Franklin Park (Columbus, Ohio)

Franklin Park is a neighborhood located on the Near East Side of Columbus, Ohio. Both the historic neighborhood and landmark, the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, are named after the 88-acre park.

For the neighborhood's city park, see Franklin Park (Columbus park).
Franklin Park (Columbus)
Neighborhoods of Columbus, Ohio
Homes along Franklin Park South
Coordinates: 39°57′49″N 82°57′36″W
Population
 (2010)
 • Total2,112
Time zoneEastern
ZIP Code
43205
Area code(s)614
WebsiteFranklin Park Civic Association

History
This property atlas from 1899 shows the Franklin Park and Woodland Park areas. The grey overlays represent currently existing structures, and the coral overlays represent currently existing streets. The original area known as Franklin Park Place can be seen, as well as the non-extant racetrack within the park.

Development in Franklin Park began in the 1850s and continued through the 1880s.[1] The neighborhood was home to the Franklin County Fairgrounds for 30 years before it became the recreational park that it is today.[2]

The first known residential area of Columbus lies within the present day neighborhood. The small addition, consisting of three to six blocks, was referred to as "Franklin Park Place". The borders were Franklin Park South (known as Fair Ave) to the north, Bryden Road to the south, the train tracks to the east, and Fairwood Avenue to the west. As one can see from the source, the Franklin Park area consisted of many different subdivisions and additions whose names eventually merged as "Franklin Park."[3]

The development of Franklin Park brought in both the working class and the wealthy.[4] The neighborhood is a mix of both larger mansions and smaller, modest homes. The 1930s were a transitional zone between the fast-paced city life of downtown and the countryside beyond Alum Creek. Up to the 1940s, the streetcar became more common followed by people typically owning their own automobiles.[5] As this became a popular commodity, people would take their Sunday drives on the 1.2 mile loop that circles Franklin park. Not only was Franklin Park a community neighborhood, but people would also come to Franklin Park to drive for leisure, race their automobiles, and picnic with their families.[6]

Geography
The influence of the park and conservatory in the neighborhood, as seen here in someone's front yard along Franklin Park South.

This neighborhood is bounded by East Broad Street to the north, East Main Street to the south, and Wilson Avenue to the west.[7]

The Alum Creek tributary separates the Franklin Park neighborhood from the City of Bexley and the area originally known as the "Wolfe Addition to Franklin Park," which is known in modern times as the Wolfe Park neighborhood.

Franklin Park is surrounded on the north by the other Near East neighborhoods of Eastgate, Nelson Park, Woodland Park, Eastwood Heights, and Bronzeville/King-Lincoln. To the south are Hanford Village, Driving Park, and Old Oaks, which are both considered to be Columbus' Near South. Olde Towne East is another Near East Side neighborhood that is situated between the Discovery and Market Districts of downtown Columbus and the Franklin Park neighborhood. A Google Map shows the general location of the Neighborhoods of Columbus' Near East and Near South neighborhoods (without boundaries depicted).[8]

The contemporary boundaries of Franklin Park have been disputed since the early 2000s and vary depending on the source. The general consensus would include the boundaries of Broad Street to the north, Main Street to the south, and Alum Creek to the east.[9][10] The neighborhood's boundary to the west tends to be disputed with Olde Towne East. While some sources claim the boundary between the two neighborhoods to be Wilson Ave,[11] other sources claim Olde Towne East follows a staggered boundary past Wilson Ave.[12]

The Bryden Road Historic District bisects both Franklin Park and Olde Towne East.[13] Franklin Park is primarily zoned residential. Franklin Park includes many single family homes, with duplexes, row-houses, and apartment buildings. There are small pockets of the neighborhood zoned for institutional and commercial uses. These occur primarily along E Main St and Kelton Ave. In addition, the far southeast corner of the neighborhood, known as the Holtzman-Main business corridor situated along the Alum Creek tributary, is completely zoned for industrial and commercial zones.[14]

Demographics

According to Onboard Informatics, the median age in Franklin Park is 34 years old and the median household income is $22,820.[15] The largest portion of demographics in Franklin Park are single parents.[16]

A good amount of Franklin Park's population are long term residents, residing in Franklin Park for at least 5 years.[17]

Civic Engagement

The Franklin Park Civic Association is the oldest organization in the Near East, with formal corporate representation for the Franklin Park neighborhood that is well-documented by articles of incorporation filed with office of the Ohio Secretary of State.

