According to Fox 28, a “Short North Shut-Down” – for drivers, anyway is on way.
Starting Sunday, the iconic “Arts District” strip of North High Street will close down for three full days. A crane that has been working atop the new Lincoln Office high rise has finished its work and will be disassembled over the course of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The work will force a closure of North High Street in the area of Buttles Avenue, and wide-ranging street detours taking drivers through the Goodale Park and Italian Village neighborhoods.
Walking traffic will still be permitted along North High Street, where safety permits. That’s fine with local residents like Tom Corbett, who lives three blocks off the main drag and rides his bicycle to work on weekdays.
“It doesn’t bother me too much, but I know a lot of people will be pushed onto the side streets around here,” Corbett said during a Saturday morning walk.
Jessica Tye is one of those people. The German Village resident comes to the Short North for coffee every Saturday and Sunday.
“Tomorrow’s probably not a day to come to the Short North,” she said. “I’ll probably just skip it if it’s too troublesome to get down here.”
Pedestrian traffic will be open and accessible enough for the “Short North Arts District” association to have a festival on Sunday from 12:00-4:00 PM. It’s being called the “Short North Traffic Jam,” featuring Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams for sale, live music and free parking in three different garages.
“Hopefully the people can still make it down here, but we’ll have to wait and see,” said Pint House bar manager Zachary Zinimon.
“Sunday, Monday and Tuesday is not our busiest, but we still get small pops of business and that kind of makes our day.”
His optimism is high for the pending finish of pesky construction along North High Street.
“We’re in an artsy neighborhood, and it’s all looking better,” Zinimon said. “You can’t be mad about that — I’m happy about it.”
