Columbus Neighborhoods: The Hilltop
To kick off our neighborhoods series, we’re starting with one of Columbus’ largest, the Hilltop. On the occasion of their newly completed Camp Chase Trail, Jody Dzuranin and Betty Jaynes sat down to discuss the new trail, the renaissance that they’re fighting for on the Hilltop, some of the sensitivities and perceptions that the westside faces, and what they’re doing to demonstrate the buying power of the neighborhood.
Shownotes:
- Camp Chase Trail
- Friends of the Hilltop
- Keep Columbus Beautiful
- Westgate Neighbors Association
- Hilltop Business Association
- Greater Hilltop Area Commission
- Columbus Department of Neighborhoods
- Westgate Farmers Market
- Westgate Home and Garden Tour
- Gypsy Soul Antiques
- Firefly Sweet Shop
- Summer Jam West
- Hilltop Historic Bean Dinner
- Central Ohio Food Truck Association
- Wilson Road Park
Read the transcript
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Confluence Cast presented by Columbus Underground. We are a weekly Columbus-centric podcast focusing on the civics, lifestyle, entertainment, and people of our city. I'm your host, Tim Fulton. This week, we start a new series, a series on neighborhoods in Columbus, exploring the virtues and challenges of individual Columbus neighborhoods. First up, we take a visit to The Hilltop. On the occasion of their newly completed Camp Chase Trail, I sat down with Jody Zaranin, the co-founder of Friends of Camp Chase Trail, and Betty Jane, president of the Westgate Neighbors Association. We discuss the new trail, the renaissance that they're fighting for on The Hilltop, some of the sensitivities and perceptions that the West Side faces, and finally, their food trucks initiative with which they're trying to demonstrate the demand and buying power of The Hilltop neighborhood. As part of the series, we will continue to ask what initiatives are being taken by the city to help neighborhoods, what the civically minded people in the area want, and the grassroots ways that civic associations in neighborhoods can demonstrate the need for changes. If you'd like your neighborhood featured on this series, get in touch with us. We can be reached by email at info@theconfluencecast.com. You can get more information on what we discussed today in the show notes for this episode at theconfluencecast.com. Enjoy the interview. Sitting down here with Jody Zaranin, founder of Friends of Camp Chase Trail, and Betty Jane, president of the Westgate Neighbors Association. Ladies, how are you? Good morning. Good. Good. We are sitting down here talking about all the things that are happening in The Hilltop, some things that are happening in Westgate specifically. First of all, want to talk about the coming to completion soon, the new Camp Chase Trail. Uh, Jody, can you sort of give us the, the bird's-eye view of, of what the trail is and where it is? Well, the trail, as of December 1st, is done and opened. We were able to get the final section paved up to Georgesville Road, and we invite people to come out and check it out. So the, the most recent part of this 16-mile trail is what we refer to as Camp Chase Trail on The Hilltop.
Mm-hmm. So that's about three miles from Eureka Avenue, North Eureka Avenue near Holton Park. Mm-hmm. And then it goes out to, to Georgesville Road, so that's the three miles. And then with a short connector over Industrial Mile Road, you can connect to the, the remaining 12 miles of the Camp Chase Trail, which will get you out to London. And it's, it's a beautiful multi-use trail.
Mm-hmm. And we invite people to come visit, enjoy. It's a great asset for the citizens in the area and all over Columbus. Yeah. And the trail was developed in partnership, City of Columbus, Franklin County Metro Parks, and then Columbus City Rec and Parks. And I think Columbus Division of Public Service is helping sort of with the, the facilitation, keeping it safe and, and keeping it maintained. They're actually building a connector along Georgesville Road and Sullivan Avenue.
Okay. So it will be a side path next to the road that will help with the, the connecting between the two main trail segments. So that will be built over the next, um... Really, it should complete during 2017, so. Okay. In a, in a perfect world. Yes.
Good. It's about a half mile. And the trail is actually named after originally a camp for Camp Chase, which was a staging and training area for the Union Army. It has the dubious privilege of being known as the largest Confederate prisoner of war camp, and there's still actually a, a, a graveyard there, correct? It's definitely the largest within Union territory.
Okay. Yes. Largest in the North. So, yeah, yes.
Got it. That's my understanding, yes. That's fair. And Jody, give us a little... You are actually not a resident, but you, you do work and play in The Hilltop. Uh, give us just a little bit of your background as, as a person. Well, I've lived in Franklin County my whole life, so, uh, half of it inside the outer belt and half of it outside the outer belt.
Mm-hmm. Uh, 30 of those years is in the actual City of Columbus, and I've been civically active in all kinds of different initiatives. More recently i- i- in the bicycle advocacy world, I got connected with the Ohio to Erie Trail, which connects Cincinnati to Cleveland. Mm-hmm. And, uh, the Camp Chase Trail is a key piece of that. So I started attending the Madison version of the Trail Friends, Madison County, Friends of Madison County Parks and Trails.
Mm-hmm. And I realized, hey, this Camp Chase Trail is making its way to Columbus, and we didn't have an equivalent Trail Friends type initiative, so. And it is an advocacy group, correct? Like, what, what is it that, what is it that the Friends of Camp Chase Trail does? We're more of a network and a community. And I, I'm a co-founder with Chris Hadasy. So he's an auto dealer.
Mm-hmm. And he has a RV dealership, you know, right there, uh, at, on West Broad. Mm-hmm. And he's been a cheerleader for this trail for, really since the beginning of the initiative for the trail. And so when I was attending the Madison F- Friends, I said, "Hey, you know, I bet Chris Hadasy would be interested in, you know, helping to launch this group." So-
Mm-hmm ... w- so we started the meetings in October of 2013, and i- it's been... We kinda have a combination of in-person meetings, but now that the trail's done, it's really more about getting I mean, to be a trail friend, you go out, you use the trail- Mm-hmm
... you care for the trail, you- You- ... promote the trail- You take, you-
... talk about it ... you sit down here with me. Exactly. Well, but also you take the initiative to organize cleanups a little bit, I imagine.
Exactly. We, uh, about a year ago, we convened the Hilltop Action Team, which was a group to focus on these three miles sort of inside the Outerbelt, inside 270. Okay. Um, because that's the area with the greatest potential for enjoyment. It's also the area that, if, you know, if there's litter, broken glass, crime, then people aren't gonna use it. Mm-hmm.
So we, you know, we're sort of this adopted group. I call myself the foster mom, but now the residents are, you know, stepping in and, uh- Mm-hmm ... the Columbus West Side Running Club is about a year old, and they said, "Hey, we wanna do a litter cleanup." And so, you know, kind of we've connected them with Friends of the Hilltop and Keep Columbus Beautiful, and now on January 21, they're gonna have a, uh, a cleanup, so. Great.
Yes. So all these pl- the planning is now coming to fruition, and it's very exciting. And, and the actions are happening. Yeah. Betty Jaynes, again, welcome. Talk to us, what is the Westgate Neighbors Association?
It is actually a, a pretty young organization. We were founded in 2008, and we are a civic organization, not a homeowners association. Okay. And initially when we were formed, we kind of thought, we, we focused inward. And now that we've kind of gotten our, our, um, wind and we feel like we're at a tipping point- Mm-hmm
... we're reaching out and seeing what we can do at a grassroots level to bring economic development back to the Hilltop. Okay. And what is the discerning difference between a, a residents association and a, a homeowners association? A homeowners association will tell you what color you can paint your shutters. Okay.
Will tell you where you can park your car. Okay. Uh, a civic organization i- is more of a community organization. Our homes were built in the '20s, '30s, '40s, and '50s, and they were built upon, uh, the, the eastern part of Westgate was built upon Camp Chase, which, um- Mm-hmm
... uh, uh, we already discussed the, the history there. Um, we're blessed to not have attached garages. Mm-hmm. We have sidewalks, and we have front porches. Mm-hmm.
