page_title: Columbus Commons
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Columbus Commons / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Columbus Commons in Downtown Columbus, Ohio.
context_page_description: Columbus Commons is a 6-acre park and green space in downtown Columbus, Ohio, located on the site of the former Columbus City Center mall. The park features gardens, a performance stage, carousel, reading room, a NEOS play system and two cafes. The project was developed by Columbus Downtown Development Corporation and Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation. The park opened on May 26, 2011.
  On May 11, 2017, Columbus Commons was re-dedicated in honor of community leader John F. Wolfe, who died in 2016, and is now known as the John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons.
context_section_description: With the decline of Columbus City Center, plans were announced in February 2009 to replace the mall with a mixed-used project that included an urban park, residential units, offices, restaurants and shops. Columbus City Council approved Capitol South to refinance existing City Center parking garage loans and use funds earmarked for downtown housing to finance the project. CDDC and Capitol South, under the direction of their CEO and President Guy Worley, the Franklin County Commissioners and Columbus Metro Parks, funded the development of the Columbus Commons park. Demolition of City Center began in September 2009 and construction of Columbus Commons park began in mid-2010.
  The design team was made up of construction manager Corna-Kokosing, architects Moody Nolan and landscape architects EDGE Group. The park opened to the public on Memorial Day weekend (May 26) 2011.
caption: The park was larger c. 2011 before apartments were constructed around the park
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