Columbus Neighborhoods: Downtown

On this episode of Columbus Neighborhoods, we take a look at the past and present development of downtown Columbus. We sat down with Amy Taylor of Columbus Downtown Development Corporation to discuss recent changes and what's next for the neighborhood. Then we visit the LeVeque Tower to learn about the renovation of Columbus' first skyscraper. Architectural historians Jeff Darbee and his wife Nancie Recchie walk us through the historic renovation of their Town Street home. Plus, a visit to the Ohio History Connection provides a glimpse at Lazarus memorabilia.

[@Rocket-Man]

I am from Malaysia. I stayed at East Town Street back in 1995-1997. I studied in Franklin University last time. Glad to see this video. I miss Columbus.

[@papillionbella]

I lived in C'bus during the same time frame, I remember shopping at City Center, and Lazarus

[@DisneyworldRon]

I'm so glad that the Leveque tower is being renovated. This is a iconic landmark of Columbus Ohio

[@mariepavlov9144]

Ron Milner, cannot wait to look at Hotel LeVeque and Tower Living at LeVeque upon visiting Columbus soon.

[@rouser301]

I once delivered pizzas to the top floor penthouse of the Laveque Tower. The first thing I noticed, (after it was shaped like a doughnut around the elevator) was that they'd temporarily moved the hanging plants in the windows to the floor. I asked why and was told that on windy days the building sways (along with the plants) and unless you took them down it was easy to get "sea sick"

[@neosoul7422]

Happy to see this ❤️

[@margaritayefremova3434]

THANKS Guys God Bless You

[@observer7418]

I'm glad I got to walk around the Christopher Inn right before they took it down. I loved it. Went up in that penthouse once. I was surprised at how small it was.

[@margaritayefremova3434]

Guys Thank You for everything thanks for bringing us to America we Thankfull

[@margaritayefremova3434]

Thanks Guys

[@ColsUnderground]

Great video!

[@margaritayefremova3434]

Thanks

[@rouser301]

The average worker can't afford to live in an apartment there because of greedy landlords looking for quick returns on land investments and no one wants to shop where you have to pay to park anywhere you go and then walk blocks to your destination when parking's free in the suburbs. That's why there are no major grocery stores within downtown districts except overpriced "convenience" stores

[@LordRegaI]

"Greedy landlords" 😆

[@tinadudley5318]

Million dollar condos what about the low income people make something affordable for us..

[@genjaxx1463]

That's how they get rid of low income people in their area.

[@kennykrempa7100]

I agree . The only housing I can afford in Columbus are in high crime areas . Cleveland is better for those who earn a middle class income . The only people that should be moving to Columbus are those who earn a lot , unfortunately.

[@genjaxx1463]

@@kennykrempa7100 I grew up in the 70's & 80's on the Southend.Columbus was so much fun back then.Ran around Short North & Campus.The yuppies destroyed it & drove up pricing.

[@kennykrempa7100]

@@genjaxx1463 oh really? I have been in Columbus since 2018 I like it I really do but the hosing here is overpriced in my opinion.

[@genjaxx1463]

@@kennykrempa7100 I left in 1991 & been in FL ever since.Only go back a couple times a year.

[@Virtues162]

Transportation folks in Columbus appears to be WORK-SHY!! They should have built light rail system throughout the metropolitan cities long time ago! Cities Like Seattle, though less in population have erected pillars throughout cities on which light rail run transportation is abundant. mono rail, express buses. light rail you name it!!. Even Charlotte NC has a light rail system!! Columbus Transportation office workers, please wake up and do for Columbus what it deserves__Build light rail system that connects Columbus with Hilliard, Powell, upper Arlington, even cities further like Grove city, Channel Winchester etc..............It is high time!!

[@sluttyboy69]

U obviously don't know columbus history columbus had amtrak for years

[@baritonebynight]

I hate that the Lazarus building is a pathetic office building now. Nothing more boring than that. I also hate the green space on the grave site of the city center. It would be nice if there were more shopping down there. I was up in the Leveque penthouse once and its spectacular. I wish that it would be an observation space for all people instead of for some super duper rich person.

[@observer7418]

remember Woolworths?

[@margaritayefremova3434]

Make it Best Guys Make it Better

[@margaritayefremova3434]

God Bless I Love Jesus and You Thanks

[@margaritayefremova3434]

Yeah Good Luck

[@margaritayefremova3434]

Theres nothing Else more Really you can Do just do the Job Right and More Do it all Right

[@edeteffiong5046]

Heaven.

[@margaritayefremova3434]

Good Job Guys Just Do Invention Thing Make it Best Better and Make it New

[@spartanjohn858]

Stupid bot,

[@LordRegaI]

Are you a bot or a child?

