Designers take out pens to create fresh urban housing concepts for downtown.(Brief Article)

prospects for rental and owner-occupied residential projects in the downtown have come to the forefront after nearly a decade of commercial projects dominating the scene.

Creating an environment for residential living is a bit more difficult than a new arena or office building. There are concerns about security, for instance. And few people expect urban dwellers in Columbus to give up access to their cars entirely, so parking becomes another issue.

Columbus architect Joe Sullivan believes creating a sense of distance between the sidewalk and the living area is fundamental to making downtown living attractive.

"There are different ways to define public and private space," says the Sullivan Bruck Architects principal.

"In the suburbs, you can create it horizontally with green space in the front yard," he says. "When you start getting into urban areas, then grade can also be used to separate the public sidewalk space from the more personal space of the residence."

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