"Memo blames plumber" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Memo blames plumber
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
July 2, 2008

When Franklin County commissioners bypassed a low bidder to hire an out-of-state plumber for the new baseball stadium, Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy said they had to stick to their standards "to employ reliable contractors."

Ones, she said, "who will work effectively, on budget and in compliance with the law."

But a report obtained after The Dispatch filed a public-records request places blame on that plumber for as much as $200,000 in damage to Huntington Park.

W.G. Tomko Inc., of Pennsylvania, was working without permission and without supervision in the affected section of the stadium, according to a memo Turner Construction sent commissioners Thursday...

"Ballpark damage could cost $200,000" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Ballpark damage could cost $200,000
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
June 30, 2008

The bill to repair Franklin County's damaged baseball park could reach $200,000, and commissioners are preparing to sue if the contractor that sank a section doesn't pay up.

The county won't say who that contractor is.

“We may not release the (preliminary investigation) report until we've gotten confirmation that the contractor's insurance bond will cover the incident,” County Administrator Don L. Brown said...

"Ballpark damage prompts search for the cause" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Ballpark damage prompts search for the cause
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
June 25, 2008

A second-story floor is cracked and a crane is holding up a steel supporting column at Huntington Park after a concrete footer sank over the weekend, causing an undetermined amount of damage to the new home of the Clippers.

"There is a structural issue, and they're working on it right now," said Tina Guegold, spokeswoman for Nationwide Realty Investors. As the owner's representative for Franklin County, Nationwide is guiding construction of the $55 million ballpark in its Arena District back yard.

Structural engineers were scrambling over the ballpark late yesterday to determine how the damage was caused. A plumbing contractor had been digging a trench by the footer late Saturday to install drainage pipes that will carry waste cooking oil from food vendors to a disposal tank. Renee Colbert, a manager for W.G. Tomko Inc., said everything was fine when its plumbing crew left that night. When workers returned early Monday, they found "the dirt under the column had eroded away and there was a significant amount of water around."...

"County's contracting standards validated in court again" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: County's contracting standards validated in court again
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
June 14, 2008

Painting can begin at Huntington Park on schedule next week after an appeals court ruled that Franklin County is fairly applying its contracting standards to bids for work on the Downtown ballpark.

"It again showed we were doing it right," Commissioner Marilyn Brown said.

In a ruling yesterday, the Franklin County Court of Appeals said that commissioners didn't use unannounced criteria to reject a $770,079 bid by the Painting Co...

"New neighborhood on deck west of arena, Huntington Park" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: New neighborhood on deck west of arena, Huntington Park
Mike Pramik
The Columbus Dispatch
May 26, 2008

The site of a former factory near Huntington Park could be developed into a residential neighborhood, providing a crowning touch to the western reaches of the Arena District.

Plaza Properties is working to transform a 23-acre tract along Nationwide Boulevard just west of the future baseball stadium into condominiums and apartments, among other developments.

Columbus-based Plaza has asked Columbus City Council to approve its application for a Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grant to help pay for the cleanup of the first phase of the project, at the site of the former Jaeger Machine Co...

"Plaza Properties requesting state money for housing near Arena District" Business First of Columbus

Link: Plaza Properties requesting state money for housing near Arena District
Brian R. Ball
Business First of Columbus
May 23, 2008

Plans for a residential community west of the Arena District in Columbus could get a boost if Plaza Properties Inc. lands a state grant to offset the cost of cleaning the former industrial site.

The Columbus-based developer plans to seek $750,000 from the Clean Ohio Assistance Fund to help clean up a 7.7-acre portion of the 22-acre site where the Union Fork and Hoe Co. and Jaeger Machine Co. had manufacturing operations.

Plaza Properties plans to build 243 housing units on about 4 acres in the first phase of development that could get under way as early as 2010. The first section, expected to cost about $36 million, will include about 15,000 square feet for retailers. The developer sees having as many as 1,000 housing units on the site...

"Plans percolating for Arena District" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Plans percolating for Arena District
Mike Pramik
The Columbus Dispatch
May 15, 2008

The final development phase of the Arena District is in the works, a $280 million expansion that would make the Downtown neighborhood a billion-dollar venture.

Nationwide Realty Investors, the district’s developer, wants to build a 220-unit apartment complex north of Nationwide Arena, just south of a site that could become an 85,000-squarefoot Giant Eagle store. More development would follow, including additional offices and stores, said Brian Ellis, president of Nationwide Realty.

However, Ellis, city officials and others engaged in negotiations over terms of the developments say talks are only in the preliminary stage...

"New ballpark: 'You can start to feel it'" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: New ballpark: 'You can start to feel it'
Jim Massie
The Columbus Dispatch
May 11, 2008

Huntington Park suddenly is more than a $56 million dream or hole in the ground sandwiched between Nationwide Arena and the Buggyworks building. The Clippers will move their triple-A baseball operation from Cooper Stadium to this state-of-the-art ballpark for the 2009 season. The Coop, born Red Bird Stadium, has been the historic home of Columbus professional baseball since its opening in 1931.

