"Historic Lincoln Theatre improvements coming along nicely" WOSU NewsRoom

Link: Historic Lincoln Theatre improvements coming along nicely
Mandie Trimble
WOSU NewsRoom
June 20, 2008

...Construction workers put together frames for the 150 seats in the balcony. This is one thing that is not original to the theatre...

...And the balcony is not the only add-on. The original stage was 20 feet from back to front. But it will be doubled. That expansion allows for a bigger orchestra pit, which lets the audience see the musicians.

The theatre will loose seats, though, in the renovation. It used to hold 700 people, but with new, roomier seats the capacity will be about 570.

The building's 5,000 square foot ballroom is being refurbished and there's a jazz academy upstairs. Again, Todd Bemis...

"Tapping Columbus talent" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Tapping Columbus talent
Sherri Williams
The Columbus Dispatch
March 25, 2008

Standing outside the Lincoln Theatre yesterday, Broadway dancer Maurice Hines burst into fluid and flexible moves -- his feet lightly tapping on the pavement, hips swirling and arms gracefully twisting in the air.

Hines, 65, plans to spread the same energy inside the 550-seat, 80-year-old theater on the Near East Side.

He will begin his term as artistic director in residence in the spring of 2009, when the historic theater reopens after a $12 million face-lift...

"ON RESTAURANTS | Coffee shop blends in gallery, community feel" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: ON RESTAURANTS | Coffee shop blends in gallery, community feel
Bill Chronister
The Columbus Dispatch
March 11, 2008

The thing about the new Urban-Spirit Coffee Shop, 893 E. Long St., is not that it's probably the only place in the area to get a high-quality cup of coffee, or a croissant or sandwich for lunch.

The thing is, Charity Martin-Via has decided to live her dream, and help her King-Lincoln neighborhood at the same time.

"I was working in the Columbus mayor's office, and I had a close friend pass away at age 29, and my father became terminally ill, and I stopped and took stock," the 32-year-old Martin-Via said as she sat with friends in her new shop...

"Coffee shop owner aiding in revival of historic King-Lincoln district" Business First of Columbus

Link: Coffee shop owner aiding in revival of historic King-Lincoln district
[account required]
Dan Eaton
Business First of Columbus
March 7, 2008

Charity Martin-Via hopes her new coffee shop becomes not only a destination for a cup of joe, but also a shot for development along a stretch of Long Street on Columbus' Near East Side.

Urban-Spirit Coffee Shop Ltd. opened last month at 893 Long St. in the restored Alpha Building, which once was home to the first black-owned hospital in the city. Martin-Via, a former city employee, had been working on the shop since the fall.

"I'm a freelance artist at heart," she said. "I leveraged my savings and stepped out on faith."...

"Long-planned housing in King-Lincoln has yet to rise" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Long-planned housing in King-Lincoln has yet to rise
Mark Ferenchik
The Columbus Dispatch
February 28, 2008

Two developments on the Near East Side intended to help revitalize the King-Lincoln District are struggling after almost two years.

The city of Columbus has promised $364,000 for the 28-unit Whitney condominium development at 761 Mount Vernon Ave.

The project is to cost $6.4 million, and the developers are trying to get financing. They hope to break ground this year.

Developers of the $1.8 million Monroe Cluster condominiums between N. Monroe Avenue and Talmadge Street north of E. Long Street remain in a holding pattern. They've also had difficulty getting financing. Architect Jeff Glavan, who's on the development team, said they might turn to the city for help...

"State agency OKs $1.25M in grants, loans for apartments" Business First of Columbus

Link: State agency OKs $1.25M in grants, loans for apartments
Matt Burns
Business First of Columbus

October 19, 2007

A $5.8 million low-income apartment complex near Columbus' burgeoning King Lincoln Arts and Entertainment District is set for construction next year after the state approved more than $1 million in gap financing.

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency said it awarded $250,000 in federal dollars to Community Housing Network Inc. for its Jefferson Avenue Apartments project. The federal Home program is the largest federal block grant offered to state and local governments for low-income housing projects. The agency also awarded Community Housing a $1 million housing development loan for the project, scheduled to be completed by August 2009...

...The final product will be a 49,000-square-foot, 39-unit development sitting on about an acre with units structured in pricing for families earning 35, 50 and 60 percent of the area's median gross income, about $51,500. Susan Weaver, Community Housing's executive director, said tenants pay 30 percent of their income for rent while the rest is subsidized...

