Nationally, Home Prices Fall, but Pace Stops Setting Records (from WSJ)--Buyers Start Looking NOW.

Each neighborhood is different. But now is a great time to start looking to buy. We won't know when we hit rock bottom until a few months after it happens. Get a great deal NOW.

clipped from online.wsj.com U.S. home prices continued their multiyear slide in February, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home-price indexes, but they did stop their 16-month streak of record declines. Separately, U.S. consumers' assessment of the economy rose to its highest point of the year in April as households began to see an end to the recession loom into view. Fifteen of 20 major metropolitan areas posted price declines of more than 10% from a year earlier with the Sun Belt continuing to be hit hardest. Nationally, home prices are at levels similar to the third quarter of 2003. "While the declines in residential real estate continued into February, we witnessed some deceleration in the rate of decline in some of the markets," said David M. Blitzer, chairman of S&P's index committee. Still, 10 of the 20 metro areas reported record year-over-year declines. Sortable Chart: Home Prices, by Metro Area Real Time Econ: Changes in Homeownership Economists React: 'Don't Get Too Excited' About Confidence

Free Chicken Tomorrow (Monday) at KFC.

Sounds like you get one free piece. http://www.unthinkkfc.com/

I may drive by to just look at the lines

clipped from www.nydailynews.com Bird is the word as KFC goes grilling BY Sarah Armaghan DAILY NEWS WRITER Wednesday, April 15th 2009, 4:00 AM Colonel Sanders is taking the F out of KFC. The fast-food chain unveiled a healthier brand of chicken Tuesday - grilled instead of fried. The Daily News took a bucket of the leaner bird - marketed as KGC or Kentucky Grilled Chicken - to the streets of New York for a taste test. "It almost tastes the same as the fried," said Hicksville, L.I., resident Diana Marcin, 35, who proved the new product is still finger-lickin' good by licking hers between bites. "If it's less calories then I would rather [buy] this." KFC is hoping the grilled version will encourage consumers to "unthink" notions of KFC as a restaurant that's tough on the waistline and arteries. KFC said the grilled bird was two years in the making. It plans to offer a free piece to all customers on April 27.

First look at Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace Menu Opening May 2009 in downtown Columbus, Ohio

All of Frank’s hot dogs come with a Vienna® All-Beef
hot dog served on a steamed poppyseed bun Tofurkey® Veggie dog, jumbo dog, Polish sausage, or Kielbasa can be substituted for $X

Chicago
Run through the garden. Fresh tomatoes, diced onions,
Vienna® Sport Peppers, pickle relish, dill pickle, yellow mustard,
& a dash of celery salt

Ohioana
Topped with spicy corn relish (sweet corn, pickle relish
& jalapeno blend) & a dash of celery salt

Chili Dog
Coney sauce, fresh onions, yellow mustard,
& shredded sharp cheddar

Beano
Our veggie coney! Vegetarian refried beans, diced tomatoes,
diced onions, yellow mustard, & a sprinkle of sharp cheddar

Razzle Dazzle
Cream cheese, grilled peppers & onions

True Love Always
Cream cheese & green olives

Sriracha Slaw Dog
Sriracha slaw, mustard & onions

Saurkraut Dog
Grilled saurkraut, brown mustard & onions

Timmow
Mild green chiles & sharp cheddar

Zippity Zam
Sriracha cheam cheese & roasted red peppers

Seoul Dog
Topped with Kim Chee

Whoah Nellie!
Topped with pulled beef brisket & a drizzle of BBQ sauce

The Nikola
Tzatziki sauce & zesty Greek relish

Hot BaliWood
Spicy hot Indian mango pickles

Sides

Double Fried Fries
Sriracha Slaw
Onion Rings
Fried Leeks
Mac & Cheese
with Vienna® Sport Peppers
Split Pea

The Sample Menu is here:

http://www.dirtyfrankshotdogs.com/menu/dfmenutemp.pdf

Two stories about the Central Ohio Real Estate Market....Two different conclusions!! You decide.

SAME DATA.....Either the cup is half full or half empty!

From the Columbus Board of Realtors

http://www.columbusrealtors.com/16595.cfm

March home sales increase as first-time buyers leave the fence

(April 23, 2009) Home sales continued to increase in March, marking the highest number sold in a single month since October, and a sign that first-time buyers are starting to come off the fence, the Columbus Board of REALTORS® said today.