"This is the oldest triple-A stadium in the country," Schnacke said. "The only older major-league facilities are Yankee Stadium, which is soon to be replaced, and Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, which have had tons of renovations."

Talk of building a stadium for the Clippers at a different location had circulated for the past decade. Proposed sites have ranged from the Brewery District to River South, Grandview and Easton...

"New ballpark" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: New ballpark
Web-only letters to the editor
The Columbus Dispatch
April 23, 2008

I have read with considerable interest the editorials concerning the ongoing controversy surrounding Franklin County and the Huntington Ballpark. The central idea behind this issue appears to suggest that our County Commissioners are serving the public interests by qualifying contractors. I would like to suggest that our County Commissioners qualifying contractors is bad policy and frankly bad government...

"Painting of ballpark on hold" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Painting of ballpark on hold
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
April 15, 2008

Franklin County commissioners can hire a contractor this morning to paint Huntington Park, but the first drop can't go on until a court considers an appeal by a rejected low bidder.

That ruling yesterday by the Franklin County Court of Appeals will allow a contractor to begin drawings and coordinate work with other contractors for the baseball park until the appeal is heard next month.

"We'll probably be fine," county Administrator Don L. Brown said. "But warm weather is just around the corner."...

"Huntington Park on Schedule, County Commisioner Says" WOSU

Link: Huntington Park on Schedule, County Commisioner Says
Sam Hendren
WOSU
April 2, 2008

...Groundbreaking for the $56 million project took place last August. Original plans called for the ballpark's opening in 2008. But environmental clean-up at the site where a gas station once stood delayed the project. The awarding of several construction contracts by the Franklin County Commission, which owns the team, has also been contentious. But commissioner Paula Brooks says the legal challenges are not slowing the timetable.

"The vast majority of contracts have been entered into and have proceeded," Brooks says. "We've had a few blips on the radar screen but everything's on schedule, on budget. There's still a lot of work to do but I have confidence that we're going to get it done on time."...

"County commissioners say Wolpert off base in bid to block ballpark funding" Business First of Columbus

Link: County commissioners say Wolpert off base in bid to block ballpark funding
[account required]
Jeff Bell
Business First of Columbus
March 28, 2008

A state lawmaker unhappy with how Franklin County commissioners are awarding construction contracts for Huntington Park may be unable to block $7 million from the state for the project.

Ohio Rep. Larry Wolpert, R-Hilliard, has been looking into the prospects of the legislature's Controlling Board halting the transfer of money to the county because he thinks the commissioners are wasting tax dollars by not awarding construction contracts to low bidders.

But the decision to release the funds is in the hands of Pari Sabety, director of the state Office of Budget and Management, and not the Controlling Board, said Keith Dailey, a spokesman for Gov. Ted Strickland. That's the case, he said, because of the way the General Assembly approved $7 million in funding for the Columbus Clippers ballpark project in the last capital bill in 2006...

"Judge rules for county commissioners on ballpark" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Judge rules for county commissioners on ballpark
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
March 31, 2008

Rejecting a low bid for Huntington Park over clerical errors might not make the best business sense, but Franklin County commissioners were within their rights to do so, a judge ruled this afternoon.

“In the absence of clear and convincing evidence of an abuse of discretion, the ultimate determination as to the reasonableness of the Commissioners’ actions rests with the voters,” Common Pleas Judge Michael J. Holbrook writes.

Holbrook’s decision in the Painting Co. lawsuit marks the second victory in three months for commissioners. Both rejected contractors use non-union workers and claimed commissioners disqualified their low bids to favor organized labor...

Columbus Clipper - Huntington Park Construction Cam

I just stumbled on to the web cam (from a link in a Columbus Dispatch article) which is keeping tabs on the construction at the Clipper's new Huntington Park Stadium in the Arena District.

Right under the main picture, there is a control bar you can move back in time to see the progress that has been made. I love toys, especially ones that let me see months of development in a few minutes...

View the Columbus Clippers Huntington Park Construction Cam

"Ballpark money slides home" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Ballpark money slides home
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
March 28, 2008

Franklin County nabbed $7 million this week that Ohio had promised for the county's new baseball stadium.

"Well, hooray!" County Commissioner Marilyn Brown said upon learning that the money had cleared its last hurdle.

State Rep. Larry Wolpert, however, is steamed that the county didn't have to go before the state's fiscal watchdog to get the money.

"I'm not happy about it," he said. "Others -- the Great American Ball Park and Shuster (Performing Arts Center) -- went before the state Controlling Board, if only as a courtesy...

"Ex-commissioner backs contractor" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Ex-commissioner backs contractor
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
March 26, 2008

...The company's attorneys called Stokes to the stand yesterday to help make their case.

Even defense witnesses waffled on whether Franklin County is properly classifying payments companies made to settle wage disputes as "violations."

Judge Michael J. Holbrook is expected to decide the case on Monday. The Painting Co. is the latest of three contractors to sue Franklin County commissioners over jobs at the new ballpark.

