Discovery District (Columbus, Ohio)

Last updated
Discovery District
CSCC.jpg
Columbus State Community College in the Discovery District
Discovery District (Columbus, Ohio)
The district's Special Improvement District boundaries
Coordinates: 39°57′49″N82°59′24″W / 39.963500°N 82.989977°W / 39.963500; -82.989977
ZIP Code
43215
Area code 614

The Discovery District is a special improvement district in downtown Columbus, Ohio, the home of Columbus State Community College, Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus Museum of Art, and Columbus Metropolitan Library. It is considered a cultural district because of its close proximity to higher educational campuses and art destinations. It was named to imply that the area is full of possibility due to the number of learning and creative campuses in this small area. "Culture, art, and academia converge and present the Discovery District." [1] While not typically viewed as the most prominent Columbus neighborhood, the density of academic and arts-based institutions in this area are what make this creative campus unique. [2]

Contents

History

The Discovery Special Improvement District was created in 2007. As a special improvement district (SID), its property owners have agreed to pay a special tax to help maintain the area and keep it clean and safe. The services they are paying for include employing safety ambassadors, a homeless outreach specialist, and a safety coordinator. They also pay to have first-floor graffiti removed and to promote the area through PR and communications publications in various outlets throughout the city, to promote visitors and make the area a downtown Columbus destination. [1] Before the Discovery District was an SID, it was considered an unsafe area of the city, and officials recognized the need for something to be done, especially with a large student demographic in the area attending either Columbus State Community College or the Columbus College of Art and Design.

In 2007, a board of directors overseeing two private, non-profit organizations, the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC) and the Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (Capitol South), made this area their new project. [3] These two organizations have backed multiple special improvement districts in the Columbus area, including the Discovery District and the Capitol Crossroads Special Improvement District. The CDDC was formed in 2002 in order to implement the Downtown Strategic Plan while Capitol South was formed earlier, in 1974, to redevelop the area south of Capitol Square. [3]

Other buildings in the area remain historic landmarks and were in place long before the Discovery District was given its name. These include the Kelton House, the First Congregational Church on Broad Street, and the Broad Street United Methodist Church.

Special Improvement District

The main priorities of the Discovery Special Improvement District are to eliminate disorder and prevent crime. [4] Around 80% of revenue raised from the district is directed towards these goals. Some safety improvements made to the district include creation of safety ambassadors, the hiring of a specialty police force, and the establishment of a full-time outreach program. Through the safety ambassadors program, security guards from the major institutions in the district have joined forced to "close the gaps" [1] in the district. The ambassadors created a security network in which they can easily communicate with each other. The security guards also meet every two months to check up with each other and make sure that the correct pathways of communication are in place. The specialty police force also enhances security in the district. This police force consists of a number of beat cops focused on crime solely within the Discovery District. The force is extremely effective and guarantees a quick response to any safety threats. Lastly, the Discovery's outreach program has provided support to the homeless in the area. This program connects the homeless with jobs and rehabilitation centers that are necessary to those requiring help.

Some common crime occurrences before the creation of the SID included camping, panhandling, defecation, and auto theft. Now, the district experiences limited crime due to the heightened security. The safety improvements were so revolutionary that the SID received the Homeland Security Award in 2014.

The remaining 20% of revenue is dedicated to marketing for the district and for seasonal events. [5]

Geography

Boundaries

An outline of the Discovery District with red areas as an indication of parking lots located in the district in 2015 Discovery district.JPG
An outline of the Discovery District with red areas as an indication of parking lots located in the district in 2015

The Discovery District has slightly varying boundaries depending on the source. The Discovery District is bounded to the north by I-670, to the east by Jefferson Avenue and Lester Drive, to the south in a zig-zag pattern until it reaches I-70, and then to the west by South Grant Avenue.

Buildings and landmarks

This district is home to various cultural and educational institutions. The Columbus Metropolitan Library, one of the highest-ranking large-city libraries in the nation, is an example of this. Its main branch location is within the bounds of the Discovery District, and is currently under construction and closed to the public. [6] The Columbus Museum of Art is another example and is home to a wide array of American and European Art, as well as many contemporary and photographic collections.

Among its educational institutions are the Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus State Community College, Franklin University, and Capital University Law School. The Columbus College of Art and Design is a nationally ranked school for the arts, while Columbus State Community College is a well-known community college in the area, with many of its students beginning there and then transferring through to a four-year school in Columbus, such as Ohio State University, Otterbein University, or Ohio Dominican University, or another school in Ohio.

The Kelton House is a Greek Revival and Italianate mansion in the Discovery District that was converted to a museum by the Junior League of Columbus "to promote an understanding of daily life, customs, and decorative arts in 19th century Columbus and to educate visitors about the Underground Railroad."

The Columbus Museum of Art Columbus Museum of Art 06.jpg
The Columbus Museum of Art

The area also contains several religious institutions including The First Congregational Church on Broad Street and Broad Street United Methodist Church.

