♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >>> THE LANDSCAPE IN THE CITY OF COLUMBUS HAS CHANGED CONSIDERABLY SINCE IT WAS OFFICIALLY CHARTED BACK IN 1834 WITH A POPULATION OF ONLY ABOUT I'D SAY THERE'S BEEN A MAJOR POPULATION BOOM SINCE THEN, WOULDN'T YOU, JAVIER?

>> A LITTLE BIT, CHARLENE.

NOT ONLY HAS THE POPULATION INCREASED, BUT BUILDINGS HAVE COME AND GONE AND THE CITY SEEMS TO BE REINVENTING ITSELF EVEN IN THE HARDEST OF TIMES.

>> ONE OF THOSE TIMES WAS THE GREAT DEPRESSION OF THE 1930s.

THE GOVERNMENT WANTEDED TO GET MILLIONS OF JOBLESS PEOPLE BACK TO WORK SO THEY CREATED A WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION OR WPA.

THIS WAS A NEW AGENCY THAT GAVE PEOPLE JOBS WHILE ALSO BUILDING UP PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>> COLUMBUS ACTUALLY HAD QUITE A FEW OF THESE WPA PROJECTIONS, SO WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEND ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN JEFF DARBEE TO EXPLORE SOME OF THEM.

I THINK YOU'LL BE SURPRISED AT WHAT'S ON THE LIST.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> WE'RE IN GERMAN VILLAGE TODAY, A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS, AND WE'RE GOING TO VISIT A BUILDING THAT WAS BUILT BY WPA, THE WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION.

THAT WAS A FEDERAL PROGRAM DURING THE DEPRESSION, AND IT WAS INTENDED TO PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, BUT IT WAS A MUCH BIGGER PROGRAM THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZED.

WE WILL SEE ONE IN SCHULLER PARK HERE IN THE HEART OF GERMAN VILLAGE AND LATER ON TODAY I THINK WE'LL VISIT SOME OTHERS AND LEARN A LOT ABOUT WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS DOING TO TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED DURING A VERY DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIME.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> HELLO, DOREEN.

>> JEFF, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> FINE, THANKS.

THANKS FOR COMING OUT TODAY.

>> MY PLEASURE.

MY PLEASURE.

WE ARE EXPLORING THE WORLD OF THE WPA TODAY, I HEAR.

>> YEAH.

I UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW QUITE A BIT ABOUT IT AND YOU KNOW ARNE TOWN AND SHILLER PARK WAS ONE OF THE PROJECTS AND IT WAS A VARIED PROGRAM, WASN'T IT?

>> IT WAS INCREDIBLY VARIED.

WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WPA THEY THINK THAT IT AFFECTED ARCHAEOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTION, IT WAS PARKS AND SEWERS AND EVEN STATEHOUSE HAD A REFURBISHING FROM ITS OLD STABLE DAYS.

>> THERE WAS A WHOLE SERIES OF GUIDES THAT TOLD YOU WHAT THEY WERE ALL DOING AND IN SMALL TOWNS THEY TOLD YOU WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND THOSE THAT WERE FEDERALLY FUNDED.

>> IT CREATED SUCH A LASTING LEGACY.

THE POST OFFICES AND THE PUBLICATIONS THAT MAYBE AREN'T IN PRINT, BUT IN LIBRARIES EVERYWHERE.

>> IT WAS A FAR-REACHING PROGRAM.

>> THE SAD THING IS IN PLACES LIKE COLUMBUS IS THERE ARE FEW MARKS, IF ANY, SO YOU DON'T GET THE SENSE OF HISTORY AND YET IT IS SO IMPORTANT WHEREAS IN CHICAGO AND NEW YORK YOU MIGHT FIND IT IN COLUMBUS, WE HAVE A DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY THAT IT DOESN'T AFFECT US AS MUCH IN THE LARGER STRUCTURES AS IT WOULD IN BIGGER CITIES.

