2011 Linden Village — OSU Studio by Our Linden

Linden Village: A Sustainable Urban Future Produced by

Graphics

Model

The Ohio State University Community Design Studio LARCH 750 Autumn 2011

Justin Barker Annie Bergelin Justin Robbins

Denis de Verteuil Michael Hiatt Chen Tong

Lead Professor

Auxiliary Faculty

Jesus J. Lara, PhD Assistant Professor Landscape Architecture Knowlton School of Architecture

Christy Rogers, PhD Director of Outreach Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity

Tony Slanec, RLA Principal, Director of Planning and Urban Design OHM

Linden Village

Table of Contents Table of Contents 5 Acknowledgements 7 Area Maps 8

The Project

The Place

The Process

Introduction 12 Goals and Objectives 14 Service Learning 15

Demographics 18 Neighborhood Background 20 Community Involvement 22

0-14 Years 15-24 Years 25-39 Years 40-64 Years 65+ Years

Age Cohort Summary

The Proposals

Precedents 72 Panther Commons 78 Community Connections 86 Walkable Linden 94 Design Summary 103 Model 105 Conclusions 108 Sources 109

31 37 45 53 59 5

Linden Village

This project is made possible through funding from The Ohio State University Office of Outreach and Engagement - a program to support innovative, creative and scholarly outreach and engagement initiatives that partner the academic / research excellence of The Ohio State University with communities., and the Columbus Foundation.

Disclaimer: We produced the maps, figures, tables and other information in this document only for academic purposes. While we made every effort to include complete information, the maps, figures, tables and other information are not guaranteed to be accurate. The contents of this book are for reference only and shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be used for any survey, engineering or commercial purpose. All images courtesy of the studio team unless otherwise credited.

Acknowledgements It has been a remarkable experience for the students to participate in this community engagement studio. The opportunity to step outside the classroom and work with the residents of Linden has broadened our horizons and enhanced our education tremendously. We have great respect and appreciation for everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to attend the studio mid and final reviews. Your guidance, reflections, and informed criticisms of our work was invaluable to the process. Thank you: 42 Fish • Brad Dresbach, Owner Bird Houk • Bryan Newell • Aaron Domini City of Columbus Planning Department • Mark Dravillas, Neighborhood Planning Manager • Vince Papsidero, Planning Administrator City of Romulus, MI • Tim Keyes, Economic Development Director • Daryl Jamieson, TIFA Board Member The Edge Group • Tim Skinner Homeport • Abigail Mack, Director of Home Ownership The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity • Jason Reece, Director of Research

Linden McKinley S.T.E.M. Academy • Ellen Petruzzella Knowlton School of Architecture • Robert Livesey, Professor of Architecture and Section Head of Landscape Architecture • Michael Cadwell, Director and Professor University of Maryland • Victoria Chanse, Assistant Professor The Ohio State University • Mindy Wright, Assistant Provost, Office of Academic Affairs • K. Ola Ahlqvist, Associate Professor, Dept of Geography, Director of the Service-Learning Initiative A very special thank you to Donna Hicho, the Director of the Greater Linden Development Corporation, without whom the extent of this project would not be possible. Donna always showed incredible patience towards the class as we sought to learn and understand what Linden is all about, and challenged us to find ways to harmonize the pie in the sky academic ambitions with the difficult task of making our ideas into feasible proposals for the neighborhood. Most importantly, thank you for the tireless efforts of our instructors, Christy Rogers, Tony Slanec, and Dr. Jesus Lara. The guidance, intellect, personal care and attention that you provided throughout the quarter was truly remarkable. We have received invaluable lessons and an enlightening education. Thank you!

Linden Village

Area Maps Study area border: North: Hudson St. Northern Lights Shopping Center

South: 21st St. East: Cleveland Ave

Driving distance: Downtown: 3 miles

High St

West: Hamilton Ave

Clintonville North Linden

Cleveland Ave

I-270

I-71 315

Ohio State University: 2.2 miles

Linden Village Ohio State University

Airport: 6 miles

Columbus International Airport

Weinland Park

Short North

Cleveland Ave

Northern Lights: 1.7 miles Milo-Grogan

I-670

Broad St

Downtown Columbus

Old Town East

High St

Broad St

I-70

CENTRAL OHIO LOCATOR MAP

New Harvest Cafe

Cle v el a nd

Linden Park

Ave .

ï»¿

E. Hudson St.

Linden Village

Library

Hudson St. Market

Columbus Crew Stadium

Hamilton School

Linden McKinley Stem Academy

Ave .

Maloney Park

Cle vel

and

E. 17 Ave.

E. 11 St.

Point of Pride

E. 17 Ave.

Greater Linden Development Corporation

NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATOR MAP

Scale 1:400

North

The Project •

Introduction

•

Goals and Objectives

•

Service Learning

Linden Village

Introduction The neighborhood of Greater Linden is an inner-ring suburb two miles to the North of Downtown Columbus, Ohio. It has seen a huge amount of change over the past fifty years, and the South side of Linden in particular has seen its living standards fall substantially. In order to help stabilize the neighborhood, government money has started to flow into the area in the form of Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds from the Federal government, as well as funding from the City of Columbus and various private donors. The two principal actors in the area are the Greater Linden Development Corporation (GLDC) and the Homeport organization, both of which purchase foreclosed properties and either remodel or rebuild the home in order to sell to home buyers. The GLDC operates as a non-profit that is helping to improve conditions in the area. Their mission statement gives a better idea of what they are trying to accomplish: Their executive director Donna Hicho, contacted the Landscape Architecture program at The Ohio State University to help with visioning and prioritizing development goals within the South Linden area as it begins to implement several new redevelopment projects.

The visioning and prioritization project will span over two academic years and will involve two different graduate level studios. This book is a product of the first. Throughout the

Elevation Church on Cleveland Ave

course of both studios, public involvement has been and will be crucial. Multiple public events were organized to provide feedback and direction for this project. Teams met with students from the Linden McKinley High School, 5th graders from the STEM elementary school, and the general public in the form of open meetings and GLDC events. Feedback from residents was used to help identify what was needed most in the neighborhood. The quarter was split up into several phases, with the first six weeks consisting of an analysis of the quantitative and qualitative

The Project

information that represents Linden. Three teams were formed within the studio and each looked at different characteristics of the neighborhood such as economy, society, food, health, safety, crime, litter, and vacancies. These data were used to identify the key challenges within the neighborhood which we simplified into vacancy, crime, economy, and community. Addressing those four categories, each team developed a strategic master plan over the remainder of the quarter. Each of the three plans addresses these challenges, and each offers its own unique solutions to help improve the neighborhood. In order to better understand how each of these qualitative and quantitative factors affects the residents of South Linden, we have organized this book into age cohorts and used the structure to help tell the story of how these factors affect everyday life. While we tried to match each age cohort with its most pressing challenges, it must be noted that no single characteristic belongs to one single age group. All of these factors are interrelated, and as such, affect the entirety of the neighborhood.

13 The project team before public presentation

Cleveland Ave Shopping Center

Linden Village

Goals and Objectives The proposed “Sustainable Futures for Linden Village” project is a partnership between OSU Faculty in the Colleges of Engineering, Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the Greater Linden Development Corporation (GLDC), and it has been supported by a grant from the Office of Outreach and Engagement at OSU and the Columbus Foundation. It supports the realization of community- defined priorities for affordable green, energy efficient housing development, job training opportunities, homeowner assistance with renovation, and practical, hands‐on learning environments in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills development for local students. Specifically, this project is closely related to a comprehensive local redevelopment effort, the Linden Village Initiative, designed to revitalize and improve a target urban area surrounding the Linden McKinley STEM Academy on Duxberry Avenue. This initiative integrates urban revitalization, home rehabilitation, energy retrofit, repair and maintenance with sustainable development goals. The OSU project team and involved students played several roles in the initiative through integrated research, education, and outreach programs that will enhance local revitalization efforts by providing technical assistance to the community and increasing the awareness, knowledge, and skills of local community residents, teachers/students, and organizations in sustainable community and housing development. This project is innovative in that it integrates larger scale healthy community and green infrastructure planning, GIS mapping for urban opportunity, and micro‐scale green home renovation and new construction. It also provides a unique design‐build experience to OSU students and far‐reaching learning experience to community residents and STEM school teachers and students. The project is transformative by applying collaboratively developed knowledge to guide the future of the community and its residents in positive, sustainable new directions. To meet our course objectives, the class engaged in a parallel process called service-learning with our community partners in the Linden Village area. Service learning joins academic departments with community groups to “positively respond to community challenges” and to develop “opportunities for collaboration.” Service learning helps students to “gain a deeper understanding of course objectives in the context of civic life.”

The Project

Service Learning Service-learning courses help students understand the ways in which their design decisions shape and are shaped by societal values. Service-learning courses promote engagement and reflection, activities central to beneficial and sustainable university/community relationships. A key component of service learning is structured reflection. Therefore, a key part of this course was studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reflections on their work and experiences. As part of the outreach and engagement component students and faculty held a design workshop in the community. The design workshop was open to the general public and their participation was crucial. The main objective of the community design team was to get to know local citizens, their needs and concerns, and future views for the neighborhood. The design workshop resulted in a preliminary vision for the future of the neighborhood. Target areas included four themes: (1) open space and recreation, (2) transportation and mobility, (3) access to fresh food, and (4) green infrastructure. The objectives of the design workshop included (1) obtaining local perspectives of sustainable development, (2) providing vehicles for public participation in the planning and design process, (3) identifying design elements that contribute to enhancing the quality of life, and (4) educating and informing local interests about the program. The design workshop provided an opportunity for participation by members of the local community, and it was intended to be an extensive exercise in participative planning and design. The purpose was primarily to gather information from groups of people whose ideas and opinions would be valuable to the process of establishing design guidelines. The design workshop is an excellent tool for gathering information during the design process. Following the design workshop, the team returned to the design studio to refine and further develop the design proposals. It was expected that the final workshop proposal would be significantly altered and improved; it still would represent the original intentions conceived in Linden Village. Throughout the remaining academic quarter, the continuously evolving proposals were reviewed by the Greater Linden Development Corporation, local residents, developers, professional designers and academics in order to ensure the highest possible quality. This finished document was intended to represent a summary of the complete design proposal and intends to be a useful tool for the residents of Linden Village. .

The Place •

Demographics

•

Neighborhood Background

•

Community Involvement

Linden Village

Demographics An explanation of the current demographics of Linden can be found within the social movements which started to occur after the end of World War II. A returning population of veterans created a large demand for housing types which captured the â&#x20AC;&#x153;American Dreamâ&#x20AC;? and the steady escalation of automobile ownership allowed housing areas to continuously move further from downtown Columbus. Government policies promoting home ownership started to lure prospective home buyers away from the city and into areas which offered larger houses and yards that were accessible only by automobiles. The automobile itself started to change the form of the city, as demand for high speed access to and from the newly developing suburbs began to increase. These forces combined to create a massive population shift within the Linden neighborhood over the course of several decades.

