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Columbus: Short North Developments and News


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the electronics were not protected from the enviroment from what I heard.  There was standing water submerging the controls.

 

That is what the owner of Mac's told me

 

I never really liked them, but it is a shame that they never had the chance to win me over.

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I guess they are just decorative, not for providing street lighting and such.  LEDs are really gaining use in all kinds of uses because the "bulbs" have such long life and are so durable.  I think we will be seeing more of this kind of lighting on buildings as the prices get more affordable.

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the electronics were not protected from the enviroment from what I heard.  There was standing water submerging the controls.

 

That is what the owner of Mac's told me

 

I never really liked them, but it is a shame that they never had the chance to win me over.

 

Someone e-mailed me with a similar answer back in the begining of this year.  I posted it somewhere on the board.

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Just what are we talking about here?

 

Do those incandescent looking bulbs have fiber optics in them, or are the fiber optics what is to light the Short North lettering:

ShortNorth3.JPG

 

These are historical right, as in there used to be arches years ago? I like them alot, except they make me think of Pennsylvania.

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Just what are we talking about here?

 

Do those incandescent looking bulbs have fiber optics in them, or are the fiber optics what is to light the Short North lettering:

 

I believe so.  I've seen them try to work on occasion.  They change colors, but they flicker and only get about 1/4 of the "bulbs" lit.

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Just what are we talking about here?

 

Do those incandescent looking bulbs have fiber optics in them, or are the fiber optics what is to light the Short North lettering:

 

These are historical right, as in there used to be arches years ago? I like them alot, except they make me think of Pennsylvania.

 

1)  These are not the arches of old, they are new arches meant to be reminiscent of the old arches. 

 

2)  The fiber optics are in the incandescent looking bulbs.

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To my understanding, there was a big light in one of the posts of the arches and fiber optics were used to light the bulbs.  Water would collect in the posts and short the system out. 

 

At the turn of the 20th Century, Columbus was known as Arch City (this was long before the Arch of St. Louis was even concieved) because arches like those now in the Short North District once ligned the entire downtown stretch of High Street.  I forget exactly why they were moved, but I think it may have had to do something with the Trolly System they once had. 

 

I am really looking forward to the new LED lights because of the flickering that they are able to do.  If anyone has ever been to Paris and seen Le Tour Eiffel at night, you know what I mean.  Hopefully the same thing will happen on High Street, that would be awesome.  Although, it would create quite a distraction for drivers. 

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More condos set for Short North

Business First of Columbus - April 21, 2006

By Brian R. Ball, Business First

 

JBH Holdings LLC has tentative plans to build 37 condos at North High Street and West 4th Avenue, next to Skully's bar and diner. JBH's Jackson on High project, now before the Victorian Village Commission for approval, is contingent on the expected April 19 acquisition of a vacant building at 1127 N. High St. and an adjacent parking lot for $1.6 million.

 

Lakota Investment Co. had planned to build an 18-unit project dubbed Fusion Lofts on the property.  Brad Howe, a former banker leading the $11 million project, said a two-level parking garage will offer about 80 parking slots for condo owners and neighboring property owners.  "The weakness in the Short North is parking," Howe said. "The Jackson on High's garage gives us a competitive advantage."

 

"It's really a dynamic-looking building; it's not like anything we've had in the Short North," he said. "So it introduces new architectural element I think will improve the district."

 

Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/04/24/story1.html

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Arches due to be up and running November 25th-December 2nd (I'm thinking the 2nd since that is Holiday Hop).

 

And speaking of 17 dark arches spanning Columbus’ most vital corridor...

Though I’ve never had the experience of seeing our High Street icons aglow, I can imagine the unifying impact they will have once lit. Indeed, they will become THE signature of the Short North. Hopefully, it won’t be relegated to my imagination all that much longer. City officials have informed me that we’re on track to flip the switches by December 2, perhaps as early as November 25. What a great kickoff to the downtown holiday season. We flip the switch on all lights (sidewalk trees, building outlines, and yes the arches) in a spectacular light-up of downtown Columbus. Bands. Choirs. Carriage rides. We collaborate with downtown, the Arena District and the Gateway for simultaneous light-ups. We draw 10,000 visitors to help celebrate. The next week we have Holiday Hop. The next year we add a parade from the Gateway, right down High Street to the center of the capitol. All right, I’m getting carried away, but can’t you see it!? Though nothing is in stone, we’re gradually shifting from incredulity to optimism. Stay tuned for more details.

