SN's Bollinger Tower being bought, possibly converted to hotel

[MichaelC]

BizFirst reports:

The 11-story Bollinger Tower for low-income residents in the Short North is being acquired by an investor group, with a hotel or other redevelopment being considered.

Schiff Capital Group and partners Kevin James and Micha Bitton of Colliers International are in contract to buy the 100-room tower at 750 N. High St., reaching a deal with affordable housing provider Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority.

[ohbr]

I hope that CMHA can relocate with a better urban design downtown to add to the mix but we’ll probably get something less exciting.

As for Bollinger tower, will be really interesting to see if they tear it down. I hope they can at least keep the set back. It’s nice to have those pockets of green space.

[Eridony]

I had the opposite idea. Build a ground floor addition to add retail space along High Street. The building feels disconnected they way it is now.

[lazyfish]

tear it down, there is no saving a dank musty deformed mess of a building

[MichaelC]

FWIW, $3.4 million in renovations were completed on the building in ’09.

[lazyfish]

MichaelC wrote:

FWIW, $3.4 million in renovations were completed on the building in ’09.

lipstick on a pig

[Jason Powell]

I don’t think the building looks too bad. As for the green space, I hope they keep it and don’t build more street level retail. It’s nice to have those little breaks of green within a concrete jungle and every good street needs places for people to linger.

[ohbr]

I think it feels disconnected because of the design and how closed off the main entrance feels. I could see an addition off the front to open it up but leaving a small plaza. I love the Short North as much as anyone, but I do wish it had more plazas/respite from streetside retail, particularly on the east side of High.

The big question, parking *gasp*…. I imagine a hotel would have a much greater parking need than the CMHA so that’s probably going to be the biggest challenge here… from a community standpoint.

[MichaelC]

ohbr wrote:

I think it feels disconnected because of the design and how closed off the main entrance feels. I could see an addition off the front to open it up but leaving a small plaza. I love the Short North as much as anyone, but I do wish it had more plazas/respite from streetside retail, particularly on the east side of High

Agreed and agreed. The SN doesn’t need a ton of plazas, but just a few well placed ones. And this space, utilized well, could be a really wonderful plaza. Throw in some permanent seating, some local art, complementary of whatever new goes into this building (or in replacement of it, which seems very unlikely), and I think you’ve got a great new public “square.”

[clancy12]

Nice. People live there. Now they must be relocated. How would you like to be relocated? Is there only hue and cry when the building is deemed “historic”.
In addition, there is already a deficit of affordable housing.

[clancy12]

lazyfish wrote:

tear it down, there is no saving a dank musty deformed mess of a building

You are talking about someone’s home. god the tone deafness here…

[lazyfish]

clancy12 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lazyfish wrote:</div>
tear it down, there is no saving a dank musty deformed mess of a building

You are talking about someone’s home. god the tone deafness here…

they will not be inside when it is torn down, lol…wondering if you have seen the apartments inside? they are glorified efficiencies and old dank ones to boot, a ramada inn has more class

[wpcc88]

ohbr wrote:

The big question, parking *gasp*…. I imagine a hotel would have a much greater parking need than the CMHA so that’s probably going to be the biggest challenge here… from a community standpoint.

This same group is proposing a new garage right behind Bollinger on Pearl for this project…

https://www.columbusunderground.com/new-shorter-design-presented-for-short-north-office-building

Plus they have a large private lot in the rear of the building.

[lazyfish]

the poor people will have to discover a new shitty neighborhood that their rent subsidies and buying power can help stabilize. Think of the restaurants and bars that prospered off the Bollinger Towers’ residents back in the day. Hello Linden, er east clintonville

[lbl]

I hope the City is getting a huge amount for this. maybe (though doubtful) it can be put forward to new housing these displaced elderly will be forced to relocate to.

as for the parking – this lot is more than ample to accommodate a large new hotel with an attached parking deck in the rear. I think a better use could be another mixed use structure along with the hotel. something with offices and extended stay suites and ground floor retail, etc.

I also vote for keeping it somewhat set-back. this stretch will become very canyon like if a new building is up at the sidewalk. some variation is nice.

[Author]

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