Now that the City of Columbus has obtained ownership of the former Schottensteins site (on Parsons Avenue), as well as some of the surrounding property, this area might be the right place to host the emerging Columbus film industry.
The area has easy access to SR-104, I-71 and I-270, as well as downtown. The leasing costs would be much lower than in other parts of the city, and there’s enough space to grow, at least for awhile. In the mean time, businesses supporting the film industry could easily be located in and around the Parsons Avenue facility. Catering, editing, wardrobe, lighting and special effects specialist would find both proximity and low-cost rents attractive.
Expansion of larger entities supporting the industry would be available at the nearby site that formerly housed of Federal Glass and National Graphics. Might there be space enough here for a production lot?
The surrounding neighborhoods would find an increase in available jobs that support the industry, as well as the industries that support it. Film makers would have the benefit of reduced costs. Simply put, it’s cheaper to film in Ohio than it is to film on either coast, and certainly less of a hassle than using the traditional cities of Toronto and Montreal.
Within minutes of the Parsons Avenue facility, one can be filming in rural settings, or in the heart of a city, filled with both old and new street-scapes. From rivers and wetlands, railways and factories, to skyscrapers, its readily available and easily accessible.
The Greater Columbus Film Commission web site, “Film Columbus” offers local businesses an opportunity to advertise their services that support the film industry. With a central area for the business, as well as those that support the industry, Parsons Avenue may be in the process of finding it’s new identity.
