Downtown Columbus

>>> THE LANDSCAPE OF DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT FROM ITS EARLY DAYS.

YET IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, A FEW ICONIC PLACES HAVE REMAINED.

OR IN THE CASE OF OUR NEXT STORY, A SIGN.

PRODUCER GEORGE LEVERT VISITS THE PEANUT SHOPPE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ITS HISTORY.

>> WE'RE HERE WITH THE PEANUT SHOPPE DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS.

WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PEANUT SHOPPE A LITTLE BIT.

GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS PEANUT SHOPPE.

>> THIS WAS ORIGINALLY A PLANTER'S PEANUT SHOP.

PLANTER'S OPENED STORES BEGINNING OF THE TURN OF THE 20th CENTURY, AND AT ONE POINT WHEN PLANTER'S SOLD EVERYTHING TO STANDARD BRANDS, THERE WERE OVER 300 STORES LIKE MINE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

STANDARD BRANDS WHICH WAS BOUGHT BY NABISCO WHICH SOLD PLANNER IT'S TO RJ REYNOLDS WHO SOLD PLANNER IT'S TO HEINZ KRAFT FOODS, AND THEN LAST -- ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, HEINZ KRAFT SOLD PLANTER'S TO HORMEL.

LUCKILY FOR US, TWO GOLF BUDDIES FROM THE AKRON/CANTON STORE SOLD IT AND MY HUSBAND AND I BROUGHT IT FROM THEM.

WE'RE CLOSE TO BEING WHAT THE OLD STORE WAS.

>> WHAT MADE YOU REALLY SAY PEANUT SHOPPE IS A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR US TO GET INTO?

>> IT'S A FUN STORY.

IN 1972 -- I KNOW OVER 50 YEARS NOW, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT -- MY HUSBAND GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, AND HE NEEDED A JOB TO TAKE ME ON DATES TO BURGER KING.

SO FOR $1.50 AN HOUR, HE WORE THE PEANUT COSTUME THAT WE HAVE IN THE CORNER.

HE WAS TALL AND THIN THEN.

NOW HE SAYS WE'VE WASHED THAT COSTUME SO MANY TIMES IT DOESN'T FIT WHEN, IN FACT, IT'S CLOSE TO 50 YEARS OF MY COOKING THAT IS THE ISSUE.

WHEN MY MANAGERS RETIRED, THE OWNERS, AS MIKE MANAGED THE STORE, HE DID FOR A FEW YEARS.

SIX YEARS LATER THE OWNERS WANTED TO SELL IT AND OFFERED IT TO US, AND WE BOUGHT IT OUTRIGHT.

WE'VE SEASONED THE STORE SINCE JULY OF 1996, BUT IT'S BEEN A PART OF OUR LIVES SINCE WE WERE KIDS.

>> TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE SIGN.

THAT SIGN HAS BEEN THE ATTRACTION FOR YEARS.

>> THAT SIGN IS AMAZING.

IT'S TRULY ONE OF A KIND.

THERE ARE NO OTHERS IN EXISTENCE LIKE HIM.

THE SIGN CAME WITH THE STORE IN 1936.

HE'S BEEN IN EVERY PICTURE OF ALL THREE LOCATIONS THAT I'VE EVER FOUND OVER THE YEARS.

>> YOU SHARED WITH ME A STORY BEFORE WE START GOOD FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER YEARS AGO.

>> YEAH.

>> TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> YEAH.

FOR THE MAY PRIMARY BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTION IN 1976, JIMMY CARTER WAS GOING TO HOLD A HUGE RALLY ON THE STATE HOUSE LAWN.

AND IT WAS PACKED.

WHEN YOU HAVE A CONTENDER FOR PRESIDENT COMING, IT PACKS THE LAWN.

THE CARTER PEOPLE CALLED THE LOCAL DEMS AND SAID IS THERE ANY WAY TO TIE IN THE PEANUT FARMER ASPECT.

THEY SAID WE'VE GOT THERE COLLEGE KID THAT WALKS AROUND DRESSED LIKE AN EIGHT-FOOT MR. PEANUT.

THEY SAID, GET HIM.

IF YOU CAN.

THEY CALLED MIKE'S MANAGER AND SAID HE, SURE, NO PROBLEM.

I TOOK THE AFTERNOON OFF WORK, PICKED UP MICHAEL AT SCHOOL.