[@margaritayefremova3434]

As Always Thank You Get old Stuff out

[@crystalperry6370]

They should say Columbus Ohio at least once because there is a Columbus Georgia.

[@margaritayefremova3434]

Make it the Well and Better make it the BeSt

[@deborahchesser7375]

We all gotta be from somewhere

[@margaritayefremova3434]

Renew Everything

[@russelltcranford]

O-H

[@3506Dodge]

So much parking...

[@archimedesxxicentury]

🧐 The infrastructure project "The bee honeycomb model of the conglomerates" Will Solve the Problem 🐝. There is no other way. Archimedes XXI century 😇.

[@sluttyboy69]

Like 8 different large railroad systems went through columbus for a century close to 100 years and columbus had lots of streetcars

[@mrdumass]

Left Columbus when I graduated from OSU in 1986. I recently began to consider returning. How interesting that the demographics profile hasn't changed much although the downtown area seems to have. In a 30-minute video profiling this area there is virtually no diversity. Yeah they profile restaurant owners that appear to be Latino but I doubt they are really considered integrated into the community. More of a novelty..."Oh my God, Becky, we went to this AMAZING Mexican (LOL) restaurant downtown."

[@t900badbot]

How interestingly important "diversity" is to some one who jokes a white woman.

[@Kfrench0661]

This is just one episode of this show, and they picked a few interesting projects to feature. I agree that you need to be cognizant that development doesn't bring wealth to everyone evenly, but it also seems like a bad move to try to force appearances by black people who may or may not be the right people to talk to for these particular projects. And you're just guessing that the Latino people are in some way not integrated.

[@JennRighter]

I'm 38 and I was born in raised in Columbus. I grew up in a VERY predominately Latino neighborhood, moved later to a predominately black neighborhood and worked as a supervisor for ten years at a distribution center that literally had a giant map on the wall with push pins marking the astounding number of countries the employees immigrated from. Maybe you had the Becky Columbus experience, but I sure didn't. The Columbus I know is a vastly diverse college town, boasts the highest number of Somali natives in the entire U.S. and the signs on the University hospital walls are written in five languages. Maybe you're a New Albany native? Worthington? Or maybe things just changed REALLY rapidly after you moved. I don't even live in Columbus anymore, but one of the biggest reasons I miss it is the diversity. So your comment just seems weird.

[@archimedesxxicentury]

🧐 The infrastructure project "The bee honeycomb model of the conglomerates" will keep your Dollar 💵🐝. The Project is more Reliable than Gold 🪙. Archimedes XXI century 😇.

[@jamesdougherty2271]

One can't compare the AIU building (Leveque Tower) to the Empire State Building.

[@LordRegaI]

In regards to what? Size? Ok what's your point captain obvious?

[@margaritayefremova3434]

Love America and Russia

[@stephenhornung2808]

Propaganda! smh

[@whoopydingdong3138]

Downtown is definitely still not they place. Columbus has no energy. It is not exciting.The first few minutes of this made me laugh bc it was so ironic 😂

[@Nick-de2xf]

I like how she nonchalantly says, “well I’m not going to walk to the bodega” to a man of Latin descent. No one said anything about bodegas. He asked about grocery shopping. Racist and sad.

[@acrxsls1766]

Get over yourself, cry baby.

[@JDAbelRN]

NOUN. (in the US) a small grocery store, especially in a Spanish-speaking neighborhood. Columbus has a sizeable Hispanic population, the noun is generic, and I would surmise Americans would recognize the term. Sad you would pick on this small idiom and term it "racist". If we as a country cannot get over a pathetic trigger you imply, our Nation is indeed in for serious conflict.

[@jamesdougherty2271]

Downtown Columbus is a bore. It's definitely not like any bustling European City Center I've ever seen. It might help if there were businesses other than restaurants and bars; for example, department stores, pharmacies, ma and pa shops, dentists, doctors, etc. It would be nice if Columbus had decent public transport and I don't mean buses. That’s the way it was when I was growing up in Columbus. Columbus people live in La La Land and I don't mean Los Angeles.

[@donburton2383]

Are you envious?

[@FirstHillSeattle]

Look, Columbus is never going to be Chicago or San Francisco, but let's be honest-- even those great cities have their drawbacks. I have seen Columbus grow and change dramatically over the past 25 years (I lived there for 6 years), and it will continue to grow and change even more. Eventually some "big city" amenities will materialize, including more diverse transportation choices. But what's great about Columbus is that it's proving to a very conservative region and state that when you embrace progressive policies and encourage different kinds of thinking, the economy will thrive. The leaders of tomorrow don't want to live in a place that demonizes LGBT folks or makes it harder for women to get healthcare, etc. Columbus is on the right path and it will be interesting to see how it evolves.

[@LordRegaI]

"La La Land" 😆 and you don't mean Los Angeles 😂😂 what a waffling dunce...