Columbus, how it grew and the misunderstandings (Cleveland, Cincinnati: transplants, 2009)

[streetcreed]

Columbus is one of the most misunderstood cities, in terms of how it grew and what is was like in the past.

Statements like the one below are often uttered but are infactual. It is not to the fault of the writer of this statement, but it is that Columbus' background and history is very different than that of other cities in the region it sits.

Pittsburg and Columbus are two examples of formerly dying cities that are experiencing growth.

Columbus was never a dying city. Pittsburgh was, yes.

Columbus was never an industrial mega city. During the industrial boom Columbus added some manufacturing jobs, the city built more buggies than any other American city.

However, the brains in charge of Columbus actually made some efforts to keep factories out of the city. This meant the city never had mass immigration. The city planners decided to annex under developed townships before suburbs could eat them up with their own development.

During the 30s, 40s, and 50s the majority of Columbus' citizens worked for the state, universities, or for small to medium sized companies. Columbus had their own banks, and still does, and much of the African American population was working in the commercial sector.

Now, this meant that much of Columbus was a conservative place. The lack of mass immigration and a lower working class prevented the city from unionzing, to the degree of most cities, and meant there was less social friction.

During the 40's-1980s the city annexed land. Much of the land did not start to develop until the 1970s. The city was literally looking decades ahead at future development patterns.

By the 1980s the city was a place that had little decay, good infrastructure, and plenty of available land for massive suburban style development.

By the late 1980s the development came and Columbus had one of the lowest economies in the 1990s. With this office, residential, white collar development came, many transplants, urban gentrification (after all the neighborhoods were in mint condition, by lack of industrial decay), and lastly a more liberal, very educated population.

Now Columbus has transformed into a city that is one of the largest in size and population. It has seen urban gentrification and further diversification of its economy.

The city is a Democratic haven, socially progressive, yet known for its ability to harbor entrepreneurial and artistic spirit. (As can be seen in the cities Short North Arts District neighborhood just north of downtown.)

Some have described Columbus as a city that had a gigantic bubble covering it through World War II, the industrial 50s and 60s eras, and during the social movements of the 60s and 70s.

When the dawning of the 80s came Columbus was one of the most preserved mid sized cities in the developed NE, midwest, great lakes region.

Columbus was the perfect place for economic growth to occur, as there were little negative barriers standing in its way.

Many of these changes have also caused Columbus to be one of the least understood American cities. Those who came and visited smaller, convservative columbus in the 1980s fail to realize how economic development has changed the city in 2009.

I hope this quick run down helps some of those understand the interesting urban planning that was put in place to create the Columbus of the 80s, 90s, and today.

[jmargaret]

Thank you, Teacher. Although, this short overview appears slanted in some ways--due to Columbus' lack of planning for growth, it has also created problems for itself. It is now one of the premier examples of Suburban Sprawl in the nation.

[streetcreed]

Thank you, Teacher. Although, this short overview appears slanted in some ways--due to Columbus' lack of planning for growth, it has also created problems for itself. It is now one of the premier examples of Suburban Sprawl in the nation.

It is true that Columbus' post WWII development, specifically the development from 1970 to the last 1990s.

However, every American metro saw this kind of development. If you look at the footprint of metro Columbus it is actually smaller and less sprawled out than many other metros of similar size. Having a 20 minute, traffic free, commute is the a long one in Columbus.

Some metros consider 35 minutes, out from the city core no traffic, to be a norm.

The main difference is the Cincinnati or Cleveland metros have just as much or more sprawl than Columbus. However, Columbus' is in the city limits while the other metros have their sprawl in a suburb or township.

Which is better? Atleast Columbus' is decently dense and had some zoning requirements. Nothing is more wasteful than a sprawled out township that allows for massive yards, no sidewalks, and encourages very low population density.

Columbus is nearly devoid of any extreme low density growth, much of the post WWII development occurred in decently dense planned neighborhoods with retail strips (some heavily declining) on the main street which has the neighborhood developments coming off like spokes.

[NorthPoleMarathoner]

Originally Posted by jmargaret

Thank you, Teacher. Although, this short overview appears slanted in some ways--due to Columbus' lack of planning for growth, it has also created problems for itself. It is now one of the premier examples of Suburban Sprawl in the nation.