HE WAS GOING TO COLUMBUS STATE.

BROUGHT HIM DOWNTOWN.

HE PUT ON THE PEANUT COSTUME.

WE GOT CLEARED THROUGH SECRET SERVICE, AND THE FIRST PERSON TO GREET JIMMY CARTER AS HE STEPPED OUT OF THE BIG BLACK TOWN CAR WAS MY HUSBAND IN THE PEANUT COSTUME.

AND MIKE HANDED HIM A ONE-POUND BAG OF FRESHLY ROASTED PEANUTS JUST LIKE WE ROASTED YESTERDAY.

SO WE HAVE PICTURES OF MIKE WITH JIMMY CARTER GIVING US THAT BIG JIMMY CARTER GRIN.

>> I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS YOUNG MY GRANDMA I WOULD COME DOWNTOWN, SHE WOULD RUN ERRANDS.

I THINK THE PEANUT SHOPPE WAS DOWN FURTHER NORTH AT THAT TIME THAN IT IS NOW.

BUT SHE WOULD COME OUT OF THE -- THERE WAS A WOOLWORTH'S ACROSS THE STREET, A SODA FOUNTAIN.

WE WOULD COME OUT OF THERE.

AND IF I ACTED LIKE -- AS SHE WOULD SAY, IF I ACTED LIKE I HAD SOME SENSE, THEN WE'D COME ACROSS THE STREET TO THE PEANUT SHOPPE, AND I'D GET SOMETHING FROM THERE.

>> YOU PROBABLY WENT TO OUR VERY FIRST LOCATION WHICH WAS AT 5 SOUTH HIGH.

PLANTER'S OPENED THAT STORE IN 1936.

WE WERE THERE UNTIL 1978.

THAT STORE WAS TINY.

I MEAN, THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO TAKE THE STOCK IN THROUGH THE SIDEWALK AND OPENING IN THE SIDEWALK AND STORE IT IN THE BASEMENT.

IT WAS VERY SMALL.

IN 1978, THE HUNTINGTON BANK BOUGHT ALL THREE LITTLE BUILDINGS BETWEEN THE BANK AND BROAD STREET.

SO WE HAD TO MOVE.

OUR SECOND LOCATION WE MOVED ONE BLOCK NORTH, WAS AT 46 NORTH HIGH STREET.

ON THIS SIDE OF THE STREET.

AND WE WERE THERE FROM 1978 UNTIL 2014 WHEN WE MOVED DOWN HERE AT 21 EAST STATE STREET, AT THE CORNER OF STATE AND HIGH STREETS.

ALL THREE LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN GOOD AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN TIME.

THIS LOCATION IS PARTICULARLY GOOD BECAUSE OF OUR PROXIMITY TO THE OHIO THEATER AND THE STATE OFFICE WORKERS.

AND AN INTERESTING STORY, TOO, IS YOU MENTIONED THAT IF YOU ACTED LIKE YOU HAD SENSE YOUR GRANDMOTHER WOULD BRING YOU TO THE STORE.

>> YES.

>> I HEAR SIMILAR STORIES ALL THE TIME.

I'VE HEARD STORIES ABOUT SCHOOL CHILDREN COMING IN TO OR FAMILIES COMING INTO COLUMBUS TO DO SHOPPING FOR SCHOOL CLOTHES, AND IF THEY BEHAVED WHILE THEY WERE IN LAZARUS, THE PEANUT SHOPPE WAS THEIR NEXT STOP.

IF THEY DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T GET TO THE PEANUT SHOPPE.

WE'VE BEEN USED AS BRIBERY AND PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE.

AND I LOVE HEARING THAT.

I LOVE HEARING THE CONTINUED HISTORY.

I LOVE IT WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN AND SAYS, "THIS IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER, AND I'M BRINGING HER HERE BECAUSE MY GRANDMOTHER BROUGHT ME."

SO IT'S -- WE'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

>> AN OLD ROASTING MACHINE.

IS THAT -- ARE YOU STILL USING THAT?

ARE YOU USING THE OLD ROASTING MACHINE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S A WONDERFUL MACHINE.

OUR PEANUT ROASTER WAS ACTUALLY MADE TO BE A COFFEE ROASTER.

IT WAS MADE BY THE ROYAL ROASTER COMPANY.