"It has been my impression that the first-time homebuyer is fueling the market now which should funnel up to the second and third generation buyer in the short-term future," said Gary Parsons, president of the Columbus Board of REALTORS®.

"It appears historically-low interest rates; realistic sellers and the $8,000 tax credit are positively impacting our market."

There were 1,360 homes sold in March, a 21.1 percent increase over February sales, but still down compared to March 2008.

"Although sales are increasing, they are down compared to last March, indicating some buyers and sellers are still cautious to enter the market at this point.

The housing market is influenced by consumer confidence, which is still lacking somewhat," added Parsons. "If people are serious about buying, and they're waiting for the market to bottom out, they may end up waiting too long and missing a great opportunity."

Although affordability is still at record levels, the average sales price increased in March to $143,287.

That's the highest average sales price this year, but still down 7.6 percent compared to last March.

"Prices are still favorable, especially with the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers, but as more inventory is absorbed, prices will continue to rebound," Parsons said.



From Business First

Realtors: Region’s March home sales down 19%

http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/04/20/daily33.html?s=du&ana=e_du_pub&ed=2009-04-23

Lower consumer confidence continued to make its mark on Central Ohio’s real estate scene last month, which saw a 19 percent decline in existing single-family home sales, the Columbus Board of Realtors reported Thursday.

The board said 1,360 single-family homes and condominiums were sold last month, down from 1,680 a year ago. Homes in contract, a sign of future sales activity, dropped 31 percent to 1,318 homes.

The average sale price of a home in Central Ohio dropped 8 percent last month to $143,287, compared with $155,141 a year ago.

Board President Gary Parsons said record-low mortgage rates and a first-time homebuyer tax credit are fueling month-to-month gains in home sales, but attributed the lag from last year’s pace to consumer caution.

“The housing market is influenced by consumer confidence, which is still lacking somewhat,” Parsons said in a release.

Sales in the first quarter fell 23 percent to 3,442 homes and condominiums from 4,477 in the first three months of 2008. The average sale price was down 10 percent from last year at $138,500.

New listings for the market were down 13 percent in the first quarter, putting the total of homes on the market down 14.5 percent from a year ago at 14,279 units.

Board of Realtors statistics include market information from most of the seven-county region along with parts of nine nearby counties.

More $25 Columbus Dine Originals Gift Certificates for $17.50 available NOW!

It's a great deal. I have been buying them for a couple for years. Get them early. They sell out quickly.

The email said tomorrow......which now means today

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com Dine Originals Columbus will have a new batch of their discounted gift certificates available for purchase tomorrow morning. Make sure to jump online early to snatch them up quickly, as they’re always released in limited quantities. This is always a great opportunity to save some money at your favorite restaurants while also supporting locally owned, independent businesses in our city. The link to buy the gift certificates is here. To see a list of all 40+ restaurants and find out more about Dine Originals Columbus, visit DineOriginalsColumbus.com.

Rosendales to Unveil “Rosendales Modern Bistro” Focusing on New Custom Dining Concept

Press Release:

Celebrated Chef Richard Rosendale to Re-Create Rosendales and to Unveil “Rosendales Modern Bistro” Focusing on New Custom Dining Concept

Since its opening, Rosendales in the Short North has established itself as a rule-breaking, innovative restaurant. The Owner/Chef Richard Rosendale has accomplished a great deal in two short years. This rising star, not just in Columbus, but on the national stage as well, has had quite the ride. He has competed at the IKA, International Culinary Olympics, as the Team Captain in 2008, as well as competing in the Bocuse d’Or semi-finals in Orlando. Richard finished second from a chef from the French Laundry, and ahead of one chef from Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago. Both The French Laundry and Charlie Trotter’s are world renowned Mobil five star restaurants. And while all this was going on, he opened his second venture, Details Minibar and Lounge, next door to Rosendales. So what is next for Chef Rosendale?

Despite all this success, 2008 and 2009 have posed many challenges for restaurants. Rosendales was no exception. “Details” has proven to be a wise and insightful move by the young restaurateur in anticipation for the drop in 2009 for high-end dining. The current economy has stifled the growth and accessibility of fine dining for many patrons. Answering the call to his loyal guests, and as a way to create an opportunity to re-define itself for the future, Chef Rosendale is re-branding the downstairs of Rosendales into “Rosendales modern bistro” to debut in the Spring of 2009.

