Columbus Projects & Developments

[Columbus1984]

What are they building in front of the Publix by Shaw High to the right of Zaxby's? They have started grading the land.

Edited August 1, 2009 by Columbus1984

[amyers]

It's going to be some type of oil change place, that's what the Publix manager told me.

[Columbus1984]

It's going to be some type of oil change place, that's what the Publix manager told me.

That sucks, been nice to have a restaurant there.

[aboutmetro]

St Francis planning $110 million investment. The project will add and expand several medical programs including these from the L-E (I looked on the hospital's website, but there's no PR from their 'Newsroom' page about the project).

Edited September 22, 2009 by aboutmetro

[Columbus1984]

Glad to see the expansion and the additional 150 jobs! There is so much going on in Columbus it's amazing!

[Columbus1984]

See they are clearing the land at the corner of Williams Road and Veterans. Any idea on what this might be? Heard at one time it might be a Walgreens, but that site is way too large for just a Walgreens.

[amyers]

See they are clearing the land at the corner of Williams Road and Veterans. Any idea on what this might be? Heard at one time it might be a Walgreens, but that site is way too large for just a Walgreens.

Last I heard it was still Walgreens but with some more outparsals w/ some attached stores kind of like the CVS on Macon Rd.

[aboutmetro]

Three new developments proposed for Columbus - One is a 300 unit apartment complex at Buena Vista Rd (Columbus Planning Dept report here). Amazingly, the Planning department recommended against it. Luckily, the planning commission recommended for it. What's more amazing, is the Councilors representing South Columbus seem to be opposing it. It's astonishing that especially Mimi Woodson who is always complaining that no new stores are locating to South Columbus. They're not locating because there's not enough market. You need developments like this one to generate a market. Back to the Columbus Planning Department. Good planning is recognized for a mixture of uses. You don't put ALL houses in this area, ALL apartments in this area and ALL jobs in this area. That's what creates sprawl and forces longer and longer commutes. Their future land use map is more like a current land use map. There's no imagination or vision of what a future might look like. For that reason, it's a shame that the Council and planners put so much emphasis on the map.

[aboutmetro]

Three new developments proposed for Columbus - One is a 300 unit apartment complex at Buena Vista Rd (Columbus Planning Dept report here). Amazingly, the Planning department recommended against it. Luckily, the planning commission recommended for it. What's more amazing, is the Councilors representing South Columbus seem to be opposing it. It's astonishing that especially Mimi Woodson who is always complaining that no new stores are locating to South Columbus. They're not locating because there's not enough market. You need developments like this one to generate a market. Back to the Columbus Planning Department. Good planning is recognized for a mixture of uses. You don't put ALL houses in this area, ALL apartments in this area and ALL jobs in this area. That's what creates sprawl and forces longer and longer commutes. Their future land use map is more like a current land use map. There's no imagination or vision of what a future might look like. For that reason, it's a shame that the Council and planners put so much emphasis on the map.

Not to mention that no one on the Council seems to have gotten the memo that there has been a Housing Bust. It's very hard for people to get easy loans now. So more people are seeking apartment living. Many people are more suited to apartment living. Many people, especially older people can't maintain a single-family home. Some one should educate the planning staff and Council on demographics associated with apartment dwellers. They often do live in their units for as long or longer than single-family units and have median incomes higher than their single-family neighbors.

[aboutmetro]

Liberty District Master Plan

[Columbus1984]

Three new developments proposed for Columbus - One is a 300 unit apartment complex at Buena Vista Rd (Columbus Planning Dept report here). Amazingly, the Planning department recommended against it. Luckily, the planning commission recommended for it. What's more amazing, is the Councilors representing South Columbus seem to be opposing it. It's astonishing that especially Mimi Woodson who is always complaining that no new stores are locating to South Columbus. They're not locating because there's not enough market. You need developments like this one to generate a market. Back to the Columbus Planning Department. Good planning is recognized for a mixture of uses. You don't put ALL houses in this area, ALL apartments in this area and ALL jobs in this area. That's what creates sprawl and forces longer and longer commutes. Their future land use map is more like a current land use map. There's no imagination or vision of what a future might look like. For that reason, it's a shame that the Council and planners put so much emphasis on the map.

Not to mention that no one on the Council seems to have gotten the memo that there has been a Housing Bust. It's very hard for people to get easy loans now. So more people are seeking apartment living. Many people are more suited to apartment living. Many people, especially older people can't maintain a single-family home. Some one should educate the planning staff and Council on demographics associated with apartment dwellers. They often do live in their units for as long or longer than single-family units and have median incomes higher than their single-family neighbors.

These get approved?

