"Bar of Modern Art breaks with its past" Business First of Columbus

Link: Bar of Modern Art breaks with its past
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Dan Eaton
Business First of Columbus
July 11, 2008

The Bar of Modern Art opened in 2006 touting exclusivity and promising a big-city nightclub, right down to the velvet rope and a doorman's discerning eye on potential patrons.

Two years later, its original management has been shown the door.

Investors took control of the downtown Columbus nightspot late last year and have spent the past six months repositioning the business from its original concept as a club that hosts events to an event space that happens to be a club...

"New brokers taking bids for former Byers used-car lot on East Broad St." Business First of Columbus

Link: New brokers taking bids for former Byers used-car lot on East Broad St.
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Brian R. Ball
Business First of Columbus
July 11, 2008

The owner of the former Byers Automotive Group used-car lot on East Broad Street has a new brokerage team marketing a sale of the downtown Columbus property.

Agents Andy Mills and Andrew Montooth of Continental Realty Ltd. have sent out a call for purchase offers as a way to determine interest in the 1.5-acre parking lot at 404 E. Broad St. as a site for commercial or residential projects.

"We don't have a price," Montooth said. "We just want buyers to come to us."...

"Long-shut Seneca Hotel to reopen as apartments focused on students" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Long-shut Seneca Hotel to reopen as apartments focused on students
Mike Pramik
The Columbus Dispatch
June 9, 2008

Chalk one up for history.

More than two decades after the Seneca Hotel was sealed tight, a developer is preparing to take the wraps off a $21 million renovation of the historic building in the Discovery District Downtown.

This week, Campus Apartments of Philadelphia is offering a first look at the results of three years of work to convert the former hotel into apartments. The result: 77 apartment units and some flashy public spaces -- $100,000 was spent restoring the lobby -- that could bring vitality back to the corner of E. Broad Street and Grant Avenue...

Campus Finishes $20M Seneca Redo to Apts

Link: Campus Finishes $20M Seneca Redo to Apts
Robert Carr
GlobeSt.com
June 6, 2008

COLUMBUS-Campus Apartments, based in Philadelphia, has finished the renovation here of the former Seneca Hotel into 77 apartment units. The $20 million project took more than three years, but the company was able to gain millions in vertical brownfield incentives, and new market and historic tax credits.

The 120,000-sf property at Broad Street and Grant Avenue was built in 1917 by architect Frank Packard. However, the building has been vacant for about 20 years, says David Adelman, president and CEO of the company. He says the building had asbestos in the interior and exterior of the building, and took a while to restore to a safe environment. “Fortunately, the city was very efficient and responsive to our needs,” he tells GlobeSt.com. “This was a normal timeframe for environmental abatements, but it wasn’t as fast as some developers would like.”

The new units are designed for luxury, Adelman says. The units offer views of the downtown, marble bathrooms and cherry-wood kitchens, in-unit washers and dryers, a fitness center and 15,000 sf of retail and restaurants. About six tenants have so far signed for units, which will be available for move-in starting Aug. 1. Adelman says the units range from 700 sf to 1,150 sf, and in price from $680 to $1,500 per month...

"Seneca apartments ready for August move-in" Business First of Columbus

Link: Seneca apartments ready for August move-in
Business First of Columbus
June 2, 2008

Downtown Columbus' long-vacant Seneca Hotel will open its doors this summer after a $19 million renovation.

Philadelphia-based Campus Apartments Inc. spent three years renovating the 10-story building, which sits at South Grant Avenue and East Broad Street, after buying it for an undisclosed sum in October 2004. The finished project has 120,000 square feet of rental housing, featuring 77 one- and two-bedroom units renting in a range between $799 and $1,399 a month.

The apartments are ready for move-in Aug. 1. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for June 11...

"Art college to finish off quad with dorm that's in demand" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Art college to finish off quad with dorm that's in demand.
Mike Pramik
The Columbus Dispatch
March 3, 2008

...The college's planned $11 million dorm will provide an additional 208 beds, as well as another landmark framing the campus quadrangle. College President Denny Griffith said work should begin in mid-May...