The Linden Population Change chart shows the outcomes of these forces; as total population peaks in 1970, and has continued a gradual decline since that period. What is even more dramatic is the rise and fall of the white population which starts just above 10,000 people in 1940. It more than doubles in size within 20 years to just over 23,000 people, but then reverses direction to below 9,000 people in 1980. With the rapid decline of the white population came a rapidly expanding black population. This increase in the black population more than offset the out-migration loss due to white flight, giving Linden its peak

population in 1970 at close to 24,000 people. While the black population continued to grow from 1970 to 1980, the white population fell even more, which began the steady decline of the overall population in the four decades following 1970, resulting in the total population of 14,000 that we see in 2010. It is important to understand the shift in these racial groups within Linden because they play a key role in explaining the persistent population loss and general disinvestment of the community. Red-lining was a common tactic used by financial and government institutions in order to divert money and resources away from black communities, and there is much evidence that it was used in Linden. One existing example is land deeds that still have clauses banning the sale of the properties to blacks. Without access to finance along with the continual disinvestment of resources from government agencies, the Linden neighborhood underwent a gradual decline in the physical as well as the social aspects of the community. Things do start to look a bit better when the current population pyramid is taken into account. Population pyramids are used to understand the age demographics of an area, and different shapes of the pyramid will mean different challenges or opportunities for an area. For example, a population that has a pyramid with a large bulge at the top of the age cohorts will have trouble with finances, as too much of their income will go to supporting dependents. Likewise, a population with a bulge in the lower

The Place

2010 LINDEN POPULATION PYRAMID 85+ 75-84

LINDEN POPULATION CHANGE

65-74

25,000

POPULATION

20,000 15,000

Black Other

10,000

White

AGE COHORT

55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 15-24 5-14

5,000

0-5

0 1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

YEAR LINDEN POPULATION CHANGE SOURCE: UNITED STATES CENSUS; FRANKLIN COUNTY, OHIO. TRACTS 7.10, 7.20, 7.30, 9.10, 9.20

portion of the pyramid indicates a baby boom, and dependency and supervision issues will cause problems for the population. Linden however, has a pyramid that has the best possible shape. It bulges slightly at the bottom, meaning the residents are having kids. The pyramid stays flat through the working years from age 15 up through age 64, which is good because it represents people who are within the age range to generate income. It then starts to taper toward the top at the older age cohorts. This is both good and bad, as it means less dependents, but could also mean a rapid decline in health past age 54. These data do not show the birth and death rates, and they do not correct for in and out migration,

1000 MALE

500

POPULATION

1000 FEMALE

LINDEN POPULATION PYRAMID SOURCE: UNITED STATES CENSUS; FRANKLIN COUNTY, OHIO. TRACTS 7.10, 7.20, 7.30, 9.10, 9.20

so it is probably a bit premature to give too start drawing broad conclusions about health from the data. Holding migration patterns and birth rates equal does show that the resources of the neighborhood would be best utilized by serving the largest possible cohort, which is working aged persons. This gets a little more complex when you take into account that these people are the same ones that have children, so by serving the working aged people, you would still need to be serving the under-aged population. 19

Linden Village

Neighborhood Background

Columbus in 1901

Linden is located 4 miles from downtown Columbus and just 2 miles from the Ohio State University. There is easy access to highways, the Port Columbus International Airport, which makes the neighborhood a prime location within the city. However, there have been development patterns throughout the history of Linden that have led to the conditions that we find in Linden today. The Linden neighborhood developed alongside Cleveland Avenue , which was once a primary route connecting travelers from downtown Columbus to the City of Westerville to the North. It was advantageous for residents to be connected to such a significant and well connected travel route.

20th 17th

In the 1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, the Northern Lights Shopping Center opened, which led to the long, slow decline of the Cleveland Avenue commercial establishments in South Linden. Businesses began to move to Northern Lights, the central place for shopping in the burgeoning era of the shopping mall development model. It is likely that this also encouraged heavy traffic circulation along Cleveland Avenue of drivers trying to travel to the shopping center, therefore bypassing the South Linden neighborhood. Furthermore, the construction of Interstate-71 directly to the West of the neighborhood further isolated the Linden neighborhood from its neighbors to the East and to the South. 20 Columbus in 1901

The Place

Image source

Schools In 1942, McKinley Junior High became Linden-McKinley High School which was fed by several elementary schools within and surrounding the neighborhood. In 1996 there were 8 elementary schools feeding students into the High School, yet by 2012 that number had fallen to four. This decrease in the number of schools is a direct consequence of the continual decrease in population seen within the neighborhood since the early 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and further aggravated by the economic and foreclosure crisis that began in 2008. Linden McKinley High School marching band

Image source

Older generations of people living in the neighborhood still recall the glory days of the Linden-McKinley Panthers football and basketball teams. These teams were a great source of pride when they won city championships, and even more so in 1967 when Vince Chickerella led the Linden-McKinley basketball team to win the State of Ohio basketball championship. The City of Columbus has recently invested 35 million dollars toward the renovation and expansion of the Linden-McKinley High School. The school curriculum is to be remodeled as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) academy, and will be a combination of middle and high schools (7-12). This renovation represents the City of Columbusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most significant investment into the neighborhood, and could become a major catalyst needed to attract residents back into Linden.

21 1975 yearbook cover

Vince Chickerella

Linden Village

Community Involvement â&#x20AC;&#x153;The process of inclusion and engaging communities in decision making is as important as the outcomes.â&#x20AC;? (Cohen et al. 2009)

Our studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initial site visits to Linden would allow us only a superficial understanding of the neighborhood. To get a better sense of the place, it was necessary to engage the public. The community involvement that followed helped guide our visioning for the future of the project. Through community involvement we sought to engage community members of all ages with meaningful opportunities to provide input on the process of developing a vision for their community. Our studio recognized that the development of a plan would have limited success if we did not talk to the residents to identify the specific concerns and hopes that they have for their neighborhood. Overall, the community involvement benefitted the residents of Linden, as it gave them a chance to start thinking about the kind of community that they would like to live in, and the opinions of the residents provided invaluable guidance for the process of developing a vision for the future of Linden.

Our studio engaged with the community in formal settings on five different occasions. A range of activities and discussion tools were used during these meetings to help elicit input and discover the wants and needs of the community. Linden McKinley High School students

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Hamilton STEM Academy K-6

Friday, October 14, 2011

Elevation Church Community Workshop

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Thanksgiving Potluck

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Greater Linden Development Corporation Meeting

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Place

“We would like to see better people in the neighborhood, less drama.”

Elementary On October 14, eighteen 5th grade students shared their opinions and ideas about Linden when we visited them in their classroom at Hamilton STEM K-6 Academy.

Map activities

“You go shopping along Cleveland Avenue if you are shopping for junk food.”

When asked what they would like to change in the community, the elementary students gave hopeful and positive responses. The opinion that was most suggestive came from the student who wanted to change the community. There was a real understanding that they had a stake in the future of their neighborhood and that they could be active in creating that change. The children described a neighborhood in which many of their school friends lived nearby, and many children were allowed to play in the streets near their home.

Sharing time

The students feel as though their community is important and they’d like to help save the community by changing parts of it to make it a better place to live.

23 Map activities

Linden Village

“We can’t change the world, unless we change ourselves.”

High School “Everywhere you walk there is trash. If there is trash at the school imagine what the community looks like.”

Dot mapping exercise

Through a series of exercises, including a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat), written survey, and general question and answer period, the workshop aimed to find out how teenagers perceive their neighborhood and the activities in which they participate. The young adults in general shared a pessimistic attitude towards school, the neighborhood, and the future they imagined for themselves did not involve Linden.

Donna: “What needs to be made better in Linden?” Students: “Everything”, “School”, “Our surroundings”, “Safety”, “Houses”

A charrette workshop was held with Linden McKinley S.T.E.M. Academy students on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 at their temporary location at Arcadia High School.

Dot mapping exercise

24 Filling out a survey

The observations of this age group were astute and candid, revealing impressions and existing conditions in the neighborhood, such as gang presence, drug activity, lack of community, disrespect for and lack of confidence in the high school, among other things. The students were most interested in physical activities, especially basketball, working out, cheerleading, and other physical activities offered by the recreation centers in the area. However, the recreation centers close early in the evening and they have limited offerings of activities for young adults of that age.

The Place

“We need job opportunities for the younger generations.”

Community The Elevation Church opened their doors to our class to allow us to host a community workshop on Saturday, October 29. There were nine community members who came to the church, but at least a dozen more were interviewed that day when we walked around the neighborhood to speak with residents who were out and about on the Saturday morning.

Mapping with community members

“Everywhere you walk there is trash. If there is trash at the school imagine what the community looks like.”

The people at this meeting were most concerned that the community was not organized and that there is a lack of involvement and awareness in community efforts. They would like to see more residents get involved in community events. Considering that this meeting consisted of community members who most likely to own their homes, it was not a surprise that vacant housing came up as a major concern. The residents were particularly concerned about vacant homes because of the criminal activity that they provoke and the overall negative impact they have on the economic value of the community.

SWOT exercise

The participants suggested that a community center that would appeal to all ages would greatly benefit the neighborhood. The participants also saw great value in the informal community centers, such as family style restaurants, which would provide a place for people to come together and create opportunities for chance encounters.

25 Community interaction

The Process •

0-14 Years

•

15-24 Years

•

25-39 Years

•

40-64 Years

•

65+ Years

Linden Village

The Process

Organization of Section The residents of Linden have diverse interests, wants, and needs. They also span many generations. The circumstances that exist within the neighborhood have an effect upon each individual, whatever age, gender, or creed they may be. None of the problems in the neighborhood are independent from the other and no single problem can be isolated unto itself. In other words, each issue has an impact or effect on other issues and the residents of Linden. Some problems may be more dominant than others, but they each have residual effects upon one another. Yet, certain issues may be more salient to one age group than another. For example, education is a primary concern for children in the early years of their lives, because a solid primary education is important for establishing a solid foundation for the future success of a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life. To better understand the data and statistics of the Linden neighborhood this report presents an analysis of the issues in relation to the age cohort most directly influenced or affected by that subject.

Linden Village

The Process

0-14 Years As children transition from infancy to adolescence to the teenage years, they are discovering the world. They are seeing many things for the first time and learning important life lessons. These are the developmental stages where children need stable and healthy community that can support a positive and wholesome upbringing, which will ultimately promote a successful transition into adulthood. While a tremendous amount of factors combine to influence a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development, we focused on three that represent both the physical and mental development which is crucial during this period of time. By the age of 14, children will have spent a majority of their lives attending school. The education section will look at the quality of schools in the area, as well as provide comparisons to other nearby schools in the city. Just as education is crucial for mental development, adequate space and amenities for sports and recreation are necessary for physical development. The recreation and physical activities sections will look at the neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s access to and utilization of the amenities needed for exercise and play. Although these three categories are important for children in this age range, they also play an important role to other residents in the community. All three for instance, have an affect on property values and the overall desirability of the neighborhood, which in turn will have an effect on vacancy and homeownership rates.

5th graders during sharing exercise

Linden Village 1050

Centennial

1000 950

ENROLLMENT NUMBERS

900

Education

650 600 550

ley

Kin

500

n de

Lin

450 400

2009-2010

2008-2009

2007-2008

2006-2007

East

700

2005-2006

SCHOOL YEARS

HAD TO REPEAT A GRADE 32%

MISSED TOO MANY CLASSES 43%

WERE FAILING 35%

INVOLVED 59%

NOT INVOLVED 41%

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

REASONS FOR DROP-OUT

VERY INVOLVED 21%

BECAME PREGNANT 26%

HAD TO CARE FOR FAMILY 22%

PERSONAL REASONS HAD TO GET A JOB 32%

CLASS WERE BORING 47%

STUDY LESS THAN AN HOUR 80%

UNMOTIVATED

SCHOOL RELATED ISSUES

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT

UNMOTIVATED 69%

Dr. Gene Harris, the Superintendent of Columbus City Schools, said that junior and senior high school combinations bring many benefits. Dr. Harris stated that dropouts are less likely because there is no disruption from changing schools and students build stronger relationships with the school teachers and administration . Dr. Harris also cites the benefit of increased parental involvement, because parents are often more involved when their children are younger, but their involvement tends to drop off as their children reach high school. Not to mention, the fiscal benefits of operating one school building that is full, rather than two buildings that don’t have a complete student body.

