Eyes to the horizon: Lienhoop delivers State of the City address

Redevelopment projects, state grants and changing economic landscapes were just a few of the topics touched on by Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop in his 2022 State of the City address.

Lienhoop delivered the speech via a prerecorded video, which was posted on the city’s website Tuesday night. Other subjects included words of gratitude to city employees and officials, as well as details from the Columbus Police Department’s year-end report.

Last year’s address followed a similar virtual format. Prior to the pandemic, the speech was a public event that showcased entertainment and local food and often included additional speakers.

Lienhoop said that while things have opened up somewhat, the city is “still cautious about inviting a large group of people to a confined space.”

He noted that it’s been two years since the city’s administration first began responding to COVID-19 in February of 2020.

“To say we’re fatigued by this experience is an understatement,” he said. “But, there is a group among us whose dedication to our health and whose efforts to keep us healthy have been pressed to the limit. Of course, I’m talking about our healthcare professionals, our nurses, aides, physicians and others, whose professional response to this pandemic, while tiring for them, has filled the rest of us with awe.”

He added that while he couldn’t exactly ask for a standing ovation during a virtual address, residents should thank healthcare professionals for “their contribution to our wellbeing.”

Projects in progress

However, the pandemic wasn’t the only item of note from 2021. During his speech, Lienhoop discussed a number of continuing city projects, including the efforts to transform the former FairOaks Mall into NexusPark.

“When it (the mall) was built in the 1980s, it was a significant regional draw,” he said. “Its retail and dining opportunities were very welcome. My kids learned to use chopsticks there. My daughter had her ears pierced there. But, times change. What had been an economic plus became an economic minus.”

However, the city and Columbus Regional Health’s work to convert the space into a health, wellness and recreation center will turn this minus back into a plus, he said.

The mayor also cited demand for an indoor sports venue, which NexusPark is expected to fill with a 150,000 square foot fieldhouse.

He added that the city’s financing package will keep the cost of the overall project “to a minimum,” citing the expected low tax impacts of parks bonds the city hopes to issue to fund parks and recreation spaces at the center.

In addition to NexusPark, the downtown mixed-use development continues to move forward. Lienhoop noted that in January, the city completed paperwork to begin construction on a 200-unit market rate apartment complex and urban grocery.

“These apartments will be built on vacant land at the corner of Second and Lafayette Streets,” he said. “And ground that today yields little — providing no property tax — will provide a further attraction to Columbus in the form of modern urban housing, a walkable grocery option and a ready connection to our People Trail System.”

The developer, Flaherty &Collins, is expected to break ground soon, with completion scheduled for sometime in late 2023.

Lienhoop also touched on the nearby riverfront project.

“The river area between the Third Street and Stewart Bridges currently provides very little,” he said. “Today it presents a dangerous, failing, century-old dam, and erosion on both banks — erosion that threatens to uncover an old landfill. It is also a gap in our People Trail system.”

The riverfront project is intended to address these concerns and “maintain the water level upstream at Mill Race Park,” said Lienhoop. However, the city requires permissions from government agencies to move forward with the work, and these “have been slow in coming.”

The city has received its permit from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, but their applications to both the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management are pending. Officials expect to receive approval from both agencies soon.

Another downtown project that has seen delays is the city’s plans for a hotel and conference center, with Sprague Hotels as the developer. The project was put on hold in July of 2020 amid the pandemic and its impacts on the hospitality industry.

“While many of our initiatives have moved forward, this is hampered, due to its reliance on business travel,” said Lienhoop. “We have maintained contact with the developers and continue to monitor the status of business travel, but anticipate a few more months will pass before resuming progress.”

“READI” for the future

Despite some projects moving more slowly than others, Lienhoop said that Columbus is “dynamic, growing and ready for the future” — pun intended.

In December, a region made up of Jackson, Bartholomew and Jennings counties, along with the town of Edinburgh, was awarded a $30 million grant from the state’s Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI).

Lienhoop noted that all of the projects he’d discussed were included in the South Central Indiana Talent Region’s READI application, though he also added that READI is “still a work in progress.” Two representatives visited on Feb. 11 for a regional tour.

“I’ll point out that ours was the second highest READI award per capita,” he said. “The average award across Indiana was about $75 per Hoosier. Our region’s award was nearly $190. That’s a tremendous compliment to the communities in our region and the state’s confidence in our ability to get things done.”

“Paradigm shifts”

In looking to the future, Lienhoop said that Columbus faces two quickly-developing paradigm shifts.

Firstly, remote work has become more prevalent as a result of COVID-19.

“The pandemic has shown us that not all workers need to be on site,” he said. “They don’t need to convene daily in an office or headquarters. Indeed, as the phrase implies, they can work from just about anywhere, usually needing only an internet connection.”

This may pose a challenge to both Columbus’s population and tax base growth, said Lienhoop.

The other shift, he said, is a move to electric vehicles. While this has clear environmental benefits, it is also likely to impact the local economy.

According to Lienhoop, the Woodside Industrial Parks see about 8,000 workers, with the majority of these individuals building internal combustion engines or other components for vehicles with these engines.

“Think about such mundane parts as drive shafts, transmissions and differentials,” he said. “We make components for all of those. Some electric vehicles will still need those items. Many won’t. Why do we care? We care because we currently have a robust economy and a strong tax base.”

This same tax base provides support for schools, parks, police and fire, and other city services.

As a result, Lienhoop said that the city has been working to diversify its tax base. While this has been slow going, there has been some progress in the food and beverage sector. In 2021, California-based beverage production company Ninth Avenue Foods decided to locate its new Midwest headquarters and production facility in Columbus — a $103.5 million investment.

The region’s READI application also included plans to address the expected shift to electric vehicle production, such as the creation of a research and development test complex for autonomous, electric and alternative-fuel vehicles at the former Walesboro airport property.

Additionally, the mayor said that another part of the city’s strategy is to enhance Columbus’s offerings and invest alongside companies to show them that “we are as committed to Columbus’ future as they are.” This is where the city’s numerous projects come into play.

“Change is a given,” said Lienhoop. “Nothing remains the same for long. While these paradigm shifts bring challenges, they also bring opportunities. We can succeed at this game. For us to do so, we need to focus on the horizon, not at our feet.”