...In addition to containing 56 apartments, the five-story, 82,000-square-foot building will have reception and lobby space, a lounge, a laundry room and a student fitness center on the first floor.

About 9,000 square feet is to be reserved along Cleveland Avenue for retail space, which Griffith hopes will attract restaurant operators.

To accommodate the dorm, the college wants to tear down an '80s-era building called Design Hall that's used for classrooms. That function is to be transferred to space inside the former Byers Automotive building at 390 E. Broad St. that the college bought in 2006...

"BoMA puts faith in new leadership" The Other Paper

Link: BoMA puts faith in new leadership
Kitty McConnell
The Other Paper
February 14, 2008

...Even the best nightclub has a bit of a lull after the initial grand-opening buzz, and countless other disposable Columbus clubs have closed after the crowds (and their wallets) have moved on to newer, fresher places to see and be seen. But BoMA is another beast entirely: One doesn’t throw in the towel when such a high-concept, multimillion-dollar investment shows signs of slowing.

BoMA, after an investor takeover and restructuring complete with new creative and promotional directors, is building up to its second wind.

“After digging through piles of bills and debts,” said Rebecca Gentile, BoMA’s new creative director, “we’re beginning to see the light.”...

"The Loft Has Landed" Columbus Metropolitan Library

Link: The Loft Has Landed
Columbus Metropolitan Library
February 7, 2007

This new technology space on the 3rd floor of Main Library is just one of the ways we provide our patrons with the latest and greatest technology tools. With over 2.2 million people signing up to use our computers so far this year, this is sure to be a welcome addition. Take a virtual tour!...

"Columbus College of Art and Design refashions former auto dealership" Business First of Columbus

Link: Columbus College of Art and Design refashions former auto dealership
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Scott Rawdon
Business First of Columbus
February 1, 2008

...A tour of the 105,000-square-foot building reveals its potential. The former showroom area facing East Broad Street is lined with towering windows and perfect for public art displays along one of Columbus' busiest streets, and some offices are already wired for computers...

...Although CCAD has yet to approve many of the design specifics, architect George Acock, president of Columbus' Acock Associates Architects LLC, who will design the building's renovation, has a vision for the interior...

"District Discovery" Columbus Alive

Link: District Dicovery
Brittany Kress
Columbus Alive
October 11, 2007

...Since acquiring the Broad Street Facility (the former Byers Auto dealership at 390 E. Broad St.) last year, CCAD's campus has a front-and-center Downtown location. It has yet to be named or renovated but is perfectly suited for workshop and studio spaces.

President Denny Griffith, who has seen a true campus rise since he assumed his role in 1998, said he thinks the college's new stake along a main thoroughfare turned pedestrian artery is valuable...

..."CCAD's growth objectives play perfectly into many of the action strategies: increase Downtown housing, reduce building vacancy, and revitalize and reconnect downtown neighborhoods," said Colleen Gilger, the city's Downtown development administrator, in an email...

"CCAD ready for its close-up" Business First of Columbus

Link: CCAD ready for its close-up
Carrie Ghose
Business First of Columbus
August 31, 2007

The first-ever fund drive for the Columbus College of Art & Design is giving the 128-year-old school a chance to step onto a bigger stage downtown.

The college is kicking off the public phase of a $12 million fundraising campaign designed to create a highly public showpiece on East Broad Street and make other improvements to the campus in downtown's Discovery District.

"We're creating a dynamic urban learning village in the center of the city," President Denny Griffith said...

"Downtown career center on track for 2009 opening" Suburban News Publications

Link: Downtown career center on track for 2009 opening
Jennifer Nobilt
Suburban News Publications
July 18-25, 2007

Work on the Downtown career center is one of many construction projects for Columbus Public Schools this summer.

But it might be the one project generating the most excitement.

The $25.2 million effort will unite students from three career centers across the city at one central location. It's located at the corner of Mound and Fourth streets.

Officials said the building should be bustling with students by the 2008-09 school year...

"BalletMet lands $250K grant" Business First of Columbus

Link: BalletMet lands $250K grant.
Business First of Columbus
May 25, 2007

BalletMet is getting $250,000 from the state for its new theater downtown.

