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We asked, you answered. Here are the results of our survey of community leaders about how to improve this city.
Alex Fischer, president and CEO, Columbus Partnership. Dan Trittschuh.
Dan Trittschuh
In 1996, when “What Columbus needs” made its debut, transportation was a second-tier concern, ranking No. 6 on our list. Since then, the topic of how folks get from here to there in the city has become a bigger issue, rising to No. 2 in 2001 and the top spot five years later.
It remains the chief concern today, and by a big margin in our poll of people active in the community conducted every five years. (We ask for three answers to this simple question: What does Columbus need to improve itself?) This year, we received 300-plus ideas from more than 140 participants, including neighborhood leaders, entrepreneurs, attorneys, nonprofit heads, school superintendents and such Titans as Mayor Mike Coleman, Ohio State president Gordon Gee and Limited Brands founder and CEO Les Wexner. (Notably, very few public officials responded, including no Columbus City Council members or Franklin County commissioners.)
Some people get gold stars for effort. Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams surveyed her staff and issued nine answers. About 40 people associated with Experience Columbus got together to brainstorm a bunch of suggestions. E.J. Thomas, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, supplied only one response, but it was a thorough and insightful essay on the need for increased financial literacy. Timothy Ahrens, senior minister at First Congregational Church, crafted a message about Columbus becoming the “heart of the heartland” by addressing homelessness, healthcare and hunger.
This top 10 list looks different from the last one in 2006. Gone are “Reduce crime” and “Take care of the neighborhoods.” New are “Get greener” and “More things to do.” Attitude adjustment moved from No. 10 to a tie for fifth—the same spot it was in 2001, suggesting that a collective group therapy session might be in order.
1. Transportation
The adage about how easy it is to get around this city compared to other metro areas still may be true. But it certainly doesn’t ease the pain of the folks living here, whether they’re driving across town, trying to catch a bus or booking a flight out of Port Columbus.
The familiar call for better mass transit remains strong. “Columbus needs to change its attitude about public transportation in a major way,” explains Adam Brouillette, executive director of Wonderland Columbus. And Margie Pizzuti, president and CEO of Goodwill Columbus, adds, “Columbus needs to invest more relentlessly in our public transportation system, so that every citizen has an opportunity to access our community’s employment, entertainment and basic services.”
Ideas include light rail, urban streetcars, a rail system between Columbus and Cleveland, an Amtrak station and better options to connect downtown to adjacent neighborhoods, Easton, the suburbs and Port Columbus.
Speaking of Port Columbus, an idea gaining steam, particularly among many business leaders, is more direct air travel to major cities, as well as international flights. “This is an enormous business disadvantage,” writes George Barrett, chairman and CEO of Cardinal Health.
Don’t forget about the bicyclists. Diesha Condon, director of the Short North Business Association, writes, “Continue with the bike initiatives like Consider Biking to make Columbus a bike-friendly community in all of the Central Ohio neighborhoods, including bike lanes, bike parking, bike trails, bike events etc.”
And then there are the walkers. Andrew Campbell, program director for the Columbus Metropolitan Club, urges drivers to become more aware of pedestrians. “We need better crosswalks, better signage, better public education about pedestrian rights (versus cars) and strict enforcement,” he writes. “In Toronto, if you step into the street, cars in all directions immediately stop to allow safe crossing. You would be killed here if you tried that, even in a clearly marked crossing.”
2. Keep improving downtown
Despite the Great Recession, Columbus has pushed through several major downtown projects in the past few years, from the Main Street Bridge to the new Franklin County courthouse and Scioto Mile to destroying City Center and replacing it with a park.
Yet it is a reflection of how somnolent the center city had been for so long that the heart of the region remains a top priority in making Columbus a better place to live.
As Peggy Anderson, chief operating officer of the AIDS Resource Center Ohio, writes, “I considered buying a condo downtown, but there aren’t enough options for shopping and late-night entertainment within walking distance. It’s improving, but I’d like to see more.”
There are more ideas than there are surface parking lots downtown. Folks want jazz clubs, more housing, more dining and entertainment along the Scioto River, fewer parking restrictions on major streets, stylish street lights, more vibrant retail (including a grocery store) and additional freeway caps, like the one in the Short North.
