Author Topic: Columbus: Random Development News & Info (Read 219173 times)

Columbo · « **Reply #1085 on:** November 19, 2012, 02:53:27 PM »

In 2010, a new plan for Downtown development was put together by the City of Columbus and its downtown development agency, the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation. There was a separate thread about the 2010 Plan here at Urban Ohio. To execute some of these initiatives, a working document known as the “Downtown Action Plan” has been assembled to guide public infrastructure projects that fall under the helm of the Columbus Department of Public Service.

Columbus Underground recently had an in-depth, three-part interview with the City Administrator tasked to implement these projects through the Downtown Action Plan. Below are links to the three parts of this interview at Columbus Underground:

How the Downtown Action Plan will Change Columbus: Part 1

How the Downtown Action Plan will Change Columbus: Part 2

How the Downtown Action Plan will Change Columbus: Part 3

Columbo · « **Reply #1086 on:** November 19, 2012, 03:07:23 PM »

One of projects in the Downtown Action Plan was to install new parking meters and to return on-street parking along High Street in the downtown. Decades ago on-street parking on High Street in downtown was removed to accommodate COTA buses. Now a total of 120 parking meters will be installed on High Street between Goodale Street and Mound Street by the summer of 2013.

Today, the first set of 30 new Downtown parking meters has been installed and has become operational. These new High Street spaces will not allow parking during weekday rush hours of 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm. These parking restrictions are designed to allow buses to more easily commute along the High Street corridor during these peak hours. More about this from Columbus Underground and Columbus Dispatch:

Columbus Underground: Downtown High Street Parking Meters Installed

Columbus Dispatch: High Street parking meters going live today

jaymillah · « **Reply #1087 on:** November 20, 2012, 08:52:30 AM »

Business First published an update on the Westminster-Thurber 7 story addition that's been quiet for a while. Good news is that it's still moving forward despite some tougher economic times for the community's owner, possible groundbreaking in the spring as long as 10 more Seniors put deposits down... still wish that the original 14 story version was moving ahead for the sake of our skyline but 7 is better than a parking lot!

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/11/20/westminster-thurber-on-track-for.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2012-11-20

Columbo · « **Reply #1088 on:** November 28, 2012, 02:20:51 AM »

Business First ran a feature on the Benchmark Apartments that are opening at the corner of Kenny & Henderson Roads in northwest Columbus. Benchmark is a nine-building 108-unit apartment complex on 4 acres at this corner site. This site was previously a retail shopping center known as the Benchmark Center. Below is a link to the Business First (unfortunatly subscription only for the full article):

Building goodwill via infill – Benchmark apartments designed with environment in mind

Below are some photos from the Benchmark Apartments website, Benchmark facebook page and a MetroRentals leasing page of the project. The first photo showing a distant panorama of all the nine buildings at Kenny & Henderson is a summer construction photo from an earlier update. The rest of the close-up photos are more recent:

GCrites80s · « **Reply #1089 on:** December 04, 2012, 04:21:41 AM »

I wonder if anybody is going to move in here specifically to be able to walk to Kahoot's.

BUCKEYE54 · « **Reply #1090 on:** December 04, 2012, 09:37:26 AM »

Quote from: GCrites80s on December 04, 2012, 04:21:41 AM

I wonder if anybody is going to move in here specifically to be able to walk to Kahoot's.

Haha! Anytime I hear kahoots I think of a guy I used to work with, who was a surfer dude type character. Every friday before we'd leave he'd corner me and say" Hey brah, wanna go to kahooots?" I never did. Lots of family emergencies.

Columbo · « **Reply #1091 on:** December 11, 2012, 06:36:15 AM »

^That sounds like the Kahoot's demographic all right! Not so much the Benchmark demographic though.

Columbo · « **Reply #1092 on:** December 12, 2012, 06:55:23 AM »

Quote from: Columbo on June 29, 2012, 04:00:25 AM

The above two buildings at 620 E. Broad Street and 630 E. Broad Street received an Historic Preservation Tax Credit Award from the state. The two buildings are located on the north side of Broad Street and are immediately west of I-71. Just barely within the downtown district and across I-71 from the Olde Towne East neighborhood. Below is the press release from the Ohio Department of Development:

From the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Awards press release:

620-30 East Broad (Columbus, Franklin County)
· Total Project Cost: $2,203,539
· Total Tax Credit: $313,145
· Address: 620-30 East Broad Street, 43215
Originally constructed as private mansions, 620-30 East Broad was converted to office space in the 1920's to house the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation which later spawned Nationwide Insurance. Now largely vacant, the buildings will be rehabilitated to address deferred maintenance needs and install necessary upgrades to support new commercial office tenants. The project is expected to create 25 permanent jobs.

