Author Topic: Columbus: Polaris Developments (Read 21241 times)

buildingcincinnati · « **on:** November 08, 2004, 03:12:57 AM »

11/8/04, ConstructionEquipmentGuide.com

Ohio Fuses Two Interchanges in Columbus
By Brenda Ruggiero

In Columbus, OH, crews are working to combine two interchanges involving Polaris Parkway and Interstate 71. When completed in 2006, the two interchanges will function as one, allowing traffic to be redistributed throughout the area. A new adjoining interchange will be built just north of the roadway at Fashion Mall Parkway.

Under the direction of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and funded by the city of Columbus, the $25 million project started in August of this year. The job is currently running on schedule for completion by August 31, 2006.

According to ODOT, the improvements are necessary to accommodate robust growth in development and traffic in the Polaris area. Between 1994 and 2002, traffic on Polaris Parkway reportedly grew 280 percent to 55,670 vehicles per day.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/story.asp?story=5082&headline=Ohio

unusualfire · « **Reply #1 on:** November 08, 2004, 04:18:08 AM »

Hmm how would this work isn't most interchanges almost an mile apart except in the inner cities?

Magyar · « **Reply #2 on:** November 08, 2004, 05:03:19 AM »

They will be two partial interchanges instead of the one diamond interchange currently there.

Work (officially) started on this project in July.

ColDayMan · « **Reply #3 on:** November 08, 2004, 02:12:34 PM »

Well, that's good. That interchange is horrendous.

PigBoy · « **Reply #4 on:** November 08, 2004, 02:27:08 PM »

Is there any kind of map of this somewhere? I'm finding myself totally unable to follow what the article is talking about.

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2005, 01:56:58 PM »

Here it is, PigBoy, only 3 1/2 months later!

Also, there a PDF from ODOT explaining the project here:
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/dist6/pdfs/PolarisFact.pdf

unusualfire · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2005, 02:47:41 PM »

How do they get these projects funded so fast and down in cincinnati it takes years and years and years.
That area would be just about around Kenwood road if it was located in Cincinnati. It makes me sick how other areas can get road projects done and approved faster than in SW Ohio.

PigBoy · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2005, 03:00:15 PM »

Thanks for the update, grasscat.

They say they're adding another lane for the exit from northbound 71, but I wonder if they'll be changing the traffic light there, too. (I suppose the cycle will change since the light for the southbound entrance and exit will be eliminated.) That exit backs up like a mofo. Occasionally I am stupid enough to use it, such as a couple weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon, when it was backed up for about a mile. I'd hate to see it at rush hour during the Christmas shopping season!

Magyar · « **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2005, 08:51:17 AM »

Quote from: PigBoy on February 27, 2005, 03:00:15 PM

They say they're adding another lane for the exit from northbound 71, but I wonder if they'll be changing the traffic light there, too. (I suppose the cycle will change since the light for the southbound entrance and exit will be eliminated.) That exit backs up like a mofo. Occasionally I am stupid enough to use it, such as a couple weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon, when it was backed up for about a mile. I'd hate to see it at rush hour during the Christmas shopping season!

It was bad. Traffic on Polaris was almost a standstill (this was on the day before before our Christmas snow/ice storm)

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2005, 01:00:18 PM »

An update from the 7/27/05 Columbus Business First:

ODOT to close Polaris exit Aug. 1

The Ohio Department of Transportation said Wednesday it will close the exit from southbound Interstate 71 to Polaris Parkway on Aug. 1. The exit will close permanently. Motorists seeking to enter Polaris Parkway from the north will have to exit at Gemini Parkway, which runs north of Polaris.

The department is removing the Polaris exit to make way for a new exit to take motorists from westbound Polaris Parkway onto I-71 south. Westbound motorists on Polaris must now make a left-hand turn to enter 71. The planned exit will be a right-hand turn that loops around to southbound I-71. The exits at Polaris and Gemini parkways are intended to function as a unit, evenly distributing traffic through the area, according to the department. The department and the city of Columbus started the $25 million interchange project in 2004.

Traffic on Polaris Parkway jumped 280 percent between 1994 and 2002, according to the department, to 55,670 vehicles a day. Traffic on I-71 swelled 47 percent to 113,920 vehicles a day during the same period.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/07/25/daily23.html?from_rss=1

unusualfire · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2005, 03:42:52 PM »

Wow that's still in the city of Columbus??? I always wonder how they can make stuff happen so fast, compared to the MLK/I-71 interchange in Cincinnati, which may take 2 decades to get done.

Magyar · « **Reply #11 on:** July 28, 2005, 05:36:15 PM »

Quote from: unusualfire on July 28, 2005, 03:42:52 PM

Wow that's still in the city of Columbus??? I always wonder how they can make stuff happen so fast, compared to the MLK/I-71 interchange in Cincinnati, which may take 2 decades to get done.

The Polaris developers have more $$$

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #12 on:** August 08, 2005, 12:13:36 PM »

From ThisWeek Newspapers, 8/4/05:

New I-71 exit ramp opens at Gemini Parkway
Thursday, August 4, 2005
By NICOLLE RACEY
ThisWeek Staff Writer

Drivers who use I-71 are getting accustomed to the new I-71 southbound ramp to Gemini Parkway, which opened Aug. 1. The opening of the new ramp means the permanent closing of the former I-71 southbound ramp to Polaris Parkway, said Ohio Department of Transportation spokesman Todd Sloan.

Drivers traveling south on I-71 now will have to exit at Gemini Parkway to access Polaris Parkway. Sloan said ODOT worked hard to inform drivers and businesses of the change by handing out flyers to businesses along Polaris Parkway and posting signs before the new ramp opened and the current ramp closed. He said preparing people for the change hopefully will limit confusion when motorists who usually exit at the Polaris Parkway ramp see that it no longer exists.

The entire project is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2006 at a cost of $25-million.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/thisweek.php?edition=Powell&story=thisweeknews/080405/Powell/News/080405-News-628670.html

LocutusOfBoard · « **Reply #13 on:** August 08, 2005, 01:47:52 PM »

That's a really weird setup. Those coming from the North will have to Exit on Fashion Mall Parkway, but to get back, they have to enter from Polaris Parkway.

Magyar · « **Reply #14 on:** August 09, 2005, 04:17:19 AM »

Quote from: LocutusOfBoard on August 08, 2005, 01:47:52 PM

That's a really weird setup. Those coming from the North will have to Exit on Fashion Mall Parkway, but to get back, they have to enter from Polaris Parkway.

What's so wierd about that? You enter the mall complex from the back, you leave from the front. Besides, it only effects people north of US 36. Shoppers from Columbus won't notice a difference (other than more lanes and fewer orange barrels)

metrocity · « **Reply #15 on:** August 09, 2005, 10:13:34 AM »

Fashion Mall Parkway...sorry but that is one of the hokiest, lamest street names I have ever heard. Did the developers 8 year old daughter name that street....it sounds like a Barbie Doll dream world street playset. What's next...Food Ct, Mall -n- Things Lane...

X · « **Reply #16 on:** August 09, 2005, 11:46:29 AM »

Hokey and lame, yet brilliant marketing. You can't know the name of the street without knowing what's on it.

Magyar · « **Reply #17 on:** August 09, 2005, 12:06:44 PM »

Street naming is a hard racket.

#1 example, the shoe company streets (Nike, Saucony, Converse, Adidas, and Reebok) out in West Columbus.