Residential

The Columbus Metropolitan Library's main branch Front Profile Columbus Metropolitan Library 1.jpg
The Columbus Metropolitan Library's main branch

The majority of residents in the Discovery District reside in apartment-style buildings. This is due to the urban setting and the student-heavy population; many of these apartments are listed online as "luxury student housing." [7] These include more than ten buildings, each multiple stories. [7]

Another large portion of land in the Discovery District goes towards parking lots for the many apartment buildings, as well as those servicing many of the higher education buildings, Columbus State Community College, Columbus College of Art and Design, Franklin University, Capital University Law School, or the Columbus Museum of Art.

Parks

Topiary Park in Discovery District Topiary Park, Columbus, OH 01.jpg
Topiary Park in Discovery District

The Discovery District is home to the Topiary Park and Thurber Park. Topiary Park, otherwise known as The Old Deaf School Park, began construction in 1988 and uses topiaries to represent Georges Seurat's painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte. [8] The park is seven acres and is home to 67 separate topiary figures, more than 220 trees, and a pond. The Thurber Park is an oval piece of grass set across from the Thurber House, temporary residence of James Thurber, on Jefferson Street. The park is half an acre and contains a gazebo, walkways, and trees. [9]

Commercial

Dining

The Discovery District is home to multiple restaurants, including a variety of cuisines. These dining options have helped to keep people in the area after business hours to eat dinner, whereas without these amenities, the district was formerly a "ghost town" after the Columbus Metropolitan Library and Columbus Art Museum closed for the day. [10]

Events and entertainment

The district is one of the many hosts to the annual Columbus Art Walks, a series of self-guided walking and audio tours through Columbus's downtown districts. Among its many destinations are the locations listed above. According to the Columbus Art Walks website, "The Discovery District Art Walk will lead you through the Northeastern portion of Downtown Columbus. Experience Columbus' Creative Campus where Columbus State Community College, Columbus College of Art and Design, and several downtown arts and cultural institutions all converge. You will find hidden murals on buildings, artistic surprises in parks, historic architectural landmarks, and much more!" [11]

The district also hosts seasonal events to bring people to the area around the winter holiday season, including one called the Holiday Trolley Hop, a tour of the district by trolley in the evening, with stops for activities, crafts, tours, and shopping. One year, the Hop took visitors to Topiary Park, Kelton House, Bosco Center, Columbus Museum of Art, Hills Market Downtown, Thurber House, and the State Auto Nativity Display.

The district hosts the Topiary Theater Summer Movie Series. The district partners with the Columbus Metropolitan Library and the Gateway Film Center to put on a book-to-film series in Topiary Park, next to the Ohio School for the Deaf. [12]

The Discovery District also creates sand volleyball courts in the summer as a part of "Discovery Beach". The beach is located at 100 N. Grant Avenue and is open and free to volleyball players all summer long. The YMCA hosts a spring and summer volleyball league at the beach as well. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbus, Ohio</span> Capital and largest city of Ohio, United States

Columbus is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest after Chicago, and the third-most populous U.S. state capital after Phoenix, Arizona and Austin, Texas. Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County; it also extends into Delaware and Fairfield counties. It is the core city of the Columbus metropolitan area, which encompasses ten counties in central Ohio. It had a population of 2,138,926 in 2020, making it the largest metropolitan area entirely in Ohio and 32nd-largest metro area in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbus metropolitan area, Ohio</span> Metropolitan statistical area in Ohio, United States

The Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area is a metropolitan area in Central Ohio surrounding the state capital of Columbus. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, it includes the counties of Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Hocking, Licking, Madison, Morrow, Perry, Pickaway, and Union. At the 2020 census, the MSA had a population of 2,138,926, making it 32nd-most populous in the United States and the second largest in Ohio, behind the Cincinnati metropolitan area. The metro area, also known as Central Ohio or Greater Columbus, is one of the largest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the Midwestern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown Columbus, Ohio</span> Neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio

Downtown Columbus is the central business district of Columbus, Ohio. Downtown is centered on the intersection of Broad and High Streets, and encompasses all of the area inside the Inner Belt. Downtown is home to most of the tallest buildings in Columbus.

Columbus, the state capital and Ohio's largest city, has numerous neighborhoods within its city limits. Neighborhood names and boundaries are not officially defined. They may vary or change from time to time due to demographic and economic variables.

The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) is an agency serving the U.S. state of Ohio. Its offices are in the Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrison West</span> Neighborhood of Columbus in Franklin, Ohio, United States

Harrison West is a historic urban neighborhood located northwest of downtown Columbus, Ohio. It sits on several blocks along the Olentangy River and includes the western part of the Near Northside Historic District, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The character of the neighborhood is similar to Victorian Village, which sits just to the east and is more well-known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelton House Museum and Garden</span> Historic house museum in Columbus, Ohio

The Kelton House Museum and Garden is a Greek Revival and Italianate mansion in the Discovery District of Downtown Columbus, Ohio. The museum was established by the Junior League of Columbus to promote an understanding of daily life, customs, and decorative arts in 19th-century Columbus and to educate visitors about the Underground Railroad.

