the urban news for the week ending Sunday, April 6, 2008
This week's metrospecitve, the last piece in a 3-part series, covers the final five points I wanted to touch on from Mayor Coleman's 2008 State of the City address which he delivered last month on March 13th. Today I share my thoughts about the Scioto Mile, the Mile on High District, City Center and finally, the Lifestyles Communities RiverSouth Apartments and Condos. NetJets and the Airport Economic Development Corporation mentioned in the Mayor's address, which I have been planning on covering, is going to be upgraded to its own separate metrospecitve and melded together with my perspective on Rickenbacker International Airport and Intermodal center in the coming weeks. On a quick aside before I get started though, there is no doubt that the sudden shuttering of Skybus and all of its operations leaves the city a bit taken aback, not to mention the organization's 450 former employees. I find my own personal perspective more focused on the fact that there was quite a bit of local investment that went into what we hoped would be a contributor to economic development for the city and the region. Unfortunately, Skybus was more of a risky investment that did not end up panning out as we had envisioned. But there is no growth without risk, and for Columbus, investing is Skybus was a little outside the conservative approach we're been known for when it comes to how we spend our public dollars. Nothing ventured, nothing gained though, and this is one way for us to learn from risky ventures. For a round up of articles covering the Skybus shutdown, visit the News section of RetroMetro this morning. Additional articles can also be found under the Transportation & Roadways category of the News section also.
Paul Bonneville    Rejecting a low bid for Huntington Park over clerical errors might not make the best business sense, but Franklin County commissioners were within their rights to do so, a judge ruled this afternoon.
I just stumbled on to the web cam (from a link in a Columbus Dispatch article) which is keeping tabs on the construction at the Clipper's new Huntington Park Stadium in the Arena District.
A state lawmaker unhappy with how Franklin County commissioners are awarding construction contracts for Huntington Park may be unable to block $7 million from the state for the project.
Franklin County nabbed $7 million this week that Ohio had promised for the county's new baseball stadium.
Mayor Michael B. Coleman will pitch the city to companies in Israel, encouraging them to locate U.S. operations and jobs in Columbus, during a trade mission April 4-11, 2008.
After sitting vacant and abandoned for several years, the house at 612 Gilbert Street is being demolished by the City of Columbus and the Home Again initiative. Deemed too damaged to be saved because of a crumbling foundation and damage from thieves who stripped all of the homeâââ‰â¢s copper plumbing, it was torn down by Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Councilmember Charleta B. Tavares and area residents to make way for a new home.
The City of Columbus has partnered with the Columbus Chamber to create ColumbusInternships.com. This new Web portal helps to facilitate connections between the vast number of students attending the region's educational institutions and businesses within the Columbus region.
Postcard Caption: 5042 Post Office, Columbus, O.
...The campaign began in 2005 with a commission from the Salina Art Center in Salina, Kan., the geographical center of the United States, where Mr. Haeg helped plant a mini-grove in the yard of a local coupleââ¬Â¦
Bucking national trends and citing what they call "a moral goal," District of Columbia officials have pledged to preserve and even expand low-income housing, replacing dangerous projects with new communities that keep both poor and "work force" residents "firefighters, teachers and laborers" in the mix.
The library moved into the Jeffrey Mining building on E. 1st Avenue near N. 4th Street after spending years Downtown in a building now occupied by the Supreme Court of Ohioââ¬Â¦
A national report on housing sales shows Columbus' home values held up better than values in other big cities in January amid widespread market troubles, but they still moved into the red.
Martin Management Services will offer condos, single-family homes and land with opening bids ranging from about $66,000 to more than $1.6 million. The sale begins at 10 a.m. at the German Village Meeting Haus, 588 S. Third St.
The tour yesterday was one more reminder of the home foreclosure crisis that continues to ensnare the region. In 2006, lenders filed for foreclosure against one of every 124 homeowners in Franklin County alone -- 8,875 that year
A new report to be released Wednesday indicates Columbus might be undergoing a bit of an identity crisis.
These glimpses of life in central Ohio are provided in a report commissioned by the Columbus Partnership. The nonprofit civic-development group hired local firm Community Research Partners to measure how Columbus stacks up to 15 of its municipal peers, and to consider how it can emulate the best of the lot.
Baskin-Robbins, Del Taco, Dunkin' Donuts, IHOP, Lenny's Sub Shop and Papa Murphy's International are among the players planning to add from five to 83 stores in central Ohio in coming years. Even Bruegger's, a Vermont bagel chain that used to have a presence in Columbus but left the market several years ago, has returned.
