The Envision Henderson corridor planning process has wrapped up its initial round of community and stakeholder engagement. Through dozens of live and online meetings, the planning team gathered more than 700 comments from 400 unique participants. The focus of the feedback ranged from assessments of the corridor’s current condition to ideas for future improvements. The planning team, including MKSK and Burgess and Niple, reviewed each of the responses and developed a summary of the overarching themes:

• The qualities of place are important in UA, but are lacking throughout the Henderson Road corridor. There is a lack of consistency with respect to architecture, site design, landscaping, signage, and other visible elements. The pattern and architecture of sites and buildings is haphazard and negatively impacts the area’s overall sense of place.
• Current market processes could be harmful to the quality of the built environment and the City’s fiscal position. These processes are not self-correcting. The softening retail and office markets – especially as they are impacting more dated products – could act as a drag against community priorities.
• Movement inside, into, and across the corridor should be safer for motorists and non-motorists. There are areas where these dangers cluster, but generally, safety along the corridor should be looked at holistically. Access management is a key challenge.
• The character, quality, and consistency of future projects is a priority. New projects should meet the community’s high standard for form and function, mixing timeless materials with a land-use profile that complements current and emerging market demands. These projects can have a mix of uses but should be scaled and placed appropriately.
• There is a need to move beyond simple, transactional spaces. Single use areas are disconnecting and have resulted in a fragmented building pattern and overbuilt infrastructure and parking.
• There are residents here and they are important and part of the broader UA community. The communities tucked into the corridor are often more than 50 years old and generally more affordable because of the range of housing types. These neighborhoods are an important part of the cities of Upper Arlington and Columbus and should be connected into, rather than fenced out of, complementary spaces as they evolve along the corridor.
• The stitching between the cities of Columbus and Upper Arlington will define the future success of this planning effort. Work in either community will have an impact on the other. Coordination and collaboration are key to the plan’s success. The Zone In (City of Columbus zoning code updates) and LinkUs (Central Ohio Transit Authority Bus Rapid Transit proposal) processes will have a profound impact on the north side of the corridor with respect to development opportunities. The communities should continue to work together to achieve shared, strong outcomes while maintaining their unique identities.
• The “gateway” aspect of the corridor can be better embraced. Henderson makes up the northern boundary for the City and this “gateway” should showcase the best aspects of the community. The corridor’s larger lots and existing mix of uses make it an ideal location for addressing community needs without overburdening existing neighborhoods.
• Not all redevelopment is inherently “good” or “bad.” Change should be considered and metered, following a strategy, and leading to incremental transformation of the corridor. The design, integration, materials, architecture, landscaping, and market fundamentals make up a short list of elements to consider for any proposed project. Additionally, these decisions are important.

Mark Your Calendars for Community Meeting 2
6:30 pm, Thursday, August 8
Municipal Services Center, 3600 Tremont Road
The planning team will be ready to report out on its findings to date, test some concepts and share an update on next steps. We hope you can join us for this next phase of community engagement.

Stay Involved
There is still time to add your ideas for the future of the corridor. Use the QR code below to access our Envision Henderson webpage, where you can find project updates and access the interactive Envision Henderson Engagement Hub.

Click here for more on the study.