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THE DEVELOPMENT

FOR

IT .~L;, 0AN'' . .......... ...... . . . ~ . .

.:ILLAGE .. . COLUMBUS, OHIO

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NOVEMBER 1974 , ;f:__ . . . , r/J . .. . ~ c) z . t> ~ j (rrJ;-~ { iJ;, ;t~-A: f L,:i':J, .

Summary - -

Boundaries-

Acknowledgments

Area Background -

Organizational Background

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dangerous Housing (Code Enforcement)- -Fire Zone One

Statistics- - -

Transportation (Public and Private)

Utilities (Sewers, Street Lighting, Water Supply)

Community Facilities- -

Social Service Agencies - - - -

Land Use- - - - - - - - -

Rehabilitation (Economic Sense)

New Construction in Italian Village - - - - - -

- - - - l

4

5

7

- - - - - - 9

- - - - - 13

- - - - - - 15

16

19

28

- - - - 35

37

39

- 44

49

51 A Guide to Rehabilitation -

community Improvement Tools - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 59

Housing Rehabilitation Tax Exclusion-- - - - 62

Physical Environment- -

Rating System - - - - -

Design Proposals for Italian Village (Parks, Trees)

69

86

90

Recreational Facilities - - - - - - - -- - - - - - 94

Italian Village Society as a Non-Profit Housing Corporation - - - - 95

Tourism - - - - - - - - - - - -

Citizen and Government Participation-

i

- - - - - - - - -- -

98

99

SuMMARY The plen clearly ahows desires of resident citizens input from Ital18n Vill~ge.

Of prime importance is the commitment from the City to eet8bl1sh It~lien Villege

88 Code Enforcement area. Fire Zone One establiehej by the Fire Dep~rtment

through 8 City Council Ordnence rQmains en important part of Village protection. StatisticBl information has been gleaned from the 1970 census report. ThesQ statistics have changed dr81tically in the pa!t five years, with the late~t

urvey of tatistics shown in comparison.

A study of Tr~nsportation erterials, secondary, end re1idQntial streets with recommended changes discussed therein. Street repairs ere discussed in en attempt

to develop 8 program of maintaining brick streets, the section ends with 8

brief discussion of public transportation.

Combined sewers are a problem but more often a nuisance. Cleaning, maintenance,

and new drain entrance covers ere of prime importance. Street lighting of res-

idential streets is very poor. Recommendati~ns to update street lighting, for

public safety is much needed throughout Italian Village. Water sy~tem preesure

is excellent in residential homQs, however the closQness of buildings would seem to require developers of apartments to increase the number of fire hydrBnta

in their construction Breas.

A summ8 ry of existing cormnunity facilitie~ shows public Bnd private facilities

directly involved in the village and ere n service to Village residents.

Social Service Agencies are scattered throughout the Village, and while Village

residents derive services from these egencie, they also receive services else-

where in the Near Northaide. One problem all the Social Service Agencies are

concerned with is the different agencies ere spreed fer apart and the need of

one centrally located building somewhere in the Near Northa~de h8s Brieen.

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Land use concerns ~ere etudied w:i th resiclentfal holt~ing being III primary

target for voluntary repair, carefully observing the ~rchitectursl conser-

vntion, and concerns that commerd.l'lli~m and indu:r;trfal opertitions are not

a threat to regidential areas.

The development of uring economic sense in P.ehebilitation versus the derr,olition

of existing structures to be replaced by new construction is thor r.Lt,)1ly

explained. Vacant land uses are developed for new construction.

Included ie a summary guide to rehabilitation in keeping with Brchitecturcl

proportions for prese~t structures in Italian Village.

Past and new requests in the use of Community Tools, i.e., Tax Exclu si ons,

neighborhood Housing Services, l'!nd the Community Urban Redevelopment of

Corrunercial Concentration l'!e needed tools of the Village di~cussjng the City's poeition on each.~ seperl'!te treatise has been devised on Tax Exclusion end

proposed methocle of use.

The development of e four month !tudy on the Phy~icl!l Envirorn!lent has produced

various ch~rts describing, building types, zoning, architeetursl signifier.nee,

colors of builnings, stc:1te of repl'lir, conditions of e~ch building, a r~ting

system, viistee, sound and dilep1dt1ted structures currently on eite in t;1e

Villege.

There ie ll Design Proposal for min:t-p~rks, tr ee plantings, etreet furniture,

construction of e fountein end ornamental street lighting, all for improvement of the street scene environment. Recreational facilities ere practically non-existent in Italian Village, therefore

en approech toe mini-gym with weightlifting equipment 111nc tumbling mats for

year round use in e structure thet would relate to en edministretion unit for

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e proposed outdoor swimming pool to he used by residents of the I~~l18n

Villl!lge.

A Aepnrl!lte plan for the development of the It~lien Villlige Soc::l'.ty D! e non-

profit hou~ing services corpor~tion is not included, however t brief di~cussion

of the developr.1ent of this corporc,tion is included.

A look to the future reletive to the Convention Center Tour:tsts infiltrllting

the eree in !earch of commP.rciel !ervices ~nd their trips to vie\ ,; histori.c r.!l

re!toration ~nd rehebilitation of a well pl~nneu community as a wonderful

plece to visit and live.

A need for furthP.r citizen end Govern-nent cooperetion is emphl'lsized in the

finality of this report.

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The Italian Village Plen hes been compiled as e guide to effective implemcmtl'ltion

of a series of events leading to the rehabilitation, preserv~tior., and conser-

vation of the housing stock and physical environment of thP. arP.a known as

Italian Village. This plan discusses major 1esources end problems of the orea, recommending changes necessary in land use and 7.oning, in tr11nsportation, ancl

in public facilities.

BOUNDARIES OF THE ITALIAN VII.LAGE AREA

The boundaries of the Italian Villa~e study area are, on the north, East Fifth

Avenue, on the East, the Penn-Centrsl Railroad; on the south, the Goodale

Expressway; and on the west, North High Street. The area contains about 200+

acres. The Italian Village is centrally located within the City of Columbus,

lying just north and contiguous to the Central Business District.

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A CKNOWLEIX;MENTS

The recommendations of this report follow applicable guidelines of the most

recent Objectives and Policies of the Columbus Plan: 1970-1990. The author, Gilbert M.V. Ricketts, Pre!ident of the Italian Villge Society, is gruteful

for the advice llnd commentery offered by the Italian Villc1ge Sod ety, Ital ic1n

Village Business Associates, The Italian Village Commission, the residents

and property owners in the Village, ~lso to the Most Reverend Edwcirc G.

Hettinger, Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus for

providing facilities for public meetings at Ryan Hall, Svcred Heart School.

Many articles and sections in this plan were written and study work done by

other groups and without their contributions this plan would not have been

possible.

On behalf of the Society and Cormnission our gratefulness to the students

from Ohio State University who gpent four months in compilation of statisticel

data, ~nd for the erea color charts included herein from their study.

Tom Logsdon, Ch~irman 8nd Planning Student Kevin Dougherty, Architecturel Student Donald Berges, PlanniHg Student Stephen Heiser, Planning Student Robert Weiss, Planning Student

For the members of the Italian Villege Commission end their Chairman who h~ve

contributed much dialogue, and written information incorporated herein.

Robert A. Busser, Architect, Commission Chairmsn James Munsul, Architect, Commission Member H8 rry H. Shaw III, Funerel Director, Busines~men, Commission Member Cerrie Russell, Attorney, Commission Member and Resident of Itelian Villege Sam Smith, Postal Employee, Comr.,ission Member ~nd Resident of Italian Village Chester 1. Dennison, Commisaion Member, Contractor~ end Reeident of Itelien Villege Willi 8m Flood, Commission Member, Bue1nee~men, Jerfrey Mining and Machinery Co. Our epecial than1:s to Tully Ross, Planner, with the DepDrtment of Development City of Columbus

Our epeciel thanks to Grant Dyer, Zoning Administrator, with the DepBrtrnent ot Zoning, City of Columbus

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Our thenkB to the Jeffrey Mining end Machinery Co. for fin11ncial l!Ssistence Our thenkB to Battelle Memorial Institute for fin11ncial essistlmce

Our thanks to the Executive Board of the Italian Village Jo Anne Dennison, 5ecret~ry Sam Smith, Vice Pre8ident Mary Dennison, TreasL1rer end to committee chidrper~on8 end their comm1.ttees of the Italian Village Society

RESOURCE

The Vieux Carre Hi8toric Demonstration StucJy, BL1reau of Governrr.ent hesen:1:ch New Orleans, Louisiana, DEC 68

The Vieux Carre, New Orleans, It's Plan, It's Growth, It's /1rchitecture, Bureau of Government Research, New Orleans, Louisian~, DEC 68

On Site Study, New Orleans, 1973-1974, Gil Ricketts On Site Study, Philadelphia, Pa. 1974, Robert A. Busser On Site Study, Quebec City, Quebec, 1973, Gil Ricketts On Site Study, Toronto, Ontario, 1974, Gil Ricketts On Site S--:Udy, Baltimore, Maryland, 1974, Robert A. Busser

An analysis of Community Improvement Tool8, Columbu!, Ohio, Department of Development, City of Columbus, 1974

Stephen, George, Remodeling~ Houses Withcut De!troying Their Charccteristics

GBbree, John, Surviving the .f..!!:i

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AREA BACKGROUND

Italian Villeee has emerged es a historic reminder of the early Iri~h-ItaliBn

settlement in Colwnbus, and later as a solely Italian !Pttlement. With its

nerrow brid: streets and artistically brick romaneaque, gothic, and Florentine

gingle !Ind double family homes of the Italian PBlazzo style, the area is

reminiscent of the towns and cities from which immigronts cor:e ir. t:1e ll!te

l800's and early 1900's, the Village ~till retein~ some charm of Rn Olil

World City.