Critics accuse commissioners of driving up costs for taxpayers and corporate sponsors. But commissioners say they're picking companies that will do the best job and pay workers fairly and legally...

"Ex-commissioner testifies for company in stadium-contract dispute" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Ex-commissioner testifies for company in stadium-contract dispute
Barabara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
March 25, 2008

Franklin County will call its first witnesses this afternoon to counter a lawsuit by a contractor who says the county twisted its rules to favor labor unions for jobs building the Huntington Park baseball stadium.

The Painting Co., which uses nonunion workers, bid $770,010 for a job at the county ballpark. The next lowest bid, which commissioners are considering, would cost corporate sponsors and taxpayers an additional $46,090.

In testimony this morning, witnesses for the Painting Co. testified that they were there in 2002 when the county adopted its Quality Contracting Standards. Former Commissioner Dewey Stokes said those rules were meant to punish companies that purposely failed to pay state-set wages, not those with minor clerical errors...

"Trial to weigh ballpark-bid bias" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Trial to weigh ballpark-bid bias
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
March 24, 2008

...A trial is to begin today in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, the latest of three ballpark lawsuits in four months against commissioners. They've won one and lost one.

Contractors contend that the county, which owns the team and is building the $55 million stadium with corporate donations and Ohio tax dollars, is rejecting their low bids to steer jobs to unions.

"It's clear there is an agenda," said David S. Timms, an attorney for the Painting Co., whose case will be heard this week by Judge Michael J. Holbrook. "The documents that I've seen make it clear in my mind that it's all about unions."

Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy brands these accusations as false and thinly disguised political attacks...

"Stadium funding approved, sort of" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Stadium funding approved, sort of
Robert Vitale
The Columbus Dispatch
March 8, 2008

A state commission approved money yesterday for Franklin County's new minor-league baseball stadium, but the two sides in a running dispute over construction contracts differed on what that meant.

County Commissioner Paula Brooks called the decision by the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission a vote of confidence in the Huntington Park project.

State Rep. Larry Wolpert, R-Hilliard, called the action meaningless..

...Legislators, including Wolpert, approved a capital budget for the state last year that included the $7 million for Huntington Park, but the money still must be released by the Controlling Board...

"Huntington Park field to be redesigned" Business First of Columbus

Link: Huntington Park field to be redesigned
Matt Burns
Business First of Columbus
March 3, 2008

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners is going back to the drawing board on the field design for Huntington Park amid long-term cost and structural worries over the original design.

Commissioners on Monday said designer 360 Architecture Inc. has tapped Littleton, Colo.-based Millenium Sports Technologies Inc. to redesign the field at the ballpark, under construction and scheduled for a regular-season opener in 2009. Ken Schnacke, Columbus Clippers' president and general manager, said potential bidders eyeing the field's original design expressed concern over a planned 10- to 12-inch layer of sand above a 96-inch sewer line that runs through the field. "It would have drained the field too well and had been proven in some situations to be unstable," Schnacke said...

"Commissioners reject low ballpark paint bid" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Commissioners reject low ballpark paint bid
Mark Ferenchik
The Columbus Dispatch
March 4, 2008

Franklin County commissioners rejected the low bid today for painting work on the county's new baseball park.

All three commissioners — Marilyn Brown, Mary Jo Kilroy and Paula Brooks — voted against the Painting Company. Kilroy said the Ohio Department of Commerce found eight instances over two years in which the company did not pay wages at required levels.

County standards adopted six years ago say contractors can have no more than three such violations over two years within the past 10 years, said Don L. Brown, county administrator...

"Farnham, SoundCom get contracts for Huntington Park" Business First of Columbus

Link: Farnham, SoundCom get contracts for Huntington Park
Business First of Columbus
February 13, 2008

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners this week approved contracts with two Ohio companies that will put in spectator seats and audio-visual services at the Huntington Park baseball stadium under construction in Columbus' Arena District.

Commissioners awarded Westerville-based Farnham Equipment Co. a $659,000 contract to install fixed seating at the 10,000-seat park, where the Columbus Clippers of the International League are scheduled to begin playing in April 2009. Cleveland-based SoundCom Systems was awarded a $658,811 contract to install speakers, broadcast cabling system gear and provide work related to the park's sound and television systems...

"County hid bidding records, contractor's 2nd suit claims" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: County hid bidding records, contractor's 2nd suit claims
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
February 9, 2008

Franklin County commissioners have played keep-away with public records detailing their decision to throw out the low bidder for plumbing and ventilation contracts at the county's new baseball stadium, according to a lawsuit filed late yesterday.

Earlier this month, Judge Richard A. Frye ruled that commissioners were within their rights to disqualify TP Mechanical Contractors. Yesterday's lawsuit outlined new information that TP said bolsters its claim that the first trial was tarnished...

