Scioto Peninsula Streetscapes Columbus, Ohio

Services Provided

Urban Design
Streetscape Design

People Involved

Brian Kinzelman
Jeff Bryan
Tim Rosenthal

Public realm design for a new mixed use development.

The Peninsula is a newly-developed 90 acre urban district overlooking the Scioto River and downtown skyline in the heart of Columbus. Anchored by world class cultural destinations including the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), American Museum of Natural History (the only satellite location of one of New York’s most esteemed museums), and the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, the Peninsula is a hive of community events, entertainment, hospitality, and cultural attractions.

MKSK has worked in collaboration with Downtown Columbus Inc., the City of Columbus, private development teams, and institutional leadership to develop a conceptual urban design plan and the implementation of a network of public spaces and streets throughout the district. This network of public spaces provides more than access and connectivity; they provide the setting for public life, socialization, and community events in an emerging urban neighborhood.

The public space network on the Peninsula is anchored by Highwater Alley, a curbless urban plaza that serves daily traffic functions while supporting regular programming and events, such as Party on the Peninsula, Music Mondays, and showings of the Film Columbus Movie Club. The Alley and adjacent streets feature distinctively-detailed hardscapes, architectural gateway elements (signifying the historic 1913 flood), specialty pavement in crosswalks and intersections to calm traffic, generous urban tree canopy, and a carefully selected palette of street furnishings to reinforce the identity of the district.