Downtown's Rebirth | Columbus Monthly

Downtown’s

Rebirth Columbus Monthly Downtown Spotlight

Planning the City’s Growth

A Residential Boom

What’s Next for Downtown

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DOWNTOWN There’s an urban rebirth in downtown Columbus.

People are working downtown and living here, too.

Life, both day and night, is lively with the arts, dining options and sporting events.

Small businesses are starting up. Other companies are firmly planted, and some are marking century-long milestones.

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YOUR GUIDE TO CULTURAL EVENTS, ORGANIZATIONS, CLASSES AND ARTISTS IN CENTRAL OHIO

A SERVICE OF THE GREATER COLUMBUS ARTS COUNCIL

Welcome to

Downtown Working on this special section was an eye-opening experience. As someone who works Downtown and who heads down here on the weekends, too, I’ve seen first-hand the growth that’s happening in our city’s center. But until reporting for and editing this section, I didn’t realize just how much thought and careful planning has gone into Downtown’s revitalization. It’s staggering.

Supporting arts.

Advancing culture.

GCAC.org

This special section was produced in partnership with the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, a group that’s been responsible for driving much of the investment in Downtown. It highlights the strategic plans that shape development Downtown, the partnerships that have been critical for success and the many groups and individuals who have invested in Downtown.

PRODUCED BY THE GR GREAT EATER ER COLUMBUS ARTS COUNCIL

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Jenny Rogers Columbus Monthly Special Sections Editor

COVER phOtO: RANDALL L. SChIEBER; tOp phOtO: COuRtESy CDDC

I hope this section will inspire you to explore Downtown—if you haven’t been for a visit in a while, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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Tanisha Robinson Print Syndicate High Street, Downtown

IN THIS CITY I CAN Dense. Walkable. Urban. Downtown gives me access to other entrepreneurs, top business leaders and future talent. I hang with really, really smart people. A walking meeting leads to a lunch appointment. Collision like this only happens downtown. Spontaneous. Open. Easy.

COLLIDE WITH TALENT. To build your business downtown, call Kacey with Capital Crossroads SID at 614.645.5095 or visit DOWNTOWNCOLUMBUS.COM

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In little more than a decade, Downtown has evolved from boarded up and ignored to a worldclass destination—all thanks to strategy and strong partnerships

By Jenny Rogers

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photo: Randall l. SchiebeR

The New

Downtown

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special advertising section Lazarus department store

The renovated Lazarus building

For three years, the Lazarus department store sat empty, a skeleton of its oncethriving self. For most of the 20th century, it was the go-to spot for ladies who lunched and families making shopping trips to the big city, windows aglow during the holidays and six floors bustling on weekends. But by 2004, it was nothing but 700,000 square feet of unused, undervalued space. It was an eyesore—and it wasn’t uncommon. The store shared its abandonment with the surrounding gray field of deserted buildings and lots, now known as the RiverSouth District. Just across the street sat an additional 1.2 million square feet of rejected retail space.

What happened to Lazarus and its neighborhood was just one example of the all-toofamiliar devaluing of downtowns, a trend that grew across the country as people departed for the suburbs and stayed there. What’s extraordinary about this story isn’t what happened to Downtown as people moved away and lost interest—it’s how dramatically the neighborhood has bounced back.

Today, the renovated Lazarus building is 100-percent occupied, home to 2,000 workers, the offices of the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, Columbus Partnership and the Columbus Chamber of Commerce (among others), a cafe, a Huntington bank branch and the Ohio State University’s Urban Arts Space. Soon, restaurateur Elizabeth Lessner of Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails and Dirty Frank’s fame will reopen

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the legendary Chintz Room in the building.

The neighborhood thrives, too; more than 200 apartments at Lifestyle Communities’ Annex at RiverSouth are fully leased, and more residential construction is in the works.

The empty City Center mall is now the 7-acre Columbus Commons, a park that more than a million people have visited since it opened in 2011.

Getting from “then” to “now” wasn’t without intention and strategy, of course. First there was the development of the Arena District, which began in the late 1990s and was spearheaded by Nationwide Realty Investors.

“One of our objectives when we unveiled the Arena District master plan was to provide an alternative to some of the really strong projects that were being developed outside of 270,” says Brian Ellis, president of NRI. “At this time, Easton was emerging. The Tuttle Mall area was very attractive. It wasn’t too long after that Polaris became a significant player. So we really wanted to have an alternative that was in Downtown.”

In the 2000s, two critical strategic plans served as guideposts for Downtown, while strong leadership from the Mayor’s office and Columbus City Council has ensured plans haven’t simply gathered dust on a shelf in city hall. Perhaps most important to Downtown’s success has been what those in the know— including Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Council president Andy Ginther and Franklin County commissioner John O’Grady—refer to

as “the Columbus way” of doing things: with robust public-private partnerships.

Enter the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation. The nonprofit, created by Coleman and the city council in 2002, has been tasked with reshaping Downtown into an imitable urban hub.

“I created the CDDC because we needed an entity to advance our areas of focus,” Coleman says. “And 2002 was really the beginning of it all.”

According to Guy Worley, president and CEO of the CDDC/Capitol South, the organization was charged with acting as a facilitator to bring together people who can make things happen and deliver results. One of the first public-private partnerships was created to deal with the challenge of Downtown’s underutilized retail space.

“The Lazarus building was really the catalyst for the development of the entire neighborhood,” Worley says. “Go back five years: empty mall, empty department store, empty parking lots, an abandoned parking garage.

Now you have a thriving neighborhood called the RiverSouth District.”

From the Lazarus renovation (completed in 2008) and the creation of the Scioto Mile and Columbus Commons to the increase in residential investment in the region, the CDDC has been wildly successful in its short history.

“All this underscores the importance of public-private partnerships,” Ginther says.

photos: left, courtesy the columbus dispatch; right, courtesy cddc

Downtown Columbus’ renaissance began with an empty department store.

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spEciaL advERtisinG sEctiOn

World Class Chamber Music in the Southern Theatre Russian Reflections David Finckel, cello Wu Han, piano

Of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

3 QUESTIONS WITH: GUY WORLEY President and CEO of the CDDC and Capitol South

photos: left, courtesy the columbus dispatch; right, courtesy cddc

How does a strong downtown impact a city’s overall success?

The mayor says it best. Downtown is everybody’s neighborhood. It is the center, it is the core. And when downtown is strong, the entire community benefits. Great cities have great downtowns ... it’s the image you take with you. When I think about New York City, I think about the Empire State Building and Central Park. Downtown is the mental image of any great city.