"Ballpark choice had community in mind" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Ballpark choice had community in mind
Editorial Letter by Mary Jo Kilroy
The Columbus Dispatch
January 17, 2008

...We also made a commitment to build the ballpark in a manner that reflects community values. To do so, we use a set of "quality contracting standards," adopted in 2002, to ensure competition from quality contractors with a trained work force that will build a stadium safely, on time and on budget. Compliance with prevailing wage is also a part of those standards. This process relies on disclosure by companies that wish to do business with the county.

Recently, we received a bid from a company that failed to disclose its prevailing-wage violations. That company did not meet our quality contracting standards. We awarded the contract to a different company, whose bid came in $659,334 below budget estimates. The ballpark project remains on schedule and on budget...

"County scores in ballpark suit" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: County scores in ballpark suit
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
January 15, 2008

Franklin County commissioners were vindicated yesterday in the way they chose contractors for a baseball park that is to open for the Columbus Clippers' 2009 season.

Common Pleas Judge Richard A. Frye ruled that commissioners were within their rights when they shunned a low bidder in favor of two other companies that meet the county's quality-contracting standards.

TP Mechanical Contractors Inc. sued last Tuesday, arguing that commissioners unfairly applied the standards -- which govern wages, benefits and training -- as an excuse not to hire the company because it is nonunion.

"There is no clear and convincing evidence that Franklin County used any unannounced bid criteria," Frye wrote in his ruling...

"Judge OKs choice of contractors for new ballpark" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Judge OKs choice of contractors for new ballpark
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
January 14, 2008

Franklin County’s new ballpark has cleared a legal hurdle that threatened its spring 2009 opening in the Arena District.

Common Pleas Judge Richard A. Frye ruled this morning that county commissioners acted properly when they shunned a low bidder in favor of two other companies who meet the county’s Quality Contracting Standards.

TP Mechanical Contractors Inc. sued on Wednesday, arguing that commissioners were unfairly applying the standards — which govern wages, benefits and training — as a guise to discriminate against the company because it is nonunion...

"Both sides cry foul in ballpark bid" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Both sides cry foul in ballpark bid
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
January 12, 2008

A Franklin County judge is expected to decide Monday whether commissioners abused their authority by spurning a low-bidder to hire a unionized plumber, bumping up the cost of the new baseball stadium.

County officials are eager for a quick decision. The plumbing contract needs to be awarded soon for the $55 million Huntington Park to open on budget and on time for the 2009 baseball season.

The lawsuit is the first big challenge to the county's "quality contracting standards," a policy that deems which contractors are worthy, honest and responsible enough for public works...

"Judge lets awarding of bids play out" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Judge lets awarding of bids play out
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
Janaury 8, 2007

A judge has told a jilted low bidder that he won't stop Franklin County commissioners from voting this morning on a more costly contract for a new ballpark.

"Until they exercise their discretion by taking action, it's premature to say what they're going to do," Common Pleas Judge Richard A. Frye ruled yesterday...

...Commissioner Marilyn Brown questioned whether TP had low-balled its bid. Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy also noted concerns about company safety and whether TP met the county's 2002 prevailing-wage policy.

TP violated Ohio's prevailing-wage law four times in 2005. The county bars doing business with contractors that have three findings within two years...

"Judge blocks ballpark contract with unionized plumber" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Judge blocks ballpark contract with unionized plumber
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
January 8, 2008

Franklin County’s new baseball stadium is briefly on hold again after a judge this afternoon barred commissioners from signing a contract with a unionized plumber.

Judge Richard A. Frye told both sides to move fast since the ballpark has a tight construction schedule. Frye set a hearing for Friday morning to determine whether commissioners abused their discretion when they switched to a unionized plumber, jettisoning a cheaper combined bid by TP Mechanical Contractors Inc., a non-union shop.

TP said the county sent it a contract in December for review. TP’s low combined bid to install plumbing and a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system in Huntington Park was for $4,329,874...

"Experience Columbus ready to open Arena District office" Business First of Columbus

Link: Experience Columbus ready to open Arena District office
Business First of Columbus
January 7, 2007

...Experience Columbus said its downtown visitor center at 277 W. Nationwide Boulevard will open Thursday at 4 p.m. The bureau's previous office was less than a mile away at 90 N. High St.

The 1,200-square-foot center will feature maps of downtown and the Columbus area, information on venues and events and interactive kiosks that link to online access. Experience Columbus said in a release that the location conveniently sits at the nexus of the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Nationwide Arena and Huntington Park, set to open in 2009...

"Ballpark bidding challenged again" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Ballpark bidding challenged again
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
January 5, 2007

Franklin County commissioners, accused two months ago of trying to steer a construction contract on their new ballpark to a union company, are being challenged by another low bidder crying foul for the same reason.

"If they award this contract to someone else, the taxpayers of Franklin County will pay no less than $215,000 more for these contracts," said Ed O'Brien, Columbus regional manager for TP Mechanical Contractors Inc...

...Commissioners insist they based their decision on policy, not politics. They say TP repeatedly violated state prevailing-wage laws, had worrisome worker-safety violations and has a reputation for bidding low and returning with price increases...

