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I happened to grow up in the neighborhood where Carl Brown GA is located. I recall my grandmother sending me there often to pick up groceries. It used to be a staple in the area and now it is being removed. I guess its out with the old and in with the new. There a new plans for the area where is stands. Get the details via Columbus Underground below.
The long-vacant Carl L. Brown IGA Foodliner building may not remain standing for much longer. Columbus City Council approved legislation on Monday night that will lead to the demolition of the building and the redevelopment of the two acre site. The City of Columbus purchased the property in February 2014 for $600,000, and is transferring the property at no cost to Columbus Next Generation Corporation, a nonprofit development group established by the City of Columbus to spearhead community redevelopment initiatives.
While redevelopment plans for the site are very preliminary, the “The Blueprint for Community Investment” created by PACT in 2013 highlights the intersection of Champion Avenue and Mount Vernon Avenue as a future retail center for the neighborhood. The plan also calls for a grocery store to be added to the Near East Side, though a specific placement has not yet been determined.
“A new grocery store can fit on this site, but we have to convince a developer that it’s a viable option there,” said Next Generation Executive Director Boyce Safford. “It would be a challenge, but we’ve got to make the invite to ask and see. And if it doesn’t work there, there may be alternatives. The demand for food service is high for this community.”