SO THE CONTEXT OF THIS, THIS SWEET, BEAUTIFUL LITTLE BUILDING REALLY STARTED TO SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT AS THE SECOND OLDEST PARK IN COLUMBUS IS AS A FULL-TIME CARETAKER DIDN'T HAVE TO COME SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THIS IDEA OF WORKING WITH PARKS COULD HAVE MEANT THAT THERE WERE OTHER THINGS HAPPENING AND A LANDSCAPING AROUND THE SHILLER MONUMENT AND SIDEWALKS AND THINGS THAT SINCE THEN HAVE DISAPPEARED MORE.

>> THE CARETAKERS' COTTAGE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE AND THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WPA CREATED IN COLUMBUS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY BUILDING.

LET'S HAVE A LOOK.

>> I'LL FOLLOW YOU.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> DOREEN, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMEHOW WPA WAS INVOLVED IN CITY HALL, BUT IT WAS BUILT IN THE 1920s.

SO WHAT'S THE STORY?

CITY HALL WAS BUILT AFTER THE 1913 FLOOD TO FACE THE RIVER WHICH WAS TO BE A FRONT DOOR AND BE VERY MAGNIFICENT, BUT BY THE 1930s THE MUNICIPAL OFFICES WERE GROWING TO THE POINT WHERE THEY REALLY NEEDED MORE SPACE.

SO THE WPA PROJECT THAT MADE THIS A WHOLE BUILDING IS THE SIDE THAT WE'LL BE PASSING IF WE TURN HERE ON BROAD STREET AND THAT BECOMES THE NEW FRONT DOOR FOR CITY HALL SO THAT THE ORIENTATION COMPLETELY CHANGED.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ >> WE'RE TURNING DOWN INTO VAL HALA DRIVE DRIVE AND WE'LL BE HEADING NORTH BETWEEN UNIVERSITY AND CLINTONVILLE, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING OF THE RAVINE, INCIDENTALLY.

IT'S ONE OF THREE THAT WE ONCE REFERRED TO IN THE 1840s AS THE THREE GORGES AS IF THEY WERE THE SOUTHWEST GRAND CANYON AND THIS ONE IS TRULY WOODED AND LOVELY.

THE UNSUSPECTING WPA PROJECT IS ONE THAT WE'LL BE PASSING UNDER WHICH IS THE CALUMET BRIDGE WHICH AS YOU SEE FROM THE TOP JUST RUNS AROUND HIGH SCHOOL AND LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE A NICE BRIDGE, BUT WHEN YOU SEE IT FROM UNDERNEATH YOU GET THE HEIGHT OF IT AND THE ARCHITECTURAL MAGNIFICENCE.

>> THAT IS SPECTACULAR.

>> DOREEN, WE'VE SEEN A COTTAGE.

WE HAVE SEEN CITY HALL.

WE'VE SEEN A BRIDGE.

WPA REALLY GOT AROUND, I GUESS, YOU WOULD SAY.

WHAT ELSE IS COMING UP?

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SEE IN THE CITY?

>> SINCE YOU'VE BEEN TRAVELING SOUTH ON HYDE STREET AND HEADING TOWARD OHIO STATE, IT'S A GOOD REMINDER THAT A LOT OF THE WPA PROJECTS WERE NOT WITH THINGS THAT THEY WERE NOT JUST POST OFFICES AND THERE WAS A GREAT EMPHASIS ON ED THE WPA FUNDS WERE MORE THAN THE UNIVERSITIES HAD, AND I THINK EVERYONE SAID, HE'S A GOLF COURSE, AND IT WAS DESIGNED ACTUALLY BY A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTOR IN 1931, AND IT WOULD ONLY COME IN BECAUSE IT WAS MARKETABLE AND ATHLETIC PROGRAM AND RECREATIONAL FACILITY AND FOR INSTANCE, OHIO STATE WHICH WAS BUILT IN THE 1920s.

DORMS WERE CREATED FOR STUDENTS AT OHIO STATE AND THEY WERE UNUSUAL AND THEY WERE IN OTHER LAND GRANT COLLEGES ALSO AND THERE WAS A PROJECT THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW EXIST AND THAT'S WHAT'S COMING UP WITH THE BUILDING ON OUR RIGHT AT STILLMAN HALL.