The area's hou:;ing stock is structurally sounrl with a low level of maintenance

at the Villages inception of the study arec1. Situated elong the eastern border

of the study e.reo, industriol ffrms cluster in well-knit groups with little

intrusion into residential neig-:ibor~wods.

Migration of low-income families into the area has seriously affected the

area's pJ1ysical and sociEil nvironment., s110wing symto:ns of slum :i:ormc:ition,

overcrowd:tng, end deterior8tion. Stabilizing inflnences have been the St.

John, the Baptist, It~lfan National ChLtrch, 21nd Sacre,J nel!rt Church end School

Complex, Third Avenue Methodist Church, Senior Citizens High Rise, Taylor

Terrace, end the recent activities of the Second Avenue Section of the Near

Northside Neighborhood Council now known as t!1e Italian Village Sod .ety.

On the North, Ohio State University in close proximity to the study erea er.d .

on the south the renewal of the CBpitol Square 8rea with it's Convention Center

complex to be built on the border, on the West the remainder of the Near North-

aide Neighborhood Couneil area, composed of the Victorian Villege end Harriaon

west area, cre~te thP. need for further cooperetion an~ ~~~r.dinpt1on between

institutions en~ cor::nunity.

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Rtf ?St? zn

The italian Village Society and ltelian Village Commi~sion is attempting to:

(e) To tudy F"oblems and. detennine the needs for, 8nd of the City in furthering the purpose of rehebilitation, restoring, and preserving

the area of the City known e! the Italian Villege,

(b) To determine what legislation, if any, i! nP.cessary to preserve, restore and develop the Italian Village area end to recommend

legislation and physical improvements to City Council,

(c) To determine from existing Social Agencies, their problems, needs, and recommendations.

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IP'IW@:XM .

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

In the Spring of 1972 e small group of neighbore sttempted to reorganize the Second Avenue Section of the Nenr Northside Neighborhood Council in vn effort to have streets cleaneu, street lights replaced, pot holes on streets repaired.

The neighborhood had declined rapidly in tha past five ye~rs. It hcd been divided

when the Goodale Expre~sway was built forcing many long time residences to move

elsewhere. Demolition in the clearance of other areas showed them that by being

displaced from their homes many people felt this would happen here end the

standard excuse of not investing more money in repairs to the propel'ties became

the norm thus rapid acceleration of property decline began. At this point it

became very difficult for any organization to be formed and find sufficieLt

residences to back it.

Obtaining a local meeting place had been difficult, finally an c11l out effoyt

began with printed bulletins passed door to door and the first large meeting

stirred interest. However the first few meetings though lllrge in attendt1nce

were fruitless, discussione and blemes were passed back ,md forth, accusation~

of past problems, who had done whet for the neighborhoou in attempts to estAblieh

self satisfaction or some present, lenulord tenant difficulties, and other

discouraging remarks. Finelly by AugL1st the n..imber declined to a managc1ble

orderly group, a group thet really was intere~ted in the future of the neighbor-

hood. Discussions in earnest began on organizl'tion, how to let thg city know

there were people here interested in the community. The first step was to drl!ft

e constitution to regulete the meetings, zoning was 1lipshou and completely

urwnanageable, therefore a study group of the area zoning end problems was made,

with reconrnendatioM end requeata to the City. Some Conrnit:tees met elJnoet deily.

1n October 1972 en election we held end the new organization had it' firat

alate of officer. Work beaan on requesting fund from the city, state, and

federal goverrnenta in the form of en Urban Renewal Program. Lettera were even

aent to the Preaident of th U.S without enawer. Hower, by the end of Noveniber th Preeidnt of the U.S. had topped ll fu~da. Same dieccuragernent aet in.

-9"-_JS4M 4.%Z.P a. w Jt .Q! i@) ,S& .. Jq:& U!Q. KW>,;)$ St . .))Qi ~,: , '!CM t+4.a., ~ .

Many discussion! evolved on how to turn the erea around to make it a safe,

decent, plece to live and work in. Some suggestions of past history cEtme 8bout end from Historical background it was felt a new name and new irnree

could be given to the area.

History showed them Irish and Italian had both settled the arec1, b:.it the

Italian style of b..iildings prevailed throughout the area, and it was then

decided to call the aren Italian Village, reqnest a corranission from the City

of Columbu~ to be established in the area. Italian Village was publicly an-nounced in January of 1973, zoning requests bece.me law in April of 1973, end

by September 1973 an Italian Village Ordnance had been passed by City Council

giving a much needed commission. The Italian Village Society operated the

commission from Septer.:ber until January of 1974, when cornmi~sion members were appointed.

The Commission is beginning it's second year opersting the provisions of the

ordnance. The Society is still a functional citizens org~nization feeding

information into the cormnission, with citizen input from the Society. The

Commission is the leg~l representative arm of City Government. Commission members

ere appointed by city government. Five merr.bers of the nine member colill'!lission

sre appointed by the Itali8n Villaee Society. Two members are eppointed by

the Mayor end two members ere eppointed by City Council. One member eppointerl

by City Council is a council member.

Items appearing before the commission are first preeented to the Society one

week in adv8nce of the commission meeting, tlme enabling ti1e Society's citizen

input to be presented to the commission.

'.l'he Society and the Commission have worked well together end one fruitful

event is the evolving ot this plan.

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It~linn Village Connnission

The Commission meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 4:30 P.H. in Ryan

Hall, Sacred Heart School, 893 Hamlet Street, a public hearing open to the

public.

To accomplish its goal of pre~erving, rehabilitating imd restoring t~1e Italian

Vill~ge Area, the cominission reviews changes proposed by the property owners

for any exterior maintenc::nce, new constr:iction, fences, signs, and other it'inS

controlled by the ordnance. The Commission attempts to render recommendations

to both property owner and the City for improvements which would enhunce the

Italian Village motif. In order to present their proposals to the Commission,

property owners must file an application for a "Certificate of Appropriateness"

with the Commission Secretary. The Secretary then schedules a project reviE'w for the applicant for the next meeting.

The applicant is requested to provide pictures, plan~ or drawings of t1e pro-

posed work to the Comriiission for review. Upon review, Commission members suggest

measureB that may be taken to maintain the property in keeping with City codes

and the Italian Village ordnance. After review, the Commission votes to either

recommend approval of the project, or disBpprove the proposed work. If the r.omrnission recommends npproval, the 5ecretary then issues the Applicant a

"Certificate of Appropriateness" stating the intended changes to be made. The

applicant receives two copies of the certific8te, one to be kept on the project site uuring work, the other to present to the City to obtain eny building or

zoning permits.

ltelinn Village Societx

The Society is e citizens organization and hes created a Non-Profit Housing

Development Corporation established es e Neighborhood Hcusing Services Corporation

enebling that erm of the Society to receive, locel, state, and Federal tunde '

together with private grants and loans. Thie corporation ia operated end controlled

by 8 board of Trustee end the Executive Board of the Society it' principal

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i l I I I I ,

. W5FSF " - 7 ~13..-x; r-., g -;zm A 3 n ~ ~n

o!~icera The SociPty i!i' PJ citizens forum for involvement in the Community

Planning process, end provides a mechanism for citizens to be heE1rd in their neighborhood. The Society is open to membership of interested businesses, prop-

erty owners, and residences of the Italian Village~ Other members ~ecome non-resident members. Membership dues are nomin0l. Patron Members do not need to

have an interest directly in the Villa88 Area merchants supply certain ciscounts

on purchases of home improvement materials at various times when prcsenter.1embership card of the Society. The Society publishes? newsletter monthly con-

taining interesting points of information for area residents. The Society is

an active member of the Near Northside Nei.ghborhood Council. Italian Village

is one of three neighborhoods subscribing to the Council, along with Victorian

VillAge, and Harrison West. The Society was brought into being as a measure

to halt thP needless demolition of worthwhile homes, and to prevent further

blight end deterioration of the area, also to bring ebo~t a form of unity in

deslgn and purpose for the Italian Village area. The Society has since esta't ,li~hed

a firm commitment to the neighborhood.

Further information regarding the Italian Village are~ may be obtained froJll

the Corn.~ission Secretary, Department of Development, .City of Columbus, 67 tforth Front StJ:eet, Columbus, Ohi.o, 43215. The Society conducts monthly meetings

st 7:00 P.M. on the Second Tuesdt1y of each month in Ryan Hall, Sacred Heart

School, 893 Ha~let Street. The meetings are open to the public.

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I l

l>Al~Gtf.OUS HOU.3U:G

Due to ebandoned, vacated, run-down and hazardous buildings, all rehabitable,

neglected buildings, s good portion of the residnts of the Village Bre being

forced to live under extremely hazardous conditions.

