An aerial view of a nearly 700-acre development site for a future Columbus Regional Hospital facility and various other development is shown. The site is south of State Road 46 between State Road 11 and Interstate 65.
Photo provided
CRH, city plan is thinking big
The “City View District” master plan that Columbus Regional Health and the city of Columbus unveiled this week is doubtless among the most ambitious and far-reaching overall development plans our city has ever seen.
As The Republic’s Jana Wiersema reported, the vision for nearly 700 acres south of State Road 46 between State Road 11 and Interstate 65 includes not only a new hospital campus, but various housing plans, retail and recreation, a great deal of green space and more.
Planners have clearly done their homework. Flip through the draft plan — which you can see online at columbus.in.gov/planning/columbus-current-projects — and you’ll find a future vision for our community that would be transformational. You might just say “wow” when looking at the scale of potential development.
But this master plan is just that — a plan. And while the planning process is in the very early stages, CRH, city leaders and master plan consultant Design Workshop are inviting members of the public to an open house Wednesday at NexusPark to learn more, share views, ask questions and see for themselves what this project could look like and mean for our community and our region.
Drop in at NexusPark between 6 and 8 p.m. Wednesday to have a look. A presentation will take place at 6:45 p.m. It wouldn’t be “The Columbus Way” without significant early public input into a project that could someday so dramatically shape our community’s future.
Planning staff wins state honors
Speaking of planning, our local planning staff was honored earlier this month with awards presented by the American Planning Association. The City of Columbus-Bartholomew County Planning Department was awarded the Outstanding Transportation Planning Award for the Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan the city adopted last year. The planning staff also won an Outstanding Implementation Award for promoting the development of “infill” sites — underutilized properties within the city.
Planning Director Jeff Bergman and other members of the staff accepted the awards on behalf of the Planning Department at the APA Indiana Chapter’s Spring Professional Development Conference on May 12.
Our community relies on the expertise of local planning staff who see to it that development works for everyone. We congratulate these dedicated professionals on this well-deserved recognition.
Propeller spruce-up taking flight
Plans for Columbus’ makerspace Propeller are keeping the place buzzing, with the unveiling of a mural last week and more to come in the warm weather months ahead.
Beautification of the property at the municipal airport will include wayfinding, a viewing platform for watching planes, greenery, signage, seating, a grill area and lighting and more. The Republic’s Jana Wiersema reported these projects were made possible after a crowdfunding campaign gathered $120,000 in donations matched by a grant from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s “CreatINg Places” program.
Propeller is a great and growing local asset for makers, from 3D printing and electronics to woodworking. Get involved or learn more at members.columbuspropeller.com.