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When you took this role, what were your initial goals? To what do you attribute the CDDC’s success?

Our initial goal was to complete all initiatives and projects that came out of the 2002 Downtown Strategic Plan.

We wanted to take these ideas and concepts and make them reality by our city’s bicentennial. We finished in 2011, ahead of schedule. As for our success, none of this would happen without these public-private partnerships. That’s the Columbus way.

And without the leadership of Mayor Coleman and Columbus City Council, these partnerships would never have come to fruition. The vision for a strong downtown really jumpstarted the private sector to become very involved.

Looking forward, what are you most excited about?

The Scioto Peninsula and the Scioto Greenways projects—those are citychanging projects. And they’ll impact not just the next generation, but multiple generations to come. This is a great opportunity. Where else in America is there 56 acres of land in the heart of the city … that you have the opportunity to redevelop?

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3 QUESTIONS WITH: cleve ricKsecKer

Executive director of Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (SID) With which Downtown initiatives are you involved?

We created the SID in 2002; our core mandate is to make Downtown clean and safe, and the results have been pretty amazing. What we discovered in Downtown is what New York City discovered back in the 1980s … If you focus on and eliminate any disorder in your downtown area, you create an appealing environment. And Downtown is incredibly safe today.

What defines Downtown for you?

Density and interaction. The density allows for industries and businesses to cluster in ways you can’t do anywhere else in the region. This kind of concentration—particularly for tech and design industries—is critical to a community. It allows for an industry to mature and be competitive nationally.

What’s the best thing about living Downtown?

I like walking, biking and busing—and Downtown allows me to do that. I didn’t buy my first car until I was 54! Being Downtown allows one to live a truly urban lifestyle.

PLANNING DOWNTOWN’S GROWTH During Coleman’s first term as mayor, with City Center nearly vacant, residential growth at a standstill and more parking lots than should exist in a city our size, the outlook for Downtown was bleak.

And he knew something had to give.

“Downtown is our economic center.

Twenty-one percent of our income tax revenue comes from Downtown. And 22 percent of the jobs in the region are located Downtown,” he says. “So in 2002, we decided to focus on Downtown so it would be the center of culture, too.”

Along with City Council, Coleman set out to discover what the city needed.

Through significant public outreach and idea gathering, the 2002 Downtown Business Plan was born—and the CDDC was created to implement its bold goals.

The first order of business was to deal with the biggest challenge established by the 2002 plan: Our Downtown would never succeed without residential growth. And we’d never see growth without giving people reasons to work, play and live here.

Incentives were developed to boost Downtown living and, despite two reces-

sions, thousands of apartments and condos were constructed. The CDDC recruited the city’s biggest developers—including Lifestyle Communities—to build up the neighborhood. Next was the creation of the kinds of amenities that people want in neighborhoods: parks, restaurants, a more walkable street grid.

In the years following the 2002 plan, the CDDC spearheaded the development of the Scioto Mile, Bicentennial Park and Columbus Commons; new parking garages were built, old surface lots were developed into upscale housing and streets were converted from one-way to two in an effort to keep people in the city instead of pushing them out.

“When you think about the 2002 plan, the most successful outcome was the push to attract thousands of residents to Downtown ... to view Downtown as a full-time neighborhood,” says Kyle Ezell, a professor at Ohio State’s Knowlton School of Architecture. “Before this plan, most people thought of Downtown as a place to dump their cars during work.”

Another game-changer, Ezell says, is the way the city looks at empty spaces in

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Kate Zachrich

Downtown. In the last decade, much of the area’s land was used for surface parking.

“This new expectation for higher densities is a massive culture change,” Ezell says.

“And for city-planning and development types like me, it’s thrilling to see how spaces are changing by adding mixed-use buildings.”

Not only is this move toward greater density exciting—it’s necessary. With the second-largest population of college students in the nation, Columbus is teeming with young professionals who want an urban living experience.

Says Alex Fischer, president of the Columbus Partnership, a 50-member organization focused on economic development in the region: “I think we’re in a renaissance as a region, community and as a downtown. And what’s happening Downtown has been very mindful and intentional.”

PARTNERSHIPS: THE COLUMBUS WAY The Scioto Mile is the jewel of Downtown.

The stunning linear park, stretching along the Scioto River, has reconnected Downtown with its river. A wide promenade with gardens, fountains and swings gives residents and visitors a place for quiet relaxation or recreation—step outside on a sunny day, and the riverfront is alive with joggers, strollers and lunchers—while the 15,000-square-foot Bicentennial Park fountain has given suburbanites a reason to visit.

“I have a 3-year-old, and it’s really exciting to see that her favorite place in town is the fountain at Scioto Mile,” Ginther says.

“It’s great to see people bringing their kids Downtown … and not just people who were already coming here.”

The Scioto Mile is also an excellent example of how public and private entities have joined

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THE ARENA DISTRICT’S IMPACT

The Arena District played a major role in the investment we’re seeing in Downtown. We talked with Brian Ellis, president of Nationwide Realty Investors, to get his take.

forces for the overall betterment of the city. The $44 million project, completed in 2011, was paid for equally by public and private organizations. AEP spearheaded it all, providing more than $10 million. More than 20 corporations chipped in as well. And the CDDC is to thank for bringing everyone together.

“Our team studied cities that have had great success with urban renewal. And that renewal seems to occur around green space,” Worley says. “So we put together the public-private partnership to develop the Scioto Mile.”

After the success of the park, more and more organizations and companies reached out to the CDDC about developing projects Downtown—in the RiverSouth District alone, nearly $225 million of private investment has been made.

“This growth took a lot of cooperation, substantial private-sector investment and partnerships,” Coleman says. “The Scioto Mile is the largest investment for a public park in the city’s history.”

Other examples of public-private partnerships in action include the construction and programming of Columbus Commons, the now-underway Scioto Greenways project, the recently announced redevelopment of the Scioto Peninsula and the construction of hundreds of new residential units along the city’s main corridors.

LOOKING FORWARD In early 2010, on the heels of the extraordinary success of the 2002 plan—and with the

redeveloped RiverSouth District serving as an advertisement for what can happen when people—as Ginther puts it—“decide on a goal, pick a direction and do their part,” Coleman again turned to the CDDC. With City Council and the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, he asked the organization to develop a strategic plan for Downtown’s next 10 years. The CDDC led a yearlong, communitywide brainstorming process, hosting forums across town in an effort to hear residents’ thoughts on the direction of Downtown’s future.

