COLUMBUS, Ohio — For over a year, the Latitude Five25 apartments have stood vacant after burst pipes caused heating and electrical problems, displacing the tenants who lived there.
On Thursday night, the community came together to discuss whether the towers should be torn down, rehabbed or reconfigured.
Many community members living on the east side are passionate about the buildings, also known as the Sawyer Towers. They feel it's important to play a role in determining what happens to them.
The towers, built in the 1960s have become landmarks in the community, according to those who live there.
Representatives from the Columbus City Attorney’s office joined in on the conversation Thursday night, explaining some of the challenges of redeveloping the site. They said they’re hopeful to receive solid proposals from developers that will help in revamping the towers into a functional asset to the East Side community.
"Is it functional? Does it meet the community's needs? If it does, then that's the one we should do, the one that meets the community's needs the best… When we think about the Sawyer Towers, we're thinking too small. We need to think about the entire east side, especially the Mount Vernon and the Long Street area, as a total redevelopment project,” Tom Dillard, an East Side community activist, said.
Developers’ proposals for the property are due to the City Attorney’s office by May 31st. The Near East Area Commission hopes to continue these conversations to ensure the community stays involved in determining what happens next.