Initially, the organization included boundaries that covered most of the territory that comprises the Near East Side!

On April 15, 1965, the Franklin Park Area Council (the neighborhood's earliest registered corporation) was recorded as a nonprofit corporation in the State of Ohio. The first president was Margaret E. Day (1761 Franklin Park South), with Coleridge O. Jones, Jr., and Napoleon A. Bell (East Town Street) being the other corporation officers. The Trustees were Robert M. Powell (774 Kelton Avenue), William F. Walton (268 N. West St., Westerville), James Joyner (1703 E. Long Street) and William Mack (1722 Oak Street.

The second corporation was founded in 1974 as the Franklin Park Area Improvement Association, and in 1997 was renamed as the Franklin Park Area Association.

Ted Brown, Secretary of State, certified the formation of the Franklin Park Area Improvement Association as a community improvement corporation in the State of Ohio. The filings were submitted on February 28, 1974 by William H. Stewart (Chairman) and Albert A. Copeland (Statutory Agent), with other trustees being Louise R. Jones, James C. Shivers, and Robert E. Short who met at 1885 Bryden Road to form the corporation.

At the September 25, 2012 meeting of the Association, the General Membership unanimously ratified a change of name to the Franklin Park Civic Association, Inc. Amended articles of incorporation were filed and recorded with the Ohio Secretary of State in April 2013.

Jingle Mingle

The Jingle Mingle is the annual holiday celebration of the Franklin Park Civic Association. Held in the John F. Wolfe Palm House of the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, the 2012-2014 events were co-hosted with the Olde Town East Neighborhood Association (OTENA)[18] Prior to 2017, the event has taken place in early December and has traditionally been a neighborhood holiday potluck.[19] Although FPCA began using "The Jingle Mingle" term in 2012, the civic association has hosted an early December neighborhood gathering at the Franklin Park Conservatory for many years. During the renovations of the Conservatory to host Ameriflora '92, the holiday event was held at East High School. The Association will move the Jingle Mingle to early January, alleviating conflicts with the most hectic time of the holiday party season.

Since 2011, and now concurrent to the Jingle Mingle, the Franklin Park Civic Association conducts an annual Holiday Raffle and Silent Auction, which are fundraising events for the organization. The December 13, 2015 Jingle Mingle hosted a diverse group of approximately 160 guests from across all of the neighborhoods of Columbus' Near East Side. In addition to gathering to celebrate community and the holidays, drives for the needy are included. Since 2015, the "Socks Wear Out" drive has encouraged attendees to donate personal care items and toiletries, with a special focus to bring new packages of socks as the item most quickly worn out by the homeless.

Education and Schools

A+ Arts Academy is a private charter school which opened at 1395 Fair Avenue in the historic building previously known as Fair Avenue Alternative Elementary School and in the late 19th and early 20th Century as Fair Avenue Public School.

Bridgescape Academy

Columbus City Preparatory School for Girls, formerly known as Franklin Alternative Junior High School as well as Franklin Junior High School, is located on a parcel sitting between Bryden Road and Oak Street with a present-day address of 1390 Bryden Road. Another Building known previously as the Theresa Dowd School, as well as Franklin Junior High School, is also situated on the modern day address however, that building fronts Oak Street on the north. That building is currently used only as storage.

Historically, two notable Columbus Schools had original locations within what in the present day is known as the Franklin Park neighborhood. East High School was originally located on the site known in the present as 1390 Bryden Road. The original school was razed to build an earlier incarnation of Franklin Junior High School at 1390 Franklin Avenue. That building was razed to build the present day modernist structure (circa 1970) now ridiculed by many as out of character with the historic structures of the surrounding community.

The other notable school with early beginnings in the present day Franklin Park neighborhood is Columbus Academy. The school sat along the Alum Creek tributary at Franklin Park South and Nelson Road. The building was destroyed by fire in the early 1980s after opening at its new location in Gahanna, Ohio.

Recreation and Parks

Franklin Park
An Ohio historical marker near the Asian garden in Franklin Park, commemorating Asian-Americans serving in the Civil War.

