Since the city of Columbus built the Jackson Street parking garage, the famous Friendship Alley with its whimsical decorations has ended against the blank wall of the parking garage and a poorly lit tunnel for bicycle parking and equipment storage.
But the city is considering a plan that would brighten up the blank wall with a bicentennial themed mural designed and painted by Ivy Tech students.
Heather Pope, director of the city’s redevelopment department, explains:
The approval process would include submissions of designs for voting by community members on their favorites. A public meeting will be held July 20th to present the designs and for the students to explain their work.
The eventual winner will be chosen by a selection committee and the goal is to have the mural finished in time for the county’s bicentennial celebrations in mid September, Pope said.
The Columbus Redevelopment Commission, which owns the garage for the city, will consider the mural project at its meeting tonight. The commission meets at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Columbus City Hall.
The city is also considering paving stones or other ways to brighten the area and to extend Friendship Alley through the garage, all the way to Jackson Street.