>> LET'S GO SEE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> OH, MY.

THIS IS POWERFUL.

I'VE HEARD OF THESE, BUT HAVE NEVER SEEN THESE.

TELL ME THE STORY.

HOW DID THEY GET HERE?

>> WHAT IS INTERESTING IS DURING WPA, STILLMAN HALL WAS BEING BUILT AND HE WAS THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT AND IT WAS TO BE FOR THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK.

SO THE IDEA WAS THAT BURKHART AND STILLMAN REALLY INFORMED EACH OTHER AS TO WHAT THEY MEANT ABOUT THE HUMAN CONDITION, AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT DURING THE DEPRESSION, PEOPLE REALIZED THAT POVERTY WAS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL CHOICE OF LAZINESS OR NOT WORKING OR NOT GETTING AN EDUCATION, BUT THEY WERE FORCES BEYOND PEOPLE'S CONTROL AND THAT PUT THEM OUT OF WORK THERE WAS NOTHING THERE THAT WAS TO BE A CHARACTER FLAW.

SO THEY TOOK THIS IDEA THAT THERE WAS PROGRESS IN THE HUMAN CONDITION AND BURKHART WAS TAKEN WITH THE IDEA OF TRYING TO SHOW AN OF LUGSZ OF HOW SOCIETY RESPONDS AND SO THE MURALS THAT SURROUND US WERE DOING JUST THAT AND ENDING ESSENTIALLY IN 1939 WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED.

>> SO EMMERSON BURKHART WAS A COLUMBUS ARTIST.

>> WHAT'S INTERESTING IS HE HIMSELF CAME OUT OF A VERY RURAL BACKGROUND.

HIS FATHER WAS A FARMER AND HIS BROTHER WAS STILL A FARMER AND THIS IS A COLUMBUS ARTIST AND THIS IS NOT THE GEORGE BELLOWS STORY WHO PERHAPS HAD MORE THINGS IN LIFE, ADVANTAGES THAN BURKHART WOULD.

SO HE BEING TRANSITION BETWEEN THE URBAN AND THE RURAL IN SHOWING THE HUMAN CONDITION.

>> SO WHAT IS SOME OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE AND THERE ARE FIGURES THAT ARE RECOGNIZABLE.

I THINK I SEE EDGAR ALLAN POE AND WALDO EMMERSON AND THE PRIEST WITH THE RUSTIC PHILOSOPHER.

>> THINK THAT IS SO INTERESTING EDGAR ALLAN POE IS SO PROMINENT, BUT HE IS PART OF THE NEW ENGLAND GROUP.

THEY REALLY REPRESENTED THE INTELLIGENCIA OF AMERICA, BUT FOR THEIR THOUGHTFULNESS.

NOT NECESSARILY FOR THEIR WEALTH, AND SO COMING FROM A VARIETY OF CIRCUMSTANCES THEMSELVES AND THEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY IN HERE LIKE PAT WHO WAS OF COURSE, MEDICINE, LOOKING TO DO THE HUMAN GOOD, THE IDEA OF THE VACCINATION AND PEOPLE, WE CAN LIFT OURSELVES UP.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CIVIL WAR ONE?

>> IT'S A LITTLE STRANGE.

>> IT APPEARS TO BE LINCOLN, GRANT AND LEE.

I DON'T THINK THEY'RE SIGNING A SURRENDER.

IT'S A LITTLE ODD, BECAUSE LET'S HEAL THE COUNTRY.

>> YOU BETTER PUT LINCOLN IN.

>> AGAIN, IT'S PUBLIC EDUCATION, WE FORG THE BECAUSE YOU CAN -- EXACTLY.

>> AND THEN WE END IN 191939 WHICH IS THE PIECE THAT WAS BEHIND YOU RIGHT NOW WHICH IS THE COLUMBUS STREET SCENE WITH LITTLE MESSAGES.

>> WELL, THERE ARE.