750

2004-2005

In January 2012, Linden-McKinley High School became the Linden-McKinley 7-12 STEM Academy with the opening of a newly renovated building. The transformation to a STEM Academy means that the school will focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The $34 million renovation to the building upgraded all classrooms, science labs and special education room with the latest audio visual and technology systems, among other things. Renovation efforts were also geared towards establishing an environmentally sustainable and energy efficient building.

800

2003-2004

Some of the students in Linden described feelings of resentment and mistrust in their teachers and schools. The statistics related to the high school graduation rate are troubling and reveal the fact that the students’ motivation towards school is quite low. An alarming 43% of area students drop out of high school for a range of reasons, including the need to make money for their family, pregnancies, or apathy towards education. Even the realization of the new STEM Academy High School opening did not curb the negative attitude towards school.

Whetston e

850

The Process

Key Findings • The City of Columbus invested $35 million in 2010 for renovation of the historic Linden McKinley High School • Drop out rates currently very high at LMHS • School has a negative connotation for many residents

DROP-OUT RATES

Linden Village

How often do you go to parks?

Recreation Linden Park is a 20 acre city metro park located just to the North of the Linden Village study area. The park is the closest options for residents in a majority of the study area, and provides ample opportunity for recreation activities. The graphic to the right of this page shows the various amenities available, including outdoor sports, an indoor recreation center, greenspace, and a lake. The park is generally well kept and seems to be popular with the residents we spoke with. One of the common complaints however, was the hours of the recreation center, which was closed Sunday and Monday, open only until 6:00 PM on Saturday, and typically closed around 8:30 PM the rest of the week. Community members of all ages agreed that a recreation center is an amenity that they would like to see centrally located within the Linden Village neighborhood. A recreation center facility would likely benefit children within this age cohort the most. The majority of school aged children that we spoke to indicated How often do you go to parks? that their spare time was spent on indoor activities such as watching television, hanging out at home, or going to the movies. A community center which provided a safe atmosphere, close everyday to home in which children could participate in indoor activities 8% year-round would be a welcome addition to this community. everyday The Columbus City School system that the recent never had statedmostly 8% 27% STEM Academy renovations to the Linden McKinley would offer various opportunities for community participation after school hours, and perhaps becoming a place where extra-curricular a lot activities for all ages occur. 34% not a lot 23%

What do you d

everyday 8%

workout 9% chill 9%

mostly everyday 8%

never 27%

a lot 34%

not a lot 23%

sports 45%

What do you do at those places?

workout 9% chill 9%

sports 45%

library

library 5%

workout

hang-out 14%

chill hang-out

go to recreation center go to recreation center 18%

sports

The Process

Key Findings

Linden Park AREA:19.68 acres Large park in Linden neighborhood of Columbus that consists of Linden Park several blocks of open grass, a pond that attracts migrant waterfowl, a playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball diamonds and a recreational center.

llage Park

Pontiac Village Park

alk

Park Linden Park 0.4 mile 8-min walk

alk

• Linden has good access to a variety of outdoor recreation • Residents feel the need for an indoor rec center with long hours of operation

Joan Park

Huy Rd Park 1.9 mile 37-min walk

NATURAL GREENLAND Picnic table Pond

CHILDREN FACILITY

Parking lots

Huy Rd Park

Audubon Park Linden Park

Playground Swings

RECREATION CENTER

Loan Park Art Room Ceramics 1 mile Dance Room Fitness Room 20-min walk Game Room Gymnasium Kitchen Weight Room

Loan Park

min

0.8 mile circle 15-min walk

SPORTS FIELD

circl

Tennis court (lighted) Baseball Diamond Basketball Court Park

Maloney 0.8 mile 15-min walk PARK ELEMENTS Windsor Park 1 mile 19-min walk

0.5 mile circle 9-min walk from public parks

Maloney Park

Windsor Park American Addition Park 1.7 mile 33-min walk

American Addition Park PARK DISTANCE

Linden Village

The Process

15-24 Years The transition into adulthood can be challenging, especially in a neighborhood such as Linden, which presents limited opportunities and potentially dangerous situations. People between the ages of 15 and 24 are learning how to manage their own time, keep a healthy and active lifestyle, and become responsible for their own actions and behavior. This time period is critical for setting a path into adulthood, as both successes and mistakes can have lasting consequences throughout a lifetime. Crime statistics routinely show that people between the years of 15 and 24 represent the age group who commits the largest proportion of crimes. While our analysis does not indicate how Linden corresponds to this national trend, we nonetheless consider crime a subject of great importance to this age group. The first section will look at the geographic prevalence of crime, as well an attempt by the police and neighborhood to address it. Just as crime represents a counterproductive activity, the second section will look at the groups within Linden who offer a worthwhile and productive activity to both the participants and the neighborhood. Access to Food is the third section, and will analyze the distance and quality of available food. From 15-24 is when most people will start making decisions on their diet, which can have important health consequences, including obesity and pre-natal nutrition in the short term, and heart disease and diabetes in the long term.

High school students during SWOT analysis

Linden Village

nd Ave .

Crime

Cle

vela

The majority of crimes within Linden occur along the main transportation corridors, Cleveland Avenue and East Hudson E. Hudson St. Street, but there are also specific pockets of crime within Linden Village. While the area seems to lack the presence of highlyorganized national gangs, the high school students were able to identify specific blocks on streets within the neighborhood that are informally recognized as gang territory. The gangs within Linden are probably better described as groups of people who don’t get along, rather than a large organized criminal enterprise. Regardless, the informal gangs seem symbolic of the fragmented Diagram Key nature of the neighborhood, which was described by the Safety Camera Location residents as having little social cohesion. E. Hudson St. Cle

vela

Billite

Ave .

r Blvd

E. Hudson St.

An influencing factor in the amount of crime has proven to be vacancies, as crimes are more likely to be committed when there are less people around to witness wrongdoings. The numerous amount of vacancies in the area represent an excellent opportunity for people to commit crimes, and any attempt to reduce crime should take these vacancies into account.

22nd Ave.

Approximated Effective Range 17th Ave.

Linden Village

17th Ave.

The Greater Linden Development Corporation (GLDC) is trying to restructure the community Blockwatch group in the area. Most of the volunteers are elderly community members and they aren’t very active, yet the GLDC is trying engage the younger generations to participate in the program. Blockwatch is aided in Hudson St.by the Columbus Department of Safety their fight against E.crime which is strategically installing 33 safety cameras throughout 71 Greater Linden – many of which are being placed along corridors where there is a lot of criminal activity.

Cl ev ela

Av e.

Billite

r Blvd

22nd Ave.

Cle

vela

Ave .

11th Ave.

17th Ave.

Safety Camera Facts

Number of Locations Linden Village: 3 E. Hudson St. South Linden: 10 Number of Cameras Linden Villge: 9 South Linden: 27

ev ela nd

Av e.

17th Ave.

Safety Camera Location Approximated Effective Range

Safety Camers

The City of Columbus is beginning to intermediate the issue of • High school student: “Most of the crime occurs at night. crime within the Linden community by installing safety cameras. These cameras are placed at major intersections and in areas of high During the day people put their issues aside, but the violent concentrations of crime. At each location, three cameras will be installed. Two cameras will provide a 360° view while the third camera will be able crimes happen at night.” to focus and zoom in on any illicit activity that is occurring. SAFETY CAMERAS Billite

r Blvd

11th Ave.

*Safety camera locations provided by the Columbus’ Dept. of Safety

Diagram Key

22nd Ave.

Linden Village

0-0 20 40 60 80

FETY South Linden Crime Stats

The Process

Community and Economy Shooting

Cle

vel a

nd Ave .

0 - 10.09.11

E. Hudson St.

Key Findings

E. Hudson St.

â&#x20AC;˘ Crime highest near major roadways â&#x20AC;˘ Crime can be promoted by vacant buildings

Billite

r Blvd

Assult: 279

Theft: 380 22nd Ave.

Robbery: 87 17th Ave.

17th Ave.

Vandalism: 174

SAFETY South Linden Crime Stat

ev ela

Av e.

10.08.10 - 10.09.11

11th Ave.

Incidents/per/year 0-0 20 40 60 80

CRIME LOCATIONS

Burglary: 286

E. Hudson St. Shooting: 3

Shooting

*Crime numbers obtained from spotcrime.com *Crime heat map data gathered from trulia.com

Linden Village

The single largest presence of social groups within Linden Village are churches. Over 25 churches are present within the study area, with a majority located along Cleveland Avenue. Most of the congregations are various denominations of Southern Baptist, and range from medium to very small in size. While most of these groups represent the community leaders within Linden, it is unclear how involved the younger generations are within them. If national trends are any indication, church attendance and participation is likely rather low for this age demographic compared to those of middle age and later years.

saintstephensch.org

Groups and Activities

St. Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Center

Many of the non-religious activities are sponsored or organized by the Greater Linden Development Corporation, who hold holiday parties and social functions for residents. These events tend to be popular with families and adults, and typically attract a good amount of participants.

Elevations Church on Cleveland Ave saintstephensch.org

The Greater Linden Development Corporation also holds programs geared towards young adults that have been successful at engaging people within the neighborhood. The Litter League is an annual program that breaks participants into teams, which then compete to collect the largest amount of trash from a stated area within a certain amount of time. Several truckloads of tires have been collected and properly disposed of, due to the efforts of all the participants involved. Many of the activities that currently exist in Linden Village are related to rehabilitation of the neighborhood. While these groups all benefit the community, there is an opportunity to appeal to a broader base of people who may be looking for more social interaction. Sporting events could provide a good opportunity to engage a larger amount of people within the neighborhood. 40

Community activity group

The Process

Key Findings • 25+ churches within study area • GLDC sponsors “Litter League” and other community activities • Opportunities exist for establishing groups geared toward the 15-24 age group

Team Zones Winning Teams

LITTER LEAGUE

Linden Village

Food access and locations Inventory

Hamilton Ave.

E Weber St.

McGoffey Rd

The only stores within a reasonable walking distance only sell cheap, calorie-dense foods, which provide little to no nutritional value. If these are the only food options, then there will be compounding health problems among the residents of the community. Nearly 32% of residents between the ages of 18-64 have no health care coverage, so it is even more important that there is access to fresh and healthy food choices.

E Hudson St.

Linden-McKinley Academy

E Maynard Ave.

Hamilton Ave.

Education and awareness about healthy foods is also important for Linden Village. Young parents within this age cohort need to be able to promote healthy eating habits for their children at a young age, in order to ensure continued health throughout their children’s lives.

E 21st Ave.

vela

Ave .

E 17th Ave.

E 13th Ave.

Cle

There is a serious lack of access to healthy and fresh foods in South Linden, which is a problem for the health of the entire community, but perhaps the most heavily affected are people between the ages of 15-24. This age cohort consists of teenagers, who are beginning to become more independent towards making food choices, and parents of young children, who may not have the time or resources to travel outside of the neighborhood every time they need food for their children. Linden Village is essentially a food desert, because it is an area where healthful, affordable food is difficult to obtain.

Cleveland Ave.

