had one of the funnest times I’ve ever had. Can’t wait for this year :D
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  vestanpance July 13, 2007 3:51 pm

  Irishfest kicks ass for sure. And I’m english eeek!
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  wyliemac July 17, 2007 9:33 pm

  Thanks for all the input. And yes, I agree, the Irish Festival kicks ass!