THERE'S ONE THAT SAYS THE FEDERAL RESERVE AND THAT CAME UP IN 1913 AND THAT WAS WHAT HELPED STOP THE PANIC AND THE DEPRESSION, '31, '32 AND '33 IN THE DEPTH OF THE DEPRESSION THE FED WASN'T A LOT OF HELP AND WE NEEDED THINGS LIKE THE WPA TO GET OUT OF IT AND SOMETHING OBSCURE TO THE EVERYDAY PERSON AS THE FEDERAL RESERVE, BURKHART SAID THERE WAS A PLACE FOR THAT, CONTROL OF THE MONEY SUPPLY AND MANIPULATING MONEY SUPPLY IN A WAY THAT BENEFITED A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND PEOPLE COULD TAKE, I SUPPOSE, A LOT OF DIFFERENT STORIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING ME AROUND.

I CAN APPRECIATE IT AND WHERE CAN PEOPLE LEARN MORE ABOUT WPA?

>> INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH THERE IS A PROGRAM ONLINE AND PEOPLE CAN SUBMIT THINGS TO IT THAT THEY KNOW THIS THEIR OWN HOMETOWN AND EVERY STATE IS CONNECTED IN SOME WAY.

YOU CAN TYPE IN OHIO AND YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE PROJECTS AND SOME THAT WE MENTIONED TODAY ARE NOT EVEN IN THE NEW DEAL YET, AND IT IS ABOUT THE LEGACY OF THE NEW DEAL AND WHY IT IS STILL IMPORTANT TODAY.

SO I THINK THAT IS A REALLY GOOD SOURCE.

>> I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >>> AS WE FURTHER, MORE THE EVER-CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF COLUMBUS, I THINK SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH DISCUSSING IS WHAT'S UP WITH ALL THESE BUILDINGS BEING REPLACED WITH PARKING LOTS?

>> I KNOW, RIGHT?

IT'S NICE TO HAVE PLACES TO PARK, BUT IT'S REALLY SAD TO SEE BEAUTIFUL OLD BUILDINGS TORN DOWN AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE TOO FAR GONE TO SAY AND SOMETIMES NOT.

>> TO GET MORE PERSPECTIVE ON WHY THIS HAPPENS WE INVITED PRESERVATIONISTS NANCY RECCHIE AND RANDY BLACK TO VISIT THESE PARKING SITES AND ALONG THE WAY THEY TALK ABOUT THE BUILDINGS THAT ONCE STOOD THERE AS WELL AS THE CITY'S PAST AND PRESENT APPROACHES TO URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >>> WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT PARKING LOTS AND WE HAVE A LOT IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS, FEWER THAN WE USED TO HAVE AND WE USED TO HAVE MORE PARKING LOTS THAT AT ONE POINT HAD HISTORIC BUILDINGS ON THEM AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO START AT THIS PARKING LOT TODAY BECAUSE THIS WAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT LOSS TO THE CITY.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THIS BUILDING OR NOT.

>> I STARTED WITH THE CITY IN 1993 WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE SAME YEAR THAT THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED.

>> IN '93.

RIGHT.

>> I'M NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE PHYSICAL BUILDING.

SO I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF LOSS THAT WE'VE SEEN TURNED INTO PARKING LOTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

IT WAS AN ITALIAN VILLA.

IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOT AND IT HAD A BIG SQUARE TOWER AND THE ENTRANCE, A ROAD WAS PAINTED BLACK AND IT WAS A DOUBLE ENTRANCE AND A ROUND ARCH OR CARVED STONE.

>> IT COMPLIMENTS THE BUILDINGS.

>> VERY MUCH SO.

IT WAS THE ENTRANCE INTO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND IT WAS THE CORNERSTONE BUILDING.

THIS WAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE FAIRLY WELL OFF PEOPLE LIVED AND THE BUILDING RIGHT NEXT DOOR IS LAZARUS HOUSE AND TWO DOORS DOWN RALPH LAZARUS.

>> F AND R LAZARUS WAS RALPH.

MY HUSBAND JEFF AND I WERE PART OF THAT.

