Victorian and Italian Village Commissions Plan High Street Pact In Short North

clipped from www.dispatch.com A 136-room boutique hotel is soon to be built on the site of this Italian Village parking lot. Offices and a parking deck would go across High Street, on the Victorian Village side. Commissions want east, west sides of thoroughfare to share a style Thursday, February 4, 2010 3:19 AM By Mark Ferenchik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Drive or walk through the Short North, and you'd be hard-pressed to find much difference between the east and west sides of High Street.

That's what the Italian Village and Victorian Village commissions want to preserve as development rises along both sides of the street that separates the two neighborhoods.

Members of the Victorian Village and Italian Village commissions are meeting today in the first of several get-togethers to forge a common vision for High Street. They are concerned about such things as the height of buildings, how signs are lighted and whether awnings should hang loose or be stretched tightly, said Marc Conte, who leads the Victorian Village Commission.

"High Street has always been a problem. There's nothing in each of the commission's bylaws that allows us to jointly decide things," Conte said.

Rex Hagerling, the chairman of the Italian Village Commission, said newer buildings are raising concerns about height.

For example, the 11-story Ibiza apartment project is on the Italian Village side, on the east side of High, and the Jackson on High complex, which includes an eight-story building, is on the Victorian Village side, on the west.

"In general, people don't want to see a wall of high buildings on the street," Hagerling said. "People wanted to maintain the general look of the streetscape."

Soon to be built is a 136-room boutique hotel planned by Pizzuti Cos. Two years ago, the hotel was proposed for the Victorian Village side of the street. Now, it's set for the Italian Village side. Offices and a parking deck would go on the Victorian Village side.

Last year, a report on how the city will guide historic preservation and architectural reviews recommended a unified set of standards for the N. High Street corridor.

Italian Village Commission member Jason Sudy said he hopes the commissions can develop some sort of joint review process to ensure they approve the best possible developments.

"You can't do things in isolation," said Sudy, an urban planner.

Vince Papsidero, the city's planning administrator, said the new guidelines to establish a common vision for High Street also could address murals, graphics, parking garages and building density.

Papsidero, who works with both commissions, said he hopes the guidelines will be submitted to the Columbus City Council by December.

Josh Quinn, who owns the Tigertree apparel store at 771 N. High St., on the Victorian Village side, said he favors dense residential projects to help his business. But he doesn't want to see one side lined with taller buildings.

"I would like to see developments mirror on both sides of the street," he said.

Both commissions recommend to the City Council whether to rezone property.

They also make binding decisions on exterior architectural features. Without a certificate from a commission, a developer can't proceed.

The report also recommended that the commissions update their guidelines and standards. The Victorian Village handbook dates to 1988; the Italian Village standards date to 1990.

Dispatch reporter Marla Matzer Rose contributed to this story.

mferenchik@dispatch.com