Italian Village should be as a first priority designated a code Enforcement

area effective i!TlP.1ediately. It is recommended that a minimum of fo ur ins pectors

be assigned in quadrants. Each property owner receiving orders should hcive an

attached :-lyer stciting the property is in Italian Village ancl subject to the Itnlian Village Ordnance with information outlining procedures for permits

and repair work. These four inspectors should be assigned to the area for a

minimum of two years. At any time towcird the f uture that services of four

inspectors are not demancli:-ig their f lll "'..:i:.1e, a rnini~um of two inspectors would

remain solely attached to the project aren. The offices of these inspectors would be located in the Village in conju :-.ction with the project housing services office.

Zoning Enforcement inspectors could be coupled with housing fnspectors in the

area, should the City grant authority to Code enforcement areas. Insofar as

zoning violations occur they could be reportec. directly to zoning and each

inspector assigned would hRve the authority to initiate zoning violation orders,

and stop work orders. Since the blanket zoning of Italian Village has taken

place, many zoning violations have appeared and they seem to happen deliberately

when inspectors are unavailable.

Currently there is one inspector assigned to Italian Village, in addition h~ is

assigned to three other areas, a command of areas fer too large for one inspector

to handle even the complaints. At the tiree of this plan th~ inspPctor assigned

had been on the sick liet, ~ith no one replacing him.

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SYST:C:HATIC

CODE

ENFORCEMENT

PR

FIRE ZONE ONE

Italian Village has e portion of its land use area covered by Fire Zone One

under Section 2503.02 Columbus City Codes 1959. This fire zone wvs passed by

city council in order to prese .. :ve the public peace, property, health, safety

and welfare of the buj_ldings and persons involved. Although Fire Zone One covers a considerably larger area in Columlms those portions within the Villcige

are described below,

Star'ting at center point of Second Avenue and North High Street; thence east to the centerline of Mt. Pleasant; thence south on Mt.Pleasant passing the end of Mt. Pleasant in a straight line to the Goodale Expressway; thence west to the centerline of ?~orth High Street; thence north to the Centerline of East Second Avenue and North High Street the point of uginning.

Buildings encompassed within these boundar:'..es have codes directed in their

construction, zoning, spacing, fire walls, and other requirements in addition

to normal codes required.

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STATISTICS

Housing in Italian Village reflects a moderDte to low inco~e nei;hborhood.

30% of 1300 housing units are owner-occupied compared to the Columbus Per-

centage of 48%, b~sed on 1970 census figures, which now ~eem inaccurote. ~ survey in early 1973 again showed a higher percentage of home owners closer

to the Columbus percentage. 745'~ of the units are renter occupied in t)~e Vill-age, 8% lack all plu1i1bing and 2% lack kitchen facili tics. Most homes con-

tain the basic facilities. As in any moderate to low inco r,1e corrnnunity t :,e

:'.ledian value of the owner occupied homes were low (t6 ,600) when compared with the city average of ($17,100). These values were 1970 census, there ag~in showing some inaccuracies, while Village property hcis risen tl,000

the city average took a tremendous increase according to Franklin County

Court House statistics in their 1974 report. The units in Italian Village

are older than most of the city stock with 77% of the structure~ being built before 1929.

These buildings serve the income group they house as well as can be expected.

The median rent is $70.00 in the Vill~ge compared to the City average of ta1.oo. The values of the homes in the Village are determined by geographical location

of the structures, condition of the home and market demand.

20.27% of the families in the Vi:lage earn income below the poverty line. This

c~npares with 9.8% for the Columbus area as a whole. Yet the labor force

percentage is nearly the same for males and femBles in the Village as in Colwnbus. This creates a high percentage of working poor. This statistic be-

comes part of the cycle of children leaving school early entering the employ-

ment market, but still living et home. Median income for the Village ia ~3, 800 compared to $6,906 for Columbus es a whole. 52% of the famlliea do not own eutou1obiles.

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Crim@ stetlstics Bre emong the lowest city wide. According to Police Stetistic~

very few major crimes take place. Only 53 adult crimes and 12 juvenile crimes took place within the community during 1973. Most crime was not of a physical

nature (rape, murder, assault), only seven were burglary. If the vrec1 1.as had a bad reputation for being a crime infested area, it appears ;roundless.

16% of the Males and 24% of the females are over 60 years of age. This is

16 percentPge points higher than the Columb_us average. This also carries over

into the "family heads" category, showing many more seni:>r family heads than

in the remainder of Columbus. This statistic reflects a pl-!ttern of migration

of young wage earners leaving for other areas.

The number of youths in school is another important statistic. A high percentage

of youth between 16 and 21 are net in high school or no high school graduate~,

(51.2%}. The number of high school graduates are 20.7%, low compared to t.~e Columbus average of 55.6%. These factors all interact with the low and median

income of the area.

Recent statistics from Benchmark released in October of 1974, strongly shows

a need for up-grading older neighbor:10ods. 3,000 students are rr:oving out of

inner city neighborhoods.~Dollsrs are not available for rehabilitation to these

families to maintain them in these neighborhoods. Population over the age of

65 seemed to be satisfied with housing as is. Most dissatisfaction occurs in

low and moderate income neighborhocds. An amazing figure concerning trends to

displace people shows that 82% of the Coll.unbus populetion intends to move en.;-

way in the next three years.

The tatiatica of the 1970 census having been reflected are now five years

~ld. vaet changes have occured in the Village since 1970. Two schools serving

the area have been closed. Sixth Avenue served portions of the northern erea,

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when closed students were forced to attend schools further north c~ucing mass

exodu 8 of grade school families in the sUMrner of 1974. Sc1cred Heart SchC1ol

closed in June 1973, at le;ist 100 families from this school dispersed to otl~er

sections of the city. Thus stability norms in the past two years hc1ve cl-:enged

rapidly. A void existed in housing, and while accur~te statistics of new ~igrvntE

cannot be accurately determined, these 1'!cw imrr.igra.1ts on t J1e surface appe;ir to

be senior citizens. Other senior citize:n nep-comers have br~Pn estciblis l!et' c:t

the Senior Citizens building on North }lfgh StTeet called The NeH F::ec:nci~, these seniors are all in addition to the Senior Citizen T.:Jylor Terl'cice established at

the time of the 1970 census. Senior citizens living in private homes ere either

renters or ho~eowners. Only one school ser ves the ~r ea at the end of 1974 ~nJ

its nm:1~ers Ehow the ueclining trend, were it not for occasional boundary chrnge?.

Since the 1970 census, many structures have been demolished, abendcned, or

vacated. Those abandoned and vacated Bre structure.lly sound and ripe for rehRb-

ilitation.

T:.1e Italian Village Society has gnined strength -and substBnce from these Senior

Citizens who take an active part ir . civic duties. Many stories have corae wj_th the new migration of senior citizens as they adapt to their low and moder~te

income statLtS. They reflect the cause of peat clearance projects, highway or urban development and do not have a desire to loose their homes again. Thi~ seg-

~ent of olll~ popu:ation is the most harmed by displacement. But in rehabilitation

ar .d restoration it hz:s been cle8rly noticed in the year of 1974., that Commisr-ion

hearings have been strongly attended by Senior Citizens in their a .. .:tempts to make

Iuilian Villtige a good community to live in. !: vast majority of Ser.ior Citizens ::ire the most frequent segment of the Village population doing t ;1e nost rehabilitatior.

~nd restoration. Protections and guarantees towards the senior citizen will be

strongly motivated in their efforts to not be displaced from the Vill~be 'nleee

same senior ~itizena although in the low end moderate income level, heve the morel,

eociel, and economic value thet tend to make Italian Village a vieule ateble

community. -18-

TRANSPORTATION

Accessibility throughout the study area through its major arterials is generally good. Although automobiles are heavily useu, availability of

mass transit as a means for many individuals to get to and fro m work, shoppinf,

and vocational-educationl'll centers is critically important in t'his erec1.

Some areas, such as the Summit-Fourth Elre?, pre carved by arterir.ls into

undesirable and dangerously small pieces. This problem should be solved

through the Community Development Act program proposed in this report.

~ARROW STREE!S CONTRIBUTE TO CONGESTION

In Italian Village the Columbus street network can be groupe

EXISTING ARTERIALS NEED IMPROVEMENT

North High Street is designated the major north-south arterial throusih and on the western border of the village, a common border shared with Victorian

Village, and some mutual studies betv.,een the two villages should remove c1ny

conflicts. Redevelopment of commercial land along High Street to proviC:e oif-

e:treet parking would alleviate an already tremendous problem d11e to the ptirkinf

ban at peak hours, which allows for additional traffic...;moving lanes during these

noLtrs This is an especially important route, and is also s major mass transit route, with conflicts arising between buses and autos for use of the sar,1e lanes

Sur-:mit Street/North Fourth Street form a functionc1l rcdr of cne-way streets

Both streets are mass transit routes, having problems with conflicts for lc>nes

between buses and autos. The t,,.;,o streets terminate unwieldly north of the stLldy

area at Hudson, where a jog carries throu~h traffic to Indianolc1 P.,enue, e two-lane, north-south arterial. The off-street pc1rkin5 bF.n is in effect on both

these streets during peak traffic hours and is detrimental ~nd difficult for

residents to find suitable parkini spaces. :.ong range proposals for improvements

of these streets would impr~ve the fl.ow of through traffic and parking problems

through the study area.

Fifth Avenue is a major east-west arterial through and bordering the northern boundary , of the study erea, crossing the Olentangy River west of the

Village area and interchanging with I-71 east of the study erea.

