(From an email sent to me on Columbus Underground)I don't know if you (or anyone at CSO for that matter) saw last November's Columbus Monthly article, "Big Ideas for City Center." Our architecture firm was asked to develop a conceptual proposal for the redevelopment of the City Center site, and we saw it then as a way to make commentary on the state of the arts in the city.
Here was our premise: If Nationwide's Arena District is becoming the city's "category killer" venue for sports entertainment, why not re-imagine City Center as a category killer for the arts?
Essentially we said that the most valuable part of the existing structure was the parking, and that the proximity of the site to major downtown theaters could make the site viable for hotel space (desparately needed) and reclaimed park space and re-connection to the urban grid by reopening Town Street.
The centerpiece as we saw it (and our cultural "shot in the arm" for Columbus) was a new, acoustically superior and state-of-the-art Symphony Hall, with indoor/outdoor staging. The new park space would act as an amphitheater for a relocated Picnic with the Pops. We also proposed (in a very tongue in cheek way) reserving a sixth of the overall developed space for an urban Target Store, whose logo would make the nation's largest Ferris Wheel and offset the cost of developing the new Symphony Hall.
I won't bore you with the rest, but you can see the proposal as it appeared in Columbus Monthly by going here:
http://www.onlinefilefolder.co...d8fe0593ed
The last I heard any murmurings about the City Center site, Nationwide Realy was looking at planning strategies. I just thought I should email you this to say there are many in Columbus who have not given up hope for CSO, we support you, and if there is anything you feel that we can do to help, please feel free to email or call.
Best,
Bart Overly
Blostein/Overly Architects
+1 614 507-0291
www.blostein-overly.com
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