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #18 on:** October 05, 2005, 01:39:23 PM »

From Suburban News Publications, 9/28/05:

Costco seeks to enter Central Ohio shopping market
It's seeking a rezoning for a site north of the Polaris Fashion Place mall
By JENNIFER NOBLIT

The new Interstate 71 interchange at Gemini Place, in southern Delaware County, is expected to pay dividends in terms of traffic flow and new Polaris area businesses when it opens next year. Those new businesses are already lining up, beginning with the retail giant Costco Wholesale. According to David Perry of the David Perry Co., Costco plans to purchase 11.6 acres from NP Limited for an undisclosed price.

The site in question is located directly north of the Polaris Fashion Place mall, west of I-71. Costco requested the rezoning of 1.19 acres of land during a Sept. 8 zoning meeting of the Columbus Development Commission. The panel recommended the rezoning, so the request now goes to Columbus City Council for final approval.

According to the Columbus planning office, the rest of the land already is zoned for a store such as Costco. But the company wants to build a gas station on the corner of the land, northwest of the intersection of Gemini Place and Lyra Drive, he said. This would be Costco Wholesale's first store in Central Ohio, and only its fifth in the state.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.snponline.com/NEWS9-28/9-28_allcostco.htm

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #19 on:** October 11, 2005, 11:24:24 AM »

From Columbus Business First, 10/10/05:

Costco nearing deal for 1st Columbus store
Kathy Showalter
Business First

Costco Wholesale Corp., the nation's leading warehouse club retailer, has its sights set on Columbus. The merchant is planning to build its first Central Ohio store at the northwest corner of Gemini Place and Lyra Drive near the Polaris Fashion Place mall, Business First has learned.

The company, known for selling a mix of high-end and everyday merchandise at discounts to club members, has its only Ohio stores - four of them - in the Cleveland area.

Jim Sinegal, Costco's CEO, declined to confirm the company's interest in Columbus. "We don't put ourselves in a good position from a negotiating standpoint by talking about deals before we close," he said.

Columbus officials, however, confirmed the suburban Seattle-based retailer is seeking zoning permits to sell gasoline on land owned by NP Ltd., the developer of the Polaris Centers of Commerce. Franz Geiger, NP's managing director, declined to comment.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/10/10/story1.html?from_rss=1

ColDayMan · « **Reply #20 on:** October 11, 2005, 11:41:03 AM »

The company, known for selling a mix of high-end and everyday merchandise at discounts to club members, has its only Ohio stores - four of them - in the Cleveland area.

Since when is Springdale in Cleveland?

edale · « **Reply #21 on:** October 11, 2005, 11:46:46 AM »

^yeah or Mason.

CleveChiNola · « **Reply #22 on:** October 11, 2005, 12:02:32 PM »

I am suprised there has not been a Costco in C-bus until now

mrnyc · « **Reply #23 on:** October 11, 2005, 01:34:30 PM »

oh brother the first article got it ok:

Quote

There currently are four Costco Warehouses in Ohio, all in the Cleveland and Cincinnati areas.

sensitive sheesh!

besides, yas aint gaining a whole lot from getting a costco they are not the chain of your dreams. we even got'em in nyc too. glorifed sam's clubs. you've been there before. unless you need a gross of paper towel rolls stick to that new whole foods you will eat better.

edale · « **Reply #24 on:** October 11, 2005, 01:41:58 PM »

They have samples on Sundays!

mrnyc · « **Reply #25 on:** October 11, 2005, 01:43:46 PM »

^well there ya go!

WalkerEvans · « **Reply #26 on:** October 12, 2005, 01:05:06 AM »

Quote from: punch on October 11, 2005, 12:02:32 PM

I am suprised there has not been a Costco in C-bus until now

Yeah, that or an IKEA.

noozer · « **Reply #27 on:** October 13, 2005, 12:32:06 AM »

Okay... how can this headline writer imply that traffic concerns will diminish, when the fact of new development will only serve to create more traffic. This new interchange is barely a quarter-mile north of the existing Polaris interchange, which itself generated far more traffic than its designers predicted. Having two interchanges within such close proximity to eahc other will make this section of I-71 even more of a nightmare at rush hour.

I-71 work sparking activity at Polaris
Costco, others to build there as traffic concerns diminish
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Mike Pramik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The promise of easier access to land north of Polaris Fashion Place by way of new I-71 interchanges is beginning to draw the attention of retailers, including the warehouse-style store Costco.

Costco Wholesale Corp., whose stores are similar to Sam’s Club, has asked Columbus to rezone 1.1 acres at the northwest corner of Gemini Place and Lyra Drive to permit gas pumps. The change would allow Costco, which has two stores in the Cleveland area and two others near Cincinnati, to build its first one in central Ohio.

The request isn’t yet on Columbus City Council’s agenda, and the city hasn’t issued Costco any building permits. However, if Costco follows through, it would be a boost for Polaris, said retail analyst Chris Boring, president of Boulevard Strategies. "I think that will help Polaris tremendously," he said. "Costco does a lot more volume per location than Sam’s Club.

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com

Summit Street · « **Reply #28 on:** October 13, 2005, 02:18:38 AM »

how soon 'til the polaris area bypass?

mrnyc · « **Reply #29 on:** October 13, 2005, 03:15:40 AM »

ugh -- that's typical / classic dispatch thinking on the headline -- sprawl is good.

Quote

"That roadway being opened up is going to create a major artery," said Larry Lehring, vice president of leasing and development for Continental.

yeesh -- spoken by mister make-a-quick-buck with breathless pride no doubt.

DaninDC · « **Reply #30 on:** October 13, 2005, 03:21:47 AM »

I think the headline reads quite objectively. The concerns about traffic ARE diminished, it seems, at least for now. Remember--the people who built this interchange (ODOT)are still convinced you can build your way out of congestion. I'm pretty sure the developers would be happy to share what we all know with ODOT, but they're pretty happy about all the public subsidies being thrown their way.

Can't wait to see what kind of "free market" solution ODOT comes up with when the area becomes a complete disaster again.

ink · « **Reply #31 on:** October 13, 2005, 04:17:17 AM »

What Columbus shopping area is getting a new interchange and then they will close a nearby one. Was it something near Refugee Road? I thought that was Polaris, but maybe that is Easton, or Eaton, whichever one isn't the lifestyle center. Am I totally confused?

WalkerEvans · « **Reply #32 on:** October 13, 2005, 05:18:33 AM »

There is an Eastland Mall that is being revamped. Perhaps that's it?

ink · « **Reply #33 on:** October 13, 2005, 05:20:35 AM »

Thats it, that is off 270 correct, between Renoldsburg and Grove City?

BTW, I am shocked to hear they will allow an interchange with 1/4 or a mile. I thought there was a 1 mile minimum.

Magyar · « **Reply #34 on:** October 13, 2005, 09:59:58 AM »

We've talked about this interchange before (last time back in August).
http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=1447.0

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #35 on:** October 24, 2005, 05:17:42 PM »

From ThisWeek (Worthington), 10/20/05:

Polaris area
FNCCC said yes to Costco, but wonders what comes next
Thursday, October 20, 2005
By RANDY NAVAROLI
ThisWeek Staff Writer

The vice president of the Far North Columbus Communities Coalition expressed concern this week about what may follow Costco Wholesale Corp.'s development of a 15-acre site in the Polaris area. The FNCCC approved a rezoning request Sept. 6 that will allow Costco to build a gas station on a 1.18-acre plot at the northwest corner of the intersection of Gemini Place and Lyra Drive.

"We're a little concerned about what will go in just beyond the Costco site," FNCCC vice president Dan Province said. "There are 14 acres just north of the Costco site that we're concerned about."

