Comments on: In Search of a City: Let ‘Em Park! http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/rightnow/2008/12/in-search-of-a-city-let-em-park/ News and events about Downtown Columbus! Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:23:49 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Geoff http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/rightnow/2008/12/in-search-of-a-city-let-em-park/comment-page-1/#comment-3678 Geoff Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:17:12 +0000 http://rndb.downtowncolumbus.com/?p=409#comment-3678 While we are on the parking issue, I would love to see all areas of downtown become a little more pedestrian friendly with a nod to the idea that a driver becomes a pedestrian with adequate parking. The downtown street grid is currently very efficient at evacuation of downtown workers at 5pm. A vibrant downtown is about living, staying and shopping here. The current (hopefully dying) mindset is about efficiency for vehicular traffic rather than a healthy urban core. High Street and Broad both doom you to a straight shot through the heart of the city. No turns allowed. How exactly does that service anyone with a downtown destination? I agree with the concept of high-volume feeders, but we have really neglected downtown as a place that actually serves up a reason to be here. If I need to blitz through downtown, I am adequately served by the innerbelt. Vacant streets are a real downer to the casual observer at 2pm on a Tuesday. I'm not proposing an eternal traffic jam, but rather a street grid that serves the people that use it. In other words, let's slow down the rush so that folks might just stop to use downtown as a city. From the hodgepodge of projects discussed above, perhaps it is time for community input on a new comprehensive plan? While we are on the parking issue, I would love to see all areas of downtown become a little more pedestrian friendly with a nod to the idea that a driver becomes a pedestrian with adequate parking. The downtown street grid is currently very efficient at evacuation of downtown workers at 5pm. A vibrant downtown is about living, staying and shopping here. The current (hopefully dying) mindset is about efficiency for vehicular traffic rather than a healthy urban core. High Street and Broad both doom you to a straight shot through the heart of the city. No turns allowed. How exactly does that service anyone with a downtown destination? I agree with the concept of high-volume feeders, but we have really neglected downtown as a place that actually serves up a reason to be here. If I need to blitz through downtown, I am adequately served by the innerbelt. Vacant streets are a real downer to the casual observer at 2pm on a Tuesday. I’m not proposing an eternal traffic jam, but rather a street grid that serves the people that use it. In other words, let’s slow down the rush so that folks might just stop to use downtown as a city. From the hodgepodge of projects discussed above, perhaps it is time for community input on a new comprehensive plan?

]]> By: RBD gets mention in DowntownColumbus.com Blog and some thoughts about Parking « The Red Brick District http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/rightnow/2008/12/in-search-of-a-city-let-em-park/comment-page-1/#comment-3676 RBD gets mention in DowntownColumbus.com Blog and some thoughts about Parking « The Red Brick District Sat, 03 Jan 2009 03:14:40 +0000 http://rndb.downtowncolumbus.com/?p=409#comment-3676 [...] http://rndb.downtowncolumbus.com/2008/12/in-search-of-a-city-let-em-park/ [...] [...] http://rndb.downtowncolumbus.com/2008/12/in-search-of-a-city-let-em-park/ [...]

]]> By: Eric Davies http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/rightnow/2008/12/in-search-of-a-city-let-em-park/comment-page-1/#comment-3675 Eric Davies Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:27:32 +0000 http://rndb.downtowncolumbus.com/?p=409#comment-3675 I agree - Let 'Em Park, but let me build on your wish. Encourage walking & biking as well. Convert Main, Rich, 3rd & 4th to two-way streets, add bicycle parking adjacent to the above named businesses, improve bus stops on Rich & Main. Improve pedestrian route from City Center garage, a now under-utilized parking resource in downtown located only one to two blocks from Main/Third Cluster. I know, $-$-$, but the long-term ROI for downtown & its business districts will far outweigh the costs. The Weiland Park plan already "proposes" the conversion of 3rd & 4th north of downtown. Why not keep going all the way to Livingston!! I agree – Let ‘Em Park, but let me build on your wish. Encourage walking & biking as well. Convert Main, Rich, 3rd & 4th to two-way streets, add bicycle parking adjacent to the above named businesses, improve bus stops on Rich & Main. Improve pedestrian route from City Center garage, a now under-utilized parking resource in downtown located only one to two blocks from Main/Third Cluster.

I know, $-$-$, but the long-term ROI for downtown & its business districts will far outweigh the costs. The Weiland Park plan already “proposes” the conversion of 3rd & 4th north of downtown. Why not keep going all the way to Livingston!!

]]> By: Elizabeth Lessner http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/rightnow/2008/12/in-search-of-a-city-let-em-park/comment-page-1/#comment-3674 Elizabeth Lessner Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:18:38 +0000 http://rndb.downtowncolumbus.com/?p=409#comment-3674 Thanks, Cleve, for the shout to our little strip. Dirty Frank's Hot Dogs is running behind schedule for a number of reasons related to construction but we are working hard to get hot dogs to the Red Brick District as soon as humanly possible! We are really pushing for a January opening, and yes, we hope to see the rush hour ban get lifted. Mary Ellen O'Shaugnessy's office helped us lift a similar ban on High Street in the Short North, I hope we can do the same downtown. Thanks, Cleve, for the shout to our little strip. Dirty Frank’s Hot Dogs is running behind schedule for a number of reasons related to construction but we are working hard to get hot dogs to the Red Brick District as soon as humanly possible! We are really pushing for a January opening, and yes, we hope to see the rush hour ban get lifted. Mary Ellen O’Shaugnessy’s office helped us lift a similar ban on High Street in the Short North, I hope we can do the same downtown.

]]> By: Walker Evans http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/rightnow/2008/12/in-search-of-a-city-let-em-park/comment-page-1/#comment-3672 Walker Evans Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:00:09 +0000 http://rndb.downtowncolumbus.com/?p=409#comment-3672 I'd love to see Main Street get a two-way conversion similar to Gay Street, all the way from the Riverfront to 71. Give these small business owners a pedestrian-friendly area to help them thrive. I’d love to see Main Street get a two-way conversion similar to Gay Street, all the way from the Riverfront to 71. Give these small business owners a pedestrian-friendly area to help them thrive.

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