The street system in Italian Village was laid out in the l870's in e

gridiron pattern with narrow c1lleyweys end offset or curved intersecti.ons. The

twisting narrow streets togetl 1er with buildings set close to the curb line in

many areas create a sense of enclosure. Small vistas unfold when approeching

an intersection end stir enticipetion of what the next turn -will revefl. Thus

-20-

. F ilfK?ti '1e:)H4"~b%f5 1 :tli~la..@ . 3? 7.il r I

the street design has been an important feature of the Italian Village creation.

However, the major streets bring relatively high volumes of trcJffic througr the area including through truck traffic jarring the quiet image of Italian Village. The combination of on::street parking end two-way traffic movement on some of

the narrower Strtets, and visual obstruction at corners impP.des trrific ci~-

culation. The influx of motoring visitors in cars and buses will add to the

congestion.

On-Street Parkin(' Poses Problems Q The parking situation is chaotic in certain se~ments of the village.Kew land uses

will not be exempted from providing off-street par~ing facilities, the parkinJ

needs of most new residences and businesses will ~e met in part, if not entirely,

by on~street parkin 6 However, this will prove to be ansatisfactory since then

is not enough curb space along many blocks to meet the demand. Presently pc>rldnr;

is banned at certain hours of the day from the North-South routes of Summit Stre~t

and North Fourth Street. Parked vehicles block traefic movement, delay emergency

vehicles, cause inefficient delivery services, and increase the likelihood of

accidents.

Although many streets are too narrow to permit both p~rking on two sides and

free flow of twe>-way traffic, a progr6JT'l of street widening would be economic 8 11y

unfeasible, and perhaps esthetically undesirable. Banning parking along segments

of certain streets to improve traffic circuletion and allow pDrking for uelivery

trucks will have serious disadvantages; since spaces are at a premium, par'king

prohibitions only recluce the supply still more. However, a system of one-way

movement along selected streets, particularly east-west streets, would offer

the advantage of both free vehicle movement and maximum on-street parking.

-21-

If VillBge residents 8nd businessmen indicate an interest in such a system,

the Division of Traffic Engineering end Parking is willing to hold meetings,

conduct field studies, prepare plans, and hold hearings on the proposals. A

one-way system probably should be applied to part or all of llar.1let Street,

allowing parking on both sides of the street with free moving traffic in tl ~e \

center lane, \varren Street, First Aveni1e, Second Avenue, Fonrth Avenuf>, X0tint

Pleasant, Say Avenue, Pearl Street, Prescott Street, and JJincoln t::treet. These

streets a:re only suggested at this time as possible choices for a one-way systcn. r

The actual system can be later agreed upon by the people in the area ~nd the

Traffic Division, if a one-way flow is to be incorporated. Discussions llith the

Traffic Division could also be held on li 1,ii ting trt1ck traffic t o certain streets, _,-

installing stop si gns, elimim itin g left tnrns, bannin 1~ all-c 1ay par k i::-1g on certain

streets, eliminating visual obstructions, w'1ere possible., and identifyi:::ig otl :cr

traffic problems. One point is obvious-- e hi g:r. C::C';::re2 of cooperet i on and coirird t-

ment among property owners will be necessary if ciny such joint effort i .s to be successful.

Brick Streets and Sidewalks c1re I111portant Ini-:redi ents of the ~.1illc1:-,e Irnege

Brick pavinJ of streets ar e one of the elements that gives color and c'!-iarscter

to Italian Village. The manual incorporated in copies of the Itc1lian Village

Code explains the use of brick pavinr,:

The original paving of the Italian Village was almost entirely brfck

because of its abundance in Ohio and its suitability to this climate.

It is noted that the early streets had no curbstones. ~:ot only the

sidewalks and streets were of brick, but a drainage depression was

formed of the same m11terial at the junction between the sidewalk ent1 etreet or in the cente::- of the street.

-22-

Through the years much of the flavor and character of this area has been

lost as streets have been covered by asphalt. Brick sidewalks have eitl1er

been replaced with concrete or obscured with other materials, and curbstones

have been installed.

Today a smnll amount of brick sidewalks exist, and c1 remrirkable 2mo1mt

of brick paving exists, but changes in the original construction had

led to many areas of unpleasant relationships and contrasts. It is

commonly agreed that brick streets used in combination with concrete or

asphalt sidewalks, although not ideal, results in an acceptable c1pnec1rance.

Where the stree:: detracts sufficiently from the texture sur:fc1ce of the

sidewalk to crec1te an undesirable and incongruous appearance. Where brick

is absent in both the streets and sidewalks the effect is ,nost unsatisfacto:i:-y,

especially when there is not 8eparation or relief given hy b,rass areas or

trees, which serve in creating seine surface texture and interest from

their shadow patterns and fallen leaves. It is found that some of the

most interesting and pleasant walks were those which hrd either or both

the street and sidewalk laid in brick or at least one, end further had

large trees along the curb line.

It is felt thl'.: t,1e character of the sidewalks and streets achieved by

the use of brick and the narrowness of the streets, integrates the

assorted buildings Bnd other elements, and lends a feeling of overall

character and "oneness".

New brick sidewalks would be laid as pElrt of many property restorations, b,it

in some cases concrete, especially for driveways, would be used. Another

sidewalk material still in use is cut stone, which is found in curbing elao.

'It is noted that in several instances the wrong type of brick could be uaed

for aidewalka; irregular brick or brickwork.a with uneven surface can be haz-

ardou for pedestrians. Improperly laid brick.a quickly loosen or chip ily

and thus become a potential hazard. Weeds and clumps of grass permitted to

grow between the bricks are not only unsightly but pose Bnother h8zard to

pedestrians. Use of brick for sidewalks would not be mandatory and no special

regulations governing their installations and maintenance. Nevertheless, it

behooves property owners in the area to see to it that the use of brick remains

as asset and does not become a liability.

City agencies and utility companies follow a policy of replacing brickworks

in their maintenance operations whenever possible. However, great vigilance is

needed to see that brick work is replaced and is not covered by asphalt in a

work project. One way to ensure that brick paving is considered in all street and sidewalk repairs would be to form a committee composed of residents,

businessmen, and other interested groups to meet and work with agencies involved

in street and utility maintenance to devise better coordination. One approach

that could be investigated is assigning a specially trained city crew to install

bricks. A progr~m could be instituted to replace bricks where necessary on a

year-round basis. It is recognized that brickwork may be not desirable in terms

of cost maintenance requirements on major streets, but effort should be made to restore and maintain brickwork on other streets and main alleyways. There are three

methods that should be used to retain brick peving materials: (1) preserve and maintain existing streets that are completely bricked; (2) where major streets ...;...__ are covered with asphalt, maintain the curb lane in brick, thus keeping materials

consistent and separating the function of the traveling portion of the street

from that of the parking lanes, (S) where concrete patchwork has been poured 'f... over brick streets, install new bricks on a planned program basis.

-24-

Existing Hass Transit Meets Current Service Needs

The existing mass-transit bus routes include service on North Fourth Street,

Summit Street, North High Street and (cross-town) on East Fifth Avenue. Passenger collection points are well located in the study area.

-2s-

I l I l

FUNCTIONAL STREET

CLASSIFICATION IN

ITALIAN VILLAGE

ARTERIAL -COLLECTOR ""'""' """

SECONDARY ----------------

::

~ -~

- TH I~ .....;.-""t=:::::::::. =:...=~=:!.!:::==i

MA p or PRESE~IT

TRANS PORTA TI ON

PLAN or COTA

BUSS ES

UTILITIES Combined Sewers Need Relief and should be Separated

The combined sto~n-sanitary sewer system in the sturly area is heavily loaded

and has been found to be running full, in some cases, to be operatinz under

pressure. Since the Italian Village area was one of the first sectors of the

city to develop in an urbanized mcmner, sanitary sewPrs, storm SP.wers, and

water lines interlace the streets and alleys. No particular water, storm drein-

age, ~or sanitary sewer problems exist, due to the elevation of the land east

of High Street, although during periods of heavy rainfall, some streets and

basements become flooded. This flooding hes proven to be a temporary nuisance

rather than e hardship. As in most of the older parts of central Columbus, the

sanitary and stoi'il'I sewers are combined in a single system. Presently, there

are no plans to separate the two types of sewers in the Village are~. Main-

tenance, cleaning, and spot improvement programs such as storm dr~in extensions

have been customary in past decades and can be expected to continue in the

future.

A priority need exists to establish periodic cleaning of Storm Sewers. Older

storm drain openings are obsolete in sifting debris from entering the system.

It is strongly urged that all storm drain openings be replaced with iron grid

pattern coverings, sufficient in weight to prohibit removal by children with

omall scaled openings in the grid pattern to allow water to drain into the

system and exclude debris. Establish a program to see that future tap ins from

outer aress do not flow into the areas smaller 36' lines, alleviating over-

loading. These efforts would preclude the installation of separate systems.j..

-28-

I

MAJOR ([ SEWER LINES ' @ DIAMETER OF PIPE

-29-

0 <

s -< (%:

-\:.) ~

Lighting of Arterials and Second11ry Streets Needs Improvement

The need for improved 5treet lighting has been stre!ilsed by area residents Y.

and b11sinessmen. Most incandescent lights are located along the streets

and alleys, with most at street intersections. These light fixtures date

from the l930's and do not meet present nay standards. There have been in-

dividual efforts to illuminate property with flood li ghts, gas light poles

may be installed by some residents of the late 1800's design and are con-

sidered more ornamental than functional but they will contribute to the

Village setting.