"Boston's Pizza moving into Arena District's Red Star space" Business First of Columbus

Link: Boston's Pizza moving into Arena District's Red Star space
Dan Eaton
Business First of Columbus
December 21, 2007

...A franchisee for Dallas-based Boston Pizza Restaurants LP will take over the space at Nationwide Boulevard and West Street, where it will open a Boston's Gourmet Pizza. The site once was occupied by the Red Star Tavern.

"We think this will work well in the Arena District," said Tim Emery, owner of franchisee Trinity Management Group Arena District LLC. "All of Boston's layouts have two concepts under one roof. This space lends itself nicely to that."...

"$1 million a year for schools" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: $1 million a year for schools
Simone Sebastian
The Columbus Dispatch
December 5, 2007

Nationwide Arena will compensate the Columbus school district at least $1 million a year under a deal that ends a six-year dispute over the arena's property-tax value.

Nationwide Arena, which is 99 percent property-tax abated, compensates the school district from a surcharge on ticket sales and a portion of arena employees' city income tax.

Under the previous agreement, the district was to receive as much revenue from those sources as it would have if the arena did pay property taxes...

"City renaming street for Cooper Stadium namesake" Business First of Columbus

Link: City renaming street for Cooper Stadium namesake
Business First of Columbus
December 3, 2007

...City officials on Monday afternoon are scheduled to rename Brodbelt Lane, the street between the Arena District ballpark site and Lifestyle Communities Pavilion, in honor of Harold M. Cooper. The former Franklin County commissioner is credited with bringing baseball back to Columbus in 1955, when he became general manager of the Columbus Jets...

City and County to Honor Harold Cooper with Street at New Huntington Park

Brodbelt Lane renamed for Cooper
Hanover Street renamed Huntington Park Lane

press release
(Columbus) Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Council President Michael C. Mentel, and Mary Jo Kilroy, president of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, will join with Tom Hoaglin, Chairman and CEO of Huntington Bank and members of the Cooper family to rename two streets this coming Monday in honor the legacy of Former County Commissioner Harold M. Cooper and to recognize Huntington Bancshares Inc., which is leading the development of Huntington Park, as the future home of the Columbus Clippers.

Harold Cooper is the namesake of the Clippers’ current baseball stadium in Franklinton, and is credited with bringing baseball back to Columbus in 1955.

Brodbelt Lane, west of Neil Avenue, will be renamed Harold M. Cooper Lane, and Hanover Street, between Nationwide Boulevard and Long Street, will be renamed Huntington Park Lane.  The new signs will be unveiled on Monday, December 3rd, at 4:00 p.m., and legislation to official change the names of the streets will be considered at City Council’s meeting that night.

WHO:
Mayor Michael B. Coleman
City Council President Michael C. Mentel
Mar Jo Kilroy, President of the Franklin County Commissioners
Tom Hoaglin, Chairman and CEO of Huntington Bank
Members of the Cooper Family

WHEN:
4:00 p.m. on Monday, December 3, 2007

WHERE:
Corner of Brodbelt Lane and Neil Avenue
(Free parking available behind PromoWest Pavilion)

Harold M. Cooper – Biographical Information:
One of the most prominent individuals in the history of Columbus baseball and a former Franklin County Commissioner, Harold Cooper got his start in 1935 as the clubhouse boy for the Columbus (OH) Red Birds. In 1942, he left the team to serve in the armed forces, but returned to baseball and was the lower minors Minor League Executive of the Year in 1950 with the Hutchinson Elks. He later returned to Columbus baseball as General Manager of the new Columbus Jets in 1955 after leading the drive to buy the Ottawa A's to replace the departed Red Birds. From 1955 till 1968 he was GM of the Jets. In 1965 he was named International League Executive of the Year and was also named Minor League Executive of the Year by The Sporting News.
In 1978 Cooper was elected president of the International League and served in that capacity for 12 years. He was also commissioner of the Triple-A Alliance in 1988 and 1989. In 1990 Randy Mobley replaced Cooper as president of the IL. Cooper still serves as a vice president of the IL, 70 years after he began his involvement with minor league baseball.

"Stadium contract awarded to non-union shop" The Columbus Dispatch

Crisis averted...onward and upward for the new Huntington Park Stadium:

Link: Stadium contract awarded to non-union shop
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
November 10, 2007

Franklin County commissioners moved yesterday to end a lawsuit that threatened to delay construction of their new baseball stadium.

In a special session, commissioners voted 2-0 to award Lithko Contracting Inc. a $5.9 million contract to pour concrete for Huntington Park...

"Contractor sues for stadium bid" The Columbus Dispatch

Never a dull moment in the development world:

Link: Contractor sues for stadium bid
Barbara Carmen
The Columbus Dispatch
November 6, 2007

Construction of the new Clippers baseball stadium hit a delay yesterday after a judge told Franklin County commissioners they couldn't award a $5.9 million contract to start pouring concrete.

In a lawsuit filed yesterday, Lithko Contracting Inc. of Hamilton, in southwestern Ohio, said the commissioners rejected its "lowest and best" bid to curry favor from labor unions.