That land is also zoned for commercial development. Province said that while the Costco project isn't objectionable, he didn't know how the FNCCC would vote on any proposed development on the site to the north. "We just don't want the development to get out of control in that area. It has to be something that makes sense," he said.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/thisweek.php?edition=Worthington&story=thisweeknews/102005/Worthington/News/102005-News-31972.html

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #36 on:** May 22, 2006, 11:44:29 AM »

From ThisWeek Olentangy, 5/18/06:

Building permits for planned Costco are put on hold
Thursday, May 18, 2006
By RANDY NAVAROLI
ThisWeek Staff Writer

Two building permit applications for a Costco wholesale store and gas station planned for Polaris have been placed on hold. According to Marilynn Dicioccio of the Columbus development department's building services division, the city is seeking additional information from the planned development's architect, Mulvanny G2 Architects of Bellevue, Wash.

"The plans examiner has asked for some clarification on the applications, but as soon as we get that, they'll go forward," Dicioccio said. She could not provide any specifics about the type of information the examiner is seeking. Dicioccio said such delays are not uncommon and the Costco permit applications will be approved or denied by building services within 20 days of receiving the requested information.

The building permit applications for the planned Costco store and gas station, which are planned for a 15-acre site near the northwest corner of the intersection of Gemini Place and Lyra Drive, were filed with the Columbus building services division on April 28. Costco officials would not provide any specific details about the building permit applications, groundbreaking or the store's opening.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/?edition=Powell&story=thisweeknews/051806/Powell/News/051806-News-154511.html

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #37 on:** June 09, 2006, 02:09:31 PM »

From the 6/9/06 Marion Star:

ODOT updates Polaris project

COLUMBUS - Motorists on Columbus' north side can expect major changes at Interstate 71 in the Polaris area. On Monday, June 12 the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will be opening a new ramp from Gemini Place to I-71 northbound. At that time, the existing ramp from Polaris Parkway to I-71 northbound - which averages 3,306 vehicles a day - will close for reconstruction for two months.

The bridge on Gemini Place over I-71 will also open on Monday so motorists west of I-71 needing to access I-71 northbound should take Lyra Drive to Gemini Place. Motorists can also access Gemini Place west of the shopping mall. Those on the east side of I-71 will need to use Orion Place to access the new Gemini Ramp to I-71 northbound.

The ramp closure is the first of three that will take place this summer at Polaris Parkway and I-71. Additional information about the closures, a map and specific detour information can be found by visiting the www.odotdistrict6.org web site.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.marionstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060609/NEWS01/606090305/1002/rss01

noozer · « **Reply #38 on:** June 30, 2006, 05:38:20 AM »

Additional Polaris ramps to I-71 set to open
Business First of Columbus - 11:42 AM EDT Friday

Motorists traveling in the Polaris area on Columbus' north side soon will have more access to Interstate 71. The Ohio Department of Transportation said Friday it will open a new ramp on Saturday, July 8 for travelers going west on Polaris Parkway to get on I-71 south. It will then open another ramp to I-71 south from Gemini Place on Monday, July 10.

That will free the department to close the existing ramp from Polaris Parkway to I-71 south, which serves 28,000 drivers a day coming from either direction. ODOT will then reconstruct that ramp to serve only eastbound drivers in a project expected to take two weeks.

The city began reconstructing the busy Polaris Parkway interchange at Interstate 71 in July 2004, adding a new interchange to the north at Gemini Place. After construction is complete, which is scheduled for this fall, the two interchanges will help redistribute traffic, the city said. Construction costs are expected to total $25 million.

FULL ARTICLE: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/06/26/daily33.html

noozer · « **Reply #39 on:** July 05, 2006, 09:41:30 AM »

Think about this for a moment: this new interchange will cost $25-million dollars. The cost of doing the entire Environmental Impact Study for the Ohio Hub regional high-speed rail plan would cost $5.87-million. The funding for a new highway project is almost always there. But the funding request for an immensely more valuable project that can provide economic development and congestion relief for an entire state got dropped by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee because of a "tiff" between two GOP Congressmen.

I'm not saying the Polaris interchange is unnecessary. I'm just trying to make a point of how incredibly stupid our system of funding major transportation projects has become.

Weather delays Polaris ramp opening
Business First of Columbus - 1:17 PM EDT Wednesday

The Ohio Department of Transportation has delayed the opening of a new ramp on Interstate 71 until Monday due to heavy rains. A ramp for motorists going west on Polaris Parkway to get on I-71 south will open July 10, instead of July 8. The department is also opening a ramp to I-71 south from Gemini Place Monday, which it announced late last week.

The new ramps will free the department to close the existing ramp from Polaris Parkway to I-71 south, which serves 28,000 drivers a day coming from either direction. ODOT will then reconstruct that ramp to serve only eastbound drivers in a project expected to take two weeks.

FULL ARTICLE: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/07/03/daily11.html

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #40 on:** July 31, 2006, 09:14:05 AM »

From the 7/30/06 Dispatch:

Relief in sight on I-71/Polaris construction
Gemini Place interchange will double ramps
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Tim Doulin
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

As one ramp opens, another one closes. The thousands of motorists who use the busy Polaris Parkway/I-71 interchange in southern Delaware County every day have had to pay close attention this summer to orange barrels and signs telling them where to go. State and city transportation officials say it will be worth the pain. The number of ramps is being doubled to eight to accommodate growing traffic at I-71 and Polaris Parkway.

The Ohio Department of Transportation and Columbus began reconstructing the interchange at Polaris Parkway and building the new one at Gemini Place in 2004. The Polaris Fashion Place mall, the Germain Amphitheater and numerous other businesses have opened in the area in recent years, drawing heavy traffic.

Traffic on Polaris Parkway increased 280 percent from 1994 to 2002, reaching about 55,670 vehicles a day, the Transportation Department said. Traffic on I-71 increased 47 percent to about 114,000 vehicles a day between I-270 and the Polaris interchange. The finished product is expected to help redistribute traffic, not eliminate all the congestion.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/07/30/20060730-A1-02.html

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #41 on:** July 31, 2006, 09:53:55 AM »

The traffic throughout the area is a holy nightmare. I've kvetched about it plenty around here (I work just south of Polaris, just east of I-71). I hope all this pricey engineering alleviates the existing congestion, but looking around at the constant development and the stages clearly set for future development (curbcuts leading to untouched acreage, for example), I question whether it will be enough.

I get the sense that ODOT is expert at keeping traffic moving in straight and unwavering lines, but I see little evidence that they have a clue how to contend with surface traffic caused by cars entering and exiting the main thoroughfare.

I'd say the nightmare is just beginning for Polaris.

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #42 on:** August 17, 2006, 11:02:15 AM »

From Business First of Columbus, 8/11/06:

Glimcher plan for open-air section at Polaris in line with mall trend
Business First of Columbus - August 11, 2006
by Kathy Showalter
Business First

Glimcher Realty Trust's plans to tear down Polaris Fashion Place's largest store building to make room for open-air shopping is in line with a step many mall owners are taking. Glimcher Realty said last month it wants to tear down the 200,000-square-foot space occupied by Kaufmann's department store and replace it with a 120,000-square-foot lifestyle center to attract a group of retailers that want store entrances outside the mall, said Mark Yale, Glimcher's chief financial officer.

Glimcher Realty's plan needs the approval of its lenders and mall tenants, including anchors Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sears, JCPenney, Von Maur and the Great Indoors. In a way, the Polaris mall will be getting its own fashion makeover under the proposal. Steve Morris, a partner at Asset Strategies Group, a Columbus firm that helps retailers with mall leases, said it's all about competition as consolidation among department stores has created an excess of store space at shopping centers.

Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/08/14/story13.html?b=1155528000^1329805

dfly · « **Reply #43 on:** August 17, 2006, 12:36:30 PM »

Quote from: grasscat on August 17, 2006, 11:02:15 AM

Glimcher Realty said last month it wants to tear down the 200,000-square-foot space occupied by Kaufmann's department store and replace it with a 120,000-square-foot lifestyle center to attract a group of retailers that want store entrances outside the mall, said Mark Yale, Glimcher's chief financial officer.

Wow, that was really worth the investment for what, five years. Too bad our cities don't have money to throw around like that for projects.

Quote from: grasscat on August 17, 2006, 11:02:15 AM

The mall isn't ailing. In its most recent annual report, Glimcher Realty Trust said Polaris' 2005 sales per square foot, an important measure of a mall's health, was $366, only $26 below the national average reported by the International Council of Shopping Centers, a trade group.

It's a little surprising that sales at Polaris are below the national average.

glutmax · « **Reply #44 on:** August 17, 2006, 02:16:40 PM »

"Lifestyle centers are inhabited by upscale restaurants, not a food court," Davidowitz said. "That's the key. It's P.F. Chang's. It's Cheesecake Factory. It's much more upscale fare."

-Upscale Restaurants?, I find that kind of amusing.

mrnyc · « **Reply #45 on:** August 17, 2006, 04:16:01 PM »

Quote from: grasscat on August 17, 2006, 11:02:15 AM

Quote from: grasscat on August 17, 2006, 11:02:15 AM
The mall isn't ailing. In its most recent annual report, Glimcher Realty Trust said Polaris' 2005 sales per square foot, an important measure of a mall's health, was $366, only $26 below the national average reported by the International Council of Shopping Centers, a trade group.
It's a little surprising that sales at Polaris are below the national average.

i am surprised it's that close to the average. when i visited last month it was practically empty. i went into sears and was the only customer in the store. weirdness. that was my one and only visit tho.

Keith M. · « **Reply #46 on:** August 18, 2006, 05:22:31 AM »

Quote from: glutmax on August 17, 2006, 02:16:40 PM

"Lifestyle centers are inhabited by upscale restaurants, not a food court," Davidowitz said. "That's the key. It's P.F. Chang's. It's Cheesecake Factory. It's much more upscale fare."

-Upscale Restaurants?, I find that kind of amusing.

If you think that's funny, they always run TV commercials here for condos near Polaris which tout amenities like shopping and "fine dining". What stills are shown to represent some of the high quality offerings? Why an Olive Garden & Red Lobster. THAT'S how out of touch you can be when you live in suburbia.

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #47 on:** September 05, 2006, 11:28:55 AM »

From the 9/5/06 Dispatch:

Costco begins hiring push
Workers sought for Polaris store, but not just anyone will do
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Jeffrey Sheban
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The few. The proud. The Costco employees. Costco Wholesale Inc., known for having loyal and well-paid workers, is hiring for its first Columbus store, which opens in mid-November.

The nation’s largest warehouseclub operator has selected a site just north of Polaris Fashion Place for the store, which competes head-to-head with Sam’s Club but has a reputation for more upscale merchandise, including fine wine, expensive jewelry and designer clothing.

Unlike Sam’s parent company, Wal-Mart, Costco models its wage and benefit packages on the contracts of union grocery stores in an area. The company pays an average hourly wage of $15.97, 33 percent more than Sam’s and 65 percent more than Wal-Mart stores, according to a recent book by BusinessWeek reporter Anthony Bianco.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/09/05/20060905-C1-00.html

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #48 on:** September 05, 2006, 03:02:40 PM »

Costco is an excellent company. They're the lifeblood of independent merchants (especially small restaurants and cafes), they have very progressive employee policies (including great benefits and wages), and perhaps best of all, 99% of their political contributions go to Democrats (though it's pocket change compared what Sam's Club gives to Republicans). Check the stats here: http://www.buyblue.org/directory/78.

Welcome to Columbus, Costco. You'll be the first--and most likely last--good thing about Polaris.

ColDayMan · « **Reply #49 on:** September 05, 2006, 04:37:08 PM »

^You BETTER not be talkin' 'bout QUAKER STEAK N LUBE like that, Michilander!

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #50 on:** September 06, 2006, 12:08:15 AM »

^Whatever. I went to that place for a tune-up and they replaced my transmission fluid with au jus.

ColDayMan · « **Reply #51 on:** September 06, 2006, 04:32:32 AM »

tsk tsk

unusualfire · « **Reply #52 on:** September 06, 2006, 02:22:09 PM »

Quote from: ColDayMan on September 05, 2006, 04:37:08 PM

^You BETTER not be talkin' 'bout QUAKER STEAK N LUBE like that, Michilander!

I drove by that place just tonight on my way back from Loveland. They had alot of bikers at that joint today. It looks like in interesting place right off of Rt 50 in Milford.

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #53 on:** October 03, 2006, 05:28:12 PM »

From the 9/28/06 Dispatch:

I-71 AND POLARIS PARKWAY
Developers start work on $54 million Hilton hotel
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Mike Pramik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Nearly two decades after developer Robert Weiler shared his vision for the Polaris development with Columbus and Delaware County officials, the last major piece of the 1,200-acre puzzle has snapped into place. Weiler’s NP Limited and Platinum Ridge Properties, a central Ohio hotel developer, have begun work on the $54 million Polaris Hilton and Conference Center at I-71 and Polaris Parkway. The Hilton, downsized a bit from original drawings, promises 253 rooms, 14,000 square feet of meeting space and an overdue dash of lodging luxury to the Polaris area.

Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/09/28/20060928-E1-04.html

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #54 on:** December 04, 2006, 12:49:03 PM »

From the 11/30/06 Dispatch:

Costco draws a crowd
Warehouse club opens at Polaris to throngs of eager shoppers
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Jeffrey Sheban
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Welcome to the club. Thousands of people descended on the city’s first Costco warehouse yesterday, a members-only store offering, well, pretty much everything.

There were babies in strollers, women in tights, men in wheelchairs and competitors incognito, all in awe of the eclectic mix of products ranging from bulk goods and food items to designer handbags and jewelry.

It’s the first serious competition to Wal-Mart-owned Sam’s Club, which has four stores in central Ohio, since BJ’s Wholesale Club pulled out of town in 2002. "If nothing else, this should improve Sam’s," said Sam’s Club shopper Sue Wellman of Delaware, who was at Costco on Tuesday night snagging a $50 annual membership to beat the crowds.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/11/30/20061130-E1-01.html

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #55 on:** December 04, 2006, 01:56:32 PM »

Quote

"This is my first time in a Costco, and I’m so excited," she said.

I was there Friday night. So many Costco newbies, all of them so very, very excited, the aisles were slick with virtual urine.

LOVE Costco.

cincybearcat · « **Reply #56 on:** December 04, 2006, 02:45:55 PM »

"The Polaris store is the third Costco in Ohio after Cleveland and Cincinnati."

Um, good research! Cincinnati and Cleveland each have two stores. I can't believe Columbus is just getting a Costco, best store anywhere. High quality at a good price.

noozer · « **Reply #57 on:** December 20, 2006, 10:23:55 PM »

Proposed sale may mean demise of Germain Amphitheater
Property may be too valuable for use as concert venue
By Mike Pramik and Aaron Beck
The Columbus Dispatch
Thursday, December 21, 2006 1:11 AM

The owner of Germain Amphitheater said yesterday that it will try to sell the music venue after the 2007 season. A sale could mean the end of the 12-year-old amphitheater, which has struggled in recent years to attract performers and crowds. Real-estate and music-industry officials said Polaris-area development has made the property too valuable to use as a concert spot.

