While kids and families anticipating the reopening of The Commons playground might have to wait a little longer, other pieces of the center are now open to the public.
Commons Manager Shanda Sasse told The Republic that the building’s lower lobby opened up on June 19. Visitors are able to come in and get an up-close look at the "Chaos I" sculpture, which is one of the community’s most iconic pieces of public art. The lower set of restrooms are also open.
Of the lobby reopening date, Sasse said, "It lined up at the right time, with the county COVID guidelines at that time. So it just made sense that we were able to offer that space up again to the community and wanted to go ahead and move forward with that.”
The change is a reopening milestone amid COVID-19. For much of the pandemic, the facility remained largely closed to the public, with the exception of rental events.
The center’s two interior restaurant tenants, Subway and Orange Leaf, closed in March of 2020 when The Commons initially shut its doors. Both have remained closed, and Subway has decided to end its lease.
City officials said in late June that the final documents regarding Subway’s closure have been signed and executed. The restaurant also agreed to move its equipment out of the space.
Sasse said that while she isn’t sure when Orange Leaf might reopen, she expects it to run parallel with the progress of playground renovations.
Both Subway and Orange Leaf have received a 100% rent abatement from the city since April 2020, which will continue until The Commons reopens. The center’s two other restaurants, Bucceto’s and Luciana’s, have also received rent relief amid the pandemic, and their most recent abatement period ended June 30.
Unlike Subway and Orange Leaf, Bucceto’s and Luciana’s have exterior entrances and are open for business.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
The Commons is located at 300 Washington Street in downtown Columbus. Masks are recommended for visitors but not required.
More information about The Commons is available at thecommonscolumbus.com.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
