Family Dollar Creating Blight on Parsons Avenue

At the corner of Hanford and Parsons is a parking lot that is typically strewn with litter and debris.  It’s the parking lot for the Family Dollar store.

I’ve used their web site to submit a complaint regarding the poor upkeep of their facilities.  I stated that corporate neighbors typically contribute to the success of a neighborhood rather than becoming part of a neighborhood’s problem.  I received an automated response, but have not been contacted otherwise.

Next time you walk past or drive by the Family Dollar store located at 1351 Parsons Ave have a look for yourself.  Of any of the corporate owned shops along Parsons Avenue, you’ll notice that this corporate property is actually creating blight.

If you’d like to help Merion Village by voicing your concern about the upkeep of Family Dollar’s property you can do so by clicking HERE to load their “contact us” page.

Green Workshop

Join the Merion Village Association for it’s first Green Workshop on Saturday, October 18th.  Whether you have a large lot or a small plot of land, these workshops will provide you with resource-saving tips that will prepare you for spring gardening.  Rain barrel and composting kits will be available for purchase on site.

The event is open to all residents of the city.  Proceeds benefit the Merion Village Center.

Parsons Avenue: North to South

Nationwide Children’s Hospital will begin investing in the nearby housing stock in an effort to improve the over-all quality of life for nearby residents.  Two articles appeared yesterday regarding the upcoming work.

The Columbus Dispatch article here, and the Columbus Business First article here.

At the south end of Parsons Avenue, the former Schottenstein’s at Parsons between Reeb and Barthman has been demolished to make way for the new John R. Maloney Health Center

Forty-seven properties along Parsons Avenue have been purchased for the redevelopment efforts and the former IGA grocery store, which was adjacent to Schottenstein’s, was also recently demolished.  The Mayor has set aside $750,000 to begin design work on the new Maloney Center and $4.9 million has been set aside for construction in the 2008 voted bond package to be voted on this November by Columbus residents.  Voter approval of the 1.6 billion, 6-issue bond package will allow the city to borrow money through the sale of City bonds to finance large capital projects at a cheaper rate and save the City nearly $30 million

Read the entire press release here.

Tip of the hat to ColumbusRetroMetro for noting them first.

Ganther’s Place

Take a look to the right.  That’s right, right here on the screen, just down a bit on this page and you’ll see a new link in the Blogroll.  It’s Ganther’s Place and the Merion Village blog is pleased to introduce them to you.

Residents of Ganther’s Place were the guests of tonight’s Columbus Social Media Cafe where they were presented with a variety of on-line tools to assist their community efforts.  After introducing the group to the great strides made and current challenges of the neighborhood, the group rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

In about hours time, a group of Columbus enthusiasts helped build the new Ganther’s Place blog where this community can begin to host an ever greater dialogue, not only with it’s immediate neighbors, but also with with neighboring communities such as Merion Village.

The neighbors of Ganther’s Place also set up shop at Twitter, another on-line tool that will allow for greater communication with various groups that are working towards the same goals.  Members of the Columbus Social Media Cafe offered introductions to the web tools of Flickr and Utterz as well as information on how to set up a neighborhood mesh network for wireless internet.  We also discussed how the neighborhood can involve the school children at Heyl Elementary in future class projects.

All of what was accomplished this evening was made possible by volunteers and neighbors and is a demonstration of what can happen when we open up the dialogue and work together as a community.  We welcome the continued success of yet another Merion Village neighbor.

Curbs, Alleys and Parking Lots

The streets of Merion Village are in need of some sprucing up this time of year.  In the photo below you can see how the curb along this street has become overgrown with weeds that have taken root.  With the use of a flat-edged shovel this growth (and associated debris) is easily removed.  A simple task gives the streets a clean, crisp look.

Also in need of attention are the alleys of Merion Village.  Since the city of Columbus has a policy of neglect not sweeping alleys, its a good idea to get out there with a push  broom and sweep them ourselves.  Removing broken glass, litter and other debris can actually reduce the incidence of petty crimes because doing so makes a statement about people paying attention.

Last year I swept the alley along five lots, essentially ensuring that the path to the street was free from nails, screws and broken glass.  Just clearing the path along five lots took several hours because of the years of built up debris.  This year it took less than an hour.

While Merion Village has a good amount of curb appeal for those passing through, our alleys are suffering – so please spend some time out back and help clean your alley.  Our combined efforts will ensure that Merion Village remains a place that attracts new homebuyers.

Lastly, there is the parking lot between Frebis and Moler that is owned by Kroger.  The fence along the property lines and the landscaping is not being cared for and the lot is strewn with broken glass.  Essentially, this part of Merion Village is falling into blight.  Kroger should held responsible for the proper upkeep on this portion of their property.

Is anyone aware of any pressure being placed upon Kroger regarding this lot?

WOSU Documentary to Include Merion Village

In celebration of Columbus’ bicentennial celebration in 2012, WOSU will begin work on a series of documentaries that highlight some of the city’s neighborhoods and will include a portion about Merion Village.

WOSU wants grassroots participation on this project and offers residents the opportunity to share their photographs, videos and stories regarding the various neighborhoods.  To reserve a time to share your insight into the neighborhood call WOSU at 614 292 9678.

The multimedia project will include web and television broadcasts as well as class-room materials for students and teachers.

Find out more about  WOSU’s Columbus Neighborhoods project by clicking here.

Merion Village Blog Gains Media Attention

Tim Eby, former national president of NPR and current station manager at WOSU makes mention of the Merion Village Blog at the July 9th meeting of the Columbus Metropolitan Club.

Tim Eby, along with Walker Evan of Columbus Underground and Helen Blowers of the Columbus Metropolitan Library discussed how social media is changing the way communities interact.

If you missed the luncheon you can watch the video by clicking here.

Newest MV Park Gets a Name

And there’s more new about outdoor space in Merion Village from This Week News:

Merion Village gained the park in 2001 after several neighbors turned the vacant, overgrown land into green space.
Soon after the 4-H group volunteered to tend the park as part of Make a Difference Day, after which the club decided to take on the project on a long-term basis.

This pocket park is located on the corner of Bruck and Morrill.

Merion Village Garden Tour – IX

It’s time to plan for the Merion Village Garden Tour.  Scheduled for July 6th, rain or shine.

I’ve been able to attend this event every year since 2001.  Not only have I seen some  unique examples of cultivated spaces, but I’ve also watched Merion Village solidify into an even greater urban neighborhood.

The Merion Village Garden Tour is low-key compared to other such neighborhood exhibitions around the city, but I think its one of the most exciting because it showcases the hard work of individuals.  This isn’t the tour that showcases your landscaping company.  This tour is a testament to the joy of getting into the dirt yourself and creating a space to enjoy throughout the outdoor season.

The tour is open to the public and admission is free.

Darby Creek Nursery in German Village

What a delight to have Darby Creek Nursery so close to home this year.  They’ve set up shop in the parking lot next to the Columbus Maennerchor on South High Street and have a wide variety of annuals, perennials and vegetables available.

Not only is a good use for an otherwise underused parking lot, it’s also nice to be able to walk home with the goods and eliminates having to drive for the garden essentials.