Live Nation, the Los Angeles entertainment company that owns Germain, issued a statement yesterday saying that it has hired the real-estate firm CB Richard Ellis to find a buyer for Germain. The company said the decision to sell was "based on a number of factors," but it did not elaborate. Michael Rapino, Live Nation's chief executive, told investors in November that the company was looking to shed some of its amphitheaters in smaller markets, especially those in which the "value of real estate is greater than the value to us as a music venue."

Read more at http://dispatch.com/business/business.php?story=234706

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #58 on:** December 21, 2006, 01:31:43 AM »

Mixed emotions here.

On one hand, as a worker at a company out off of Polaris, I won't miss the concert traffic. On the other hand, it's nice to have something vaguely cultural going on out there. On one hand, the closure of Germain might mean a boost for downtown, on the other, the squares out in Westerville and Lewis Center won't have any noise to complain about. On one hand, it's absurd that an area with plenty of undeveloped land and empty office buildings would be so over-valued, but on the other hand, tomorrow's Northlands, Westlands, and The Continents have to come from somewhere.

That's like, six hands.

mrnyc · « **Reply #59 on:** December 21, 2006, 01:50:40 AM »

one good memory there -- the beastie boys at lollapalooza was the craziest show i ever saw. off the charts. duh!

3231 · « **Reply #60 on:** December 21, 2006, 04:01:21 AM »

Its not that great of a place. Blossom has set the bar very high for Ohio amphitheaters.

I was there for the lollapalooza just a few months after the place had opened. People were ripping up the sod squares and throwing them up high into the air. It was so surreal--hundreds of sod squares floating, twisting and turning in the air.

Brewmaster · « **Reply #61 on:** December 21, 2006, 06:12:02 AM »

I'm excited about this. Should be a nice boost for downtown. It always sucked trying to navigate traffic up there anyway.

GCrites80s · « **Reply #62 on:** December 21, 2006, 09:26:09 AM »

As a complete music nut, I'll be glad to see Germain go. Columbus needed Germain in 1993. The largest music venue we had at that time was Batelle, which didn't seat enough people to bring larger acts or package shows. Of course, if a band was super-gigantic, they could play the 'Shoe if the stars and moon were in perfect alignment. In 2006, we have the Schott, Nationwide, Crew Stadium and Lifestyles. Between them and preexisting venues such as the Newport, Little Brother's, Alrosa Villa etc. Columbus has the perfect size venue for just about any act.

I hate watching shows at "sheds" (amphitheaters). Here's a few reasons:

Weather - The weather can f$&k so many shows in the summer. It's always 900000 degrees at Ozzfest (and that's only in the years when it's actually worth going), or it rains. $4 water on top of $8 booze just sucks.

Daytime - OK, daytime shows work for Woodstock, the California Jam and huge European and South American music festivals with 350,000 people. When there's 9,500 people at a show it's hard to take on a true rock 'n roll mood when the sun is still blazing at 8:30pm. Dio... DURING THE DAY? IRON MAIDEN... DURING THE DAY? Has Alice Cooper ever played at Polaris? Please tell me the answer is no.

Distance from the band - Sheds always put you 12 miles away from the band if you aren't in the first few rows.

Crap sound - It's not that the sound system can't handle the dimensions of the area. It can. To me, at larger sheds the drums, and to a lesser extent, the bass guitar sound like sh!t. It's because of the reverb effect of the way sound bounces off the hill and back wall. There is nothing that the sound guy can do about it. It's mainly a vibe killer to me.

Suburbs - I don't want to see a band in the suburbs. Plus, people around were always bitching about the noise. Hey dipsh!t, if you don't like the noise, don't move close to the venue.

No place to party before or after the show - Since there were only strip malls around with almost no walkability, it's difficult to meet up with fellow fans at a bar for a few beers before or after the show. Polaris also frowned upon tailgating so that they could whack you for more $8 drinks. In the U.S.'s much more laid-back older days, a "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" situation happened before every show and people had lots of fun. Of course, we're in the "Square Era" today.

Even though it's partially outdoors, Lifestyles doesn't have most of the problems listed above due to its location, smaller size and indoor half. Does anyone know if, when it rains, the band equipment is turned around to face the indoor side and the crowd sent inside the building? A quick soundcheck would be all that is needed. I don't think Columbus will lose many shows, if any, when Germain closes. The other venues can pick up the slack.

ColDayMan · « **Reply #63 on:** December 21, 2006, 04:10:14 PM »

Ironically, Polaris Amphitheater...the jumpstart of POLARIS: THE DEMON STAR OF FASHION TERROR.

Closed.

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #64 on:** December 22, 2006, 12:11:42 AM »

The beginning of the beginning of the end for sure.

buildingcincinnati · « **Reply #65 on:** February 20, 2007, 10:42:32 AM »

Polaris area to get new Cambria Suites hotel concept
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A new hotel concept is being developed at Polaris Centers of Commerce, promising more room for business travelers.
Cambria Suites, a brand recently developed by Choice Hotels Inc., will offer 125 upscale suites on the scale and caliber of those offered by Hilton Garden Inn and Courtyard by Marriott. Wilcare Corp. of Akron is seeking final permitting to develop the $12 million Cambria Suites property. Wilcare also is building a Cambria Suites in Akron.

"It seemed like the north end of Columbus has some real opportunity there," Wilcare vice president Sean Leatherman said. "The Polaris area is sort of cutting edge and new. That’s the type of style, look and feel of the Cambria Suites hotel."

Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/03/20070203-C1-02.html

ColDayMan · « **Reply #66 on:** July 09, 2007, 06:28:10 AM »

Open-air element breathes new lifestyle into Polaris

http://dayton.bizjournals.com/dayton/othercities/columbus/stories/2007/07/09/focus3.html?b=1183953600^1487352

When Federated Department Stores Inc. announced in early 2005 that it would close two Kaufmann's department stores in Columbus after its purchase of Kaufmann's May Co. parent, the owner of the Polaris Fashion Place mall suddenly had a 200,000-square-foot hole to fill in the 1.5 million-square-foot mall. But landlord Glimcher Realty Trust quickly decided to redevelop the 14-acre site into an open-air retail center filled with small specialty shops and restaurants rather than find a new tenant.

"We just felt adding restaurants and lifestyle retailers would be a better idea than replacing Kaufmann's with another anchor," said George Schmidt, executive vice president and chief investment officer for Glimcher. Among the likely lifestyle tenants Glimcher has targeted in the $45 million redevelopment project are bookstores, fashion retailers and other specialty retailers often found in open-air centers, he said.

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #67 on:** July 09, 2007, 06:38:15 AM »

Come down and savor the ground-level ozone. Seriously: from where I work, you can the sickly yellow haze hanging over Polaris from I-71 to 23. Nazdy.

LAsam · « **Reply #68 on:** July 09, 2007, 07:26:42 AM »

Look's like Polaris is beating City Center to the punch...

noozer · « **Reply #69 on:** July 09, 2007, 11:05:39 AM »

Typical of Glimcher to be trying to copy-cat an Easton-style "lifestyle center" in the location of a suburban "sprawl mall".

noozer · « **Reply #70 on:** September 16, 2007, 02:23:25 AM »

Germain Amphitheater for sale
Tonight's concert could be venue's swan song
Sunday, September 16, 2007 4:01 AM
By Aaron Beck and Mike Pramik, The Columbus Dispatch

When Toby Keith plays his boisterous country-rock on the Germain Amphitheater stage tonight, it could be the last time anyone performs anything on it. After the singer's concert, the 20,000-seat venue's 14-season run could come to a close. The property is for sale and local music-industry sources say privately that they do not expect it to reopen in the spring.

