Misplaced Pages

#515484

55-472: Italian Village is part of the Short North area. The neighboring Downtown district provides access to major employers, cultural and learning institutions, and entertainment venues. Italian Village is located in the north side of Columbus, Ohio just north of Downtown and adjacent to the central business district. The area is bounded by Interstate 670 on the south, Fifth Avenue on the north, North High Street on

110-659: A broad front porch. Some commercial buildings reflect Italianate or even Victorian styles in their architecture, but many were renovated after High Street was widened in 1920. Buildings tend to be two to four stories high with a storefront at the base, an upper façade, and a building cornice or parapet at the top. Masonry construction with details of wood, brick, stone, or metal characterize these commercial buildings. Storefronts are almost always articulated into bays with large expanses of glass while upper floors resemble residential buildings with regularly spaced windows. Most industrial buildings are also two to four stories high and of

165-572: A decrease in commercial vitality; the new residents did not have the money to support local businesses on High Street. In 1951–1952, Italian Village lost a portion of Russell, Lincoln, Brickel Swan, Goodale, and Poplar Streets to a slum clearance program for construction of the inner belt and urban renewal . Continuing into the 1960s, institutions were demolished and the population of Italian Village declined. Landlords became absent as did Catholic schoolchildren, and consequently Sacred Heart Grade School and High School closed down in 1973. Concerned with

220-464: A limit of $ 808 million per year. Federal subsidies helped alleviate potential hurdles in acquiring land with high purchase costs. In some cases, cities were unwilling to progress with slum clearance unless significant amounts of the original upfront cost could be reclaimed by sale of the improved land. Estimates from the National Association of Home Builders suggested that subsidies authorized to

275-511: A sense of community. In 1978, Community Development funds identified the Italian Village target area and supported housing improvement efforts. By the beginning of the 1980s, the Italian Village once again attracted middle-income families to the neighborhood. Revitalization of the area earned the Short North an “All American City” designation. The neighborhood's Second Avenue Elementary School

330-412: A street system with extensive alleys that serviced horse stables behind residences. Entering the early 1900s, the Italian Village was a stable middle-class residential community. Its proximity to downtown ensured access to goods, services, and recreational facilities and provided employment opportunities. Electric trolleys carried residents to places that weren't within walking distance. Italian Village

385-475: Is heavily populated with art galleries, specialty shops, pubs, nightclubs, and coffee shops. Most of its tightly packed brick buildings date from at least the early 20th century, with traditional storefronts along High Street (often with brightly painted murals on their side walls), and old apartment buildings and rowhouses and newer condominium developments in the surrounding blocks. The city installed 17 lighted metal arches extending across High Street throughout

440-652: Is home to Nationwide Arena and the Columbus Convention Center. Short North The Short North is a neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio , United States, centered on the main strip of High Street immediately north of the Arena District and extending until just south of the University District and Ohio State University . It is an easy walk from the convention center or Nationwide Arena district to

495-471: Is responsible for maintaining the park. The committee accepts contributions and provides updates to residents. Recent grants have enabled perennial bed plantings, donated mowing, and other forms of lawn maintenance for the park. The uniqueness of Italian Village can be attributed to its historic buildings, narrow brick streets, and pedestrian amenities like mature street trees and front porches. Its character also credits Italian style, which can be recognized in

550-489: Is still held today and the Italian Village Society puts on Holiday Potlucks. Salsa Saturdays are held on Lincoln Street. There are multiple restaurants and bars in Italian Village itself, as well as art galleries. Most of these are local businesses. The neighborhood also offers other opportunities for entertainment within the Short North including theaters, farmers markets, and pocket parks. Nearby, Downtown Columbus

605-801: The 1952 presidential election , President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower referred to the requirement of having decent housing for Americans forced to live in slums as a "moral obligation". In 1957, Congress began planning for new legislation that would help to clear slum areas, having authorized the federal government to provide $ 1.25 billion of funding since 1949 to cities for regeneration or demolition of run-down neighborhoods. States that were promised funding included $ 143 million for New York , $ 83 million for Illinois and nearly $ 29 million for Massachusetts . Some states, such as Florida , Mississippi and South Carolina , did not pass laws that would have allowed their communities to participate in slum clearance schemes. The Eisenhower administration intended to reduce

