Right Now Downtown

The 2010 Downtown Columbus Strategic Plan was adopted by Columbus City Council on July 19, after many months of public input, planning, discussion, dreaming and synthesizing.  This Plan is not a to-do list; rather it is meant to guide investment and development in downtown for the next 10 years.  It takes off where the 2002 Strategic Business Plan for Downtown Columbus ended, building on the long-term framework and looking to identify catalysts for growth.

The planning process, which included public meetings, an online survey and discussion with downtown stakeholders, identified a list of 10 Principles to define the community’s goals and vision, 12 Ideas emerging from those Principles, and 8 Strategies to implement the Ideas.  To view the complete Plan, including the Principles, Ideas and Strategies, click here.

What does this mean for Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (CCSID)?  First off, Cleve Ricksecker, Executive Director of CCSID, was involved in the planning meetings and participated in a downtown stakeholder interview.  All efforts to improve the downtown are important to the SID, and Ricksecker approached the planning process with that point of view in mind.

“The SID had already worked with MSI to develop our Public Realm Enhancement Plan - a wish list for the SID, if you will.  I was able to offer input from a SID-perspective through the strategic planning process,” explained Ricksecker.

Andrew Overbeck of MSI added, “We know Cleve real well and he was part of these meetings.  The SID’s plan was done beforehand, so that informed our planning sessions with regard to what enhancements they were looking for downtown.  It will be great to integrate these plans.”

As the City seeks to implement the Strategic Plan over the long term, public/private partnerships will play a vital role.  And over the years, CCSID has acted as a catalyst for such parternships, from the revitalization of Gay Street in 2007 to the wayfinding sign system that was installed in 2008.

Overbeck identified Ideas four through nine of the Plan, which deal with the High Street Core, as falling specifically within the SID boundaries and as places where the City, the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC) and others will look to partner with CCSID.  These ideas include:

• Redefining Broad Street as the civic spine of the City;
• Restoring High Street as downtown’s commercial corridor;
• Developing a Downtown Transit Center to replace the High Street Transit Mall;
• Building a 3-c Multi-Modal Station;
• Developing a Downtown Field House.

“We have looked at each part of the Plan and identified where partnerships currently exist and where they can be developed.  Right now these are just ideas, but it’s important to get everyone at the table to let some of these ideas take hold,” added Overbeck.

Ricksecker agrees.  “We look forward to partnering with the City, CDDC and others to bring these ideas to fruition.  Through the SID’s efforts, some advance work has already been done, particularly with regard to bike facilities and restoring the High Street retail corridor.”

Overbeck noted that if one looked at photos of Columbus from 1995, one would see an abandoned prison, an abandoned school and an undeveloped gash through the city where 670 cut through.   Fifteen years later, those same areas are vibrant sectors – the Arena District, COSI and the High Street cap over 670.  The vision of our city leaders in the 1990s has taken root in our city’s fabric.

“It’s an inspiring thing.  We can do an awful lot in Columbus.  None of these things is out of reach,” concluded Overbeck.

The next fifteen years should be something to behold.

Spoonful: Lovin’ Vinyl

Brett Ruland is making lemonade outta lemons.  After being laid off from his graphic design job, Ruland decided to follow his passion.  As a lifelong record collector, he was struck by the reemergence of “vinyl” on the music scene and decided that now was the time to open a retail vintage record store.  Spoonful Records will open at 116 E. Long Street on July 17.

But Spoonful will be more than just a record store; Ruland envisions a lifestyle store that touches on a number of his interests.  There will be vintage pinball, live bands, t-shirts, plus, of course, records.  Though he originally planned to carry only vintage records, he will also stock new music that is being released on vinyl.

“I am just trying to make the store about what I like.  I figure if I like it, then maybe other people will like it too.  I want the store to be a place to hang out, a place to have a conversation.  In a time so focused on technology, this will be a place to hang out, where you don’t know who you’ll bump into.”