“We received 1,100 suggestions for what we should do by 2020,” Worley says. “But you can’t do 1,100 different ideas. So we consolidated those into 12 big projects and got to work.”

The Downtown Strategic Plan’s catalytic ideas range from transforming the neighborhood around the Columbus College of Art & Design and Columbus State Community College into a “creative campus” and adding bicycle stations throughout the city to constructing new apartments on High Street and redeveloping the Scioto Peninsula. If the 2002 plan focused on attracting more people to the region, the 2010 plan is all about land-use.

Already, much progress has been made.

The $35.5 million Scioto Greenways Project (which includes the removal of the Main Street Dam to restore the river’s natural stream) has begun, and its additional 33-acres of green space are promised to be up and running by fall of 2015.

How do you define the district’s impact? It had a far-reaching, positive impact, and at a time when very little was happening in Downtown. I think the Arena District was phase two of Nationwide’s impact. The first phase, in the 1970s, was marked by the decision to keep Nationwide Downtown.

To what do you attribute the district’s success? Identifying what residents, office workers and visitors are looking for and then meeting those needs. They’re looking for entertainment, places to eat and drink and have fun. We have all of that … Nationwide Arena, Huntington Park, the LC, a movie theater, plenty of restaurants.

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photos: left, Meghan Ralston; Right, Jabin botsfoRd

What was the catalyst for the Arena District? Nationwide Arena! And the catalyst for the arena was the effort by community leadership to bring the NHL to Columbus. We worked with the city to put together an infrastructure plan and unveiled a master plan for the entire Arena District in May 1998.

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BEFORE & AFTER

photos: left, eric Albrecht; right, chris russell

photo: courtesY cDDc

Mayor Coleman at the Scioto Mile

“We want to present plans to the community that are realistic and can be done,” Worley says, “because we like to finish projects. Starting is nice; finishing is better.”

Adds Ezell: “With the 2010 plan, I think that a ‘big idea’ tone was set, and that ramped up expectations. It’s stirred imaginations while at the same time setting clear expectations for implementation.”

Coleman says there’s great hope and optimism for this second phase, a sentiment shared by O’Grady and his fellow commissioners; as Down-

town goes, he says, so go the suburbs and the townships and even the surrounding counties.

“This year will start my 15th year as mayor,” Coleman says. “I’ve seen every cycle of economic development in our community. And now, we have a vibrant downtown.”

“Some people think of Columbus as the biggest small town in the world,” Ezell adds. “We’re witnessing Columbus emerge out of an awkward stage. We’re looking at ourselves differently now … as a big city.”

“What’s the difference between then and now? It’s night and day. Prior to our plan and these developments, Downtown was vacant and abandoned. It wasn’t a place to live. There was nothing else going on in Downtown.

Saturdays, nothing. Sundays, vacant. It was so vacant you could roll a bowling ball down the intersection at Broad and High streets and you wouldn’t hit anyone.

Now, the traffic jams up at 11 p.m.!”

—Mayor Michael B. Coleman

The Columbus Symphony Orchestra invites you to join us again this year at the Columbus Commons for an all-star lineup and lots of fun at the 2014 Picnic with the Pops.

Look for our 2014 season announcement in March! columbussymphony.com 614-228-8600

Support provided by:

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speCial aDvertising seCtion Picnic with the Pops at Columbus Commons

SucceSS

By Jenny Rogers

Downtown Columbus is the region’s new hotspot, with something for foodies, families and recreation lovers alike

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photo: Randall l. SchiebeR

From Skepticism to DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS MARCH 2014

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photoS: top Right, Meghan RalSton; bottoM Right, alySia buRton

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Gay Street

When it was announced that Picnic with the Pops—the Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s wildly popular outdoor summer concert series—would move from its home at Chemical Abstracts near Ohio State’s campus to a new location in the heart of Downtown, Mayor Michael B. Coleman heard from a number of skeptical Central Ohioans. He encountered people who said they would never come to Columbus Commons for the Pops, people who said the event would be a flop.

“This is one of the few times I bit my tongue. I said, ‘Let’s just see it play out,’ ”

Coleman says. “And what’s happened? It’s been a phenomenal success. It’s sold out.

Now, even more people are coming to see the Pops.”

In a few short years, there’s been a major shift in how both residents and visitors perceive Downtown. While a decade ago it was viewed as a place that was unsafe, a place to avoid, Coleman says, it’s now just the opposite. It’s where people want to visit, live, entertain. It’s a place to spend your nights and weekends, not just the hours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“The whole mentality of our city was to come to Downtown only to work and for an event here and there,” Coleman says.

“It was, frankly, depressing. For people who haven’t been here since the early 2000s … they just can’t believe the change.”

Downtown’s cultural shift is thanks to both the investments spearheaded by the city and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC)— investments like Columbus Commons, the Scioto Mile and more—as well as the entrepreneurial spirit of business owners with the guts to move into the neighborDOWNTOWN COLUMBUS MARCH 2014

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special advertising section Moonlight Market

Moonlight Market was the idea of the Gay Street Collaboration—a nonprofit business association that a bunch of Gay Street business owners put together two years ago. We discussed creating a signature event … something that wasn’t just a rip-off of Gallery Hop. I heard about the emergence of night markets in other cities and thought it was something we could try here, too … something that would play up our retail and restaurant strengths. We launched in April 2013, and we’ve all been really pleased with the success of the market. We’ve judged success by the feedback from our brickand-mortar businesses, as well as the street vendors, and some of our businesses have had record sales during the market. Ultimately, we’ve got this chicken-and-egg scenario: More people would come Downtown if there was more to do, but businesses need incentives to stay open when they otherwise wouldn’t, on nights and weekends.

Moonlight Market has been a great way to do just that.

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hood. And, of course, proving that Downtown is worthy of attention.

THE REBIRTH OF GAY STREET Gay Street is the nucleus of Downtown’s cultural renaissance, a place that buzzes with energy seven days a week. It’s where Downtown’s pioneering entrepreneurs—coffee shop owners, restaurant mavens, brownie connoisseurs, clothing designers—have set up shop. If you haven’t been to Gay Street in five years, you won’t recognize it.

Even the street itself looked different a few years ago: The once one-way, five-lane thoroughfare was transformed, at the urging of Coleman, into a pretty, two-way street that’s pedestrian-friendly and boasts ample parking.

This change has led to increased foot traffic and the development of more shops.

