Latest news with #NoelleBritt
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Columbus community plan aims to revitalize Eastland Mall property
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The City of Columbus launched some big plans for the Eastland neighborhood Thursday night. The Department of Neighborhoods is spearheading the Eastland for Everyone Community Plan that outlines projects to spur community growth and development. The plan spans six square miles of southeast Columbus and outlines what the department calls '8 Big Ideas.' Some of which include creating more housing, community and educational spaces, retail developments and job opportunities. Some efforts are already underway to revitalize the community. The Eastland Mall, for example, is now in the process of being torn down to renovate the space into use for future developments. Additionally, the Vista Village tiny home subdivision now housing residents. Noelle Britt, Eastland Neighborhood Program Specialist, said a part of the vision is to make sure everyone in Eastland has equitable access to recourses. 'What we heard a lot during this process is that so many folks have to leave to do so many things, to meet so many basic needs and that is something we need to address,' she said 'And you will see that moving throughout the plan. A higher quality of life, a place where everyone can belong or call home and a strong sense of community which I hope you all feel that tonight.' Britt said they received a lot of community input that helped build this plan and Columbus mayor Andrew Ginther said the city is fully committed. 'We want to strengthen our neighborhoods, build a stronger community and ensure we're creating a healthy space where everyone can thrive,' said Ginther. The Eastland Advisory Committee will reconvene in the spring with community partners to keep the ball rolling toward a promising future for eastside residents. To view the full Eastland For Everyone Plan, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
07-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Eastland community plan plots area's future
Columbus has unveiled a massive plan to redevelop the Eastland Mall area. Why it matters: Once anchored by a bustling, million-square-foot retail center, Eastland declined for decades before the mall closed in 2022 and was declared a public nuisance. Driving the news: The Eastland for Everyone plan was unveiled Thursday at nearby Barnett Community Center. It proposes a variety of housing projects, businesses and community spaces for the former mall site and surrounding area. Columbus spent 18 months and $885,000 to develop the 280-page plan through resident focus groups and public workshops. What they found: Focus groups helped the city identify "8 Big Ideas" to guide development, including housing, entrepreneurship, youth education and job opportunities. What they're saying: Eastland neighborhood program specialist Noelle Britt says public outreach focused on residents' needs was critical to the plan's development and its potential for success. "A lot of times, community members feel like (development) happens to them, not in partnership alongside them," she tells Axios. "It was important for us to take the time to listen and learn." Flashback: The area's modern history began in 1956, when land began being annexed into Columbus. Eastland Mall opened in 1968. Starting in the 1980s, the area experienced population decline, disinvestment, aging housing and a steep decline in traffic, shifting from destination to bedroom community. By 2022, it was Columbus' fifth-highest ZIP code for reported crime, with about half of its residents' income at or under 200% of the poverty level. Context: The area has a much denser population of underserved and difficult-to-reach residents than surrounding neighborhoods. Of 20,400 residents, 68% identify as Black and 11% are New Americans. Many residents lack internet access, have limited English proficiency and are experiencing housing or food insecurity. What's next: With the plan unveiled, now the real work begins. Neighborhood strategies manager Patrice Allen Brady says the plan "creates the space for organizations and institutions and other stakeholders to step in and say, 'You know what? I can do this work.'" She pointed to plans in Linden and the Hilltop that spurred investment from the likes of Nationwide and the Mid-Ohio Food Collective. The bottom line: The neighborhood is in need of help, and Britt says she has real hope that Eastland for Everyone will lead to "a significantly improved lived and neighborhood experience" for residents. "Transformation is not even a large enough word for the potential of this plan." The full plan