Meanwhile, Nannette Maciejunes, executive director of the Columbus Museum of Art, urges people to support the current attractions. “I love to see people walking through downtown, grabbing lunch with friends and family, reading a newspaper on the swings that now line the river. These are the kinds of developments that lure people to downtown and keep them coming back.”
3. Better economic development
It’s no surprise—given the city’s unemployment rate of nearly 8 percent—that jobs are a high priority, whether it’s for inner-city youth and the unemployed or attracting the best and the brightest. It’s also about how to develop those jobs and spur the Central Ohio economy.
There are plenty of ideas. Here are a few:
• “Attract more young professionals to Columbus and keep more of the 120,000 Central Ohio college students in the area upon graduation,” writes Jack Partridge, president of Columbia Gas of Ohio and chairman of the Columbus Chamber board of directors.
• “Amended zoning regulations to lessen cost and to address outdated regulatory requirements which do not reflect current economic reality,” notes attorney Bret Adams.
• “An environment that supports entrepreneurs,” states Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of the Capital Crossroads and Discovery Special Improvement District. “Local decisions should be guided by a commitment to empower and assist start-up and small businesses.”
• “A comprehensive move to recognize ‘Greater Columbus’ as an asset and a mechanism that works,” states Robert Breithaupt, executive director of the Jazz Arts Group of Columbus. “Regionalized economic development, revenue streams and other efforts would be a result of continuing to acknowledge Franklin and contiguous counties as one as much as possible.”
4. Education
Usually, this category focuses on how to improve Columbus City Schools. There’s still anxiety about the system, even as it has made progress through the years. As Columbus school board member Stephanie Groce writes, “Columbus has a few outstanding public schools, but not nearly enough.” And Doug Preisse, chairman of the Franklin County Republican Party, calls for “an effective method of intervention to lessen the drop-out rate from our public schools.”
But concerns go broader than the education of Columbus kids. For instance, “No great society can thrive without a commitment to educational excellence. Our community and our state must make it a priority—K-16,” writes Les Wexner, Limited Brands CEO and chairman of the Ohio State board of trustees and the Columbus Partnership. Or, as Franklinton community leader Carol Stewart notes, “Columbus needs to continue to educate people of all ages from birth to old age.”
COSI head David Chesebrough picks up that point: “We need to have the out-of-school learning organizations (ranging from library to zoo to COSI to our museums, parks and nature centers, among others) working as a learning sector . . . in addition to a supportive partner for teachers, students and families. Our economic future will depend on a strong workforce that is inspired and supported by a full and robust learning ecosystem.”
Janet Jackson, president and CEO of United Way of Central Ohio, and Scott McKenzie, superintendent of Groveport Madison Local School District, want more support for early education. As McKenzie writes, “There is a great need for disadvantaged children to come to kindergarten with a certain set of skills and parents could use assistance in preparing students for school.”
Joe Chlapaty, chairman and CEO of Advanced Drainage Systems, is concerned about the disparity between “elite schools” and “other districts which are significantly under-funded due to a myriad of socio-economic factors.”
And Tanny Crane, president and CEO of the Crane Group, urges all residents, including one in particular, to make education a top priority. “We need the entire community to collectively care about education, and particularly about our public education,” she writes. “More specifically, if we are to have a great city, we have to have a great urban education system. But we need the entire community to be champions and be willing to stand up and get involved—including the mayor!”
5. (
Unlike not that long ago, it’s hard to make the argument there’s nothing to do in this town. Check out any calendar of events and it’s full of concerts, festivals, exhibits, sporting events and on and on. Or you can just hang out at Easton, the Short North, the Arena District or hit the recently opened Columbus Commons or Scioto Mile.
But it’s not enough. Give us more
fun stuff to do is the rallying cry among
many of our respondents. Why not
a velodrome at the old Germain amphitheater? How about a summer theater festival? Or boat rentals on the Scioto River downtown or even an amusement park?
“I’d love to see a signature five-plus day event added to the annual events calendar,” writes Steve Allen, CEO of Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Living out west, I saw how successful events like SXSW, the Sundance Film Festival and Santa Fe Opera are for their communities, and how well they attract visitors from throughout the U.S. and beyond.”
“Columbus needs a new high-altitude restaurant,” writes Danny Russell, director of communications for the Methodist Theological School in Ohio. “It’s fun to eat while you’re looking down on the city from above, and somehow eating shrimp cocktail at home with Google Earth on the laptop doesn’t cut it.”