Gay Street used to be empty on evenings and weekends. Lunch business reigned, and most restaurants weren’t open for dinner.

Now, you can enjoy Due Amici’s white-tablecloth dining experience or Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktail’s hipster vibe any night of the week.

Walker Evans, co-founder of Columbus Underground and a Gay Street business owner, credits the revitalization to his peers,

business owners who chose Downtown to start—or expand—their varied businesses.

“I think a lot of the success is thanks to the groundswell of small businesses that have taken a chance on Downtown—places like Due Amici and Cafe Brioso—and even newer spots like 16-Bit Bar+Arcade and what’s happening around the Hills Market,” Evans says. “Once you get critical mass like that, you start to really create a destination neighborhood.”

Elizabeth Lessner—who owns Downtown establishments including Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails, The Jury Room and Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace—recently announced she would move her Short North comfort-food institution, Betty’s, to Gay Street. Although a firm date hasn’t been set, it should open this year.

And now, Gay Street even has a signature event with Moonlight Market, held on the second Saturday of the month from April through December. Focused on the street’s dining and retail offerings, the market features late hours for the brick-and-mortar businesses, as well as street vendors. Created by the Gay Street Collaborative, the event’s goal is to inspire both businesses and residents to explore Downtown. It’s been a tremendous success, Evans says,

photo: Meghan Ralston

WALKER EVANS ON MOONLIGHT MARKET

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3 QUESTIONS WITH: david BaBner

Downtown, it just made sense to have the course evolve into what I call “the best tour of Columbus on two feet.”

What’s the history of the Capital City Half Marathon?

The race started in 2004, and 2014 will be our third year finishing at Columbus Commons. It’s a great home for the event. Initially, the race started and finished in the Arena District. As the renaissance has continued

How has the event grown?

We’ve seen phenomenal growth, from 3,000 people in 2004 to a projected 15,000 for this year. The growth of the event has gone right along with the growth of Downtown.

When the Commons was built, I talked with Guy Worley about having the big post-race party there … Participants have been really happy with the changes we’ve made.

Founder of the Capital City Half Marathon

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Why do you think the race has been so successful?

We’re on a very competitive spring schedule; there are races in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh the same weekend as our race. When people ask me about our success, it’s easy: We’re in Columbus. The city has embraced the healthy, active community in a huge way. And by creating more green space, the CDDC has created a more welcoming environment for people to come here.

photo: Eamon QuEEnEy

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photo: Eamon QuEEnEy

and will continue to evolve as the neighborhood grows.

PLENTY TO DO “That park is programmed as well as any downtown park in America,” Worley says of the Columbus Commons. Year round, the park is utilized for myriad events. In the summer, Bicentennial Pavilion is the home of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and a portion of the Actors’ Theatre of Columbus’ Shakespeare in the Park season.

Spring through fall, Downtown workers enjoy the weekly Food Truck Food Court and concerts featuring local bands. Families flock to the park for DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS MARCH 2014

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3 QUESTIONS WITH: eliZaBetH lessner

Founder of Columbus Food League Why have you chosen to open your businesses Downtown?

What about this part of the city appeals to you?

If I didn’t believe in our downtown, I’d move to another city. I feel like a heart lies underneath the sidewalks, and it’s just starting to beat again.

I’m drawn to that feeling. I walk often down High Street from Mound Street to Gay Street, and I can honestly feel generations of grit, edge, energy and life come up from the sidewalk. I don’t feel that anywhere else in the city.

What are your hopes for the “new” Betty’s on Gay Street?

I want people to want to really come to Downtown again, not just for a show or dinner at Betty’s, but for a whole day. I want people to visit Betty’s, sure, but I also want them to walk over to the art museum or visit the Topiary Park or head over to the Columbus Commons to see a concert. I want people to rent bicycles and stay overnight; I want Downtown to be a destination in and of itself. And I want Betty’s to be a tiny part of that bigger thing.

As someone who’s had businesses here for years, what’s your take on how things are evolving? What’s most exciting to you?

Investing in Downtown Columbus has been, by far, the most challenging move of my career. In 2007, I invested in Mayor Coleman’s vision for Downtown. Six restaurants later, I’m still a fan and a supporter of his tireless efforts. If he wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be here.

events, a ride on the old-fashioned carousel and a scoop of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

The Scioto Mile is the site of summertime favorites like the Rhythm on the River arts series—which, in 2013, featured a wide range of acts including Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul & Mary) and BalletMet—as well as the Jazz & Rib Fest. It’s also the site of the Columbus Arts Festival, which brings hundreds of national and regional artists to town for a creativity-packed weekend each June.

On Tuesdays and Fridays from May through October, Pearl Market gives Downtown residents a farmer’s market experience like no other. Head to Pearl Alley and find fresh produce and meats, hand-crafted gifts and ready-to-eat food.

DINING OUT The dining landscape Downtown is sophisticated, modern and totally foodie-approved. From the Arena District to the southern end of the neighborhood, upscale, ontrend and family-friendly options abound. Downtown is now an evening-out destination.

“From a restaurant perspective, there’s been a shift.

While we see this uptick in small restaurant owners moving to Downtown, we’ve seen very few chains open,” Evans says. “All three Downtown Wendy’s have closed; the McDonald’s closed. Arby’s closed. It’s been interesting. You can get those restaurants anywhere. I think eventually the chains will come back, but seeing small

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photo: Jodi Miller

business owners make a run of it—and thrive—is great. And it speaks well for our community.”

Perhaps one of the most notable advocates for Downtown dining is Yavonne Sarber, the restaurateur behind De-Novo Bistro & Bar (clever, elegant American dishes), Manifesto Tuscan Grato & Scotch Bar (a small-plates favorite) and Chez Du Bon (French-inspired, on-site or take-and-go dining). Sarber’s investment in the area has led to options that rival the neighboring Short North, long known as Columbus’ best bet for food.

Other options include dinner with a riverfront view: Milestone 229, where the seasonal menu includes treats like wine-braised short ribs; hotdogs in a kitschy-fun setting at Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace; and old-school pub grub with a twist at Dempsey’s, which you can spot on High Street thanks to the Irish flag hanging out front.

FOR SPORT If you’re a sports fan in Central Ohio, you’re familiar with Downtown.

Home to the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Columbus Clippers and the site of the Arnold Sports Festival and the Capital City Half Marathon, Central Ohio residents and visitors flock to Downtown to catch a game or get in on the action.