SECTION 10

#1732854801516

660-403: The "wrong" type of people to be living in the city, helpless to prevent it without proper policy or controls in place. Between 1932 and 1952, eradication of slums was federally supported, yet nearly every city still contained neighborhoods with derelict or unsafe housing. The Emergency Relief and Construction Act of 1932 approved slum clearance loans and new low-rent housing, yet New York City

715-570: The 1890s, the first Italian immigrants moved from Flytown to the nearby Italian Village area and worked in stone quarries, construction trades, railroads, and local businesses on High Street. The quality of the Italian Village's buildings as well as its character can be attributed to Italian craftsmen. In 1896, St. John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church was founded and helped to form the Italian-American community. Additionally,

770-618: The 19th century, although mass slum clearance did not occur until after World War II with the introduction of the Housing Act of 1949 which offered federal subsidies towards redevelopments. The scheme ended in 1974 having driven over 2,000 projects with costs in excess of $ 50 billion. Contemporary slums have been dated back to population growth in industrial cities during the Industrial Revolution , where workers would crowd into subdivided or makeshift dwellings because no new housing

825-569: The 800 block of High Street completed in 2019 now houses the US headquarters for Swedish fintech Klarna , as well as two restaurants and a hotel operated by Marriott 's Moxy brand. Some developers, such as the Wood Companies, have been active in the region for many years, and continuing to propose new buildings, such as a fifteen-story residential complex between Hubbard Ave and Wall Street. Further north, Stonewall Columbus has also involved itself in

880-511: The Great Depression brought attention to Italian cuisine because the home grown food was much less expensive. This food was sold locally at restaurants like Presutti's Villa Restaurant on West Fifth Avenue in Grandview and small groceries throughout Italian Village such as Salvatore's Grocery. At the height of employment there were approximately 6,000 job opportunities in walking distance from

935-560: The Short North Tavern opened in this area, the first to use this new name. A reputation for diversity and an artistic, Bohemian atmosphere has marked the Short North, with land prices and local rents rising steadily from the humble beginnings as a squatter’s neighborhood in the 1980s. Prior to this gentrification of the neighborhood which originated from artists, it had suffered prolonged decay and from latent, street-level crime and gang violence as Columbus affluent residents followed

990-419: The Short North has also hosted the annual Doo Dah Parade , a parody of typical Fourth of July parades that includes politically slanted paraders and floats as well as absurdities such as the "Marching Fidels," a band of Fidel Castro lookalikes. The parade starts in neighboring Victorian Village , at Goodale Park , and winds north to finish coming south down High Street. The City of Columbus has designated

1045-565: The Short North, along with portions of Italian and Victorian Villages as a "market ready" Community Reinvestment Area, with available 15-year, 100 percent tax abatements if projects include 10 percent affordable housing, with options to buy out of the requirement. Beginning around the turn of the millennium, the Short North has gone under a major period of construction and development. Major construction has turned previously small lots into ten-story buildings, sometimes taller, often with mixed residential, commercial, and office use. A construction at

1100-475: The Short North, reminiscent of such arches present in the area in the early 1900s. Originally known as part of the "near north side", the area along High Street began to be called the "Short North" as part of vernacular used by police and taxi drivers in the 1980s. This was a period of decline in the area, and from a suburban commuter's perspective, the area had fallen 'just short' of the central business district's north end—both physically and economically. In 1981,

1155-523: The area, which made room for other residents. African American migrants then moved to the Italian Village area for work prospects, which consisted of railroad machinery and iron works. A small group of African Americans settled in the northeast section of the village and established the Bethany Baptist Colored Church in 1882. Later on, Italians were attracted to the neighborhood by employment opportunities that were within walking distance. In

SECTION 20

#1732854801516

1210-472: The area. Most manufacture uses are concentrated east of N. Sixth Street and north of E. Second Avenue, while others are found along N. Fourth Street and E. Fifth Avenue. The City of Columbus has designated part of Italian Village, along with portions of the Short North and Victorian Village as a "market ready" Community Reinvestment Area, with available 15-year, 100 percent tax abatements if projects include 10 percent affordable housing, with options to buy out of