City, County, Businesses and Residents Celebrate Start of Restoration of Historic Lincoln Theatre Jazz Academy Announced

press release
$11 million raised from public/private partners

(Columbus)  The east side’s historic Lincoln Theatre today entered a new phase in its life. The cultural icon that sat empty through a generation of neglect is now being restored to serve a new generation of arts and artists.  The $11 million initiative, begun in 2004 by Mayor Michael B. Coleman, is moving forward with the cooperation and support of the City of Columbus, Franklin County Commissioners, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) and local business partners.

“This theater is an empty cavern today, but with the support of the community, we will make sure that its stage is filled with life, dance, music and laughter next year, as we restore the building as well as the spirit of the Lincoln,” said Mayor Coleman.  “I want to thank CAPA, the County and all the sponsor businesses who stepped up to make sure that history lives on at the Lincoln Theatre.”

The City of Columbus and Franklin County each committed $4 million to the project, and have worked with CAPA and local business leaders to raise additional private funding for the reconstruction and operation of the theatre.  The restored theatre is expected to reopen in late 2008.

"The Lincoln Theatre, with its rich cultural and artistic tradition was a lynchpin in a vital east side community,” said Mary Jo Kilroy, President of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. “These restorations will be a catalyst for the rebirth of the King-Lincoln district."

Located at 751 East Long Street, the Lincoln was opened in November 1928 as the Ogden Theater.  It was built through a collaboration between local African-American real estate owner and entrepreneur Al Jackson, African-American fraternal organization the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, and African-American construction company owner Carl Anderson.  Jackson was determined to provide the community with a theatre which catered specifically to African-American patrons and performers, and engaged the fraternal organization to manage it and Carl Anderson to build it.

The name was changed to the Lincoln Theatre in 1938, and over the years, hosted jazz greats including Madame Rose Brown, Harry Edison, Tiny Bradshaw, Stomp Gordon, Hank Marr, and Rusty Bryant, along with legends such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Etta James, James Brown, and Columbus native Nancy Wilson.  One of the most notable pieces of history was the debut of a three-year-old Sammy Davis Jr., who ran on stage to dance at the Lincoln in his first recorded performance.

“A restored Lincoln Theatre will once again be the center of arts and entertainment in the King-Lincoln District,” said Council President Michael C. Mentel.  “City Council will continue encouraging private investment to make this area thrive once again with new business opportunities and residential growth.”

The Mayor worked with the Lincoln Theatre Association, chaired by Larry James, to guide the restoration and planning to date.  Together, they have received funding from:

• American Electric Power Foundation
• The Columbus Foundation
• Huntington Foundation
• Limited Brands Foundation
• Nationwide Foundation
• State of Ohio
• Wolfe Enterprises

"This is truly the beginning of a new day in the King-Lincoln District," stated Lincoln Theatre Association Board President and King-Lincoln District Redevelopment Corporation Board Member Larry James. "The restoration of the Lincoln Theatre not only honors the cultural heritage and significance of the district but the legacy of the great performers who once graced its historic halls."

CAPA will manage the restoration and operation of the new theatre which will seat 450 and feature an expanded stage and orchestra pit, a new west side entrance with a jazz lobby, and fully restored Egyptian detail stenciling throughout. The theatre will be fitted with state-of-the-art equipment in lighting, sound, and rigging as well as digital projection equipment so it may also be utilized for film presentations. The second floor ballroom which has been available to the public for meetings, weddings and other events will receive new sprung flooring which will also make it functional for rehearsal space.

In addition, the Jazz Arts Group (JAG) announced that a new Jazz Academy will make the third floor of the Lincoln Theatre its home. The innovative program will feature rehearsal and lecture spaces, and instructional spaces for keyboard and music technology.  In addition, the Jazz Academy will enhance the current JAG educational programs, which include guest artists, teacher training, community outreach, youth jazz opportunities and school collaborations.

“There is no evidence of another community in the nation where such a collaboration has produced a facility dedicated to teaching people about jazz and American music,” stated JAG Executive Director, Robert Breithaupt. “It is very exciting for us to be a part of something creative, new and important.”   

World-renowned actor, singer, director, choreographer and dancer, Maurice Hines has been retained as Artistic Director in residence for the restored Lincoln Theatre. Hines will helm three productions at the Lincoln Theatre each year in the genres of musical theatre, dance and concert performance, all in collaboration with local African-American performance artists and groups in residence at the Lincoln.  Also while in Columbus, Hines will hold a jazz/hip hop dance workshop for young people.

The King Lincoln District Redevelopment Corporation created by Mayor Coleman as a public-private non-profit, charged with driving forward the revitalization of the neighborhood around the historic theater.  The District is seeing unprecedented new development, including public and private investment in commercial space, new housing and improved infrastructure.

