While checkin in on my favorite local blog sites, I was reading about the City Center redevelopment on Andrew’s site, Elephants on Bicycles. Links posted on Andrew’s site take readers to the web sites of two of the local architects who’ve created re-use concepts for City Center.
As I was browsing the sites, I noticed that, at least in the case of the two listed, local architects are creating great designs in various cities around the US. From large projects such as City Center to small projects such as individual homes and cluster housing. There’s some really neat stuff being created by local architects.
Over the course of the past few years, we’ve seen some new construction taking place in Merion Village. A new duplex was recently built on Southwood. Further south there have been a handful of single-family homes constructed on vacant lots. The good news is that these new structures fit in so well, one can hardly notice. The bad news is that these new structures fit in so well that one can hardly notice.
Perhaps its time for some innovative design, not only in Merion Village, but Columbus’ other neighborhoods. Why not hold a design competition for local architects to create unique solutions for in-fill housing? A showcase property with unique design is a great way to pull in perspective buyers and drive interest.
In Minneapolis’ Seward neighborhood, one finds a variety of home styles, many of which were built through design competitions. There’s historic, restoration, new-build, solar, earth-sheltered, underground, historic rebuilds, pedestrian only streets, row houses, all creating a unique flavor that is distinctly Seward. It too, is a not more than a mile from downtown.
Seward struggled for decades with decay and it’s commercial street, Franklin Avenue was not unlike our own Parsons Avenue. Over the course of years of planning and innovation, however, Seward and Franklin Avenue have found rebirth through innovative design.
While there is always a need for required set-backs and height restrictions, there’s also a need for innovation within those parameters to create distinction. The groups, both architectural and civic, are here and can do this in Columbus.