IT'S THEIR NUMBER 5 MACHINE.

THE ONLY THING THAT PLANTER'S DID TO CONVERT IT TO A PEANUT ROASTER IS THEY TOOK THE ART DECO DESIGNS OFF THE CORNERS AND PUT MR. PEANUT ON THE MACHINE.

SO IT'S A VERY SIMPLE MACHINE.

THIS ONE ACTUALLY CAME WITH THE STORE IN 1936.

IT TWIRLS LIKE CLOTHES IN A CLOTHES DRYER, PEANUTS DO.

AND AFTER ABOUT 40 MINUTES, THEY'RE PERFECTLY DONE.

NO ADDITIVES, PRESERVATIVES, PURE PEANUTS.

>> WHAT IS YOUR DAILY OPERATION?

HOW DO YOU GET STARTED THESE DAYS WITH PEANUTS?

>> OH, FIRST THING WE DO WHEN WE COME IN IS TURN ON THE COOKER, AND THEN SEE WHAT'S LOW -- WHAT DO WE NEED TO TO COOK FOR TODAY.

AND VERY OFTEN PEOPLE WILL COME IN AND SMELL THE SMELL THAT YOU SMELLED AND ASK US WHAT'S HOT.

OH, THE MAMMOTH CASHEWS ARE HOT.

PECANS ARE HOT.

THEY SELL LIKE HOTCAKES AT THAT POINT.

>> YOU HAVE BAGS READY TO GO RIGHT THERE, TOO.

>> WE DO.

>> BEHIND YOU.

>> AS SOON AS WE ROAST THE PEANUTS, WE BAG THEM IN DIFFERENT SIZES.

THERE'S POUND, HALF POUND, QUARTER POUND, AND TWO OUNCES.

AND WE PUT THEM IN A WARMING BIN SO THEY STAY WARM ALL THE TIME.

SO MAYBE I ROASTED YESTERDAY, BUT WHEN YOU COME IN THE STORE AND YOU BUY THE PEANUTS, YOU'RE GOING TO CARRY THEM OUT WHILE THEY'RE STILL WARM.

>> TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT SOME OF YOUR TOP SELLERS, WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER.

>> SURE.

WHEN IT COMES TO CHOCOLATES, CHOCOLATE PEANUTS AND PECAN TURTLES ARE KING.

SO ALL THE OTHERS ARE EXCELLENT.

WE STILL HAVE A LARGE SELECTION OF DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED NUTS AND CANDIES, AS WELL AS THE MILK CHOCOLATE.

OLD FAVORITES, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE A KID AND YOU'D GO TO THE MOVIES AND GET BOSTON BAKED BEANS OR FRENCH PEANUTS, YOU'D STILL GET NUTS.

YOUNGER PEOPLE COMING IN LIKE THE SWEDISH FISH AND GUMMY BEARS, THINGS THAT WEREN'T AROUND WHEN I WAS A KID.

BUT I EAT THEM NOW, THAT'S FOR SURE.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE NUTS, ANY PEANUT IS POPULAR.

A HARD WHITE PEANUTS, SPANISH PEANUTS, RED-SKINNED PEANUTS.

WE HAVE ALL THREE.

WE DO CARRY UNSALTED AS WELL AS SALTED NUTS TO MEET DIETARY NEEDS OF FOLKS.

CASHEWS, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST CAN'T BEAT THEM.

>> I KNOW THAT DOWNTOWN HAS CHANGED.

WHO ARE YOUR KBHE CUSTOMERS NOW?

>> THE REGULARS STILL COMING INTO THE OFFICE BUT MAYBE ONLY ONE OR TWO DAYS A WEEK.

DOWNTOWN HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF RESTAURANTS THAT DEPEND ON LUNCH TRAFFIC ARE SIMPLY CLOSING OR REDUCING HOURS.

IT'S HARD.

IT'S HARD TO ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT.

BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SEEING A HUGE DROP IN WALK TRAFFIC.

>> PEANUT SHOPPE IS HERE, DOWNTOWN HAS CHANGED A LOT, LOT OF BUSINESSES ARE GONE.

>> YES.

>> BUT YOU'RE STILL STANDING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE IS FOR PEANUT SHOPPE?

>> I THINK THE PEANUT SHOPPE WILL BE AROUND FOR AS LONG AS PEOPLE WANT IT TO BE.