And that really makes us more of a connected neighborhood because you don't just push your remote and drive into your garage and, and, uh, never see your neighbors. Mm-hmm. So we're very connected. We, um, we are, um, constantly connecting our neighbors. We feel like a, a connected neighborhood is, is safer. Mm-hmm.
And as I say now, we're working in conjunction with the, uh, Hilltop Business Association and Greater Hilltop Area Commission and other organizations to, and with the city of Columbus, to, um, bring Hilltop back- Mm-hmm ... to, to what it was because it was, um, i- in its glory days was the, the place to be. Absolutely. And there is, there will be more information sort of on the history of the Hilltop in the show notes to this episode at theconfluencecast.com. Talk about sort of what changes, what positive changes you're seeing in the Hilltop at large right now.
Um, well certainly with Mayor Ginther's focus on neighborhoods- Mm-hmm ... and specifically Hilltop and, um, Linden, and with the formation of the neighborhood, Department of Neighborhoods- Mm-hmm
... we're starting to s- to get a, a stronger voice at City Hall and, uh, partnering with Department of Development and, uh, trying to figure out what it's going to take to get the, uh, investment, private and public- Mm-hmm ... investment to get the Hilltop, specifically the West Broad Corridor and Solomon Avenue Corridor- Mm-hmm
... um, business back there. Okay. So let's, let's lay some sensitivities sort of out on the line, just so that we expose them because I think that a lot of people, if they're aware of it, will jab me for not bringing it up. Westgate is a beautiful neighborhood. It remains slightly insulated from the remaining Hilltop, and I think that there's, I would not call it a criticism, I will call it a sensitivity, in that a lot of great things happen in Westgate, and there's a lot of positive momentum happening there, and what you're saying is you hope to see that translate further to the Hilltop area at large. Exactly. Great.
Exactly. We are working on, at a grassroots level- Mm-hmm ... with the Westgate Farmers Market and with the food trucks to demonstrate demand, the buying power of the greater Hilltop area. Are you seeing it?
We are. Okay. We are. We had actually six businesses open in 2016. Okay.
So businesses are starting to take notice. As far as Westgate being, uh, I've always said Westgate can't survive as an island. We have to be sensitive to those around us. And I like to point to some of the other areas of the city, Olde Towne East, German Village- Mm-hmm ... Short North, that all spawned neighborhoods development- Absolutely. Well, and I think-
... with their adjacencies ... and I think that certainly Olde Towne East, you can point to some sensitivity still with the Near East Side. Correct. Uh, that, uh, you know, that, that vitality has not translated north yet. But certainly the Short North has spurned two great neighborhoods, and I hope at some point we st- start calling them properly Victorian Village and Italian Village-
Correct ... and see that those large swaths have translated into, into positive growth as well. Exactly. Rising tide raises all ships, so. Right.
We feel like we have, uh, we are an all-volunteer organization- Okay ... so we have limited bandwidth. So we're focusing on what we can do and what we can affect. Okay. And what, we talk a lot of sort of about the empowerment of organizations on here, what can you guys do? Ca- is it really just, excuse me, not just, but is it really advocacy, events, and promoting things that are already happening?
Um, it's certainly driving awareness. Okay. We hel- we hold a, um, a- A Westgate home and garden tour- Okay
... each year. This is our, gonna be our sixth year. Mm-hmm. Um, and so we invite all of Central Ohio to come in and see what makes our homes so different. Mm-hmm.
Um, Westgate is, as you mentioned, h- has some beautiful homes, but they're very affordable. Mm-hmm. So we're finding people moving to Westgate that are kind of priced out of the Short North and German Village and so forth, but they still want those homes. We drive awareness through the farmers market, which is a truly grassroots organization. Um, the, the Westgate Neighbors Association is a strong promoter and sponsor, but literally there were two women who decided we need it. Mm-hmm.
And so they worked tirelessly, uh, to, to launch it. Last year was their inaugural year. Mm-hmm. And, um, it's, it's just been a great way to draw focus to the area. Talking about some of the other positive things, uh, right now, uh, just this month the West Side Running Club is turning one year old. There's links to everything that we discuss again in the show notes at theconfluencecast.com. Talk about some of the other new businesses that opened on the West Side.
Uh, well, we had two salons open. Okay. Uh, we had, um, Gypsy Soul Antiques and Vintage Home Decor. Delightful shop. Okay.
A delightful shop at 11 North Westmoor, and that actually grew out of the Westgate Farmers Market. Okay. And- It was a vendor
... it, they were a vendor. Okay. And, you know, I spoke with one of the planners at, uh, MORPC, the Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission. Mm-hmm.
And when we talked about the farmers market, they felt like that would drive more economic development than just about anything. Okay. And so within two or three markets, she saw, uh, the potential, the buying potential of the area, and she, in conjunction with one of our, uh, long-term residents, Daryl Hennessey, he bought a building, um, and similar to what was done in Short North with private investment- Mm-hmm
... he bought a building, renovated it, and is offering the, the storefronts at below market value- Okay ... in order to spur economic development. And so he, she was, uh, Gypsy Soul was one of their first vendors- Mm-hmm
... or one of their first tenants. Mm-hmm. And then they hosted a, a holiday pop-up store from October through December, uh, again, allowing, um, local vendors and crafters and artists to display and sell their wares. Okay.
So it's that kind of grassroots drive- Mm-hmm ... that is really having people take notice. Um, we had another, another store open, Firefly Sweet Shop, uh, Shop, and their story is really, uh, unique. Okay.
They have a social mission where their, um, their business model is to give those with developmental disabilities a, a place to actually work- Okay ... and interact with the public. And so he has a satellite s- store. His main store is in London, and, um, he has a satellite store in Westgate. Okay.
So it's those kind of unique ventures that I know Westgate and the area around it, uh, they're embracing. Okay. And I know you guys are doing food truck events now. Again, we talked about the Columbus West Side Running Club, the farmers market, Summer Jam West Festival. Can we talk about that a little bit? Sure. So Summer Jam West, so it is a art and music festival held in Westgate Park this year on July, Saturday, July 8. Mm-hmm.
And they've had a legacy of dedicating a new art project each year, and the neat thing is that the previous year's art project is then incorporated in the next. So- Okay ... the f- first that I can think of is Wings of Change- Mm-hmm
... a monarch sculpture, and then the next year, the Fantastic Food Garden Mural referenced the monarch, and then that's on the side of the, uh, handball court. Okay. And then this year, the Camp Chase Trail is a, a host site. Okay.
That, uh, there is a large warehouse along the trail near Sylvan Avenue. Roger Williams was the muralist that was chosen, and it's going to be a beautiful celebration of the trail, incorporating the, the previous two, uh, art projects, and the theme is Moving & Grooving this year. So- Fantastic ... uh, exactly. So all the trail uses are being incorporated in that, and, uh, we're excited, and that will be up in the spring. So Summer Jam is a one-day festival with vendors and music and food, and then it has this lasting legacy of bringing public art to the Hilltop and points of pride. And so it's one example of the, the kind of activity and, and revitalization we're seeing- Mm-hmm
... in the greater Hilltop. The previous years it was called Summer Jam Westgate, and this- Right ... was the first year right after last year's. It's rebranded Summer Jam West purely to, to show that this is a, uh, a- It is a full community festival-
Yes ... and it is not just- I think some people feel if it says Westgate in it- Right
... you have to live there to enjoy it. Right. And that's certainly not the case. I mean, that's, uh- Well, and that speaks to some of the sensitivities we talked about earlier. Westgate is-
It's a sizable neighborhood- Right ... with a 47-acre park at right smack dab at the middle- Mm-hmm
... which hosts Summer Jam West as well as the Hilltop Historic Bean Dinner Festival Tell me about the Hilltop Historic Bean Dinner Festival. Well everyone wants to sit down in June on a hot summer day and eat bean soup, right? That's what I always think of on a hot summer day.