The money was approved Thursday by the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission. BalletMet will use it to buy and install a stage lighting system, sound system, house lights, a portable dance floor and floor covering, plus make renovations to dressing rooms...

"Expansive plans" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Expansive plans
Columbus Art Museum drives to be bigger, better than ever
The Columbus Dispatch
Saturday,  May 19, 2007 3:36 AM

...The museum's officials and board are seeking $80 million by the city's bicentennial in 2012, in a campaign called Art Matters, announced Friday. The drive is nearly halfway home, at $38 million. A $10 million donation in the fall by museum board member Peggy Walter and her husband, Robert, kicked off the effort.

Such an expansion could help to boost Columbus' reputation as a creative center and promote conventions and tourism.

The art museum, at 96,000 square feet, is smaller than its counterparts in Dayton and Cincinnati and is dwarfed by art museums in Toledo and Cleveland...

"Museum of Art to launch $80 million expansion project" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Museum of Art to launch $80 million expansion project.
Bill Mayr
The Columbus Dispatch
May 11, 2007

The Columbus Museum of Art will raise $80 million for an expansion and renovation of its building and a significant increase of its endowment.

The new “21st century museum” is intended to be ready for the Columbus bicentennial in 2012. Already, $38 million has been raised toward the goal.

Board and staff members provided details of the plan Friday evening at the museum...

"Artsy district to host art fest" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Artsy district to host art fest
Riverfront construction will force Columbus event to move temporarily in '08
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Debbie Gebolys and Bill Mayr
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The biggest Downtown festival is packing its tents and moving east.

The Columbus Arts Festival will move next year to the area surrounding the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus College of Art & Design and Columbus State Community College. After 25 years, it will leave Bicentennial Park and the banks of the Scioto River in June 2008 and move north of E. Broad Street until at least 2011, officials said...

"Condo 'neighborhood' sketched for E. Gay St." Business First of Columbus

Ahhh...variety. Edwards is the next developer on deck to step up to the plate and make a serious commitment to the downtown program with their unique residential project for the Gay St. Corridor.

We've been waiting for this one for a while and only had a few preliminary details up to this point but now the proposed project is beginning to make its way out into the public eye as Edwards Companies prepares to go in front of the Downtown Commission this Tuesday for conceptual approval:

Link: Condo 'neighborhood' sketched for E. Gay St.
Brian Ball
Business First of Columbus
November 17th, 2006

A Columbus developer is ready to take the wraps off plans for a $70 million housing project downtown, Business First has learned.

Edwards Cos. will propose to build 250 condominiums at East Long and East Gay streets in a layout designed to evoke Chicago's Lincoln Park or New York's Murray Hill venerable enclaves. The company expects to deliver its conceptual plans Nov. 21 to the city's Downtown Commission...

...Edwards plans to begin selling one-bedroom garden condos in the $120,000 range. A three-bedroom townhouse of 2,600 square feet would head into the $450,000s. Danter said those prices, at or below $200 a square foot, widens the downtown market, where some recent housing has crept into the $250-a-square-foot price range...

BoMA GALLERY welcomes Magnum photographer Dennis Stock for its inaugural Artists Reception

COLUMBUS – BoMA Gallery announces its inaugural Artists Reception, to take place Saturday, November 11th, from 7-9pm.  Nearly all of BoMA’s opening artists will be on hand for the event, including world renowned Magnum photographer Dennis Stock.  Stock’s unique body of work offers a candid glimpse into Dean’s personal life, the actor notorious for his enigmatic persona from an early age.  The show is currently on display in BoMA’s Great Room Gallery and will run through December 3, 2006, in honor the 50th anniversary of the icon’s untimely death. 

Stock met Dean at a Hollywood party in 1955, both men in their twenties, both rising stars in their professions.  Impressed by Stock and his work, Dean invited him to the following day’s advance screening of “East of Eden.”  Stock, impacted by Dean’s performance, approached the actor immediately after the screening and expressed an interest in photographing him for Life magazine.  Dean not only agreed (to Stock’s surprise), but suggested that the photographer join him on an upcoming trip to his Fairmount, Indiana home town…via New York City.    

