Discovery District-Columbus, Ohio 1.79

The Discovery District is a district located in downtown Columbus, Ohio. The Discovery District is a SID (special improvement district) and contains Columbus's creative campus. This is home to Columbus State Community College, Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus Museum of Art, and Columbus Metropolitan Library. It is considered a cultural district because of its close proximity to higher educational campuses and art destinations. It was named to imply that the area is full of possibility due to the number of learning and creative campuses in this small area. "Culture, art, and academia converge and present the Discovery District." While not typically viewed as the most prominent Columbus neighborhood, the density of academic and arts-based institutions in this area are what make this creative campus unique.HistoryThe Discovery Special Improvement District was created in 2007. As a special improvement district (SID), its property owners have agreed to pay a special tax to help maintain the area and keep it clean and safe. The services they are paying for include employing safety ambassadors, a homeless outreach specialist, and a safety coordinator. They also pay to have first-floor graffiti removed and to promote the area through PR and communications publications in various outlets throughout the city, to promote visitors and make the area a downtown Columbus destination. Before the Discovery District was an SID, it was considered an unsafe area of the city, and officials recognized the need for something to be done, especially with a large student demographic in the area attending either Columbus State Community College or the Columbus College of Art and Design.