Lithko is a nonunion employer. Its only competitor, Baker Construction, uses union labor and bid $17,500 higher.

"This is plain wrong," said David S. Timms, Lithko's attorney. "Not only would our client's business suffer, but the taxpayers of Franklin County and the state of Ohio are going to suffer because they are going to have to pay more."...

"County approves Huntington Park contracts" Business First of Columbus

Link: County approves Huntington Park contracts
Business First of Columbus
October 26, 2007

The Franklin County commissioners have made a flurry of contract approvals to get construction started on the Huntington Park baseball stadium in the Arena District.

The commissioners this month approved a $690,856 contract for Shelly & Sands Inc. of Zanesville for deep foundation work, $1.45 million for McDaniels Construction Corp. of Columbus for mass excavation services, and $3.47 million for structural steel from Marysville Steel Co. The commissioners also approved a $2.06 million contract for Wanner Metal Worx Inc. of Delaware to supply miscellaneous metals, ornamental fencing and railings...

The 2007 OKTOBERFEST at McFerson Commons in the Arena District

2 Munich-style entertainment tents, 34 band performances, 400 kegs of beer and plenty of parking!

Download Oktoberfest Fact Sheet

Columbus, OH (August 2007) From the ribbon cutting at the great arch at Noon on Friday, September 28, and the tapping of the first keg at 5:30PM on Friday, guests at the 2007 Oktoberfest will experience the dramatic vitality and spirit of this Columbus tradition.  Honorary Bürgermeister, Mayor Michael Coleman will kick off the event.  Once through the historic arch from Columbus’s train station, visitors will be charmed by the traditional beer gardens, great food, lively music and dancing, Kinderplatz for the children, and the renowned Marketplatz craft fair.

Oktoberfest is a significant and highly successful fundraiser for the German Village Society, the 48-year-old historic preservation organization in downtown Columbus.  “Oktoberfest is a reflection of our twenty-first century community.  It is grounded in the traditions of the German immigrants who built our neighborhood, but it also focuses on the interests of the diverse and sophisticated audiences who live, work, and play in the German Village neighborhood today. Our success has been tied to our ability to produce this uniquely contemporary interpretation of an old world festival,” said William Curlis, Chairman of the event.  He points out that, "even now, over one hundred and fifty years since the major immigration of Germans to American shores, one fourth of the American population is at least partly of German heritage. And, during Oktoberfest, we find that just about everyone that enters our gates are somehow German."

WHY THE MOVE?

Oktoberfest has been “site challenged” off and on since the German Village Society began producing it 19 years ago.  The original Brewery District location has been developed, the Brewer’s Yard site has a new Kroger Store on it, and the school grounds at Grant and Livingston are slated for a major reconstruction project. The Oktoberfest committee worked closely with Nationwide Realty Investors and the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department to utilize this handsome park for the first time as a festival site.  “Even Germans need to park!” says Chairman Curlis when asked why the entertainment district is so ideal.

While music and beer are the significant elements of any and all Oktoberfests, guests can look forward to a great array of local and national food vendors offering German as well as 'festival' fare.  Strudel, bratwurst, pretzels, sauerkraut balls, pickles on a stick, cream puffs, and, of course, funnel cakes will all be available.  A full line of Pepsi soft drink products will be on tap along with a number of beer and wine gardens operated by Oktoberfest volunteers.  Warsteiner beer that was brewed in Germany and shipped to Columbus will be poured, as well as a selection of German wines.

Oktoberfest is for young and old alike with a special Kinderplatz for the youngest of all.  Children can learn to polka, join in craft projects, be mesmerized by a magician, be tickled by a juggler, and maybe learn a German phrase or two in the Kinderplatz tent. 

Adult tickets are $8.00; senior citizen tickets are $5.00; and children under twelve are free when accompanied by an adult.  Group discounts are available by contacting the German Village Society office one week in advance of the event. General admission discounted tickets are available online and at all 5/3 Banking Centers.

For more information about parking, tickets, food, entertainment and directions to the event please visit www.GVOktoberfest.com or call 614.221.8888.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

While music and beer are the significant elements of any and all Oktoberfests, guests can look forward to a great array of local and national food vendors offering German as well as 'festival' fare.  Strudel, bratwurst, pretzels, sauerkraut balls, pickles on a stick, cream puffs, and, of course, funnel cakes will all be available.  A full line of Pepsi soft drink products will be on tap along with a number of beer and wine gardens operated by Oktoberfest volunteers.  Warsteiner beer that was brewed in Germany and shipped to Columbus will be poured, as well as a selection of German wines.

Oktoberfest is for young and old alike with a special Kinderplatz for the youngest of all.  Children can learn to polka, join in craft projects, be mesmerized by a magician, be tickled by a juggler, and maybe learn a German phrase or two in the Kinderplatz tent. 

Adult tickets are $8.00; senior citizen tickets are $5.00; and children under twelve are free when accompanied by an adult.  Group discounts are available by contacting the German Village Society office one week in advance of the event. General admission discounted tickets are available online and at all 5/3 Banking Centers.