The show was made possible through a partnership with Magnum Photos (www.magnumphotos.com), perhaps the world’s most distinguished photographic co-operative.  Within this seminal collection are images of the young actor in both his professional and private worlds.  In 1955, Stock was granted access to the Hollywood sets of “Rebel Without a Cause,” one image depicting Dean in a love scene with Natalie Wood and a television drama, in which Dean co-starred alongside Ronald Reagan.  On their way to Dean’s home town of Fairmount, IN, Stock and Dean spent several days in New York City, where the actor had to tie up some loose ends and grab some items from the studio apartment he still maintained there.  This visit inspired perhaps the most iconic image ever taken of Dean, with cigarette in mouth, hands stuffed in his trench coat pockets, and strolling through a rainy Time Square – an image of cool seared on to millions of young men's minds and plastered above millions of young girl's beds.   

The photographs of Dean on the Winslow farm in Fairmount, where he was raised by his aunt and uncle after the death of his mother in 1940, are some of the most intimate portrayals of the actor ever captured.  No photographers at that time ever visited the childhood homes of actors, as few were willing to expose their ordinary roots.  In one image Dean is shown playing his bongo among the pigs and cattle of the barnyard; in another reclining in an armchair with his young cousin, Markie, absorbed in a comic book. 
Likely the most memorable images of the Fairmount series are those of Dean posing in a casket.  Stock admits to being horrified as Dean urged him into a coffin shop, climbed in a display and shouted, “Shoot!”  After initially refusing to play along, Stock shot a sequence upon Dean’s insistence; ironically, Dean would be dead within months.            

En route to compete in a race in Salinas, CA, Dean was killed in a highway accident on September 30, 1955.  Stock was deeply upset by the tragedy.  He was just three years older than the actor and had become a close friend.  In many ways, Stock also became the critical mirror in which Dean's complex and tormented image was reflected.  Dean had one of the most spectacularly brief, yet impressionable careers of any screen star.  In just over a year, and with only three films to his credit, he became a widely admired personality, a personification of the restless American youth of the mid-50s, and an embodiment of the title of one of his film “Rebel Without a Cause.”  He was also nominated for two Academy Awards for his performances in “East of Eden” and “Giant.” 

BoMA will host Dennis Stock the weekend of November 11.  He will be accessible for personal interviews and signings of his book “James Dean: Fifty Years Ago,” which will be available for purchase on site.

Appearing along with Stock will be participating artists: Drew Ernst, Walter King, Pamela Theodotou, Michael Garcia, Bradley Strout, Steven Fisher, Dawson Kellogg, Jacob Stout, Anthony Gelpi, Chris Mohler, Eric Schickel, Molly Burke, Rebecca Bailen & Curtis Elliot Studios, John Loechler, et al. (Please see below for brief descriptions of each artist.)  The event is free and open to the public.  Additionally, live music, video, and performance art will be showcased. Cash bar and light appetizers will be available.  BoMA Gallery's normal business hours are Tues-Sun, 4pm-2am and by appointment.  Please call or visit www.barofmodernart.com for more information.
            