Food

• MLA Student: “Do you shop along Cleveland Ave?” High Schooler: “Yea if you are shopping for some junk food” Fast Food Restaurant Convenient Store Supermarket

Convenient Store Impact Range (1 mi)

FOOD IMPACTS

od Convenience Stores & Fast FoodStores Restaurants & Supermarkets Food Convenience & Fast Food Restaurants & Supermarkets

The Process

Fast Food Restaurants

In United States, it seem s like there In is aUnited increaing trend that s like there is a increaing trend that States, it seem more adults as well as their childrenmore are more likely to eat adults as well as their children are more likely to eat outside. (Kant and Graubard 2004) The shift of people’s eating 2004) The shift of people’s eating Kroger located at 3353 Cleveland Ave outside. (Kant and Graubard Kroger located at 3353 Cleveland Ave Distance: 2.1 Mile impacts on have potential negative impacts on Distance: 2.1 Mile habit to restaurants have potential negative habit to restaurants Drive: 7 Mins Drive: 7 Mins human health beacase frequent consumption of restaurant human health beacase frequent consumption of restaurant foods which are often lack of enough vegetable and fiber lack of enough vegetable and fiber foods which are often 2 Miles Pedestrian Accessible Distance, average 2time, 36Pedestrian Mins Miles Accessible Distance, average time, 36 Mins would increase the risk leading to obesity and high caloric • Area carry outs tendtotoobesity stock and high caloric would increase the risk leading related disease. A high densed distributino of fast-food only junk food related disease. A high densed distributino of fast-food restaurants in Linden Community have greatly influenced the food options • Limited healthy restaurants in Linden Community have greatly influenced the local food environment, especially on those who are more local food environment, especially within walking distanceon those who are more economically disadvantaged. E Weber St. economically disadvantaged.

Key Findings

Food access and locations Inventory

Cleveland Ave.

Giant Eagle located at 2801 N. High St. Distance: 3.2 Mile Drive: 10 Mins

Food access and locations Inventory

Hamilton Ave.

1Mile Pedestrian Accessible Distance, average time, 18Pedestrian Mins 1Mile Accessible Distance, average time, 18 Mins McGoffey Rd

McGoffey Rd

Hamilton Ave.

E Weber St.

E Hudson St.

Linden-McKinley Academy

E Maynard Ave.

Supermarkets

As many researches have identified about theresearches unequal food As many have identified about the unequal food 0.5Mile Pedestrian Accessible Distance, average 0.5Mile time, 10Pedestrian Mins distribution around low income communities, Accessible Distance, average time, 10resources Mins resources distribution around low income communities, Linden neighborhood also shares a harsh to supermarLindenaccess neighborhood also shares a harsh access to supermar E Hudson St. kets and fresh foods. There is no better word than kets and fresh“Food foods. There is no better word than “Food Hudson St. Market located at 1843 Hudson St. Hudson St. Market located at 1843 Hudson St. Deserts” to decribe a community that is surrounded with Deserts” to decribe a community that is surrounded with Distance: 0.9 Mile Distance: 0.9 Mile calorie-dense as well as low quality foods. For the top three Drive: 17 Mins calorie-dense as well as low quality foods. For the top three Drive: 17 Mins E Maynard Ave. nearest supermarkets which are Hudson Street Market, Kroger nearest supermarkets which are Hudson Street Market, Kroge and Giant Eagle, they are all to someand degree the are all to some degree beyond the Giantbeyond Eagle, they desirable walking distance. Speciallydesirable to the most nearest walking distance. Specially to the most nearest Hudson Street Market which take about 18 Mins walk fromwhich Lin take about 18 Mins walk from Lin Hudson Street Market McKinley STEM Academy, fresh foodMcKinley selections are still limited.fresh food selections are still limited STEM Academy,

Linden-McKinley Academy

E 17th Ave.

E 21st Ave.

vela n

E 13th Ave.

Cle

vela n

dA ve.

E 17th Ave.

E 21st Ave.

E 13th Ave.

Cle

E 21st Ave.

Hamilton Ave.

Eagle located at 2801 N. High St. ce: 3.2 Mile 10 Mins

Fast Food Restaurants

Communty and Economy Communty and Econo

Fast Food Restaurant

Convenience Stores

Supermarkets

0.5Mile Pedestrian Accessible Distance, average time, 10 Mins 0.5Mile Pedestrian Accessible Distance, average time, 10

1Mile Pedestrian Accessible Distance, average time, 18 Mins 1Mile Pedestrian Accessible Distance, average time, 18 M

ACCESS TO FOOD

2 Miles Pedestrian Accessible Distance, average time, 36 Mins 43 average time, 36 2 Miles Pedestrian Accessible Distance,

Linden Village

The Process

25-39 Years The time between 25 and 39 is an important period for people wanting to start families, buy a house, and pursue a career. Its diversity of housing options, low homeowner costs and proximity to schools make Linden a desirable choice for lower income families within the Columbus area. In addition, the location of Linden allows good driving access to downtown Columbus, shopping, and other employment centers around the city. The neighborhood is also connected via public bus lines to many of these destinations. Despite the benefits, there are some challenges facing residents of the neighborhood, and some that will affect people in this age cohort in particular. Although housing prices are quite low, the trend reverses itself when it comes to rentals. The prevalence of housing voucher use has caused landlords who accept them as payment to dramatically increase the rents, without providing quality amenities in return. Safety is likewise a major concern to residents, especially those residents with children. The road network surrounding the study area leave little space for other modes of transportation aside from the automobile, which is a safety concern for pedestrians and cyclists alike.

St. Stephens Community Center

Linden Village

Housing Cost Burden Housing Cost Burden is the proportion of a household’s total income that is spent on housing. The United States Census defines a housing cost burden of over 30% as excessive. For example, a housing cost burden of 20% would mean that a household has 80% of their income left for everything else such as healthcare, transportation, food, clothing, entertainment, while a housing cost burden of 40% would leave only 60% of a household’s income for all other expenditures. This factor is especially important in relation to low income neighborhoods such as Linden, as it indicates each household’s purchasing power after housing costs. The hope would be that as income trends downward, so does the cost of housing, thus leaving a portion of income of 70% or greater. As can be seen in the graphs to the right, this is not the case. The median costs for Franklin County have been included for comparison, as well as the neighborhoods of Italian Village and Clintonville. Italian Village is shown because it is geographically close and still has portions of lower income residents, while Clintonville is chosen as a comparison for historical reasons, as Greater Linden and Clintonville were once a continuous neighborhood before the construction of the I-71 freeway in the 1960’s.

The Housing Cost Burden data show that Franklin County as a whole, as well as the comparable neighborhoods have a relatively low burden, with both renter and owner paying less than 30% of their income toward housing. Things pretty normal for homeowners in Greater Linden too, as their median Housing Cost Burden is a healthy 25%. What is striking however, is the percentage for renters within Greater Linden. The median income for a renter in Greater Linden is $15,096 per year, and when compared against the median rent within the area yields a

Housing Cost Burden of nearly 50%. Furthermore, because these numbers represent the median for the neighborhood, it means that almost half of the renters in Greater Linden pay 50% or more of their income towards housing, leaving each household $7,654 or less per year to spend on everything else. Since the Housing Cost Burden is the ratio of income to housing costs, there are two approaches to treating this problem; raising income or lower the cost of housing. Each will have the intended effect of freeing up extra income to spend on necessities outside of housing. As the pictures of housing stock illustrate, values of rentals in Linden seem to be inflated, meaning there is an opportunity to see an increase in income by reducing rental costs.

Key Findings • The demand for affordable rentals in Linden is high • The median renter pays 1/2 their income toward housing

HOUSING COST BURDEN Area

Housing Cost Burden -Rental-

The Process

Housing Cost Burden -Homeowner49.3% Toward Housing

22.0% Toward Housing $ 7,741

Greater Linden

$ 7,654

ACS 2005-2009

$ 7,442 $ 27,444

Net Median Income: $15,069

Linden Rental Units: $712 Median Rent per Month

28.9% Toward Housing $ 8,652

Franklin County ACS 2005-2009

$ 21,287

29.4% Toward Housing $ 7,499

ACS 2005-2009

Net Median Income: $25,580

30% Toward Housing $ 9,377

United States

ACS 2005-2009

$ 21,880

Net Median Income: $31,258

HOUSING COST BURDEN

Net Median Income: $68,185

$ 12,217

20.5% Toward Housing

$ 47,380

$ 18,008

Clintonville Rental Units: $747 Median Rent per Month

$ 14,933

21.9% Toward Housing

$ 53,252

Net Median Income: $29,940

Ohio

Net Median Income: $35,185

Net Median Income: $59,597

$ 13,786

21.4% Toward Housing

$ 50,570

Net Median Income: $64,338

Linden Village

Transportation

Pedestrians may find some parts of Linden easy to navigate, while other parts will be much more difficult. Sidewalks are not always present along neighborhood streets, and if they are present, may be in very bad condition. Likewise, the sidewalks along Cleveland Avenue range from excellent condition, to very poor however, the entirety of the street is paved. Cyclists within the area wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find conditions much better. Bike lanes are non-existent but the slow speeds of the neighborhood streets are accommodating for cyclists however, the heavy traffic volume and high speeds make cycling on Cleveland Avenue a terrifying prospect.

Ave nd Cle vela

Along with automobile traffic, Cleveland Avenue is a major corridor for bus routes, with 5 bus lines servicing the area. Furthermore, Linden is home to the only circulator bus route within the COTA system which serves to transport residents to different areas within Greater Linden.

E Hudson St

Hamilton Ave

Good transportation connections are very important to people in this age group, being necessary for reliable ways to and from work as well as access to everyday goods and services. Linden is well served in this respect, as the neighborhood is located adjacent to the major interstate freeway I-71 which crosses through Columbus. There are two exits from Linden onto this freeway, both with excellent access. In addition, Cleveland Avenue provides good access to adjacent neighborhoods to the North, and a quick route to downtown Columbus. The neighborhood road network is divided into long blocks, making for easy travel within the residential areas.

Duxberry Ave

24th Ave

Road Network Hierarchy 22nd Ave

Main arterials

Road Network Hierarchy Collector roads Main arterials

Neighborhood streets

Collector roads

Alleyways

Neighborhood streets

ROAD HIERARCHY

Alleyways House frontage

House frontage

26 Dr r veer rD SSilivl

71 Hudson St

83 81

Denune Ave

Genessee Ave

MO FIEBIL LDITY S AV SEEN RVUE ICES &MA FIEINS LDTR S OP EAER MST OFIOFIC NSE COTA BUS ROUTES

State Highway U.S. Highway Interstate Highway

Cle vela nd Ave

Hamilton Ave

Airport College/University Community Opportunity Center COTA Park & Ride Government Building Hospital Point of Interest Shopping COTA Facility or Transit Center Travel/Tourism Spot

Key Findings • Linden has excellent access to freeways and Downtown Columbus • Linden has excellent bus service • Transportation network for cyclists is nonexistent

County Boundary Municipality Park Railroad Water

ST. STSTEPHEN’S STEPHENS COMMUNITY CENTER HOUSE

17th Ave

Windsor Ave

LINDEN TRANSIT CENTER

Joyce Ave

4th St

Summit St

OHIO EXPO CENTER

Chittenden Ave 11th Ave

(See schedule.)

