About a week and a half ago I asked you for questions to ask the Mayor during our sit down with the recent “Meet the Bloggers” event. A few days after that I posted up my afterthoughts on video as I await the footage shot at the event to share with you all.
But since I only had time to get in a few questions, Mayor Mike Coleman was kind enough to follow up with anyone’s unanswered questions via email. And he did it quickly too. Took less than a week to get these back (and a few days for me to get them posted up here). Not too shabby on the speedy turnaround in my opinion…
Follow Up Questions and Answers from Mayor Michael Coleman
Q: Would it be possible to attract and retain young professionals in downtown Columbus simply by giving students at Columbus State, CCAD, and Franklin an affordable place to live next door to where they attend classes?
A: That is one possibility that we are exploring, but it is often harder than just stating the goal. We live within a private sector market, where individuals and companies own the majority of land that is valued at as much as $1 million an acre, so the idea of giving affordable housing is a great goal, but getting it done takes a lot of work. I believe increasing the amount of affordable housing is among the top challenges we must address in the coming year, and there are already a series of deals being considered by private developers. Clearly, students and young entrepreneurs are a great market for building exciting, vibrant downtowns.
Q: With the double-digit percentage increase in traffic at Port Columbus (up 26% in August), and the availability of existing rail lines directly between the Airport and the Convention Center, is it time for the city of Columbus to look into building a light rail airport shuttle to draw that traffic into downtown?
A: The increase of traffic to Port Columbus is a great sign for the city’s future, but it comes after years of tough times for airlines and is largely due to the increased competition spurred by Skybus. So, while it may be to early to tell what the trend foretells, we clearly need to look at this as a possible future rail corridor.
Q: With the rise in popularity of scooter transportation downtown, and the recent news that Nationwide is going to start cracking down on scooters parked on sidewalks and near bike racks in the Arena District, is it time that the city look into dedicated street parking space for two-wheeled vehicles throughout Columbus?
A: We’re willing to consider this issue. I believe we need to create a urban center in the heart of the city that is welcoming to all forms of transportation, especially if it lowers the reliance on cars.
Q: When are the new downtown parking garage structures scheduled to be built and will they also have retail and other mixed uses?
A: We hope to see construction start in the spring, adding hundreds of parking spaces, which will help continue growing jobs downtown. While I almost always want to see first floor retail mixed into such structures, the details have not all been worked out and I don’t want to commit to that mix at these sites until I have all the information.
Q: Having traveled throughout the country and seeing many thriving, vibrant downtowns, one thing always emerges as a common thread. They are all centered around the pedestrian and mass transit infrastructure. How do you propose to build Columbus’ auto-centric downtown into a similarly thriving, vibrant environment in the absence of adequate mass transit?
A: This is already happening, but it takes time. After years of decline, we’ve begun to reverse the trends of outward flight and are rebuilding the downtown population. The growing number of residents will drive demand for services and better transit options. While we are adding parking spaces to avoid losing downtown companies, we also must look to alternatives like modern streetcars, better and safer bike routes, and other options to move people to the places they want to go.
Q: How would you characterize your relationship with ODOT and when do you think they will realize that the “T” in their name means more than highways?
A: We have a steadily improving relationship and I will continue to advocate strongly for Columbus fair share of state transportation planning, construction and partnership. We have several critical projects on the horizon, like the fix to the 70/71 split that I believe must include “caps” along the south and east sides of downtown, reconnecting neighborhoods to the downtown.
good stuff – thanks for sharing.
Great questions. Interesting answers.
I am looking forward to find out what the 2012 bond issue coming out next year will bring. Hopefully, some major projects could come of it.