Germain's owner, the Los Angeles entertainment company Live Nation, said last year it planned to sell several amphitheaters including Germain. Live Nation spokesman John Vlautin said the company would not comment on the prospect of a sale. The amphitheater has hosted more than 400 shows since opening in 1994. Performers have included the Who, the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, the Spice Girls, Metallica and KISS.

Read more at
http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/09/16/1_GERMAIN_KEITH.ART_ART_09-16-07_A1_0P7TPJ2.html?print=yes&sid=101

Germain Amphitheater timeline
Sept. 15, 1993 -- Belkin Productions of Cleveland, Sunshine Promotions of Indianapolis and PromoWest Productions of Columbus announce a plan to build Polaris Amphitheater on 80 acres in southern Delaware County; the land is purchased for $50,000 per acre.

June 18, 1994 -- Achy Breaky Heart singer Billy Ray Cyrus performs the first concert.

September 1994 -- Westerville officials say nine concerts during the amphitheater's first year could be heard from 2 miles away, exceeding the city's noise-ordinance limits.

1994 to 1997 -- Polaris hosts 38 to 40 concerts each year, including the Eagles, Metallica, Lollapalooza, Janet Jackson, Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett, AC/DC and Tina Turner.

June 17, 1997 -- Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo announces from the stage that Ozzfest namesake Ozzy Osbourne will not perform; some of the 18,000 fans hurl bottles and sod at the stage, smash ticket-office windows, overturn cars and set brush fires.

Sept. 16, 2002 -- Aerosmith and Run-DMC play the final show in Polaris Amphitheater.

Feb. 18, 2003 -- Germain Motor Co. announces it has bought naming rights to Polaris Amphitheater.

May 14, 2003 -- ZZ Top and Ted Nugent play the first show in newly named Germain Amphitheater.

June 15, 2005 -- After years of disputes, Westerville and Polaris Concerts Inc. agree that the city will monitor noise levels during concerts.

Dec. 21, 2006 -- Live Nation, the Los Angeles entertainment company that owns Germain Amphitheater, announces the venue is for sale; real-estate brokers estimate the land is worth $500,000 per acre.

May 19, 2007 -- Brooks & Dunn play the first show of what could be Germain's final season.

Tonight -- Toby Keith, who has played the venue every year since 2002, is to play the final concert of the year. It would be the ninth concert at Germain this year, a record low for the venue.

ColDayMan · « **Reply #71 on:** July 16, 2008, 02:04:08 PM »

Retailers, restaurants line up to join roster at Polaris outdoor center

The roster of retailers and restaurants is rounding out for Glimcher Realty Trust's $45 million outdoor lifestyle center addition at Polaris Fashion Place. Most of the merchants are expected to arrive by fall. The center will offer a mix of stores and dining places both familiar and new to the city.

Angela Krumpelman, Polaris' marketing director, said the 160,000-square-foot lifestyle center, under construction where a Kaufmann's department store once sat, gives Fashion Place some shopping and restaurant tenants that would not consider locating in a traditional enclosed mall, including: Destination Maternity, a superstore that combines Philadelphia-based Mothers Work Inc.'s A Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity and Motherhood Maternity stores in one space. The Pub, a British-style bar owned by Cincinnati-based Tavern Restaurant Group Inc. Benihana, an upscale Japanese cuisine and sushi restaurant.

Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/07/14/story8.html?b=1216008000^1667527

GCrites80s · « **Reply #72 on:** July 17, 2008, 05:12:06 AM »

Quote from: ColDayMan on July 16, 2008, 02:04:08 PM

Retailers, restaurants line up to join roster at Polaris outdoor center

The Pub, a British-style bar owned by Cincinnati-based Tavern Restaurant Group Inc.

http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/07/14/story8.html?b=1216008000^1667527

I like The Pub here in Cincinnati at Rookwood. However, something in me gets disturbed when I see a bar open in an area where 99% of patrons will leave by automobile. I must be getting old.

gotribe · « **Reply #73 on:** July 17, 2008, 07:30:06 AM »

Wonder what the walk score is at this place?

mrnyc · « **Reply #74 on:** July 17, 2008, 07:31:10 AM »

^ maybe, but that bothers me too!

so that's the same one going into (or that went into by now?) the greene in dayton too, right? it was under construction when i saw it last summer, but from the renderings it looked like a nice pub/tavern joint.

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #75 on:** July 17, 2008, 12:26:16 PM »

Quote from: gotribe on July 17, 2008, 07:30:06 AM

Wonder what the walk score is at this place?

For what it's worth, a 69, or "Somewhat Walkable." Proof that Walkscore ignores little details like "sidewalks."

http://www.walkscore.com/get-score.php?street=1550+polaris+parkway%2C+columbus+ohio+43240&go=Go

mrnyc · « **Reply #76 on:** July 18, 2008, 06:11:15 AM »

that's crazy, i swear you get like 10pts just for having a movie theater.

Jeffrey · « **Reply #77 on:** July 18, 2008, 02:12:45 PM »

Quote

so that's the same one going into (or that went into by now?) the greene in dayton too, right? it was under construction when i saw it last summer, but from the renderings it looked like a nice pub/tavern joint

Yep, its open now. I still like the original concept "Nicholsons" in Cincy better.

So Glimcher is doing a Dayton Mall lifestyle tack-on to Polaris. The one here is pretty sad (and not fully leased).

Columbo · « **Reply #78 on:** August 11, 2008, 01:41:08 AM »

Polaris with the top down
Outdoor addition, opening this fall, lures big retailers
Sunday, August 10, 2008 - 3:46 AM
By Marla Matzer Rose
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Polaris Fashion Place will join the open-air trend in retailing this fall when the 8-year-old enclosed mall opens the first of two major sections of its "lifestyle center." Several of the tenants, including the already-open Cheesecake Factory restaurant, also can be found at nearby rival Easton Town Center.

But don't tell Polaris developer Michael Glimcher that he's mimicking Easton. "There were outdoor shopping centers even before the moniker existed," said Glimcher, chairman and chief executive of Glimcher Realty Trust. "A shopping center like (the Shops on) Lane Avenue was a lifestyle center before the moniker existed. The Continent (on the North Side) was ahead of its time. It's not a new idea, and we're still happy to have the enclosed mall. I think we're just giving people more and more reasons to come to Polaris."

Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/08/10/polaris_lifestyle.ART_ART_08-10-08_D1_7JAVDIE.html?sid=101

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #79 on:** August 11, 2008, 02:24:03 AM »

With this new lifestyle center development, walkscore.com will have to completely recalibrate its ratings system.

Walkers Valhalla.

Columbo · « **Reply #80 on:** August 26, 2008, 05:05:21 AM »

Quote from: kingfish out of water on August 11, 2008, 02:24:03 AM

With this new lifestyle center development, walkscore.com will have to completely recalibrate its ratings system.

Walkers Valhalla.

Here's an aerial photo of the former Bank One (now JPMorgan Chase) McCoy Center near the Polaris Mall. Posted from the Dispatch story "Chase thriving in region: Bank One merger wasn't doomsday for local jobs -- in fact, quite the opposite" at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/08/24/chase.ART_ART_08-24-08_D1_JTB3PNK.html?sid=101.

Also posted in Columbus: Economy and Market News at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,14096.msg319633.html#msg319633.

Chase Bank is great for the overall employment in the Central Ohio region. And the McCoy Center is its employment hub. But as for the building complex itself just read the caption for the below aerial photo:

"The $242 million McCoy Center is just west of Polaris Fashion Place. It includes a gift shop, Starbucks, dry cleaners, nurse’s station, two cafeterias and a place to get a massage."

Walkers Valhalla indeed!

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #81 on:** August 26, 2008, 05:20:49 AM »

And a Parker's Paradise to boot.