WITH THE IDEA OF PRESERVING THE HISTORIC BUILDING, BUT ALSO BUILDING NEW CONDOMINIUMS FACING THE LIBRARY PARK WHICH WAS A COMBINATION, BUT IT MAY BE ECONOMICS WORK AND WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO WORK WITH THE OWNERS AND THEIR ATTORNEY AND OTHERS, BUT TIME RAN OUT AND THEY WERE ABLE TO TEAR DOWN THE BUILDING AS THEY DID.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT PARKING LOTS IS THEIR BUSINESSES, BUT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO MAKE ANY URBAN DESIGN, CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY.

THERE'S NO REASON WHY THIS CAN'T BE BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED OR DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT IT ISN'T JUST THIS, AND IT WAS TORN DOWN 30 YEARS AGO, SO WE HAD THIS FOR 30 YEARS.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN TERMS OF IF THERE'S A PARKING LOT REQUESTED, LANDSCAPING WILL BE AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT.

THE GOOD THING THAT CAME OUT OF THIS IS THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WAS FORMED AND PART OF THE IMPETUS WAS TO NOT JUST HAVE BUILDINGS TORN DOWN ASK THAT THERE BE A REVIEW PROCESS AND THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO TEAR DOWN THE BUILDING UNTIL THEY HAD A COMMITMENT TO BUILD SOMETHING ON THE SITE.

SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE BUILDINGS AND NOT JUST PARKING LOTS.

>> CAN YOU THINK OF OTHERS THAT WERE BIG LOSSES THAT MAYBE LED TO SOME KIND OF CHANGE IN POLICY.

IN THE SHORT NORTH ON THE VICTORIAN VILLAGE SIDE, THE HOTEL WAS LOST THERE AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO REFILL THAT LOT?

THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER THAT SHOULD HAPPEN AND ALSO THERE'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT ONE WITH THE SENECCA AND IN FACT, I ATTENDED SEVERAL ENVIRONMENTAL COURT BUILDINGS IN THE SENECCA AND IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO BEING LOST AND THE REASON IT DIDN'T WAS BECAUSE OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

>> IT WAS REHABBED IN THIS APARTMENT AND IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF SUCCESS.

>> ONCE THE BUILDING IS GONE.

IT'S GONE FOREVER AND THEY CAN REUSE THE VACANT LOT AND THERE ARE GOOD ECONOMIC INCENTIVES, SO, WITH A LOT OF IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY, WE'RE SEEING DEVELOPERS DO AMAZING WORK.

ESPECIALLY RECENTLY, WE KNOW YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MUNICIPAL POWERPLANT AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN A PARKING LOT IN THAT AREA AND ONE OF THE ONES THAT COMES TO MIND FOR ME IS IN THE BREWERY DISTRICT AND IT IS STILL THERE AND THE AUGUST WAGNER BREWERY AND IT'S A LITTLE GREEN SPACE, BUT I REMEMBER WHEN THAT BUILDING WAS TORN DOWN.

THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF CITIES THAT HAVE APPROACHED THIS -- THE VACANT PROPERTIES IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAY.

LET'S THINK OF PITTSBURGH AND WE THINK OF CINCINNATI ESPECIALLY OVER THE RUN AND MANY, MANY BUILDINGS WERE KEPT AND THE 20-YEAR AGO TRIP IT LOOKED PRETTY ROUGH.

>> IT WAS VERY ROUGH, BUT IT'S GROWN EXPONENTIALLY NOW AND IT'S A PLACE TO BE AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT ONE OF THE ATTRACTIONS IS IN THAT CITY IN PITTSBURGH IN OTHER CITIES AND ONE OF THE ATTRACTIONS TO FOLKS IS THE BUILDINGS ARE STILL THERE.

IN THAT CASE, WAS THERE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR INFILL AND THE LOSS OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS IS LOSS OF CHARACTER.

>> WE'RE NOT CREATING PRE-CIVIL WAR BUILDINGS ANYMORE.

>> NO.

>> THIS HAS BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL TO TALK ABOUT THE EAST LANSING HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT I HAVE A SITE NOT FAR FROM HERE THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU AND SEE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE.

>> GREAT.

LET'S GO SEE IT.

>> LET'S DO IT.

>> OKAY.

