Public-private partnerships for decades have been a staple of the way the City of Columbus does business.
Strategic plans such as Focus 2000 and Vision 2020, and the redevelopment of downtown property that created the new Commons are past examples.
The city’s west-side overpass project, the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress (ASAP) in Bartholomew County and the new Indiana University J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program locating in the former Republic building are more recent examples.
Partnering with Columbus Regional Health and Heritage Fund — The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County to purchase and repurpose the FairOaks Mall property is the latest.
Working with partners that bring expertise and resources to the table helps make projects more viable and beneficial to the community, said Mary Ferdon, the city’s executive director of administration and community development.
“I feel the city is able to work at a higher level because of working with other people,” Ferdon said.
She said that when Mayor Jim Lienhoop saw an opportunity with the mall property, his first thought was who else could benefit that the city could partner with to make sure the deal gets done.
The city has worked closely with Columbus Regional and Heritage Fund on the ASAP initiative, and it was a natural fit to have the city’s parks department work closely with a health system, Ferdon said.
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