Jeff Edwards' recipe for a revitalized downtown

The big picture: His support for "Current" is part of a vision to restore downtown's residential population and promote investments in local businesses, art galleries and other attractions.

• Chatting with Axios on the deck of the Nicholas building, which his firm developed, Edwards said he is encouraged by the direction of Columbus' downtown strategic plan.

He shared three ideas for developing a more vibrant downtown:

Density is key

The city's downtown population peaked around 30,000 in 1950, but plummeted by nearly 90% in the 50 years that followed.

• Columbus will need to reverse the legacy of previous generations if it wants to reach the strategic plan's ambitious goal of 40,000 downtown residents by 2040 — more than tripling its current population.
• That means replacing the immense number of surface parking lots with dense housing stock that rises high.

Link the neighborhoods

Edwards is complimentary of neighborhoods like Franklinton, the Scioto Peninsula and Gay Street, but said they're too detached from one another.

• Connecting them would encourage urban exploration and support local businesses.

A "road diet"

Car-focused city planning has led to overly wide streets that could use a good slimming, Edwards says.

• He supports a redesign of major thoroughfares in favor of public transit, bike lanes, larger sidewalks and better landscaping.
• Doing so would support the strategic plan's goal of developing more walkable neighborhoods that don't require car travel.