On-going neighborhood development projects in the King Lincoln District:

The Gateway Building
Located at the north east corner of Long Street and Hamilton Avenue.
Developers: Gideon Development Partners & Daimler Group
$6 million project with 60,000 square feet mixed-use (office and retail)
Financed by: 5/3 Bank, Community Capital Development Corporation
Major Tenants- Dept. of Public Safety Internal Affairs Bureau and Accident Investigation Unit, the Columbus Call and Post, Gideon Development Partners, and others.  Retail space is still available.

City support includes:  10 year tax abatement, $550,000 low interest CDBG loan

North of Broad - NOBO
Located on 20 and 21st Streets between Broad and Mt. Vernon
Up to 44 Market-rate residential infill housing (new and renovated on 20th and 22nd Sts) are currently in the plan.  17 homes have been completed or are in progress

Developers: Columbus Housing Partnership
City support includes:  $386,000 direct investment, 15-year property tax abatements (Neighborhood Investment District), Sidewalks, lighting and street re-paving $250,000.  City received a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for use in re-paving.  A ground-tire asphalt will be used in the first Ohio green residential street project.  As a part of NOBO, a “green” build home is under construction at 258 N. 21st, with solar power and thermal panels, in partnership with Green Energy Ohio, CHP, the City and Third Sun.

The Whitney
Located at Hamilton Avenue and Martin Luther King Blvd
The Whitney Young Apartments, among the most blighted and crime-stricken in the city, were purchased by Mayor Coleman from HUD in 2004.  The City demolished 54 units, on two acres, and announced the development of the 28-unit, $6.4 million “The Whitney” condominiums.

New housing construction started late summer 2007
Development partners are Whitney Young Collaborative, a partnership between local African American churches and local chapter of national fraternal organizations

City support includes:  $100 purchase, $123,000 for demolition, $364,000 in infrastructure money for roads at the project.  22 market rate and six affordable homes to be built on the site.  The City also will provide 15-year property tax abatements

Monroe Cluster
Located at the corner of Monroe and Long Streets.
A proposed $4 million residential/commercial mixed-use project on just less than one-acre of City owned property. The Long Street frontage will consist of a mixed-use building (retail on the ground floor, residential on upper floors) while the Monroe frontage supports the construction of 18 condominium units in the mid $200,000.

Construction projected to start late 2007 or early 2008.
Developed by:  Glavan Blackwell Resources.

Hamilton Park Condominiums
Located on the southeast corner of Long Street and Hamilton Avenue
12 market-rate 1 and 2 bedroom condos
Model is currently open.
Development Partners:  John Waddy and National City Bank

St. Paul’s Wellness Center
Corner of Long Street and Jefferson Ave
St. Paul’s AME Church/Rev. Michael Bean, Pastor
$3 million investment is under construction, expected to finish 1st Quarter 2007
Ohio Health is an anchor tenant.
The City invested in upgrading the infrastructure around this building

Mt. Vernon Plaza Focal Point
Located at:  corner of Mt. Vernon and 20th
$400,000 City-funded renovation underway. Projected completion is scheduled for 2007, with new lighting, infrastructure repair & improvements and new green space.

Development Partners / owners:  DLZ was the consultant and McDaniels Construction

"King Lincoln attracts public, private interest" Business First of Columbus

Link: King Lincoln attracts public, private interest
Jeff Bell
Business First of Columbus
October 5, 2007

...But he is also putting his money where his mouth is as an investor in a $1.9 million renovation project in which a once boarded-up apartment house off Long Street is being converted to the 12-unit Hamilton Park Place condominiums...

...The star is the $10 million, publicly funded renovation of the historic Lincoln Theatre, which is expected to reopen as an arts and cultural center in 2008. It sits next to the Hamilton Park Place condominiums and across Long Street from the $6.2 million King Lincoln Gateway office and retail building, a privately funded project completed in June 2006.

At Long and 17th streets, the historic Alpha Building is being restored for use as retail and office space. A block west on Long Street, a mixed residential and commercial project called Monroe on Long has been proposed. Both are private-sector ventures...

"Love of history drives area restoration" Business First of Columbus

Link: Love of history drives area restoration
Jeff Bell
Business First of Columbus
October 5, 2007

Pete Loscocco enjoys the sense of history he experiences every time he walks into the Alpha Building at the corner of Long and 17th streets in the King Lincoln Arts & Entertainment District.

He said that feeling is a big reason why he and his wife, Laurie, have taken on the renovation of a building that had fallen on hard times in an impoverished neighborhood long before they bought it three years ago...

