Columbus leaders and residents are ready to move forward on a new long-term downtown strategic development plan.
Mayor Jim Lienhoop says Envision Columbus took about a year to develop and included three meetings with public input.
"Columbus sort of needs a product it doesn’t offer today," Lienhoop says. "And that product is a walkable residential area, and what we mean by that is the ability to live someplace, walk to work, walk to recreation and walk to a grocery store."
A steering committee and consultant group selected four initiatives from a list of 16 proposals to roll out next year.
Lienhoop says they’re focusing on developing a downtown grocery store, a new hotel/conference center, townhomes and neighborhood revitalization.
The plan also aims to increase foot traffic downtown to provide more business for retail and restaurant establishments.
Funding for the project comes from The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County through the Cummins Foundation.