[amyers]

Don't completely hold me to these projects:

• I've seen plans for the old Lewis Jones Food Market on Hamilton Rd to be converted to a Save-A-Lot Grocery Store
• Also, I've seen plans of Zaxby's building a Macon Rd location, there have also been rumors of a Gateway Rd location (I doubt this will happen)
• Also also, I've heard of a Shell Gas Station coming to Bradley Park Drive, I assume on the lot next to Starbucks, as it's the only available place to put one.
• River Rd Pharmacy has some plans out showing what they're new location is going to look like, glad that they're rebuilding.
• Excide battery on Joy Dr in Columbus also has some plans out for expansion, I assume they'll announce something soon.

Let me know if you guys hear anything new. I'm excited about these

[gah]

WHITEWATER NEWS AT LAST!!!!

WBRL reported that financining in the amount of $23 million has finally been obtained for the whitewater project. The Chamber of Commerce will have official announcement in May or June. But seems that a contractor has already been employed and ground-breaking (actually, dam-breaking) will be in early 2011. Preliminarily, will be 2-mile course and one of few urban whitewater routes in the entire country. This has been a LONG time coming and hope that it comes off. Could be tipping point that makes DT a weekend destination for ATL, B'ham, etc -- much like the aquarium was in Chattanooga. Meanwhile fund raising continues with a view towards making course a premier route drawing national attendees. Can go to WRBL website for video report which includes interview with CofC head, as well as mockups of course and old 14th St bridge in its new pedestrian iteration.

[Columbus1984]

WHITEWATER NEWS AT LAST!!!!

WBRL reported that financining in the amount of $23 million has finally been obtained for the whitewater project. The Chamber of Commerce will have official announcement in May or June. But seems that a contractor has already been employed and ground-breaking (actually, dam-breaking) will be in early 2011. Preliminarily, will be 2-mile course and one of few urban whitewater routes in the entire country. This has been a LONG time coming and hope that it comes off. Could be tipping point that makes DT a weekend destination for ATL, B'ham, etc -- much like the aquarium was in Chattanooga. Meanwhile fund raising continues with a view towards making course a premier route drawing national attendees. Can go to WRBL website for video report which includes interview with CofC head, as well as mockups of course and old 14th St bridge in its new pedestrian iteration.

I sure hope this creates more buzz along the riverwalk. A nice high-rise hotel would be nice down there. Hopefully this course will become nationally known one day.

[aboutmetro]

Fresh Market Coming Soon - info here. Going in the old Goody's in the Target shopping center on Bradley Park Dr.

Edited April 7, 2010 by aboutmetro

[gah]

WHITEWATER ---- FINALLY!!!!!

Specifics of project announced

2.5 miles -- 35th St to 11th St

Cost -- 23M

Annual economic impact -- up to 42M

Jobs -- 700

Annual Visitors -- 188k (144k out-of-town)

Lodging taxes -- 300k

Sales tax -- 1.7 M

Construction Schedule -- May 2011- 2012

"World Class" when river at full flow

[gah]

NEW FLIGHTS!!!!

Beginning July 15 American Eagle (American Airlines Regional carrier) will have two flights a day between CSG and Dallas. Mornong and afternoon flights to Dallas. Afternoon and evening flights from Dallas. Great news!!! Let's hope that this service catches on and that new service to Charlottte, NYC and DC will be coming soon!

[aboutmetro]

I know White Water's not a bad thing, and not to rain on anyone's parade... But... I would like to know if anyone knows the amount of public dollars have been invested in downtown compared to the number of private dollars. It's got to be close to $100 public to $10 private at least. Every big feature, be it Civic Center, River Center, Trade Center expansion or whatever, is supposed to have lured new hotels, millions in sales tax and so on and on. I would like to see a before an after analysis of all of these. I hope everyone's right about the rapids. We've got to start seeing more private investment in downtown by someone besides Synovus et al.

[gah]

Granted there has been a ton of public money spent in DT Columbus. Have no idea how much or ratio to private investment -- but really not surprising that big ticket items (RiverCenter,Trade Center etc) are publically funded. Smaller private concerns (bars, cafes, etc) surely represent -- on individual basis -- less capital outlay, but collectively would comprise a fairly large amount I would assume. There are alot of those private mom-and-pop concerns DT now. If think about it, probably was necessary that public money be spent initially to create infrastructure to support and build a base in order for private capital ultimately to be risked. That is especially true in a smaller town like Columbus which -- unlike Atlanta -- did not have numerous larger commercial concerns like banks and insurance companies -- to stem the tide of decentralization when it began to occur in the 60's and 70's. When retail moved out of DT here, manufacturing (mills) remained and when the mills folded, DT was desolate. Atlanta was never a big mfg center and when Lenox opened there were plenty of big players left -- Coke, C&S, Ga State etc. to keep DT afloat. When Columbus DT hit bottom, it needed a transplant, not merely CPR. Hence the big infusion of public funds. (Of course alot of public money went to DT Atlanta as well -- Underground, etc.)