# # # # # #

BoMA Gallery’s Inaugural Artists List

1. Dennis Stock: Internationally renowned photographer; represented by Magnum Photos.
2. Mario Madiai: Internationally renowned painter; lives and works in Livorno, Italy.
3. Pamela Theodotou: BoMA Co-Owner and photographer; shows worldwide.
4. Drew Ernst: Gambier, OH native and a painting prodigy; graduate of the prestigious Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
5. Walter King: CCAD professor, painter, illustrator; shows worldwide.
6. Michael Garcia: Painter and Bexley resident; owner of Michael Garcia’s Salon and Day Spa.   
7. Steve Fisher: Talented up-and-coming abstract painter out of Marysville.
8. Bradley Strout: Recent relo from Columbus to San Francisco; Pittsburgh Art Institute graduate.
9. Molly Burke: CCAD graduate and glassblower; responsible for suspended glass exhibit.
10. Anthony Gelpi: Skilled local glassblower; worked under Dale Chihuly and at the famous Pilchuck Glass School in Washington; will display in BoMA’s Glass Gallery. 
11. Jacob Stout: Expert local glassblower working out of Glass Axis; will display in BoMA’s Glass Gallery.
12. Dawson Kellogg: CCAD professor and master glassblower; designed and manufactured BoMA’s blown glass and stained glass bars.
13. John Loechler: Local woodworker and skilled craftsman; built and designed glass bars along with Dawson Kellogg.
14. Chris Mohler: Established local mixed-metal sculptor and painter; created BoMA’s metal bar and several freestanding pieces around the space.
15. Eric Schickel: CCAD graduate and up-and-coming mixed-media sculptor and painter; created the centerpiece for BoMA’s patio fountain, as well as various freestanding pieces throughout BoMA.
16. Rebecca Bailen and Curtis Elliot Studio: Well-regarded regional design group; responsible for designing and constructing multiple bars and other functional design elements throughout BoMA.
17. Ashley Voss: Nationally recognized graffiti artist; coordinated and painted BoMA’s Graffiti Lounge.
18. Jeremy Nichols: Ohio State University student and exceptional emerging artist; designed and painted BoMA’s Graffiti Lounge along with Ashley Voss.
19. Daniel Warren: Emerging N.Y.C. painter influenced by and trained in Japanese Neo-Dada style. 

* Please contact Chad at 783.3763 for images or more information about these artists.

BoMA Gallery announces its Grand Opening event series

COLUMBUS – BoMA: The Bar of Modern Art is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of its one-of-a-kind art gallery.  A series of kick-off events will take place the evenings of Wednesday, October 18 through Saturday, October 21.  A preview reception for the local media will be held Thurs, October 19 from 6-8pm.  Well over one hundred diverse works of art by nearly twenty visual artists, representing Columbus and well beyond, will be on display. (Please see included “artist list.”)

BoMA’s doors will open to reveal an extraordinary space for the exhibition of the fine arts and various forms of cultural entertainment.  Situated within a 3-story, 25k sq.ft., 19th-century Baptist church, the venue’s uniqueness as an art gallery is immediately apparent.  The structure itself is a work of art, renovated to accommodate the building’s change of use, yet its inherent beauty and architectural integrity retained.

One year ago, it was dilapidated, uninhabitable and very nearly became a parking lot.  Thanks to generous private funding, the building and its legacy have been given new life.       

The notion of a religious structure doubling as a “gallery” for showcasing the most exceptional contemporary artists is not new.  The perceived level of devotion on the part a church and its congregation has for centuries been seen as directly related to the structure itself and the artwork housed within: the grander the architecture and artwork/architect and artist, the more significant the church.  This idea was especially prevalent in Christian Europe throughout the Renaissance. 

A similar initiative has also long existed in the private sector.  Prominent families often called upon working artists to decorate, for instance, the walls of their bedrooms as well as their private, in-house rooms for worship.  As was the case with public church commissions, the wealth and authority of the patron would inevitably be judged by the hired artist’s acclaim and the grandiosity of the commission.

This philosophy is one reason that the Renaissance will forever be synonymous with prolific creative output.  This era yielded an unprecedented number of artistic masterpieces, many still displayed in situ in magnificent churches and one-time private residences worldwide.  We’re fortunate that many such structures have been preserved for posterity and made accessible to the public.  Many now exist as government-funded institutions, whereas others are maintained through private means.  Either way, institutions such as the Louvre in Paris, the Frick in New York, Palazzo Medici in Florence, and the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City perpetuate amazing artistic legacies by opening their doors to both entertain and educate the public.

BoMA Gallery was established under similar circumstances and will be managed with similar ideals and objectives.  Although BoMA will operate, for the most part, like most contemporary commercial galleries, BoMA is very museum-like in many respects.  Most obviously, BoMA’s size and configuration are comparable to a mid-size museum.  With extensive exhibition space and nearly 1,000 running feet of hangable wall space, BoMA is equipped to feature numerous, 2- and 3-D artists at any given time.  Five distinct gallery rooms afford many opportunities for artists to realize their goal of a solo show; at the same time, these practical spaces lend themselves to being well curated.  Ready access to a stage, a premier sound system, and a range of multi-media affords the opportunity to turn these more conventional shows into major events.  BoMA is effectively a living, breathing exhibition space. 