Ruland believes that fans of vinyl feel like the music has a warmer sound and that you are “closer to the band.”  He knows others collect records for the covers, many of which are true works of art.  He has already seen a lot of interest in his store, with fans on Facebook and others popping into his storefront asking questions.

Though he looked at locations around the city, he decided that downtown was where he wanted to be.  He noticed the reemergence of retail on Gay Street and hopes that along with B1 Bicycles, Spoonful will ramp things up on Long Street.

“I like all the activity, excitement and buzz.  There’s just something about downtown, and I want to seek that out.  Plus, there’s a good mix of students and business people who want to collect records.”

He has been in touch with Kacey Campbell, the new Retail Recruiter for Capital Crossroads SID.  She has been available for support, to answer questions that arise and to help with promoting the store’s opening in July.  After learning about the City’s matching funds for storefront improvements, Ruland is looking into applying for funds, once he is sure what type of signage he would like.

Capital Crossroads welcomes Spoonful and these other businesses that have opened recently:  Si Senor Sandwiches & More, the Downtown Alternative High School Restaurant, Players Club Clothing Store, Verizon Wireless and Pickles Deli.

The Downtown LIVE summer concert series returned June 10 to the Darbys patio at the corner of Third and State streets.  The Capital Crossroads-sponsored free outdoor concert series kicked off with the unparalleled sounds of Conspiracy.  Again this year, those who head over early for happy hour, which starts at 4:30 p.m., can enjoy an opening act.  Matt Munhall entertained the early birds on opening night.

Ever since Thursday night became the unofficial start of the weekend, revelers have been able to enjoy free outdoor concerts to celebrate a warm summer’s night downtown.  Those willing to date themselves admit that they used to hit Rally in the Alley.  Earlier this decade, the Rally was revitalized as Party on State.  And for the past few years the revamped Downtown LIVE has offered a great way to unwind after work with food and drink specials and the best in local and regional bands.

This year’s line-up, coordinated by CCSID staff and Class Act Entertainment, offers something for every musical taste.  Each week a new band will hit the stage, including favorites such as The Menus, Reaganomics and Red Wanting Blue.  In addition to Muhnall, Alex White and Francisco Rojas join the opening act rotation.  While the tunes change weekly, the schedule stays the same with music, food and drink specials, and fun from 4:30 to 9 p.m.  For a complete band line-up, click here.

Downtown LIVE also provides the soundtrack for the Capitol Square Kickball League.  Players can kick head over before or after their games for food, drinks, music and fun, rounding out a fun evening downtown.

This year, Capital Crossroads secured a media sponsor for the event in WCBE.  Listeners to WCBE will be updated on the weekly band line-up (along with information regarding Pearl Market) three times a day.  This is a significant sponsorship worth roughly $22,000.  In addition, a local media push has garnered increased interest in both Downtown LIVE and the Market.  News crews from Fox/ABC WSYS and 10TV covered the Market’s opening and 10TV had a crew at Downtown LIVE’s opening night with Chris Bradley giving his weather reports on site.  Media attention should result in bigger crowds at all the downtown events this summer.

Capital Crossroads kicked off its summer programming with the return of the ever-popular Pearl Market to the Pearl and Lynn Street alleys on May 18.  Sponsored by WCBE 90.5 and managed by Capital Crossroads, the Market runs on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., May through October.  This season of Pearl Market is bursting at the seams, with more farmers (27) participating than ever before and more than 40 merchants.

The farmers’ fantastic offerings, including asparagus, greens, herbs, peas, green beans, radishes, strawberries, plants, flowers and, later in the season, sweet corn, tomatoes, squash and apples, remain a big draw.

“People realize the importance of purchasing food that is locally grown,” explained Adam Schroeder, Pearl Market Manager.  “Shoppers get to know farmers who grow their food, they get to support area merchants and they really learn the benefits of buying local.”