1265-476: The budget for the Urban Renewal Program from $ 250 million to $ 175 million for the 1958 fiscal year, however following protests from city mayors across the country, Congress ultimately chose to increase the budget to $ 350 million. As of June 1966, projects which had gained approval had clearance intended or completed for over 400,000 houses, displacing over 300,000 families. Within the clearance areas, 35%

1320-534: The building had fallen into a state of disrepair. Capital Equities purchased the building and renovated led by anchor tenant WSA Studio, a local architecture firm known for historic renovations. The building is now fully occupied as a vibrant office complex. The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, which produced coal mining equipment, was a major employer in the Italian Village area early in the 20th century. Located along North Fourth Street, Jeffrey Manufacturing had more than 3,000 employees. At one point in time, Jeffrey's had

1375-512: The buildings are residential, including single family homes, double houses, and row houses. Most residential uses are low density and located in the northwest as well as along the area's major corridors. Approximately ten percent of the buildings are commercial, which are concentrated along N. Fourth Street and E. Fifth Avenue. This is a higher land use than directed by its zoning code. The zoning code also calls for more than two thirds manufacturing, though industrial buildings are scattered throughout

1430-668: The center of the Italian Catholic community. In keeping with Italian Catholic tradition still alive today, parishioners would walk to church in major processions on the feast day of St. John the Baptist and other feast days that were celebrated in their native Italian hometowns. Italian is still spoken in the halls after Mass at St. John the Baptist Church, but the congregation's American-born generations are replacing their native Italian predecessors. The Berry Brothers Bolt Works building

1485-498: The destruction of historic buildings, neighborhood residents and property owners began to take action. They envisioned an improved neighborhood and formed the Italian Village Society in 1973 to preserve the historic value of the district. The Columbus City Council then formed the Italian Village Commission to further combat the deterioration of physical conditions. Soon after in 1974, the "Italian Village Development Plan"

1540-503: The distinction of being the largest single employer in Columbus. The administrative building that housed the company still stands today, making it a historic landmark in Italian Village. The Italian Village Park, located within the confines of the district, is a public park that commemorates Carl Proto, a Columbus native. The park is centrally located and boasts a playground as well as picnicking facilities. The Italian Village Park Committee

1595-550: The domestic policy agenda, including the eradication of slums. Congress in 1949 approved the Housing and Home Finance Agency to offer local assistance with renewal projects with grants between 66 and 75% of the project cost. In some cities, slums were cleared solely for aesthetic reasons with little regard for those displaced. Despite 6.5 million new housing units built between 1945 and 1952, some cities saw an expansion in slum areas. While slum clearance did not feature prominently during

1650-492: The economic bubble outward—into the suburbs —during the 1960s and 1970s. The 1980s saw the neighborhood's rebirth enter into full gear as galleries began to open up and started to flourish. As Maria Gallowy (owner of PM gallery, formerly the oldest gallery in the Short North) once put it "It was one of those neighborhoods that artists love to move into because the possibilities are there." In 1984 two Short North area galleries —

1705-617: The entire Short North to have a total revenue of around $ 3.8 billion USD annually. The study further found that the entire neighborhood is valued at $ 954.9 million USD, generating just over $ 10 million in tax revenue per year. Slum clearance in the United States Slum clearance in the United States has been used as an urban renewal strategy to regenerate derelict or run-down districts, often to be replaced with alternative developments or new housing. Early calls were made during

Italian Village - Misplaced Pages Continue

1760-416: The historic Italian Catholic Church. The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, located at 274 East First Avenue, was a producer of coal mining equipment. At one point in time, Jeffrey's had the distinction of being the largest single employer in Columbus with 3,400 employees. The Clark Grave Vault/Clark Auto Equipment Company, located at 375 East Fifth Avenue, had 1,200 employees. On Fourth Street near Goodale Street

1815-667: The lack of attention given to the potential of regenerating existing structures deemed to be dilapidated . Some slums may have been viable for inexpensively cleaning up through use of stricter safety and sanitation enforcement. In the mid 20th century, a housing court was established in Baltimore with the power to impose penalties for violations of agreed codes of practice, which in turn helped to regenerate around 16,000 slum properties. The Housing Act of 1949 offered federal subsidies to local redevelopment projects, allowing local agencies to clear and sell blighted land for redevelopment, up to

