Plans unveiled for turning downtown lot into green space
The 2019 Leadership Class of the Marion County Development Partnership graduated Tuesday and publicly presented plans for its project: turning a downtown parking lot into a green space.
Plans are to develop the city-owned parcel between Houston’s Cleaners and JMH Graphics on Second Street into a gathering place with picnic tables and a concert stage, among other things.
Kevin Buckley, a member of the leadership class, presented an outline of the plans during the graduation ceremony at the Magnolia Grille. He said its goal is to create a more engaged community and offer recreational space downtown, which received positive publicity from the 2018 Christmas parade and ensuing lighting shows that drew large crowds.
“It’s been in the news. People around, not just in surrounding cities, not just in surrounding counties, surrounding states have heard about what’s going on in downtown Columbia. So we want to capitalize on it and kind of keep the ball rolling,” he said.
The class is spending $1,500 on conceptual designs that it plans to have finished by October. After that they’ll have more specific plans about what will be done.
The lot where the green space is planned is currently used by several downtown businesses for parking. Ben Watts, the Columbia sculptor who parks there daily for his art gallery, asked about how the parking would work.
Buckley said they have options for adding some parking spots. That would be done by removing an awning and fire hydrant in front of Houston’s Cleaners.
Kristian Agoglia, owner of Looks Great Services and the driving force behind the Christmas lights show downtown, gave the keynote address to the graduates. He shared how he got involved in community service, getting a rough start in New York in 1999, but finding a home in Columbia.
“My challenge to you is very simple: You can’t change the world, but you can change your world,” he said.
Pictured Above: The 2019 Leadership Class of the Marion County Development Partnership is seen during graduation Tuesday at the Magnolia Grille. Front row, from left, are Jay Rayborn, Brandi Perry, Adam Smith, Carol Davis, Danielle Barber, Ashley Stuckey Clark, Tammy Riley, Vaughn Gibson and Dakota Ryals; middle row, Dalena Gibson; back row, Juanita Stovall, Sharon Russell, Daniel Clark, Nick Davis, Kevin Buckley, Jason Mosteller and Ryda Worthy. | Photo by Charlie Smith
