ADVERTISEMENT

    Work Starting at 3rd and High, Smart Car-Only Parking Nixed by City

    The six-story apartment building that will soon start to rise at the southwest corner of West Third Avenue and North High Street will not feature the smart car-only parking garage that was originally proposed for the project.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Adam Trautner, Vice President of The Stonehenge Company, the developer of the project, said that “pushback from the city” led to a redesign of the garage. The original concept called for 35 spaces in the ground-level garage, each about half the length of a normal parking space. At the time, the developer and the project’s architect — Jonathan Barnes Architecture and Design — touted the idea as an innovative way to provide some parking within the building’s relatively small footprint.

    “Some residents will have the smaller cars,” said Trautner after the project was approved by the Victorian Village Commission in early 2015, “but some won’t even need a car – they’ll use the CBUS and the other great alternatives we have now in Columbus.”

    All that changed, though, after the city’s Department of Public Service voiced concerns about the parking plan.

    “The department believed that expecting a large majority of residents of the proposed development to have a smart car was not realistic and that there would likely be additional cars connected to the development that would either have to be parked on the street or elsewhere,” said spokesman Jeff Ortega.

    Public Service supported a new layout, with five full-sized spaces and 14 slightly smaller ones, designed for a compact car like the Honda Civic. The new plan was brought back to the commission and approved in July of 2015, then approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment later that month.

    Trautner said that utility work on the site has begun, and that the goal is to complete construction by the end of 2017. The 35 apartment units will be smaller — in the 600-square-foot range — with an eye toward affordability.

    All visuals by Jonathan Barnes Architecture and Design.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Subscribe

    More to Explore:

    CCAD Wants to Uncover Historic Building, Fill in Parking Lot

    The Columbus College of Art & Design has submitted...

    Intel Gets More Federal Funding for Ohio Production Plants

    Nearly $20 billion in federal grants and loans is on its way to Intel to support work on semiconductor fabs in Ohio and around the country. The funding is part of the CHIPS Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022. Ohio’s New Albany-area Intel facility currently under construction stands to benefit substantially.

    Updated: Madison County Solar Farm Would Be One of the Largest in U.S.

    UPDATE (3/21/24): The Ohio Power Siting Board voted seven...

    The Confluence Cast: Downtown with Michael Brown

    We're exploring the evolution of downtown with Michael Brown, who has been a cornerstone in the city's development planning and worked both in and outside city government to cheer on its growth. Columbus Underground editor Walker Evans and Mike delve into the city's challenges and triumphs, the synergy between projects, the balance between iconic and neighborhood-level public art investments, and the concerted efforts to address systemic issues like homelessness and affordable housing. Through anecdotes and insights, they highlight Columbus's young, creative energy and the dynamic urban policies that continue to drive its growth.
    Brent Warren
    Brent Warrenhttps://columbusunderground.com/author/brent-warren
    Brent Warren is a staff reporter for Columbus Underground covering urban development, transportation, city planning, neighborhoods, and other related topics. He grew up in Grandview Heights, lives in the University District and studied City and Regional Planning at OSU.
    ADVERTISEMENT