Columbus Kills its Mall

Posted by: Tim Halbur

10 February 2009 - 5:00am

20 years after the Columbus City Center opened its doors, the now nearly abandoned mall is slated to be demolished. The redevelopment agency plans to replace it with a park.

"The city has dubbed the $165 million project Columbus Commons. It is seeking federal stimulus money to pay for the mall demolition and development of the park, which city officials expect to start this summer and complete within 18 months. The remainder of the project will take shape over the next five to 10 years, as the market dictates.

While the timing of the development is somewhat fluid, the plan is now clear.

"In my opinion, City Center was built to fail," said Mayor Michael B. Coleman. "But now, the potential and opportunity for this site to be the jewel of the city of Columbus is there."

Coleman calls Columbus Commons a critical component of the $280 million revitalization planned for RiverSouth, an area that covers the southwestern part of Downtown."

Full Story: Goodbye, City Center

Source: The Columbus Dispatch, February 4, 2009