Trustees Appoint Directors for Redevelopment Corp.

TRUSTEES APPOINT DIRECTORS FOR REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

     COLUMBUS -- A board of trustees was appointed and funding
approved for a redevelopment corporation to work on behalf of The
Ohio State University to improve the neighborhoods around the
university.  The university's board of trustees approved the
actions at its meeting Friday (2/3).

     Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment Inc., was
incorporated by the university last month as a non-profit
organization to work as a partner with the City of Columbus and
neighborhood groups.

     Appointed to the Board of Trustees of Campus Partners were:
Robert M. Duncan, secretary of Ohio State's Board of Trustees;
Ruth Gresham, manager of Off-Campus Student Services; Billy Hill,
athletic trainer; James L. Nichols, treasurer of the university;
Janet G. Pichette, vice president for business and
administration; Edward J. Ray, senior vice provost; William
Shkurti, vice president for finance; George A. Skestos,
university trustee; David Williams II, vice president for student
affairs; and Nancy L. Zimpher, dean of the College of Education.

     Campus Partners is developing a process to select a student
for its board.

     In addition, two people not affiliated with Ohio State were
appointed to the Campus Partners board:  Mark Hatch, a University
District resident and director of the Community Crime Patrol; and
George Arnold, chief of staff for Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka.

     The trustees authorized Campus Partners to spend $600,000 in
one-time funds to develop a comprehensive plan for improvements
to the University District.  Trustees also approved $500,000 per
year in operating expenses for Campus Partners, subject to annual
review.

     For several decades, much of the University District has
faced challenges, both in the appearance and maintenance of the
residential and commercial structures and, most importantly, in
the safety and quality of life of the residents and business
owners.  These concerns have grown in recent years, and safety
has become a major issue, despite ongoing efforts by neighborhood
organizations to maintain the area.

     The creation of a non-profit redevelopment and
revitalization corporation was one of the key recommendations of
the University Area Improvement Task Force which reported its
work last June to E. Gordon Gee, president of Ohio State, and
Mayor Lashutka.  Another recommendation was development of a
comprehensive plan that can offer a vision for the University
District.

     Gee and Lashutka announced last September that Barry K.
Humphries, a Columbus developer, would be employed to form the
redevelopment corporation and become its president.

     Campus Partners has moved into an office at 1824 N. High
St., just south of Long's Bookstore at 15th Avenue.  Humphries is
putting into place a team of national consultants to prepare a
comprehensive plan this spring and summer with extensive
involvement by neighborhood organizations and residents.

                                #
Contact:  Barry K. Humphries, president, or Steve Sterrett,
community relations director, Campus Partners, 294-7300.


[Submitted by: REIDV  (reidv@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Fri, 03 Feb 1995 16:41:45 -0500 (EST)]
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