Lighting standards requiring 0.2 lumens per square foot on secondary streets

have been achieved on all streets north of Fifth Avenue, in ThurbP.r Village,

and in part of the Dennison J',vem!e Rehabilitation Project. Lighting on major arterials such as Hii;~ Street, Summit Street, North Fourth Street, and East Second Avenue were replaced in 1973 with l Foot Candle Main-

tained lights.

The collector streets of First J'ivenue, \varren Street, and the use of Hull Alley

121 Jhlfid r

an extension of East Hubbard Avenue east from Kerr Street to Summit Street should X be classed as a collEctor, traffic usage durine peak hours is unbelievable in )( t~is alley. These streets should receive lighting of 0.60 foot candle maintained

lights. Residential streets with a spacing of 180' on a 26' wide street require

an installation of 0.4 foot candle maintained. Lights in Alleys will not be

sccomplished until all streets in the City of Columbus have lighting instelled.

At the present time older lighting is replaced on a one for one basis when

complaints are received. However these lights are older lights removed elsewhere

end repaired prior to installation. The use of rehabilitated lights do not increase

light intensity, and the uae of these type replacements may. be exhausted in 8 ahort

period of uaage, cauing a uelesa waste of time, manpower, and money.

-so-

l )

,i

Citizens, concerned about the modern appear~nce this will make of mercury

lamps attached to existing wood poles, should make their desires known to

the city. The Italian Village Society membership voted for the entire area

to receive updated lighting as soon as possible without additional expense.

Another objection was th~t increased light intensity will be too bright, al-though the intensity is based on a National Standard for proper lighting for

driving safety and crime control. Here ,:i_;ain the Italian Village Society un-

animously agreed to receive the increased light intensity.

The Division of Electricity does not install incandescent lighting except for

replacements or a few additional lights in areas that still have incandescent

lighting. The reasons for changing to mercury vapor lights is to improve light

intensity and get more light per watt of power, which results in savings in

operating costs. The City first installs power lines and lights on major streets and then, if the residential areas desire them, they are asked to submit petitions

which are handled on a first-come, first-served basis. At present, there is e

fairly large back log of petitions which will continue to be considerd on bond

issues, Italian Village Section while operating under the Second Avenue Section

of the ?,ear Northside Neighborhood Council did with the Council some four yeers

ago submit these petitions, and as late as January 1974 the City maintained these

petitions were not submitted. See CIP hearings of January 19711.

Staff members of the Electricity Division are willing to meet with property owners

and residents to discuss a street lighting program for Italian Village. Residents

and businessmen desiring new street lights in their area should submit a petition

to the Division of Electrcity signed by at least 75 percent of the effected

property owners~ the Division has found that 1~ is preferable to have the signat-

ures of 75 percent to avoid a aituation where a few owners change their minds end

invalidate the petition. Th~ petition should state the atr~et for which lighting

i requeated, the geographic area involved, end the type nf pole preferred. Wood

-s1-

I I

-

... :,. .... ~ .. - ' .. --" - .. ,,.., \. . .. . : ,,. .. ... ,r - ~ .. .. ,.. ~ .. .. i1

poles end overhead lines are installed from bond money et no expense to

property owners. However, if the petitioners wish ornamental poles, which

include underground lines, or orn8mental fixtures on existing poles, the

property owners must pay the difference in cost.

Several residents will indicate that the city should install gas lights in

~he Village area. There are at least t:wo rec1sons why the City cannot pursue

such a program:

1. The intensity of gas lights does not approach the standard for proper driving safety and crime prevention;

2. The Bond Issue Ordnance, Sectioa 1, from which the money is obtained for street lights specifies "for the purpose of expand 7.ng and improving the street lighting system, power lines, underground tunnels for power lines and other structures;~ installation and construction of power plant improvemP.nts''. The Division is not authorized to spend bond money for anything other than electric lights and lines.

If residents wish to install gas lights on their own property, they may do so,

of course, but the Division of Electricity cannot enter into such a program for

the reasons stated. Should a broad segment of property own.-rs and other interested

parties wish to promote gas lights, they conld form a task force to meet and work

with the City and the Columbia Gas Company of Ohio Inc Perphaps a sin{;le block could be selected for a pilot study to determine feasibility of gas lights in

the Italian Village.

Under the Housing and Community Development Act an idea to improve the environment

would be the installation of corner combined street signs and lights, such 88

those installed in Rochester, New York. Although these may not be feasible for

every corner throughout the Village, the use of these lights could be made

evailable at key entrances to the Village.

-s2-

It has become quite evident from this study that an important priority throughout

the Village is the installation of street lighting. Residents and the Italian

Village Society are in complete agreement on this issue.

Water Supply Needs Improvement

Transmission and service mains in the study area are generally adequate. A

few service lines are dead-end lines and need to be connected with other

existing water lines.

Spacing of hydrants for fire protection has become suustandard, where redevelopment

from single-family homes to apartments will cause an increase in water needs for

adeqaate fire protection. Redevelopers should be required to provide necessary

increases in watex supply at hydrBnts to cornply with Fire Division Standards.

-ss-

WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

@ Pipe Size !Inches) ~ ===;

SCALE 1":1000'

~

-34

-< a: . c..>

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Both Public and Private Schools are located in the Village

There are two elementary schools in the Village, one public and one private.

The Second Avenue School, is a co-educational public elementary school, located

on East Second Avenue between the interf~ction of Mount Pleasant and Sununit

Street. The main building was erected in 1874 and is a Village landmark, the

building is well maintained with a contemporary addition adned to the east

of the main building, without much thought given to architectural styles. In

the board of Educations Bond Issue Passage of }!ovember 1972 this site was to r~ , have been expanded.It is according to the Near Northside Plan of Janu~ry 1972

to include ground toward an easterly direction. Due to the general drop in

student population of the Near Northside it is believed this plan has now been

eliminated. It appears plans from the school board are not given to outside

sources. The main building of this school is an excellent example of Italianate

Influence, particularly the soffets and stone lintels of the building.

Sacred Heart School, a private co-educational elementary school was constructed

in 1955, replacing an older building. Although contemporary in design the school

is compatible with the older buildings of the area beceuse of it's low profile

end brickwork. This school forms part of a church-school complex occupying over

four 8 creo in the heart of the Village. The Church is a principal feature of the

ares, although the present building has existed only since 1922, the old church

and school existed since 1875 on the same site. The present Church building is

of 8 Florentine Design with a Gothic Interior. Two other buildings occupy this

site, the residence of the Auxiliary Bishop of the Romsn Catholic Diocese of

Columbus, who has been established here for over 25 years, and the Sacred Heart

. Convent housing the Sisters of St.Francis who teff the ec~ool. The Sisters of

-ss-

St. Francia still occupy the Convent, although the School waa closed in June

1973, due to declining enrollment of children in the eree, shown by similar

drop in public institutions. The Children of Sacred Heart Bre bussed daily to

Holy Name School. It is hoped that this institution through upgrading of the

neighborhood will once again open the school.

The Third Avenue Day School Nursery iR located at the intersection of Say Avenue

and East Third Avenue. This institution is under the direction of CAMACCO.

The Senior Citizens High Rise :. Taylor Terrace occupies approximately four

acres and it's site lies directly to the West of Sacred Heart's Complex and

directly south of Second Avenue School. Because of the brickwork end well-laid

plan of the complex, it is compatible with the study area.

Another Senior Citizens High Rise is the New Francis located on North High Street

between Lincoln Street and First Avenue, opened for occupancy in 1973.

-86-

SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES

The Inter-Agency School Co:)r

end maintain channels of cormnunicetion between the neighborhood end poli~e.

Officers assigned to this program maintain close contoct with civic and neigh-

borhood organizations and act as advisor and liaison with them. In addition

the officers assigned op~rate a Junior Police Post for boys and girls on sep-

arate nights at the Second AvenuP. .Presbyteril!n Chttnh on West Second Avenue,

ll three year program that has met with much success in the Near Northside.

-ss-

LAND USE

Residential Lend Use One and Two Family Structures should be preserved

Since the dominent land use is residential, the need to halt housing deterior-

ation is clear. This can be done by a combination of renewal programs, mun-

icipal code enforcement, community banking interests, investors, and action

by the Itc1lian Village Soci.ety and Italian Village Commission within the

neighborhood working toward housing restoration, under the Italian Village

Ordnance. Originating in the community, the effort to halt this deterioration

should be coordinated by the Italian Village Society in cooperation and

backing from the city and neighboring organi .zations, with facilities

presently provided by the Sacred Heart Cht1rch and a planner assigned from

the City of Cclmi1'tlus Department of Developrn"c!nt.

Restoration began with Voluntary HoL1sin!j and Inv~stor Repair Progrums Rehabilitation of ho:1sing structures should be carried out as much as possible

by Volunteer groups and Investors in the study area as well as the individual

home owner. Such e plan for this solicitation has been implemented to some

degree, by encouragement a~d a sound plan, coordinated by the Italian Villaee

Society. This plan in the past two years has resulted in numerous stages of

rehabilitation and some complete restorations.

Special ArchitecturEl Conservc.tion of Buildings

Many streets in Italian Village such as Warren Street, Hamlet Street, Lincoln

StreeT, First Avenue, and Fourth Avenue show substantially built horn~A and

institutions of a pleasant and unusual architectural style of Palazzo& end Villea.