Polka music is, of course, at the heart of the Oktoberfest entertainment schedule.  Regional stars Hank Haller, Franz Klaber, Joe Fedorchek, and Joe Novak all return, and Tommy Shober and the Sound of Sorgenbrecher are back. 

For the folks seeking a sampling of the Columbus music scene, performances of Shucking Bubba Deluxe, Chrome, The Reagonomics, Lt. Dan’s New Legs, Snow Shoe Crabs, and the Hoo Doo Soul Band are slated for evening showings throughout the weekend.  For a complete entertainment schedule, check the website at www.GVOktoberfest.com

ABOUT THE GERMAN VILLAGE SOCIETY
The German Village Society serves over 1,250 members dedicated to retaining the character of its historic German Village community, conducts Ohio History education programs for children, foster preservation and restoration services, and helps to sustain community charitable and service organizations.

"NRI wraps up Burnham Square sales" Business First of Columbus

I think that the timing on this article is perfect to compliment the announcement of the auction at Carlyles Watch last week. Nationwide has performed well with their condo projects so far and when you compare Burnham Square's performance with some of the other struggling projects, there is obviously something in their mix that is attracting buyers.

That mix is their combination of price, location, unit features and amenities and local entertainment options:

Link: NRI wraps up Burnham Square sales
Business First of Columbus
September 20, 2007

Developer Nationwide Realty Investors Ltd. has sold out its 98-condo Burnham Square project in Columbus' Arena District.

Nationwide Realty President Brian Ellis said the last unit was sold Sept. 19 for just under $500,000. The first purchase closing took place in December 2005.

"We exceeded our expectations by velocity and pricing," Ellis said. "It just couldn't have been a better result."

Nationwide Realty has sold 37 of the 109 units being built at its Condominiums at North Bank Park across the street from Burnham Square. Purchases there are expected to begin closing in December....

I remember back when Burnham first started selling. They had a pretty good market response and raised their prices a number of times in conjunction with the demand. That was a simple supply and demand adjustment that allowed them to increase their profit while still matching their prices up appropriately with the demand.

I have always theorized that other developers saw the price adjustments at Burnham, and with having a handful of reservations themselves, decided to jump on the band wagon and raise their prices too. But they raised their prices to meet Burnham's demand...not their own. Again, just a theory.

While Columbus hasn't really felt the major downward price adjustment that was felt in the real estate markets in some of the hotter coastal area, if we take stock of what has been happening in the last few months with the prices of a number of downtown condo projects, we are seeing our own little "pop."

Auctions, $70,000 price reductions and numerous other buyer incentives offered in the downtown market are all signs that we are seeing not only the results of a slower housing market and difficulty in the lending industry, but I believe are seeing our own price adjustment.

Prices ran up too high downtown before any true feel for the demand could be really determined. The supply and demand balance was ignored for a bit there and we are in the process of seeing that equation balancing itself out.

"One more piece of Arena District coming together" Business First of Columbus

These tidbits about future developments in the Arena District / Pen West area come out of a print edition article in Business First of Columbus. Most of the projects mentioned here have been on the table for a while but this is the first time I've seen them all grouped together in the same article:

Link: One more piece of Arena District coming together
Brent Wilder
Business First of Columbus
September 7, 2007

...Pen West, with north-south borders at Interstate 670 and Spring Street and east-west borders at Neil Avenue and the Scioto River, receives infrastructure support from two tax increment financing districts...

...Katz says his plans have not been driven by the ballpark, but expects his Firestone Alley "urban village" to see a benefit. The mixed-use loft condo-commercial-retail project is scheduled for completion at about the same time as the 2008 Clippers season opening at the ballpark...

...Nevertheless, development is inevitable, says Schottenstein. Two towers have long been planned for his land at Nationwide Boulevard and Hocking Street behind his two-story Spring Street building...

...Ruben says the master plan for the property calls for about 1,200 residential units. Part of the property is in a 100-year flood plain, but that will not be an impediment to development, he says. "It's earmarked for a lot of residential use, multifamily, multistory buildings - getting them up in the air to see the river and the confluence."...

"Columbus, Ohio may be model for new arena" Edmonton Journal

I guess this makes me stop and really think about how far the Arena District has come and that it is indeed a significant piece of the greater machine that is downtown Columbus. It's easy to forget where we've come from and how much of a success the Arena District has been in performing what I feel is one of the most important roles for downtown: be a place for everyone in Columbus to come and enjoy.

Whether it is just for the evening to catch a game, a show or a beer, the Arena has taken us through the first leg of our ongoing journey for downtown revitalization. Who's next? RiverSouth?:

Link: Columbus, Ohio may be model for new arena.
U.S. city tied hockey venue to retail, condos
Ron Chalmers
The Edmonton Journal
August 18, 2007

EDMONTON - Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, could be the model for a multipurpose facility to create jobs, housing and tax revenue in downtown Edmonton, says Lyle Best, chairman of the Arena Feasibility Committee.

He and five other committee members visited Columbus recently to see the benefits of thinking big.