Once a reasonable amount of intrastructure was in place DT, the economy hit the skids. Cannot help but think that DT would be dotted with more private investments if the crash had not occurred just when everything was in place for that to happen. Who wants to invest money when the financial world is in turmoil, not to mention that credit became and still is) tight and almost impossible to find for speculation. That said, there does seem to be a shift such that more private funds may be invested -- Empire Building (which I presume is all or mostly private), E&P Condo (WC Bradley), Rialto, etc. I presume that the Phenixian Condo will become a reality someday (still listed on Gilly website last time I looked) and I hear that there are several big projects being discussed and may be trotted out if and when the ecomony swings back upwards and the money tap is loosened.

Dont want to sound like Pollyanna but with Whitewater think that ALL of the ducks may finally be in a row -- rafting, museums, clubs, theater -- to give Columbus an opportunity to become a weekend destination (like Chattanooga) which will support more and more private expenditures on DT projects -- so long as the economy rises from the ashes.

[aboutmetro]

Dont want to sound like Pollyanna but with Whitewater think that ALL of the ducks may finally be in a row -- rafting, museums, clubs, theater -- to give Columbus an opportunity to become a weekend destination (like Chattanooga) which will support more and more private expenditures on DT projects -- so long as the economy rises from the ashes.

I really don't disagree that public investment is needed when it's needed. My point is that it is an investment. And if no one is looking at the books to see what kind of ROI we're getting, that's a problem. And if someone is looking, and the ROI isn't what we thought it would be after each investment, then someone should be re-thinking the strategy. There's a missing piece to the puzzle. All I'm saying is for once, let's pay close attention and do an after action report and see if we have the expected results that are being claimed. I hope we do. What's the saying, "trust but verify".

Your point regarding the Great Recession is valid. Still, the South Commons was completed in 1996. The River Center and Trade Center expansion in the early 2000's well before the economic boom. The CSU investment ended just as the boom was. We have seen some private investment, mostly from the Bradleys.

One of the stratagem I think Columbus really missed the boat on was defeating the Redevelopment referendum (TADs). It's what's allowed Atlanta to do some of its best projects. Why Columbus doesn't go for it again is a mystery. I think that even little LaGrange is getting ready to do a vote.

[amyers]

I would think there is just as much private spending as there is public - the RiverCenter is owned by CSU, is it not? the Coca-Cola Space Science Center is funded by CSU and private funding. The whole downtown campus was built with privately funded money that CSU raised-- not Regent money from the state. They take up ALOT of downtown columbus: http://www.colstate.edu/maps/campusmap.pdf#page=2

Like I said, I wouldn't completely write off private spending in Downtown, because there has been alot of it in the last 10 years.

[gah]

Agree that defeat of TAD was a BIG mistake. However, as I recall, old TAD law was shortly thereafter overturned by the Supreme Court? So not sure that, even if enacted, TAD would have been of any present value (nothing to grandfater in). But is still correct to say that Columbus is remiss in failing to bring to another vote under new TAD law. The problem was that the City utterly failed to explain TAD to the voters. Needed more time to explain it to the electorate and assumed that a good idea would sell itself. I was stunned to talk to seemingly intelligent voters who opposed TAD for misguided reasons. It was defeated in the affluent northern burbs essentially on the ground that they would be "paying" for blighted areas. Actually tax abatement would not "cost" anything as blighted areas were not paying significant taxes. The concept that turning blighted areas into tax-productive parcels as a long-range plan never took hold. The prevelant mood was that TAD would be used to build low-rent (in all senses) "projects" at taxpayer expense. Probably reason that there is no new vote is that government has the "once burned, twice shy" syndrome. Hopefully a new mayor will be more progressive and proactive in this -- and other -- regards. A missed opportunity if not done soon after elections are held in Fall. By the way, the similar "build it, they will come" syndrome has infected the City in other ways and may explain why there has not been expected private capital followthru on public expenditures. Cannot ASSUME that folks will flock to use facilities. Columbus needs to promote itself as a viable destination -- like Chattanooga does in the Atl (and I assume in Bham, etc) mkt. I suppose that expense is the excuse for failing to promote more aggressively -- but unless you have viable mkting then facilities are not being put to higest and best use.

