Discovery District SID Placemaking Plan Columbus, Ohio

Services Provided

Focus Area Planning
Placemaking
Public Engagement

People Involved

Chris Hermann
Andrew Overbeck

Awards

2017 Ohio Chapter ASLA Merit Award in Planning + Analysis

Plan Documents

Discovery District SID Placemaking Plan

Energizing the discovery district through art-focused placemaking opportunities a temporary and permanent nature.

Located east of Downtown Columbus, the Discovery District Special Improvement District (SID) is home to some of the area's most renowned institutions and attractions, such as the Columbus Museum of Art, Topiary Park, and the Columbus Downtown Library. Building on the success of downtown, the Discovery District is starting to experience a revitalization effort that has turned former surface lots into potential development sites.

The Discovery District Special Improvement District Placemaking Plan builds on this energy to create a vision, define goals, and outline specific action steps for placemaking opportunities in the Discovery District. Relying on the ideas of neighborhood residents, workers, students, and visitors, MKSK is leading a public engagement strategy that reaches out to the community through interactive mobile displays at the district's college campuses, cultural anchors, and employment centers.

The plan reinforces the district's identity as a neighborhood of arts, culture, and knowledge – guiding public improvements in short, medium, and long-term goals over the next 10 years.