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Land Collective to Lead ENVISION COLUMBUS: A Strategic Downtown Development Plan for Columbus, Indiana

DAVID RUBIN Land Collective has been selected by Heritage Fund (HFBC) – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County – to lead a community-based strategic development plan for downtown Columbus, Indiana, a mecca of modern architecture in the Midwest. Made possible by a grant from the Cummins Foundation, the 6-month effort will build upon and replace the current plan, which was completed in 2004. The plan will address a 938-acre area of the city, and also explore the adjacent context of the downtown and its environs. Land Collective’s collaboration with HFBC will culminate in an updated Downtown Columbus Strategic Development Plan that expresses a compelling, aspirational vision while providing clear, achievable recommendations for the downtown that will be used for many years to come.

 

Land Collective has engaged with a talented team of consultants for the project, including HR&A, an economic consulting firm for real estate, development, program design and implementation; Nelson\Nygaard for mobility, accessibility, and sustainability; and Beyer Blinder Belle  – with whom Land Collective previously collaborated on the Indianapolis Museum of Art Master Plan – for issues of Architecture and Heritage/Preservation. The team also includes cost estimators from The Hagerman Group of Fishers, IN, and Impart Creative, a Philadelphia-based web design studio.

 

Community outreach will be a significant aspect of the plan’s scope, with three formal meetings and a dedicated website, envisioncolumbus.org, to solicit input and ideas. A steering committee of sixteen individuals will steward the plan’s development, with representatives from various city agencies and organizations. A kickoff meeting with relevant stakeholders was held on February 16 to begin the engagement process, and the first public meeting will be held on April 20. For updates on the plan, follow envisioncolumbus.org, and check out this recent article, “A New Downtown Vision,” in The Republic.