Development Still Planned for Former Greyhound Site, Hearing Scheduled for Current One
There could be some movement as soon as this spring on a plan to redevelop the former Downtown Greyhound station. The Central Ohio Transit Authority bought the 2.5-acre site in 2021, but since then has been slowly working through a multi-step process with the Federal Transit Administration – to maintain its eligibility for federal funding […] The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is planning to begin a redevelopment of the former Downtown Greyhound station in spring. The site was purchased by COTA in 2021 and has been under a multi-step process with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to maintain eligibility for federal funding. The next step will involve a new transit center and a significant new mixed-use development. Joanna Pinkerton, COTA's President/CEO, said the agency plans to partner with the development community to determine what type of development should be on the site. The exact transit element of the project is still uncertain, dependent on the final routes selected for several Bus Rapid Transit corridors planned as part of the LinkUs initiative. There are also discussions about bringing passenger rail to the region and potential relocation of Greyhound and other bus operators.
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There could be some movement as soon as this spring on a plan to redevelop the former Downtown Greyhound station. The Central Ohio Transit Authority bought the 2.5-acre site in 2021, but since then has been slowly working through a multi-step process with the Federal Transit Administration – to maintain its eligibility for federal funding in the future, a detailed environmental and historical review of the property needs to be completed.
That process is about to wrap up, clearing the way for the next step, which COTA’s leadership says will likely involve a new transit center and a significant new mixed-use development.
“We really would like to partner with the development community to see what is feasible…what type of mixed-use development should be on that site,” said Joanna Pinkerton, COTA’s President/CEO. “We own the land, but we see the development community coming in and really building that out in the future.”
Pinkerton, who announced earlier this year that she will be leaving COTA in May, recently sat down with Columbus Underground for an episode of the Confluence Cast to talk about a wide range of issues facing COTA in its 50th year. She was joined by Monica Tellez-Fowler, COTA’s Deputy CEO, who was named as Pinkerton’s replacement earlier this month.
Tellez-Fowler said that she expects the federal government to make a final decision regarding the Greyhound site by early April, and that “I’m hoping that we have some decisions to bring to our board by this summer.”
She added that exact nature of the transit element of the project is also still up in the air – it will depend on the final routes selected for several Bus Rapid Transit corridors planned as part of the LinkUs initiative, as well as still-pending decisions regarding changes to several other Downtown streets.
“There’s also discussions about bringing passenger rail to the region…obviously we’re going to have to connect to that, [and] we want to be huge partners with that, so are there two different large hubs somewhere Downtown, connecting?” Tellez-Fowler asked. “But I think that those plans have to kind of play out [first], and there has to be some decisions made.”
Is there any chance that Greyhound – and other bus operators, like Barons Bus – eventually end up back at the corner of South Third Street and East Rich Street Downtown, incorporated into the new mixed-use development and transit center? A COTA spokesperson said that there have not been any conversations between COTA and Greyhound about that possibility, but “all mobility options will be considered for the site in partnership with a developer and the City of Columbus.”
When COTA bought the Downtown station in 2021, Greyhound and Barons operations shifted to the COTA Bus Terminal at the Columbus Commons Parking Garage on East Rich Street, just down the street.
That arrangement came to an end, though, last summer, when Greyhound relocated their service to 845 N. Wilson Road, on the far west side. That has been a controversial move, with bus riders complaining about the inconvenient location and lack of services at the site, and residents complaining about the impact of the station on the neighborhood, including a fatal shooting in October.
The City of Columbus filed a lawsuit against against Barons Bus Incorporated, which is the owner of the property, describing the site as a public nuisance. The first hearing was held in December, and the next one is scheduled for May 20. Franklin County Judge Stephanie Mingo recused herself from the case after she disclosed that Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther called her to try and influence her decision in the matter.
“The City continues to hold the position that the terminal on Wilson Road is unworkable and must be moved,” said Pete Shipley, Communications Director for Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein. “We remain engaged in productive conversations with Baron’s legal counsel and the Department of Development is working to identify potential relocation sites that are more appropriate for the operation of an interstate bus terminal.”
“We remain optimistic for the future of interstate bus travel options in Columbus that are safe and accessible,” he added.
Columbus is not alone in having to scramble to find a suitable spot for a bus station. Greyhound, which was bought by the German company Flixbus in 2021, had sold off almost all of its centrally-located stations by the end of 2022. Most of those (33 in total) were bought by Twenty Lake Holdings, the real estate division of the giant hedge fund Alden Global Capital, which is best known for buying up newspapers across the country, laying off journalists, and then selling off the valuable real estate associated with the papers.
To listen to the full Confluence Cast interview with Joanna Pinkerton and Monica Tellez-Fowler, visit www.theconfluencecast.com.