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In 2013, Downtown received international exposure when the opening ceremony for The Presidents Cup was held at Columbus Commons.

The golf event has been hosted by only two other American cities—San Francisco and Washington, D.C. When it was announced the 2013 event would be held in Central Ohio—at Muirfield Village in Dublin— the excitement was palpable, although no one was too surprised. Jack Nicklaus’ ties to the region made Columbus a golf town long ago, and the game’s greats have been heading to Muirfield each spring since 1976 for the Memorial Tournament.

But this was the first time The Presidents Cup opening ceremony was held at a different site than the tournament. When it was decided the Oct. 2 event would take place not in the heart of Dublin but in the heart of Downtown—at one of the CDDC’s biggest projects—that was a game-changer.

“To have this at Columbus Commons … you couldn’t ask for a better infomercial for Central

Ohio,” Columbus City Council President Andy Ginther says of the opening ceremony, which featured country music stars Rascal Flatts and was broadcast on the Golf Channel.

International dignitaries and teams stayed at the Hilton Columbus Downtown, and the event led to spending upwards of $20 million in Central Ohio. It was a huge get, not only for Dublin and the Central Ohio golf community, but for Downtown.

DISCOVERING DOWNTOWN To succeed, both in business and culturally, a place needs to be more than just a place. It needs to be a neighborhood, a community.

Downtown, not so slowly, but definitely surely, is getting there. It’s become a smart, engaged, exciting community of business owners, innovators and agenda-creators. It’s where people want to live, work and play. It’s vibrant. It’s discovering its potential day by day, enticing more and more Central Ohioans to explore.

Says Coleman of his neighborhood: “It has all the personality in the world.”

photo: BarBara J. perenic

Start your COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION TODAY at columbusceo.com.

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Walker Evans Columbus Underground Gay Street, Downtown

IN THIS CITY, I CAN It’s not just transportation. I get stuff done on the bus. Email. Calls.

Appointments. I see someone outside and hop off for an impromptu meeting. Walk to the next meeting. Grab a CoGo, snap photos of someone we’ll feature in Columbus Underground. Downtown — built for people, not cars. It’s a smart way to do business.

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TAKE TRANSIT. WALK. RIDE. To build your business downtown, call Kacey with Capital Crossroads SID at 614.645.5095 or visit DOWNTOWNCOLUMBUS.COM

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It’s Greener

Downtown With Columbus Commons and the Scioto Mile, the landscape of Columbus has changed for the better—and more green space is in the works

By Jackie Mantey

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photos: left, AlysiA Burton; right, courtesy cddc

A crowd listens to music at Bicentennial Park during the Columbus Arts Festival.

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photos: left, AlysiA Burton; right, courtesy cddc

Columbus Commons

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'

A perfomance at Columbus Commons’ Bicentennial Pavilian

Since opening in spring 2011, Central Ohio’s new family-recreation hotspot has been Scioto Mile, located on the east bank of the Scioto River. It’s home to the 15,000-square-foot, 1,000-jet AEP Foundation Fountain, where, when the weather’s nice, between 500 and 1,000 kids splash and play each day.

Just east on Rich Street is Columbus Commons, a park that’s known for its wealth of programming for young and old. When it opened in 2011, the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC) decided to host a weekly family event on Fridays: Commons for Kids.

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“We thought 50 people might show up,” says Amy Taylor, the CDDC’s chief operating officer.

“On the first day, 1,000 people showed up … now we regularly see 1,500 to 2,000 people at that event.”

The Scioto Mile and Columbus Commons were designed to be complementary public spaces. Whereas the Scioto Mile is an infrastructure-based park, Columbus Commons shines through its programming. In 2009, with plans for the Scioto Mile finalized, the development for Columbus Commons was announced.

The 7-acre park is home to attractions such

as a carousel, a life-size chess board, wellmanicured gardens, an outdoor reading room, two cafes featuring local favorites Mikey’s Late Night Slice and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and, notably, the $5 million Bicentennial Pavilion, which delights audiences during the warm months.

“What strikes me about [Columbus Commons and the Scioto Mile] is the thoughtfulness and the quality and design of the construction. They were really planned with Columbus in mind,” says Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement Dis-

photo: Randall l. SchiebeR

Central Ohio’s most beloved park isn’t some sprawling suburban jungle gym. It’s not a space that boasts acres of ball fields, and it isn’t home to swings or slides or sandboxes. But the Scioto Mile does have a pretty awesome fountain.

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trict. “Both of them obviously speak to the people here. The spaces have been very responsive to what the public wants, and I’ve been impressed at the volume of people that are heading down there, whether there’s programming there or not.

Both are active public spaces.”

The Commons was modeled after Bryant Park in New York City, a highly programmed public space that was, before development, a no-go zone. While the Commons’ highlight is its multifaceted programming—in 2013, the park hosted a whopping 253 events—the most exciting element of the Scioto Mile is the infrastructure.

“The Scioto Mile fountain far exceeded our expectation[s] in terms of [its] popularity. It has become the go-to place for families in the summer,” says Alan McKnight, director of Columbus’ Recreation and Parks Department.

More than 4,000 children participated in last year’s free FountainSide events, the department’s Wednesday water activities day for kids.

Another surprising showstopper? McKnight says he regularly hears how much visitors enjoy the Scioto Mile’s promenade swings.

“It’s the little things that have made all the difference there,” he says.

The big things haven’t hurt either, like reworking Civic Center Drive and narrowing the road to slow traffic and make it more pedestrian friendly or making space for Milestone 229, a modern cuisine restaurant on the edge of the Scioto Mile that has proven very successful. Along the Scioto Mile promenade, visitors can take a stroll, snag a swing, grab a bite at one of the city’s best restaurants and see a show. (Last year, the parks department’s Rhythm on the River summer concert series brought more than 30,000 people to Downtown.)

“This park had been discussed since the 1980s, and it just never happened,” Worley says.

“I attribute this happening to leadership … from Mayor Coleman and AEP’s Mike Morris. They stepped up to get this done.”

All the Scioto Mile amenities nicely complement North Bank Park, which pulls in its own impressive numbers and is located just north of the Scioto Mile. North Bank’s Jazz & Rib Fest hosted 300,000 visitors during a three-day weekend last July.

“I think it’s exciting just in the fact that more folks are coming Downtown,” McKnight says. “A lot of them live in or near Downtown, but we’re also drawing people from all over the city. I think overall a lot of what we’ve done in Downtown— the Columbus Commons, the [Scioto Peninsula] project in the works today—all of that contributes to making Downtown exciting.”