>> OKAY.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> OKAY, NANCY, WE ARE AT MAIN AND SOUTH HYDE STREET AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PARKING LOT WHERE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN AND THERE'S NO LANDSCAPING THERE.

THIS IS ALSO THE LOCATION OF THE FORMER FRANKLIN FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN WITH HIGH AND MAIN AND ALSO THE MOST RECENT DEMOLITION WAS THE MAIN STREET BAR.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THE MAIN STREET BAR BUILDING WAS TORN DOWN JUST RECENTLY AND DOWN THE BLOCK HERE ABOUT HALF A BLOCK AWAY THERE IS A BUILDING VERY SIMILAR TO THAT THAT WAS REHABBED, SAVED WITH TWO NEW BUILDS BESIDE IT.

>> THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF COMBINING OLD AND NEW.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN THIS CITY.

WE HAD LOST PARKING LOTS WITH ONE OR TWO HISTORIC BUILDINGS STANDING ALONE AND THE WONDERFUL, EXCITING, CREATIVE CHALLENGE IS HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE THOSE INTO A NEW DEVELOPMENT AND TO ME THE MOST EXCITING THING THAT CAN HAPPEN IS A BIT OF THE PAST AND A BIT OF THE PRESENT AND FUTURE, IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE WORK.

SURE.

IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE CREATIVITY, BUT IT CAN BE DONE.

>> AFTER HAVING TALKED ABOUT THESE TWO RECENT SITES AND VACANT LOTS ALL OVER TOWN, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONSIDER THE FUTURE, THE FUTURE USE OF CARS AND THE FUTURE NEED FOR PARKING AND WHAT CHANGES DO YOU SEE MAY BE HAPPENING AND I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, AS WELL.

>> PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE DRIVING CARS.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT.

IS THIS THE HIGHEST AND BEST USED WAY TO PROVIDE PARKING?

IF YOU'RE BUILDING IN A DOWNTOWN AREA, INFRASTRUCTURE MEANS STRUCTURED PARKING GARAGES.

MULTI-LEVEL PARKING GARAGES NOT ON THE MAIN STREET, BUT KIND OF BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM SO THAT PEOPLE CAN PARK LIKE THE ONE THAT WENT WITH THE CITY CENTER THAT'S RIGHT THERE.

IT'S A BIG PARKING GARAGE AND IMAGINE HOW MUCH SURFACE PARKING WOULD BE NEEDED?

>> I THINK THAT THERE ARE TWO POINTS THAT I ALWAYS LIKE TO POINT OUT TO COMMISSIONS AND TO CLIENTS.

THE DESIGN OF STRUCTURED PARKING DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JUST A CEMENT BUILDING THAT LOOKS LIKE A PARKING GARAGE AND THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF DESIGN SOLUTIONS TO FIT IN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THAT'S THE FIRST PIECE.

THE SECOND PIECE THAT I TALKED TO DEVELOPERS ABOUT AND SOMETIMES THEY PUSHED BACK ON THIS, BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT OF CONSIDERATION ABOUT WHEN PARKING LEVELS ARE BEING ADDED TO A BUILDING, A NEW BUILD OR A PARKING GARAGE STANDING ALONE, BEING ABLE TO CONVERT THAT TO ANOTHER USE OUTSIDE OF PARKING IS SOMETHING THAT SUCCESSFUL CITIES ARE LOOKING AT NOW.

>> TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT BEHIND US, IT'S A FORMAL INDUSTRIAL BUILDING AND THEY DESIGNED THE PARKING INSIDE THE INDUSTRIAL BUILDING AND THE WAY THEY DESIGNED THE PARKING, THAT PARKING ISN'T NEEDED AND THEY CAN CONVERT IT TO MORE APARTMENTS.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THANKS A LOT, NANCY.

THIS HAS BEEN WONDERFUL AND BOTH SITES WERE GREAT TO VISIT.

>> GOOD CONVERSATION.

>> REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION.

GOOD ANALYSIS.

>> I'VE ENJOYED IT.

>> THANKS.

♪♪ ♪♪ >>> JAVIER, HAVE YOU EVER DRIVEN DOWN A ROAD AND WONDERED WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE LIKE MAYBE A PATH OR A TRAIL?

