In case you haven’t been under it in awhile, the ugly and defunct City Center skywalk over High Street has been prepped for demolition, which is being kicked off tomorrow morning with a small ceremony that also includes the revealing of some new renderings of the ground-floor retail slots along the revamped Lazarus building.
I know many people who wanted to see the thing strapped with dynamite and blasted to tiny pieces, but it will actually be disassembled slowly over the next month or two. The retail at Lazarus will be built out in the Spring, which should nicely compliment the OSU Urban Space around on the Town Street entrance once Town Street is re-opened to through traffic. The whole area is coming together pretty nicely when you also consider the new Lifestyle Community Apartment Complex at Town & Front, the new parking garage at Front & Rich, the proposed Artspace development in the old Trautman Building, the Riverfront beautification, and the conversion of several streets from one-way to two-way.
Really the only thing missing is a revamped City Center. Oh well. One step down. Eleven more to go.
I didn’t know this was happening today, that explains all the news crews I saw there around noon. I am SOOOO happy this is finally happening. I have walked in the Pride Parade for several years and it is astonishing to me the energy shift that happens from the North to the South side of this walkway, like a balloon has been deflated. Plus, there is a dramatic difference in the storefronts on the North to South sides. I know they mayor has been looking forward to this day and I can’t wait to see the new streetview!