Making Downtown exciting attracts not only visitors, but residents who will regularly spend money within the local economy. Parks breed a quality of life for Downtown residents, which in turn breeds more Downtown residents. This,

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Getting Around Downtown

Those who want to take “going green” a step further are in luck. Downtown offers two new exciting transportation options: Car2Go and CoGo Bike Share.

Here’s what you need to know.

CAr2Go What it is: A fleet of 200 or so Smart cars (all blue-and-white and marked Car2Go) that you can drive around town—without having to pay to park or stop for a fill-up.

The Science of

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How you can use it: Anyone age 18 or older is permitted to “rent” a Car2Go by signing up at columbus.car2go.com and using a smartphone app and member card to locate and drive one of the cars.

Where you can use it: You can drive your Car2Go anywhere, but you have to return it to the 30-square-mile zone, which you can view at Car2Go.com.

CoGo Bike SHAre What it is: Columbus’ own bike-share program launched in 2013 to rave reviews. Red-and-black stations are located throughout town (and a station map is available at cogobikeshare.com).

How you can use it: Residents (and visitors) age 16 and older can head to the website to become a CoGo member. If you’re on the go, you can purchase a 24-hour access pass at one of the station kiosks. The first 30 minutes of each trip is included in the rental fee, and you can return your CoGo bicycle to any station.

COSI is central Ohio’s most unique and versatile event location. Let our team of professional coordinators handle all your event needs.

Contact us today about company picnics, conferences, weddings, social events and our unique professional development programs.

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Where you can use it: The CoGo smartphone app features a complete station map, as well as route suggestions. Bike-share participants can cycle where they please, but note you’ll be charged by the half hour.

For more ideas & information:

CALL COSI EVENTS AT 614.228.2674, EXT. 2900 OR VISIT COSI.ORG

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The fountain at Bicentennial Park

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Living on the Park

photo: left, tessa berg, top, courtesy cddc

If anyone knows firsthand how having parks close to home can enhance daily life, it’s Karen and Louis Stabile. As residents of Hartman Lofts, the green lawn of the Columbus Commons has become their community backyard. And there’s one member of their family who loves it most.

“Our big boy, Edison the English mastiff, thinks he owns the Commons.

He loves it there, becomes friends with everybody,” Karen says, laughing. “We love it, too. Having the parks down here adds so much to our quality of life. We can’t imagine not having them here.”

In fact, when the Stabiles first moved to Downtown from their longtime post in Powell, they had another mastiff. Sadly, it passed away before the Downtown parks opened. It was the promised new green space that inspired them to get Edison.

“Downtown has changed immensely since we moved down here,” Karen says.

of course, leads to an even more exciting and innovative urban landscape.

“We love that we can look out our window and see the fireworks on the Fourth of July, or that we can take the bike trails from the city and ride out to a peaceful reserve,” resident Karen Stabile says. “The parks have helped make Downtown a really fun place to live.”

“It’s great to see Downtown become multi-dimensional,” Ricksecker adds. “We have fabulous green space Downtown. Now hopefully the next half of this revitalization will be rich retail development. We’re getting there. We are on our way to becoming a 24-hour downtown.”

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Everyone’s

NEIGHBORHOOD

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once a sea of parking lots, downtown is now a community where young and old, new families and emptynesters are choosing to live

By Jenny Rogers Downtown Columbus is poised for huge residential growth. The city is home to the nation’s second-largest population of college students—many of whom want to live in an urban environment—and the city’s population is predicted to surge in the coming decades.

Thanks to the investments spearheaded by Mayor Michael B. Coleman and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC), Downtown’s transformation to a true neighborhood is well on its way.

Daimler’s rendering of 250 High

THE HISTORY OF RESIDENTIAL GROWTH “We realized that No. 1 for bringing back Downtown was residential growth,” Coleman says. “And we needed a focused agenda for developing it.”

Coleman says eyes rolled when, in the early 2000s, he announced residential growth would be Downtown’s new focus. Skeptics wondered who could possibly want to live there. “But we had to do it,” Coleman says. “So we created a series of incentives that would result in growth, and we’ve been phenomenally successful.”

The initial goal of 10,000 new units stalled when the housing market took a hit in 2008 and 2009. But now the market has reignited, and the city has bounced back in a big way. Today the concept of living Downtown is no longer a foreign one.

“Now [Downtown living] is something that’s real, that thousands of people enjoy,” Coleman says. “Even I live here!”

Brett Kaufman of Kaufman Development thanks planning and policy for the housing boom. “The initiative to bring housing into Downtown, to incentivize it appropriately … that’s really been the primary force behind Downtown’s growth,” he says. “The vision and execution from our city’s leadership is as good as anyone could ask for.”

Guy Worley, CDDC’s president and CEO, also credits Downtown’s residential growth to the creation of amenities people need in neighborhoods—in particular, the creation of the Columbus Commons and the Scioto Mile.

“Developers want to be part of a thriving neighborhood,” he says. “And the catalyst for that was the parks.”

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Neighborhood Launch on Gay Street

Highpoint on Columbus Commons

DOWNTOWN AS A NEIGHBORHOOD Coleman has long said Downtown is everyone’s neighborhood. Now it finally looks like one.

Today, you can walk to the grocery store— yes, the grocery store!—or head out for a bite to eat at restaurants ranging from casual French at newly opened Chez Du Bon to upscale Italian at Due Amici. You can spend the day with the family, playing in the fountain at Bicentennial Park, or take a quick walk across the Main Street Bridge for an outing at COSI. You can enjoy a concert on the Columbus Commons lawn or a good read on a swing with a view of the Scioto River.

“I just like the environment,” Coleman says.

“It’s alive. It’s a great community. People know each other.”

For Michelle Chippas, president of the Downtown Residents’ Association of Columbus (DRAC), there’s also a “coolness factor” associated with Downtown living.

“I was at the Athletic Club chatting with someone about living Downtown,” Chippas says. “And they just thought that was so cool, having everything so accessible. And it really is! I run errands at lunch and after work, when everyone’s rushing to their cars to jump on the freeway. I have so much time that I never had before. It’s a stress-free lifestyle.”

Chippas moved with her husband from Gahanna to a condo in Neighborhood Launch— a mixed condo-and-apartment complex on Gay Street that was developed by Jeff Edwards and will eventually include 450 units. Chippas retained her front and back doors and the two-car garage but now benefits from a cultural scene she didn’t have before. And, like Coleman, she appreciates the community.

