Cummins is still hoping to fill a vacant lot in downtown Columbus.

When the company built its parking garage downtown it promised the city to build a residential and retail structure beside the garage, or to put up a fake brick facade to screen the parking garage interior from public views. There is no facade and the lot on Washington Street remains empty.

Catina Furnish, real estate manager for Cummins, told the Columbus Plan Commission last night that the company still hopes to sell the lot to a company willing to put up a mixed used building at the location, but companies were finding it hard to make the numbers work with the required street-level retail.

She said that earlier this summer Cummins listed the property with professional brokers, trying to find a buyer.

Without the neighboring building, or the fake brick facade, the company has tried to grow ivy to cover the sides of the building. After a false start trying to grow ivy at every level, and losing the ivy to bad weather, the company is now growing the ivy from the ground up.

The Plan Commission agreed to continue requiring annual updates until the lot is filled or the company screens the garage from public view.