Mike Wolanin | The Republic Members of the Columbus Police Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police and Columbus Fire Department gather on POW/MIA Plaza for the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service to honor fallen law enforcement officers in Columbus, Ind., Friday, May 19, 2023.
The Columbus Redevelopment Commission has selected the firm that will redesign the downtown entrance into the city.
Indianapolis and Pittsburgh-based Merritt Chase will redesign the 1.5-acres known at The Downtown Entrance Plaza, consisting of the POW/MIA/Law Enforcement Plaza north of State Road 46 and the Robert D. Garton Veterans Plaza south of the highway.
As a main entry into Columbus, approximately 28,000 vehicles pass by the plaza each day. The space, created in 2000 by world-renowned landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburg and Associates, is in need of upgrades after becoming overgrown and underutilized, according to city officials.
The project would represent “an opportunity to integrate this space into other current or future developments in the area,” redevelopment officials said. Some of those developments include the recently constructed 1821 Bicentennial Trail connecting to the plaza from the south and the future Riverfront Project.
“The project’s goals are to transform the landscape into a more desirable space, collaborate with local partners and adjacent projects, improve key design features and connectivity, and ensure the project’s integrity and universal accessibility,” according to city officials.
In April, the commission had approved $400,000 towards construction and $50,000 towards design fees for the project being led by the Columbus Design Institute, an arm of the Landmark Columbus Foundation.
“We are thrilled to move forward with Merritt Chase and welcome their contribution to Columbus. We are confident they will design a public space that is accessible and memorable to our community and stakeholders,” said Heather Pope, Redevelopment Commission director. “Also, collaborating with Columbus Design Institute on this project has brought forth remarkable design firms from which to choose.”
The project’s next steps include a full site survey, a formal introduction by Merritt Chase at the June Redevelopment Commission meeting, and stakeholder visioning sessions.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the extraordinary design legacy in Columbus, Indiana,” said Chris Merritt of Merritt Chase. “We want to create a vision for the downtown entrance plaza that represents the values of good design that has shaped a commitment to civic excellence in this community.”
The project will kick off with a community-wide engagement workshop June 24 open to the public.