Franklin Park is a landmark for both the neighborhood and the Near East Side. The park encompasses 88 acres filled with several ponds, an amphitheater, terraced waterfalls, a community garden, an Asian-themed garden, a picnic shelter, and playgrounds. The Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens also lies within the park, a landmark of the neighborhood and the City of Columbus. Franklin Park is home to twenty one cherry trees gifted from Japan to represent Japanese community of Columbus, Ohio. Twenty of the trees are being kept inside the conservatory's greenhouse before being transplanted outside. The remaining older tree was planted along one of the lakes in Franklin Park on April 27, 2012. The occasion marked the 100 year anniversary of the original Japanese gift, thousands of cherry blossom trees sent from Tokyo to Washington, D.C. “Honda is one of the most-important employers in central Ohio, so there’s a strong connection with Japan,” said Bruce Harkey, a former Honda employee and the Franklin Park Conservatory's executive director.[20]

Rainbow Park

The lot commonly known as "Rainbow Park" is located on the southeast corner of Oak Street and Kelton Avenue. The parcel (010-138164) is zoned R3, H35 (residential)[21] and is private property. Prior to 2002, the property was owned by Columbus & Southern Ohio Electric Company.[22]

Playgrounds

Franklin Park and the Kwanzaa Playground at English Park.

Religion

Franklin Park is home to a variety of churches, temples, and mosques. The following is a list of a few of the neighborhood's places of worship:

  • Meredith Temple Church of God in Christ- on Chapel St.[23]
  • Gospel Lighthouse Church [24]
  • Hope Christian Church
  • Muslim Community Center
  • Love Zion Baptist Church.

Settlement houses and social services

Nationwide Children's Hospital (formerly Columbus Children's Hospital) was established in the 1880s located at the Corner of Franklin Park West/Miller Avenue and Franklin Park South/Fair Avenue.[25] The location is now the site of the Park Plaza apartments.

Structures and Landmarks

Cleo Dumaree Recreational Center

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
The main entrance (opened in fall 2016) to the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens during the 2017 Jingle Mingle.

The Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a landmark structure on the National Register of Historic Places. It is situated on the 88-acre Franklin Park just two miles east of downtown Columbus. Built in 1895, the original conservatory stills stands after many expansions to the site. It is now called the John F. Wolfe Palm House, and houses 43 species of palms from around the world. The Fiddle-leaf Fig in the palm house is one of the oldest remaining plants in the conservatory.[26] Architect J.M. Freese, from a local firm called MSI Design (now MKSK),[27] was inspired to build the Victorian greenhouse after the success of the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.[28] He drew inspiration from the City Beautiful movement and also from London's Crystal Palace, taking after its ornate, Victorian style.[29]

In the 1930s, the Wolfe Family, better known as the owners of The Columbus Dispatch, bought exotic animals for the Columbus Zoo. The original site of the zoo was located in Clintonville, within the old Olentangy Park along the Olentangy River. Structures to hold these animals were not quite ready when the Wolfe Family had purchased the exotic animals, so they were temporarily held at the conservatory. To this day, on some of the windows of the Palm House, one can still see the remains of bars on the windows where the animals were once held.[30]

Franklin Park and the Conservatory became the host site for AmeriFlora '92, a six-month international horticulture exposition.[31] Renovation of the historic Palm House and a $14-million expansion began in 1989. The additions totaled 58,000 square feet and included expanded plant collections, classrooms, a library, gift shop, café, and administrative offices. After Ameriflora Ohio Legislature created the Franklin Park Conservatory Joint Recreation District to uphold management of the conservatory and surrounding acres by a new 10-member board of trustees and an executive director.[32]

Trolley Barn Complex
Looking northeast from Oak Street and Kelton Avenue toward one of the six buildings of the trolley barn complex. The building shown was the "Paint Shop"

The landmark complex of historic buildings has been vacant for approximately a decade. The buildings are situated at the heart of the Franklin Park neighborhood on more than 3 acres.

Some history of the Kelton/Oak Trolley Barn is included in a "History Lesson" feature of Columbus Underground, authored by a Past President of the Columbus Historical Society.[33] The six brick buildings at the trolley-barn site were built between 1880 and 1920.[34]

The landmark was purchased in 2014 by developer Brad DeHays of Connect Realty with plans for a mixed use facility in the future preserving the historic structures of the complex).[35]

In 2014, the tracks from the maintenance shop to Oak Street still remained; however, they were removed by the owner of the property to safeguard their preservation.