MAYBE NOT UNDER MY CONTROL OR CARE, BUT I THINK IT'S A VIABLE BUSINESS.

AND THE REASON IT HAS LASTED SO LONG -- MY STORE WAS OPEN IN 1936.

WE'RE GOING INTO OUR 87th YEAR.

IT'S BECAUSE WE CAN ADAPT AND ADJUST.

>> A LOT OF HISTORY, LOT OF NOSTALGIA, AND GOOD -- >> GOOD PRODUCT.

>> GOOD PRODUCT.

>> EXCELLENT PRODUCT.

>> PAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

>>> DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS HAS SOME GREAT HISTORIC BUILDINGS LIKE THE STATE HOUSE, THE LEVEQUE TOWER, AND THE OHIO THEATER.

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED OR EVEN WONDERED ABOUT THE MORE MODERN BUILDINGS AROUND THEM?

I KNOW I HAVE.

NEXT, ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIANS JEFF DARBEE AND NANCY RECCHI TAKE US ON A WALKING TOUR OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS.

>>> THERE IS DRIVING WITH DARBEE.

TODAY I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME WALKING.

IT'S THE BEST WAY TO SEE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHICH IS MODER ARCHITECTURE IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE AS HIGHRISE OFFICE BUILDINGS, THE SYMBOL OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN OUR COUNTRY.

WE'VE GOT GREAT EXAMPLES IN COLUMBUS.

IN FACT, SOME GROUNDBREAKING EXAMPLES.

>> IT'S WONDERFUL WHEN YOU CAN COVER JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF GROUND AND ACTUALLY DO AT ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY LESSON AT THE SAME TIME.

>> SO THIS WILL BE AN INTERESTING DAY AND AFTERNOON IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR ICONIC BUILDINGS.

SO CROSSING CAPITAL SQUARE, WE'LL GO TO THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF BROAD AND HIGH BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY GOOD VIEW OF SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

>> IT'S THE BEST PLACE TO BEGIN BECAUSE WE SEE THE EARLY BUILDINGS THERE, AND THEN AS WE WALK AROUND WE CAN GO THROUGH THE DECADES AND TALK ABOUT THE CHANGES IN ARCHITECTURE.

>> WELL IN THE WYANDOTT BUILDING, THE FIRST SKYSCRAPER IN COLUMBUS, FIRST TO USE THE STEEL FRAME, DIDN'T FOLLOW VERY LONG AFTER THE STEEL FRAME WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN CHICAGO.

>> EXACTLY.

PEOPLE ASSOCIATE SKYSCRAPERS WITH NEW YORK CITY.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT THE BIRTHPLACE IS CHICAGO.

IT'S THE MIDWESTERN INVENTION.

COMING REALLY ON THE HEELS OF THE CHICAGO FIRE.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THE I GUESS HAPPY COINCIDENCE OF PERFECTING THE MASS PRODUCTION OF STRUCTURAL STEEL AND REALLY THE ELEVATOR BECAUSE WHO IS GOING TO WALK UP 10 OR 20 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS?

>> RIGHT.

>> SO IT WAS THE COMBINATION OF TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWED THE DENSE DOWNTOWN AREAS TO DEVELOP.

>> WELL, THE STATE HOUSE, OF COURSE, WAS OLD CONSTRUCTION.

STACKED STONE UPON STONE TO BUILD A BEARING WALL STRUCTURE.

>> RIGHT THERE.

>> ACROSS THE WAY YOU'VE GOT THE OHIO THEATER WHICH LOOKS THE SAME WAY.

IT LOOKS AS THOUGH YOU STACKED UP STONES TO CREATE IT.

IN FACT, IF HAS A STEEL FRAME WITH A MASONRY EXTERIOR.

IT'S A MODERN BUILDING IN THAT SENSE.

NEXT TO THE THEATER IS THE FORMER BANK BUILDING WITH THE FIFTH TOWER ADDED.

YOU HAVE THE STATE OFFICE BUILDING, AND YOU HAVE THE HUNTINGTON BANK BUILDING.

>> ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

>> YES.

REALLY 1984, SO IT'S FAIRLY LATE IN THE SKYSCRAPER ERA HERE IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS.

