A Roadmap for Change: The Franklinton Public Realm Action Plan

During the summer and fall of 2025, the Neighborhood Design Center (NDC) engaged with Franklinton residents to identify areas for improvement, develop solutions, and form implementation strategies for public realm improvements in Franklinton.

The Franklinton Public Realm Action Plan is a collaborative initiative between the Franklinton Board of Trade (FBOT) and the City of Columbus to create a practical roadmap for capital improvements in Franklinton. Led by REALM Collaborative, with support from the NDC for community engagement and Burgess & Nipple for cost analysis, this effort emphasizes community-driven decision-making. The initiative is designed as an actionable blueprint, with the FBOT serving as a facilitator while community voices drive the outcomes.

Engagement for this initiative consisted of four public meetings supplemented by online surveys. The first of these public meetings was used to outline current conditions in Franklinton, share data from previous community outreach, establish the goals of the project, and included an activity to map out where residents wanted to see improvements. The three themes that emerged from this meeting were Placemaking & Beautification, Parks & Open Space, and Streetscape & Mobility.

The second public meeting featured an activity for residents to offer solutions for the focused themes of improvement identified in the first public meeting. Solutions were grouped into short-, mid-, and long-term goals. Key short-term solutions suggested included focused on improving neighborhood aesthetics through public art and signage, lighting, better seating areas, reducing speed limits, and flashing pedestrian crossings. Key mid-term solutions suggested included improving trees and landscape elements, improving shade coverage, adding unique Franklinton branding, adding protected bike lanes, and adding curb bump outs. Key long-term solutions suggested adding public restrooms, unique street arches, new parks, and raising sidewalks along Broad St. Following this meeting, recommendations for potential improvements began being prepared.

The third public meeting consisted of REALM presenting potential improvements and gathering feedback on the proposed improvements. During this meeting, residents used stickers to prioritize projects, and shared their thoughts on project proposals, along with where and how they should be improved. Short- and medium-term solutions were prioritized, while long-term solutions would require further study. The most prioritized short-term projects were adding new street trees, addressing trash issues in alleys, adding bus shelters, and adding wayfinding signage. The most prioritized mid-term solutions were new sidewalks and curbs, resurfacing alleyways, and implementing complete streets. Following this meeting, final improvement proposals were made.

The fourth and final public meeting consisted of showing the final proposed improvements, the process for each project, and identifying partners and champions for each project.

The final plan was released in January 2026, it can be found online using the button below.

View the Plan