I would say sprawl is good.

And sprawl is not necessarily from lack of planning. Most of it had to do with the development of the interstate highway system, the rise of the middle class and social welfare programs that didn't work.

[jmargaret]

North Pole Marathoner works for a developer....

[NorthPoleMarathoner]

Nope. Work for a food distribution company in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Go buy a house in Davis, California and tell me why sprawl is a bad thing.

[1watertiger]

columbus does have a more suburban feel to most of the city(except its core area). but again its a new city compared to most in the midwest/great lakes region. our relatives/friends from c-bus always comment on how alot of our suburbs in cleveland look older than most of columbus proper.

[GeminiGal]

Originally Posted by streetcreed

Columbus is one of the most misunderstood cities, in terms of how it grew and what is was like in the past.

Statements like the one below are often uttered but are infactual. It is not to the fault of the writer of this statement, but it is that Columbus' background and history is very different than that of other cities in the region it sits.

Columbus was never a dying city. Pittsburgh was, yes.

Columbus was never an industrial mega city. During the industrial boom Columbus added some manufacturing jobs, the city built more buggies than any other American city.

However, the brains in charge of Columbus actually made some efforts to keep factories out of the city. This meant the city never had mass immigration. The city planners decided to annex under developed townships before suburbs could eat them up with their own development.

During the 30s, 40s, and 50s the majority of Columbus' citizens worked for the state, universities, or for small to medium sized companies. Columbus had their own banks, and still does, and much of the African American population was working in the commercial sector.

Now, this meant that much of Columbus was a conservative place. The lack of mass immigration and a lower working class prevented the city from unionzing, to the degree of most cities, and meant there was less social friction.

During the 40's-1980s the city annexed land. Much of the land did not start to develop until the 1970s. The city was literally looking decades ahead at future development patterns.

By the 1980s the city was a place that had little decay, good infrastructure, and plenty of available land for massive suburban style development.

By the late 1980s the development came and Columbus had one of the lowest economies in the 1990s. With this office, residential, white collar development came, many transplants, urban gentrification (after all the neighborhoods were in mint condition, by lack of industrial decay), and lastly a more liberal, very educated population.

Now Columbus has transformed into a city that is one of the largest in size and population. It has seen urban gentrification and further diversification of its economy.

The city is a Democratic haven, socially progressive, yet known for its ability to harbor entrepreneurial and artistic spirit. (As can be seen in the cities Short North Arts District neighborhood just north of downtown.)

Some have described Columbus as a city that had a gigantic bubble covering it through World War II, the industrial 50s and 60s eras, and during the social movements of the 60s and 70s.

When the dawning of the 80s came Columbus was one of the most preserved mid sized cities in the developed NE, midwest, great lakes region.

Columbus was the perfect place for economic growth to occur, as there were little negative barriers standing in its way.

Many of these changes have also caused Columbus to be one of the least understood American cities. Those who came and visited smaller, convservative columbus in the 1980s fail to realize how economic development has changed the city in 2009.

I hope this quick run down helps some of those understand the interesting urban planning that was put in place to create the Columbus of the 80s, 90s, and today.

Very good post.

[GeminiGal]

Originally Posted by jmargaret

Thank you, Teacher. Although, this short overview appears slanted in some ways--due to Columbus' lack of planning for growth, it has also created problems for itself. It is now one of the premier examples of Suburban Sprawl in the nation.

First, you have no idea what your talking about. You obviously have never seen the suburban sprawl that I have experienced living in many Southern cities.

Question: Why don't you spend your energy discovering the wonderful attributes of your new home of CT instead of consistently trashing a place you no longer live? You spend so much time here, I am begining to think you secretly miss it!

[jmargaret]

I miss the HOME PRICES in Columbus, but nothing else. This particular forum intrigues me because I know for a fact that there are staff people who work for the city and other agencies who are paid to post things on the forum to reflect Cowtown in an ultra-positive light. So it amuses me to read those things. And right now most of the people that I am with in this office are laughing hysterically at this whole scuttle so I will move on. They find the posts amusing, as well. And, unfortunately, I still have to go back to Cowtown at least once a month (hopefully this will change soon) so I am not completely removed from the area.