...Today, the Loscoccos are looking for retail and office tenants for the 3,200-square-foot, two-story building as they wrap up restoration work that has been in full swing since last October...

Mayor Coleman, Council and residents break ground on 8 new Condos in the historic King-Lincoln District

press release from the Mayor's office
(Columbus)  Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s vision for bringing new life, investment, jobs and housing to the historic King-Lincoln District is beginning to take shape as ground was broken today on “The Whitney,” a new 28-condominium development that replaces the blighted and crime-ridden Whitney Young Apartments.  Councilwoman Pricilla Tyson, neighborhood leaders and residents and were on hand for the event at 761 Mt. Vernon Avenue.

“The redevelopment of this site is a part of our overall vision to revitalize the King-Lincoln District with new housing, jobs, arts and entertainment,” said Mayor Coleman.  “This is an exciting time for this neighborhood and I am pleased with the Whitney Young Collaborative, which is bringing together development, businesses and residents to show what can be done to bring a new generation of investment and hope to a long-neglected neighborhood.”

The formerly blighted and crime-ridden apartment complex was demolished by the City in 2005 to make way for The Whitney, which will feature two and three bedroom townhouse-styled condominiums, ranging in price from $159,000 to $259,000.  The project will contain a mix of six affordable units, 11 market rate units and 11 above market rate units.

“Investment is the key to unlocking the economic potential of the King-Lincoln neighborhood,” said Councilmember Tyson, who heads the Administration Committee.  “What is going to make this project a success is community involvement, and I’m thrilled to see neighborhood taking an active role.”

The $6.4 million project is being developed by the Whitney Young Collaborative, which is a partnership between the Alpha Rho Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the non-profit affiliates of Shiloh Baptist Church and Trinity Baptist Church.  The City bought the property from HUD in 2004 for $100, paid $123,000 for the demolition and invested an additional $364,000 for road improvements.

"We're excited about the future of the King-Lincoln District and to be a part of the redevelopment efforts on the Near East Side,” said John Boxill, with the Whitney Collaborative.  “Whitney Young once stated that, ‘You can holler, protest, march, picket and demonstrate, but somebody must be able to sit in on the strategy conferences and plot a course. There must be strategies, the researchers, the professionals to carry out the program. That's our role.’  We gladly embrace the role that our fraternity brother Whitney Young charged all of us with and are glad to do something to that honors his legacy.”

The KLD is turning around with a series of new public and private investment projects in commercial space, new housing and improved infrastructure.   The District is growing around the cornerstone project – the restoration of the historic Lincoln Theater, with $8 million investment from the City and Franklin County Commissioners that is being overseen by CAPA.  Restoration efforts to the Lincoln Theater will be underway this fall, and will include:

• Approximately 450 seats
• An expanded stage and digital recording capacity
• An interactive jazz history display in the lobby

Other investments in the KLD area include:

• The Gateway Building, located at the corner of Hamilton and Long streets has 60,000 feet of new office and retail space.
• Across the street private development is at work with 12 new condos coming on-line in 2007.
• The $400,000 Mt. Vernon Plaza renovation project is under construction, with new lighting, a staging area and green space for the seniors and community, new recreation space and new businesses.

"King-Lincoln condo construction to start soon" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: King-Lincoln condo construction to start soon
Mark Ferenchik
The Columbus Dispatch
September 5, 2007

It was once the site of a crime-ridden public-housing complex, and now is a vacant field. But city leaders believe there is a market for 28 new condominiums in the King-Lincoln neighborhood on the Near East Side.

The Whitney is a $6.4 million project that a nonprofit collaborative is developing on the site of the former 54-unit Whitney Young public-housing complex at 761 Mount Vernon Ave...

King Lincoln District Summerfair '07

"Curtain to go up in '08 at new Lincoln Theater" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Curtain to go up in '08 at new Lincoln Theater.
Robert Vitale
The Columbus Dispatch
May 3rd, 2007

Restoration work has yet to begin at the historic Lincoln Theater, but a Broadway veteran and a homegrown talent show are already waiting in the wings.

Dancer, director and choreographer Maurice Hines has signed on as artistic director for the theater, which will be renovated, expanded and reopened by the fall of 2008...

"King of the Lincoln" The Other Paper

Link: King of the Lincoln
Why the mayor won’t give up on the Lincoln Theater
By Jordan Gentile
The Other Paper
January 18, 2007 

...Coleman’s plan for the Lincoln Theater and the King-Lincoln district as a whole is ambitious, to say the least. He wants the Lincoln—and surrounding development projects—to be such a rejuvenating force that the neighborhood becomes a model for historic African-American communities throughout the nation. And the success or failure of this dream seems to be one of the measuring sticks by which he’s prepared to judge his own political legacy...