>> SO HERE WE ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF CAPITAL SQUARE WHICH GIVES US A GREAT VIEW OF HOW CAPITAL SQUARE IS THE CENTER OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL STYLES.

SO JUST TAKING A LOOK AROUND, YOU KNOW, IT COVERS A LOT OF PERIODS.

LITERALLY FROM 1897 TO 19 -- WHAT, 2000.

SO JUST OVER MY SHOULDER TO THE LEFT IS THE RHODES TOWER FROM 1974.

AND THEN EARLY SKYSCRAPERS, THE NUMBER 8 BUILDING AND NUMBER 16 NEXT TO IT.

THOSE WERE DESIGNED BY FRANK PACKARD.

SO A PROMINENT COLUMBUS ARCHITECT.

>> AND THEY'RE ON BROAD STREET.

>> ON BROAD STREET.

>> THEY WERE BUILT AS OFFICE BUILDINGS.

>> EXACTLY.

>> AND PETER HAYDEN WAS ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF THEM.

HE WAS A COLUMBUS INDUSTRIALIST.

HE HAD COAL MINES.

HE BUILT HAYDENVILLE.

SO PEOPLE IMPORTANT IN THE CITY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS.

>> AND THEN YOU SEE THE LEVEQUE TOWER PEEKING OUT BEHIND THE HUNTINGTON BUILDING.

AND THE LEVEQUE REALLY WAS THE BUILDING THAT CHANGED THE CITY'S SKYLINE IN 1927.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT LOOKS KIND OF LIKE THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING WITH THAT TELESCOPING DESIGN.

IT PREDATES THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

>> BEFORE THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

>> EARLIER THAN THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

>> BUILT BY THE AMERICAN INSURANCE UNION.

AND IT WAS CALLED THE AIU CITADEL.

>> YES.

COUPLE OF YEARS, HAVING SPENT SO MUCH ON THE BUILDING.

>> YEAH, BUILDING THE BUILDING AND THE DEPRESSION DIDN'T HELP.

THE STOCK MARKET CRASH.

SO BEHIND YOU IS THE HUNTINGTON BUILDING.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THAT, NOT JUST THE ELEGANT MATERIALS, BUT THE WAY THE FACADE REALLY KIND OF STEPS BACK.

AND IT WAS DONE FOR CORNER OFFICES WITH A GREAT VIEW OF CAPITAL SQUARE.

BUT IF YOU SEE THOSE CROSS PIECES, THE STRUCTURAL PIECES, THOSE ARE MULTISTORY ATRIUMS SECTION STACKS.

IT REALLY OPENS UP TO THE OUTSIDE, TO THE VIEW, VERY, VERY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER SKYSCRAPER BUILDING IN COLUMBUS.

AND IT REALLY IS BECAUSE OF THIS GREAT VIEW AND A GREAT REFLECTION OF THE OHIO STATE HOUSE IN THAT VERY CENTER SECTION.

>> IT IS.

I THINK IT WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY.

>> DESIGNED FOR THAT LOCATION.

>> THERE'S MORE TO SEE.

MORE UP TOWARD THE CORNER OF BROAD AND HIGH.

SO WE'RE STILL ON CAPITAL SQUARE.

WE'RE APPROACHING THE CORNER OF EAST BROAD, SOUTH 3rd STREET.

>> YEP.

AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW BROAD STREET CHANGED OVER TIME.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT BEHIND US WITH THE CHASE BANK, THAT WAS THE FIRST MODERN SKYSCRAPER IN COLUMBUS.

AND WHAT MADE IT SO IMPORTANT WAS IT ACTUALLY HAD A SUNKEN PLAZA.

IT ORIGINALLY HAD A BIG FOUNTAIN IN FRONT OF IT.

THAT WAS THE NEW YORK CORNER OF COLUMBUS WHEN IT WAS BUILT IN 1965.

>> THAT'S WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN NEW YORK CITY -- >> INFLUENCED BY THE SEAGRAM BUILDING AND OTHER EARLY LANDMARK BUILDINGS IN NEW YORK WHERE NEW YORK CITY GAVE BONUS POINTS FOR PLAZAS AND SPACE IN FRONT OF BUILDINGS.

>> YOU SEE HOW IT IS LIKE THAT, TRANSMITTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> IT WAS THE LATEST MODERN THING.