One of the two mansions at 620 & 630 E. Broad Street that received state historic tax credits is being occupied. Below is an article from Business First about the 630 E. Broad Street gaining an office tenant. According to the article, the renovations to the 620 E. Broad Street property will continue into 2013.

Business First: Vending company takes up residence in historic Rodgers mansion on East Broad

Columbo · « **Reply #1093 on:** December 14, 2012, 07:56:56 AM »

As the new Giant Eagle supermarket begins construction along W. Third Avenue in the Grandview Yard development, the project is having an impact beyond just its own construction. Two existing nearby supermarkets are being impacted. Below are two articles from Business First about this.

The first talks about an existing 72,250 sq. ft. Kroger supermarket within one mile of the new 92,000 sq. ft. Giant Eagle getting a 19,100 sq. ft. addition. The second talks about the existing nearby 67,000 sq. ft. Giant Eagle on W. Fifth Avenue being sold ahead of the new Grandview Yard supermarket opening:

Giant Eagle at Grandview Yard getting bulked-up Kroger rival supermarket

Giant Eagle on Fifth Avenue sold ahead of Grandview Yard opening

Columbo · « **Reply #1094 on:** December 17, 2012, 02:50:15 AM »

A different type of supermarket is going into the city's evolving "international district" in the Morse Road/SR 161/Northland area. Below is a link to a ThisWeekNews article about Saraga International Grocery opening at 1265 Morse Road in what was once a Toys R Us store. The 40,000 sq. ft. supermarket will import food and produce from five different continents. The new store at Morse Road will be the third Saraga International Grocery in the U.S., and the first in Ohio.

ThisWeekNews: World market: Grocery selection spans globe at Saraga

subocincy · « **Reply #1095 on:** December 17, 2012, 03:36:42 AM »

^ Really good news--most certainly an innovative store worth keeping an eye on for many reasons! Hopefully the owner can overcome any problems that might arise with the store's completion, and its success be closely studied not only by the food industry in Columbus, but by food retailers throughout Ohio.

Columbo · « **Reply #1096 on:** December 21, 2012, 03:00:25 AM »

Another big box renovation might be coming to the Morse Road corridor. The former Kohl's store at 1700 Morse Road might become the new headquarters for the Franklin County Board of Elections. According to the ThisWeekNews article linked below, County officials would like to consolidate their operations at the Morse Road location. Office space would be moved from a downtown location shared with other county departments - and stored voting machines would be moved from rented warehouse space.

This location is east of the international grocery going into a renovated Toys R Us store and directly across the street from Northland Village, the redeveloped former Northland Mall site. The location also has a history with County Broad of Elections. The former Kohl's store at 1700 Morse Road served as the county's 2012 early voting center in the weeks leading up to Nov. 6.

ThisWeekNews: Move to Morse Road depends on commissioners

Columbo · « **Reply #1097 on:** December 27, 2012, 05:08:21 AM »

An excellent look back from Columbus Underground at urban development projects and construction in Columbus and central Ohio that took place in 2012. The projects were broken down into four categories: Development Projects Completed in 2012, Development Under Construction in 2012, Development Projects Announced in 2012 and Urban Planning for 2015 and Beyond. The full list with addition project information at the CU link below:

CU: 2012 Year in Review: Urban Development

Development Projects Completed in 2012: Lots of big projects wrapped up construction in 2012 - like the $800 million expansion of the Nationwide Children's Hospital, the $400 million Columbus Hollywood Casino and the $140 million Downtown Hilton Hotel. Noteable smaller projects were the recently finished Nationwide Office Building, FBI Building and McConnell Parking Garage in the Arena District, The Charles mixed-use building on East Long Street in the King-Lincoln District and the Rich Street Bridge in the downtown Scioto Mile.

Development Under Construction in 2012: Tons of apartment projects broke ground in 2012 - like a new phase of the Neighborhood Launch development and 600 Goodale downtown, the Flats II in the Arena District, the HighPoint at Columbus Commons, a second phase of Liberty Place and the 570 Lofts in the Brewery District, a second phase of Lennox Flats, a new four-story apartment building in Harrison West, and three new apartment buildings in Grandview Yard. As well as projects in the red-hot neighborhoods next to the Short North - like the Hubbard, Wonderbread Lofts, Wood Companies building, Yankee Trader building, Astor Place and Leafydale.

