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Rich in Diversity, Culture and History
Columbus, Ohio, the capital of the State of Ohio, is a great place to live and raise a family. The average sale price of a home in January 2009 was $137,446.
Whether you are single or married with children, there is something for you in Columbus. The city's various communities are rich in diversity, culture and history. The city, which is the state capital, is located within 550 miles of half of the United States' population. In 2006, Columbus was ranked as the 15th largest city in the United States, with 747,755 residents, the 32nd largest metropolitan area, the fourth largest city in the Midwest and the fourth most populous Capital in the U.S.
Columbus is the home of the largest university in the United States, The Ohio State University and Columbus State Community College, both public colleges. There are also several private institutions located in Columbus. Those include Columbus College of Art and Design, Ohio Institute of Health Careers, Franklin University and DeVry University, as well as the religious schools Mount Carmel College of Nursing, Ohio Dominican University, Pontifical College Josephinum and Trinity Lutheran Seminary. Finally, there are three suburban schools; Capital University, located in Bexley, Otterbein College located in Westerville and Ohio Wesleyan located in Delaware.
There are a number of distinctive neighborhoods located within the Columbus metropolitan area. The Short North, situated between Downtown and the University District, is rich with art galleries, dining, pubs, and specialty shops.
The Short North is bounded by Victorian Village to the west. This is a historical area of 2.5 to 3 story homes, some cottages and multiple family dwellings, all constructed of brick, offering ornate Victorian architecture.
Just to the west of Victorian Village you will find Harrison West. This area, bounded by 5th Avenue on the North, Goodale on the South, Harrison Avenue on the east and the Olentangy River on the west, is the home of the Battelle Institute. While there are more frame-construction than brick homes in this area and the homes are more modest in size than those of Victorian Village are, they are characterized by Victorian and Edwardian-style architecture.
To the south of downtown there is German Village known for its quaint 19th century brick cottages and cobblestone streets. It holds the distinction of being the largest and privately funded historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. Immediately west of German Village is the Brewery District. It is bound by Interstate 70 on the North, Greenlawn Avenue on the South, Pearl Street on the east and the Scioto River on the West. At the height of its success, the Brewery District was an entertainment district, home to as many as five breweries. During the prohibition era, the area was converted to a business district of warehouses and industry. In recent years, the area has been redeveloped to include numerous bars, restaurants, residential and office developments.
To the east of Downtown and north of Broad Street is the King-Lincoln district (bound by Atcheson Street on the North, by Interstate 71 on the West and 20th Street on the East), home of the Columbus Urban League and the Kings Arts Complex. From the early 1900s until the late 60s, the area was the cultural and commercial hub of the African-American community. The area declined to a community of crime and slum properties. During the 80s some limited revitalization occurred. In 2001, Mayor Michael Coleman initiated the King-Lincoln revitalization project. This project includes the development of new condominiums, the expansion of retail space along Mt. Vernon Avenue and Long Street and renovation of the historic Lincoln Theatre.
South of Broad Street and east of the King-Lincoln district is Olde Towne East. At the turn of the century, this was a well-to-do streetcar neighborhood consisting of grand homes in a wide variety of architectural styles. This area too succumbed to decline. However, the neighborhood has undergone gentrification with a large number of homes being restored to their original grandeur. There are tours of some of these homes every spring and fall.
Centered around the Nationwide Arena located at the north end of downtown is the Arena District. This new district offers many restaurants, pubs, office developments and residential projects, most notably the 20-story Condominiums at North Bank Park tower. Located in the heart of the Arena District is the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion, an entertainment facility unlike any other in the country. It is the first ever reversion stage, which serves 2,200 patrons indoors (in inclement weather) or 4, 500 patrons in the outdoor amphitheater. The brand new Huntington Ballpark will soon become the home of the Columbus Clippers baseball team (spring of 2009).
There are also the Heritage Districts, which include the Driving Park, Livingston Park and Old Oaks areas, Livingston Park and areas on the near east side of the city, home to a part of the city's large African-American population.
The University area, the most densely populated area of the city, is located north of Downtown (between the Short North and Clintonville). It is home to The Ohio State University, the Ohio Stadium, the James Heart Hospital, and the Schottenstein Center. This area is bound by Glen Echo Ravine on the North, 5th Avenue on the South, Conrail Railroad Tracks on the East, and the Olentangy River on the West. The High Street corridor, commonly known as the Gateway has been revitalized to include sandwich shops, bookstores and numerous bars.
Located between OSU and Worthington is Clintonville. Here you will find a quaint neighborhood of shops and eateries. There are large, beautiful, brick-faced American foursquare style homes situated on large lots alongside smaller more traditional homes nestled among rolling hills.
I have included just a few of the great neighborhoods in Columbus! There are many other great neighborhoods in the city and suburban areas that offer their own uniqueness.
The City of Columbus offers a wide variety of entertainment, from Baseball to Theatre. There are also numerous shopping venues from quaint specialty shops in the various neighborhoods, to more traditional shopping malls. Go to www.experiencecolumbus.com for more entertainment and shopping information.
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