Long discussed as speculation and rumor, official word on DeHays' plans for the complex became public as a result of a Public Records Request by Columbus Business First for release of the developer's application for competitive Historic Preservation Tax Credits. Additionally, a report was published in The Columbus Dispatch that describes plans for a multi-use facility that incorporates an "East Market", two restaurants, office space and adjacent housing.[36][37]

The online publication Columbus Underground also did a feature on the much anticipated story [38]

Royal York Apartments
The sign for the modernist apartment complex, the Royal York Apartments.

The 1920s Art Deco style Apartments were built in 1937 by architect Howard Dwight Smith who is well known for his designs of the Ohio Stadium.[39] This eight story Modernism apartment building is the tallest building in the neighborhood.

Commercial

Dining

Considering Franklin Park is historically a neighborhood consisting of mostly residential, there are only a few restaurants or fast food chains located in the area. The local fast food restaurants are Beverage Warehouse, Church's Chicken[40] and KFC.[41] Located in the Conservatory is the Garden Café.[42]

Business
  • Counselor Offices
  • The Former Main Street Theatre at 1336 East Main was home to Henkels & McCoy- a corporation of engineers that consisted of landscaping and construction.[43] A Community Development Corporation opened at this location during the summer of 2015.
  • Accurate Auto Repair- an automotive repair center that has been in business for more than 90 years and has been located in Franklin Park since 1995.[44]
  • Amerifast Heating and Air Conditioning
  • GGC Wholesale Carpet
  • Weisenbach Recycled Products (Columbus Dispatch Article)
  • Kroger Fuel Center- local gas station.
  • Wheels Unlimited- automotive service specializing in wheel and rim repair.[45]
  • Other businesses in Franklin Park are concentrated in the Holtzman-Main business corridor located in the southeastern portion of the neighborhood.

Entertainment

Asian Festival

Despite the low concentration of Asian residents,[46] the Franklin Park area hosts several attractions tied to the culture of Asian countries and history of Asian-Americans. The neighborhood and park have been home to the annual 'Asian Festival' since 1995. The festival attracts over 100,000 people from around Columbus, the state of Ohio, and beyond.[47]

Historic Home Tours

Although homes in the Franklin Park neighborhood had been included in the Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association (OTENA) Tour of Historic Homes before,[48] in 2013, OTENA invited the Franklin Park Civic Association to endorse a showcase of their neighborhood by presenting the first Summer Tour of Historic Homes to feature homes exclusively located outside of their neighborhood. The entire tour was devoted to the homes fronting 88 acre Franklin Park and the Conservatory.[49] The tour began on the grounds of the Franklin Park Conservatory in the_Scotts_Miracle-Gro Community Garden Campus, with the first stop being the recently restored "Caretaker's Cottage".[50] In addition to serving as a neighborhood resource center and meeting space, the Caretaker's Cottage is home to the American Community Gardening Association. As followup to the Tour, it was revealed that the 2013 Tour of Historic Homes had been the most highly attended tour to date.

All proceeds of the 2013 OTENA Tour of Historic Homes went to the benefit of the Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association (OTENA).

Transportation

Franklin Park was home of the Columbus Railway, Power and Light Co. in 1904.[51] From 1888 to 1948, an experimental electric streetcar ran from Chittenden Avenue to the Fairgrounds that were once located in Franklin Park.[52] This was the beginning of public transportation. In 2009, there was a proposed plan to bring a modern version of the Columbus Streetcar back.

Today, COTA (Central Ohio Transit Authority) operates three bus routes through the Franklin Park area. The number two runs along E Main St, the number ten runs along E Broad St, and the number 11 runs along Bryden Rd.[53]

The Alum Creek Multi-use Trail or The Ohio to Erie Trail is an important trail that runs through Franklin Park. This trail travels along one of the city's river corridors.[54]

Notable people
  • Davey Moore, featherweight champion boxer. Lived at 1683 Franklin Park South from 1961 till his death.[55]
gollark: It's *vaguely* usable now because I just run the search thing at depth 2, but that makes it an awful player.
gollark: The only version you should have is the objectively correct one.
gollark: Oh, and lines.py works but I can't explain why very easily.
gollark: The code is kind of bad since I ported it from my bad JS implementation.
gollark: Fiiiiiine.

