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Update from Campus
Partners:
Prepared for residents of the University District
March 17, 2004
Contents:
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Construction proceeding on South Campus Gateway Construction is well under way for South Campus Gateway with the goal of opening in the fall of 2005. Construction activity on the 1,200-space parking structure is proceeding well. The foundations for building B (east side of High Street between Chittenden and East 11th Avenue) are nearly complete. The foundation work on building A (west side of High Street between West 10th and West 11th avenues) should begin shortly. Campus Partners has its development and construction advisors monitoring the escalating world steel prices to help minimize the impacts of this steel shortage. Earlier this year, Campus Partners issued a Request for Proposals to provide professional property management and leasing services for Gateway. In early March, Campus Partners interviewed several firms which had responded to the RFP. Campus Partners hopes to select a firm in the near future to begin the process of preparing key elements of Gateway’s operating plan (security, parking, etc.). The University Area Review Board on Feb. 26 conditionally approved the proposed elevations for building D and approved a series of minor modifications to the elevations of buildings A, B and C. Several minor clarifications to buildings D and A will be brought back to the UARB for final approval. Citizens invited to Ohio State’s outreach and engagement conference A university-wide conference, titled “The 21st Century Model for Outreach & Engagement,” will be held Friday, April 30, in the Ohio Union East Ballroom, 1739 N. High St. The day-long conference is offered at no charge to the public, as well as to university faculty, staff and students. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The program starts at 9:30 a.m. with a welcome and panel discussion and concludes with a reception and viewing of displays at 3:15 p.m. If you wish to attend, please register online by April 16 at http://outreach.osu.edu. The conference will offer a series of concurrent sessions in the morning and early afternoon. Francille Firebaugh, former dean of the College of Human Ecology at Ohio State and now vice provost for land-grant affairs at Cornell University, will deliver the James F. Patterson Land-Grant University Lecture at 1:45 p.m. President Karen Holbrook will speak at 2:45 p.m. on Ohio State as the 21st century model for outreach and engagement. For more information on
the university’s outreach efforts, please see two reports on the Campus
Partners web page. The first report was
prepared by Susan H. Colbert, Ohio State University Extension Agent for the
University District. She and several members of her staff and her advisory
panel presented the report at a community meeting earlier this month. In
addition, Safety committee hears reports on fires and assaults The University Area Safety Committee met on March 10. Greg Haggit, investigator with the Columbus Division of Fire, reported on three fires which occurred at 78 E. Lane Ave. early on March 6, 267 E. Lane Ave. early on March 7, and 87 E. Lane Ave. early on March 8. A woman died and two men remain seriously injured in the first fire, which is still under investigation. Four persons were transported to the hospital in the second fire, which was determined to be accidental. The third incident was a minor fire in a couch on the porch. Haggit said occupants of the house appeared drunk, and the fire may have been the result of horseplay. Investigators have no evidence to link these fires at this time. Willie Young noted that 14 students had been displaced due to the fires, and he thanked Inn-Town Homes & Apartments for help in accommodating the students. Robert Barnett, assistant director for safety and security in Student Affairs, described the “Get Out, Stay Out: Campus Fire Safety Campaign,” which has been developed cooperatively by several agencies, including Columbus Fire, Student Affairs and nurses from University Hospitals Burn Unit. The campaign has involved a number of educational activities to reach students on and off campus. For more information, see the campaign’s web site at www.firesafety.osu.edu. The group is raising funds to purchase a thermal imaging camera to be placed in the fire station closest to the university campus. Commander Suzanne Curmode told the committee that Columbus Police had received reports of four sexual assaults on women in five days from Feb. 25-29 in an area between Chittenden and East 19th Avenue. One of the incidents resulted in a rape, and three were attempted rape. In each case, the assailant was a white male, although police don’t have evidence at this time to link the incidents. The commander said police have increased patrols in the area. Belinda Higgs, coordinator of African American Student Services, reported on planning for the annual African American Heritage Festival. The festival will begin with a celebration and cookout on April 25, “Town Hall Forum with Judge Joe Brown” on April 26, a talent show on April 28, dinner dance on April 29, 17th annual Pan-Hellenic Black Greek Step Show on April 30, and conclude with cookout and possible concert on May 1. The week’s events also include a number of other service and social activities. The University Area Safety Committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 14, at 3:30 p.m. in 33 W. 11th Ave. Renovation of Section 8 units set to begin Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing expects to begin the first phase of rehabilitation next month of the Section 8 housing units known as Community Properties. Among the first units to be renovated will be in buildings along North Fourth Street in the University District. The Franklin County Commissioners on March 9 approved $13 million in low-interest rate financing for this first phase. Refuse collection improves, and recycling is on the way Skip Parks, operations manager