UrbanSurfin · « **Reply #82 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:32:49 AM »

Quote from: kingfish out of water on August 11, 2008, 02:24:03 AM

With this new lifestyle center development, walkscore.com will have to completely recalibrate its ratings system.

Walkers Valhalla.

I just compared the Polaris Walkscore to my Clintonville Walkscore (I live a couple blocks from the ravine -- Valkers Walhalla), and Polaris beat me by three points. What a joke. A major bug in the system, fly in the ointment, monkey wrench in the works.

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #83 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:36:17 AM »

^And the gold standard for any newspaper and magazine article about the walking craze.

jam40jeff · « **Reply #84 on:** August 26, 2008, 07:06:51 AM »

I would say the walking score only applies to areas that are already deemed walkable. In other words, it doesn't determine how easy or safe it is to walk around, simply what variety of things there are to walk in a short distance assuming those distances are feasible (in other words, you don't have to walk a half mile out opf the way and wait to cross a 9-lane highway without using sidewalks the entire route). Thus, if the walks are not feasible, the whole assumption goes out the window and the walk score is invalid.

UrbanSurfin · « **Reply #85 on:** August 26, 2008, 07:47:54 AM »

On one hand, Walkscore's Website gives a definition of "walkability" that is the antithesis of Polaris. On the other hand, the site also offers a few caveats that you could not only walk through, but drive a truck through:

How It Doesn't Work: Known Issues with Walk Score

We'll be the first to admit that Walk Score is just an approximation of walkability. There are a number of factors that contribute to walkability that are not part of our algorithm:

* Public transit: Good public transit is important for walkable neighborhoods.
* Street width and block length: Narrow streets slow down traffic. Short blocks provide more routes to the same destination and make it easier to take a direct route.
* Street design: Sidewalks and safe crossings are essential to walkability. Appropriate automobile speeds, trees, and other features also help.
* Safety from crime and crashes: How much crime is in the neighborhood? How many traffic accidents are there? Are streets well-lit?
* Pedestrian-friendly community design: Are buildings close to the sidewalk with parking in back? Are destinations clustered together?
* Topography: Hills can make walking difficult, especially if you're carrying groceries.
* Freeways and bodies of water: Freeways can divide neighborhoods. Swimming is harder than walking.
* Weather: In some places it's just too hot or cold to walk regularly.

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #86 on:** August 26, 2008, 07:56:30 AM »

My apologies for helping to steer this into yet another Walkscore stitch and bitch session. Please continue the conversation here: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,13526.0.html and let this thread get back to the awful, awful topic of Polaris Developments.

Columbo · « **Reply #87 on:** October 30, 2008, 02:40:14 AM »

One by one, pieces of Polaris mall's outdoor area opening
Barnes & Noble this week will join a number of stores already open, with several more coming soon
By GARTH BISHOP, COLUMBUS LOCAL NEWS
Published: Thursday, October 30, 2008 - 9:07 AM EDT

With seven stores now open or set to open in the next few days, the new outdoor section of Polaris Fashion Place is moving forward at a rapid clip. During the past few weeks, three additions to the mall's open-air experience have opened their doors to customers: clothing stores Destination Maternity, New Balance and Godfrys.

The next store to open in the mall's "lifestyle center" is Barnes & Noble, which was to make its debut today, Oct. 29. With the opening of the larger new store, the Barnes & Noble across the street at 1285 Polaris Parkway will close. Two other businesses also are expected to open this week: Schakolad Chocolate Factory, which moves outside from a location inside the mall's indoor section, and Ohio State University memorabilia store Buckeye Corner.

Read more at: http://www.columbuslocalnews.com/articles/2008/10/30/delaware_news/business/deallpolar_20081028_0226pm_1.txt

Columbo · « **Reply #88 on:** December 29, 2008, 04:57:00 PM »

LIFESTYLE-CENTER PROJECT
More tenants on track to open at Polaris in '09
Sunday, December 28, 2008 - 3:33 AM

Dave & Buster's plans to open its second central Ohio location in late spring at Polaris Fashion Place's new lifestyle-center addition, which is quickly filling up after making its debut this year. Dave & Buster's has leased about 17,000 square feet for a prototype restaurant and arcade at the center, said Polaris Fashion Place spokeswoman Angela Krumpelman. Its location at Mill Run in Hilliard, which opened a decade ago, is twice that size.

It will be one of about a dozen tenants at the 160,000-square-foot outdoor part of the Polaris mall. Glimcher Realty Trust added the lifestyle center on the site of former mall anchor Kaufmann's, which closed in 2006. By late December, Glimcher had commitments for 90 percent of the new center, Krumpelman said. Cheesecake Factory opened in June and has been joined by Barnes & Noble, Destination Maternity, Buckeye Corner, New Balance, Godfrys and Schakolad.

Read more at http://dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/12/28/Polaris_lifestyle.ART_ART_12-28-08_D1_JKCB4UQ.html?sid=101

Columbo · « **Reply #89 on:** January 23, 2009, 02:47:09 AM »

Plans for 309 apartments might drive out golfers
Thursday, January 22, 2009 - 3:21 AM
By Mike Pramik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A Detroit apartment developer wants to turn a driving range at Polaris into a residential community by next summer. Edward Rose Properties is working with NP Limited, developer of the area known as the Polaris Centers of Commerce, to acquire 18 acres of land at the Golf Centers of Polaris, where it would build 309 apartments. Edward Rose is asking Columbus to rezone the land from commercial to residential use.

It would end a 20-year run for the location as a driving range, said Tom Brock, one of the owners of Golf Centers of Polaris. If the deal works out, Edward Rose would begin construction in the fall, so the driving range would remain open through this summer.

Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2009/01/22/Polaris_apartments.ART_ART_01-22-09_C8_EJCKS1B.html?sid=101

kingfish out of water · « **Reply #90 on:** January 23, 2009, 03:29:25 AM »

That's BS! I hate golf but I LOVE driving ranges.

Columbo · « **Reply #91 on:** August 03, 2010, 04:29:14 AM »

A little late on posting this. The Apple store opened at Polaris on July 24. But here it is.

Apple opening Polaris store
Business First of Columbus
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Columbus is getting its second bite at an Apple Inc. retail store this weekend. The Cupertino, Calif.-based technology giant said Tuesday that a grand opening for its new Polaris Fashion Place location is set for Saturday at 10 a.m. A representative with Polaris owner Glimcher Realty Trust said Apple is moving into space on the mall’s lower level, opened up as retailer Gap Inc. reconfigured and downsized its presence there.

The new Polaris store joins a location at Easton Town Center in Columbus, along with three others in the state. More information on Apple’s retail stores is available by clicking here.

Full article: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/07/19/daily9.html

Columbo · « **Reply #92 on:** January 19, 2012, 02:26:04 AM »

Germain Amphitheater site sold for redevelopment
By Brian R. Ball, Business First staff reporter
Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 4:07pm EST
Last Modified: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 6:49pm EST

It’s been more than four years since the music died at Germain Amphitheater, and now the final nail may be driven into the coffin of the dilapidated site.

Polaris Centers of Commerce developer NP Ltd. on Tuesday bought back the once-thriving venue from concert promoter Live Nation Inc. for $5.5 million, plus $1 million in taxes, consulting fees and other costs. Live Nation put the property on the market in late 2006 for an estimated $17 million after announcing the amphitheater would close after the 2007 summer concert season.

Franz Geiger, managing director of NP, which originally sold the land in 1993 for $4.15 million, said the 91 acres can be used for a variety of redevelopment projects, including a corporate campus or a mixed-use development featuring offices, retail and other tenants.

MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/01/18/germain-amphitheater-getting-chance-at.html

ColDayMan · « **Reply #93 on:** February 16, 2012, 08:18:03 AM »

Cabela's to open 1st Ohio store at Polaris

Cabela’s Inc. plans to open its first store in Ohio at Polaris.

The iconic hunting, fishing and camping equipment retailer said Feb. 16 it has picked a spot along Gemini Parkway west of Interstate 71 for a store expected to open in spring next year. At 80,000 square feet, the store would be a smaller version of the superstores on which Cabela’s (NYSE:CAB) launched its reputation. It will have about 175 full- and part-time employees.

“We have so many great customers in the Buckeye State who share our passion for the outdoors, who live the Cabela’s lifestyle, we wanted to build this store to better serve them,” Cabela’s CEO Tommy Millner said in a statement. “Generations of Ohioans have been loyal Cabela’s customers and now, with this store, they will be able to really share in the Cabela’s shopping experience.”

Full story below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/02/16/cabelas-to-open-1st-ohio-store-at.html

ColDayMan · « **Reply #94 on:** February 24, 2012, 07:27:18 AM »

H&M’s pending arrival at Polaris prompting moves, renovations
By Brian R. Ball, Staff reporter- Business First
February 24, 2012, 6:00am EST

Glimcher Realty Trust has started preparing Polaris Fashion Place for retailer H&M’s third area store as a few tenants move to make room at the shopping mall.

H&M, a nameplate of Sweden’s Hennes & Mauritz AB, will take 22,000 square feet spread across two levels where the mall opens to its open-air lifestyle section. The store is expected to open in late July or early August. About two-thirds of the store will be on the upper level, where the mall currently dead-ends at an escalator.

H&M opened a 12,000-square-foot store at the Mall at Tuttle Crossing in 2005 and a store in Easton Town Center in 2010.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/02/24/hms-pending-arrival-at-polaris.html

Columbo · « **Reply #95 on:** June 04, 2012, 04:44:48 AM »

More news about Germain Amphitheater up at Polaris. The closed amphitheater has been demolished. Business First reported on the demolition. A poster at Columbus Underground posted a link to a webcam that documented its demolition.

Business First: Germain Amphitheater coming down

Webcam: Germain Amphitheater Demolition

And after the demolition, planning is underway for future uses on the Germain Amphitheater site:

This Week News: MORPC looks at future of old amphitheater site

Columbo · « **Reply #96 on:** January 17, 2013, 04:25:25 AM »

Star Lanes bowling alley taking over closed Circuit City at Polaris
By Brian R. Ball, Staff reporter
Business First - Dec 21, 2012, 2:36pm EST

A boutique bowling alley and event center plans to open in the vacant Circuit City store at Polaris in north Columbus. Brothers Doug and Jeff Mechling and their father, Mike, expect to open Star Lanes Polaris by April after they spend about $1.5 million renovating the 35,000-square-foot property. The building was left empty four years ago after Circuit City, mired in financial troubles, closed it.

The complex will offer 20 lanes, including six that can be reserved for corporate gatherings or birthday parties. Star Lanes will operate a restaurant, private lounges, pool room, a 35-foot-long bar and a game arcade.

California-based Lucky Strike Entertainment, which operates or manages 20 boutique bowling and entertainment centers in 12 states and Canada, will manage operations of Star Lanes as the Mechlings work the business side. The Polaris location will be the company's first in Ohio, although a Star Lanes bowling center operates at Newport on the Levee, a retail and entertainment development in northern Kentucky, across the Ohio River from Cincinnati.

READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/12/21/star-lanes-bowling-alley-taking-over.html

Columbo · « **Reply #97 on:** January 17, 2013, 04:28:14 AM »

Cabela’s announces March opening for Polaris store
Dan Eaton, Staff reporter
Business First - Jan 10, 2013, 12:11pm EST

Cabela’s Inc. will open March 7. The Sidney, Neb.-based destination retailer of outdoor, hunting and fishing accoutrements Thursday disclosed the opening date for its Columbus store at 1650 Gemini Place in the Polaris area.

The 80,000-square-foot store will be Cabela’s first in Ohio and has been in the works for a year. The chain has shops just over the state borders in Wheeling, W.Va., and Dundee, Mich.

READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2013/01/10/cabelas-announces-march-opening-for.html

Columbo · « **Reply #98 on:** March 28, 2013, 01:12:57 PM »

Two pieces of development news for the Polaris area. One has been reported previously and is not very surprising for the Polaris area. The other has not been reported previously and is very surprising for the Polaris area.

First, the previously reported and not surprising news: Cabela's. An overview of the first Cabela's store in Ohio and a slideshow of the "Disneeland for outdoorsmen" from Columbus Business First at the links below: (Moderator note: The mis-spelling of 'Disneeland in this post is intentional. Our spam filter blocks out the proper spelling of 'Disneeland' due to multiple and on-going spam posts here at Urban Ohio. The actual Business First reports have the proper spelling.)

Business First Article: Cabela’s at Polaris relatively small, but product selection’s not, officials promise

Business First Slideshow: Cabela’s offers ‘Disneeland’ for outdoors enthusiasts

Columbo · « **Reply #99 on:** March 28, 2013, 01:13:16 PM »

Now, the previously unreported and surprising news for the Polaris area:

270-Unit Apartment Building Planned for Polaris
By: Brent Warren, Columbus Underground
Published on March 26, 2013 - 12:50 pm

Kaufman Development, which hopes to have its 600 Goodale project near Grandview completed by this summer, is set to break ground soon on another five-story apartment building, this one in the Polaris area. The project, to be called 801 Polaris, will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The 270 apartments will have a total of 368 bedrooms, with parking in an attached garage for 378 cars.
(. . .)
The project will sit on nearly seven acres on the south side of Polaris Parkway, just east of Old State Road. Construction is scheduled to start on April 1, with an expected October completion date.

http://www.columbusunderground.com/270-unit-apartment-building-planned-for-polaris-bw1

Columbo · « **Reply #100 on:** March 28, 2013, 01:34:34 PM »

Well, I came across a little more about Kaufman Development's 270-unit Polaris apartment building from Business First. Unfortunately, it is a subscription-required article. But here's the main gist about the Kaufman project and other Polaris-area apartment projects mentioned in the article in the below excerpt. Plus there's another rendering:

Kaufman joins rental rush with Polaris development
By Brian R. Ball, Staff reporter
Business First - Mar 15, 2013, 6:00am EDT
Updated: Mar 21, 2013, 6:55pm EDT

Kaufman Development has started building a 270-unit apartment project in the Polaris area, fast becoming a popular spot for rental development. The Columbus company’s 801 Polaris will go up on nearly 7 acres at Polaris Parkway and South Old State Road wrapping around a CVS Pharmacy, along with a 450-slot parking garage on five levels.
(. . .)
Kaufman is moving into a market coveted by apartment developers. About 800 apartments are under construction there, led by 309 units being built by the Indianapolis-based division of Edwards Rose & Sons. It expects to finish the Avenue at Polaris apartments, near Sancus Boulevard and Lazelle Road, this summer.

Meanwhile, NP expects the first units at its 224-apartment Polaris Place to open this spring, and Westerville-based Metro Development has started on a second 264-unit phase of its Residences at Northpark Place off Gemini Place, north of Polaris Fashion Place mall.

Also, Columbus-based Schottenstein Real Estate Group has 204 apartments planned for Old State Road north of Polaris Parkway, and NP is seeking final development approval from Westerville for the first 250 apartments of a 504-unit complex off Polaris Parkway in the Westar development.

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2013/03/15/kaufman-joins-rental-rush-with-polaris.html?page=all