Downtown Columbus, Georgia

Downtown Columbus
Neighborhood

Fireworks in Downtown on July 4, 2009.
Country United States
State Georgia
County Muscogee
City Columbus
Population (2007[1])
 • Total 8,080
ZIP codes[2] 31901, 31902, 31908, 31993, 31997, 31998

Downtown Columbus, Georgia, also called "Uptown" (see here), is the central business district of the city of Columbus, Georgia. The commercial and governmental heart of the city has traditionally been toward the eastern end of Downtown Columbus, between 10th Street and 1st Avenue. Recent developments, particularly between Broadway and 2nd Avenue, have expanded the boundaries of the "central" part of the neighborhood. The term "Downtown Columbus" can also mean this smaller, more commercial area, particularly when used in the context of the city's nightlife and restaurants

South of Broadway is a much more residential area, characterized by historic homes, new infill construction, and some public housing. This part of Downtown Columbus has the highest concentration of hotels, particularly along Front Avenue, and the Broadway commercial corridor is the center of business.

Overview

Buildings

The following is a list of the eight tallest buildings in Columbus.[3][4]

# Name Height in feet Stories Year completed
1 Columbus Consolidated Government Center 235 13 1974
2 Aflac Building 246 19 1975
3 The Ralston Addition 12 1957
4 Corporate Center 129 10 1973
5 The Ralston Addition 110 10 1919
6 The Ralston Addition 9 1941
7 The Ralston 9 1914
8 Columbus Regional Hospital 9 1968

Historic places

Two Historic Districts are located in the main district of downtown: the Columbus Historic District and the Columbus Historic Riverfront Industrial District Structures listed in the National Register of Historic Places include Columbus Ironworks, the former Ledger-Enquirer Tower, and the YMCA.[5] The Columbus Battlefield spans across the Chattahoochee River in the location of Mott's Green.

Homes

Mott House memorial facade, constructed in 2016

Downtown Columbus is home to many Antebellum homes, most listed in the NRHP, including the 1839 Goetchius House, the Garrett-Bullock House, and the Illges House.[6] The Mott House was destroyed by fire in 2014; its memorial facade, pictured, was completed in 2016.

Places of interest

Downtown Columbus is full of places that may interest tourists. These places include government buildings, sporting venues and other miscellaneous places, such as parks and convention centers.

Arts

Governmental facilities

Museums

Recreation

Sporting venues

Places of worship

Downtown in 1880, showing the Church of the Holy Family (image by Theodore R. Davis)

Downtown consists of many places to worship, such as historic Church of the Holy Family, Columbus' first Roman Catholic parish. The area is also home to other historic congregations, including First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, St. George's Anglican Church, St. Luke United Methodist Church, and Trinity Episcopal Church.

Transportation

There are many modes of transportation in Downtown Columbus that can be used by both tourists and residents. METRA Transit System operates bus service in downtown, which connects riders to other places in the city. The primary way of getting around downtown for many people is by car. Downtown Columbus is accessible from Interstate 185 by J. R. Allen Parkway, which allows direct travel into the area via 2nd Avenue. Downtown is also served by two arterial roads, Veterans Parkway (north–south) and Victory Drive (east–west).

"Downtown"/"Uptown"

There is confusion brought about by the use of the terms "Downtown" and "Uptown" for Columbus' central business district. Uptown Columbus is the title given to both a non-profit organization operating to encourage area growth and development (sometimes called "urban renewal") and also to the actual physical area of that development itself, which is an expanding subsection of the Downtown district located in the areas from Broadway to the Chattahoochee River.[9]

Tornado

On April 20, 2009, at approximately 12:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time, a category EF2 tornado hit downtown with winds up to 135 miles per hour (217 km/h). This tornado caused damage to the Columbus State University Campus, the Springer Opera House, and the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts. This is the first time a tornado touched ground in downtown Columbus since weather records keeping began in the 1890s. While there were dozens of injuries, there were no fatalities.[10]

References

  1. ↑ This is done by adding the populations of Avondale, Baker Village, City Village, Dinglewood, and Willett (as found on city-data.com).
  2. ↑ Zip Codes in Columbus, Georgia
  3. ↑ "All buildings | Buildings". Emporis. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Muscogee County Courthouse | Buildings". Columbus /: Emporis. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  5. ↑ National Register of Historic Places listings in Muscogee County, Georgia
  6. ↑ http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/meta/html/dlg/vang/meta_dlg_vang_mus085.html?Welcome
  7. ↑ "Built to thrill: 12 crazy man-made adventures". USA Today. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  8. ↑ Blue Heron Adventure
  9. ↑ Uptown Columbus
  10. ↑ Tornado tears through Downtown
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