An up-close look at gentrification and affordable housing

OHIO students took a field trip to Columbus on March 22 to see the changes in affordable housing and urban life up close. The group of 43 students, led by Dr. Yeong Kim and guided by four OHIO alumni, went out to the Franklinton neighborhood and downtown Columbus. The day was filled with visits to public spaces, redevelopment projects and sites that have changed with the fast-growing city.

The trip started early. At 8:30 a.m., the students gathered at the GoBus stop by Baker Center. They boarded a Bobcat bus and set out for a day of walking tours. Their route covered key sites like the Scioto Riverfront in Franklinton, a neighborhood once known for its struggles with redlining and underinvestment. The area has seen many changes since the erection of the flood wall between 1993 and 2004, which helped the neighborhood start its path to renewal.

In Franklinton, the students saw both old and new aspects of the neighborhood. They walked by projects where old warehouses and vacant lots are being changed into mixed-income housing and community spaces. The itinerary listed stops such as a new housing development and the Franklinton Flood Wall. This wall is seen as a turning point because it helped end the era of repeated floods and opened the door for redevelopment.

In downtown Columbus, the tour moved on to projects that show the city’s attempt to keep up with its fast growth. One stop was an office-to-residential conversion project at a former bank building. The change from office space to living units is part of the city’s plan to add more residents and workers.

"I found the office-to-residential conversion conversations engaging, specifically the PNC building project,” said Mollie Kawakami, a junior in urban planning and sustainability . “I was familiar with the concept of transforming offices into residential units but did not know Columbus was implementing this strategy. I think the idea of rent being potentially $6,000 a month is absurd."

OHIO alumni led the tour with plain language and real examples from the field. Kyle May, BS '09, a city planning consultant and OHIO alumnus, led the group through downtown Columbus and Franklinton. He talked about the growth of the city, the need for more housing and how public spaces like parks can change the way people live. Other alumni, including Brandon Carpenter, BS '21, Stephanie Courson May, BA '10, joined the tour to answer questions on urban planning and affordable housing.

At one point, the students visited the Scioto Mile, a riverfront park system that was created by removing old dams and reclaiming land. The project shows how a city can take a natural feature and turn it into a place for walking, biking and community gatherings. 

"I found our class field trip ... to be very informative and engaging as it connected topics discussed in class to the real-world setting," said Sam Fujii, a junior in geography-environmental pre-law . "While I understood all of these issues and processes, I found it very impactful to see the effects of these ideas in an actual city ... The multi-use buildings and office space signal a new future for Franklinton, but it is impossible to ignore how this new growth is affecting current residents."

Another stop brought the group to a site that used to be a dangerous floodplain. Now, a grassy area by the river serves as a place for celebrations. 

"The most important and valuable thing I learned from this experience is how the concepts we talk about in class play out in real cities,” said Allie Krieger, a senior in environmental science and sustainability . “Being able to dam a river that used to be devastating for the community of Franklinton is a great feat. I also like how the grassy area near the river is used for community celebrations now, taking a formerly dangerous floodplain and making it beneficial to city culture."

The day ended at the Junto Hotel after a long list of stops that included everything from historic landmarks like the Ohio Theatre and the Ohio Statehouse to new projects like the Capital Line corridor and mixed-use developments. The tour was simple in its approach but big in its ideas. For many students, the trip was a look at the challenges and chances that come with urban growth.