Right. But it is actually, goes back to the Civil War- Okay ... era, and soldiers would get together for reunions. Right.
And so i- I believe it was in the '30s, the Hilltop Business Association started hosting it, and it's, um, it's, it's a day where the area comes alive. There are thousands of visitors that come. They have a, um, they have food in addition to the, the beans. The beans are the- Beans are food. And the beans are delicious, yes. They are delicious.
They're very- And they have beans and cornbread and so forth, and then they have some vendors. They have some, some crafters. Mm-hmm. They have music. They have a car show. But what, what the community does is it's a day to have hundreds of yard sales and garage sales.
Oh, okay. And so it's known as... I mean, the, the, the, the area just comes alive that day. It's, it really is exciting to listen to the music and to, to go over and, and, uh, see the cars and so forth, and eat the beans. And coming up, the fourth Saturday in June, the Historic Hilltop Bean Dinner Festival. Sponsored by the Hilltop Business Association.
Sponsored by the Hilltop Business Association. More information on that also in the show notes at theconfluencecast.com. You guys have talked a lot about revitalization, and I want to hear a little bit about where the neighborhood was, be that five years ago, be that 10 years ago, be that 15 years ago, of what is it coming back from? Census data says the number of people there dropped by not a significant amount, but 1.2% dropped between 2000 and 2010. Similarly, the number of residences in the Hilltop at large dropped 1.2%. Thank you, Wikipedia. That doesn't seem to me like a significant drop, but you guys talk a lot... I, there are crime issues in the neighborhood. Sure. I wanna talk about so, you know, what are the challenges that the Hilltop is trying to address? Some of it is infrastructure, some of it is crime, some of it is jobs. Some of it is perception.
Some of it is perception, great. Talk to me about that. I would love to be able to share with the media- Mm-hmm ... what the Hilltop boundaries are.
Okay. And- So you're saying murder on the Hilltop, you're like, "That's actually not the Hilltop." Exactly.
Okay. So if it happens at, at Galloway and West Broad Street- Mm-hmm ... that's Galloway.
Okay. That's not the West Side. Okay. If an ATM robbery happens on Rome Hilliard Road, that's not the West Side, that's Hilliard.
Right. But if it happens within our boundaries, it's automatically the Hilltop. Mm-hmm. And I know there are other areas of the city that are dealing with this same perception, that if it bleeds, it leads, and we're going to, to lead with the fact that it, it is the Hilltop.
Well, and let me make a weird comparison that the media doesn't do, but it's like if you said there was a murder in Linden, but instead of Linden, you said just east of Clintonville. Mm-hmm. A good example. So, so are you... I mean, are you stating that the crime is not truly as bad as it m- is perceived-
No, I, I- ... to be in the public conscience? ... I'm not saying that. I'm saying that crime is h- the crime rates are increasing throughout the c- the, the country- Okay
... because of the heroin eco- epidemic. Okay. So we know that we're not insulated with that, and certainly Westgate is not insulated with that. We have a lot of property crimes because those coming in to feed their habit. Okay.
A- and certainly, um, there are areas within the Hilltop that are problematic. I'm just thinking that there are a l- a lot of good things going on. There are a lot of good people- Mm-hmm ... hardworking people living on the Hilltop, and all the media tends to focus on, which I guess is their job, is, is the negative. Right.
And so the perception. You know, we, we talked earlier about, um, the Short North, and they, they've got clear, defined neighborhoods that have kind of grown out of there. Mm-hmm. We've got defined areas and neighborhoods with Wilkschire Heights, with Highland West, with Holly Hill, with, with Georgian Heights. Those are all great neighborhoods. Mm-hmm.
But w- the Greater Hilltop Area Commission is one of the largest, correct me if I'm wrong, Jody, it's one of the largest commissions in the city. So it, when you say Hilltop, I would love to see that defined more towards the neighborhoods. Okay. But you are ob- I mean, you guys say revitalization. Right. So what, what are the, what are the, would you say are the other challenges that the neighborhood faces?
Certainly in some of the areas, the high vacancy rate. Okay. A- along the Broad Street corridor, we've got some great buildings that could be revitalized and, and some new businesses brought in. We'd love to see a bike shop. Mm-hmm.
We're working very hard to get a bike shop to come inside with- And coffee shop ... and a coffee shop- Yeah
... with a trail ... a trail site, yeah. Mm. Yeah. And so we've got, we've got some individuals who are working in conjunction with the city, with the business association to attract those businesses. One of our big asks of the city was for a new market study, uh, because the one that was done in 2010 showed that we had some, some great buying power.
Mm-hmm. Um, and the demographics showed that they could support some, some of the businesses that we're lacking. So, um, we're hopeful. And storefront sites. There's l- beautiful storefronts on Sullivan and Broad that in some of the other neighborhoods, you know, have already been torn down. Mm-hmm.
So there, there is a, a template to come in. It, it, I wanted to sort of take a step back and talk about, you know, part of the decline really comes from the decline of Franklinton, you know, formerly known as The Bottoms. Mm-hmm. And when the flood wall was built- It was completed in 2003. Mm-hmm.
And you've seen a dramatic change in Franklinton in that time. And so really- Well, and truly, you couldn't get federal funding in order to- Exactly ... build in that area until the-
So- ... lead wall was done. Right ... that cloud that was hanging over the Franklinton area at the time really did expand up to the Hilltop. Mm-hmm.
I- in many ways, the Hilltop is sort of like a small Detroit, you know? The heyday was manufacturing based. It was blue collar. It had a strong middle class, and that, you know, those were the groups that had the, you know, the Kiwanis and the, the, the, all the groups that were involved in their community, and it was- Mm-hmm ... tight-knit. And when people talk about, "We gotta bring back the Hilltop," I think there's that kind of hunger for, you know, when it was a, a, a tight-knit community where people knew each other. And now, you know, over, I can't say statistically, but I would say really since the early '90s- Mm-hmm
... uh, you know, that's when this sort of slide began and when people... There's a lot of frustration of, who's responsible for this, you know? Mm-hmm. There's a lot of finger-pointing at the city- Mm-hmm
... when really the area is not all City of Columbus boundaries. Right. A lot of it is Franklin Township and, you know, Prairie Township. So now there's more of an effort to have a multi-jurisdictional collaboration. Mm-hmm.
Instead of saying, you know, "Who's responsible for the decline?" it's now saying, "Hey, we're all in this together to, to create the revitalization." Mm-hmm. And I kind of hesitate. It's like we're not going to bring the Hilltop back to how it was, but we are gonna make it better than it is- Mm-hmm
... and really reinvent it to, you know, I guess, you know, kinda the way Detroit is. Detroit is never gonna be what it was. Right. But the people that are moving in care about it, and you have artist communities, you have new business, and there's new innovations coming out of Detroit that weren't happening, you know- Right
... 30 years ago. So part of that is that we need to let go of, of what's happened but be willing to, you know, em- embrace new ideas- Embrace that change- ... and new people ... and see what can happen. Right
... and diver- diversity and... We haven't talked about it, but there's a large, uh, Hispanic and Somali population. Population. Right. Exactly. So those are the businesses we're going to start to see as well. And, and being open to that and really encouraging that is, you know, the way the Northland Corridor has been revitalized, you know, really from an international population. Absolutely.
I think that's a big part of, of what we're gonna see. Are you seeing pushback, let's- On the West ... let... I hope we don't need to dwell on it, but are you seeing pushback against that Hispanic and Somali population in terms of like, "You guys are taking over what we once had"? Or-
I can't speak to it. Fair, and I think, and I'm- I- ... frankly am glad.
Yeah. The trail has been almost universally embraced- Right ... by anybody who's, who's been ex- exposed to it. When I went out when the trail was being built into the Hilltop, I visited Georgesville, which is the little community right outside of Battelle Darby Metro Park. Okay.
