Downtown Columbus Inc. wants to add more holiday lights downtown with new funding set to be approved by Columbus City Council on Monday.
Amy Taylor, the nonprofit's president, told WOSU the lights will start Thanksgiving and stay on through the beginning of the new year, but said some of the fixtures can stay on year round.
Columbus City Council will vote on whether to increase its support of the nonprofit from $1 million to $1.2 million.
Taylor said lighting is one strategy they are using to bring people back to the downtown district. She said the large public art display hanging from buildings at the corner of Gay and High streets — called "Current" by Janet Echelman — was one inspiration for the idea.
"Lighting is something that can draw people and can make people feel safe, but it can also create activity. And so we're looking to do that in areas that are already getting a lot of people," Taylor said.
Taylor said the lighting display will be "a much more synergistic experience" with lighting among skyscrapers.
"You're going to walk through Columbus Commons, down Town Street and the historic Lazarus Building along the riverfront and up Bridge Street," Taylor said.
Taylor said that while the new funding will primarily go towards the light display, the organization will continue to fund studies and initiatives aimed at bringing more people downtown to visit and to get businesses and workers back to working in the city's core.
Taylor said they are using the money to study downtown office conversions and whether some downtown parking lots should be redeveloped.