>> YEAH, AND I'M PRETTY SURE WHOEVER WAS FORGING THAT TRAIL WAS PROBABLY ON FOOT OR HORSEBACK.

>> NO DOUBT.

WELL, ONE VIEWER WONDERED IF ANY OF OUR HIGHWAYS USED TO BE CURIOUS CBUS TEAM TO LOOK INTO IT.

HERE'S WHAT THEY FOUND.

>> WOSU ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT OUR REGION, IT'S HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE.

TODAY'S QUESTION COMES FROM KAREN WOLFORD, SHE WANTS TO KNOW IF THE HIGHWAYS WE DRIVE COVER THE SAME TRAILS, THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.

>> THEY RELY ON NATIVE AMERICAN TRAILS THAT WERE USED BY WHITE SETTLERS.

OHIO ARCHAEOLOGIST WILLIAM MILLS STATED IT CLEARLY, IN 1914 HE WROTE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ABORIGINAL TRAILS OF OHIO SO THEY CAN HARDLY BE OVERESTIMATED.

BEFORE EUROPEANS ARRIVED, MANY NORTH AMERICAN TRAILS CRISS-CROSSED THE STATE.

ONE SIGNIFICANT TRAIL CUT THROUGH THE HEART OF PRESENT-DID I COLUMBUS.

MUCH OF WHAT WE CALL U.S. ROUTE 23 WAS ONCE KNOWN AS THE SIOTO TRAIL AND IT WAS THE GREAT SHAWNEE TRIBE THAT LED SOUTH ALONG SYOTA RIVER AND FROM THERE THEY GAVE ACCESS TO THE HUNTING GROUNDS OF KENTUCKY AND THERE IT CONNECTED TO ANOTHER NATIVE AMERICAN TRAIL AND TOGETHER THEY WERE AMONG THE MOST TRAVELED ROUTES OF THE PIONEER DAYS.

AFTER THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, WHITE SETTLERS TRAVELED NORTH FROM PORTSMITH.

MANY CITIES WE KNOW AND LOVE WERE FOUNDED ALONG THE TRAIL.

COLUMBUS AND DELAWARE IN THE 1820s, THE FOUNDER OF WORTHINGTON AND A REPRESENTATIVE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY LOBBIED HEAVILY FOR A PROPER ROAD TO CONNECT COLUMBUS TO LAKE ERIE.

THE 106-MILE LONG COLUMBUS AND SANDUSKY TURNPIKE WAS OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN 1834.

PEOPLE WHO PAID A TOLL MIGHT ROAD AND TOO OFTEN IT WAS NOTHING BUT MUD IN PROTEST, DISGRUNTLED TRAVELERS HAD MORE THAN ONE OCCASION.

THE SOUTHBOUND COLUMBUS AND PORTLAND TURNPIKE WAS MADE OF GRAVEL CONSTRUCTION IN 1847.

IN THE EARLY 1900s AS AUTOMOBILES BECAME MORE AND MORE POPULAR, OHIO INVESTED IN THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM, PAVING ROADS AND ADDING CLEARLY MARKED LANES.

IN 1926 IT WAS IN THE UNITED STATES NUMBERED HIGHWAY SYSTEM AND BECAME U.S. ROUTE 23.

AT THAT TIME DRIVERS COULD ZOOM UP AND DOWN THE STATE AT 35 MILES PER HOUR WITHOUT BREAKING THE SPEED LIMIT.

SO TODAY WHEN YOU DRIVE ON ROUTE 23, YOU'RE TRAVELING ON A ROAD ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE SYOTA TRAIL LIKE NATIVE AMERICANS.

HEAD OVER TO WOSU.ORG/CURIOUS TO SUBMIT YOUR IDEA AND VOTE ON WHICH QUESTION WE INVESTIGATE NEXT AND SEE WHAT WE COVERED SO FAR.

>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN CATCH ALL OUR EPISODES ON YOUTUBE ON COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS.ORG.

>> AND THE MOBILE APP AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK ON "COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS."

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