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission recently released the region’s first Central Ohio Local Food Assessment and Plan, which highlights the importance of having fresh, local, healthy food available to all neighborhoods in Central Ohio.  Executive Director of MORPC, Chester R. Jourdan, Jr., addressed the crowds on opening day of the Market, emphasizing that Pearl Market’s offerings fit right into this “locavore” movement.

Joining some returning vendor favorites, such as Great Harvest Bread Co., 3 Babes & a Baker, Sweet Thing Gourmet and Nellie’s Samosas, are some vendors making their Pearl Market debut, including Let Us Eat Cupcakes, J Squared Organics, Devour Cookie Co. and Afrikan Designs.

In addition, daily live entertainment and a public eating space will encourage visitors to pick up lunch from one of the food vendors or bring a packed lunch and enjoy the hustle and bustle.

There are some changes afoot.  Due to overwhelming requests from the farmers and merchants, the Market will now spill out of the alleys and expand on to both Broad Street and Gay Street.  The spill-over will include both farmers and merchants, with farmers setting up shop on the Gay Street end of the alley for the first time.

“This will give the Market more presence on those high-traffic thoroughfares,” added Schroeder.  “Especially on Gay Street, where folks are beating a path to new lunch spots like Plantain Cafe’, J. Gumbo’s and Sugardaddy’s.”

In addition, after a test run during the Winter Pearl Market, the summer Market now accepts credit cards and the Ohio Direction Card.  Customers just need to visit the Market tent located at the intersection of Lynn and Pearl to pick up red credit card or green Ohio Direction Card tokens.  All vendors that are accepting the tokens will display a special sticker on their vendor sign denoting which tokens they accept.  This change will allow those who may not be cash-carriers to make some must-have purchases.

As the summer progresses, fans of the Market should keep an eye out for special events.  The Ohio Department of Agriculture will bring their Ohio Proud Mobile Food Kitchen to the Market, where area chefs will shop the Market, do a live cooking demonstration and let visitors sample their dish.  Mark your calendars for June 29, August 31, September 28 and October 26.  Other special events include Strawberry Day on June 8, Sweet Corn Day on July 13, Kids’ Day on July 27, Tomato Day on August 10, Squash Day on September 14 and Apple Day on October 12.  The Market will be closed on Friday, July 2 in observance of Independence Day.

For a sneak peek at the beautiful sights of Pearl Market, take a look at our Opening Day Photo Album.

BIKING GAINS MOMENTUM

Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Statehouse on Monday, May 17, 2010, to celebrate Bike To Work Day sponsored by Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District.

Bikers converged at OSU Gateway along with Mayor “Bikin’ Mike” Coleman, ODOT Director Jolene Molitoris, members of Columbus City Council, the Columbus Foundation and Consider Biking for the Third Annual Bike To Work Launch and Cycling CEO Challenge.  Dozens of area CEOs assembled teams to ride to the Statehouse to champion alternative transportation.

Riders from the Columbus Chamber even donned Pearl Market veggie costumes to show their support of bicycle commuting.

Lisa Courtice from The Columbus Foundation presented Consider Biking with a check for $295,000 to pursue the “2 by 2010″ initiative, which is a program that encourages every central Ohioan to use a bike or other form of alternative transportation to get to work or school at least two days per month by the City’s bicentennial in 2012.

Doug Morgan, attorney at Hahn Loeser and Parks, presented a check for $15,000 on behalf of the firm and challenged the corporate community to pull together to match The Columbus Foundation gift.

To see more photos of the event, click below.

Bike To Work 2010

CCSID Highlights Ambassador Efforts

Ben Barker, Operations Manager for Capital Crossroads and Discover SIDs, is proud to recognize the hard work of the Outreach Team and the Clean and Safe Ambassadors.

“There is so much to be said for the entire program,” said Barker.  “The Outreach Team is always looking for new ways to extend services to those in need, and the Clean and Safe Team and the Special Projects Division exhibit such professionalism.  I continue to expect great things.”

There are two Ambassadors whose hard work and dedication deserve special recognition.