“Rosendales Modern Bistro” will have offering such as short rib barbeque tacos, tortilla crusted grouper, with tequila, and preserved lime butter, “baked potato poppers” and high quality steaks. Signature pistachio crème brulee, with blueberry gelee, is also a must on the restaurant’s totally house made dessert selections. The food will be served very differently then any other bistro. Chef Rosendale calls it “custom dining.” It’s not the chef’s style to follow the rules when creating a dining experience and this new bistro is no different. The menu is designed so that you can order what you want, spend what you want, try as much, and as many different dishes that you like off our menu. Call it “custom dining.” All the dishes are served as individual dishes that you can share with a friend or design your own adventurous meal. All of the food is served individually on colorful earthenware dishes. You can order multiple courses as you go or create a canvas of dishes to be brought out to your table to dine socially with friends. What makes it a bistro is the simple approach to cooking the items perfectly. Even simply roasted chicken at Rosendales is prepared using a secret technique that leaves all the juice in the bird, producing a subtle flavor of thyme and black pepper enhanced with just a little sea salt.

The restaurant is currently consulting with designers to upgrade the uniforms, refresh color schemes, modify lighting, and other details to aid in the transformation. The menu will have anew look and a new web site will be added. Ultimately, the downstairs will feel less formal, conforming to todays guest. It is a very exciting time for the restaurant.

The flagship Rosendales restaurant as it is today will be moved to the second floor, essentially a restaurant within a restaurant. “Upstairs At Rosendales” will be elevated to a higher level of service, complete with ironed tablecloths, and cutting-edge preparations. This concept of a smaller dining room makes a lot of sense. Many of the five-star and Michelin star restaurants in the world have only 40-60 seats, so this will be a much more exclusive and manageable dining room at this level of creative cuisine. Some experienced diners have gotten bored with traditional fine dining and are ready for the evolution of the next generation of modern fine dining. We want to be a leader in defining what this will be. It is Chef Rosendales goal and ambition to make this a destination dining room known throughout the country. The new “Upstairs at Rosendales” will create a whimsical culinary tour intent on making modern fine dining in this unique place a completely different experience, and not an afterthought. “Upstairs At Rosendales” will be an intimate dinner-only fine dining restaurant.

“Upstairs At Rosendales” will delight guests with ingredients, grown locally to global inspirations with techniques that range from traditional to ultra-innovative and modern preparations. Both traditional and cutting-edge preparations will make this an exciting evening event. It’s this approach of modern, merged with traditional, which Rosendale is known for, while always imparting a wink and sense of the whimsical. Chef Rosendale hopes to show diners how fruits and vegetables can be an imaginative, satisfying and central element to a meal, by showcasing locally grown field to table ingredients. This dining room will collaborate with local farmers to grown all produce specifically for “Upstairs At Rosendales”.

With Chef Rosendale’s creative cuisine, innovative and unique style, and now, Rosendales’variety of dining options, the Columbus dining scene is about to undergo a tectonic shift. Cutting-edge cuisine, a custom bistro experience, and its sibling Details, Rosendales now has somethingfor everyone. Whatever you choose, it’s going to be delicious.

[With the Help of Facebook] Fan cooks up plan to help Nancy's restaurant

Go here for the story from the Columbus Dispatch:
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/04/21/save_nancys.ART_ART_04-21-09_B1_S0DK824.html?sid=101


The lunchtime crowd gathers at Nancy's Home Cooking in Clintonville, where owner Cindy King faces bankruptcy and $59,000 in medical bills. The special yesterday was chicken and noodles, which tempted even a longtime vegetarian.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 3:05 AM
By Ann Fisher
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

When a 26-year-old information-technology recruiter opened a Facebook page to raise money for the owner of soon-to-close Nancy's Home Cooking, he figured he'd attract 1,000 members, tops.

Instead, more than 2,640 devotees had joined the page -- Save Nancy's Home Cooking!!! -- by last night.

Conor Malloy said he hopes the high turnout on Facebook, an online social-networking site, will be reflected Sunday at the Clintonville restaurant.

He has asked Nancy's fans to overpay their bills that day to help owner Cindy King as she faces bankruptcy, $59,000 in medical bills and disabling illnesses.

The restaurant won't reopen after May 31, but Malloy asked fellow patrons to help out King anyway. She bought the business at 3133 N. High Street in 1970.

The higher-than-expected turnout on the Facebook page has inspired Malloy to rethink his assumptions about the popular eatery.