5. (
Columbus, it’s time to get your swagger on. Ditch that Midwestern modesty (to a point) and shove aside that inferiority complex. There’s a lot of stuff to feel good about, so say it loud, say it proud.
That’s the message of many submissions about Columbus’s humble self image. Here are some of the comments:
• “Swagger: We live in one of the best cities in the country—that’s something to be proud of,” writes Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman.
• “An attitude. We have to keep our Midwestern values and yet aggressively tell our story,” writes Les Wexner, CEO of Limited Brands, chairman of the Ohio State board of trustees and the Columbus Partnership.
• “Self confidence and self empowerment: We continue to struggle with our identity and our ability to stand up for our city. We are humble, embarrassed at times and reluctant to stand up for all that is great about our city. We need everyone in this community to stand up proudly for Columbus!” writes Tanny Crane, president and CEO, Crane Group.
• “We have healthy business, top-notch educational institutions, top-tier activities and amenities, a booming arts community, a top-rated food culture, premier sports teams and some of the nicest people in the country. I would challenge someone to find a city with such a renaissance approach to building a city. People here just need to learn to talk about the amazing qualities of this place,” writes Adam Brouillette, executive director of Wonderland Columbus.
7. Support the arts
The clear signal from arts supporters is that it’s imperative to find a sustainable funding source for cultural institutions.
David Chesebrough, president and CEO of COSI, makes the case that arts organizations are an economic development tool that deserve help. “We have a strong cultural base in this community, which is one of the essentials to attracting and retaining a knowledge-based workforce,” he writes. “A recent study presented by the Columbus Foundation and the Columbus Partnership identified that our cultural organizations are among the most efficient in any city, but are one of the most undercapitalized sectors in comparison to the cities we compete with for businesses and workers. We need a stronger, broad funding base for our major anchors in the cultural sector who in turn can provide support for the broader sector.”
Kevin Boyce, former treasurer of Ohio and ex-Columbus City Council member, writes, “It’s been estimated that the Columbus creative economy, which includes fine and performing arts, marketing, media relations and other design-oriented businesses, generates nearly $4 billion in economic activity, employs nearly 18,000 people in over 7,300 local businesses. In other words . . . in Central Ohio, the arts and entertainment industry is more than recreational activities, but also a serious economic contributor.”
Or, as Veda Gilp, marketing manager of the Cultural Arts Center, implores, “Why is such a fabulous city forcing its arts organizations to beg for funds?”
Meanwhile, some respondents asked for such additions to the arts scene as more live music in restaurants, an increase in public art and a contemporary art gallery in the Short North.
Acting as a cheerleader for artists is
J. Daniel Good, superintendent of the Westerville City School District. “Amazing visual and performing artists call Columbus home,” he writes. “All generations of residents would benefit a thousand times over were we to really revere these talented citizens and promote the value, the richness they offer to Central Ohio culture.”
8.
Whether it’s waterways or trash removal, there’s support for more environmentally friendly practices in the region.
One big push is to improve the Scioto River by moving downtown dams and stopping the practice of dumping raw sewage into it. The other big push is for recycling. Seth Golding, president of the University Area Commission, writes, “Columbus needs a really great recycling program. Where recycling is free, trash removal is not, so the more you recycle the more you save in trash removal costs.”
Jeni Britton Bauer, president and founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, wants a citywide ban on Styrofoam containers and “recycling bins next to trash cans on public sidewalks.”
George O’Donnel, vice president for Arshot Real Estate, advocates planting an urban forest at the Columbus Commons and creating a wetland on the Whittier Peninsula similar to one at Dodridge Park tended to by Ohio State University.
Meanwhile, Jeff Darbee and Nancy Recchie, historic preservation consultants who submitted a joint response, offer a different view of “green” buildings. They want the city to “require that achieving any goals for smart growth or sustainable development include preservation of historic buildings as a primary element. The greenest building is the one that is already built. This accomplishes several goals of the sustainability movement: keeping building materials out of landfills, utilizing existing infrastructure, strengthening the tax base and retaining the distinctive and authentic character of the city’s downtown and older neighborhoods.”
9. Better marketing
For years, we’ve heard how the only image Columbus has is no image. Certainly, the national press about the emerging food scene and the Short North is helping to shape the city’s identity. It’s not enough, though, waiting for the next New York Times or Chicago Tribune article proclaiming how surprised the writer was to discover Columbus’s high cool factor.