Projects breaking ground on the non-residential side were the new Columbia Gas Headquarters in the Arena District, the massive Joseph hotel/office/parking garage development in the Short North, the even more massive OSU Medical Center Tower, a mixed-use redevelopment of the LeVeque Tower, a new Giant Eagle at Grandview Yard and a new mixed-use development on Lane Avenue in Upper Arlington. Major public works projects include the continuing I-71/I-670 reconstruction and the removal of the Fifth Avenue Dam that will reshape the Olentangy River.

Development Projects Announced in 2012: Some projects announced but not yet begun in 2012 were the massive Jeffrey Park residential project in Italian Village, redevelopment of the Fireproof Building in the Short North, new Art Lofts and headquarters for Orange Barrel Media in Franklinton, and a new seven-story mixed-use building next to Columbus Commons downtown.

Urban Planning for 2015 and Beyond: Columbus undertook several master planning efforts like the East Franklinton Plan, the Scioto Peninsula Plan and the PACT Plan for the Near East Side. Dublin finished its radical revisioning of itself called the Bridge Street Corridor. Ohio State University announced its North Campus Residential Plan that would rework the dorms for over 3,000 existing students and create new space for an additional 3,000 students. Columbus College of Art and Design announced a master plan to add new dormitories and classroom buildings to their Downtown campus.

Columbo · « **Reply #1098 on:** December 30, 2012, 08:15:36 AM »

The State of Ohio's Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program announced their latest round tax credit awards earlier this month. The city of Columbus came out pretty well, getting four projects awarded. The smallest of the four projects awarded was the renovation a Second Empire mansion at 380 E. Town Street into three apartment units. Below is the text of the announcement from the Ohio Development Services Agency press release and a 2010 photo of the building from the Franklin County Auditor's GIS website:

Lazarus House Apartments (Columbus, Franklin County)

Total Project Cost: $265,860
Total Tax Credit: $46,195
Address: 380 East Town Street, 43215

A Second Empire mansion dating to the 1880’s, the Lazarus House Apartments was once the home of Fred Lazarus, one of the partners in the F&R Lazarus Company, which operated the famous Lazarus Department Store. Now severely deteriorated, the property will be renovated into three market-rate apartment units.

Columbo · « **Reply #1099 on:** December 31, 2012, 02:53:02 AM »

Quote from: Columbo on December 12, 2012, 06:55:23 AM

Quote from: Columbo on June 29, 2012, 04:00:25 AM

The above two buildings at 620 E. Broad Street and 630 E. Broad Street received an Historic Preservation Tax Credit Award from the state. The two buildings are located on the north side of Broad Street and are immediately west of I-71. Just barely within the downtown district and across I-71 from the Olde Towne East neighborhood. Below is the press release from the Ohio Department of Development:

From the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Awards press release:

620-30 East Broad (Columbus, Franklin County)
· Total Project Cost: $2,203,539
· Total Tax Credit: $313,145
· Address: 620-30 East Broad Street, 43215
Originally constructed as private mansions, 620-30 East Broad was converted to office space in the 1920's to house the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation which later spawned Nationwide Insurance. Now largely vacant, the buildings will be rehabilitated to address deferred maintenance needs and install necessary upgrades to support new commercial office tenants. The project is expected to create 25 permanent jobs.

One of the two mansions at 620 & 630 E. Broad Street that received state historic tax credits is being occupied. Below is an article from Business First about the 630 E. Broad Street gaining an office tenant. According to the article, the renovations to the 620 E. Broad Street property will continue into 2013.

Business First: Vending company takes up residence in historic Rodgers mansion on East Broad

More about the vending machine company that bought and restored the two historic mansions at 620 & 630 E. Broad Street at the eastern edge of downtown next to I-71 in last Sunday's Dispatch:

Columbus Dispatch: 19th century mansion restored for company’s local offices

Columbo · « **Reply #1100 on:** January 09, 2013, 02:44:12 AM »

SWACO signs Florida recycler to develop 340-acre industrial park
Business First by Carrie Ghose, Staff reporter
Date: Tuesday, January 8, 2013, 1:47pm EST

The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio is to vote Tuesday on land leases that would bring a $300 million investment and 300 jobs from a Florida company that intends to build a trash-to-cash industrial park across from the Franklin County landfill.