26th Ave

Louis Ave

COLUMBUS 29 CREW STADIUM OHIO HISTORICAL CENTER

WALMART

Local Bus Line Express Bus Line Crosstown Bus Line LINK Bus Line Limited Service

Hudson St

4 26 34 32 33 36

Map Legend

Parkwood Ave

McGuffey Rd

Weber Rd

27 35 37

Perdue Ave

The Process

ve A d nar o e L

Linden Village

Safety and Walkability The intersection of the pedestrians, cyclists, and automobiles is always a point of concern, especially for the pedestrians and cyclists. The figure on the opposite page shows that the intersections of the roads with the highest average daily trips are the areas in which the most pedestrian / cyclists accidents are happening. Unsurprisingly, residents have expressed concern over the lack of crosswalks on busy streets and near bus stops. Although it is a necessary arterial road, the stretch of Cleveland Avenue crossing through Linden has a large amount of cars travelling at inappropriate speeds for an urban neighborhood. Several traffic calming devices could be used to interrupt the high speed flow of cars, such as traffic circles and curb extensions. Likewise, the addition of bicycle lanes could be of benefit for cyclists in the area, if only to alert drivers to the presence of bicycles on the road. The City of Columbus has attempted to improve much of the sidewalks and streetscapes with parts of the study area, although much work still needs to be done. The sidewalks within the study area range from non-existent to new, with many areas completely unserviced by sidewalks. A challenge for the city will be to update and reconnect the sidewalks within the residential streets of Linden, to provide a fully accessible and walkable area for all its residents.

Neglected sidewalk

Missing sidewalk

50 Recently improved sidewalk

E Hudson St

E Maynard Ave

• High speed, busy roads in area present a danger to pedestrians and cyclists • Opportunities exist for traffic calming measures • Many sidewalks are in disrepair or are nonexistent

E Blake Ave

dA ve Cle vela n

Medina Ave

E 25th Ave

Key Findings

Cordell Ave

E Maynard Ave

Duxberry Ave

E 26th Ave

Kohr Pl

Kenmore Rd

Dresden St

Medina Ave

Clinton St

E Tompkins St

Homestead Dr

Ontario St

Gerbert Rd

Hamilton Ave

The Process

2009 Incidents

E 24th Ave

Pedestrian/automobile

E 23rd Ave

Bicycle/automobile

E 22nd Ave

Data source: ODPS

Traﬃc Counts (ADT) Cleveland Ave Hudson 17th Hamilton Dresden 22nd Duxberry 26th Medina

E 17th Ave

21,357 12,444 11,378 4,979 1,804 1,205 981 782 722

14,001-21,000+ 7,000-14,000

TRAFFIC AND ACCIDENTS

0-7,000 Data source: MORPC

Linden Village

The Process

40-64 Years By the time they reach 40, most people will be settled down, many will have teen-aged children, and many will have a steady job. Those that own houses will use these years to pay down their mortgage, while those who rent may now find it practical to purchase a house. Homeowners may now have the ability to move out of their starter house and into something a bit larger or more expensive. People looking to start a business in the area will have had enough time to obtain the necessary experience and savings to do so. The task for the Linden Community will be to provide enough appeal and opportunity to retain people in this age group. These are typically the residents that provide the most income and stability, which are both characteristics that are needed within the neighborhood. This section will look at Housing Value and Commercial Opportunities, both of which will have a direct impact upon the attractiveness of the Linden neighborhood to this age group.

Community Involvement Meeting

Linden Village

Economy (Housing value) The heat map to the right shows the geographic locations of the relative housing values within the area. It must be noted that the map corrects for different building sizes, and is not intended to show the absolute values of the properties. Instead it shows the relative value per square foot of living area for each property. The values and areas were taken from the Franklin County Auditorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, and are the data used to assess property taxes. While this method may not fully reflect the market value of the houses, it can help to visualize some of the trouble areas within the neighborhood. The green areas have a higher value per square foot (up to $50 / SF), and the red areas on the lower end of the spectrum (as low as $10 / SF). The yellow areas are mid-value, ranging from $22 to $35 per square foot of value. Immediately apparent is the lower value along the Cleveland Avenue corridor and similarly, there seems to be a strong correlation between clusters of red and clusters of duplex rental properties. These areas of unstable housing value are generally the areas with the most need of intervention, and most aspects of the proposed master plans will focus on them. What is also interesting to notice is that a prevalence of rental units does not necessarily correlate with a decrease in property values. The areas to the West of the High School for instance, have a relatively high value per square foot, while also being home to a large amount of rentals. What would seem to be important is the type of rental, with long rows of identical duplex housing garnering the lowest values, while single family rentals seem to have little difference in value from their owner-occupied counterparts. 54

PROPERTY VALUES

High Value Medium Value Low Value

The Process

Key Findings • Lower valued areas clustered along Cleveland Avenue • Clusters of duplexes have the lowest value per square foot • Not necessarily a link between rental clusters and property values

High Value Medium Value Low Value

Rental Property

RENTAL LOCATION VS. PROPERTY VALUE

Percentage of Commercial Vacancies in Northern Lights and South Linden

20%

Linden Village

Northern Lights South Linden

80%

Total Vacancies: 15

South Linden and Northern Lights Commercial Buildings

Percentage of Food Varieties in Northern Lights and South Linden

Percentage of Commercial Vacancies in Northern Lights and South Linden

South Linden

20%

Commercial Development

South Linden 35%This is a separate ai file in the folder, Northern Lights called Northern 65% “NorthernLights&SouthLinden_map” LightsSouth Linden

Northern Lights

Northern Lights South Linden

80%

Total Vacancies: 15

American commercial development patterns within the last 50 years have almost exclusively focused on servicing the Percentage of Food Varieties in Northern Lights and South COMMERCIAL FOOD VARIETIES LindenVACANCIES automobile, and the commercial corridors within South Linden South Linden Outer Corridor are no exception. Unfortunately, the increased competition from Occupied Verse Vacant Commercial surrounding areas has caused many of the businesses and Residential Sites in the area Northern Lights 35% to fail, leaving numerous buildings vacant, and has allowed the 65% The South Linden Outer Corridor consists of South Linden deterioration of the neighborhood’s commercial building stock. E Hudson St “There are too many chicken places” Hudson Street and Cleveland Avenue. Both - Linden McKinley STEM Acacemy student commercial and residential buildings stand along Moreover, the shallow depth of the properties along Cleveland Total Varieties: 14 the side of both of these main roads. Vacancies Kohr Pl Ave. and Hudson Street make it unlikely that thebetween area Duxberry will be Avenue are more prominent E Tompkins St Kenmore Roaddevelopment on Cleveland Avenue. suitable for automobile-centeredand commercial Kenmore Rd that is competitive with the Northern Lights shopping center Clinton St to the North. The map to the right shows the extent to which Cordell Ave businesses have vacated the area.

Total Varieties: 14

Throughout the public engagement process, residents have Vacant Commercial expressed a desire for basic services within walking distance to their homes such as a grocery store, laundromat, bank, and Vacant Residential doctor’s offices to name a few. Along with the abundance of available property, this leads to the conclusion that there is an Occupied Commercial opportunity for businesses to within the area, provided that their grouping is sufficiently dense to make shopping convenient Residential enough to attract consumers from outside SouthOccupied Linden.

Medina Ave

Homestead Dr

Ontario St

Gerbert Rd

Hamilton Ave

Northern Lights is 1.6 miles from Hudson Street

E Maynard Ave

Cle vela n

Dresden St

Duxberry Ave

dA ve

E Blake Ave

E Maynard Ave

E 26th Ave

E 25th Ave

Medina Ave

The exodus of businesses from South Linden leaves its residents dependent upon cars for many of their basic needs, which can be a huge problem for those who don’t have access to transportation. In addition, the vacant properties are clustered along the main transportation corridor through South Linden, which can give a negative impression of the neighborhood to people passing through.

This is a separate ai called “NorthernLights&So

E 24th Ave

E 23rd Ave

E 22nd Ave

Vacant Commercial

Occupied Commercial

Vacant Residential

Occupied Residential

VACANT VS. OCCUPIED PROPERTY

Northern Lights is 1.6 miles

“There are too many chicke - Linden McKinley STEM Aca

The Process

Key Findings • Many residents have expressed the need for neighborhood services • Many commercial properties in poor condition • Vacancies common for commercial properties

Increase of 11% and over Increase of 2% to 10% Within 1% change Decrease of 2% to 10% Decrease of 11% and over

Parking Lot Vacant Land

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUE CHANGE FROM 2005 - 2011

Linden Village

The Process

65+ Years Residents over the age of sixty five within South Linden have seen first-hand the deterioration of their neighborhood throughout the years. The most visible indicators are the large number of vacant houses and the sizeable amount of litter, particularly discarded tires within the area. Both of these factors contribute to lower property values, and both are visible cues of social disengagement. The third challenge affecting the 65+ age cohort is something that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t particular to Linden, which is health. A lack of healthcare providers in the area means that residents must travel outside the neighborhood to receive care. Diabetes has become another major health issue in the area as well, and progress could be made in terms of treatment clinics and disease prevention programs.

Community Involvement Meeting

Linden Village

Vacancy In order to maintain a healthy neighborhood, houses must remain continually occupied. Over time, Lindenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s occupancy rate has decreased, leaving many vacant homes that are left unmaintained and un-monitored. Current longtime residents have expressed concern over the number of vacant homes and their continual deterioration. There are approximately 93 vacancies in the neighborhood, most in the south and southeast portions of the neighborhood where there are many duplex rentals. These vacancies either had a vacancy notice posted on the front door or were completely boarded up. Landlords of these rentals have little incentive to maintain their properties, as it is more profitable to buy cheap structures, rent them out to the point they are no longer habitable, and then abandon them. Most of these vacant homes have overgrown lawns, dying trees and broken windows, front doors, and siding. Many other factors play a role in why so many homes have been left abandoned in the neighborhood, such as high levels of crime, excessive amounts of litter and the houses left over from the death of older residents. Decreasing the amount of vacancies in the neighborhood is one of the primary concerns of the current homeowners, which is difficult, as the cost of repair of many of these structures is prohibitive.

Broken windows

Boarded windows and graffiti

Out of all the subjects outlined in this book, that of vacancies may be the most important challenge to address. Vacant buildings bring down the property values of their neighbors, promote criminal activities, provide an opportune place to litter, and communicate an overall decline of the area.

60 Vacant homes

The Process

Key Findings • 93 visible vacancies in study area • Vacancies tend to lower nearby property values • Vacancies tend to promote litter and crime

Vacant Homes

VACANT PROPERTIES

Linden Village

Health Growing health concerns affect all members of the community, but none more so than the population over 65 years old. The South Linden area has higher rates of diabetes mortality and obesity than the county and state. Over 4 years, the diabetes mortality rate for black females has risen 44%. The lack of free health clinics in the area make it difficult for many residents to obtain adequate health care. 16.5% of residents were unable to see a doctor due to cost. Also, 20% of African Americans in Columbus have reported unmet prescription needs, either to never receiving them or the lack of nearby pharmacy locations. The nearest health facility recently closed down and residents have mentioned that they would like one that they would be able to access easily by walking. While the question of healthcare access and affordability is a challenge that registers on a national scale, the statics regarding Linden show a population that is generally unhealthier in comparison to Franklin County as a whole. What is promising is that some of the health concerns experienced by the residents can be addressed on a local level through prevention. Improved access to healthy foods and recreation areas have the ability to reduce both the diabetes and heart disease rates. Improved walkability could likewise promote a lifestyle in which walking becomes the dominant form of transportation, thus increasing overall health.