WITHIN A DECADE YOU HAD THE BUILDING BEHIND US, THE PNC BUILDING.

AND THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT PNC, IT'S ALMOST A LITTLE MINI SEARS TOWER IN TERMS OF THE MASSING OF THE BUILDING.

LOOK AT THE -- THE VERY DARK GLASS LOWER.

WHY WAS THAT, DO YOU THINK?

>> WELL, IT WAS TO FEATURE THE BUILDING, BUT IT WAS ALSO A PUBLIC SPACE.

I REMEMBER THERE WAS A RESTAURANT IN THERE.

PEOPLE MAY REMEMBER THIS BUILDING AS THE OHIO NATIONAL BANK BUILDING.

>> RIGHT.

>> LATER BANK OHIO.

NOW PNC.

GOES BACK TO INSIDE 1970s.

AND THE GALLERIA THAT WAS BUILT AROUND TRINITY CHURCH.

NOW TRINITY CHURCH IS ONE OF THOSE ANCHORS IN CAPITAL SQUARE.

1869, HOUSE FROM 1910.

A REAL LANDMARK AND STILL VERY VITAL.

>> THE ARCHITECTS ACTUALLY DESIGNED THIS LOW, DARK GLASS PORTION TO REALLY BE IN SCALE AND NOT COMPETE WITH TRINITY CHURCH.

AND THEN THE BUILDING RISES BEHIND IT.

AND PEOPLE WOULDN'T REALIZE THAT THAT IS CONNECTED TO THAT BIG WHITE, MULTI-TIERED BUILDING RIGHT BEHIND.

IT TOOK UP ALMOST A WHOLE BLOCK.

IT'S INTERESTING, THIS WAS CORPORATE ARCHITECTURE BECAUSE WE'RE CALLING THESE BUILDINGS THE NAMES OF THE BANKS THAT BUILT THEM AND THE BUSINESSES THAT BUILT THEM.

>> RIGHT.

>> IT WAS CITY NATIONAL BANK, NOW CHASE.

IT WAS OHIO NATIONAL, NOW PNC.

IT WAS THE BORDEN BUILDING.

IT WAS THE MIDLAND BUILDING.

THE MOTORIST BUILDING.

>> RIGHT.

>> THEY WERE THE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS FOR THESE BUILDINGS, AND THEY WERE MAKING A STATEMENT WITH THEIR ARCHITECTURE THAT THEY WERE MODERN.

YOU KNOW, THEY HAD BEAUTIFUL BANK BUILDINGS THAT WERE VERY SOLID, VERY EARLY 20th CENTURY.

THIS WAS THE LOOKING FORWARD FROM A CORPORATE STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO VERY MUCH ADDING TO THE CITY AND THE IDEA OF SKY LINES REPRESENTING A CITY OF THE 20th CENTURY.

>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT BECAUSE THEY WERE MAKING A COMMITMENT TO DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS.

>> YES, THEY WERE.

>> AT A TIME WHEN THE CITY WAS BEGINNING TO SET OUT INTO THE SUBURBS.

THIS STILL WAS THE HEART OF THE CITY.

>> SOLIDLY.

>> THEY WANTED TO SHOW THAT THEY WERE COMMITTED TO THE HEART OF THE CITY.

>> AND THAT CONTINUED.

WE HAVE THE NATIONWIDE BUILDING, THE HUNTING TON BUILDING.

WE HAVE THE AEP BUILDING.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT REALLY STARTED IN THE MID 20th CENTURY AND CONTINUES EVEN TODAY.

>> WELL, IT'S BEEN QUITE A DAY FOR LESSON IN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY.

>> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO BE OUT WALKING AROUND AND ENJOYING THE CITY AND ITS RICH, RICH ARCHITECTURE.

>>> UNION STATION IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS USED TO BE A MAIN TRANSPORTATION HUB FOR PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT OF TOWN.

AMTRAK WAS ONE OF THE MORE NOTABLE RAILROADS THAT CAME THROUGH.

ONE VIEWER WONDERED WHATEVER HAPPENED TO AMTRAK, SO OUR PRODUCERS OVER AT CURIOUS C-BUS DECIDED TO DIG INTO THAT STORY.

>> CURIOUS C-BUS IS WOSU'S PROJECT WHERE YOU SUBMIT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REGION, PEOPLE OR HISTORY, AND WE ASSIGN A REPORTER OR PRODUCER TO INVESTIGATE IT.