Team Gemini LLC, a developer based in Orlando, announced it will build a receiving center at a new landfill entry off London Groveport Road to sort reusable and recyclable material from incoming loads of garbage and become the anchor tenant in a 340-acre industrial park across the road, to be named Gemini Synergy Center.

Team Gemini plans to become the anchor tenant in the industrial park and has assembled a consortium of companies that will locate there to make recycled products and benefit from energy created from the waste stream. The four years’ worth of construction are expected to require 500 workers.

READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2013/01/08/swaco-signs-florida-recycler-to.html

Columbo · « **Reply #1101 on:** January 09, 2013, 02:53:42 AM »

More about this development from Columbus Underground:

SWACO Announces Renewable Energy Industrial Park
By: Walker Evans, Columbus Underground
Published on January 8, 2013 - 9:50 pm

The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) Board of Trustees voted today to approve a transformational new initiative that would shift the duties of the organization away from landfill management operations toward recycling efforts and the creation of renewable energy. SWACO entered into agreements today with Team Gemini, an Orlando-based sustainable project design firm, to develop a new receiving facility, recycling center and industrial park on 365 acres of land adjacent to the Franklin County Landfill south of Grove City.

Gemini will be required to build and operate a new Material Recovery Facility that will recycle a minimum of 1,000 tons of waste per day that would otherwise be headed to the landfill. SWACO will be paid $4.81/ton for the material in addition to existing tipping fees paid by material haulers at the gate. The new recycling facility is expected to be operational sometime in 2014.

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/swaco-announces-renewable-energy-industrial-park

Columbo · « **Reply #1102 on:** February 03, 2013, 04:11:03 AM »

Two recent articles about plans to modify two expensive sewer tunnels mandated by the EPA to fix combined sewer overflow problems in the city. The city is looking at propsals to lessen rainwater drainage into these combined sewers as an alternative to the sewer tunnels. Below is an excerpt from a Dispatch article and a link to a ThisWeekNews article about this. The Dispatch article also has a map of where the two proposed tunnels would go and where an tunnel is currently being constructed underneath the downtown area.

Sewer-tunnels plan might get streamlined
New techniques to handle heavy rain could change plans for two
By Jeb Phillips, The Columbus Dispatch
Friday, January 18, 2013 - 5:02 AM

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is allowing Columbus to delay construction of the second of three huge tunnels while the city looks for ways to make a mandated, 40-year plan to stop sewage overflows a little greener. A total of 18 engineering proposals for pilot projects in Clintonville and the South Side were submitted to the city by last week’s deadline. If those and other projects go well, Columbus could reduce the scale of the two tunnels or eliminate them altogether.

The city announced plans in 2005 to fix sewer overflows after two settlements with the state. Water from heavy rainstorms seeps into old sanitary sewer lines, overwhelming them and forcing sewage into the Scioto River and other waterways. Together with sewage-plant upgrades and other work, the tunnels make up the largest public-works project in the city’s history.

The city’s $2.5 billion proposal included building three deep tunnels. One, from the Jackson Pike wastewater-treatment plant to near the Arena District, already is under construction to carry rainwater and sewage. The two other tunnels designed to carry sewage only — a 14-mile-long one along Alum Creek and an 11-mile-long one along the Olentangy River — could be changed. Construction on the Alum Creek tunnel was set to begin in 2014. The Olentangy tunnel project would follow. The Ohio EPA is giving the city until 2015 to present a plan for improvements.

READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/01/18/sewer-tunnels-plan-might-get-streamlined.html

ThisWeekNews: Costly tunnel for sewage? Alternative sought here -- Clintonville's old system fills river during heavy rains; EPA looking for creative, less-expensive solutions

Columbo · « **Reply #1103 on:** February 08, 2013, 06:30:00 AM »

Driftwood finishes Sheraton renovations, readies DoubleTree improvements
By Brian R. Ball, Staff reporter
Business First - Jan 18, 2013, 2:58pm EST

Driftwood Hospitality Management LLC has completed renovations at its Sheraton Columbus at Capitol Square as it plans for $6.5 million in upgrades to the DoubleTree Suites it bought in November.

Florida-based Driftwood purchased the former Hyatt on Capitol Square in September 2011 and rebranded it a Sheraton, pumping $9.5 million of improvements into the hotel.

READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2013/01/driftwood-finishes-sheraton.html

Columbo · « **Reply #1104 on:** February 08, 2013, 06:38:15 AM »

Two reports about the City's Development Director being appointed by Mayor Coleman to serve as the Executive Director of the Columbus Next Generation Development Corporation. This would be a private, non-profit redevelopment agency charged with promoting housing, economic and commercial development projects within the city:

Columbus Underground: Boyce Safford to Lead New Urban Development Effort

Business First: Safford to head city’s Next Generation urban development agency

Columbo · « **Reply #1105 on:** February 09, 2013, 03:38:43 AM »

Northwest Career Center bought in redevelopment bid
By Brian R. Ball, Staff reporter
Business First - Feb 1, 2013, 6:00am EST

Former Klingbeil Capital Management executive Jim Schrim plans to redevelop the shuttered Northwest Career Center off Sawmill Road in Columbus. Schrim’s Wills Creek Capital Management LLC put the 93,000-square-foot, 16-acre vocational school property into contract late last year with Columbus City Schools for $3.03 million. The classroom space, he said, already has drawn interest from private schools and churches, and the former construction and automotive repair vocational training space could be redeveloped as commercial space.
(. . .)
Schrim worked for 10 years at various Klingbeil divisions before launching Wills Creek in October. Perhaps his highest-profile project in Columbus was the environmental remediation of the former Walker National Inc. magnet plant on Kinnear Road. Klingbeil has since built apartments on the site, which is near Lennox Town Center. “I’m very focused working on infill projects that have an environmental, conservation, remediation or education component in the redevelopment effort,” Schrim said.

He hopes to ask in early February for a rezoning of the 5.8 acres closest to Sawmill Road to commercial planned development. The entire school site is zoned apartment residential allowing up to 12 apartments per acre, or more than 180 combined. “I don’t think (multifamily residential) is the highest and best use,” Schrim said, “and there are so many apartments under construction.” Apartment construction, he said, could become a “backup plan.”

READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2013/02/01/schrim-to-redevelop-career-center.html?page=all

J.Remy · « **Reply #1106 on:** February 09, 2013, 04:20:30 PM »

Wow, I have been out of the loop for far too long! Nice to see how things are progressing lately! Love it all.

Columbo · « **Reply #1107 on:** February 26, 2013, 02:50:43 AM »

A couple of business profiles located side-by-side on North Fourth Street in downtown. The first is a profile from The Metropreneur Columbus about FreshGames, an office space that moved into the ground floor of a renovated condo building at 221 N. Fourth Street (pictured below). The second is a profile from Columbus Underground about Wolf's Ridge Brewing, which is renovating a space just across the alley at 215 N. Fourth Street.

The Metropreneur: At Work: A Fresh New Space for FreshGames

Columbus Underground: Wolf’s Ridge Brewing Opening Downtown Brewpub

Columbo · « **Reply #1108 on:** March 06, 2013, 06:58:28 AM »

Developer buys property for Hawthorn Grove apartments on Rich Street
By Brian R. Ball, Staff reporter
Business First - Feb 4, 2013, 5:39pm EST

Community Housing Network Inc. has committed to its Hawthorn Grove downtown housing project by buying the land at 546-558 E. Rich Street.

The nonprofit developer and operator of low-income housing’s Hawthorn Grove LLC affiliate on Jan. 22 paid $525,000 for the parking lot just west of Interstate 71, where it plans to build a 40-unit apartment project for those with mental illnesses. “We’re still assembling the financing,” Community Housing CEO Susan Weaver told me, “but we think we’ll be able to start construction in early 2014.”

Community Housing extended a $527,267 mortgage to its affiliate in the acquistion, according to public records, as it applies for construction and permanent financing. It bought the site from Green Juhl Development LLC, which had gained approval for 30 market-rate apartments there in 2008.

READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2013/02/04/developer-buys-property-for-hawthorn.html

Columbo · « **Reply #1109 on:** March 12, 2013, 06:59:16 AM »

There are lots of good projects to post here at UrbanOhio. This post looks at the redevelopment of a building at a prominent corner in Downtown Columbus - 101 S. High Street - the southwest corner of State and High. And this is also good . . . almost.

First off, there really is alot that is good about this project. It's a small and narrow footprint building at State & High. A nice looking turn of the 19th/20th century four-story brick building with a ground floor storefront. The storefront has been modernized with additional glass in a manner sensitive to the overall architecture. The building's last tenant was a Cord Camera retail store located in that storefront. Cord moved out sometime in 2006. The three upper stories have been vacant for much longer. The limited amount of square footage and lack of staircase that meets modern building code has severly limited upper floor occupacy.