“We hang out together as neighbors. We do everything together,” she says of her fellow Neighborhood Launch dwellers. “We walk to new places; we go to the theater. And it’s all spur of the moment. It’s a whole new lifestyle.”

BUILDING UP The naysayers who think Downtown dwelling is only for the moneyed and empty-nesters should

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photos: top, Kyle RobeRtson; bottom, eRic AlbRecht

The construction of the two parks led to the development of Lifestyle Communities’ Annex at RiverSouth apartment complex, which has been near capacity since day one. The company, known for their “Good Life” tagline, is now working on two additional developments in the RiverSouth District.

“I can look out my office window [at the corner of High and Fulton streets] and see that this end of Downtown is becoming the neighborhood,” says Franklin County commissioner John O’Grady. “It’s where people are going to live and play while they work down the street.”

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special advertising section Rendering of LC RiverSouth

Why WE LovE DoWntoWn

photos: top, Kyle RobeRtson; bottom, eRic AlbRecht

For Kris and Betsy Schultz, Downtown’s Neighborhood Launch, where they moved two years ago, is an ideal fit.

know that with growing demand has come a residential scene that’s increasingly diverse.

“We’re seeing a great shift toward much more affordable, nice housing in Downtown,” says Andy Ginther, Columbus City Council president. “It’s becoming a place where young professionals can afford to live … It’s not just for $500,000 condos and for folks without kids.”

From the new Highpoint on Columbus Commons and Casto Development’s luxurious 8 on the Square to the Annex at RiverSouth, growth has led to a neighborhood with diverse residents purchasing and renting at varied price points.

“It’s great to have people come down here to live, but it’s even better to have a mix of people and places at different price points … to support a variety of places in Downtown and in the adjacent neighborhoods,” Ginther adds.

Throughout the residential boom, it’s been the CDDC that has worked closely with investors to ensure growth is intentional and well-planned.

Daimler Group was pursuing the development of an office building near High Street when Worley approached the company, says Bob White Jr., Daimler president. “We sat down with the CDDC, and Guy asked us if we were really maximizing the site and the opportunity there,” White says. “He asked: ‘Should you consider residential?’ ” The company determined they should and engaged local architectural powerhouse NBBJ, as well as Kaufman Development, to create 250 High, a $50 million, 12-story mixed-use property that will include office space and apartments, complete with 12thfloor penthouse units, a fitness studio, an on-site bar and a rooftop patio that will offer incredible views of Columbus Commons below. Digital marketing agency Resource Interactive will move from their Arena District headquarders to 250 High’s office space.

“250 [High] will be a truly unique project for Columbus, and we are really excited about being able to leave our mark on Downtown,” Kaufman says.

“For decades, there has been a huge demand for new, quality housing … we have a lot of sophisti-

cated people living here, and they appreciate quality urban design.”

Also new to the RiverSouth District is the 2-acre Highpoint on Columbus Commons, twin 6-story apartment buildings from Atlanta-based real estate company Carter.

“We absolutely think that the Commons is an irreplaceable piece of real estate,” says Carter president Scott Taylor. “The energy, the programming, the connection to the river and to High Street … it’s dynamite. To have the only residential project overlooking the park is truly unique.”

Carter invested $50 million in the project after studying the Columbus market. A great business community and a mass of educated young people made for an opportunity they couldn’t ignore, Taylor says.

Highpoint’s traditional brick architecture—designed, Taylor says, to look like it’s been here since before High Street—will stand in contrast to 250 High’s contemporary vibe.

“It’s kind of neat to have that Downtown, since diversity of style and architecture is good for a city,” White adds.

On the horizon are the remaining units in Neighborhood Launch, which will eventually stretch nine blocks toward the “creative campus” of Columbus College of Art & Design and Columbus State Community College. Also coming soon is Lifestyle Communities’ $21 million building on High Street and another new build near the Commons, as well as The Julian, Casto Development’s shoe-factory-to-lofts conversion at Front and Main streets.

As for what’s next, the skyline’s the limit, so to speak. Downtown is poised to continue to attract new developers—and residents—as it becomes more of an interconnected community of diverse neighbors.

“This isn’t a boom. This is just the beginning,” says city-planning expert and Ohio State professor Kyle Ezell. “This is just a blip. We’ve started thinking about this differently … more than just a few hundred people here and there. In the next 10 years, we won’t recognize Downtown.”

What precipitated your move to Downtown?

We were in Worthington before, and we really did enjoy it there. But we found that we’d inevitably come Downtown in the evenings … we’re into the arts and culture stuff, like going to shows at the Ohio Theatre and plays at the Riffe Center.

And of course eating at Downtown’s great restaurants. It just started to seem silly, spending so much time here without living here.

Why neighborhood Launch?

We had looked broadly across Downtown, in Victorian Village and German Village. We really liked that this was in the heart of Downtown. And of course we loved the concept behind it … all these different architectural styles contributing to a true community. One of the things that sold us, in talking to people, was that it really is a close-knit community … it was clear that this wasn’t just some marketing thing. We all get together frequently. I’ve never lived in a place where I’ve known so many neighbors.

What’s been a benefit of living Downtown?

We had hoped this would be the case … we kind of knew it would be the case … but we really do enjoy how convenient everything is. We love that everything we need, from groceries to entertainment, is all within walking distance. A lot of people don’t realize how true this is!

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The Future of

Downtown columbus’ plans for the future of downtown are bold—and will change the face of our city forever

By Jessica Salerno

Rendering of the narrowed Scioto River

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special advertising section Rendering of the Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum

Ask Franklin County Commissioner John O’Grady about what’s next for Downtown, and he’s likely to tell you about a meeting that took place in June 2013.

The commissioners hosted the large urban county caucus of the National Association of Counties in Columbus last summer, sharing Downtown with representatives from nearly 50 of the largest counties in the nation.

O’Grady showed them the Columbus Commons and the Scioto Mile. Then he asked Guy Worley, president and CEO of the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC) and Capitol South, to tell them about plans for the future.

“We told them, ‘Take a look. [The Scioto Peninsula] will not look the same when you come back here,’ ” O’Grady says. “And it won’t! By 2017, the new Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum will be built, probably the mixed-use development west of COSI will be built … it will completely change the face of Downtown.”

STARTING POINT You can tell a lot about a city by how much its residents love and frequent their downtown area. But a city can’t sustain a thriving downtown without a successful mixture of public and private developments.

