News from Campus Partners

Click here for News Archives

New: University Community Association gives awards to two civic leaders – August 24, 2006

Update from Campus Partners: 
Prepared for residents the University Area Commission
July 20, 2006

Contents:

· Environmental study continues at Columbus Coated Fabrics site · Weinland Park Neighborhood Plan moves toward adoption · Crime Stoppers offers reward for vandalism and graffiti crimes · Special collection of bulk refuse scheduled for Aug. 25 to Sept. 11

· Campus Hop held to promote High Street in the University District · Application for New Markets Tax Credits not successful · McFadden's to open at Gateway next week

Environmental study continues at Columbus Coated Fabrics site Campus Partners last February entered into an agreement to purchase the Columbus Coated Fabrics site. Under the terms of the current contract, Campus Partners has a six-month due diligence period (through mid-August) to evaluate the environmental issues associated with this property and to work with the various interested governmental entities on a successful redevelopment strategy. Campus Partners recently secured a verbal agreement to extend the purchase agreement an additional 60 days, through mid-October. Campus Partners has engaged Joseph Reidy of Schottenstein Zox & Dunn to assist with the environmental review process. Mr. Reidy came highly recommended based on the number of successful applications he has worked on with regard to the Clean Ohio Fund program. Campus Partners also has engaged the firm HZW Environmental to undertake the needed phase II environmental assessment work. In addition, representatives of Campus Partners have discussed the site with Ohio EPA staff. Columbus City Council on July 10 agreed to fund half of the estimated $500,000 needed to carry out environmental due diligence required to fully assess the clean-up costs. Campus Partners is very appreciative of the city's sharing in the cost of this due diligence. The city is aware that no funds have currently been identified to acquire the site, demolish the existing buildings, and clean up the site. Back to the top Weinland Park Neighborhood Plan moves toward adoption After more than two years of neighborhood involvement and review, the Weinland Park Neighborhood Plan is on the agenda of Columbus City Council for possible adoption on July 24. The draft plan is available on the Columbus Planning Division’s web site at <www.columbusinfobase.org>. Meanwhile, the Weinland Park Community Civic Association has established several committees which have had initial discussions of implementation of various aspects of the plan. In addition, City Council staff members last month began a series of focus groups in Weinland Park to review on health and safety issues. The first focus group was held as part of the civic association meeting in June. Additional focus groups will be held with the newly formed Weinland Park home-owners association and with other neighbors. City Council staff hopes to foster close cooperation among city agencies and neighborhood stakeholders to address the health and safety issues identified in the focus groups. A similar effort has been underway in Franklinton for the past year, and the reports are positive. As part of the neighborhood review of the Weinland Park Neighborhood Plan, the city’s Planning Division agreed to sponsor a forum on public safety in that neighborhood. That forum will be held on Tuesday, July 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 1182 N. Sixth St. Representatives of the city’s Public Safety Department and other departments will be in attendance. Back to the top Crime Stoppers offers reward for vandalism and graffiti crime Vandalism to parked vehicles and graffiti have been growing problems, particularly in the northern part of the University District. Graffiti has spread from dumpsters to occupied houses. The University Area Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest or indictment of persons for these crimes. The University Area Crime Stoppers Board is working with neighborhood civic leaders on ways to publicize the rewards and to express the community’s unhappiness about these crimes. The University Area Safety Committee is not meeting over the summer. The next regularly scheduled meeting is Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 3:30 p.m. in 33 W. 11th Ave. Back to the top Special collection of bulk refuse scheduled for Aug. 25 to Sept. 11 The city’s Refuse Collection Division will conduct the 10th annual special collection of bulk refuse in the University District from Friday, Aug. 25, through Monday, Sept. 11. Campus Partners is arranging drop-off sites for the special collection in cooperation with area property managers. SWACO will donate use of a transfer trailer during the collection period. Phi Delta Theta Fraternity will work with Material Assistance Providers to collect reusable furniture and other household goods. The University District Code Enforcement Task Force and the Campus Partners Public Service Committee on refuse collection and recycling held joint meetings on May 9 and July 11. In general, regular refuse collection in the University District is going well. At the meeting on July 11, an e-mail message from a neighbor on East Northwood Avenue was read which expressed great appreciation for the effective collection of refuse in that neighborhood. The University Area Enrichment Association (UAEA) in cooperation with the Code Enforcement Task Force is planning a litter survey of the entire University District using student volunteers from the university’s Community Commitment Day on Sept. 19. UAEA conducted a successful pilot of the litter survey with the help of student volunteers participating in the Rock the Block service day on May 6. The University District Code Enforcement Task Force and the Campus Partners Public Service Committee on refuse collection and recycling will hold a joint meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 2 p.m. in the Northwood-High Building,, 2231 N. High St. Back to the top Campus Hop held to promote High Street in the University District In a first effort to cooperatively market High Street in the University District, South Campus Gateway and Campus Partners joined with the Wexner Center, Ohio State’s College of the Arts and the University Community Business Association to sponsor the Campus Hop on Thursday evening, July 13. The event featured an outdoor B-movie on the Wexner Center plaza, street performers, sidewalk sales, restaurant discounts and other activities. The goal was to encourage the public to explore High Street in the University District. No decision has been made on future events, but the Campus Hop was a learning experience for all involved and likely will lead to further cooperation. Back to the top Application for New Markets Tax Credits not successful Campus Partners submitted an application for an allocation of $75 million in New Market Tax Credits (NMTC) from the 2006 Allocation Round. NMTC is a federal program designed to encourage investment in economically distressed communities. Unfortunately, Campus Partners received word last month that its application was not successful. In fact, there were only two successful recipients in Ohio. Campus Partners expects to receive information in the near future regarding the scoring of its application, which should allow staff members to assess the opportunities for submitting a more competitive application for the 2007 allocation. Campus Partners received an allocation of $35 million in NMTC in the initial allocation in 2003. That allocation was used to finance construction of the retail portion of South Campus Gateway. The latest application would have earmarked most of the NMTC to potential projects in the Weinland Park neighborhood. Back to the top McFadden's to open at Gateway next week McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon will open at South Campus Gateway on Thursday, July 27, through Saturday, July 29, with a series of grand opening parties. McFadden's is an old New York-style pub with a strong entertainment component, including two dance floors and two outdoor balconies. For guest list reservations, visit <www.mcfaddenssaloon.com>. Sunflower Market continues the build-out of its grocery space with a target of opening in mid-September. This new grocery concept will feature natural and organic foods at more competitive prices.

Back to the top

Home | News | History & Organization | Committees | Contact

Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment, Inc.
1824 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 294-7300; fax (614) 294-7333