1870-490: The late 19th century were successful in razing the Mulberry Bend area, then deemed to be one of the most blighted sections of the neighborhood. Mar Vista Gardens is a housing project completed in 1954 built on an abandoned celery field. Construction paused in the early 1950s when a 6.4 acre strip of land was discovered to be county territory and was annexed in 1952 as part of slum clearance measures. Manhattanville Houses

1925-620: The main landmark and most distinguishing feature of Italian Village. St. John's drew members were mostly from the Columbus’ Italian immigrant population, including the St. Clair Avenue neighborhood, Flytown, Grandview, and Marble Cliff areas. The mission of the church was to bring Italian immigrants together and give them opportunity to worship in their native language and with the practices familiar to them from their earlier lives in Italy. St. John's became

1980-450: The maximum amount could have cost in excess of $ 12 billion. The act was hindered by defensive priorities, with clearance grants deferred if the project was not consistent with defense requirements. Clearance of slum and blighted areas could be justified as serving the defensive effort as these areas were considered the most vulnerable in the event of enemy attack. In 1951, 32 cities and towns surveyed indicated that much of their cleared land

2035-724: The mostly vernacular architecture of the neighborhood. Residences in Italian Village are predominantly influenced by the Italianate and Queen Anne architectural styles. The Italianate style is defined by vertical proportions, asymmetrical floor plans, and low-pitched roofs as well as ornamental brackets at the cornice and decorative woodwork on porches. Characteristics of the Queen Anne style include steeply-pitch, irregularly shaped rooflines, asymmetrical massing, and numerous different window treatments. In Italian Village, residential buildings are set on narrow lots, close to each other and close to

2090-545: The now defunct Art Reach and PM gallery — began opening new exhibits on the first Saturday of every month to help cross-promote their businesses and build a more unified community. This loose coordination later evolved into the Gallery Hop which is still held every first Saturday of the month. The Gallery Hop today features most businesses keeping their doors open late into the night, jam-packed streets, and sidewalks populated with street musicians and other performers. Since 1983,

2145-620: The primary reason for government intervention. In 1949, the Senate Banking and Currency Committee stated in its report that 1 in 5 urban families lived in slum conditions. Federal law required cities to relocate displaced residents in safe and sanitary permanent residences prior to demolition of their slum home, with priority for available public housing. A report in 1950 suggested that over 6 million dwellings, representing around 20% of all city housing, did not meet minimum sanitation standards. Following World War II , housing issues became top of

2200-428: The redevelopment of the Short North, partnering with Black Gold Capital to propose a multi-story complex on the site of Stonewall's current parking lot. On June 23, 2023, ten people were shot and injured in a mass shooting on North High Street. By 2024, as part of a study commissioned by an alliance of local businesses, two consulting firms, JS&A Economic Development Consulting and Metris Arts Consulting, valued

2255-537: The requirement. Italian Village was one of Columbus' first suburbs. The land was uninhabited until the Columbus-Worthington Pike (High Street) was built in 1823 and provided access to the area. With this road stimulating residential growth, the Italian Village area was annexed to Columbus in 1862. The North Columbus Street Railway Company, along with the progression of street car service, helped to develop Italian Village. By 1899, transportation had enabled

Italian Village - Misplaced Pages Continue

2310-517: The same masonry construction with many windows, some wood and some metal. Several industrial structures have brackets or decorative brickwork, reflections of Italianate cornice detail. Alfonso Pishtelli, one of the first residents of Italian Village, recalls attending concerts at Goodale Park and Italian festivals on St. Clair Avenue with his family and friends. “[They] looked forward to Saturdays because typically it would be mostly weddings when people [could] get together.” The Columbus Italian Festival

2365-522: The south, spanning the length of High Street from the north side of Goodale Street to the south side of 7th/King Avenue. It is flanked by Victorian Village to the west and Italian Village to the East. The Short North is a densely-populated commercial and residential district, with especially high pedestrian use during its monthly "Gallery Hop" and other local and downtown events. The Short North has been described as "colorful", "offbeat", and "trendy". The district

2420-542: The street from Radio Cab, Producer's Oil sold gas for 16 cents a gallon. There were numerous other smaller businesses that brought employment opportunities. Although the Italian Village flourished in the 1940s, it began to decline after World War II. Society's mobility increased- original residents moved to the suburbs and lower-income families moved into Italian Village, some after being displaced from other neighborhoods. Large single family homes were converted into multiple family dwellings. Along with residential decline came