And when they heard the trail was coming, they were nervous, you know? "Those people are going to be coming into our community." On my bike trail? Well, that's- 'Cause, you know, bikers.
In general, well- Well, we're gonna take a- In tra- ... talk about the skate park here in a second.
Trails in general, and trails aren't just bike trails. It's, they are paved, so they're good for bikes, but, you know, hikers, strollers, rollerbladers. And so by the time I had gone to this meeting, they said, "We were so incorrect in our perception." You know- Yeah ... "My son uses it to ride his bike out to his girlfriend's house in Lily Chapel." It's like then it became, "Oh, this is for us. This is- Right
... something great." And, you know, trail users wave and, and in general, trail users, uh, tend to leave the better ar- the area better than they found it. So- Right ... you know, we try to clean up after ourselves. And so we, as a trail user, I certainly expect it to be a positive impact, and I was glad to see this, you know, this small town that thought it could be apocalyptic, and then they said- Right
... "This is wonderful." So I think we're seeing, me personally are s- are seeing the same reaction, uh, in the greater Hilltop area and all the wonderful neighborhoods that border it. Can we talk about, given the challenges that the West Side faces, what can and should the city do for the Hilltop, and also sort of neighborhoods at large? Or you can talk about the initiatives that they're already doing or what would you, would like to see happen more of. We are working with them to get a new marketing study- Okay
... that will help us demonstrate to businesses that, you know, there's buying power here. Mm-hmm. And so that's in the approval process now, so w- we're pretty excited about that. The last market study we have is from 2010. Mm-hmm.
You know, things have changed quite a bit since then, uh, some for the better actually. Market values, at least in Westgate, are the highest they've ever been, and we're attracting new young professionals. We're excited that the LGBT community has embraced our neighborhood. Mm-hmm. And, um, we don't have flag wars as other, other areas have had. We're, we're really welcoming and, and very excited. Um- What do you mean by flag war?
Flag wars happened in O-Town East when the, the, the LGBT community started buying those homes- Uh-huh ... and flying their, their pride flags. Right.
Um, the, the neighbors that were already there- Okay ... were resentful of what they were doing, and, and change is, is not always well accepted. No, it's not.
So we didn't have that. We have a lot of excitement around there. The city is working with us on some facade im- improvement initiatives. Mm-hmm. We-- They just approved and are-- have funded the final design phase of the West Broad Street streetscape. Okay.
And so it will bring some identity back to the neighborhoods and, um, kind of im-improve, improve the overall look and feel. Mm-hmm. Uh, so they're working with us on that. Again, we would love to have some, uh, development funds to attract new businesses. Mm-hmm.
Some tax incentives that would help them. We're, you know, the, the city is, has never said no. Uh- Of course not ... but we're, we're working with them and hopeful that as we can get some private investment, that there'll be s- there'll be some kinds of incentives to help them. Okay. Betty, talk to me about food trucks on the Hilltop.
All right. Well, one of the things that we wanted to do was demonstrate demand. They... We are often called a food desert. Mm-hmm. Uh, not a lot of places to eat, and we wanted to demonstrate that we're hungry, literally, o- uh, on the Hilltop. And so, uh, about a year and a half ago, we tested and, and started with Schmidt's Sausage Truck. Okay.
They were the first ones to take a, a chance on us, and they are our biggest advocate now. Okay. They are, uh, with the Central Ohio Food Truck Association. They will tell you they do two and a half to three times more volume when they come out to, to the Westgate area, Hilltop area, than any other. Okay.
And so that s- since has expanded to about a biweekly schedule where we have rotating trucks come in, and invariably they'll come in, they will not listen to us, they will not be prepared to serve 30 meals at, to start. They will not be prepe- prepared to, to sell out, and invariably they, they wanna rebook immediately. Great. So that's demonstrating demand. We also have the food trucks at our, at the Westgate Farmers Market. Mm-hmm.
And so it's a way not only to bring other food options into the area, but to demonstrate that there is a need and a hunger for more sit-down restaurants- Okay ... and, uh, for more business. And that's an excellent example of sort of a grassroots way that you guys as a civic association are able to demonstrate a need for change, I think.
Exa- exactly. And when we met with the city, between the food truck, uh, rotating food truck schedule and the Westgate Farmers Market, we felt that that was a model that could be replicated in other areas of the city. Mm-hmm. Because the food trucks are always busy for lunch. Right.
But for dinner, that's their downtime. Right. And so we feel like we could work with other civic organizations to show what we've done. So the Department of Development was very intrigued by that, that it might be a model for other areas to adopt. Fantastic.
I wanted to add that, um, you know, the Hollywood Casino has been- Yeah ... supportive of the new park that's coming at Wilson Road Park. Mm-hmm.
And, uh, they've helped to, to build that, to- Okay ... to build the facilities there. And, uh, you know, what I would say, the casino has been a net positive for the area. I don't think, you know, uh, when people say it hasn't fulfilled its expectation, maybe expectations were not reasonable. Right.
You know? It has, it's, they've been a positive partner to Friends of the Hilltop, and, and they're working with the community to bring back the neighborhood, to make it a, a great place. That's fantastic. And then I, I wanted to add a few things that, uh, we did the Camp Chase Trail Action Plan. Okay.
And, you know, one of the big things that's needed is trailside lodging. You know? Okay. People that are using this for a multi-day, it's like our version of the Appalachian Trail. Okay.
So somebody that starts in Cincinnati headed to Cleveland, it would be wonderful if they had, you know, a, a small bed and breakfast or trailside lodging. Mm-hmm. Uh, whether it's a hostel. We encourage people to sign up for Airbnb, you know? Mm-hmm.
You can host a trail user in your home. We'd love to see more attractions, maybe a Hi- a Hilltop Historical Society. You know? Mm-hmm. S- people like to learn when they're on their, uh, on their journey. So we, we're, the new trail does have some, uh, sorta rain garden areas. Um, we hope to see more public art. We just want this to be a neighborhood asset- Mm-hmm
... and for the residents that live there and for the people that are discovering our Greater West Side. Fantastic. Jody, Betty, thank you so much for your time today. Again, you can get more information on everything we talked today in the show notes at theconfluencecast.com. Ladies, thank you again so much. Thank you. Thank you, Tim.
Thank you for listening to The Confluence Cast presented by Columbus Underground. Again, you can get more information on what we discussed today in the show notes for this episode at theconfluencecast.com. Please rate, subscribe, share this episode of The Confluence Cast with your friends, family, contacts, enemies, your favorite civic leader. If you're interested in sponsoring The Confluence Cast, get in touch with us. We can be reached by email at info@theconfluencecast.com. Our theme music was composed by Benji Robinson. I'm your host, Tim Fulton. Have a good week.
Transcript6,124 words
Tim Fulton Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Confluence Cast presented by Columbus Underground. We are a weekly Columbus-centric podcast focusing on the civics, lifestyle, entertainment, and people of our city. I'm your host, Tim Fulton. This week, we start a new series, a series on neighborhoods in Columbus, exploring the virtues and challenges of individual Columbus neighborhoods. First up, we take a visit to The Hilltop. On the occasion of their newly completed Camp Chase Trail, I sat down with Jody Zaranin, the co-founder of Friends of Camp Chase Trail, and Betty Jane, president of the Westgate Neighbors Association. We discuss the new trail, the renaissance that they're fighting for on The Hilltop, some of the sensitivities and perceptions that the West Side faces, and finally, their food trucks initiative with which they're trying to demonstrate the demand and buying power of The Hilltop neighborhood. As part of the series, we will continue to ask what initiatives are being taken by the city to help neighborhoods, what the civically minded people in the area want, and the grassroots ways that civic associations in neighborhoods can demonstrate the need for changes. If you'd like your neighborhood featured on this series, get in touch with us. We can be reached by email at info@theconfluencecast.com. You can get more information on what we discussed today in the show notes for this episode at theconfluencecast.com. Enjoy the interview. Sitting down here with Jody Zaranin, founder of Friends of Camp Chase Trail, and Betty Jane, president of the Westgate Neighbors Association. Ladies, how are you?