 

http://www.shortnorth.com/JohnAngeloJun2006.html

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High Street hopes for growing retail crowd

Business First of Columbus - July 7, 2006

by Kathy Showalter Business First

 

For 20 years, dozens of art galleries have designated the mile-long stretch of High Street north of downtown as Columbus' arts district, but apparel and home decor merchants are gentrifying the strip and expanding its commercial appeal among consumers.  The newest shops, which are opening ahead of condominium construction in the area, are filling prime retail spaces in the Short North's midsection, pushing development closer to the Ohio State University South Campus Gateway project and improving even more High Street city blocks - some that were seedy not too long ago.

 

An open question for Short North residents and backers is how much of the recent development can be attributed to the Cap at Union Station, an $8 million retail bridge spanning Interstate 670. The Cap, which was developed by Columbus-based Continental Real Estate Cos., will celebrate its second year in September and was seen as repairing what many considered a scar that separated Short North from the convention center and downtown.  Michael Wilkos, vice president of the Downtown Residents Association of Columbus, acknowledged he sees more people walking from downtown into Short North than he did two years ago.  "Downtown and the Short North are once again seamless," he said.  "The sidewalk space on the Cap is one of the best public spaces in the city for people-watching and enjoying all that urban life has to offer."

 

Read more at http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/07/10/story4.html

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From the 7/22/06 Dispatch:

 

GRAPHIC: Adding up costs

 

Arch lights could work by holidays, officials say

City must earmark thousands more for Short North fixtures

Saturday, July 22, 2006

 

The Short North arches won’t be dark any longer, come December.  That is if Columbus agrees to pay another $33,550.96.  It’s a pittance, considering the nearly $1.8 million taxpayers have invested so far, Councilwoman Maryellen O’Shaughnessy said.  Changing the lights in the arches will mean they will finally work — four years after they were erected.

 

The Columbus City Council is expected to vote on the funding Monday, bringing the total projected taxpayer cost of the 17 arches to about $108,000 apiece.  "It has taken time, and, of course, construction costs have gone up," O’Shaughnessy said.  The lights began malfunctioning almost as soon as they were first lighted, in December 2002.  The city sued the designer, EG&G, of Akron, and had the lights redesigned elsewhere.

 

More at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/07/22/20060722-B3-03.html

 

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Price tag balloons to fix Short North arches

By Dean Narciso

The Columbus Dispatch

Tuesday, October 3, 2006 12:16 AM

 

The circuitous journey toward electrifying the Short North arches has taken another jolt.  Inflation, particularly in the cost of copper wiring, is responsible for $277,595 in overruns that Short North businesses and the city of Columbus must pay to get the lights back on.

 

Many thought that the $1.2 million legal settlement in December between Columbus and EG&G, the Akron-based designer of the arches, would finally bring light after four years of darkness to the 17 arches that span N. High Street.  Trenches are now being dug to lay wire for the final work on the arches.  The lights are expected to be operating sometime next June, Webster said.

 

More at http://dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=216652

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This is a new condo/retail project proposed for the corner of Hubbard and High Street in the Short North. Check out Columbus Retrometro for more details and a rendering: http://columbusretrometro.typepad.com/

 

Its hard to make a judgement of the architecture with that type of rendering, but the idea is great for the area. It brings a lot of density without looking too massive.

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My first impression is that it's really going to overwhelm the existing neighborhood. Hubbard runs into Kerr one block off High. You'll have three lonely houses sharing the on the block with this massive development looming over the existing singles and doubles on Kerr. It also looks like they'll be vacating the alley, too, which is a shame. It serves as a rough continuation of Pearl St., my favorite little street in the whole wide world of the Short North.

 

Having said all that, it's better than what's there now: a big nasty fenced-off parking lot and the dodgy-as-heck AAA event rental place.

 

Ironically, that little section of Italian Village (where I live, by the way) already is a quiet little oasis between Short North and the Summit St. Raceway. This big girl may actually end up spoiling that. Frankly I'd be happier with less ambitious infill.

 

In summary: Wah! wah!, wah! wah! wah! wah! wah!

 

EDIT:

 

I read into the comments & coverage on Columbus Retro Metro and see that the development does NOT vacate the alley, and includes townhomes where now there is currently the empty lot, therefore addressing my infill desires.

