Turning Vacancy into Vision: Visit Columbus Brings New Life to Downtown Windows
COLUMBUS, Ind. – Downtown Columbus has never been a place that leaves opportunity on the table. When fire damage left the former Chamber building on Fifth Street vacant and its windows bare, Visit Columbus saw not an eyesore, but a canvas.
This spring, Visit Columbus is installing dynamic vinyl window coverings on the building that sits directly across from the Visitors Center on Franklin Street building on the creative energy already set in motion during the 2025 Exhibit Columbus installation Ellipsis on the building's west side. What began as one expression of place is now expanding into something even more layered and community-facing.
"This is what it looks like when a community leans into its own story," said Misty Weisensteiner, CDME, Executive Director of Visit Columbus. "We have a vacant building on the corner, and an incredible foundation already laid by the installation on the west side. This felt like a natural next step, a chance to take something unfinished and turn it into something meaningful for everyone who walks, drives, or arrives here."
Two sides. Two stories. One community.
Facing Fifth Street, Columbus's celebrated Avenue of Architects, the installation features photography by Hadley Fruits for Landmark Columbus Foundation, weaving the visual language of this architecturally rich corridor into the streetscape itself. A QR code invites passersby to explore the full story of Fifth Street on the Visit Columbus website.
On the Franklin Street side, the installation shifts from heritage to discovery, spotlighting unique and surprising facts about Bartholomew County alongside a QR code linking directly to the community's official calendar of events. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a lifelong local, there's something here that will make you look twice.
The upper windows come alive with bright, vibrant elements drawn from Visit Columbus's newest brand identity.
This project is an outcome of Visit Columbus's Destination Master Plan and aligns directly with the City’s Downtown 2030 vision for enhancing the Avenue of Architects. It is the kind of intentional, creative investment that doesn't require a massive budget to make a real difference, but rather the vision to see potential where others might see a problem. The installation is expected to be complete next week. To learn more about Columbus's architectural legacy and upcoming events, visit www.comeseecolumbus.com or follow @visitcolumbus on social media.
Visit Columbus works to inspire residents and visitors to experience Columbus and Bartholomew County as an ideal destination for leisure,
sports, and travel while sharing the unique character of our community to create memorable and meaningful experiences.
Contact:
Erin Hawkins, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications
ehawkins@columbus.in.us