What is really good about this project is that Heartland Bank will be locating into the ground floor storefront. Also, the upper stories will be tying into the adjacent modern infill building that was built when the historic Woolworth Building at 107 S. High Street was renovated. Because of this, the upper three floors of 101 S. High Street can be converted into usable office space. So far, so good.

There really is just one problem with this project. And unfortunately it's a big problem. Below is a photo of the State & High corner taken in 2006 - and a rendering of the State & High corner with the Heartland Bank renovation. Can you catch the problem?

Yeah. It's that big sign that Heartland Bank is going to install on the upper floor of the corner building. According to the Business First article - Capitol Square corner to shine anew under Arshot redevelopment plan - "A 1,400-square-foot LED mesh screen would cover part of the building’s top three floors, wrapping around the corner, according to documents filed last year with the Downtown Commission. The mesh is made up of slats – similar to a venetian blind – that allow those inside the building to see out while producing a solid image to those viewing the board from the street."

Clever, yes. Appropriate, no. It unfortunately covers up a large portion of a very attractive and well maintained older building. A older building that serves as a beautiful counterpoint to the modern infill building next door. I hope I'm wrong about how bad this big sign will look. Because this is otherwise a fantastic project. Below is the link to the Business First article:

Business First: Capitol Square corner to shine anew under Arshot redevelopment plan - Arshot signs Heartland Bank to give life to corner of State & High

GCrites80s · « **Reply #1110 on:** March 12, 2013, 07:12:10 AM »

Where does the fire escape go?

Columbo · « **Reply #1111 on:** March 13, 2013, 02:30:27 AM »

^ The fire escape gets removed. Because 101 N. High Street will internally connect with the newer building at 103 N. High Street, they won't need that exterior fire escape to meet code anymore. That's one of the good ascepts of the project. But that big sign . . .

yubh8tin · « **Reply #1112 on:** March 13, 2013, 03:47:21 AM »

That corner is notorious for bums always begging for money.

Columbo · « **Reply #1113 on:** March 21, 2013, 11:56:20 AM »

^ That's another benefit to Heartland occupying the ground floor of this corner. Right now it's the only vacant corner at this very busy pedestrian intersection in the downtown. The other commercial corner at the Fifth Third Center is fully occupied at the ground retail level. And the other two corners are State-owned property at the Statehouse and Vern Riffe Office Building. And those State properties are guarded by the State Highway Patrol, which move the bums along.

A great project, if only they'd ditch the big sign...

Columbo · « **Reply #1114 on:** March 21, 2013, 12:04:10 PM »

A fascinating look at the venerable 91-year-old Downtown YMCA from Walker Evans at Columbus Underground. It's a great piece of architecture on the outside and a well-used facility on the inside. Walker talks with the Executive Director of the Downtown Branch of the YMCA to find out more about the history of the building, as well as the services and programs offered there. Below is a link to the Q & A - which also contains an excellent photo-tour of the building:

Columbus Underground: Downtown Columbus YMCA Stands Tall, Serves All

GCrites80s · « **Reply #1115 on:** March 21, 2013, 12:31:06 PM »

I used to work with people who stayed at the YMCA. None of them were cops, Indians, cowboys, construction workers or in the service, though.

jaymillah · « **Reply #1116 on:** April 01, 2013, 04:53:52 PM »

Construction fencing has gone up around the Telhio Credit Union on N. 4th St. - not huge changes planned but awesome nonetheless that they're investing in their downtown facade & location!

Columbo · « **Reply #1117 on:** April 15, 2013, 11:53:14 AM »

Below are links to a couple of recent Dispatch editorials related to downtown and surrounding urban neighborhood redevelopment. The first editorial looks at how much Downtown Columbus has evolved over the past 10 years.

The second editorial looks at the City's Urban Infrastructure Recovery Fund, which is just over 20 years old. The UIRF dedicates city funds to projects within the public right-of-way in older, inner-city Columbus neighborhoods.

Dispatch Editorial: What a difference a decade makes

Dispatch Editorial: UIRF: Small steps, big difference

jeremyck01 · « **Reply #1118 on:** April 16, 2013, 03:45:08 PM »

Hey guys, quick question: I could have sworn I saw a link to the Delta Sky magazine 25 page feature article on Columbus somewhere in a Columbus thread. Anyone know what I'm talking about, or am I imagining things? Thanks!

Columbo · « **Reply #1119 on:** April 16, 2013, 09:16:57 PM »

^ You probably saw it over at Columbus Underground. It was a really good piece. Here's the link to the CU thread, which contains the Delta Sky magazine link: http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/columbus-featured-in-deltas-sky-magazine