Who will shape redevelopment of ‘Black Wall Street’ in Columbus? They met to discuss

Columbus officials and residents took a step Monday night in deciding who will shape the future of the historic Liberty District, which residents fondly remember as “Black Wall Street.”

The Columbus Consolidated Government hosted a public meeting where city officials listened to several presentations from community stakeholders about further renovations to the Liberty Theatre and shared their vision for the Liberty District.

This meeting was the first opportunity for community stakeholders to share with city officials their views about the planned redevelopment of the Liberty District.

“We’re grateful to be here this evening,” the Rev. Richard Jessie, an advisory board member for Liberty District Inc., said during the meeting in the Columbus Council chamber. “I am excited about what is going on, and in this room, we have folks who can make our vision.”

Who decides the vision of the Liberty District?

City officials said the Columbus Council has decision-making authority for the city-owned property comprising the three blocks surrounding the Liberty Theatre, from Seventh Avenue to Ninth Avenue, and for 14 single‑family lots declared as surplus.

Deputy city manager Pam Hodge said the city is preparing a request for proposals to sell the 14 lots based on appraised value, with design standards and timeline requirements attached so development doesn’t stall.

Other land in the Liberty District, which stretches from Victory Drive to 18th Street and from Veterans Parkway to 10th Avenue, is privately owned. Hodge said this is where the master plan serves as a guideline, not a mandate.

“The master plan is just set to be a guideline,” Hodge said. “But as we move forward with implementation, the city can control the lots that are owned by the city, and the private ownership will control what goes on their lot based on the zoning.”

While the city holds legal levers, several stakeholders are positioning themselves as community advocates throughout the redevelopment process. One of those stakeholders is the newly formed Liberty District Inc., a nonprofit organization.

Jerome Williams, president of Liberty District Inc., said the group has been working over the past year to put together its leadership board, securing its nonprofit status and having conversations with neighbors and business owners to solidify its vision for further redevelopment of the Liberty District.

Williams mentioned issues of affordability, parking, the quality of businesses being located in the district and preservation of the area’s Black history.

“We have a lot of questions, and we have a lot of concerns,” he told the Ledger-Enquirer. “We want the community to know what we’re doing and who we are.”

Liberty Theatre leaders and advisory board members stressed their desire to keep the theater’s history while modernizing it with flexible seating, updated sound and lighting, community spaces and potentially a coffee shop or museum‑style exhibits.

Hodge said the community’s continued interest and involvement in the development of the Liberty District is “key” for success.

“I think what’s helpful to keep things moving is the public’s involvement and interest,” she said.

What’s happening next in the Liberty District?

At the heart of Monday’s discussion was the 100-year-old Liberty Theatre. Hodge said the city has funded a new roof, mold remediation and HVAC replacement, supported by a $150,000 state grant and federal American Rescue Plan dollars.

But Hodge estimated the remaining interior renovations will cost around $6 million to $7 million to be completed.

“That’s a heavy lift,” she said.

The Columbus Council approved the Liberty District master plan last summer, and the city is proceeding with the first step: the district streetscape renovation. The streetscape project will renovate Eighth Avenue at the entrance of the Liberty Theatre.

Hodge said the project will be funded with money from the city’s SPLOST (Special Purpose Location Option Sales Tax) and T-SPLOST (Transportation Special Purpose Location Option Sales Tax).

“The streetscape project was a T-SPLOST project that was approved in 2022,” Hodge said. “That’s $4 million. There’s also $700,000 in the SPLOST for the splash pad at the Liberty District. That’s funded. That’s ready to go and is under design.”

The budget for this project is $3.6 million to $4 million. Construction is set to begin in July and end in Spring 2027, according to the master plan.

The 14 single-family lots the city council declared as surplus in the Liberty District will be sold to a developer.

“We want to make sure that it’s a single developer,” Hodge said, “because the plan shows a shared driveway with parking from behind, and so it would be difficult to do those individually.”

The lots will be put up for bid this week, Hodge said.

This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 1:42 PM.