He grew up visiting Nancy's with his father, Michael, who first visited the restaurant with his own father. Conor Malloy said he figured that most longtime fans are too old to know or care about Facebook.

Maybe his father had a hand in that. The Columbus police officer said he hasn't visited the page and doesn't intend to. "I'm using the computer too much at work already."

Perhaps Conor Malloy envisioned someone like Chuck McKenzie, who has been a Nancy's regular since he moved to the neighborhood some 30 years ago. McKenzie said he will celebrate his upcoming retirement at a shooting range, where he intends to finish off his keyboard and monitor.

McKenzie knows there's an effort afoot to raise money for King, but he didn't hear about it on Facebook. "You gotta be kidding," he said yesterday while he waited for his cheeseburger at Nancy's.

Or maybe Malloy pictured someone like King herself, a 60-year-old who said she had barely heard of Facebook before Malloy told her about his online campaign. "I don't know anything about 'Facebook this' or 'tweety that,' " she said in reference to Twitter, another Internet networking tool. "I hear the word mouse, and I'm calling an exterminator."

King said she appreciates the kindness, however, adding that she's "overwhelmed by the attention" and struggling to accept it. She said she doesn't know how much money has been raised.

When Malloy set up the Facebook page, he probably pictured someone like Dereck Baxter, a 26-year-old Internet sales representative who heard about the Sunday fundraiser after a friend directed him to the site.

Yesterday, he broke an eight-year stretch as a vegetarian to sample the chicken-and-noodles dish he often enjoyed during lunch break as a Whetstone High School student.

Facebook and Fundraisers won't save Nancy's Home Cooking in Clintonville

clipped from www.dispatch.com THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Monday,  April 20, 2009 3:56 PM By Ann Fisher THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Nancy's Home Cooking in Clintonville will close forever on June 1, no matter what, owner Cindy King said today. A fan has started a Facebook page to raise funds for King, 60, who plans to file for bankruptcy and who faces credit-card debt, back taxes and $59,000 in medical bills for ailments -- heart problems and neuropathy -- that have disabled her. She said construction along High Street that disrupted traffic, rising food prices and the economy did in the business. Her health problems almost did in her. King said she is moved by the response from the community since her decision to close came to light earlier this month. The many calls and letters have eased the emotional pain of giving up the business.

Parsons Ave Development is Slow

Click on link for entire article

Parsons Ave. praying for a boost

clipped from www.dispatch.com Saturday,  April 18, 2009 3:18 AM By Mark Ferenchik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Dick Sexton is retiring after 30 years as a successful used-car dealer on Parsons Avenue. Only one minivan and car remain on his lot. "I'm cleaning things out, got a couple of cars I'm wholesaling," Sexton said last week. "It's been a great run." His company gave him the means to raise three daughters and put them through college. He lived in Bexley for more than 20 years. Parsons Avenue, despite what many think, can be a good place to do business, he said. "There have been people making a lot of money down here." But now, there might be another hole in the avenue's fabric. Not only is Sexton closing up shop, but so is R&P Printing, a Parsons Avenue fixture for 20 years. To Sexton's north, Bobb Chevrolet closed its new-car dealership at Parsons and Livingston avenues almost a year ago.

Blooper Reel....I am glad I can laugh at myslef :-)

Bargain Alert: Free reusable Target tote bags

clipped from weblogs.newsday.com Head to your local Target on Sunday and get a reusable Target tote bag with any in-store purchase while supplies last. Target and GE are celebrating Earth Day by giving away 1 million bags; each will include a coupon for $2 off a GE compact fluorescent lightbulb.

Columbus' Fifth Third Bank Broadway Across America Announces Their New Season!

Announcing the Fifth Third Bank Broadway Across America-Columbus
MONSTER 2009-2010 Season!

Their Interactive Season Brochure is here:

http://www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/season_Brochures/Columbus/0910SeasonBrochure.html

The 2009-2010 6-Show Season Ticket Package includes:

CIRQUE DREAMS ILLUMINATION * Sept. 29-Oct. 4, 2009

The New Mel Brooks Musical YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN * Oct. 27-Nov. 1, 2009

IN THE HEIGHTS * Nov. 24-29, 2009

Alfred Hitchcock's THE 39 STEPS * Jan. 19-24, 2010

DREAMGIRLS * Feb. 16-21, 2010

101 DALMATIANS The Musical * March 2-7, 2010

2009-2010 SEASON SPECIALS
Not included in the 6-Show Season Package, but available FIRST to Season Ticket Holders

CHICAGO * June 8-13, 2010

The triumphant return of WICKED * July 28-August 29, 2010

More information will eventually be here:

http://www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/Columbus

Central Ohio Real Estate Market Data Release-CRITICAL

This is data for the ENTIRE Central Ohio Area. If you are thinking of buying or selling a home, this is critical market information. Send me an email and I can send you data for your neighborhood or your future neighborhood.