...In addition to the logistical upheavals—like when the theater’s initial, children’s-theater concept had to be changed midstream to something that would feature more diverse programming—there has been criticism from the Near East Side commission, which believes that Coleman has put all his eggs in the theater-renewal basket instead of spending money on the neighborhood’s infrastructure; and from residents who think the proposed performing-arts concept sounds too much like what the King Arts Complex does, which they regard as a bit elitist...

"County says OK to Lincoln Theater rehab money" Business First of Columbus

The county and the city are putting millions into the Lincoln Theater renovation but, while I support saving the theater, I think there is a long way to go in making a case to justify the investment as a tool for revitalizing the area and immediate community:

Link: County says OK to Lincoln Theater rehab money
Business First of Columbus
December 13th, 2006

Franklin County has formally agreed to contribute $4 million to the effort to restore the Lincoln Theater on Columbus' Near East Side.

County commissioners Tuesday authorized grant support over four years for the renovation project, which officials hope will improve the neglected neighborhood around the theater. The Lincoln Theater, at 771 E. Long St., became the focus of Mayor Michael Coleman's interest several years ago, when the city began seeking public and private investment for the estimated $9 million project...

I've read the neighborhood plan for the King Lincoln District but when our local government puts millions into these types projects I think that there should be some quantifiable and measurable objectives that the effort is going towards.

We've got so many multi-million dollar initiatives going on throughout the downtown area and surrounding urban neighborhoods yet there are very few connections made between them all. By the time we figure out what is working and what is not, it's going to be too late to do anything about it.

While I can appreciate the vision and enthusiasm, I'd like to better my understanding of how this major investment is expected to be a boon for the neighborhood. Could this money have gone to more pressing needs in the immediate community that would have a more direct effect for the people who live there? Are we building up an amenity that the existing community won't benefit from?

Just questions folks...not negativity.

Franklin County Joins City Partnership to Preserve and Restore Columbus’ Historic Lincoln Theatre

(Columbus)  In its heyday, the Lincoln Theatre, at 751 E. Long Street hosted the likes of jazz greats such as Columbus native Nancy Wilson, Hank Marr and Sammy Davis Jr.  Today, Franklin County Commissioners unanimously joined Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Columbus City Council on the project by approving a resolution authorizing grant support over four years for the restoration of the Lincoln Theater to promote economic growth for Franklin County and restore the historic theatre and bring it back for a new generation of arts and jazz greats.

The Commissioners are committing $4 million in new investment to move the restoration project forward.  This adds to the $4 million committed by the City of Columbus.  The full restoration of the Lincoln Theatre is estimated at just over $9 million, and the goal is to reopen the historic theatre to the public in 2008.

“The renovation and development of this historic structure will be a keystone in the overall economic development of the King Lincoln District, “said Board President Paula Brooks. “The true value of this project lies in preserving the past, growing the cultural arts community for the future, and leveraging economic development opportunities for Franklin County and the city of Columbus.”

“Not only will this renovation bring a renewed cultural vitality to the community,” said Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy. “Incorporating the Commissioners’ goal to support the local economy by working to purchase materials from local suppliers and utilizing construction labor from the King Lincoln neighborhood will promote economic welfare and improve economic opportunities for the residents of Franklin County.”

“Because of the Lincoln Theatre’s long history, prominent cultural role and link to the African-American community there is an unquestionable need to save the structure and activate it as a cultural arts incubator,” said Commissioner Dewey R. Stokes.

The Mayor’s effort to save the theatre began years ago, and the City continues to reach out to other private and public partners to invest in the project.  Once restored, the Theatre will have:

• Approximately 570 seats
• An expanded stage and digital recording capacity
• An interactive jazz history display in the lobby

“The Lincoln Theatre is the centerpiece of the King Lincoln District around East Long Street,” said Mayor Coleman.  “A few years ago there was no hope, no investment and no opportunity, but we are changing that a little bit each and every day.  We have been working to bring this theatre back to its original glory and thank the County Commissioners for making this theatre a place for future generations to be trained and entertained.”   

The Lincoln Theatre Ballroom, attached to the theatre has also been fully restored and is already attracting new visitors to the community as a public space for meetings, weddings and other celebrations.

"Partnership today is the key to the success of the Lincoln Theatre in the future," said Columbus Councilmember Maryellen O'Shaughnessy, who led Council's unanimous vote Monday night on the City's investment. "No one entity could successfully do it alone. Public, private, and non-profit are coming together to restore this community asset."