 

All is well. Commence jackhammers and power outages.

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Yeah Summit Street Raceway! I've got front row box seats all day long...

Pearl Street is great, just don't park there. Several times I've passed vehicles parked there with their windows open, then noticed the pile of glass on their front seats and on the ground. Lots of break-ins in the middle of the day there.

 

 

Hmmmm, It has been a while since the last power outage. It was like twice a week all summer, maybe they are waiting until it gets freakin cold to the cut the power on us. At least that way the food in the fridge won't spoil!

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Hmmmm, It has been a while since the last power outage. It was like twice a week all summer, maybe they are waiting until it gets freakin cold to the cut the power on us. At least that way the food in the fridge won't spoil!

 

Yeah, see now they got this crazy motherfuc*er working at the public utilities commission ready to get all up in AEP's grill the second the lights go out, so we're in good hands now.

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Just to put things into perspective, here's the kind of density the 15th largest city in Spain, Vigo, has (we're the 15th largest in the US) with a population just under 300,000:

 

800px-Vigo98.jpg

 

According to wikipedia, this city is twice as dense as Columbus. We have a ways to go, as we're really only now getting started. I hope we can avoid such bland high density buildings like those in the pic, I'm guessing it's a "suburb". Places like this are common on the edges of the cities in Spain instead of sprawling suburbs. It could also be a the modern part of the city, doesn't quite have the atmosphere of the old parts.

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Developers pushing Short North limits

Business First of Columbus - October 20, 2006

by Brian R. BallBusiness First

 

The planned Jackson on High project targeted for the Short North has taken a design cue from the name of its street instead of its neighborhood.  Unveiled in April as a five-story, 37-unit project, developer LBH Holdings LLC is now proposing an eight-story tower with 47 condos at 1127 N. High St. LBH Holdings will seek final approval of the project by the Victorian Village Commission Nov. 9, which follows more than a dozen prior meetings.

 

In June, Commissioner David Brownstein called for the project to serve as an "exclamation point" on the north end of the Short North, the trendy residential and commercial district between downtown and the Ohio State University campus area. The area west of North High Street in the Short North is governed by the Victorian Village Commission, while projects east of North High Street go before the Italian Village Commission.

 

Designers at Berardi & Partners Inc. took Brownstein up on his call by unveiling plans for an 11-story tower in mid-July. Subsequent meetings scaled the project down to eight.  Other developers have taken notice of the Jackson on High project, which is in a corridor dominated by two- and three-story buildings.

 

Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/10/23/story1.html

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And even closer than downtown, try one block east, you have Jeffrey Place and Kramer Place. They start at around $150,000 and $200,000, respectively, for a 700 or 800 sq-ft one-bedroom condo. Oh well, at least we know it can be done and have proof right here.

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Condo developer hopes to include garage with Short North project

Monday, November 20, 2006

Mike Pramik, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Public parking is in short supply in the Short North. But a central Ohio development team plans to address that need as part of a residential proposal.  Arms Properties is floating an idea to build a 250-space public-parking garage as part of a project that would include a 10-story, 179-unit condominium building.  Ibiza Urban Oasis would rise in the place of a nondescript office building in the 800 block of N. High Street.

 

The urban-infill project is across the street from Arms Properties’ Dakota condo building, which is expected to be occupied in February. Rajesh Lahoti, a co-owner of the development company, said he thinks Ibiza’s biggest asset could be a three-level, public parking garage. "The lack of public parking in the Short North has held us back, especially the business district," Lahoti said. "It’s hurt merchants a lot. This would solve that problem."

 

Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/11/20/20061120-G4-01.html

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I think people are conflating the parking issue with lack of good public transport. You don't really need lots more parking, you need good public transit, like streetcars, that can take you to/from the Short North. More density also means more customers in your vicinity. Some additional parking is OK, but as we all know here it can go too far and the effects are not good.

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Yes, this will be a good project and i cross my fingers that the Italian Village commission will grow some balls and show that they can be progressive and push more dense infill on high st.  The short north has the market for 20 stories, its crazy in my opinion to keep lowering the height levels to please some old farts.

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Also, I think this intial image is a quick draw.  The projects accomplished by this same developer already, in the short north, have been of a very high quality and always have a nice outcome.  I am sure this project will look even more impressive than this quick initial drawing.  The glass top should be interesting and provide a nice modern sparkle to north high st.

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