Click on the image to increase the size

Restaurants offer free food, discounts on tax day

Click on the link for the full article with a couple more deals.

clipped from www.usatoday.com If there's little tax relief for you on April 15, the restaurant industry is at least stepping up with comfort food. Lower costs are good, but promotions and discounts get people in the door. "We have an opportunity to drive our business and see a bit of a spike," says Gregg LeBlanc, director of marketing for seafood chain McCormick & Schmick's, which is offering its seventh tax-day promotion. Wednesday diners will get a $10.40 certificate for future use. There'll be $15 to $20 entrees discounted to $10.40. And bar patrons can choose themed drinks, such as a pint of Samuel Adams Deduction Draft. The P.F. Chang's chain is keeping it simple with a 15% discount for folks who dine at its 193 restaurants on Wednesday. •Free sweets. Snack chain Cinnabon will give out Tax Day Bites, free bite-size cinnamon rolls usually known as Classic Bites, from 5 to 8 p.m. at its 700 outlets on tax day.

Nancy's Restaurant, Clintonville Landmark, Closing June 1

Click on the link for the full story

clipped from www.thisweeknews.com Nancy's Restaurant, a staple of the Clintonville neighborhood, will close June 1. Faced with mounting debt and medical problems, owner Cindy King said she has no other choice. "It's done now and it was a hard decision to come to," she said. "All good things have to come to an end." For four decades, Nancy's was known as a comfort-food haven, a refuge for those who liked the camaraderie as much as the meatloaf and chicken and noodles. King bought the business 38 years ago from Nancy Kemmerling, who founded the restaurant about two years before that. King, 60, said she purchased the store for $10,000 and paid Kemmerling $100 to keep the name. Back then, a city ordinance would have forced King to buy a mounted sign instead of one that hung over the street in front of the restaurant, 3133 N. High St. A recent High Street improvement project hurt sales by 40 percent. King, already struggling with diabetes and circulatory issues, faced putting more money into a dilapidated building.

30-year fixed-rate mortgage still below 5%: Freddie Mac

Great rates at www.mortgage.terrypenrod.com and at www.refinance.terrypenrod.com

Full article is here: http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/mortgage-rates-rise-30-year-fixed-rate/story.aspx?guid={FC43C986-0ACA-4154-A88A-7E36BA3B428C}

clipped from www.marketwatch.com CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Mortgage rates rose this week, but the average rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages remained below 5%, according to Freddie Mac's weekly survey of conforming mortgage rates, released on Thursday. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.87% for the week ending April 9, up from last week's 4.78% average. The mortgage averaged 5.88% a year ago. Rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.54%, up from 4.52% last week. The mortgage averaged 5.42% a year ago. To obtain the rates, the fixed-rate mortgages and the 5-year ARM required payment of an average 0.7 point and the 1-year ARM required an average 0.5 point. A point is 1% of the mortgage amount, charged as prepaid interest.

Homeowners stand to save about $2,000 a year by refinancing, president says

Full article is here: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Millions-can-reduce-their-mortgage/story.aspx?guid={4EF40248-91BF-4436-B7BF-8366620F30A2}

clipped from www.marketwatch.com Obama says millions can reduce mortgage payments WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- As many as 9 million Americans can now take advantage of lower mortgage rates and save money by refinancing their home loans, President Barack Obama said Thursday. Speaking at the beginning of a White House roundtable about housing finance, Obama said with mortgage rates at historic lows, a typical homeowner can now save between $1,600 and $2,000 a year by modifying their mortgages. According to the latest data compiled by Freddie Mac, the average interest rates charged on 15- and 30-year fixed-rate mortgages remain below 5%. These rates are down by nearly 1% and by 1%, respectively, from year-ago levels. See full story. Read MarketWatch real estate coverage. "We are at a time where people can really take advantage of this," Obama said.