Jody Zaranin Good morning.
Betty Jane Good morning.
Tim Fulton Good. Good. We are sitting down here talking about all the things that are happening in The Hilltop, some things that are happening in Westgate specifically. First of all, want to talk about the coming to completion soon, the new Camp Chase Trail. Uh, Jody, can you sort of give us the, the bird's-eye view of, of what the trail is and where it is?
Jody Zaranin Well, the trail, as of December 1st, is done and opened. We were able to get the final section paved up to Georgesville Road, and we invite people to come out and check it out. So the, the most recent part of this 16-mile trail is what we refer to as Camp Chase Trail on The Hilltop.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin So that's about three miles from Eureka Avenue, North Eureka Avenue near Holton Park.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin And then it goes out to, to Georgesville Road, so that's the three miles. And then with a short connector over Industrial Mile Road, you can connect to the, the remaining 12 miles of the Camp Chase Trail, which will get you out to London. And it's, it's a beautiful multi-use trail.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin And we invite people to come visit, enjoy. It's a great asset for the citizens in the area and all over Columbus.
Tim Fulton Yeah. And the trail was developed in partnership, City of Columbus, Franklin County Metro Parks, and then Columbus City Rec and Parks. And I think Columbus Division of Public Service is helping sort of with the, the facilitation, keeping it safe and, and keeping it maintained.
Jody Zaranin They're actually building a connector along Georgesville Road and Sullivan Avenue.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Jody Zaranin So it will be a side path next to the road that will help with the, the connecting between the two main trail segments. So that will be built over the next, um... Really, it should complete during 2017, so.
Tim Fulton Okay. In a, in a perfect world.
Jody Zaranin Yes.
Tim Fulton Good.
Jody Zaranin It's about a half mile.
Tim Fulton And the trail is actually named after originally a camp for Camp Chase, which was a staging and training area for the Union Army. It has the dubious privilege of being known as the largest Confederate prisoner of war camp, and there's still actually a, a, a graveyard there, correct?
Jody Zaranin It's definitely the largest within Union territory.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Jody Zaranin Yes.
Tim Fulton Largest in the North.
Jody Zaranin So, yeah, yes.
Tim Fulton Got it.
Jody Zaranin That's my understanding, yes.
Tim Fulton That's fair. And Jody, give us a little... You are actually not a resident, but you, you do work and play in The Hilltop. Uh, give us just a little bit of your background as, as a person.
Jody Zaranin Well, I've lived in Franklin County my whole life, so, uh, half of it inside the outer belt and half of it outside the outer belt.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin Uh, 30 of those years is in the actual City of Columbus, and I've been civically active in all kinds of different initiatives. More recently i- i- in the bicycle advocacy world, I got connected with the Ohio to Erie Trail, which connects Cincinnati to Cleveland.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin And, uh, the Camp Chase Trail is a key piece of that. So I started attending the Madison version of the Trail Friends, Madison County, Friends of Madison County Parks and Trails.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin And I realized, hey, this Camp Chase Trail is making its way to Columbus, and we didn't have an equivalent Trail Friends type initiative, so.
Tim Fulton And it is an advocacy group, correct? Like, what, what is it that, what is it that the Friends of Camp Chase Trail does?
Jody Zaranin We're more of a network and a community. And I, I'm a co-founder with Chris Hadasy. So he's an auto dealer.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin And he has a RV dealership, you know, right there, uh, at, on West Broad.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin And he's been a cheerleader for this trail for, really since the beginning of the initiative for the trail. And so when I was attending the Madison F- Friends, I said, "Hey, you know, I bet Chris Hadasy would be interested in, you know, helping to launch this group." So-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Jody Zaranin ... w- so we started the meetings in October of 2013, and i- it's been... We kinda have a combination of in-person meetings, but now that the trail's done, it's really more about getting
Betty Jane I mean, to be a trail friend, you go out, you use the trail-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... you care for the trail, you-
Tim Fulton You-
Betty Jane ... promote the trail-
Tim Fulton You take, you-
Betty Jane ... talk about it
Tim Fulton ... you sit down here with me.
Betty Jane Exactly.
Tim Fulton Well, but also you take the initiative to organize cleanups a little bit, I imagine.
Betty Jane Exactly. We, uh, about a year ago, we convened the Hilltop Action Team, which was a group to focus on these three miles sort of inside the Outerbelt, inside 270.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane Um, because that's the area with the greatest potential for enjoyment. It's also the area that, if, you know, if there's litter, broken glass, crime, then people aren't gonna use it.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane So we, you know, we're sort of this adopted group. I call myself the foster mom, but now the residents are, you know, stepping in and, uh-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... the Columbus West Side Running Club is about a year old, and they said, "Hey, we wanna do a litter cleanup." And so, you know, kind of we've connected them with Friends of the Hilltop and Keep Columbus Beautiful, and now on January 21, they're gonna have a, uh, a cleanup, so.
Tim Fulton Great.
Betty Jane Yes. So all these pl- the planning is now coming to fruition, and it's very exciting.
Tim Fulton And, and the actions are happening.
Betty Jane Yeah.
Tim Fulton Betty Jaynes, again, welcome. Talk to us, what is the Westgate Neighbors Association?
Betty Jane It is actually a, a pretty young organization. We were founded in 2008, and we are a civic organization, not a homeowners association.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane And initially when we were formed, we kind of thought, we, we focused inward. And now that we've kind of gotten our, our, um, wind and we feel like we're at a tipping point-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... we're reaching out and seeing what we can do at a grassroots level to bring economic development back to the Hilltop.
Tim Fulton Okay. And what is the discerning difference between a, a residents association and a, a homeowners association?
Betty Jane A homeowners association will tell you what color you can paint your shutters.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane Will tell you where you can park your car.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane Uh, a civic organization i- is more of a community organization. Our homes were built in the '20s, '30s, '40s, and '50s, and they were built upon, uh, the, the eastern part of Westgate was built upon Camp Chase, which, um-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... uh, uh, we already discussed the, the history there. Um, we're blessed to not have attached garages.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane We have sidewalks, and we have front porches.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And that really makes us more of a connected neighborhood because you don't just push your remote and drive into your garage and, and, uh, never see your neighbors.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane So we're very connected. We, um, we are, um, constantly connecting our neighbors. We feel like a, a connected neighborhood is, is safer.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And as I say now, we're working in conjunction with the, uh, Hilltop Business Association and Greater Hilltop Area Commission and other organizations to, and with the city of Columbus, to, um, bring Hilltop back-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... to, to what it was because it was, um, i- in its glory days was the, the place to be.
Tim Fulton Absolutely. And there is, there will be more information sort of on the history of the Hilltop in the show notes to this episode at theconfluencecast.com. Talk about sort of what changes, what positive changes you're seeing in the Hilltop at large right now.
Betty Jane Um, well certainly with Mayor Ginther's focus on neighborhoods-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... and specifically Hilltop and, um, Linden, and with the formation of the neighborhood, Department of Neighborhoods-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... we're starting to s- to get a, a stronger voice at City Hall and, uh, partnering with Department of Development and, uh, trying to figure out what it's going to take to get the, uh, investment, private and public-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... investment to get the Hilltop, specifically the West Broad Corridor and Solomon Avenue Corridor-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... um, business back there.
Tim Fulton Okay. So let's, let's lay some sensitivities sort of out on the line, just so that we expose them because I think that a lot of people, if they're aware of it, will jab me for not bringing it up. Westgate is a beautiful neighborhood. It remains slightly insulated from the remaining Hilltop, and I think that there's, I would not call it a criticism, I will call it a sensitivity, in that a lot of great things happen in Westgate, and there's a lot of positive momentum happening there, and what you're saying is you hope to see that translate further to the Hilltop area at large.
