In this week’s installment of Ask The Mayor, Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon addresses this issue and more at City Hall. Listen to the full conversation with Indiana Newsdesk anchor Joe Hren by clicking on the play button above or read some of the questions and answers below. A portion of this segment airs 6:45 and 8:45 a.m. Wednesday on WFIU. Here are some highlights.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
Hren: I saw the flood waters came close a couple weeks ago during the storms but looks like they've receded. Did it delay the riverfront project?
Ferdon: It delayed it, but not to the level that people think, because they built in time knowing that it was spring, and so we knew that there were possibilities that there would come weeks when they wouldn't get anything done.
The last time we talked we did a lot of mitigation, or did a lot of tree removal, and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management demands mitigation for that. So we're going to be replacing a lot of those trees off of Water Street. And then later, we'll be actually replacing trees along the riverfront when the project is completed.
I think, this week or next week, they're going to start pouring the walls for the amphitheater. And so that's really exciting. And again, the dam will come out later this summer. They'll start armoring the banks for the erosion, and then we're still planning a ribbon cutting in October.
Hren: I read a report about implementation of the city's 2030 plan and the four pack plus area, but from someone who doesn't live there, could you give us some insight on that?
Ferdon: So we really had divided the Columbus downtown plan into three areas. One was real estate, right? The available spaces that we have. One is infrastructure, which is connecting people with trails, signage and that kind of thing, and then programming.
The real estate group has been working on kind of, some of our major recommendations, which are on the west side of downtown. We have Hotel Indigo, and then we have the old Commons. The part of the old Commons Mall was a Sears building, so that and an empty lot next to Hotel Indigo. And we have an area where we're looking at potentially putting a hotel extension conference area, as well as some retail and housing.
One of the key pieces of that is like an indoor, outdoor market hall. And so we recently approved funding to hire a master developer for that whole project.
Hren: I want to get your reactiond about NTN, USA Corporation ramping down to close a plant here. What kind of impact will that have on the economy?
Ferdon: I'm going to get the other the name wrong. It's a Continual Joint, CV joint plant. They have two on site, and then they have a forging plant on site. So they are closing one of the three plants, and so that will affect about a third of their workforce, but they will still be a major employer here in Columbus, but they're doing it over the course of time, and so they expect to see some attrition. Some of their employees will retire. Some will move to other plants.
We always have a need in Bartholomew County and Columbus for workforce. Our unemployment rate right now is 2.6% which is really low. So our goal is and we will be working with NTN, along with the greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation, to find a way to transition some of those employees from NTN to other companies in the area.
Hren: I see an affordable housing project is moving forward at 14th and Hutchins Avenue. When we talk about affordable housing, what makes it affordable in Columbus?
Ferdon: That's actually permanent rental supportive housing and so that is an opportunity for affordable housing for people, many who've lived on the streets. It will be located right next to the United Way complex. I think it will have space for 17 or 18 individuals with their pets.
Many times we have people who are homeless or who have difficulty staying in housing of any kind, because they have dogs or cats with them. We're looking forward to seeing how that works. But it will not be owned by the City of Columbus. It's owned by Volunteers of America.
Hren: What's your take or thought on home ownership, permanent affordable housing?
Ferdon: So I believe that a lot of times when people move into permanent, supportive housing, or even just what we call affordable housing, oftentimes, they're probably not prepared to own a home or own property at that point in time.
It's a big jump from even from an 18, 19, 20-year-old to go from a parent's house or a rental apartment to move into something where they're not only responsible for monthly mortgage payments, but they're also responsible for the upkeep and sometimes lawn care and all the things that go along with that.
So I think it's a big jump. Most of us have a goal at some point in time in our lives, to own a home or a condominium or something of that nature. So I think it's something always to work towards, but I think it's a lot oftentimes needs to happen first, so that we can help prepare people for what home ownership looks like.
Hren: Anything else you'd like to announce?
Ferdon: So I don't know if you're familiar with Columbus, back in the 1970s residents started seeing a monster around Mill Race. We believe that he might be disturbed with this riverfront project. So in October 23 through 25th will be the inaugural Mill Race Monster festival in Columbus. So tune in to hear more about it. We're very excited, and we hope to be able to see a sneak peek of that monster.