Terry Penrod featured in Columbus Board of Realtor Magazine "In Contract"

The entire article is here: http://www.columbusrealtors.com/16562.cfm

From the article:
"We're asking you to share your experiences with social media and whether you use these new technologies in your business. The term "Web 2.0" describes the changing trends in the use of World Wide Web technology and the increasing interactivity of things such as social networking, video sharing, and blogs.

Do you use online sites such as Facebook, ActiveRain or LinkedIn to network, meet new contacts and keep in touch with old ones? Do you post on Twitter.com? Do you use mediums like YouTube, and Animoto, survey sites like Zoomerang or instant messaging services like Meebo on a regular basis?"

Terry W. Penrod, GRI
Real Living HER

clipped from www.columbusrealtors.com I use Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. I show them prominently on my Website www.terrypenrod.com. I have also created easy links that I can remember and share with clients. i.e.. www.facebook.terrypenrod.com, www.twitter.terrypenrod.com, www.youtube.terrypenrod.com. I have been a member of Facebook for slightly over two years and have almost 650 "friends." I keep my friends up to date on real estate, cultural and political information. I like to mention real estate or mortgage information at least twice a week. I have even uploaded blooper videos from my video tours. I am most proud of my work with YouTube. Buyers and sellers love the virtual video tours. They have not seen anything like it. I encourage readers to visit www.youtube,terrypenrod.com. I have heard buyers whisper "that's the guy on the video" and say to me "hey, you are the guy from the video." Sellers love the innovative marketing. I also use a service that allows anyone to chat with me live directly from my website.

Milo-Grogan Neighborhood: Counting on a rebirth

The full article is here: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/04/06/MiloGrogan-WWL.ART_ART_04-06-09_B1_7PDF883.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101&title=Milo-Grogan%3A+Counting+on+a+rebirth

clipped from www.dispatch.com As a young girl in Milo-Grogan, Gail Brown grew up amid thriving Italian delis and small businesses; she watched parents head off every morning to jobs in nearby factories and rail yards. "We had strong families and homeowners," said Brown, 57, who has lived in the neighborhood northeast of Downtown most of her life. Then the freeway came, taking away hundreds of homes and cutting off Milo-Grogan from surrounding communities. The factories closed, and the homeowners who could afford it moved to the suburbs. "Renters have moved in. We have more boarded-up houses," Brown said, and more violence among the neighborhood's young people. When David C. Warren II, 20, was killed during an argument on Oct. 25, 2006, it was the third time he had been shot. The first time, he was 5 years old. Despite the crime, the isolation and the poverty, this year's closing of the Milo-Grogan Recreation Center at 862 E. 2nd Ave. seems to be pulling residents together again, Brown said.

Doug Aschenbach to lead Campus Partners

Full article is here: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/03/30/daily43.html?ed=2009-04-03&ana=e_du_pub

clipped from columbus.bizjournals.com The Ohio State University-affiliated Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment Corp. has tapped Doug Aschenbach to serve as president of the organization after having staffed the job in an interim capacity for several months. Aschenbach, 49, had previously served as executive vice president for real estate development until stepping in as interim president last August. He moved up upon the departure of Terry Foegler, who took a job in San Diego before returning to Central Ohio this year to serve as Dublin city manager. Aschenbach arrived at Campus Partners in 2001 after spending 16 years in the commercial real estate industry. He graduated from Ohio State in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in business and in 1985 received an MBA from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Campus Partners Chairman Bobby Moser said in a release that Aschenbach has the vision to lead the organization after helping usher in its past growth.

RJ Snappers Space to Become Cracker Barrel

The death of the Short North?

Full article is here: http://www.columbusunderground.com/rj-snappers-space-to-become-cracker-barrel

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com After RJ Snappers closed in the Short North six months ago, the redevelopment has been shrouded in mystery. Rumors have been flying left and right about what type of new establishment is taking over the space, but the veil of mystery is finally being lifted today. Cracker Barrel has just issued a press release detailing their new flagship urban location in the Short North that is expected to be open sometime in the next two months. The press release states that the proximity to Bollinger Tower is one of the main reasons for selecting this site, as well as recent studies indicating that The Short North is one of the best places for baby boomers and retirement in the entire US. This new flagship location will be the first to offer the new Cracker Barrel Bistro Menu, and the gift shop is expected to sell works from local indie crafters as well as a fine assortment of hard candies and Dolly Parton CDs.