for the city’s Refuse Collection Division, told the Campus Partners Public Service Committee on March 17 that he drives the University District at least twice a week to check on refuse service. Although the division still faces a tight budget, he feels that the level of service has improved this winter, although litter around the dumpsters remains a concern. He said the litter is the property owners’ responsibility, and he doesn’t have the staff to remove the litter. Bill Graver of Buckeye Real Estate said his experience is that service has improved recently. Mr. Parks encouraged property owners to paint their telephone numbers on their dumpsters. If a dumpster can’t be emptied due to an improperly parked car or other problem, then the truck driver would radio the refuse dispatcher, who in turn would call the property owner about the problem. The truck driver could make another pass later to empty the dumpster. Catherine Girves of the University Community Enrichment Association and Irm Schubert, project manager for SWACO, reported that SWACO staff have met with students and other community members about the placement of specially painted recycling dumpsters in several locations. Among the sites being looked at are fraternity and sorority properties, as well as the north and south areas of the University District. Ms. Girves hopes the dumpsters can be placed this spring. Meredith Taylor, vice president of Students for Recycling, said Ohio State students are organizing a “Dump and Run” project to collect used furniture and other items as students move out of the residence halls at the end of spring quarter. In late June, the students will have a community-wide “garage” sale for the items. Proceeds will go to non-profit organizations and will support “Dump and Run” projects in future years. In the first year, the project will focus primarily on residence hall students. In future years, the garage sale might be scheduled for the beginning of autumn quarter. Ms. Taylor thanked SWACO for donations to support this project. The next meeting on refuse collection and recycling will be Wednesday, May 19, at 2 p.m. in room 100 of the Northwood-High Building, 2231 N. High St. The city will resume monthly street sweeping in the University District on Thursday, April 8, and Friday, April 9. The next meeting on street sweeping will be Wednesday, April 14, at 1:30 p.m. in room 200 of the Northwood-High Building. Code enforcement task force receives parking report At the March 9 meeting of the University District Code Enforcement Task Force, Jennifer Cowley-Evans, assistant professor of city and regional planning, and graduate student Yanmei Li presented the results of the University District parking survey conducted by their class during winter quarter. The survey identified major parking concerns of residents and the extent of parking violations in various neighborhoods. The class will present its parking recommendations to the University Area Commission on March 17. Andy Baumann, the city’s code enforcement supervisor for the University District, told the task force that the city’s Division of Fire has asked to be involved in the drafting of new code to prohibit the placing of upholstered furniture outside and on open porches. It isn’t clear whether the new code might be proposed for the city’s health code, fire code, or both. Mr. Baumann remained optimistic that the draft of the new code will be ready for public comment within 30 to 60 days. The next meeting of the University Area Code Enforcement Task Force will be Tuesday, April 13, at 2 p.m. in the Northwood-High Building. Two new planning efforts are under way The city’s Planning Division on Feb. 23 convened the organizational meeting to develop a neighborhood plan for Weinland Park. About three dozen stakeholders attended the meeting. Northside Community Development Corporation had prepared a “Weinland Park 2004 Market Study” with information on the neighborhood’s history, land use, demographics and housing as a basis to begin the planning. The planning effort’s work program notes that the first two to three months will identify issues and review research, the next five to six months will develop the plan, and the concluding two to three months will permit plan review and adoption by city agencies. The plan will serve as the city’s official policy document for Weinland Park for the next 10 to 20 years. The next meeting of the planning committee will be Monday, March 22, at 6 p.m. at Godman Guild Association, 303 E. Sixth Ave. Ohio State and the city’s Planning Division have agreed to jointly fund the preparation of a streetscape plan for High Street from Chittenden to Lane Avenue. Campus Partners is participating with city and university staff to select a firm to prepare the plan. Planning is expected to begin this spring. Neither the city nor the university has identified dollars to implement the plan, but the effort will promote a coordinated approach to this section of High Street and will estimate the cost of proposed improvements. (The city has earmarked capital improvements dollars for streetscape enhancement south of Gateway to Fifth Avenue and north of Lane Avenue to Arcadia. Utility relocations for the project north of Lane Avenue are expected to begin this summer.) Students meet on light rail and Gateway leasing The Campus Partners Student Advisory Board met Feb. 19 to hear a presentation from COTA officials on their plan for light rail service that would pass through the University District. COTA asked for the meeting to obtain student comments on the light rail plan, alternative routes, and related issues. Doug Aschenbach met with the Student Advisory Board on March 3 to give them an update on the South Campus Gateway leasing plan. The Student Advisory Board is planning a public forum to share information on the leasing plan in April. |
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Campus Partners for Community
Urban Redevelopment, Inc.
1824 N. High
St., Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 294-7300; fax (614) 294-7333