“Eclecticism” will be a term often associated with the venue and its programming.  BoMA will regularly present the span of fine arts media, including: conventional visual art, progressive conceptual art, installation, film and video arts, dance, fashion, music and a variety of live performances.  BoMA’s service bars are also noteworthy artworks, each created by an artist and commissioned by BoMA. 

The public will be consistently entertained and, at the same time, afforded the opportunity for cultural education.  In pursuing BoMA Gallery’s mission of public education, gallery associates will be on hand to answer questions and provide immediate assistance to visitors. (Their presence will also provide added security for the artwork.)  Art students from local and regional universities will usually hold these associate positions.  This will grant these students valuable real-world experience, which can otherwise be very difficult to come by.  Further, relevant literature will accompany each show and gallery talks offered by staff and/or exhibiting artists when feasible.  More formal, public lectures will also be hosted on occasion.      

For each detail touched upon above there is another that suggests the uniqueness of BoMA Gallery.  The conscious and subconscious inspiration of gallery tradition will also be readily apparent.  Essentially, however, the 500 sq.ft., white-walled box has been pushed, pulled and prodded to accommodate BoMA’s vision.  The social pressures on visitors to, for instance, speak profoundly about the art or purchase in the presence of the artist or gallery associate will be alleviated.  BoMA Gallery is by all means a redefinition, for today’s general public, of the art gallery experience.      

The Gallery’s normal business hours are Tues. through Sun., 4pm-2am and by appointment.

BoMA Gallery’s Initial Artist List

1. Dennis Stock: Internationally renowned photographer; represented by Magnum Photos.
2. Mario Madiai: Internationally renowned painter; lives and works in Livorno, Italy.
3. Pamela Theodotou: BoMA Co-Owner and photographer; shows worldwide.
4. Drew Ernst: Gambier, OH native and a painting prodigy; graduate of the prestigious Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
5. Walter King: CCAD professor, painter, illustrator; shows worldwide.
6. Michael Garcia: Painter and Bexley resident; owner of Michael Garcia’s Salon and Day Spa.   
7. Steve Fisher: Talented up-and-coming abstract painter out of Marysille.
8. Bradley Strout: Recent relo from Columbus to San Francisco; Pittsburgh Art Institute graduate.
9. Molly Burke: CCAD graduate and glassblower; responsible for suspended glass exhibit.
10. Anthony Gelpi: Skilled local glassblower; worked under Dale Chihuly and at the famous Pilchuck Glass School in Washington; will display in BoMA’s Glass Gallery. 
11. Jacob Stout: Expert local glassblower working out of Glass Axis; will display in BoMA’s Glass Gallery.
12. Dawson Kellogg: CCAD professor and master glassblower; designed and manufactured BoMA’s blown glass and stained glass bars.
13. John Loechler: Local woodworker and skilled craftsman; built and designed glass bars along with Dawson Kellogg.
14. Chris Mohler: Established local mixed-metal sculptor and painter; created BoMA’s metal bar and several freestanding pieces around the space.
15. Eric Schickel: CCAD graduate and up-and-coming mixed-media sculptor and painter; created the centerpiece for BoMA’s patio fountain, as well as various freestanding pieces throughout BoMA.
16. Rebecca Bailen and Curtis Elliot Studio: Well-regarded regional design group; responsible for designing and constructing multiple bars and other functional design elements throughout BoMA.
17. Ashley Voss: Nationally recognized graffiti artist; designed and painted BoMA’s Graffiti Lounge.

Event/Date/Time:

• Wed, Oct. 18, 8pm-2am: BoMAnation, a culturally infused experience.
• Thurs, Oct. 19, 6pm-8pm: Local media preview reception, thereafter open to the public until 2am.
• Fri, Oct. 20, 8pm-2am: StyleLounge, for the love of fashion, featuring “Love on Canvas,” BoMA’s 1st-annual, high-concept fashion show; the show will begin at 11pm and showcase the Mikah of “Industry: The Agency,” vintage clothier Mad 4 Mod, and the footwear of Legs Diamond.
• Sat, Oct. 21, 8pm-2am: BoMA’s first Saturday night! What more is there to say?