The CDDC knows this. And they’re getting to work.

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In the spring of 2012, O’Grady and the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, along with Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council, announced their intention to redevelop the Scioto Peninsula. Then they asked the CDDC to form a strategy.

The next steps for Downtown include the development of the Scioto Greenways project, which is underway and involves the creation of 33 acres of new green space and 1.5 miles of new trails, and a complete revitalization of the 56-acre Scioto Peninsula, including the construction of a new Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum and a new Columbus Zoo Indoor Adventure facility located near COSI. This massive undertaking is more than just a series of construction projects; it shows Columbus is looking to firmly cement its downtown as one of the best in the nation.

“We want this completed and done in a manner that’s something our children and grandchildren can be proud of,” O’Grady says.

“And this is a very large public-private partnership. It can’t all happen with only private donations; it can’t all happen with public money.”

The countless moving parts and pieces of the 2010 Downtown Strategic Plan show

just how intricate and connected these developments are. “[The peninsula development] is going to pay off for the city in a really big way,” says Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District.

“Public space only works if there’s a certain level of residential density close by, and what I’ve been impressed by is the fact that these investments are being made not for the sake of simply having a public space downtown, but specifically to generate corresponding private and commercial developments.”

Ricksecker has worked in Columbus for more than 30 years. He notes investment in public parks is a key infrastructure development as important as freeway changes. The green space that will be added as a result of the Scioto Greenways project will give Downtown residents the opportunity to enjoy more outdoor activities along the Scioto River.

“This is game-changing,” O’Grady says.

“This changes the face of our community for over a century.”

THE SCIOTO GREENWAYS PROJECT The Scioto Greenways project will restore the Scioto River to a more natural flow. In

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special advertising section doing so, it will add 33 acres of green space along its banks. In late 2013, the low-head dam at Main Street was removed, which will, in the long run, improve the river’s ecological system.

“Even during extremely cold days recently, crews have made substantial headway creating the new east bank of the Scioto River,” Worley says.

Next, the banks will be remade using sediment from the existing river and imported fill material from other nearby construction sites.

“To have the river flowing again … what a concept! The mayor and I joke that we’ll be able to kayak to work,” says Andy Ginther, Columbus City Council president. “There will be growing pains, of course, but it’s going to be amazing to have a riverfront that’s alive and additional green space we can leverage for new opportunities.”

Eventually the river channel will be excavated to resemble the deep and shallow depths a river should have. The Scioto will narrow to about half its current width, allowing the flow to pick up speed. The green space along the river will act as a connection to the Scioto Peninsula and East Franklinton, and new bike paths will form the missing link to the existing paths in Central Ohio. The project, which is estimated to cost $35.5 million, is on schedule to be completed in fall 2015.

“The Scioto Peninsula is essentially the other missing domino to Franklinton,” says Jim Sweeney, executive director of the Franklinton Development Association.

“Neighborhoods benefit from proximity to a central business district. But we’re unplugged. We can’t gain from the Downtown energy because, right now, there’s no connection.”

Franklinton was one of the city’s first communities, and its development has been in the works since 1908. But as Worley and O’Grady are quick to point out, not much has happened since then.

“There’s still a lot of empty space over there, a lot of parking lots and empty fields,” Worley says. “The difference-maker will be the investment in the Greenways project.”

“There’s a synergy developing on both sides of the river, a synergy among attractions,” Ricksecker adds. “When you layer a zoo on top of COSI on top of Scioto Mile, having so many attractions in one location will draw a lot more people to Downtown.”

THE OHIO VETERANS MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM One of those attractions will be the new Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum. After much deliberation, the county commissioners

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Rendering of the Scioto Peninsula project

voted last fall to demolish the current Franklin County Veterans Memorial convention facility in favor of building a completely new structure on West Broad Street.

Construction on the new glass-and-steel structure will begin in spring 2015. Funding for the new memorial will come from a variety of private and public sources, but Les and Abigail Wexner have already committed to donating $25 million.

“Just putting their name and reputation into the project ensures it’s going to be done in a spectacular way and become a worldclass facility,” O’Grady says.

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The 40,000-foot structure will feature a processional, green-roof memorial garden and an interactive museum for visitors.

O’Grady notes that providing a place for the respect and memorialization of veteran efforts remains key to the plan of the design.

“The current Veterans Memorial is predominantly an auditorium, and as a memorial for vets it’s certainly lacking,” he says. “The new memorial will be a museum and a parade ground. It’ll attract school children with an interactive museum, where kids can learn about the military and different campaigns

and wars, but also learn about honor and service to their country.”

Adds O’Grady: “The transformation of Vets Memorial is a catalyst for a huge amount of redevelopment on the west side of the Scioto River, which will complete our downtown area.”

COLUMBUS ZOO INDOOR ADVENTURE One of the most well-known attractions in Central Ohio has long been the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. But up until recently, a zoo in Downtown has been but a vision.

“When we started talking about the design, we asked, ‘What can we provide

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With that in mind, the adventure space will act as an extension of the Powell campus. It will feature a rainforest, indoor and outdoor play area, restaurant and aquarium. The downtown zoo won’t focus on a specific region, but instead highlight areas of the world and animals that may not be available at the main location.

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“With their leadership in building Huntington Park, along with their contributions to the Scioto Mile and Columbus Commons, the Franklin County Commissioners have been strong partners in the renaissance of Downtown. That commitment continues with the Scioto Greenways and the Scioto Peninsula projects. They have stepped up and shown they understand the value of downtown as both an economic engine and an emerging neighborhood.”

Rendering of the proposed Columbus Zoo Indoor Adventure

Stalf notes there will be an overarching educational aspect to this facility as well, with zoo staff planning to regularly conduct educational programs.

The Columbus Zoo is placing a levy on the May ballot for a permanent $1.25 mill levy that would enable the zoo to not only build its new structure but also expand its aquarium and build a new animal hospital.

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—Guy Worley President, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation

“We’re honored our community leaders from Downtown asked us to join this cultural attraction,” Stalf says. “We definitely won’t disappoint anybody when we talk about an experience.”

The collaboration between community leaders to revitalize Downtown is part of the reason O’Grady has full confidence in the massive undertaking.

“We’re working closely with all the partners that are involved to make sure the entirety of the project works well,” he says.

Coleman believes the updates to Downtown benefit Columbus as a whole. “Because of the investments in Downtown, Franklinton benefits. The King-Lincoln District and German Village benefit. The West Side, too. The entire city is benefitting.”

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