Cummins Opens Building in Downtown Columbus, But It’s Mostly Empty

Daniel, interesting story about downtown Columbus, which now looks pretty bizarre with the gutted out Commons! I used to live and work downtown there in the 70′s, and enjoyed the walk down to the C.B. (Columbus Bar) from my apartment on 6th and Franklin. My theory is that Cummins thought that putting its headquarters on 5th St. (near downtown) two decades ago would stimulate development downtown, but alas! Cummins workers would still not walk the 3 or 4 blocks to restaurants and shopping in “downtown Columbus.” So, now the new Cummins office building is to be right smack dab in the middle of what is to be (again) we hope The Commons. Perhaps now hundreds of office workers will now not mind walking “right out the door” to eat and shop.

The biggest news for us aging baby boomers is the re-opening of Zaharako’s (1900 Greek-owned ice cream parlor) this June. Across from, what was, The Commons. There are all these posters around town saying “Save the Commons!” Sure hope someone or something can bondo all this together!

Would love to have you guys carry our Hoosier History Live! show (it’s an independent production). We are trying to get it together to put it on prx.org Nelson Price is a proud I.U. grad, and he’s quite a trip, I must say! Best regards, Molly Head