Location:
BoMA Gallery
583 East Broad St.
Columbus, OH  43215
The Great Room, 2nd Floor

Parking:
Street parking is free after 6pm; valet service and ample pay lots are available throughout the night.

Normal business hours:  Tues. through Sun., 4pm-2am and by appointment.

Progress on the Seneca Hotel

For those Seneca fans out there, the project on the corner of Grant Ave. and E. Broad St. continues to march forward:

Link: Brick - a - brac
Found in Alfresco dining gives Delaware urban flair
Monday, July 17, 2006
Mike Pramik
COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Asbestos-abatement work has begun inside the Seneca Hotel, which Philadelphia developer David Adelman plans to convert to apartments. The cleanup is scheduled to be finished this summer, with the construction of 96 apartment units scheduled for completion in the spring...

"Trio prays church's change into club works" Business First of Columbus

The Bar of Modern Art, otherwise known as BoMA, continues on with its renovations towards what I believe is currently slated to be a September opening for their E. Broad St. venue.

There is a little controversy in the air about the proposed "exclusivity factor" that the bar has been rumored to be applying when the doors finally open but I wouldn't give it too much merit. Arguments have gone back and forth in various circles about having a New York style doorman only letting the who's who in but the bottom line is this: BoMA is going to be one of the largest and most extensive renovations that any evening-centric entertainment venue has seen to my knowledge and with what should be an impressive and diverse cultural/entertainment destination when it is complete, their bottom line will determine the bottom line on the exclusivity issue:

Link: Trio prays church's change into club works
Business First of Columbus
Dan Eaton
July 7th, 2006

...Renovations began in October and are expected to be completed by late July, said Bret Adams, a partner with the company.

It is an ambitious schedule for the 23,000-square-foot space, which, when completed, will have seven themed rooms, a restaurant with a 110-seat capacity and roughly 700 linear feet of display space for art...

If the project is pulled off and a huge success, guess what, they've figured out a recipe into which they will undoubtedly contribute in part to the nod of their doorman. If it is not so well received in Columbus, then maybe we're just not ready for it.

I've actually had a tour of the place during construction a couple months back and the space is with no doubt going to be rather impressive if its structural "bones" are any indication. As for all-the-fixins' that are in the way in terms of art, music, dining and nightlife, the rather extensive mix and diverse elements do present a challenge when it comes to marketing and I am eager to see what they come up with as they move forward.

Yes, yes, I know, Columbus is not New York but the idea of actually trying to raise the bar (pardon the pun) should be an interesting experience. I spoke to Tom Starker as he gave the tour and asked him point-blank about the doorman "your-in-your-out" approach and his explanation did take some of the edge off of what had originally come out as negative spin. Now I'm just curious to see it in action. I'm skeptical, but then again when it comes to the nightlife business I know as much about it as nuclear physics...

When it's all said and done, the fact that there is some other type of nightlife concept (that will also have plenty of daytime uses too) being introduced downtown is a good thing. Besides, if you are one of those complaining about the fact that you don't like this exclusivity idea then maybe you are just worried they wouldn't let you in. <smirk>

"CCAD will buy Byers building" The Columbus Dispatch

Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) and Columbus State both seem to be continuing to expand their campuses. CCAD's most recent proposed aquistion surfaced this week in the form of the former Byer's Cheverolet dealership on E. Broad St.:

Link: CCAD will buy Byers building
Art college will gain Broad St. presence
Friday, June 02, 2006
Mike Pramik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Columbus College of Art and Design is in contract to buy the former Byers Chrysler dealership, a move that will give the school a Broad Street presence for the first time. CCAD has an option to buy the building at 390 E. Broad St., where Byers Automotive operated its dealership for more than a decade.

CCAD is planning a center for its fashion-design program, whose enrollment has increased by more than 160 percent in the past 10 years...

The Seneca Hotel renovation project, once it gets underway, is going to be creating residential housing aimed towards students, particularly CCAD students given the proximity.

As both college campuses continue to grow I'm curious to see whether or not any other downtown developers create and target the college student crowd.

