Greater Linden Development Corporation’s
Clarence D. Lumpkin Point of Pride Building
The Story Behind the Building
In 1974, community resident and activist Clarence D. Lumpkin presented a speech to Columbus City Council addressing the needs of the Linden community, a neighborhood located about three miles north of downtown Columbus that had suffered a severe economic decline in the 1960’s and 70’s. In that speech, Mr. Lumpkin stated, “We the citizens of this community feel that a place which would be a point of pride needs to be developed. This point would motivate more interest and give this community a sense of direction as to accomplishments that can be made when every effort is put forth to work with our officials for something worthwhile.” Over 30 years later, that vision is becoming a reality with the construction of the Clarence D. Lumpkin Point of Pride Building on the northeast corner of Cleveland and Eleventh Avenues.
The first significant step toward the realization of Mr. Lumpkin’s dream came in 1997, when the Four Corners Vision Plan for the redevelopment of the Cleveland and Eleventh Avenue intersection was unveiled by its primary author, Columbus Urban Growth Corporation. The Growth Corporation had been formed by the City to lead commercial and industrial development in Columbus, particularly large scale projects, in partnership with neighborhood community development corporations. Urban Growth’s partner in the development of the Four Corners Vision Plan was Greater Linden Development Corporation, an organization established in 1994 to serve as the Linden area’s primary development entity. The first phase of the Vision Plan included the construction of a COTA Transit Center and new administrative offices for Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority. Rehabbed commercial property, green space, and new housing were also outlined in the plan. Although not specifically mentioned by name, the concept for the Point of Pride building was included in the Four Corners Plan as mixed-use commercial space on the northeast corner.
After several difficult years of land acquisition, planning, finance packaging, and tenant recruitment, Greater Linden Development Corporation and the Linden community celebrated the groundbreaking for Point of Pride on November 16, 2005. In September 2006, GLDC received the Certificate of Occupancy for the second floor of the two-story, 21,000 square-foot building. The second floor is fully-occupied by Project Linden (a non-profit drug prevention and treatment agency) and the Greater Linden Development Corporation. Two retail tenants – Subway and Nationwide Insurance – are open and operating on the first floor. Tenant build-out is underway on the first floor for additional businesses, including a civil engineering company, an athletes’ shoe store, and one space not yet designated. It is estimated that 20 jobs will be created once the project is complete. The grand opening of the Huntington Community Conference Room, located on the first floor of Point of Pride, was celebrated on October 25, 2007. It will be used by Linden’s several community groups for meetings, trainings and special events.
The Support Behind the Building
The Clarence D. Lumpkin Point of Pride building is a neighborhood revitalization project with a wide base of support from numerous organizations, corporations, and financial institutions. Point of Pride’s funding support also includes a resident-based component, the Commemorative Gift Campaign, which provides opportunity for each and every Linden resident to participate in the building’s construction, even if only by purchasing one brick. The far-reaching support for Point of Pride is evidence of both the deep respect for the building’s namesake and dedication to the betterment of Linden and Columbus overall, as well as an ardent belief in the possibility of Linden’s renewal as a thriving neighborhood of choice.
The Organization Behind the Building
Greater Linden Development Corporation is a small non-profit organization with a mission to improve the quality of life in the Greater Linden community through housing and economic development, planning, coordination of services, and other community building initiatives. The Point of Pride building was GLDC’s first commercial development project. As the Point of Pride Development draws to a close, GLDC will be turning its focus to housing development in the Linden area. |