Ambassador of the Quarter:  Gil “Carlos” Pilier

Capital Crossroads congratulates Gil “Carlos” Pilier on his promotion to Utility Ambassador.  In this position, he will be cross trained to handle the wide variety of services offered by both Capital Crossroads and Discovery SIDs.  This will ensure that he is qualified to substitute for other Ambassadors when they are out, as well as provide services with the Special Projects Team.

Carlos is a valuable member of the Capital Crossroads team and this assignment demonstrates our confidence in his work ethic and ability to handle a variety of duties.  In recognition of his hard work and abilities, Carlos was also named the Ambassador of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2010.

Ambassador Spotlight and Winter Warrior:  Paul Denmark

Capital Crossroads recognizes Paul Denmark for his hard work and willingness to help whenever and wherever needed.  Paul is currently working as a Team Leader, but he makes himself available to take on other duties, such as leading a shift or tackling special projects.  For example, Paul took on maintenance of the bikes used in the Bike Patrol Program.

Due to his willingness to charge into the elements during Columbus’ especially harsh winter to ensure that downtown pedestrians could safely pass through the crosswalks and bus stops throughout the district, Capital Crossroads created a new award with Paul as its first winner.  Congratulations to Paul for earning the first ever “Winter Warrior” award.  Mother Nature never stood a chance!

ON YOUR MARK, GET READY…

Grab your walkin’ shoes and shoppin’ bag and GO!

Pearl Market opens in just one short week and shoppers will find record numbers of vendors this year offering a cornucopia of treasures.  One-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry and artwork, baked goods, meats and cheeses, and don’t forget the freshest seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers abound on Tuesdays and Fridays beginning May 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Get to know the farmer who grows the food you purchase and find out what inspired the artist who creates that can’t-live-without necklace.  While you’re there, grab a bite of lunch and enjoy the live entertainment.

Shopping is even easier this year since Pearl Market now accepts major credit cards and the Ohio Directions Card.

Want a little preview?  Check out the video below.  Farmers Jarrod and Carie Starr from Cherokee Valley Bison Farm and Steve and Gretel Adams from Sunny Meadows Flower Farm tell you all about the benefits of Pearl Market.

Pearl Market Opens Soon from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.

Spring Services: Flower Power (Washing)

As the seasons change, the services provided by Capital Crossroads SID make a season-specific shift.  Though some services, such as graffiti removal, safety escorts and special event support are ongoing, when the warm weather returns, other duties move to the front burner.

First on the list is power washing to clean the winter grime off downtown.  Power washing began on March 22, which is a bit earlier than in other years.  The early spring weather combined with an effort to improve overall power washing program bumped up this year’s start date.  This allowed the two power washing crews to get a jump start on the city’s hot spots, including High Street, Pearl Alley, the COTA bus shelters, and the areas surrounding Columbus Commons, RiverSouth and Scioto Mile projects.  In addition, the SID received a permit to power wash in areas where nighttime power washing can be disruptive.  Finally, a study is underway to find new power washing products that will offer greater mobility and expediency with special assignments.  Several machines will be given a test run in the coming weeks with the goal of finding a machine that the SID can use at any time of day for areas that need immediate attention.

The warm weather also means spring flowers.  Once again, the SID will be planting flowers in the beautiful new Gay Street Medians and in hanging baskets along High Street.  The planting is set for May 24, after the danger of frost has passed.  Advance work includes coordinating with the City to get the water to the sprinkler systems turned on.  In addition, the SID is working with a new nursery called Ambius this year to purchase flowers.  Once all of the flowers have been planted, the Ambassadors will help keep the planters watered and fertilized through the summer months.

At the beginning of May, the SID will begin a special project to stain all of the benches along High Street.  This is part of a general effort to spruce things up along that corridor.  Using a power sprayer, the crews will spiff up the benches in quick time, as the sprayer allows for multiple coats with uniform distribution.  This is a far more efficient process than painting by hand.