Although the continued mantra from the developer and city arena continues to be "it's too expensive to develop"...my question is starting to lean towards this: If it's too expensive to develop more affordable or entry level housing which is currently where the largest demographic of potential new urban folks are, does the future of a majority of Columbus' downtown lie in its land remaining at its current highest-and-best use as parking lots?

Bar of Modern Art (during) Virtual Tour

BoMA, or Bar of Modern Art, is seen here undergoing its $1million renovation which is slated to be completed in the next couple of months. BoMA is a unique entertainment concept for Columbus and will intermingle music, dining, dancing and art all under one roof.

Link: Bar of Modern Art (during) Virtual Tour

Seneca gets environmental clean-up funds from city, state

Back in February the city and state were working towards approving a $750,00 grant so that Campus Apartments Inc. could move forward with environmental clean-up of the Seneca Hotel which I believe included asbestos removal.

The developer had previously stated that they would not be able to move forward on the project without the financial help for the clean-up. The funds are on the way so hopefully this helps get the project that much closer to getting underway:

Columbus City Council Agenda Highlights for April 3rd, 2006

REUSING THE SENECA: Council partners with the state and accepts a $750,000 grant for environmental clean up at the Seneca Hotel site as part of a planned $12 million private investment for adaptive reuse of the historic Columbus landmark. The project includes 93 apartments for students and faculty of the nearby educational institutions and 10,000 to 12,000 of retail geared toward the surrounding neighborhood. The Jobs and Economic Development Committee sponsors Ordinance 577-2006.

'I hate all the Cowtown crap' The Other Paper

In case you haven't gotten word through the grapevine, the Bar of Modern Art - BoMA, is under construction in downtown Columbus' Discovery District. Interesting nightlife concept that will definitely be one to watch:

Link: 'I hate all the Cowtown crap'
(content will change to next feautre so link may be invalid)
By Jordan Gentile
The Other Paper
March 30, 2006

The concept is astonishingly grand. Starker wants BoMA—a riff on the Museum of Modern Art's famous acronym—to be a multi-sensory extravaganza that combines music, cuisine, dancing and art. He promises the swankiest rooms, an upscale executive chef and an art gallery that he hopes, in time, will be considered among the city's best...

...To accomplish all of this under one roof, he's setting the whole thing in a massive, renovated church on East Broad Street...

...Adams also introduced Starker to Chad Tooker, an ambitious young arts promoter who'd made a name for himself working at local galleries and creating ShowColumbus, a Downtown art fair. If Adams had initial reservations about Starker's vision, Tooker understood it from the start, and he was promptly hired to be BoMA's gallery director and curator...

53rd Annual Columbus International Film and Video Festival

Few know (part of the problem) that downtown Columbus hosts the nation's oldest indy film festival every year at CCAD

The 53rd Annual Columbus Film & Video Festival  - The Chris Awards - is starting November 9th and will run until November 13th.

This event was once an Academy Awards nominating/qualifying event but due to several factors in the past few years the entire Festival is on the verge of collapse.

Please support a hometown & downtown event that is a true treasure.... Attend one or all of the screenings or parties affiliated!

WWW.CHRISAWARDS.ORG

[Contributed by Josh Miller]

"Downtown gets new improvement district" The Columbus Dispatch

Another SID (Special Improvement District) has been created for the downtown area that combines parts to the Discovery District and the Market Exchange DIstrict. A SID gathers funds from the business members in the area through a type of assessment to help make improvements in the District.

Just as an example, part of the Short North Arches were funded through a SID that covers the Short North. Capitol South is another SID downtown that has applied some funding to a few of the new condo developments that are underway downtown.

So far, the SID concept has proven to be a somewhat effective tool:

Link: Downtown gets new improvement district
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Debbie Gebolys
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

...With the City Council’s approval last night, about 120 property owners are to form the Discovery Special Improvement District, a self-funded group that will decide how to enhance the area roughly bounded by I-670, I-71 and Mound and 5 th streets...

Discovery District Boundaries

OfficeSpace.com -- Definition of Columbus Area Markets

The Discovery District bounded by I-71 on the east, I-670 on the north, Grant Ave. on the west and Broad St. on the south

Discovery District Map

This is the closest thing to a boundary map that I have found to date:

The Discovery District