The City is also proud to announce that CAPA is joining the partnership.

“CAPA is excited about its involvement with the city in the renovation and rebirth of the Lincoln Theatre.  The theatre is an important factor in the redevelopment of the King-Lincoln District, the historical and cultural heart of Columbus’ African-American community,” said Bill Conner, CAPA President.

The Lincoln Theatre is a critical cornerstone of the historic King-Lincoln district and complements the King Arts Complex nearby on Mt. Vernon Avenue.  The District was once the cultural and commercial heart of Columbus’ African American community, and today suffers from decades of neglect and blight.  The non-profit King Lincoln District Redevelopment Corporation, chaired by Larry James, is charged with driving forward the plan for the area.  The KLD is turning around with a series of new public and private investment projects in commercial space, new housing and improved infrastructure.  Area improvements include:

The Gateway Building
Located at the north east corner of Long and Hamilton
Developers: Gideon Development Partners & Daimler Group
$6 million project with 60,000 square feet mixed-use (office and retail)
Financed by: 5/3 Bank, Community Capital Development Corporation
Major Tenants-  Dept. of Public Safety Internal Affairs Bureau and Accident Investigation Unit

City support includes
10 year tax abatement
$550,000 low interest CDBG loan through CCDC

North of Broad - NOBO
Located on 20 and 21st Streets between Broad and Mt. Vernon
Developers: Columbus Housing Partnership and Stenson/Powell
Up to 32 Market-rate residential infill housing (new and renovated on 20th and 22nd Sts
5 homes are built or in-progress, 3 more are in pre-construction and 2 are in the sale process, 2 are sold

City support includes
$386, 000 investment
15-year property tax abatements (Neighborhood Investment District)

Whitney Young
Located at Hamilton and Martin Luther King Blvd
Purchased by the City from HUD in 2004, 54 units demolished on 2 Acres
New housing construction projected to start Spring of 2007
$3.4 million project 
Selected Developer is Whitney Young Collaborative, a partnership between local African American churches and local chapter of national fraternal organization

City support includes
$123,000 for demolition

Monroe Cluster
A proposed $4 million residential/commercial mixed-use project just less than 1 acre of City owned property at Monroe and Long Sts.  The Long Street frontage will consist of a mixed-use building (retail on the ground floor, residential on upper floors) while the Monroe frontage supports the construction of 18 condominium units in the mid $200,000.  Construction projected to start fall of 2006.  Glavan Blackwell Resources is the developer.

Hamilton Park Condominiums
Located on the southeast corner of Long and Hamilton
12 market-rate 1 and 2 bedroom condos

St. Paul’s Wellness Center
Located at Long and Jefferson Ave
St. Paul’s AME Church/Rev. Michael Bean, Pastor
$3 million investment is under construction, expected to finish 1st Quarter 2007
Ohio Health is an anchor tenant

Mt. Vernon Plaza Focal Point
$400,000 renovation underway. Projected completion is 2007, with new lighting, infrastructure repair & improvements and new green space.

Lincoln Theater renovation at the forefront of King-Lincoln revitalization efforts

Another plan continues to move forward under the mayor's initiative for the the King-Lincoln District. The Whittier Peninsula, the Greater Parsons Vision Plan, the 315 Tech Corridor, the proposed Streetcar and the Lincoln Theater plan now being more actively pushed are all taking up millions of dollars to fulfill a greater plan for the city that has yet to be fully understood by the general public:

Link: County to help Lincoln Theater
Commissioners join city in plan to boost development
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Mark Ferenchik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Franklin County will spend $4 million on the renovation of the Lincoln Theater, matching the $4 million Columbus has already pledged for the Near East Side landmark.

The county will spend $1 million a year over four years to help spur economic development in the neighborhood, county Commissioner Paula Brooks said...

...But Brooks said the King-Lincoln neighborhood has long been neglected, and the revamped theater will serve as an anchor for the rest of the area. And the partnership with the city reflects the county’s commitment to economic growth...

...Mayor Michael B. Coleman, who has pushed the project, said he wants to make the area a cultural center again. The area between Mount Vernon Avenue and Long Street was a thriving district of clubs and bars for Columbus’ black community from the 1930s through the 1960s...

• Read other archived news about the King-Lincoln District
• View a Virtual Tours in the King-lincon District
• Read the city's plan for the King Lincoln DIstrict

I just have to ask, are we diffusing ourselves too much? We're working all around the core of downtown but in my mind it's like fixing all the spokes on a wheel when the hub itself needs some major attention. What is the glue that is binding all these efforts together? Is it the city council? Is it just the mayor? What is the objective beyond making ourselves a "21st Century City" for whatever that means?