TODAY'S QUESTION IS FROM MEGAN STEVENS.

SHE ASKS -- WHY IS COLUMBUS THE LARGEST METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE COUNTRY WITHOUT AMTRAK SERVICE?

AND WHEN DID WE LOSE RAIL SERVICE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

FIRST, A LITTLE HISTORY.

RAIL SERVICE BEGAN IN COLUMBUS IN THE 1850s.

IN 1897, CONSTRUCTION OF THE MAJESTIC UNION STATION WAS COMPLETED AND FOR THE NEXT 80 YEARS TRAVELERS WERE SERVED BY SEVERAL RAILROADS.

AMTRAK TOOK OVER THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD ROUTE KNOWN AS THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS IN 1971.

AND LATER RENAMED IT THE NATIONAL LIMITED.

THAT LINE RAN THROUGH NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, PITTSBURGH, COLUMBUS, DAYTON, INDIANAPOLIS, ST. LOUIS, AND KANSAS CITY.

BUT BY THAT POINT, RIDERSHIP WAS ON THE DECLINE, AND THE DECAYING TRACKS LED TO FREQUENT DELAYS IN SERVICE.

THEN IN OCTOBER OF 1976, A LARGE SECTION OF THE ARCADE AT UNION STATION WAS DEMOLISHED.

THE STATION CONTINUED TO SERVE RAIL PASSENGERS FOR A TIME, BUT THAT WAS REALLY THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

FINALLY, DUE TO FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS AND A LACK OF PROFITABILITY, AMTRAK DISCONTINUED THE NATIONAL LIMITED IN 1979.

COLUMBUS HASN'T HAD A PASSENGER RAIL SINCE.

NOW AS TO THE QUESTION OF WHY COLUMBUS STILL DOESN'T HAVE PASSENGER SERVICE 40 YEARS LATER, IT SEEMS TO BE A MATTER OF PUBLIC SUPPORT AND POLITICAL WILL.

A DECADE AGO THERE WAS A BIG PUSH TO BRING PASSENGER RAIL BACK TO COLUMBUS WITH THE SO-CALLED THREE-C-COR DOOR.

IT WOULD HAVE CONNECTED CINCINNATI, COLUMBUS, AND CLEVELAND.

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR TED STRICKLAND PUSHED FOR THE NEW LINE, AND $400 MILLION FEDERAL WERE ALLOCATED FOR THE PROJECT.

BUT IN THE 2010 ELECTION, OHIOANS VOTED IN REPUBLICAN JOHN KASICH.

HE KILLED THE PLAN OVER CONCERNS THAT THE LINE WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE AND WOULDN'T DRAW ENOUGH RIDERS.

THOSE $400 MILLION TRANSPORTATION DOLLARS WERE SENT TO OTHER STATES.

THOUGH THAT PLAN FAILED, TWO NEW PLANS TO BRING HIGH-SPEED TRAVEL TO TOWN ARE CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED.

ONE IS AN AMTRAK HIGH-SPEED TRAIN LINE BETWEEN CHICAGO AND COLUMBUS WITH STOPS IN INDIANA AND OHIO.

THE OTHER MORE FUTURISTIC IDEA IS FOR A HYPERLOOP.

A NEW FORM OF TRANSPORT WHERE PODS CARRYING FREIGHT OR PASSENGERS TRAVEL ON MAGNETIC TRACKS INSIDE A VACUUM SEALED TUBE.

THE HYPERLOOP COULD REACH SPEEDS EXCEEDING 500 MILES PER HOUR.

IN 2017, COLUMBUS WAS NAMED A FINALIST IN A GLOBAL SEARCH FOR POSSIBLE LOCATIONS.

IT PROPOSED ROUTES FROM PITTSBURGH TO CHICAGO THROUGH COLUMBUS AND IS CURRENTLY BEING STUDIED.

SO THOUGH YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO BUY A TICKET ANY TIME SOON, THERE IS HOPE FOR CENTRAL OHIOANS WHO WANT TO RIDE THE RAILS AGAIN.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

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

>>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN CATCH ALL OF OUR EPISODES ON COLUMBUSNEIGHBORHOODS.ORG, PLUS SEE OUR STORIES ON THE WOSU MOBILE APP, AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

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