To my mind Columbus needs atleast one more gigantic infusion of public money -- getting us on the interstate hwy system. It makes NO sense to me why there is not an allout push to get a short connection to I-85 in Tuskeegee and I-16 in Macon ASAP. Long range we NEED connection to B'ham-Brunswick, extension of I-185 south to Fla. and a new connection between I-75 at Cartersville and I-185 in La Grange to provide a trans-Ga route to Fla that bypasses Atl. I simply cannot understand why the CofC and our federal and local representatives do not make this a urgent priority. Makes NO sense to have expended all the money on local infrastructure when it is still a pain in the butt to get here from there!!!! Not to mention the security aspects of connecting Ft Benning with the rest of the country.

Bottom line -- I suspect that the missing parts of the puzzle are: end of the Great Recession; new interstate connectionS (plural); intense mkting; and new dynamic mayor who will jump start the next phase of growth.

Really wish lurkers on this site would join in the discussion and add to the debate. Would be interesting to see what other Columbusites -- and other Georgia/Alabama folks think of present and future outlook for CSG.

[xivinrah]

Agree that defeat of TAD was a BIG mistake. However, as I recall, old TAD law was shortly thereafter overturned by the Supreme Court? So not sure that, even if enacted, TAD would have been of any present value (nothing to grandfater in). But is still correct to say that Columbus is remiss in failing to bring to another vote under new TAD law. The problem was that the City utterly failed to explain TAD to the voters. Needed more time to explain it to the electorate and assumed that a good idea would sell itself. I was stunned to talk to seemingly intelligent voters who opposed TAD for misguided reasons. It was defeated in the affluent northern burbs essentially on the ground that they would be "paying" for blighted areas. Actually tax abatement would not "cost" anything as blighted areas were not paying significant taxes. The concept that turning blighted areas into tax-productive parcels as a long-range plan never took hold. The prevelant mood was that TAD would be used to build low-rent (in all senses) "projects" at taxpayer expense. Probably reason that there is no new vote is that government has the "once burned, twice shy" syndrome. Hopefully a new mayor will be more progressive and proactive in this -- and other -- regards. A missed opportunity if not done soon after elections are held in Fall. By the way, the similar "build it, they will come" syndrome has infected the City in other ways and may explain why there has not been expected private capital followthru on public expenditures. Cannot ASSUME that folks will flock to use facilities. Columbus needs to promote itself as a viable destination -- like Chattanooga does in the Atl (and I assume in Bham, etc) mkt. I suppose that expense is the excuse for failing to promote more aggressively -- but unless you have viable mkting then facilities are not being put to higest and best use.

To my mind Columbus needs atleast one more gigantic infusion of public money -- getting us on the interstate hwy system. It makes NO sense to me why there is not an allout push to get a short connection to I-85 in Tuskeegee and I-16 in Macon ASAP. Long range we NEED connection to B'ham-Brunswick, extension of I-185 south to Fla. and a new connection between I-75 at Cartersville and I-185 in La Grange to provide a trans-Ga route to Fla that bypasses Atl. I simply cannot understand why the CofC and our federal and local representatives do not make this a urgent priority. Makes NO sense to have expended all the money on local infrastructure when it is still a pain in the butt to get here from there!!!! Not to mention the security aspects of connecting Ft Benning with the rest of the country.

Bottom line -- I suspect that the missing parts of the puzzle are: end of the Great Recession; new interstate connectionS (plural); intense mkting; and new dynamic mayor who will jump start the next phase of growth.

Really wish lurkers on this site would join in the discussion and add to the debate. Would be interesting to see what other Columbusites -- and other Georgia/Alabama folks think of present and future outlook for CSG.

I don't think you would want to hear my thoughts...

Now, to most people... Columbus has made significant strides toward progression. However, in comparison to other southern cities it's size, it is barely keeping up. In 10 years... (from 1999 to 2009) all of these efforts the city has made to become "what progress has preserved" has only KEPT Columbus exactly the way it was 10 years ago. I assume that is what is implied by "what progress has preserved". Sure... there are a few more places to go, and while other places have grown, Columbus was just keeping up. That's how I look at these past 10 years. As for the next 10... I don't see too much of a difference. Columbus City Council (regardless of the mayor) and the people, are going to want to do everything that they can to keep things exactly the way they are. Only differences are that I do foresee a great deal of traffic problems...

- Perhaps even a widening of I-185 all the way up to the northern city limits - 4 lines north and southbound... maybe even a complete make over of the J.R. Allen Parkway interchange. (its existing design is too dangerous to handle heavily congested vehicular traffic)

- There will be new stores, maybe they may finally decide to fill up downtown... but not with the dynamic urban development that I would like to see. Just like everything else, the structures will be no more than two or three floors with huge lots and surface parking. Gridded street layouts that are poorly developed and underutilized. More in-town areas will also see suburban development... but not until the northern areas are fully occupied.

