Comments on: In Search of a City: So Long City Center http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/rightnow/2009/02/in-search-of-a-city-so-long-city-center/ News and events about Downtown Columbus! Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:44:36 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Walker Evans http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/rightnow/2009/02/in-search-of-a-city-so-long-city-center/comment-page-1/#comment-3798 Walker Evans Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:45:23 +0000 http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/rightnow/?p=610#comment-3798 I had originally hoped that the building could have been salvaged and "turned inside out" to make it more outward-facing and pedestrian-oriented, but I completely understand the decision to go the more economically feasible route and knock it down instead. The building was never really meant to function as anything other than a big enclosed suburban-style mall. Anyway, the 9-acre park is a better short-term solution than a big empty abandoned zombie mall. And the longer-term mixed-use development is pretty much what I wanted to see come out of a re-use of the space anyway, so I'm happy that the ball is starting to get rolling. I totally agree that this type of redevelopment is best when organic and entrepreneurial. Downtown has come a long way in the past 10 years, and I can't wait to see where we are in another 10. I had originally hoped that the building could have been salvaged and “turned inside out” to make it more outward-facing and pedestrian-oriented, but I completely understand the decision to go the more economically feasible route and knock it down instead. The building was never really meant to function as anything other than a big enclosed suburban-style mall.

Anyway, the 9-acre park is a better short-term solution than a big empty abandoned zombie mall.

And the longer-term mixed-use development is pretty much what I wanted to see come out of a re-use of the space anyway, so I’m happy that the ball is starting to get rolling.

I totally agree that this type of redevelopment is best when organic and entrepreneurial. Downtown has come a long way in the past 10 years, and I can’t wait to see where we are in another 10.

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