This week I look at the items the Mayor discussed in relation to the Columbus Streetcars, the possibility of the return of Passenger Rail in Ohio and efforts to significantly expand the cityâââ‰â¢s Bike Paths.
Herron, 29, and Pawlak, 30, had just taken over the former Abbracci Steaks & Italian. Remodeling begins in earnest this week.
This Saturday, Govenor Strickland and Mayor Coleman will be joining the Arms Properties team in an official ribbon cutting ceremony for the Ibiza mixed-use condominium project at the corner of N. High St. and E. Hubbard in the Short North Arts District.
Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and Republican legislative leaders shook hands yesterday on an agreement to spend $1.57 billion during the next five years to create thousands of jobs in Ohioââ¬Â¦
Topping the wish list is $5 million for improvements in a new development district at Port Columbus International Airport.
Cleveland's planned residential, retail and entertainment development along the riverfront has more than doubled its price tag.
Streetcars that link hotels to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, downtown visitor attractions, The Ohio State University campus and entertainment districts, would do much to enhance the experience of visitors to Columbus, according to Experience Columbus, the regionâââ‰â¢s destination sales and marketing organization.
..."As more success happens, more cities try to emulate it," said Jim Graebner, a Denver-based consultant who heads a streetcar panel for the American Public Transportation Associationââ¬Â¦
The urban planner who helped inspired Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin to support a proposed streetcar system along Peachtree Street said today the project should be downsized.
Applauding the successful efforts of Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman's Streetcar Working Group to identify a funding plan for the proposed Downtown Streetcar, Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) Executive Director Matt Dietrich called the streetcar plan "an excellent fit with ORDC's overall plans to move more people by rail in Ohio."
COTA is willing to operate and maintain the streetcar system if it is built, said William Lhota, COTA's president and chief executive. COTA has talked with the city, he said.
Bud Sittig, one of Skybus Airlines' longest-tenured employees, has resigned as vice president of operations for the airline. The move comes one week after the abrupt departure of Chief Executive Bill Diffenderffer and his replacement by former Skybus chief financial officer Mike Hodge.
"ââ¬Â¦BOMA Columbus supports the use of streetcars because it fits perfectly in our overall efforts to accomplish these goals", as stated by Cindy Smith, Executive Director.
A new airport development district, a downtown park project and a hospital research center are among the top projects that area officials want funded in the new state capital construction budget.
The transformation of the region could be catapulted by streetcars in the City of Columbus. The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission(MORPC) is supporting City of Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman's effort to bring a streetcar line to the city.
Metro Vancouver's transportation authority is launching a real estate division that could produce up to $1.5 billion in revenue over the next 10 years, modelled on an agency that has reshaped Hong Kong.
What's the difference between a streetcar and a bus, except that a streetcar (system) will cost more money? asked Sharon Adkins, a 61-year-old loan processor who works Downtown.
Higher parking rates, a surcharge on sports and entertainment tickets, and $500,000-a-year commitment from Ohio State University would help fund a $103 million streetcar line proposed for High Street in Columbus.
Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman promised there would be no sales, property or city income tax increases to support his proposed streetcar system. Thursday night at city hall he released funding details for where the money will come from.
"ââ¬Â¦We are going to meet that commitment," Lhota said. "But also we are a transportation provider and we want to be an integral part of the operation of this streetcar system."
ââ¬Â¦He said tonight's proposal won't be etched in stone, adding, "What it will be is a scenario that demonstrates that this can be paid forââ¬Â¦"
Beginning this week and ending in early June, OSU police along with the Columbus Division of Police hope to increase their presence in the area east of High Street.
University officials cite research that shows living on campus leads to higher student grade point averages and graduation rates. But some university-area residents fear removing a big chunk of renters will have an impact on the urban flavor of the neighborhood. WOSU's Steve Brown reports.
Gee defended his plan in a meeting with Lantern staff last week and discussed the benefits of his two-year residency program. He also addressed some of the criticisms of the plan, including financial concerns from students seeking more affordable off-campus living and the implications for campus-area landlords.
How important is live music to the city of Austin? How many cities do you know of that have a Live Music Task Force?
Just like the post-WWII era transformed the American landscape in the 20th century, another movement, called New Urbanism, is creating new American communities for the 21st century.
The City of Columbus and area residents are teaming up to fight litter, bringing together residents, volunteers and City employees with Mayor Michael B. Coleman on Saturday March 29 for the Mayorâââ‰â¢s 6th annual City Employee Cleanup.
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