- Macon Road will look like North Columbus. Lots of open space. Green space. Parking lots. Few buildings. New venues, but nothing really urban about it.

- The Wynnton Road corridor "The Heart of Midtown" might look like Uptown Columbus... almost.

- MAYBE... an extension of I-185... or an extension of J.R. Allen Parkway... but I wouldn't hold my breath. Not both... but one or the other.

- Whitewater rafting and a Phenix City skyline... and while Columbus might still have the tallest buildings - Aflac and the Government Center, Phenix City will actually have a skyline.

Edited April 30, 2010 by xikartu

[gah]

Correct to say that Columbus has merely been "keeping up." But consider this. The city has been dealing with its ties to a dying industry -- textiles. Under the circumstances, keeping up is pretty remarkable. The city has had to replace jobs on a one-to-one basis for each that was lost when the mills closed. Hard to name any other city which has had to deal with a dying industry and not actually fallen sharply. Of similar cities in the South that have risen from the ashes of the death of textiles I can think of only one that has actually grown and prospered -- Greenville SC. And that is because -- in my opinion -- Greenville is in an ideal location between SE and NE -- and has excellent transportation connections via interstate. Things which we lack. Not a fluke that Columbus has emulated Greenville -- ie, RiverCenter -- in seeking to bounce back from the textile debacle. Greenville sets the bar. In Georgia, Augusta and Macon had ties to textiles (tho maybe not as great as here) and neither of them has boomed to the same extent as Raleigh (state capital), Knoxville (UT) or other cities which had more diversified economies and did not have to cope with a loss of its major industry. When compared to -- say Detroit MI or Gary IN, keeping up looks pretty good. When textiles left the NE for cheap southern labor, the textile towns there (Lowell, Mass etc) never really recovered their former glory. Now that textiles have left the south for cheap foreign labor, it remains to be seen where the former textile cities here will eventually grow or decline. But stabilization is a good start for an eventual recovery.

While the city may have just been keeping up economically and population-wise, there can be no doubt that it is now a very different place in terms of infrastructure. Other cities now come here to take a look at the RiverCenter, Riverwalk, etc with hopes of emulating. Dont know what it is about fixation on tall buildings -- I am more in the Prince Charles -- keep it classic -- school than the sterile glass box camp. IMHO -- the 20-story AFLAC building -- which I can see from my front porch -- is an eyesore, whereas the 5-story Empire Building is a jewel. However, there will probably be taller buildings built here in the next decade -- but I hope they are mostly on the PC side (which does not have that many historic sites to conserve) or on empty lots which can accomodate a classic building -- think architecture of the Chrysler Bldg or Empire State (not AFLAC) -- like the lot @ 13th and Broad next to Country's. AS I have said before, if it were up to me, I would leave DT for "classic" (re)development and encourage more modern and taller buildings to the north along the 2d Ave corridor to Bibb City. That is a blighted area which cries out for teardown and rehab. Consider Atl -- which has lots of tall buildings (many of which are now empty shells) and empty lots where there were once beautiful old buildings which could have been preserved and refitted. Trading the Fox for another highrise -- as was once proposed -- is not my idea of progress. When compared to "what progress has destroyed,""what progress has preserved" looks pretty good to me.

Believe that a mayor can make a HUGE difference in a city's progress. Look at Guilliani in NYC or Hartsfield/Allen in Atl. If the people of Columbus were dead set on keeping things exactly the way they were, then they would not have built a new library, convention center, rivercenter, etc and passed almost every call to increase taxes to build the intrastructure that now exists. I firmly believe that with the right leadership the next years could be a time when Columbus plays catchup with other cities that admittedly passed it by in the last decades.

Edited April 30, 2010 by gah

[aboutmetro]

I would think there is just as much private spending as there is public - the RiverCenter is owned by CSU, is it not? the Coca-Cola Space Science Center is funded by CSU and private funding. The whole downtown campus was built with privately funded money that CSU raised-- not Regent money from the state. They take up ALOT of downtown columbus: http://www.colstate.edu/maps/campusmap.pdf#page=2

Like I said, I wouldn't completely write off private spending in Downtown, because there has been alot of it in the last 10 years.

Regardless of its source - taxes or donations - it's still public spending. Their maintenance is substantially public money. Those developments are all off the tax rolls. Meaning they contribute no property taxes to the maintenance of downtown. When I say private development, I mean private money spent on a private property. That's when we'll know the public development to prime the pump is producing a flow.