Nationwide Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Project Completed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2014
Contact: Mark
Lundine, Economic Development, 645-1693
Cleve Ricksecker, Capital Crossroads SID,
645-5063
A $4.3 million dollar streetscape project has been completed
along Nationwide Boulevard. The project
was a collaborative effort between the City, Nationwide Realty Investors, Capital
Crossroads Special Improvement District (SID), and property owners along the
Nationwide Boulevard corridor. The
public-private partnership helped to fund, design and construct the project. The project improved the streetscape along
Nationwide Boulevard between Front Street and Fourth Street and the east side
of High Street from Nationwide Boulevard
to the CSX railroad bridge.
“This project is
another great example of the strong partnerships between the public and private
sectors in Columbus,” said Mayor Michael Coleman. “Together we have made a
critical investment in our downtown that will allow us to satisfy the needs of
downtown businesses and residents, as well as impress our visitors and attract
additional large events to the city.”
The streetscape improvements include wider medians, new
concrete sidewalks with brick paver accents, clay brick crosswalks, new
landscaping with street trees, landscape beds and irrigation and the addition
of LED underlighting for the Third Street bridge.
“Downtown Columbus is
everyone’s neighborhood,” said Councilmember Shannon G. Hardin, chair of the
Public Service & Transportation Committee.
“Improvements made to our streets and sidewalks here lead to investments
that provide for police, fire, trash collection, code enforcement, and critical
city services all around Columbus.”
The project was completed in time for the 2015 NHL All Star
Game and is an example of how the Columbus community comes together in
partnership to prepare the City for a national event. The project was designed and constructed in
less than 16 months.
Over the course of one year, the SID successfully petitioned
property owners that will benefit from the project to agree to assess
themselves $1.9 million over ten years to contribute to the cost of
constructing the project. The City
reimbursed NRI for the project’s design costs and paid for the project’s
construction costs. The special
assessment will reimburse the City $1.9 million for construction costs in 10 years.
“Millions of visitors
use Nationwide Boulevard every year.
The Street definitely needed some attention. The improvements look fabulous, and
Nationwide Boulevard now gives a really strong first impression of downtown
Columbus,” said Cleve Ricksecker, executive director, Capital Crossroads.
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