Betty Jane Exactly.
Tim Fulton Great.
Betty Jane Exactly. We are working on, at a grassroots level-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... with the Westgate Farmers Market and with the food trucks to demonstrate demand, the buying power of the greater Hilltop area.
Tim Fulton Are you seeing it?
Betty Jane We are.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane We are. We had actually six businesses open in 2016.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane So businesses are starting to take notice. As far as Westgate being, uh, I've always said Westgate can't survive as an island. We have to be sensitive to those around us. And I like to point to some of the other areas of the city, Olde Towne East, German Village-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... Short North, that all spawned neighborhoods development-
Tim Fulton Absolutely. Well, and I think-
Betty Jane ... with their adjacencies
Tim Fulton ... and I think that certainly Olde Towne East, you can point to some sensitivity still with the Near East Side.
Betty Jane Correct.
Tim Fulton Uh, that, uh, you know, that, that vitality has not translated north yet. But certainly the Short North has spurned two great neighborhoods, and I hope at some point we st- start calling them properly Victorian Village and Italian Village-
Betty Jane Correct
Tim Fulton ... and see that those large swaths have translated into, into positive growth as well.
Betty Jane Exactly. Rising tide raises all ships, so.
Tim Fulton Right.
Betty Jane We feel like we have, uh, we are an all-volunteer organization-
Tim Fulton Okay
Betty Jane ... so we have limited bandwidth. So we're focusing on what we can do and what we can affect.
Tim Fulton Okay. And what, we talk a lot of sort of about the empowerment of organizations on here, what can you guys do? Ca- is it really just, excuse me, not just, but is it really advocacy, events, and promoting things that are already happening?
Betty Jane Um, it's certainly driving awareness.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane We hel- we hold a, um, a- A Westgate home and garden tour-
Tim Fulton Okay
Betty Jane ... each year. This is our, gonna be our sixth year.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane Um, and so we invite all of Central Ohio to come in and see what makes our homes so different.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane Um, Westgate is, as you mentioned, h- has some beautiful homes, but they're very affordable.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane So we're finding people moving to Westgate that are kind of priced out of the Short North and German Village and so forth, but they still want those homes. We drive awareness through the farmers market, which is a truly grassroots organization. Um, the, the Westgate Neighbors Association is a strong promoter and sponsor, but literally there were two women who decided we need it.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And so they worked tirelessly, uh, to, to launch it. Last year was their inaugural year.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And, um, it's, it's just been a great way to draw focus to the area.
Tim Fulton Talking about some of the other positive things, uh, right now, uh, just this month the West Side Running Club is turning one year old. There's links to everything that we discuss again in the show notes at theconfluencecast.com. Talk about some of the other new businesses that opened on the West Side.
Betty Jane Uh, well, we had two salons open.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane Uh, we had, um, Gypsy Soul Antiques and Vintage Home Decor. Delightful shop.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane A delightful shop at 11 North Westmoor, and that actually grew out of the Westgate Farmers Market.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane And-
Tim Fulton It was a vendor
Betty Jane ... it, they were a vendor.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane And, you know, I spoke with one of the planners at, uh, MORPC, the Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And when we talked about the farmers market, they felt like that would drive more economic development than just about anything.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane And so within two or three markets, she saw, uh, the potential, the buying potential of the area, and she, in conjunction with one of our, uh, long-term residents, Daryl Hennessey, he bought a building, um, and similar to what was done in Short North with private investment-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... he bought a building, renovated it, and is offering the, the storefronts at below market value-
Tim Fulton Okay
Betty Jane ... in order to spur economic development. And so he, she was, uh, Gypsy Soul was one of their first vendors-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... or one of their first tenants.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And then they hosted a, a holiday pop-up store from October through December, uh, again, allowing, um, local vendors and crafters and artists to display and sell their wares.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane So it's that kind of grassroots drive-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... that is really having people take notice. Um, we had another, another store open, Firefly Sweet Shop, uh, Shop, and their story is really, uh, unique.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane They have a social mission where their, um, their business model is to give those with developmental disabilities a, a place to actually work-
Tim Fulton Okay
Betty Jane ... and interact with the public. And so he has a satellite s- store. His main store is in London, and, um, he has a satellite store in Westgate.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane So it's those kind of unique ventures that I know Westgate and the area around it, uh, they're embracing.
Tim Fulton Okay. And I know you guys are doing food truck events now. Again, we talked about the Columbus West Side Running Club, the farmers market, Summer Jam West Festival. Can we talk about that a little bit?
Betty Jane Sure. So Summer Jam West, so it is a art and music festival held in Westgate Park this year on July, Saturday, July 8.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And they've had a legacy of dedicating a new art project each year, and the neat thing is that the previous year's art project is then incorporated in the next. So-
Tim Fulton Okay
Betty Jane ... the f- first that I can think of is Wings of Change-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... a monarch sculpture, and then the next year, the Fantastic Food Garden Mural referenced the monarch, and then that's on the side of the, uh, handball court.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane And then this year, the Camp Chase Trail is a, a host site.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane That, uh, there is a large warehouse along the trail near Sylvan Avenue. Roger Williams was the muralist that was chosen, and it's going to be a beautiful celebration of the trail, incorporating the, the previous two, uh, art projects, and the theme is Moving & Grooving this year. So-
Tim Fulton Fantastic
Betty Jane ... uh, exactly. So all the trail uses are being incorporated in that, and, uh, we're excited, and that will be up in the spring. So Summer Jam is a one-day festival with vendors and music and food, and then it has this lasting legacy of bringing public art to the Hilltop and points of pride. And so it's one example of the, the kind of activity and, and revitalization we're seeing-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... in the greater Hilltop. The previous years it was called Summer Jam Westgate, and this-
Tim Fulton Right
Betty Jane ... was the first year right after last year's. It's rebranded Summer Jam West purely to, to show that this is a, uh, a-
Tim Fulton It is a full community festival-
Betty Jane Yes
Tim Fulton ... and it is not just-
Betty Jane I think some people feel if it says Westgate in it-
Tim Fulton Right
Betty Jane ... you have to live there to enjoy it.
Tim Fulton Right.
Betty Jane And that's certainly not the case. I mean, that's, uh-
Tim Fulton Well, and that speaks to some of the sensitivities we talked about earlier. Westgate is-
Betty Jane It's a sizable neighborhood-
Tim Fulton Right
Betty Jane ... with a 47-acre park at right smack dab at the middle-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... which hosts Summer Jam West as well as the Hilltop Historic Bean Dinner Festival
Tim Fulton Tell me about the Hilltop Historic Bean Dinner Festival.
Betty Jane Well everyone wants to sit down in June on a hot summer day and eat bean soup, right?
Tim Fulton That's what I always think of on a hot summer day.
Betty Jane Right. But it is actually, goes back to the Civil War-
Tim Fulton Okay
Betty Jane ... era, and soldiers would get together for reunions.
Tim Fulton Right.
Betty Jane And so i- I believe it was in the '30s, the Hilltop Business Association started hosting it, and it's, um, it's, it's a day where the area comes alive. There are thousands of visitors that come. They have a, um, they have food in addition to the, the beans. The beans are the-
Tim Fulton Beans are food.
Betty Jane Beans are food.
Jody Zaranin And the beans are delicious, yes.
Betty Jane They are delicious.
Jody Zaranin They're very-
Betty Jane And they have beans and cornbread and so forth, and then they have some vendors. They have some, some crafters.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane They have music. They have a car show. But what, what the community does is it's a day to have hundreds of yard sales and garage sales.
Tim Fulton Oh, okay.
Betty Jane And so it's known as... I mean, the, the, the, the area just comes alive that day. It's, it really is exciting to listen to the music and to, to go over and, and, uh, see the cars and so forth, and eat the beans.
Tim Fulton And coming up, the fourth Saturday in June, the Historic Hilltop Bean Dinner Festival.