So it’s time to spread the word more aggressively, with some respondents supporting Experience Columbus’s proposal to get a bigger share of the city’s hotel tax. “Did you know that our hospitality and leisure industry today comprises 10 percent of the local economy with a $7 billion economic impact from visitor spending, supporting more than 60,000 jobs?” writes Lisa Hinson, owner of Hinson Ltd. Public Relations.
Others call for catchy slogans (“Hospitality Capital of the World” or “The Friendliest City on Earth”) or building gee-whiz attractions (“an epic landmark”). Joe Chlapaty, chairman and CEO of Advanced Drainage Systems, calls for sending a shout-out about the city’s “significant concentration of research expertise,” citing Battelle, Chemical Abstracts, OCLC, Ohio State University, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the James cancer center.
Joel Oliphint, Columbus editor of the music website donewaiting.com, has a novel way of taking the city’s message to the road. “Touring bands from Columbus are ambassadors for the city, whether they know it or not,” he notes. “The more music fans across the country see and hear bands from Columbus, the more those people will realize our city has a thriving arts scene and can export more than lingerie and weirdly tasty ice cream flavors.”
10. Embrace diversity
The city certainly looks like a very different place than when we conducted the first “What Columbus needs” poll 15 years ago. As Mayor Mike Coleman has said, about 200 languages are spoken here. In fact, it’s an old story now about the impact of the growing Somali and Hispanic communities, as well as the city’s reputation for being gay-friendly.
But some respondents think there’s still work to be done, whether it’s issues regarding race, nationality, religion, sexual preference, gender, age. . . . Stephanie Hightower, president and CEO of the Columbus Urban League, writes, “Create a culture within the business community that celebrates and recognizes how a diverse workforce strengthens the vibrancy of the community.”
For instance, “Increased participation by more senior members of our community to help us turn the economy around—I witness many people with so much experience and accomplishments not being tapped into for their collective insight on the issues our community faces,” writes Barb Smoot, executive director of the Women for Economic and Leadership Development.
And Liza Lee, head of school at Columbus School for Girls, calls for more women in leadership positions.
Meanwhile, Janet Jackson, president and CEO of United Way of Central Ohio, explains that diversity “is not just the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do to make our entire community stronger and more competitive.”
As Angela Plummer, director of Community Refugee and Immigration Services, notes, “For those who have not had the opportunity to interact with our newest residents, Columbus needs to branch out and experience the incredible diversity our city has. Surely there will be a Nepali restaurant in the not too distant future!”
Needs, over the years
Here are the top 10 lists of all four “What Columbus needs” surveys.
2011
1. Transportation
2. Downtown
3. Economic development
4. Education
5. (tie) Things to do
5. (tie) Attitude adjustment
7. Arts support
8. Environment
9. Better marketing
10. Diversity
2006
1. Transportation
2. Downtown
3. Schools
4. Jobs
5. Reduce crime
6. Support the arts
7. Neighborhoods
8. Embrace diversity
9. Better marketing
10. Attitude adjustment
2001
1. Downtown
2. Transportation
3. Schools
4. Neighborhoods
5. Attitude adjustment
6. Better marketing
7. More pro sports
8. Housing mix
9. Save green space
10. Lose weight
1996
1. Schools
2. Neighborhoods
3. Better attitude
4. Downtown
5. Things to do
6. Transportation
7. Make decisions
8. Better marketing
9. Civic duty
10. New geography
Other ideas
• Improve struggling neighborhoods
• A Turkish bath house
• Attract the Olympics
• Downtown stadium for the Crew
• More responsive city government
• Better financial literacy
• Growth limits
• More growth corridors
• NFL or NBA team
• A crosstown “truck” highway south of I-270
• Full service Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus stores
• Alternative to property taxes
• Decrease homelessness
• Comprehensive public policy plan
• A Nina and Pinta to join the Santa Maria
• Feed the hungry
• Healthcare for the uninsured
• Keep city looking clean
• Fewer murders
• A beer garden at the Ohio State Fair
• Funding for youth programs
• Bury overhead utility lines
• More affordable housing
• Eliminate city government
• More civic engagement
• Retirement facilities near universities
• Reduce childhood obesity
• A high-end, old-fashioned dress shop
Ray Paprocki is the editor of Columbus Monthly.