Special characteristics are square built two story brick homes and carved, plain,

and stone lintels, slate hip roofs, terrs cotta ml!ssive chimneys, ornete wide

eave covering box gutters. Stonework of buildings are characteristic of Roman

I~fluence while the artwork ahowa Florentine Art.

The Village is not only an erea of atructurea ahowing unique visual unity; it

i 8 residential neighborhood. The restoration of Italian Village 18 initiated

for the preservation of raaidencea, end proper zoning clasaificetion recog--~9-

nizing the existing dominant use acts as a safeguard. The mixture of single,

two, and multiple family structures that now exist in the Village, appears

to be the desired equilibrium. This can be maintained best by enforcing zoning

districts in the Village at R-4, a single, double f~mily zoning district.

However, such zoning should not preclude the possibility of certain properties,

such as large vacrnt lots or large lots with deteriorated industrial structures

that should be demolished, from being used for multiple family units. The site

design, open space, size of buildings, and compati.bility with adjacent properties should be the main consideration in such cases. The single-double family zoning

classification would serve primarily to prevent conversion of resiclential struct-

ures for additional dwelling, units and thereby maintain the lower-density

character.

If the size or shl!pe of a lot does not permit: room for parking, or if by design

a bP.tter yard open space area, garden walkway, or othEr better open spe.ce

arrangement can be accomplished, then a variance could be granted if not unduly

detrimental. The objectives would be to require an effnrt by the owner to l~y out a site desi~n "to accor.iodate parking needs. Or..e required off-street psrking

s;>ace could be E::xempted in Italian Village, assuming t11at one orr-street parking

space is av,dlablP. for each parcel occupied by a residence or commercial use.

-40-

,

Com~ercial Uses Could Thre~ten to Alter the Chsrscter of ItBlten Villahe.

The cha111, of Italian Village would sePrn to attract not only potenthil residents

but also Rightieers and new businesses. The only sector of thP. Vill11ge t11at

would be zoned for commercial uses is alone Higr. Street, and Fifth AvP.nuP, the

remaining larger sector wo~ld be zoned for residentiRl purposes only. The

existing businesses in opPrP.tion in thP residentt~l ~Pctor would be considered

legal nonconforming uses. Generally andPr the Zoning Crde regulritions, no new

businesses can locate in residentiolly z0ned districts. There ere two exception~

to this under city code.

The unrestrained nd.xing c-: comrr.crC'..:.al establishments throughout the residential '

area would he very evident. Besides professional offices, sped.alty shops would

open and a nu:nber of existing businesses would be enlarged. Many goods and

services now non exi~tcnt would hP newly introduced in the area and proh11bly

will not be directer! to the net:>ds of arect rcsiciPnts but rc1ther towsrd a ll'rger seement of t;ie city nnn t(\ to,rrists.

Structtu 4 es originzl'!.y J(-)Sif:ne

Industr is Well located but eome Scattered Non-Conformin uses will be scattered t roughout t e Village.

Large Industrial activities maintain a strip on the EastP-rn boundaries of the

Village and are separated by 8 jagged line of streets north to south thus separating them from the residentir.l neighborhood.

Some light industries are scattered tr :roughout the Village under t11e R-4

zoning. These industries are of a legrl non-conforming use in the neighborhood.

These industries consist :nainly of w,:ire;iousin6, terminal or storage, and of

production operation such E1S fabrication and forging. These indllstries are

located throughout the Village in no ~pparer.t pattern but form smell pockets

of incompatible uses with adverse affects on residential properties nea:r.by.

The noise and . fumes emitted from some operc1tions are particularly disturbing;

the tracl~ and c?utomobile traffic generc1ted is sometioes i.nconveni ,ent and possibly

even hazc1rdous to residP.nts. Most are constructed of exposed concrete block

walls or similar materials. Th (_

some kind of industri~l__g~es in the exist~ .r:ul--

structu::~e may continue indefinitely. However, at tr.e time any of these struc-tures_

is no longer sound for ind..1strial purposes, it should be ir.unedie.tel demolished

to permit a more appropriate developr.1ent of the land, whether residential,

co~nerciel or sone other compatible non-industrial use,

Strii: Commercial Dietric"ts S~1011ld be redeveloped In ti 1e Italian Village Area, the two commercic1l districts along North High

Street and East Fifth Avenue should be restored into an Itelien Motif in con-

junction with the Village Restoration. The closeness of the new Convention Center should add impetus to this wit. specialty shops end restaurants. Upper-

floor residential uses over commercial outlets need draRtic rehabilitation,

many have .been vacated, and a gradual restoration of High StTeet frontage,

to serve the attraction of business from local citizenry as well ss futurP

tourists. Some building owners should be enco1.1rRged to seek rezoning use of upper floors to be converted to office spaces. The clearance and redevelopment

of this commercial strip would be detrimt>ntal to property owners flt the present

time due to a 1963 law requiring a 65 foot set back line for High Street property.

With short lots land use space cou~d not meet the building code requirements.

Expansion of strip commercial development elsewhere in the study area, such

as has been occuring, should be stiongly discourc1ged in favor of a few spotted

services or convenience type businesses in existing commercial propBrties.

REHABILITATION3 ECONOMIC SENSE

At this point it should be rest8ted that the Village survey was external in

character and that, for this reason, suggestions given in this section deal

solely with building facades.

r.. Definitions:

Be:t'ore startinb our investigc1tion into rehabilitation, it is necessary

to define some terms basic to the discussion.

1. Restoration - returning a building to its original condition and

appec1rance. This technique is usually used on buildings of arch-

tectural significance and can be expensive, involving both re-

placement or original features an

4. Modernization - an attempt to make older structures reaemble

current construction through the use of new fac8de materials end treatment. These include "natural finish" aluminum window end

door trim, picture windows, and the entire line of ,:add-oni taciz.l

materials applied over the current exterior siding. These are at-

tempts to post-date a structure and the results are usually

disastrous.

A few words should be included about the opposite side of the coin,

attempts at "pre-dating" a building, or making it appear older than

it is. Examples are the installation of colonial doors, french porch

canopies and small pared windows, all of which have been done in

the Village. The details and proportions rarely, if ever, fit the

original dwelling and the results can even be worse than modern-

ization attempts.

B. WHY REHABILITATE?:

The majority of structures fou:1d in Italian Village fall into the 80-100 year old category, placing the~ in a time period of large scale

construction as urban cores were spreading out along established trade

routes. Until fairly recently, thes structures fell into a nno man's

land", of neither being historically old, nor having the conveniences

of new construction. However, with rising labor and material costs,

increasing public transit and gasoline pricea, and staggering traffic

congestion, many laymen\_ and professionals alike are viewing these

"in-town" structures with new interest. The Department of Development

for the City of Columbus is investigating the formation of a Neighborhood

Housing Services Program which would enable the aged, clisabled, end all

other residents who have difficulty in obtaining improvement loans, to

receive funds for rehabilitation. If Italian Village is designated for

this program, reaidenta will be immediately notified.

-45-

c. HUD, FHh8 VA Although Italian Village is not a federal housing project area, individual residents rr.ay be eligible for government loans and

grants, and should contact the local HUD, FHA, and VP. offices ss early

as possible. (See FHA-VA loans elsew~ere in this study) II. Selecting the ~rchit~ct:

People are often stifled by the pro't>lei:. of selecting an architect and,

as a result, \.1ill take a "stab in the cark", not sure of what they are

getting. However, this need not be the case, since architects can be judged by their past accomplishr.1ents. Start out by looking around the different

villvges in Cclu~bue end choose what you feel to be an exceptional rehab-

ilitation job, :i!'l~ the architect who did the: work and go to see hin. If this m".!thoc:! does not prove satisfactory, call either the local chapter of

the Archite:ctu.rol Institute of l,merics, or the Ohio State University School

of Architecture and as~: for their reco::ll'l)endations. It is important to make SlU'e people know ycu are in the market for sn architect who has expertise

in the r~:1abili tation fif:ld, since ;-:iany respectable architects know relatively

li'ttl~ a?out proper rehabilitation.

Once :;oc. 'have located an architect, ,,isi t his office anrl ask to see some

exanples of past r~habilitation projects. It would also be advisable to ask for th

l. Design: measuring and drawing up accurate plans of the existing

building and, in addition, designing and drawing plans and elevations

of all new elements to be added to the original structure. It may

also be a good idea to have a few perspectives of what the new area

will look like to inspire the bank to lend money.

2. Working Drawingsa set of fully detailed ~nd dimensioned drawings

used by the contractor to perform the

The next important step is to be sure that the builder is symp~thetic to the

type of design app~oach required; otherwise, the end result may in no way

resemble what seemed to be agreed upon at the signine of the contract. It is

possible that the owner wnnts to ret~in all the original features on the

str;.icture, while the builJcr decides it's easier to rip them off. It should

be perfectly clear to beth parties whcit goes and wi1at stays before any cotrP-

mitments are made. You as the owner would be responsible under tte ltAli~n

Village Ordnance.

Unless the job is smcill and the owner has either exc~ssive free th1e, or en understanding of the building profession, it is not c:dvisable for him to act

ns general contractor -:or t11e job, ~:t-iis function being more efficiently per-formed by the buil :1er.

