Citywire
By Kate Liebers |
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River South
City council authorized a reimbursement of up to about $600,000 for Lifestyle Communities to improve the River South district's walkways. The plan aims to please pedestrians with landscaping on Wall, Ludlow, Rich, and Front streets, as well as providing textured warning surfaces on the curb ramps, allowing the blind to detect intersections with their canes.
Parking Gatage VIP Space for Fuel-Efficient Cars
Currently, there are nearly 100 spaces for bicycles, scooters or motorcycles on the first floor of the Gateway parking garage in lieu of Ohio State University's green initiative - but the garage has further joined forces with the school. The car emission-conscious garage will continue to undergo changes in the summer, as the Gateway will reserve spaces on each level for fuel-efficient vehicles. In addition to rewarding green drivers, the garage will also aim to educate all those who park there; messages offering information about the environment and promoting green products, services and programs will be installed.
Bike to Work Week
Forget filling up the gas tank and hop on your bike - Columbus is participating in the National Bike to Work Week Challenge from May 4 to 14. In an effort to encourage healthy living as well as clean air, the B2WW event invites Columbus-area employees to engage in some friendly competition with other teams. Winners are selected based on the ratio of bicycle trips traveled to the number of employees at each company. Regardless of the teams' scores, all participants are welcome to enjoy Buca di Beppo the following Friday where the green giants will be announced. Businesses are not only sponsoring the teams, but some local companies are also offering discounts for bikers. Bike-related informational sessions and activities will be held throughout the month. Such activities include a Bike Columbus Ride with Mayor Coleman at COSI, 8 a.m. May 5, and the Short North Bikin' Block Party at the parking lot at First Ave. and High St., 7 p.m. May 11. For full details, go to http://b2ww.org.
City Center is one step closer to becoming Columbus Commons
The brick walls of the old City Center mall are one step closer to being replaced with green grass, shops, and apartment housing. The Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation has a long-term lease for the area, and developed the plan to transform the City Center to the nine-acre Columbus Commons park. City Council has since allowed this non-profit group to enter agreements to fund the project, for which no general revenue funds are planned. The project is expected to be complete by the fall of 2010.
Courthouse Construction
Columbus awaits an improved Franklin County New Courts Building and Government Center Entrance Pavilion that will be environmentally friendly, as well as stylish. The plan for the New Courts Building follows a sustainable design; the County Commissioner is committed to using the latest green building technologies. A rain garden at the corner of South Front and Mound Streets, for instance, will harvest rainwater for sustainable storm water management. Not only earth-friendly, but pedestrian-friendly as well; the project includes transforming a block of surface parking into urban spaces complete with pocket parks and seating terraces.
Originally Published: May 1, 2009
