June 23, 2011
Dublin looks to stay on top by planning Editor’s note: This is the third of a three-part series on how the city of Dublin has weathered the recession. An ongoing series on the effects the recession has had on people and organizations in Dublin will follow. toric Dublin Business Association said he’s been engaged with By JENNIFER NOBLIT open houses and meetings in the ThisWeek Community Newspapers Bridge Street corridor process. “We’ve certainly been engaged Bill Jacob has had his fair share in the project, that’s for sure,” he of meetings over the past year. said. “Working here and owning The Historic Dublin business a property here, I certainly have owner and president of the His- a vested interest. I’ve attended
public events they’ve had at the rec center and elsewhere. I’ve We’re setting districts all around town to set meet with (director of land-use up the second coming of Dublin. By putting and long-range planning) Mr. these districts in place and understanding what (Steve) Langworthy and (director of building standards) Mr. industries are our strengths, we can know who (Jeff) Tyler to talk about everyto go out to and recruit. thing from impact on infrastructure and overall concept,” Jacob COLLEEN GILGER said. — Dublin’s economic development administrator The Bridge Street corridor plan has been in the works for almost Planning for the future City Manager Marsha Grigsby two years and is one plan Dublin Planning such as this has had a said. intends to use to keep develophand in Dublin’s success thus far, “We mention it regularly, but ment coming to the city.
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one of the reasons the city is in the place it is today is that we’re looking to the future and planning,” she said. “We have council goals. It helps keep us on track, and they do it every year. Some of it is in focusing on what’s happening now and looking into the future and visioning.” A study done years ago advised Dublin to attract high-quality office space that brings in $2,000 per square foot more than the cost See DUBLIN, page A10
Bridge Street plans nearing completion
SOGGY SUNDAY AT SCIOTO
By JENNIFER NOBLIT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Photos by Paul Vernon/ThisWeek
(Above) People still attended the Dublin Arts Council’s Sundays at Scioto concerts, despite the rain, to hear the country-rock music of Eric Dove & GreenLightGo at Scioto Park, 7377 Riverside Drive, June 19. (Left) Liam Nutting, 5, of Dublin, blows a colorful bubble during the event. The remaining bands playing at the Sundays at Scioto conert series are: June 26: Yumbambe (Latin jazz/salsa) July 3: Swing’s the Thing (big band/swing) July 10: MojoFlo (funk) July 17: Spikedrivers (rust bucket rock) July 24: Big Sam’s Funky Nation (New Orleans funk) July 31: British Invasion (British pop/rock) The concerts are free of charge. Concert attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic dinners. Some small food items will be available for sale with the proceeds benefitting Dublin Arts Council.
Council approves summer road work By JENNIFER NOBLIT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Dublin will see $2.9 million in work over the summer for its annual street-maintenance program. Dublin City Council members last week awarded the Shelly Co. a $2.9 million contract for resurfacing roads and a few other projects. Streets that will be repaved over summer are Emerald Parkway, between Perimeter Drive and Dublin Road; Avery-Muirfield Drive’s southbound left-turn lane at Perimeter Drive; Dublin Center Drive, from Tuller Road to Sawmill Road; Coventry Woods Drive, between
Brand Road and Applecross Drive; Rings Road, from Avery Road to Wilcox Road; Monterey Drive; Glen Meadow Court; Muirfield Place; Birgham Court; Whittingham Drive; Hawick Court North; Hawick Court South; Gavington Court; Lytfield Drive; Kingscote Court; Locust Hill Lane; and Thornhill Lane. The parking lots at the city’s 5800 building and the Chamber of Commerce also will be repaved. Two intersections will get brick pavers over a concrete base: the intersection at Emerald Parkway, Coffman Road and Coffman Park Drive and the intersection at Emerald Parkway and Post Road.
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A closer look The city’s engineering website at Dublin.oh.us/engineering will also provide updates on construction.
City engineer Paul Hammersmith said residents and drivers would be notified of road work in different ways. Residents on affected streets will receive brochures in their mailboxes, and any driveway that must be closed during construction “will be provided written notice at their
front door at least 24 hours in advance of the closure,” the memo to council stated. Temporary signs also will be erected at least 24 hours prior to construction, and a portable message board will be posted at some construction sites. The city’s engineering website at Dublin.oh.us/engineering also provides updates on construction. Hammersmith said the second round of summer construction work to include bike-path construction and repairs should go before council July 6. Dublin has budgeted $200,000 for bike-path work.
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If plans continue according to schedule, work on the Bridge Street corridor plan should be completed nearly two years after it started. Dublin began looking at a long-range plan for development and redevelopment in its core in August 2009, hiring Boston-based consultants Goody Clancy to aid in a study of possibilities. The consultants began the study by meeting with such stakeholders as developers, landowners, Dublin City Schools officials and local nonprofits and then crafted a plan for development, redevelopment and infrastructure for the city’s core. The study also brought a series of national speakers to Dublin to discuss market trends. In June 2010 at Wendy’s headquarters, Goody Clancy gave a preliminary overview of its recommendations as representatives laid out a plan for walkable, urban-style mixed-used development for the Bridge Street corridor. More stakeholder comments were taken, and Goody Clancy began work on a vision, principles, a concept plan and district last summer. The work received council approval in October, and nearly $500,000 in framework, code, modSee BRIDGE STREET PLANS, page A2
School board approves rehires and layoffs By JENNIFER NOBLIT ThisWeek Community Newspapers Thanks to concessions made by Dublin City Schools employees, 37 staff members were rehired last week. The Dublin school board accepted the rehirings as part of renewing replacement contracts and adding a few new teaching positions. Superintendent David Axner said because employees were willing to give back part or all of scheduled raises for the coming academic year, 42 contracts were approved. “There are many people who would not have been with Dublin City Schools if not for what has gone on the past few weeks,” he said. The district administration, teachers union and support-staff union all moved to forgo all or a portion of scheduled raises for next year. The concessions were made as the district faces a shortfall in state funding and anticipates layoffs. The board suspended three contracts last week, though. Axner said the nonrenewal of the contracts come from “reduction in force” because of lack of funds and decreasing enrollment in certain academic areas. See SCHOOL BOARD, page A2
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