See also

References
  1. "Columbus Neighborhoods: Olde Towne East". WOSU Public Media.
  2. "Franklin Park". The City of Columbus. The City of Columbus. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  3. "Baist's property atlas of the city of Columbus and vicinity Ohio 1899, plate 22 (GeoPDF and GeoTIFF)". Ohio Wesleyan University Digital Collection. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  4. "Franklin Park Neighborhood, Columbus Ohio". Franklin Park Civic Association. Franklin Park Civic Association. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  5. "Columbus Neighborhoods: Olde Towne East". WOSU Public Media.
  6. "Columbus Neighborhoods: Olde Towne East". WOSU Public Media.
  7. Our Neighborhood Google Map https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zRsoEQJGJ6a0.k_RT9oOYpA6A
  8. Near East neighborhoods google map with other nearby neighborhoods shown
  9. "Franklin Park: About This Neighborhood". Columbus Neighborhoods. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  10. Ferenchik, Mark. "Neighbors find living near Franklin Park irresistible". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  11. "Franklin Park: About This Neighborhood". Columbus Neighborhoods. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  12. "Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association". Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association. Archived from the original on 26 August 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  13. "Historic Districts" (PDF). The City of Columbus. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  14. "Columbus One Stop Shop Zoning". GIS Maps, Columbus.gov. The City of Columbus. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  15. "Franklin Park Demographics". Point 2 Homes. Onboard Informatics. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  16. "Franklin Park, Columbus OH Lifestyle and Demographics". Realtor.com. Realtor.com. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  17. "Franklin Park, Columbus OH Lifestyle and Demographics". Realtor.com. Realtor.com. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  18. "Olde Towne East Home Page". Olde Towne East. Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  19. "Jingle Mingle". Franklin Park Civic Association. Franklin Park Civic Association. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  20. "Columbus Dispatch". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  21. https://www.columbus.gov/bzs/online-services/Online-Zoning-Map/ Columbus, Ohio Building and Zoning Services
  22. Historic parcel sheet records of the Franklin County (Ohio) Auditor.
  23. "Meredith Temple Church of God in Christ". Meredith Temple Church of God in Christ. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  24. "Welcome". Gospel Lighthouse Church. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  25. http://columbusneighborhoods.org/video/central-ohio-activism/
  26. "Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens". Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  27. "MKSK". MKSK. Blackletter. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  28. "Palm House". Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  29. "Franklin Park & Conservatory". Landscape Voice. Landscape Voice. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  30. "Columbus Neighborhoods: Olde Towne East". WOSU Public Media.
  31. "History". Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The City of Columbus. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  32. "History". Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  33. http://www.columbusunderground.com/history-lesson-a-tale-of-two-trolley-barns
  34. Ferenchik, Mark. "Real-estate broker buys old trolley-barn buildings". The Columbus Dispatch. The Dispatch Printing Company. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  35. "Ideas Sought for Franklin Park Trolley Barn Project". Columbus Underground. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  36. http://www.dispatch.com/news/20171011/possible-trolley-barn-project-could-bring-restaurants-market-residences-to-near-east-side
  37. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/10/11/trolley-barn-complex-could-get-columbus-brewing.html
  38. http://www.columbusunderground.com/new-plan-for-trolley-barn-site-calls-for-east-market-restaurants-and-apartments-bw1
  39. "Smith, Howard Dwight". Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture Digital Library. The Ohio State University. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  40. "Church's Chicken". Church's Chicken. Cajun Funding Corp. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  41. "KFC". Kentucky Fried Chicken Inc. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  42. "Garden Café". Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  43. "Henkels & McCoy Inc. (Diversified Engineering and Utility Infrastructure Contractors)". Henkels & McCoy Inc. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  44. "Accurate Auto Center, Inc". Accurate Auto Center, Inc. Dream On! Unlimited. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  45. "Wheels Unlimited". Ohio Wheels Unlimited. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  46. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  47. "Asian Festival". Asian Festival. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  48. Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association, Tour of Historic Homes and Holiday Tour of Historic Homes booklets (2011, 2010, 2007, 2006).
  49. "Tour of Homes". Olde Towne East. Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  50. "Homes with Franklin Park View to Star in Olde Towne East Tour". The Columbus Dispatch: Garden Section. The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  51. "Endangered No. 10 – Columbus Railway Power & Light Co Building". Columbus Landmarks. Columbus Landmarks Foundation. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  52. Campbell, Alex. "Streetcars". Columbus Railroads. Columbus Railroads. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  53. "Maps". Central Ohio Transit Agency. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  54. "The Ohio to Erie Trail". The Ohio to Erie Trail. The Ohio to Erie Trail, Org. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  55. Historical parcel sheets for property transfers. Franklin County Auditor.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.