Obesity Rate Comparison 50%

40%

38%

Linden: 37.6% Obese

35.9% 33.5%

30%

29.9%

28% 26.3%

20%

10%

Overweight Obese Hamilton County Sources: Patchworknation.org & Ohio.gov

OBESITY RATE

Overweight Obese Cuyahoga County

Overweight Obese Franklin County

State of OH: 29% Obese

Linden General Health Survey

16%

11%

10%

The Process

15.8%

14%

12%

7% 6%

10%

9.6%

21.6%

9.5%

of Linden residents rate their health as FAIR or POOR.

7.0%

1,804

people in Linden are living with disabilites. The majority women between 21 and 64.

27.2%

of Linden residents smoke. 8.9% of residents are diagnosed with Asthma.

31.4%

of Linden residents aged 18-64 have NO health care coverage.

16.5%

of Linden residents were unable to see a doctor due to cost.

20%

of African-American adults in Columbus reported unmet perscription needs.

2% 2%

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

United States

Ohio

Franklin County

Linden

Key Findings • Diabetes mortality in Linden higher than County / State • Obesity in Linden higher than County / State • Access to healthcare for most residents is generally poor • Many of the diseases common within Linden can be addressed through lifestyle

DIABETES RATE

16%

15.8%

14%

12% 10% 8%

9.6%

9.5%

7.0%

6% 4% 2%

2007

2008

United States

Ohio

DIABETES MORTALITY

Franklin County

Linden

LINDEN HEALTH SURVEY

Linden Village

Litter The number one concern voiced by the residents of South Linden is the problem of litter. The combination of the large number of vacant homes, the presence of alleys, and the good connections to road networks make South Linden a prime area for illegal dumping. Specifically, the dumping of tires poses one of the biggest challenges for the neighborhood, as it has a large impact on housing values and public health. Large piles of tires will collect water over time and will provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which are the prime carriers of the West Nile Virus. Moreover, cleanup and disposal of these tires is quite expensive, making this task a burden to both the GLDC and the City of Columbus. The challenge of litter is directly tied to the challenges of both vacancies and housing value. Vacancies give people an opportunity to dump trash without being seen, and the high amount of litter in the neighborhood will tend to bring down property values. As the graphic in the Crime section shows, there are numerous police cameras and block watches in effect within Linden. These assets could be used to help curb the illegal dumping in the area, although the problem is so widespread that the cameras and block watches may not provide much of a deterrent.

Tires dumped on the roadside

Trash left on the front lawn

The graphic on the opposite page shows the location and amount of tires which were collected by the GLDC Litter league. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not surprising to see that there is a correlation with the amount of tires collected and the location of large numbers of abandoned houses. Likewise, the fact that businesses typically close by 7:00 at night allows an opportunity to illegally dump in areas close to a major transportation route without being seen by residents. 64 Some residents have concern over litter

The Process

Key Findings • Litter is #1 concern that residents voice to GLDC One of the major issues facing the • Litter and dumping to Linden community is thetend proli�ic amount tires thatvalues are being lowerofproperty dumped in buildings the community. The • Vacant can promote high cost to dispose tires makes it litter and dumping inviting for individuals to dump • Tires aremany the most tires in the vacantcommonly lots within the Linden dumped itemscommunity.

Tire Round-Up

The Greater Linden Development is trying to combat this issue by sponsoring a bi-yearly (April and October) tire round-up where community residents, local business owners, and volunteer groups can come together to make a difference.

NumberofofTires Tires Number 20+ 10-20 5-10 1-5

Linden Village *Data provided by the Greater Linden Development Corporation and Columbus Code Envorcement

TIRE DUMPING SITES

Linden Village

The Process

Age Cohort Summary The analysis of the data presented in this section demonstrates that there are many issues of concern that must be addressed to ensure the future well-being of Linden. Through this analysis it becomes apparent that the social, economic, and physical aspects within Linden have a multitude of effects upon residents of all ages, and oftentimes there may be an explicit impact on a particular age group. By understanding the specific impact of the concerning issues in the community, it is feasible to produce comprehensive solutions through urban design. Ultimately, it is the neighbors, friends, and family that support one another and live together to create a healthy and positive community in the Linden neighborhood. Each person in the community brings value and unique characteristics that contribute to the quality of life in the area. Fortunately, there are also opportunities to make physical changes to the Linden neighborhood that will promote and support positive change in the community. The design proposals presented in the following section offer innovative solutions to address constraints within the neighborhood and bring forth the opportunities that are readily available.

The Proposals •

Precedents

•

Panther Commons

•

Community Connections

•

Walkable Linden

Linden Village

The Proposals

Design Process As a design studio, the goal of this project was to develop urban design schemes for Linden Village. Before commencing the design development of any project it is always imperative to do research about the proposed design area. Once familiar with the area, it is then possible to develop reasonable design concepts that are based on the actual needs of the community. A thorough understanding of the area increases the likelihood of developing a successful design proposal.

The design proposals that emerged from the master planning stage range from probable solutions that could be implemented in the community immediately, to solutions that are intended to generate conversation about the abundant possibilities for the future of Linden Village. The students do not have access to funds for the implementation of these concepts, but it is hoped that the community may use these ideas to inform the future development of the neighborhood.

The studio class as a whole worked together on the preliminary information that has been presented in the first sections of this publication. The data collection, site analysis, and community outreach brought about information that provided the foundation of the design development process. The students also looked to the precedent case studies to learn lessons that could be applicable to Linden Village. After the research phase of studying Linden, the class of students was divided into three groups to produce master plan concepts for Linden Village. The students worked within their groups to develop design proposals. Each group used the comprehensive data and information that was compiled by the entire class in the preliminary studies. The diversity of educational backgrounds and experiences among the students helped each group produce unique and complex proposals for the Linden Village. 71

Linden Village

Precedents “Healing the broken bond between our young and nature is in our self-interest, not only because aesthetics or justice demand it, but also because our mental, physical, and spiritual health depends upon it.” -Richard Louv, Author, Last Child in the Woods

Leave No Child Inside

Denver Digs Trees

Governor Ted Strickland signed a proclamation in 2010 supporting The Ohio Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights. This Bill recognizes that every Ohio child shall have the opportunity to:

Strategically planted shade trees reduce the amount of energy needed to cool homes and businesses. Reduced energy usage, in turn, means savings liveurbandenver.com for consumers and less carbon released into the atmosphere. Trees also enhance property values, buffer noise and provide shelter for birds and animals.

ohiolnci.org

• Be physically active and play outside • Have access to safe, natural green spaces in their community • Understand the patterns and cycles in nature Access to nature is connected to: • • • •

(1) Report on Ohio’s Initiative to Reconnect Children With Nature

yourhub.denverpost.com

It is suspected that a lack of unstructured play outdoors may also contribute to mental health issues, with links to ADHD, elevated stress levels, and depression(1).

- A pilot program that offers a variety of shade trees at no cost to target neighborhoods identified as low-income with low-canopy coverage. - The goal over time is to reduce the amount of energy required to cool homes by providing nature’s relief from the sun.

yourhub.denverpost.com

“The grant from EnCana allows us to expand Denver Digs Trees with a shade tree initiative aimed at reducing energy use. It’s a great partnership.”

Obesity rates Vitamin D deficiency Chronic health issues, such as diabetes, asthma Cardiovascular problems

- Funded by a grant from Encana Oil & Gas, Inc.

The Proposals

hpigreen.com

Portland Green Streets Program Adopted: 2007 Purpose: incorporate the use of green street facilities in public and private development Benefits:

Landscape barrier dutchdialogues.com

• Handles storm water on site • Provides water quality benefits and replenished groundwater • Creates attractive streetscapes • Meets community goal of access • Serves as urban greenway to connect neighborhoods, parks, recreation facilities, etc. • Improves air quality and reduces temperature • Increases opportunities for industry professionals Implemented items: • Curb extension swales – $20,000 • School rain garden - $100,000 • Landscape planters in sidewalk - $5/sf of impervious area serviced • Pervious surfaces - $10/sf

Rain garden stormwater mitigation sf.streestblog.org

Funding options: • “Percent for Green” street fund • EPA appropriation • $1 million one-time funding for one year

73 Landscape curb bumpout

Linden Village

Reviving a Corner Store Context: The school market in Oakland’s Fruitvale district is located in a quite similar social, economic and environmental neighborhood context comparing to Linden Area, where people have a poor access to fresh food. It is just like thousands of other corner stores before the reviving project. However, after the renovation, it stood out and functions as a important fresh produce and other nutrient foods for the local food system. Store History: The School Market had been owned by Tom Ahmed and his family for the passed 19 years before the project happened in 2003. Like most small urban markets, School Market had long depended on sales of alcohol (primarily beer and wine), convenience foods, and cigarettes as its major income generators. Snack foods had been the market’s top-selling food items. The food system provided in school market are quite similar with what’s happening in those convenience stores here at Linden Area. Talking from this perspective, its success is of great value in suggesting improvement opinions to Linden. The Project: California Food Policy Advocates (CFPA) approached School Market in September 2000 and asked if the store would be interested in selling fresh produce and expanding their sales of dairy and other nutritious foods. This project is funded by Food For All, which wins the 1998 study by CFPA and Bay Area Community Services (BACS) focused on food analysis and Much of CFPA’s early work on the issue of food access in low-income neighborhoods was generously funded by the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.

The project start with identifying several appropriate corner stores located in Fruitvale with sufficient floor space and an interest in providing more fresh foods. Based on the interview

to these owners, Mr. Ahmed’s school market was selected as the pilot project mainly due to his eager to improve the store’s neighborhood image and his willing to sell more fresh food. The improvements can be roughly divided into two categories: • First — Change in Interior furnish and decoration • Second — Repainting Exterior Wall Results: In the first month of the training period, School Market increased produce gross sales from under $50 per week — typically from a few bags of potatoes — to more than $500. By the end of the second month of training, the market averaged $600-700 in produce sales per week. The store sold more than 25 different fruits and vegetables, including some requested by new customers. The biggest sellers included bananas, apples, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, avocados, greens, onions, and lemons. During the same time period, milk sales increased five-fold. Costs: The cost of the School Market fresh produce project was $22,520, including staff technical assistance and support ($16,000), the refrigerated display rack ($4,000), façade improvements and signage ($1,075), start-up inventory ($845) and marketing ($600).

The Proposals

Exterior Before

Exterior After

Interior Before

Interior After

Linden Village

Five Oaks Neighborhood Revitalization The Five Oaks neighborhood is located just to the North of downtown Dayton, Ohio, and contains roughly 2,000 households of 1 and 2 family structures. The neighborhood experienced a rapid depopulation in the 1980’s and 1990’s due to suburbanization and white flight, and then saw a re-population of mostly low income black households. By 1990, most of the homes had lost a significant portion of their value, with home values dropping by 11% in a single year while they rose by 6% in the region. Many homeowners who couldn’t sell their home for what they owed on their mortgage then converted the buildings into multi-family structures and rented them out. Renters came to dominate the population of the neighborhood, while homeownership was steadily decreasing. For those able to sell their houses, slumlords were the only people who were actively purchasing homes. When they did so, they would often rent to drug dealers, as they made good tenants who didn’t care so much about the condition of the property. The increase in renters led to a decrease in neighborhood engagement, as the renters and slumlords had no permanent stake in the neighborhood. When slumlords failed to keep up their properties, the surrounding homeowners did the same, and the decline would spiral out of control. Violent crime increased by 77%, robberies by 76%, vandalism by 38%, and overall crime by 16%.