Betty Jane Sponsored by the Hilltop Business Association.
Tim Fulton Sponsored by the Hilltop Business Association. More information on that also in the show notes at theconfluencecast.com. You guys have talked a lot about revitalization, and I want to hear a little bit about where the neighborhood was, be that five years ago, be that 10 years ago, be that 15 years ago, of what is it coming back from? Census data says the number of people there dropped by not a significant amount, but 1.2% dropped between 2000 and 2010. Similarly, the number of residences in the Hilltop at large dropped 1.2%. Thank you, Wikipedia. That doesn't seem to me like a significant drop, but you guys talk a lot... I, there are crime issues in the neighborhood.
Betty Jane Sure.
Tim Fulton I wanna talk about so, you know, what are the challenges that the Hilltop is trying to address? Some of it is infrastructure, some of it is crime, some of it is jobs.
Betty Jane Some of it is perception.
Tim Fulton Some of it is perception, great. Talk to me about that.
Betty Jane I would love to be able to share with the media-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... what the Hilltop boundaries are.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane And-
Tim Fulton So you're saying murder on the Hilltop, you're like, "That's actually not the Hilltop."
Betty Jane Exactly.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane So if it happens at, at Galloway and West Broad Street-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... that's Galloway.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane That's not the West Side.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane If an ATM robbery happens on Rome Hilliard Road, that's not the West Side, that's Hilliard.
Tim Fulton Right.
Betty Jane But if it happens within our boundaries, it's automatically the Hilltop.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And I know there are other areas of the city that are dealing with this same perception, that if it bleeds, it leads, and we're going to, to lead with the fact that it, it is the Hilltop.
Tim Fulton Well, and let me make a weird comparison that the media doesn't do, but it's like if you said there was a murder in Linden, but instead of Linden, you said just east of Clintonville.
Jody Zaranin Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane A good example.
Tim Fulton So, so are you... I mean, are you stating that the crime is not truly as bad as it m- is perceived-
Betty Jane No, I, I-
Tim Fulton ... to be in the public conscience?
Betty Jane ... I'm not saying that. I'm saying that crime is h- the crime rates are increasing throughout the c- the, the country-
Tim Fulton Okay
Betty Jane ... because of the heroin eco- epidemic.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane So we know that we're not insulated with that, and certainly Westgate is not insulated with that. We have a lot of property crimes because those coming in to feed their habit.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane A- and certainly, um, there are areas within the Hilltop that are problematic. I'm just thinking that there are a l- a lot of good things going on. There are a lot of good people-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Betty Jane ... hardworking people living on the Hilltop, and all the media tends to focus on, which I guess is their job, is, is the negative.
Tim Fulton Right.
Betty Jane And so the perception. You know, we, we talked earlier about, um, the Short North, and they, they've got clear, defined neighborhoods that have kind of grown out of there.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane We've got defined areas and neighborhoods with Wilkschire Heights, with Highland West, with Holly Hill, with, with Georgian Heights. Those are all great neighborhoods.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane But w- the Greater Hilltop Area Commission is one of the largest, correct me if I'm wrong, Jody, it's one of the largest commissions in the city. So it, when you say Hilltop, I would love to see that defined more towards the neighborhoods.
Tim Fulton Okay. But you are ob- I mean, you guys say revitalization.
Betty Jane Right.
Tim Fulton So what, what are the, what are the, would you say are the other challenges that the neighborhood faces?
Betty Jane Certainly in some of the areas, the high vacancy rate.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane A- along the Broad Street corridor, we've got some great buildings that could be revitalized and, and some new businesses brought in. We'd love to see a bike shop.
Jody Zaranin Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane We're working very hard to get a bike shop to come inside with-
Jody Zaranin And coffee shop
Betty Jane ... and a coffee shop-
Jody Zaranin Yeah
Betty Jane ... with a trail
Jody Zaranin ... a trail site, yeah.
Tim Fulton Mm.
Betty Jane Yeah. And so we've got, we've got some individuals who are working in conjunction with the city, with the business association to attract those businesses. One of our big asks of the city was for a new market study, uh, because the one that was done in 2010 showed that we had some, some great buying power.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane Um, and the demographics showed that they could support some, some of the businesses that we're lacking. So, um, we're hopeful.
Jody Zaranin And storefront sites. There's l- beautiful storefronts on Sullivan and Broad that in some of the other neighborhoods, you know, have already been torn down.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin So there, there is a, a template to come in. It, it, I wanted to sort of take a step back and talk about, you know, part of the decline really comes from the decline of Franklinton, you know, formerly known as The Bottoms.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin And when the flood wall was built- It was completed in 2003.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin And you've seen a dramatic change in Franklinton in that time. And so really-
Tim Fulton Well, and truly, you couldn't get federal funding in order to-
Jody Zaranin Exactly
Tim Fulton ... build in that area until the-
Jody Zaranin So-
Tim Fulton ... lead wall was done. Right
Jody Zaranin ... that cloud that was hanging over the Franklinton area at the time really did expand up to the Hilltop.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin I- in many ways, the Hilltop is sort of like a small Detroit, you know? The heyday was manufacturing based. It was blue collar. It had a strong middle class, and that, you know, those were the groups that had the, you know, the Kiwanis and the, the, the, all the groups that were involved in their community, and it was-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Jody Zaranin ... tight-knit. And when people talk about, "We gotta bring back the Hilltop," I think there's that kind of hunger for, you know, when it was a, a, a tight-knit community where people knew each other. And now, you know, over, I can't say statistically, but I would say really since the early '90s-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Jody Zaranin ... uh, you know, that's when this sort of slide began and when people... There's a lot of frustration of, who's responsible for this, you know?
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin There's a lot of finger-pointing at the city-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Jody Zaranin ... when really the area is not all City of Columbus boundaries.
Tim Fulton Right.
Jody Zaranin A lot of it is Franklin Township and, you know, Prairie Township. So now there's more of an effort to have a multi-jurisdictional collaboration.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin Instead of saying, you know, "Who's responsible for the decline?" it's now saying, "Hey, we're all in this together to, to create the revitalization."
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin And I kind of hesitate. It's like we're not going to bring the Hilltop back to how it was, but we are gonna make it better than it is-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Jody Zaranin ... and really reinvent it to, you know, I guess, you know, kinda the way Detroit is. Detroit is never gonna be what it was.
Tim Fulton Right.
Jody Zaranin But the people that are moving in care about it, and you have artist communities, you have new business, and there's new innovations coming out of Detroit that weren't happening, you know-
Tim Fulton Right
Jody Zaranin ... 30 years ago. So part of that is that we need to let go of, of what's happened but be willing to, you know, em- embrace new ideas-
Tim Fulton Embrace that change-
Jody Zaranin ... and new people
Tim Fulton ... and see what can happen. Right
Jody Zaranin ... and diver- diversity and... We haven't talked about it, but there's a large, uh, Hispanic and Somali population.
Tim Fulton Population. Right.
Jody Zaranin Exactly. So those are the businesses we're going to start to see as well. And, and being open to that and really encouraging that is, you know, the way the Northland Corridor has been revitalized, you know, really from an international population.
Tim Fulton Absolutely.
Jody Zaranin I think that's a big part of, of what we're gonna see.
Tim Fulton Are you seeing pushback, let's-
Jody Zaranin On the West
Tim Fulton ... let... I hope we don't need to dwell on it, but are you seeing pushback against that Hispanic and Somali population in terms of like, "You guys are taking over what we once had"? Or-
Jody Zaranin I can't speak to it.
Tim Fulton Fair, and I think, and I'm-
Jody Zaranin I-
Tim Fulton ... frankly am glad.
Jody Zaranin Yeah. The trail has been almost universally embraced-
Tim Fulton Right
Jody Zaranin ... by anybody who's, who's been ex- exposed to it. When I went out when the trail was being built into the Hilltop, I visited Georgesville, which is the little community right outside of Battelle Darby Metro Park.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Jody Zaranin And when they heard the trail was coming, they were nervous, you know? "Those people are going to be coming into our community."