If you talk to planners about the idea of Lincoln Theater's ability to act as an economic catalyst for the area as the first step in a neighborhood plan I'd be curious to hear the feedback. Don't get me wrong, I think the Lincoln Theater is a priceless gem that needs to be preserved and revitalized, but from a layman's point of view, I can't see how it will lead off the revitalization of a neighborhood.

There are hopes to once again draw national acts to the theater after it is renovated but with a majority of homes in the adjoining neighborhoods valued under $100,000, might this star-studded approach lead to possible gentrification? The city-produced neighborhood plan talks about a lot of these issues, but so far the only clearly visible work on the neighborhood that I could get my hands on deals with the Lincoln Theater.

Anyone know how the rest of the plan is proceeding for the district?

"In Cities Across the United States, It’s Raining Concert Halls" New York Times

While it doesn't translate over directly, there where some thoughts and observations that intrigued me while thinking about our own existing concert halls and particularly, the renovation efforts of Lincoln Theater in the King-Lincoln District:

Link: In Cities Across the United States, It’s Raining Concert Halls
September 3rd, 2006
New York Times

...Tyler Cowen, a professor of economics at George Mason University and the author of “Good and Plenty: The Creative Successes of American Arts Funding,” said there was little solid research measuring the economic impact of arts centers on a city, although there was for sports stadiums. Such research shows no benefit for a city’s growth, he said, adding that he was skeptical about economic claims for new concert halls.

“The glorious tales are typically exaggerations,” said Mr. Cowen, who also contributes a monthly economics column to The New York Times...

"Theater’s future about more than politics, mayor says" The Columbus Dispatch

There hasn't been too much press about the efforts that the city is and has been initiating in the King-Lincoln District but there are a number of things that have been happening over the past few years that are geared towards a revitalization such as the Gateway Building at Long & Hamilton, Lincoln Theater, Whitney Young Apartments, NOBO, Monroe Cluster, St. Paul AME Health Center, and Hamilton Park Condominiums as mentioned in the Mayor's State of the city address earlier this year.

How far and to what extent these types of initiatives will have remains to be seen over the long run. What is interesting is that because of the areas historical significance, these revitalization efforts seems to be largely come from the city as opposed to the residents:

Link: Theater’s future about more than politics, mayor says
Coleman seeks help from GOP Sen. DeWine to finish Lincoln Theater’s renovation
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Jim Siegel
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

...The senator has written and spoken to officials with the public-private Save America’s Treasures program, which Columbus has asked to provide up to $750,000 for the $8 million-plus project. DeWine said he told program officials the renovation is a priority.

DeWine also said he could use his position on the Senate Appropriations Committee to try to secure more federal money for the theater, a key piece of Coleman’s redevelopment plans for the King-Lincoln community...

"Mayor pushes for millions to fix up theater" The Columbus Dispatch

The King-Lincoln District is definitely on the the Mayor's hot-list. It's still not clear to me what the collective plan is for the city in terms terms of our total revitalization plan though, especially as conversations about multi-million dollar projects pop up for our surrounding central-city neighborhoods:

Link: Mayor pushes for millions to fix up theater
Lincoln’s redevelopment key step in transforming district, Coleman says
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Mark Ferenchik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Columbus paid $1 million for the old Lincoln Theater and has made several abortive attempts to resurrect the Near East Side landmark. Now, Mayor Michael B. Coleman wants to spend $4 million more to fix it up.

He’s also asking local companies and county and federal governments to come up with an additional $4 million to $6 million to help out.

"This is the anchor of an entire neighborhood transformation," Coleman said. "It has been neglected for too long. The cost of neglect is far greater than the cost of this investment."...

My interest begins to peak in being able to understand the mayor's big picture especially as it relates to the inner-workings of the downtown plan and the bordering urban neighborhoods of which King-Lincoln is one.

This is not an attack on the King-Lincoln District but why are potentially millions headed in that direction as opposed to Franklinton? Weinland Park? What's the plan? I'm not saying the money shouldn't be spent but what is goal and how does this augment the overall objective for downtown's rebirth? Where do the other neglected neighborhoods fall into the plan?

If we are "seeding" development all around the city, will we have the dollars to continue the initiatives or will they be built and then again suffer neglect? I'm not saying that we should put all our eggs in one basket but ask yourself if you have an understanding of the plan.

