ULI Columbus Presents: Columbus 2050

June 6, 2012
Ohio Union

Over the past 40 years, the population of Central Ohio has grown by 707,000 people, adding 235,900 between 2000 and 2010 alone. If the region grows at even half the rate of the past ten years, 604,000 will be added to the area by 2050. Absorbing a population that equates to the entire city of Boston will take some planning.

In furtherance of its mission to promote the responsible use of land, ULI Columbus, in partnership with the City of Columbus, Franklin County, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission and The Ohio State University Knowlton School of Architecture, Department of City and Regional Planning, has developed a strategic vision that explores where and how we will Live, Work and Play in Central Ohio in the year 2050. This strategic vision is focused around eight themes: Metro Metrics – Ready to Compete?; The City Wild – Natural Assets Give Form to Growth; Water, Power, Light – Community Lifelines and Networks Redefined; Getting Around – Greater Mobility, More Choices; Whole Buildings – Structuring New Opportunity; Full Spectrum Housing – From Starting Out to Growing Old; Plan it. Build It – A New Generation of Master Developers; and Click, Learn, Go, Get. – Framing the Marketplace.

Columbus 2050 will provide:

· Research on issues important to the future of the Central Ohio region;
· A collaborative forum for leaders from the public and private sector;
· An opportunity to educate future land planning leaders; and
· An overarching consideration of several multi-year local planning initiatives.

What is the merit of this project?

The project will build on the planning efforts of the 12 counties in the Central Ohio region to provide a vision that looks more broadly at the factors impacting regional development and 20 years further into the future than any of these other efforts.

How does the project address or meet an important community need?

This project will provide an overarching consideration of several separate multi-year local planning initiatives to provide a common resource that can be used by the individual local governments and planning organizations going forward.

How does the project build consensus for action?

The project will provide a collaborative forum for development leaders from the public and private sector to focus on themes that are important to the future of the Central Ohio region.

What are the opportunities for creating local alliances with academic, government, nonprofit, or quasi-public institutions?

This initiative is a partnership of ULI Columbus with the City of Columbus, Franklin County, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission and the Ohio State University Knowlton School of Architecture.

How does the project advance ULI’s mission to provide leadership in the responsible use of land?

The project provides a forum for current land planning leaders and the opportunity to educate future leaders, while producing an independent regional vision that can be utilized by local governments and planning organizations going forward.

Can the project by replicated by other ULI District Councils?

Yes, the format for this project is readily adaptable to other ULI District Councils who would be able to use the Columbus model to create a similar initiative in their community.

For more information please contact Alicia Gaston