The idea of defensible space is a theory which states that the physical environment can add or detract from the opportunity for criminals to commit crimes. Newman furthers the definition as “A residential environment whose physical characteristics – building layout and site plan – function to allow inhabitants themselves to become key agents in ensuring their security.” In a nutshell, an area is safer when people feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for their portion of the community, and

crimes will be less likely to occur if the opportunity to commit them is lowered, or as Newman writes “The criminal is isolated because his turf is removed.” The idea is to create a distinct territory which will display ownership and show that the area is under someone’s responsibility. The criminals will be less likely to commit crimes if there is the chance they will be confronted or even watched. As the defined boundary of a neighborhood becomes smaller, the ability for a single person to make a difference in that neighborhood becomes larger. Furthermore, the resident’s perceived social territory will be strengthened with a re-defining of their neighborhood into smaller boundaries. The plan for Five Oaks was to break up a deteriorating neighborhood into smaller “mini-neighborhoods” thus giving each mini-neighborhood a discrete identity. The project was to funnel all vehicular traffic in and out of each mini-neighborhood into a bottleneck. People committing crimes would have to leave at the same point they came in, thus reducing their escape-route choices. The intervention also helped to establish a participation scheme where community members would have more control over their community by decreasing the size of their community. It also worked to divide up the amount of “public” space and start to assign ownership to it. Social cues such as decorative wood or wrought iron fences were added which would communicate the ownership of an area. A year after the project was completed violent crime was down by 50% and overall crime was down by 26%, compared to the city of Dayton which had experienced a rise in crime of 1%. Furthermore, residential property values had risen by 15% which created a spur of investments for improvement of existing housing. Investments and improvements created a tendency for additional investments and improvements throughout the neighborhood. By all measures, the project was considered as a success.

The Proposals

Gated entry into neighborhood

An individual neighborhood plan

77 Location of gates

Plan of entire neighborhood layout

Linden Village

Panther Commons

Annie Bergelin - MLA 2nd year

David Shimmel - MLA 2nd year

Justin Robbins - MCRP 2nd year

Chen Tong - MLA 2nd year

BA Sociology - UMass-Amherst

BS Architecture - The Ohio State University

BA Communications - Furman University

BS Engineering - Yunnan University CA

ACTIVATE Medium Density Residential (MDR)

Linden McKinley STEM Academy Recreation Corridor

Mixed-Use

REVIVE

Plaza Community Center

The Proposals

Mixed-Use Linden McKinley STEM Academy

Community Garden

Football Stadium

Plaza Mini-Neighborhood

Civic Node

INTEGRATE Linden McKinley STEM Academy

Commercial Corridor

Medium Density Residential

Town Center

Mixed-Use

Community Center

Medium Density Residential

Elementary School

Farmers’ Market

ACTIVATE

Concept Vision ACTIVATE

Linden McKinley STEM Academy

Community Identity+Health + Safety+Housing + Commerce Medium Density Residential (MDR)

Recreation Corridor

Mixed-Use Plaza Medium Density Residential (MDR)

Linden McKinley STEM Academy Community Center Recreation Corridor

Mixed-Use Plaza

Community Center

Mixed-Use Community Garden

Football Stadium Mixed-Use

Commercial Community Garden

Football Stadium Plaza

(MDR) Commercial

Mini-Neighborhood

Civic Node Plaza

(MDR)

Commercial

Revive

(MDR)

50 years ago, being a resident in Linden was something to be proud of. In particular, the Linden High School Panthers were a point of pride. This scheme seeks to renew the community by making the newly renovated high school the central element of the neighborhood. By moving the football field adjacent to Cleveland Avenue, the Panther Stadium can become a visual icon and the Friday night football games would become a social event for the entire community. The focus on the high school is intended to create a distinct and recognizable physical and social identity, one that everyone in the community can be proud of.

Recreation Food Education

HEALTH + WELLNESS

Commercial Slum Lords Transience

VACANCY + HOUSING

Crime Pride Engagement

COMMUNITY + IDENTITY

Activate

SOUTH LINDEN

This scheme focuses on the health and wellness of the community, which is of major concern for this neighborhood, considering that the rates of obesity and diabetes are higher than the national average. The idea is to establish safe play spaces for children, provide a place for more organized sports and activities, and create a community recreation center that can provide a positive social venue for young adults. The green corridor extending through the neighborhood is a highly visible space that is safe and can foster physical activity, a farmers market, social interaction among neighbors, and improve the surrounding property values.

Mini-Neighborhood

INTEGRATE

Civic Node

Integrate

Linden McKinley STEM Academy

INTEGRATE

Commercial Corridor

Medium Density Residential Linden McKinley STEM Academy

Commercial Corridor

Medium Density Residential

There are over 21,000 cars travelling at 35 miles per hour along Cleveland Avenue every day, typically intent on just passing through the Linden neighborhood, which is not conducive to developing a sense of place for Linden. This scheme seeks to establish a town center for Linden, one that includes alternative housing models, public plaza space, multi-use buildings, shopping, and other public amenities. Development of a boulevard along Cleveland Avenue is intended to slow traffic down and provide opportunities for additional greenspace. The town center is designed to create a sense of place and make Linden a destination for people in the surrounding area.

Town Center

Mixed-Use

Community Center

Mixed-Use

Elementary School Community Center

Farmers’ Market Elementary School

Farmers’ Market

Recreation Food Education

HEALTH + WELLNESS

Recreation Food Education Commercial Slum Lords Transience

HEALTH + WELLNESS VACANCY + HOUSING

SOUTH LINDEN

Linden Village

CONNECTIONS

mixed-use

nodes + VIEWlines

The Proposals

CONNECTIONS

CIRCULATION

nodes + VIEWlines

pedestrian walkability + ACCESSING the nodes

connections KEY node connection VIEWline

circulation KEY

connections KEY

Primary

node

vehicular

Secondary

pedestrian

connection

dedicated COTA stop

VIEWline

Master Plan The master plan is founded upon three core systems within the neighborhood: connections, circulation, and land use. The plan is designed to accommodate these core systems, which help organize the site and highlight key places throughout the neighborhood.

LAND USE diversity + viability

The schools are main destination points, so the neighborhood is designed to enhance the importance and presence of the schools. The new streetUSE grid is intended to open the neighborhood … the LAND bus circulation is redirected to prioritize important destination diversity + viability points, such as the commercial businesses and the educational institutions. Incorporating mixed-use development in Linden is an important part of this plan. Creating an area with viable street-level commercial activity will activate the neighborhood and provide a “town center” feeling within Linden. Within the mixed-use area there will also be high density residential apartment or condominium units, which will provide a range of housing options for people who may prefer an alternative to the predominant single family housing that currently exists land use KEY throughout the neighborhood. institution med. density residential commercial rec.+open space mixed-use

land use KEY institution med. density residential commercial rec.+open space mixed-use

Linden Village Phase I

Phase II

Green Streets Phase III

The goal of this phase is to create an opportunity that will reduce the crime, establish highly visible recreation spaces, establish community gardens, and eliminate the vacant and neglected properties that have become a blight upon the neighborhood. To ensure successful implementation of this master plan, redevelopment must occur in phases that span at least 50 years. These diagrams illustrate the proposed phased implementation of the master plan. There are opportunities to create positive change in Linden in the near future, in particular the green corridor can become the ground breaking project to start the momentum of rehabilitation. There are many vacant properties that fall within the new green corridor and this phasing plan proposes to begin implementation of the corridor plan by developing pocket parks on those vacant property lots. Over time, adjacent properties can be acquired to expand the green corridor. If funding is not immediately available to acquire additional properties then the community should seek to land bank the properties until sufficient funds are available. The goal of the first phase is to create an opportunity that will reduce the crime, establish highly visible recreation spaces, establish community gardens, and eliminate the vacant and neglected properties that have become a blight upon the neighborhood.

The Proposals

GREEN STREET AERIAL

GREEN STREET PLAN

Linden Village

PANTHER COMMONS PLAN 84

The Proposals

PANTHER COMMONS DAY PERSPECTIVE

PANTHER COMMONS NIGHT PERSPECTIVE

Linden Village

Community Connections

Justin Barker - MCRP 2nd year

Thomas Muller - MLA 2nd year

Yu Shi - MLA 2nd year

Ashley Betteker - MLA 2nd year

MArch - Andrews University

BA Environmental Design - Tsinghua University

BS Architecture - Kent State

The Proposals

Civic Connection Much of the recent investment in the neighborhood has been in the civic-related buildings. With a new branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, over $30 million invested in remodeling the old high school and conversion to a STEM academy, it is important to highlight these features. This scheme focused on creating nodes of activity in the key areas of the neighborhood and implementing strong connections between them. Large public spaces are located along Cleveland Avenue to increase visual access.

Neighborhood Center With the commercial activity along Cleveland Avenue being so linear, drivers tend to pass right through the neighborhood with no defining features to catch their eye. This scheme places the core of commercial activity in a neighborhood center that directs activity into the neighborhood and creates a town square for community activities and events. The scattered commercial buildings become high density residential units that define change the visual effect as you drive down Cleveland Avenue.

Pedestrian Links Many residents and students stated there were not enough stores in their neighborhood and were concerned for their safety when walking to Cleveland Avenue. This scheme focused on revitalizing the commercial corridor along Cleveland Avenue and creating a series of pedestrian paths connecting to it. The paths would have occasional parks and public spaces along them to generate constant activity and promote community gathering.

Linden Village

COMMERCIAL & PUBLIC PLACES

Master Plan Description

CONCEPT

The Proposals

E Blake Ave

The main goal for this plan was to create connections on three levels: civic, resident and neighborhood. The civic connection is created by paths that lead directly between the library and schools through the neighborhood. The resident connection is achieved by working pedestrian paths into the existing neighborhood fabric. A large public green off Cleveland Avenue surrounded by mixed-use buildings becomes the focus of the neighborhood that is supported by the civic buildings and network of paths. The green serves as a large event space that could include a performance stage and host seasonal events such as farmers markets and winter festivals. E Maynard Ave

Dresden St

Duxberry Ave

E 26th Ave

E 25th Ave

E 24th Ave

CIVIC CONNECTION

Civic Connection

RESIDENT CONNECTION

Resident Connection

NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTION

Neighborhood Connection

CRIME SPOT

vela

Ave

Medina Ave

E 23th Ave

Cle

VACANT HOUSES

& CRIME Churches carry greatVACANCY significance and pride within the neighborhood, and enhancing their presence is an integral feature of the plan. The two oldest churches in the neighborhood on Cleveland Avenue become fronted by public green spaces to enhance visual access and interaction with the neighborhood. The majority of the commercial activity is focused around the CONCEPT civic buildings and green spaces. E Blake Ave

Daycare

Library

Vacancy

E Maynard Ave

High School

Market

Vacancy

Duxberry Ave

E 26th Ave

resden St

Mc Donald’s

E 25th Ave

Christian Fellow

Parks PARK LAYER

Public Space

Madical Center

Church

ACES

HamiltonSchool

Store

Market & Post Office

E Blake Ave

Restaurant

Two roundabouts are located on Cleveland Avenue to serve as gateways to the community. The south gateway roundabout contains a statue of a panther to honor the school mascot and redirect you toward the green. The path connecting the statue to the school serves as the “Linden Walk of Fame” that honors CIVIC CONNECTION RESIDENT CONNECTION NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTION historical figures from Linden through statues and placards. Vacant Public Space

E 24th Ave

Customs

vela

n St

Medina Ave

E 23th Ave

Ave

Restaurant Style

Cle

E Maynard Ave

Vacancy

FOOD&MARKET CIVIC BUILDINGS VACANT COMMERCIAL

LOOP LAYER Paths

Clev elan

d Av e

CRIME SPOT

VACANT HOUSES

ke Ave

Daycare Library

Vacancy

Buildings BUILDING LAYER

ynard Ave

Market

Vacancy Mc Donald’s

Public Space Madical Center

Church

Restaurant

Store Vacant Public Space

Vacancy

FOOD&MARKET CIVIC BUILDINGS VACANT COMMERCIAL

PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS

DESIGN LAYERS

Linden Village Hamilton School

LindenMcKinley

Cleveland Commercial Spine Library

MASSING MODEL

NEW STREET SECTION

CLEVELAND AVE SECTION

The Proposals

RESIDENTIAL PATH SECTION

PUBLIC GREEN SECTION

Linden Village

PHASING DIAGRAM Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

PHASING DIAGRAM

The first stage of implementation would be the creation of the neighborhood center, which includes the central green space and immediately surrounding mixed-use and commercial buildings.