Graffiti removal remains a key duty of the Ambassadors year round; therefore, a team of Ambassadors has been chosen to receive hands-on training from a prominent graffiti-removal specialist in Columbus.  This will help the Ambassadors better combat graffiti problems in both the Capital Crossroads and Discovery SIDs.

The Clean and Safe Teams continue to receive special requests for service through the online service request form found on the DowntownColumbus.com Website.  Ben Barker, the new Operations Manager for both SIDs, has developed a new work order system to more effectively assign, track and manage the various requests and special projects that emerge.  This improves efficiency and helps ensure that requests are completed in a timely fashion.

“We are not trying to reinvent the wheel,” explained Barker.  “We are striving to make the wheel more efficient and in doing so improve the duties that the Capital Crossroads and Discovery SIDs have come to expect.”

Current Hours of Operation:

Monday – Friday, 6:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

THE REAL DIVINE MS. M

Meet Melissa Fast.  She’s officially on board at Capital Crossroads SID as Marketing Director.

Officially, she started last Monday.  Unofficially, she’s been supporting the downtown community for years.

As a local patron of the businesses, restaurants and arts scene, the new director has long celebrated the city’s core as its crowning glory.  She says, “I want to help promote the fact that it is a destination – whether it’s for a cup of coffee in the afternoon or a night of entertainment.”

She continues, “I really want to do my part to make sure that people embrace the fact that downtown is a cool place to be.  I think it’s important for the experience to be easy for people so they want to keep coming back.”  It’s everyone’s neighborhood.

Her favorite downtown finds have stories behind them – like the treasures from Pearl Market.  In fact, the Pearl Market itself is a great place to find a story.  The shops were just highlighted in The Columbus Dispatch… and the market caught the national spotlight when the Associated Press picked up the story for distribution.

Downtown Columbus is indeed a place with a great story.

 The Arnold Sports Festival, like the man for whom it’s named, is big.  Big muscles.  Big numbers of visitors.  Big for Downtown Columbus, which means that Capital Crossroads SID must have a big response.

During The Arnold, the downtown population adds 17,000 athletes, 170,000 spectators and 700 exhibitors.   That’s twice as many athletes as the recent Winter Olympic Games.  Due to the volume of visitors, Capital Crossroads boosts its normal staffing levels with six additional Ambassadors and other staff members.  From Thursday, March 4 at 11 a.m. until Sunday, March 7 at 7 p.m., three to four staff members will be dedicated to the northeastern corridor of downtown around the convention center, along with the iCart kiosk, to ensure that someone is available to answer questions, provide safety escorts and keep the area clean.

In addition, a new pushcart – sort of a mini-iCart – will be deployed with an Ambassador at Broad and High for a few hours a time, loaded with pamphlets and other information.

“We really dedicate ourselves to this event,” explained Ryan Smith, Downtown Hospitality Coordinator.  “We are there to help people navigate around downtown, find great places to eat, provide directions, answer transportation questions and provide safety escorts.”

In addition, Capital Crossroads is in contact with hotels in and outside of downtown, to let them know that the SID is available to offer services and information, sort of like an additional concierge out on the street.

Statistics from 2009 show that through the four-day event, Capital Crossroads provided over 5,000 public assists, with 2,775 of those on the iCart alone.  The extra effort is well worth it.

For the second year, Capital Crossroads has partnered with The Arnold to print a hotel keycard map, which serves as a walking map, shuttle map and parking map for the event.  It also highlights the downtown wayfinding signs and the Capital Crossroads hotline number.

“We have gotten very positive feedback from the folks at The Arnold,” added Smith.  “They are very appreciative of what we do and believe we add real value to their event.”

Smith says that he and the rest of the staff enjoy the atmosphere and energy downtown during The Arnold weekend.  Plus they receive plenty of positive feedback from the visitors, including praise for the cleanliness of the city and the help that Capital Crossroads provides.

It’s important to note that this type of service is available during any event downtown; it’s what Capital Crossroads Ambassadors do.  But the size of The Arnold requires a bigger mobilization of people and effort.  When The Arnold is here, it’s all hands on deck.