ReCenter
Columbus, Ohio

The ReCenter proposal for the redevelopment of City Center Mall was published in the November 2007 issue of Columbus Monthly

ReZone. To ReCenter we rezone for mixed use – retaining and reformatting the current surplus of retail and parking while reprogramming for public space and housing. ReCenter is a stacked urban neighborhood, appropriate to the wants and needs of central Ohioans. The mixed use palette for ReCenter is a diverse new market with 1100 new housing units, 690,000 SF of commercial space, and expanded and re-positioned green park space. This framework allows for phased redevelopment by several developers. New opportunities will emerge in this district which will allow it to re-establish its role as the cultural and economic center of Columbus.

ReShape. To ReCenter we reshape the structure from the inside out. Usable space is available on every floor and vertical connections are as important as horizontal links. Town Street carves out new space beyond storefronts reintroduced along High Street. Value is enhanced in the restructuring of uses. Housing moves above retail and atop the parking garage – returning lost volume and revenue. Shopping, dining, and entertainment options draw in regional visitors and locals alike. Reclaimed paths lead pedestrians and cars through ReCenter and redefine the movement of people through downtown.

ReUnite. To ReCenter we reunite people with this place – and this place with its past. ReCenter features a farmer’s market, recalling the Central Market that was once located in this area. ReCenter restores the civic arena and renews the urban fabric. ReCenter creates new shops, restaurants, and other gathering places within the heart of the city. New diversity fosters emergent behavior – allowing downtown to regain vibrancy and vitality by dynamically adapting to new challenges, new conditions, and new markets.

To ReCenter we reopen the structures and the streets, rediscovering civic space within the public realm of downtown and the capital area.