Tim Fulton On my bike trail?
Jody Zaranin Well, that's-
Betty Jane 'Cause, you know, bikers.
Jody Zaranin In general, well-
Tim Fulton Well, we're gonna take a-
Jody Zaranin In tra-
Tim Fulton ... talk about the skate park here in a second.
Jody Zaranin Trails in general, and trails aren't just bike trails. It's, they are paved, so they're good for bikes, but, you know, hikers, strollers, rollerbladers. And so by the time I had gone to this meeting, they said, "We were so incorrect in our perception." You know-
Tim Fulton Yeah
Jody Zaranin ... "My son uses it to ride his bike out to his girlfriend's house in Lily Chapel." It's like then it became, "Oh, this is for us. This is-
Tim Fulton Right
Jody Zaranin ... something great." And, you know, trail users wave and, and in general, trail users, uh, tend to leave the better ar- the area better than they found it. So-
Tim Fulton Right
Jody Zaranin ... you know, we try to clean up after ourselves. And so we, as a trail user, I certainly expect it to be a positive impact, and I was glad to see this, you know, this small town that thought it could be apocalyptic, and then they said-
Tim Fulton Right
Jody Zaranin ... "This is wonderful." So I think we're seeing, me personally are s- are seeing the same reaction, uh, in the greater Hilltop area and all the wonderful neighborhoods that border it.
Tim Fulton Can we talk about, given the challenges that the West Side faces, what can and should the city do for the Hilltop, and also sort of neighborhoods at large? Or you can talk about the initiatives that they're already doing or what would you, would like to see happen more of.
Betty Jane We are working with them to get a new marketing study-
Tim Fulton Okay
Betty Jane ... that will help us demonstrate to businesses that, you know, there's buying power here.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And so that's in the approval process now, so w- we're pretty excited about that. The last market study we have is from 2010.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane You know, things have changed quite a bit since then, uh, some for the better actually. Market values, at least in Westgate, are the highest they've ever been, and we're attracting new young professionals. We're excited that the LGBT community has embraced our neighborhood.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And, um, we don't have flag wars as other, other areas have had. We're, we're really welcoming and, and very excited. Um-
Tim Fulton What do you mean by flag war?
Betty Jane Flag wars happened in O-Town East when the, the, the LGBT community started buying those homes-
Tim Fulton Uh-huh
Betty Jane ... and flying their, their pride flags.
Tim Fulton Right.
Betty Jane Um, the, the neighbors that were already there-
Tim Fulton Okay
Betty Jane ... were resentful of what they were doing, and, and change is, is not always well accepted.
Tim Fulton No, it's not.
Betty Jane So we didn't have that. We have a lot of excitement around there. The city is working with us on some facade im- improvement initiatives.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane We-- They just approved and are-- have funded the final design phase of the West Broad Street streetscape.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane And so it will bring some identity back to the neighborhoods and, um, kind of im-improve, improve the overall look and feel.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane Uh, so they're working with us on that. Again, we would love to have some, uh, development funds to attract new businesses.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane Some tax incentives that would help them. We're, you know, the, the city is, has never said no. Uh-
Tim Fulton Of course not
Betty Jane ... but we're, we're working with them and hopeful that as we can get some private investment, that there'll be s- there'll be some kinds of incentives to help them.
Tim Fulton Okay. Betty, talk to me about food trucks on the Hilltop.
Betty Jane All right. Well, one of the things that we wanted to do was demonstrate demand. They... We are often called a food desert.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane Uh, not a lot of places to eat, and we wanted to demonstrate that we're hungry, literally, o- uh, on the Hilltop. And so, uh, about a year and a half ago, we tested and, and started with Schmidt's Sausage Truck.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane They were the first ones to take a, a chance on us, and they are our biggest advocate now.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane They are, uh, with the Central Ohio Food Truck Association. They will tell you they do two and a half to three times more volume when they come out to, to the Westgate area, Hilltop area, than any other.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Betty Jane And so that s- since has expanded to about a biweekly schedule where we have rotating trucks come in, and invariably they'll come in, they will not listen to us, they will not be prepared to serve 30 meals at, to start. They will not be prepe- prepared to, to sell out, and invariably they, they wanna rebook immediately.
Tim Fulton Great.
Betty Jane So that's demonstrating demand. We also have the food trucks at our, at the Westgate Farmers Market.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane And so it's a way not only to bring other food options into the area, but to demonstrate that there is a need and a hunger for more sit-down restaurants-
Tim Fulton Okay
Betty Jane ... and, uh, for more business.
Tim Fulton And that's an excellent example of sort of a grassroots way that you guys as a civic association are able to demonstrate a need for change, I think.
Betty Jane Exa- exactly. And when we met with the city, between the food truck, uh, rotating food truck schedule and the Westgate Farmers Market, we felt that that was a model that could be replicated in other areas of the city.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Betty Jane Because the food trucks are always busy for lunch.
Tim Fulton Right.
Betty Jane But for dinner, that's their downtime.
Tim Fulton Right.
Betty Jane And so we feel like we could work with other civic organizations to show what we've done. So the Department of Development was very intrigued by that, that it might be a model for other areas to adopt.
Tim Fulton Fantastic.
Jody Zaranin I wanted to add that, um, you know, the Hollywood Casino has been-
Tim Fulton Yeah
Jody Zaranin ... supportive of the new park that's coming at Wilson Road Park.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin And, uh, they've helped to, to build that, to-
Tim Fulton Okay
Jody Zaranin ... to build the facilities there. And, uh, you know, what I would say, the casino has been a net positive for the area. I don't think, you know, uh, when people say it hasn't fulfilled its expectation, maybe expectations were not reasonable.
Tim Fulton Right.
Jody Zaranin You know? It has, it's, they've been a positive partner to Friends of the Hilltop, and, and they're working with the community to bring back the neighborhood, to make it a, a great place.
Tim Fulton That's fantastic.
Jody Zaranin And then I, I wanted to add a few things that, uh, we did the Camp Chase Trail Action Plan.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Jody Zaranin And, you know, one of the big things that's needed is trailside lodging. You know?
Tim Fulton Okay.
Jody Zaranin People that are using this for a multi-day, it's like our version of the Appalachian Trail.
Tim Fulton Okay.
Jody Zaranin So somebody that starts in Cincinnati headed to Cleveland, it would be wonderful if they had, you know, a, a small bed and breakfast or trailside lodging.
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin Uh, whether it's a hostel. We encourage people to sign up for Airbnb, you know?
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin You can host a trail user in your home. We'd love to see more attractions, maybe a Hi- a Hilltop Historical Society. You know?
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm.
Jody Zaranin S- people like to learn when they're on their, uh, on their journey. So we, we're, the new trail does have some, uh, sorta rain garden areas. Um, we hope to see more public art. We just want this to be a neighborhood asset-
Tim Fulton Mm-hmm
Jody Zaranin ... and for the residents that live there and for the people that are discovering our Greater West Side.
Tim Fulton Fantastic. Jody, Betty, thank you so much for your time today. Again, you can get more information on everything we talked today in the show notes at theconfluencecast.com. Ladies, thank you again so much.
Betty Jane Thank you.
Jody Zaranin Thank you, Tim.
Tim Fulton Thank you for listening to The Confluence Cast presented by Columbus Underground. Again, you can get more information on what we discussed today in the show notes for this episode at theconfluencecast.com. Please rate, subscribe, share this episode of The Confluence Cast with your friends, family, contacts, enemies, your favorite civic leader. If you're interested in sponsoring The Confluence Cast, get in touch with us. We can be reached by email at info@theconfluencecast.com. Our theme music was composed by Benji Robinson. I'm your host, Tim Fulton. Have a good week.