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    Downtown Re-Development Moving Forward

    Press Release wrote Demolition of Lazarus Sky Bridge will help prepare High Street for Active Retail

    In his 2008 State of the City Address Mayor Michael B. Coleman announced the creation of a new district downtown, The Mile on High District to focus on rebuilding the High Street Corridor with active retail, office and housing to bring more people and new investment back into the area. Today Columbus City Council will consider ordinance 1090-2008 to authorize the release of $503,670 of bond proceeds currently held in the RiverSouth Area Redevelopment Project Fund in support of Columbus Downtown Development Corporation’s plan to repair the two alleys adjoining the northwest portion of The Lazarus Building to complete a plan to demolish the sky bridge connecting the Lazarus Building to City Center and repair the Lazarus facade, preparing it for street-level retail.

    “High Street is the spine of our City and for our City to work best, our backbone must be strong,” said Mayor Coleman. “With more than 100,000 workers and an increasing number of residents moving downtown, we need to spur economic development and create new retail opportunities along High Street by demolishing the cavernous City Center walkway. We are grateful to Governor Strickland and our legislative partners for helping to secure money for this worthwhile project.”

    The sky bridge that once connected City Center with Lazarus has been dormant for years and is a strong impediment to creating a thriving retail environment. Demolition of the Lazarus Sky Bridge will provide a catalyst for retail along the High Street corridor in front of The Lazarus Building helping to spur economic redevelopment. The total cost of the project is approximately $3 million with the State of Ohio contributing $2.5 million from the 2008 state capital budget.

    Recent public and private investments have made RiverSouth an emerging neighborhood. Construction for the Main Street Bridge has been underway for several years, and The Scioto Mile Park began construction in April 2008 and the municipal garage at the corner of Front and Rich streets will be completed in the spring of 2009. Last month, Lifestyles Communities broke ground on a moderately priced housing development, featuring both rental and for-sale units on four empty lots just south of The Lazarus Building, providing an important housing product downtown.

    Council will also consider ordinance 0973-2008 for the creation of a downtown Tax Increment Financing District (TIF). The TIF will cover a large area of Downtown approximately bounded to the north by the Arena District, south by the Brewery District, east by I-71 and west by the Scioto River and is targeted to fund a variety of public improvements including parking garages, roadways and parks.

    The City of Columbus is helping lead the implementation of the Downtown Business Plan with the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation and local businesses. 2008 marks the sixth year of the 10-year plan to bring new investment, energy and activity into downtown. The total new investment in downtown since 2000 is estimated at $2.19 billion, with $711 million in public funding helping leverage $1.48 billion in private investment. This includes projects proposed, under construction, or built since 2000.

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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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