2475-406: The street with alleys in the rear. Each house is typically two to two and a half stories high and has either a hipped or gabled roof, characteristic of Italianate style architecture. Rowhouses are constructed of brick with flat roofs and Italianate decorative cornices. The American Four Square House is common within the village, reflecting Italian architectural elements like the hipped/gabled roof and

2530-597: The west, and the Conrail railroad tracks to the east. N. Fourth Street, E. Fifth Avenue, and E. Second Avenue serve as primary corridors within the neighborhood's street system, which remains a grid street configuration. Specifically, N. Fourth Street is one of the primary routes through downtown while E. Fifth Avenue crosses both the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers. Both N. Fourth Street and E. Fifth Avenue contain residential, commercial, office, and industrial buildings. Eighty percent of

2585-694: Was available. Congress authorized $ 20,000 for a survey of large city slum conditions in 1892, although did not take any action until the final year of the Hoover administration in 1932. The definition of a slum was classed by the Federal Housing Act of 1937 as "any area where dwellings predominate which, by reason of dilapidation, overcrowding, faulty arrangements or design, lack of ventilation, light or sanitation facilities, or any combination of these factors, are detrimental to safety, health or morals". Clearance programs garnered some criticism, particularly at

2640-468: Was built in 1874. It is one of the oldest remaining school buildings in Columbus, built at the same time as the First Avenue School and Stewart Alternative Elementary School, also still extant. Though Italian Village was a mixed ethnic area, it may have received its name from St. John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church. The church was founded in 1896 and subsequently built two years later. It became

2695-534: Was constructed in 1888 and remains one of Columbus’ most prominent factory buildings, having been named a historic site in early 1988. The National Register of Historic Places deemed the building worthy because of its architecture, its place in local history, and its potential to be an industrial archaeological site. During its time of operation, the factory used original equipment to produce machine tools, like bolts, for factories that built buggies. Berry Brothers continued production even as cars replaced buggies. By 2004,

2750-409: Was created with the help of volunteers and Ohio State University students. The Development Plan defined common problems and proposed rehabilitation of historic structures as well as additional solutions including development of recreation facilities, improvement of transportation flow, and enforcement of housing condition codes. The Italian Village Society and Italian Village Commission helped to develop

2805-522: Was once an immigrant neighborhood, named for its high concentration of Italian immigrants in its earliest days. However, the Italians were not the only ethnic group to occupy the Italian Village, nor were they the first. From around 1850–1870, the Irish resided in the southern part of the village as well as around Naughten Street (Goodale Boulevard), which was nicknamed "Irish Broadway." The Irish community then left

SECTION 50

#1732854801516

2860-591: Was proposed for residential redevelopment while just over a quarter was reserved for streets and footpaths. Although initially starting with wide political support, it became controversial over time. Federally subsidized clearances ended in 1974, after funding over 2,000 renewal projects at a cost of around $ 50 billion. Proposals for slum clearance came as early as the 1820s in relation to the Five Points neighborhood in Lower Manhattan , New York City. Efforts towards

2915-613: Was the Smith Brothers Hardware Company employing 500 people. The Berry Bolt Works at 30 East First Avenue had 240 employees. Immediately south of Jeffrey's factories, at Fourth and Warren Streets, was the Case Crane, Kilbourne & Jacobs Company with 200 employees. The Radio Cab Company on Fourth Street and the Columbus Burlap Bag Company next door had a combined total of 200 employees. Then directly across

2970-487: Was the only place where development occurred under the act. In 1933, the act was replaced with the National Industrial Recovery Act which focused on slum clearance and home construction for low-income families and produced nearly 60 projects that built around 24,500 new houses. The first federal slum clearance program was proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, citing the high cost of land as

3025-589: Was to be reused for private residential developments, with some public housing also included. Some slum clearance projects suffered delays as a result of local resident hostility towards clearance and forced migration. In some neighborhoods, foreign-born and minority ethnic residents occupied some of the worst city center housing, yet they feared moving away from their own language and cultural groups. African Americans in particular felt strongly that their areas and houses were targeted for urban renewal through means of ethnic cleansing and that they would be classed as

#515484