In Edmonton, with about the same population as Columbus, "just an arena would not have much economic impact," Best says. "It's unlikely that just hockey and concerts could generate enough revenue."...

"Clippers's stadium debut targeted for 2009 opener" Business First of Columbus

Link: Clippers's stadium debut targeted for 2009 opener
Jeff Bell
Business First of Columbus
August 2, 2007

...Nationwide Realty is overseeing design and construction work for the $56 million project as the owners representative for the Franklin County commissioners. The county will own the ballpark as it does Cooper Stadium, the Clippers' current home, and the International League baseball club.

Utility work recently began at the site along Nationwide Boulevard west of Neil Avenue. Demolition of several small buildings on the property will begin soon, Ellis said, to be followed by the start of heavy excavation work this fall.

Construction contractors expect to begin erecting structural steel in March, he said. Masonry work on the ballpark's brick facade will start next summer and the grass field will be in place by fall 2008. Seating will be installed by the end of next year or early 2009...

"County breaks ground on Downtown ballpark" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: County breaks ground on Downtown ballpark.
Barbara Carmen and Nick Wright
The Columbus Dispatch
August 2, 2007

...Politicians this morning gave the usual proud speeches at a groundbreaking. Then they invited fans, who'd come to the Arena District to watch a bit of history and help dig, undeterred by the 90-degree weather.

“We are going to be taking a brownfield … and it will soon become a beautiful ballpark,” Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy said.

The new Huntington Park, slated to open for the 2009 baseball season, will sit along Nationwide Boulevard at Neil Avenue and almost directly across from Nationwide Arena...

"Gas Leak Prompts Downtown Lane Closures" WBNS-10TV

For anyone that may have been down in the Arena District and noticed the commotion...

Link: Gas Leak Prompts Downtown Lane Closures.
10tv.com
July 13, 2007

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A building under construction in downtown Columbus was evacuated Friday morning because of a gas leak.

The building at Spring Street and Neil Avenue (Condominiums at North Bank Park) was evacuated around 9 a.m., 10TV News reported...

"Success story" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Success Story
Arena District marks 10 years of growth as offices, condos keep rising, ballpark plans gel
The Columbus Dispatch
Friday,  June 29, 2007 3:27 AM

...You don't have to be a hockey fan or a barhopper to appreciate the energy, buzz and opportunity represented by the astonishing array of attractive buildings and new roads that have appeared in the 10 years since Nationwide Realty Investors began planning to turn the old Ohio Penitentiary site into something special.

Plenty of proposed developments fizzle without ever coming close to their promise, but the Arena District has surpassed most of its original projections and is still going strong...

"Ballpark planners unveil design" Business First of Columbus

Link: Ballpark planners unveil design
Jeff Bell
Business First of Columbus
June 18, 2007

Planned is a 200,000-square-foot, open-air stadium that will offer a clear view of the downtown skyline from most seats. Other design features will include:

• A three-story, brick building in left field that will feature a roof-top bar and gathering space for fans.
• A terrace in right field where spectators can catch home runs hit over a 24-foot high outfield wall.
• Fixed seating for 7,600 and another 1,200 seats in specialty areas such as bars and a club-level patio.
• Lawn, picnic and standing areas that will hold a maximum 1,200 people.
• Forty-two loge boxes behind home plate and 32 corporate suites.
• A tree-canopied stadium concourse and natural grass playing field.
• A special clubhouse for children where they can change clothes after playing in a fountain beyond the center-field wall...

...Construction on the ballpark should begin in August with an 18-month building schedule to follow, Ellis said. That would allow it to open in time for the start of the Clippers' season in April 2009...

"The Watch: Dreary CSX bridge a downer in Downtown view" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: The Watch: Dreary CSX bridge a downer in Downtown view.
Jim Woods
The Columbus Dispatch
May 29, 2007

A rust-encrusted, drab green railroad overpass blocks motorists' view of the city skyline where Dublin Road becomes Long Street.

Columbus spent millions on North Bank Park to improve the aesthetics of the Downtown gateway.

But except for graffiti, the CSX bridge over Long Street hasn't had a new paint job in years...

...The railroad did allow a community group to paint a bridge near the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere in Tennessee. CSX helped pay for the paint...

"SBC Advertising heading to Arena District" Business First of Columbus

Link: SBC Advertising heading to Arena District.
Kevin Kemper
Business First of Columbus
May 25, 2007

...After looking to move into Columbus' Arena District nearly two years ago, SBC Advertising Ltd. will get its chance in 2008.

The Westerville ad agency has secured a deal to fill 333 W. Nationwide Blvd., a 30,000-square-foot building once occupied by the defunct Grayson's Living Ideas Inc...

"Experience Columbus to relocate" Business First of Columbus

Link: Experience Columbus to relocate
Business First of Columbus
May 10, 2007

Experience Columbus is moving into a new office.

The organization said Thursday that by October, it plans to move from its existing office at 90 N. High Street to an office less than a mile away at 277 W. Nationwide Blvd...