Design Committee plots future for mall site

The group tasked with figuring out the city of Columbus’s plans for the Fair Oaks mall property held it’s first meeting Friday afternoon. The Fair Oaks Community Development Corporation’s Design Committee held its first meeting inside the mall property, which was purchased in December.

The committee agreed to terms for Requests for Proposals that would transform the 36 acres from mall property to a “great community asset.” The RFPs should include plans for an indoor space, outdoor space and connectivity between the two.

The scope of the work is being broke down into four sections.

Section 1 – Existing property and ideas for the future, with focus on the needs and desires of facilities for Columbus Parks and Rec and Columbus Regional Health.

Section 2 – Focus on surrounding areas and how to best integrate the mall property. These include items like People Trails, parks, sidewalks, etc.

Section 3 – Making the property compatible with a revitalized 25th Street.

Section 4 – Address the future of Donner Center once most operations move to the mall property.

The Design Committee will formalize the RFP with the understanding that firms must have them submitted by March 20th. A sub-committee will then go over the proposals with a recommendation to the full board, who will decide how to proceed. Prospective firms will then be interviewed by the board by April 18th.

The Design Committee will then make its recommendation to the Fair Oaks Community Development Corporation.