Heart of the City (Center) pt 9

With this final essay, I wanted to give life to a few of my more niche-oriented, if not abstractly miscellaneous, ideas for City Center that didn’t really fit into any one of the previous installments, without traipsing ever so slightly into another. In this, they serve as the signature pieces of the project, as a whole, taking broad strokes to collectively summarize what potential City Center has inherently and in regards to we, the citizens of Columbus.

The Hub – In this technologically oriented society, it would be foolhardy for City Center to ignore the relevance of being technologically up-to-snuff. Throughout the facility, patrons should be able to access free Wi-Fi service, offering unique opportunities for workers to escape the claustrophobic confines of the office. Should the hustle and bustle of the mall prove a little too distracting, patrons can take up residence at The Hub, City Center’s special office-away-from-office, sanctuary. In half-hour increments, patrons gain access to sound-proof, frost glass cubical spaces (to offer privacy, but not too much), with the general amenities afforded at most workspaces (desk, chair, reading lamps and extra outlets to allow for personal hardware). I would like to enlist donations of office supplies from big chains or vendors and when patrons purchase said supplies, all proceeds are donated to a designated “charity of the month.”

City Center Championship Court – In the previous installment, I had planned to detail the sporting goods store, Champs, and while I like the store and the services they supply, it was all in an attempt to introduce this idea, which I think would work best as an annex of the store. Taking two of the larger, abreast spaces (I envisioned the former Express for Men and Victoria Secret spaces on City Center’s 2nd floor), one would be outfitted to function as a typical Champs retail chain, with its plethora of sports apparel and gear. The adjoining side, however, would be a fully functioning, hardwood floored, gymnasium, with specific emphasis on basketball. True to form, having the gym could offer a nice source of revenue with rentals or even be an arena to showcase high-profile exhibition events (LeBron James Slam Dunk-a-thon, anyone?), more than anything, I’d like to see a lunch-time intramural program started where workers from the Downtown area compete in friendly competition, much in the way of the Kick-ball league does on the State House lawn during the summer. Always looking to make a change, the registration fees for the teams would be donated to the charity of choice of the season champions.

Cinema on the Hill – After watching “The Wedding Planner,” I’ve been deeply enamored with the idea of an outside movie theatre. While Columbus does have one of the few drive-in theatres in the state, I just want something a little different (is that some of that fickleness I mentioned?) and overtly fun! There is a lot of landscape that seems to be wrought with unused potential on the corner of High and Rich St, where an outdated skyline of Columbus, adorns City Center’s southwestern wall. I find it hard to imagine that it’d be terribly difficult to mount a projector on either that lawn or nearby structure and play classic movies along the embankment. Just as the Red, White and Boom event is free, this too could be a nice way to inspire people to get outside and take part in Columbus. I’d invite CAPA to coordinate the screenings, possibly transferring some aspect of their Summer Movie series to the venue.

The Front Shore – There needs to be an area strictly dedicated to “fun” in the Downtown vicinity, and while there are quite a few ideas I’ve detailed along the way, I specifically mean to appeal to younger audiences. One of the things that I’ve strangely always loved about City Center was its lack of an arcade. There was something so significant about the gesture, though, even at this age, I’ve yet to discern it, I have, to a degree, decided to reconsider it. Along the Scioto River, where most of our summer time events take place, is a huge area of untapped space for year round usage. Somewhat emulating the carnival attractions of the New Jersey shore, I think that a number of recreational facilities should be built along the Scioto, specifically, but not limited to a large scale arcade. After a few years of testing the public response (both residential and visiting), the area could grow, including permanent fixtures like a Ferris Wheel or landmark tower.

And with that, I complete my Heart of the City (Center) project. It has been a long road to writing these passages and I appreciate anyone and everyone who has stumbled upon these words or sought them out intentionally, enduring long absences in between. I’d like to thank all those who have voiced their opinions both socially and on these postings, I hope I’ve illustrated a vision that you all can relate to in one way or another. More than anything, though, I’d like to thank City Center…she has given me a lot to love over the years and in many ways was one of my firsts. No matter what, she will always be Columbus’ heart as well as my own.

-V.