If there is no strongly favored contrr,ctor, i"'.: is customary to accept anc

compRre bids from ell those considere,:1. / 0 ;,in, it is very iinportant to : .. now

exctctly whn't e,ch bid inclu

NEW CONSTRUCTION IN IT:'1.LIM'. VILLAGE

A quick reference to the "Biiildfng Coveragen map incorporated herein will

make it readily apparent to the rec1dc:r. uhy new construction should be con-

sidered in this rc-:port. Italian Villa~c :1as mm.erous VGcant lots, scattered

throur;hout the area, which wo~lld prov:i. ,1e excellent sites for the construct:i.on

of new sint:;le or rr.ulti-fr;1:1ily 11ousini;.

There are nume:ro.is ways ir: w1iich nev c01.str:icticn can cidapt and conform to the

olde:r nei 0hbor' d rr1 f 11 ' ;, t, e cri ter1. a r->sta1.>listed l:, ;1':>0 s .. i1e o m11n 6 ~li ::1,~ry .Jr,se ... on .1 -

in the ,:Historic Prese:cvation Plar. :'0r -t.Le Centn1l Ar8a General HeigM>orhoou

itenewal Plan, Sc'lvunnn1., GPorgic! r: gives SLlcCP:~:io;:-,s on tow to relate new con-

struction to an e):istinb s treetscape.

a. Dy cm1!:'o:rr..inr; to the establishf'.!d proportior. oi t:1e vori.ous openings i.e.,

the width t1 he:-:.glit relatior.ship of \:::.;iclc.vs rinc r.oors

,/

b. 3y conformir.:3 to tr.e established proportion of the total area of the v

openings in a wall to t11a entire ar ea of the wall itself.

c. Jy conforr::ing tc the rythm of s0lids-to-voids-, i.e., a n,lationstip

1.:,.,twecn tte width oi door and windm,, op:;;r.i:1gs ant] tl:e wi(lth of the wall

l0cated '. etween.

J. By adherine to any established rythm of certain elE-r.:ents, such 88 1Jc'y

\d.;1c-!ow.s, enti:y ,,:~ys, porches, etc.

e. 3y relc1tinr to tr.e predo :ninant roof shape in the a1ea, Le., :.:.bh or ..,.. low pi tchec'! 0able, ~1ip, or parapet.

f. :,, relating to t :1 c1rea's preilvr:1fr.ant sc~le, as it rel~tes to man, i.e.

l " .. 11 : 111,rJa see e , ama ~c,=le'' et:c. v

g. By relatin~ the ve.rticsl proportions 0f the wi~dow openinrs ,:1rd buildings ./

'fi, general.

sn -:- r rr:ar z11as ... n .. ,zz,nr:,..,:u 1- - 1u 3 3 rxr ;n c

h. By relating to site and lend~c~pe features evident in the areB, i.e.,

brick walks, privet hedge, picket fence, wrought iron fence, etc

1. By relating to the height of surrounding buildings. Even though new

construction is lower to the ground, raised _first floors end steep roo~s

cnn often visu~lly offset this problem. It is recommended that new construction

come within 10% of the height of older structures.

j. By maintaining any established ryth m concerning the spacing of buildings. k. By relatin 6 to predom-:nant mcitericlls, text 1re (roug~1 or s:.1ooth), colors,

and architectural det0ils in the area. By relating to !";laterials, \-~e do not

mean the synthetic ''fake" materials already ccutioned ep,ir.st. To rel;,te to

architectural

A GUIDE TO REHABILITATION

It will be the attempt of this section to familiarize the reader with ways

in which he can rehabilitate his home and recapture some of the original

character of the structure. It ~hould first be stated that no residence in

Italian Village is independent of those s~ ;1ctur.es around it. The sum of 811

the individual buildings form the nei;hborhood "streetscape" and one or two

buildings which disrupt the congruity of the street can effectively harm the

entire area. This is not to say that each '!-iouse s~1culd be a repetition of

the next, however, it is to say that 2ach house should be 8 repetition of

the next, however, it is to say that each should relate to its neighbors in

a few basic ways, as listec below:

1. By relatinc the materials to those predominent in the area,i.e.,

brick, clapboard, etc.

2. By relatL1b t"r.e textures to those precominant in the area, i.e.,

closely spacea clapboard, rough brictwork, etc.

3. By re Vi ting to the predominant cclcrs in the area, i.e. reci brick-

por :;:, Nhfte clapboard, etc.

, ;,y relatin i to the prir.iary details in the area, i.e., type of door

c1nd window trim, cornice wcrk, etc.

If a property owner finds ~imself in f.:n area which has ~een literally

ncovered ': by e selesrr;;n of some of the n~o:r '.'! objectiorable synthetic sidings alre;-dy rr:er,tion~d, he shol,ld visit tl:ose buildings of arch!tectnr~l ~ignifir.enc~

in his immediate area and use them as a guide.

In the remain~er of this se~tion, choosing ~ateri6l8, colors end method

of rehabilitetion will be discussed.

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I. Choosing Materials:

It can be safely stated thst most rehabilitation work is spoiled by the

use of inappropriate or false matrials than for Eny other reason. For

the purpose of rehabilitation, building ~:ic1terials cen be divided into

three categories:

1. Those suitable when preserving or enhancing the appearances

of an old house.

2. Those suitable when modifyinG a house to permit certciin new or

modern treatments end uses.

3. Those of n~ither genuine treditional nor good modern design

which should Je avoided in all situctions.

All traditional materials, such as brick, wond, cl~pbcard, drop siding,

slate, stone around the foundatior., etc., 0re included in the first CE;tei _;ory.

Because of the high expense of slate, asphalt shingles of the proper color

are also included in this list. In category two are such items as vinyl or

aluminum siding, black, white or b:~onze cclored metal windows or doorframes

of cippropriate design, flush doors (or.es '7ith a ~ingle continuoui=: {le.t sur-!:ece), etc. Catgory three, nnac

As 8 general rule a the materic1ls originally :i.~ound on the structure ere the

h h f h l b k 4r: or 6" elen-ones w ic should be mr1intainecl. Most o t ese, sue 1 as TJ .C , r

boRrd, drop sidin;,~, etc., have c1 timeleJs quality, still bein,.J used in much

of the new c1rchitecture being bailt.

II. Color:

In choosin~ a color f01 e reridence, t11e probler; ' is how to exp~ess o:i~'s

indi vidnali ty w11ilf' still fi ttin :~ :.arr.1onio,1~ly j nto the neichborhood. This

is not to say t~rnt the solution is a streetF ,ccJpe raintcc solely one color,

since variety is ;.1 derira1Jle aspect o.:: ar ,:; nP.i,;hborJ-1ood; hcwever, it is inten,Jed

to r.iean that r.1any color~ are o~fenr,ivf. to t ,.e uniformity of a street. The

b~sic rules of color choice are 2s follm~s:

1. Do not hove too m8ny colors:

In architecture, large ciri::af r:..: r.ol0r are r.10Et effE:ct:i.ve when ~eP.n

alone or agcinst a backbrc:.rnd o.f "'~iitr,,, bl.:ick, bray, or a muted color.

Tn ict the m.=1xim111r. ef ::-

s:r.all r.nd ?rob~hly wo11ld be ,,ff~ct ':1y lowPr heating bills in tl1e winter.

2. Take Care in Selecting Colors:

A f P.w pointers have been incLH~Ed to aid in t~1e choice of colors:

a. W'nite and off-white gene::rr,lly loo~c good in most situ~tions;

however, since it does shc1p cirt, it will require more maintenance

to keep clern (espec5 .Ally .:1:on p; t~1E: 'i:>usier st:reets of the Vil1c1re

ancJ c1irP.ctly adjacert to t 11e industrial frinie. b. Natural minted colors such as war ri1 grey, blue-grey, beige, terr.a-

cotta, brick red, etc., go well witr . white or off-white trim and

al~o relc:te \.iell tc other colors in ::he environment.

c. Creer ,1 is no'.: a reco .:1:nendec c0lor for t:::-irr: use since it tP.nds to

naro:i.n t~-;e life'' fro:n the dominant 1: uildin[ color. Insteac., white,

of f-w ~ii tr, 0 . ... ,, . ,. '"'r1"c'-t .L " .. .. . .,/ ~- ..,;.,.1.L

cc:n loo!c ,ery effective wit:1 wli:ite: or. of:-white ttim, but their

ef::?ee:+. o:". bot l: the f.C'l8ES c1nd f::trcets deserve st L~fy.

c. ~,is-'..:cl colors ::ire recorr.;i1end2:1 p1ir 1,cTily f'o:r s:ir.r :y wr,r 1r1 c:lir::ates

f. ~,:1en i~ clo1.1bt, paint the ,r,oving perts of a window 1.n eccordsnc~

with Con1rdssion apprnvP.l.

& Whe;n a bri;;ht or strong r.olc:i' ::.s drsirP(, ,1SP it et for.al poi .nts such as the front door.

Ill. Methods of Rl:-habilitc::tion:

we will start thi'.s discussion with consi('ering the treatr tent of the major elements of a bnilein~, then work o~;r WD~' toHard cor .~i~eri:\:: :i nclivi~uel

details.

A. Exterior Finishes:

1. Brick:

Good br5.ck walls are considered a major c1sset to a house., c1nd any usage to replace them or cover them up should be diflcnrded. Brick

provides a lcw 111.:dntl!r~ncP., hi!;h pert'ormance building material

which gains charar.ter with at'.:e.