The second phase would include building the connection between the library and the Linden McKinley STEM Academy, developing the mixed-use and commercial buildings around the library and the location of a neighborhood grocery store on the south end of Cleveland Avenue.

The final phase completes Cleveland Avenue by adding mixeduse buildings between the commercial centers, replaces the rental units west of the public green with more single-family units and incorporates the winding neighborhood paths that connect the schools and Cleveland Avenue to complete the pedestrian network.

The Proposals

SOUTH GATEWAY PERSPECTIVE

NORTH GATEWAY PERSPECTIVE 93

Linden Village

Walkable Linden

Denis de Verteuil - MCRP 2nd year

Kari Oshanski - MLA 2nd year

Fangyuan Xie - MLA 2nd year

Michael Hiatt - MLA 2nd year

BS Architecture - The Ohio State University

BS Landscape Architecture - Central South University of Forestry & Technology

BS Communications - Grand Valley State University

BFA Art & Technology - The Ohio State University

The Proposals

School as Icon • Visual axis from Cleveland Avenue to school • Great lawn space is created and framed by medium density housing • Commercial core created at opposite end of vista from school • Civic building is core of the commercial area • Neighborhood retail flanks ends of medium density housing • New open space creates public gathering space • Public gathering space become a place for markets and events • New low density housing to replace blighted housing • Greening of alleyways to connect with the park • Great lawn axis with Cleveland Avenue • Civic buildings to cap the great lawn axis • Housing to frame new great lawn

Cultural Center • Library is expanded and program is added • Library becomes cultural center for the neighborhood • Commercial / mixed use core is generated from cultural center • Hudson and Cleveland Ave become center of the neighborhood • Visual axis from Cleveland Avenue to School • Visual axis from school to Cleveland Avenue is terminated with a civic core • The two cores grow into one larger district • Visual axis from the school to Cleveland Avenue is terminated with a civic core • The axis is framed with single family housing to create stewardship of the youth. • Expanding the Library to create a cultural hub • Using the expansion as commercial / mixed use catalyst • New commercial and mixed use area becomes new center for the neighborhood • New center become area for gathering people

Homestead • Impacted area is re-purposed as an urban homestead typology • Personal gardens create ownership and an avenue to create wealth • Visual axis from Cleveland Avenue to school creates a natural market place • Supporting commercial space for venders to have a permanent location • Medium density housing frames visual axis • Medium density housing has homestead gardens facing axis • Public homestead gardens create new face for the community • Homestead housing model as means to produce food and create ownership • Impact area targeted for reinvestment in housing typology • Markets as a small business incubator and economic generator 95

Linden Village

Plaza & Library Expansion

Medical Center & Green Walkway

Homestead Housing Typology

Great Lawn & Recreation Center

The Proposals The goal is to revitalize and reconnect the community of Linden through approachable and sustainable design. Our studio was driven to create a vision for the future of Linden that strategically balanced the wants and needs of the residents. The concept was driven by the idea of a walkable Linden and how this can generate community. We designed four important and walkable nodes to Linden that provides amenities to the neighborhood and also creating an environment that helps generate community.

Plaza & Library Extension The plaza is The plaza space located at Hudson Street and Cleveland Avenue and is the center of the community. It concentrates the commercial activity to one location to create a vibrant active space. This is also where the main bus stop locations are located so passengers waiting for the bus can also have an enjoyable space to be in. The library has also been designed to expand to accommodate more programing. This added programing will generate activity for the neighboring plaza. Decorative paving also visually designates the walkable Linden area. This area is the pedestrian focused areas.

Linden Village

Urban Green Corridor This concept creates many opportunities for the community to interact with each other and nature. Within this concept there is an Urban Green Corridor. This is one of the main stops and connections within the walkable linden link. At the north end of the Urban Green Corridor, there is a new medical center creating a focal point which will bring a new medical center into the neighborhood since one of the centers in the neighborhood closed in late October of 2011. The Urban Green Corridor creates a greenspace with a walkway that connects the medical center to the great lawn. This greenspace promotes health and wellness within the community. There will be many opportunities for programmed elements within the corridor for the community members. These elements will bring residents of all ages outside for opportunities to interact with each other. Programmed elements such as community gardens, reading nooks, water features, and plazas will create opportunities for interaction and will form a sense of community within South Linden. Not only that, but medium density housing will be placed surrounding the Corridor. It will bring more housing options to the neighborhood and will allow more commercial stores to be successful with the increase in population of the neighborhood to support commercial stores. In addition, the two to three story housing will form a sense of place when flanking the corridor by forming an enclosed area within the neighborhood. Not only that, but each housing unit within the medium density housing area will have their own individual porches which will emphasize the front porch feeling that so many community members see important. As was said earlier, the Urban Green Corridor will form the connection through the neighborhood from the newly built medical center to the great lawn in front of the newly renovated Linden McKinley S.T.E.M. Academy. URBAN GREEN CORRIDOR PLAN

The Proposals Urban Green Link -Promotes health and wellness -Creates a sense of community

Programmed Elements -Community Gardens -Reading Nooks -Water Features -Plazas

Medium Density Housing -Creates additional housing options -Forms a sense of place for the urban green corridor

Linden Village

Homestead Gardening Four nodes of development exist within the Linden revitalization design. The third node proposes a homestead gardening model of residential housing. Currently, single family unit housing is divided symmetrically by alleyways, a thoroughfare for public traffic. This design proposes restricted public access to these roads, allowing residents the freedom of gardening mobility within an open communal space. The alleyway now serves as a vessel to which residents will service their gardens and convene amongst one another. According to the National Gardening Association, every 4â&#x20AC;&#x2122;x8â&#x20AC;&#x2122; plot of garden space is capable of yielding $600 worth of fresh produce annually.* The city of Columbus offers rain barrel programs to qualifying communities in an effort to promote living off the grid, making gardening an attractive commodity. An affordable implementation to existing street blocks, this design is targeted to revitalize and reconnect the community through sustainable gardening. *NGA, www.garden.org

scale 1:8

HOMESTEAD GARDEN PLAN

100

HOMESTEAD GARDEN SECTION

The Proposals

Great Lawn To strengthen the awareness of Linden-McKinley High School, we create a visual access to it through a neighborhood park. So, people can see the school from Cleveland Avenue through the park. Within the neighborhood park, programs can be designed for people of different ages. Playgrounds can be set for kids, sports fields for teenagers and some benches and secondary open space for the elderly. The idea is to increase opportunities for people to meet their neighbors and to gain a sense of community. Besides, we create a recreational center at the end of the axis of the school and the park to anchor the space and drive people to the Cleveland Avenue. It serves as an extension of activities from the school and the park, and also helps revitalize the main road.

GREAT LAWN PLAN

GREAT LAWN SECTION

101

Linden Village

102

The Proposals

Design Summary Over the course of ten weeks, the students of this design studio worked towards the creation of these master plan visions for the Linden neighborhood. Each design team used the neighborhood analysis to generate concepts that would guide the development of a master plan for Linden. Each plan has unique ideas that address the various issues of concern for the neighborhood. These plans would not have been possible without the valuable input of the residents in the Linden community.

These master plan proposals are also intended to provide a framework for the detailed studies of the neighborhood that will occur in a design studio during the Autumn 2012 semester at the Knowlton School of Architecture. The studio will use the master plan concepts to develop more refined, site-specific proposals.

The master plan proposals are presented as concepts for the Linden residents to use as ideas about the future of their community. Each design team generated a wide range of ideas and concepts for the neighborhood, offering a great variety of options to meet the needs of all constituents within the community. The Linden community may choose to accept a single project or borrow ideas from each of the proposals in order to mix-and-match whatever design features that they find to be best suited to their community. Ultimately, if these concepts are adopted by the City of Columbus or the GLDC then the residents should be involved to provide input on the designs that will be implemented in their neighborhood.

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Model Though the model is made from materials that are common, the techniques and technology used to shape them is anything but. The process starts with the vector files which were downloaded from Franklin County’s GIS (Graphical Information System) database, and brought into AutoCAD (Computer Aided Design). From there, the lines were sorted into separate layers, and cleaned up so they could be used in the Knowlton School of Architecture’s technology lab. Medium Density Fiberboard was used to create the base, and the streets were carved out using a CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) milling machine. Each structure within the study area of the model was cut out of acrylic sheets using a computer controlled CO2 laser cutter, which follows the outline of the building footprint with excellent precision. The buildings were then glued to the base model, one by one by our team of model builders. The buildings were color coded, with white being structures that were not visibly vacant, red signifying buildings that were visibly vacant, and black being public or institutional buildings. Due to its large size, the model had to be built in two parts and with a collapsible base in order to fit through standard size doors. In order to understand the relationships of buildings and spaces at a large scale, it is helpful to have a model of this size. When dealing with master plans that encompass large portions of an area as big as a neighborhood, it is necessary to be able to see the

entire area of study in order to appreciate what is being proposed. In addition, this model will prove useful to next year’s class who will be executing the second phase of this studio.

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CAD file of the neighborhood

Discussing the platform

Laser cutter making the houses

Cleaning up the roads

Cutting the roads

Fine detailing of the roads

The Proposals

The finished product in final review

107 The model from above

Gluing the houses onto the board

Linden Village

Conclusions This book comprises the work of twelve graduate students from the Knowlton School of Architecture (KSA) at the Ohio State University who were tasked with the challenge of developing a master plan of south Linden for the Greater Linden Development Corporation (GLDC). The GLDC works to â&#x20AC;&#x153;improve the quality of life in the greater Linden area through housing and economic development, planning, coordinating of services, and other community-building activities.â&#x20AC;? (GLDC website) The partnership between the KSA and GLDC brought forth new ideas and conceptual master plans promoting a positive future for the Linden neighborhood. Linden is a neighborhood that has struggled with various issues and constraints in recent history. The neighborhood was once a thriving community that was considered a desirable and livable neighborhood, but in recent history the neighborhood has fallen into disrepair and has suffered from a range of issues that brought blight to the area. The KSA students assembled the work of a ten week design studio course at OSU to create this report.

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The work for this report began with six weeks of data collection and analysis, which was used to inform four weeks of master plan design. This work is the first phase of a multiyear project that is being managed by Professor Jesus Lara. The second

phase of the project will be carried out in another graduate-level design studio that will be taught by Professor Lara during the Autumn 2012 semester. The contents of this book will provide a foundation for the second phase, which is to develop in depth and detailed studies for site-specific design proposals. A review of this report shows that there is a positive and exciting future for the Linden neighborhood. The ideas generated by the KSA students demonstrate the great potential that lies within the people and places in Linden. Phase two of the Community Design Studio for a Sustainable Urban Future for Linden Village is sure to produce promising results that will continue the momentum for change that was started by the GLDC.

The Proposals

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