Its just been occurring to me lately that even as much as I am trying to keep up on revitalization efforts there are a lot of holes that are starting to pop up in my own understanding that I need to start patching. If in my position I am realizing my own ignorance, where does that put the rest of the city?

Educating ourselves on what it will take to bring life back to the city is paramount to the success of our collective efforts.

Kudos to the mayor, our local government and the city council for their efforts but where will we as the people of the city be standing if the efforts for bringing back downtown slowdown or falter? Will we collectively just point fingers and say "I told you so" or will we be willing to pick up our own portion of responsibility for the future of our own city as opposed to solely laying it on the shoulders of our elected officials. It's our city but somehow the collective looks at is if we're merely along for the ride.

Something is missing on the part of "we the people" and I can't quite put my finger on it. I'm beginning to feel that the missing vibrancy in downtown is trapped in the spirit of the skeptical people who sit back with a wait-and-see attitude. With that attitude as a majority of the people we will surely fail.

Where's your attitude and are you relying on everyone else to build our city for us?

Long Street Redevelopment Opportunities

Another small spark of activity on the city's behalf involving the King-Lincoln District. This is straight off the front page of the city's main website:

The City of Columbus invites developers with innovative ideas and concepts to redevelop several properties in the King-Lincoln District.

Click here to view PDF

"City tears down blighted apartment complex" Business First

More potentially promising news for the King-Lincoln District. Once proposals are received from selected developers for the location of the former Whitney Young complex the city will solicit comments on the designs from the neighborhood. I just checked out the King-Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association website and it appears that they are involved in the process with this project.

There was a bit of controversy over the other most recent development project in the district at Long and Hamilton where certain residents felt excluded from the decision making process:

Link: City tears down blighted apartment complex - 2005-04-25.
Tony Goins
Business First

...The 34-year-old Whitney Young apartment complex, a 54-unit complex at 761 Mount Vernon Ave., began coming down in the morning.

The city is seeking proposals from developers to reuse the site, and it released a request for qualifications for developers, said Cynthia Rickman, spokeswoman for the Columbus Development Department...

"Near East Side development planned" The Columbus Dispatch Reports

No sooner do I start following the King-Lincoln District than another story pops up. Great to see more action in that area:

Link: Near East Side development planned
Monday, December 27, 2004
Mike Pramik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

"...The Columbus Housing Partnership has teamed up with private developer Stenson-Powell to launch North of Broad, a project that will create as many as 32 new and remodeled houses on 20 th and 21 st streets between Broad Street and Mount Vernon Avenue. The homes will range from $140,000 to $199,900..."

King-Lincoln District follow-up

I did a little investigating into the King-Lincoln District after reading the Dispatch article yesterday and found the neighborhood association's website and discovered a bit more detail on the objections to the development project at the corner of Long and Hamilton:

Link: King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association

"...In a very short time, a matter of a few months, the (King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association’s Development Committee) went from publicly opposing the idea to developing a viable residential alternative to finding a developer who could not only build it, but finance it as well."

Visit the site by following the link for the full story above the excerpt.

EDITOR'S NOTE:
One of the more challenging jobs I have with Columbus RetroMetro is remaining objective with what I report on. Of course I have opinions on certain topics, as do many of my visitors, but my main goal is to provide the information, not necessarily create a forum. What I do want to create is a portal for presenting all the information on urban renewal projects, including different sides of any story and letting readers come to their own conclusions.

King-Lincoln District: Rebirth?

The King-Lincoln District, part of the Near East Heritage District, just north of Olde Towne East may be getting a seed planted to continue the mayor's efforts to bring some of the vitality back to the suffering neighborhood:

Link: Police units may move to decaying corner
The Columbus Dispatch
Jodi Andes
December 14th, 2004

"The area, now littered with vacant buildings, used to be home to about 68,000 people. Now there are 15,000, Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman said. Half of those residents live below the poverty level.

City officials, though, are aiming for a new start.

The Columbus police internal affairs and accident investigation units are to move into a $6.2 million building that will be constructed next year at the corner of Long and Hamilton.

"The linchpin of developing that area is this corner," Coleman said.

Yesterday, City Council agreed to sell a lot at 742 E. Long St. to Gideon Development Partners LLC for $32,000 and signed a 15-year lease with Gideon for parts of the first floor and all of the second floor of a building to be built there. "

The King-Lincoln District was once quite vibrant area and was rather renown as a center for Jazz, until I-71 split it in two and led to it's decline.

Look for more information on this neighborhood coming soon. From the article, some local neighbors are not excited about the fact that police are moving in, but it will be curious to see if this project will have a positive effect on the neighborhood...