The most corrunon maintemmce asRociatecl with brick is re pointing

and cleaning. The for mer consists of raking out the old mortar

to a depth of cipproximately one to one and one-half inches and

replacin~ it with new, a tine consuming, expensive task not

recomn :ended for the af'.'lateur. Pointing is only c1dvisablP. when mortar

deterioration is evident. Core should he taken to insure thFit the

new mortnr joints are replicas, in color, texture (i.e. degree of roughness of smoothness of a material) and profile, of the replaced joints, since incorrect joint treatment can ha,~ an unexpected, disastrous effect.

Clcanin3 bricl,work cc::n ue c1cco n1plished either by sandulasting, :or

by using a chemical solutio::, such as nmrfatic acid. Sandblasting is

expensive an

be rP.1lized thAt pAinted brick must bP rPp8inted every five year&

and can only be removed by either sandblasting or a chemical wssh.

When fielding brick adr.itions, patio walls, or sny other extension

of the original brickwork, ca:::e shculcl be taker. to match tnf! color,

s:lze, texture ;rnd pattern of t}e clr! brick, cis \-ell as the color,

size and prcfile cf tlte oritinal :nortc1r joints. It should be noted to "'hoe vcr i)r-?rforrns thE wo:r:~ t'. ;;it t~1esE: elerr ,er.ts Etre of ;;,reat

importance.

2. Siding:

The other original exte1 io.r mc:tf?riaJ s fotmd in Italian Village ,,.rP

clapboE,rd and

Never continue the side trim to the top of the head trim. It should

be mentioned in passing, tht1t although vinyl sirling is more expensive

t'han aluminar.1, it has the sdvantages of being both dirt resi~tant

and immune to p~int chipping ~nd scratching. When employing the alum-

:i.num or vinyl m~terials, t~12y should be qsed ovPr the entire wall

SL1rface, wi tl. t\e exception of special conditions suer. as brick on tl:e

first floor a:id wood sidinb on the second. The ot'ler exccpti.on to the

rule is the occurrence of nu:nerous houses in t~1 Ville e which have u

varyi:-ig original wood sidin;; at difierent 1ocrt5.ons on the exterior.

ThP.se :110teriol8 usually al terna'te with the niff 2rent floors of the

structure, i.e., claphoarrl around t~e fi~st and second floors withe

strip of vertical tongue and ~roove :ietwc=-er and topped off l':ith decor-

ative wood $~-.?-\.es at the sable. If replar.er'.lent of these materials

becomes necessary, it would be worth t:ie owner' i:: time and rnn:iey to

purchase exact replicas and, th-"'reby maintc1in the integrity anrl ch11r-

8Cter 0f the st:ructirre.

z. Gther Matcrif1ls:

'I'h ~ ar~ a flock of othar sidin anc exterior materials available . er"" - ~

t '- 4 terested 1.1omeowner. Included on this list ere the immit"'tion to ,,c- ... n ..,

r. ~terials, including asbestos brick, stone ard shtngles, ~ood shinglec,

811_: st:.icco. The reasons w~y these 1~:c1teri0ls sre co:isidered unexceptable

i~ the Villar,e area are as follows: trie feke materials look exactly

that_ fake, neither asbestos nor wood shingles maintain the necessary

E:t:rong ~torizontal material linet and are excessively wide, and stucco

iE' i.ncongruous to the area. Al tho .. 1:h some residents lire under the 1~

pression that stucco, wooden porch arches and wrought iron around

second story windows are among tte final goals of Italian Village, in

truth, more ~t the features do n~t have history in the area ~nd

-57-

should not be used. 'The architecture prevelent in Italian Village

differa little in character from some other areas in Columbus, or

many older struc~ures found in Columbus. The Village's name should

not be used to mislead the residents into believing thst the current

"Mediterranean Style" found in the suburbs is what the Village wishes

to est~blish. Instead, the goal is to return the buildings, ~s ~uch

as possible, to their original exterior conditions, This involves

recreating the prevalent fertures which made Italian Village a

"Preferred" area in the past and certainly can make it one a~ain.

-ss-

C:r,,pe1t",; ;ir.der excL1sion be sold or. request to tena:nts a:ft~r r. perivt :

of five years. Ii such conditions lire f 1):.md tc be undesirc1tle, the Society :;hc,uld reco!Tlllend ,-,a:i.vPr of the :cequb:ements in ar.;; 3f>plication for tax abetement sent

to Council.

Moreover, without adequate financing av~ilable for reetoretion and new cons-

truction, tax exclusion will occur too lRt~ in the process to be en incentive.

The Neichborhood H0:.1sing Snvices (NHS) toc,l in c-o'Tlbination with EK'f!:.

vide incenti v~ 4_-, .. own~rs nud, thereby prove, vvluable to the Villa._;e, r; res tor-

etion efforts. ~his too1, i: use~ loen r.ior,ey for ho;,et,11:,e:.s. First,

successfully, would produ-ce re:i[. .Jilitetion

a neighborhood no~profit housir. 1 "'e"' i c- ... ~ v cea

corpor~tion is now for.ica. Second, the corp~r~tion in coordinett 011 with the

Departlnent 0'4" Dcvelor,1nent wo..11

One important feature of this tool is that the Vill11ge has begun to develop this

tool without wc1itine for the City to act, where es with 1-!RTI:, the Gity must first

designate the Village 8S 8 tax abatement area.

The third tool which may prove important to the Village is that of Community

Urban Redevelopment, AlthoL1gh th~s tool coL1ld possibly be uRed in the future in

certain areas of thf' Village, it is pri 1nf1ily desi[:ned to rec eve lop existing commercial concentrations. CUR, or a fourth tool, Ur~en Renewal Debt P.etire-

nent Fund, \.Jill be usPd, if c1nJ when the s trip cormnercial on ;Ugh Street is

redeveloped beb. .... een Fifth Avenue and trie proposed site for the convention center.

Such development would directly affect th"l Village socially and economicBlly,

THE CITY'S POSITIOl~

It is our impression that the City is not ready to act irmr.edicitely on proposals

submitted for the application of HRTE and NES. He believe the Department of

Development will take a wait-and-see attitrnJe towards community use of these

tools, requiring the communities to take th~ initiative, ss done in the case of

Itc1lic1n Villc1ge. There is some indication that the City is loo!dng ahead to

wl:en it will recei1e new Federal Monies.

It is import~nt that the City have machinery established to distribute this

n!oney w:ien it E>rrives. On August 13, 1974, the U.S. Senate passed the New

Cr,i'T11"!lunities l\ct tind sent it one to t'!'ie !).)use, this bill has :,o,.., become law. There are, stipulations in the bill which would require the City to ~istribute

money to community organizations, however, it is not clear the City will take

this route in using some of the funds it receives. When this money becomes

evailable, most likely by April 1975, the City would be able to utilize the

tool discussed e~ove,

-60-

..

It is important that the Villabe closely 1nonitor developments surrounding

this bill et the FedPral and local level. Amendments to the bill relating

to the federal requirements which 1nust be met by the Cities will affFct City

requirements which must be met by the co~~unities. The City has ~lready

begun to develop a method to determine priol'.'ities a:nong communities. For

example, a criteria and rating system is outlined in a recent publicRtion

by the Dep

I I

------------------- ------

HOUSING REHABILITATION TAX EXCLUSION (Chapter 3735.65, Ohio Rev Code)

,\~ALYS IS OF CITY OBJECTIVES: METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING TAX EXCLUSION QUALIFICATION CRITERIA:

Introduction

'The purpose here is to look at the guidelines which co:-T.1uni ties in the City

of Colu~bus will have to adhere to when applying to the City for tax exclusion

designation. These guidelines are speculative in nature and are based on certain

assumptionso From these iniort: 1al gnidelints an atte iT,pt lrns been made to sketch

a method by ,1hic11 the City :11ay go about estaolishi.ng qual:.fication criteria.

It is hoped t:u :t such efforts as tr.is will help to coordin~te the efforts between

coia1:mnities and the City- :tn the area of tax exclusion

A}~LYSIS OF CITY OBJECTIVES The community must c1pply to the City for (1'=sigmition; t1:erefore, it may be assumed that the communities' representctive boeme,-rt wi-c~, t: -,e City's. Cn the other hand, they llll1Y agree on objectives, but not on means. The community may be doing such e uood job th~t it h~s fallen ~ehind other communities on the City's d

c n~e a

priority list. If this is the case, the conr.iunity conditions mc1y net t1lle>1'1 it

to qualify under criteria establishe~ Ly the City.

-62-

~ -~-(Q(tJ!t!iiil5 . ~J1-. & '- * ''"'"'~'"-""_ ............ _ ....... ,...., ........ -............ l

We must asswne that the City h8S two major objectives when considering t8X exclusion designation for a community. The rehaoilitation and/or redevelop-

;nent of deteriornting c1rean must, (1) increase the City's tax bc1se, and (2) provide a quality physical environment. A cost-benefit approach should be

employed to determine how :nuch it will forE'go in taxes on improvements that

\.-lould occur without tax incentives (cost), measureo against how rnuch it will receive in taxes from i,nprovements directly :related to abatP.ment incentives

over some future period (benefits). IdeGlly, when using cost-benefit Bnelysis, the variable should be quantit3tive, a,1d ; e~1erally, that is the case.* Ho~

ever, even if one assumed lOOJ~ owner participation and looks at the cost-bene-

fit in economic terms using dollvrs as t},e indicator, one finds that the problem lies in accountin 6 for all the variables which affect the benefit

side. If we take the simplist example, a homeowner sandblasts his det