The culture of Columbus, Ohio, is particularly known for museums, performing arts, sporting events, seasonal fairs and festivals, and architecture of various styles from Greek Revival to modern architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbus Commons</span> Park and green space in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.

John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons is a 6-acre (2.4 ha) park and green space in downtown Columbus, Ohio, located on the site of the former Columbus City Center mall. The park features gardens, a performance stage, carousel, interactive playground equipment, and two foodservice buildings. The project was developed by Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC) and Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation. The park opened on May 26, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highpoint on Columbus Commons</span> Apartment building in Columbus, Ohio

Highpoint on Columbus Commons is a $50 million mixed-use development project in Columbus, Ohio consisting of both multi-family and retail space. Highpoint includes 301 apartments and townhomes, built with approximately 23,000 square feet of street-level retail fronting on High Street, the main north–south thoroughfare through Columbus, Ohio. Highpoint on Columbus Commons was the first new residential development to occur at Columbus Commons, a seven-acre site in downtown Columbus that stands at the former site of the Columbus City Center mall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin Park (Columbus, Ohio)</span> Place

Franklin Park is a neighborhood located on the Near East Side of Columbus, Ohio. Both the historic neighborhood and landmark, the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, are named after the 88-acre park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Main Library (Columbus, Ohio)</span> Columbus, Ohios main lending library

The Main Library of the Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) system is located in Downtown Columbus, Ohio, United States. The public library is the largest in the library system and holds approximately 300,000 volumes. It includes numerous rooms, including separate spaces for children, teens, an adult reading room, newspaper room, auditorium, gallery, gift shop, and a cafe. The third floor includes a computer lab and houses the Franklin County Genealogical & Historical Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topiary Park</span> Park and garden in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.

Topiary Park is a 9.2-acre (3.7 ha) public park and garden in Columbus, Ohio's Discovery District. The park's topiary garden, officially the Topiary Garden at Old Deaf School Park, is designed to depict figures from Georges Seurat's 1884 painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. It is the only park based entirely on a painting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbus Civic Center (Ohio)</span> Civic center in downtown Columbus, Ohio

The Columbus Civic Center is a civic center, a collection of government buildings, museums, and open park space in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. The site is located along the Scioto Mile recreation area and historically was directly on the banks of the Scioto River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Town Street Historic District</span> Historic district in Ohio, United States

The East Town Street Historic District is a historic district in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and the Columbus Register of Historic Properties in 1982; the district boundaries differ between the two entries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broad Street (Columbus, Ohio)</span> East-west street in Columbus, Ohio

Broad Street is a major thoroughfare in Central Ohio, predominantly in Franklin County and Columbus. It stretches east from West Jefferson at Little Darby Creek to Pataskala. The street is considered one of Columbus's two main roads, along with High Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elijah Pierce Properties</span> United States historic place

The Elijah Pierce Properties were historic buildings in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. They were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10 E Broad / W Broad</span> Bus line in Columbus, Ohio

The 10 E Broad / W Broad is a Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) bus service in Columbus, Ohio. The line operates on Broad Street, the city's main east-west thoroughfare.

MKSK is an American landscape architecture and urban design firm. The company is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, founded in 1990. The firm is known for its work reshaping Central Ohio, particularly downtown Columbus. MKSK is an employee-owned practice with a network of twelve metropolitan studios in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and the District of Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio Institution for the Deaf and Dumb</span> Former school campus in Columbus, Ohio

The Ohio Institution for the Deaf and Dumb was a deaf school campus in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. The school, today known as the Ohio School for the Deaf, sat on the present-day Topiary Park grounds in the modern-day Discovery District. The main school building was gutted by a fire on October 2, 1981, though an existing building still stands as Cristo Rey Columbus High School. That remaining building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Columbus Register of Historic Properties.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Discovery SID Downtown Columbus". downtowncolumbus.com. Archived from the original on 2015-12-02. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  2. "Homeport (Columbus Housing Partnership)". United Way of Central Ohio. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  3. 1 2 "CDDC & Capitol South Downtown Columbus". downtowncolumbus.com. Archived from the original on 2015-11-14. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  4. "SID Public Services Association | The Columbus Foundation". tcfapp.org. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
  5. "Contact Us Downtown Columbus". downtowncolumbus.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-21. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
  6. "Main%20Library | www.columbuslibrary.org". www.columbuslibrary.org. Archived from the original on 2015-11-24. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  7. 1 2 "The Best 10 Apartments in 2 West 2nd Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201". www.yelp.com. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
  8. "The Park". The Topiary Park of Columbus. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
  9. "Thurber Park". columbus.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
  10. "Discovery District gets residential, retail boost". Columbus CEO. Archived from the original on 2015-10-09. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  11. "Discovery District Art Walk". www.columbus.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  12. "Topiary Theater Summer Movies Downtown Columbus". downtowncolumbus.com. Archived from the original on 2015-12-04. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  13. "Sand Volleyball Downtown Columbus". downtowncolumbus.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-06. Retrieved 2015-12-14.