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Historic Columbus describes Heritage Park and Chattahoochee Promenade revitalization
Summary
Historic Columbus updated council on a $5 million revitalization that relocated five historic houses, reconstructed artifacts (including a kiln), and installed history kiosks and sculpture installations along the Chattahoochee Promenade; houses will be sold with restrictions barring short‑term rentals.
Elizabeth Walden, executive director of Historic Columbus, and Justin Krieg, project manager, briefed council on the Heritage Park and Chattahoochee Promenade revitalization. The project, approved by council in 2022, is funded primarily through private donations and partnerships totaling about $5 million.
Walden said the effort returns the former Heritage Park site to residential use by relocating and renovating five historic houses, which will be sold as single‑family homes and restricted from short‑term rental use at neighborhood request. Krieg described moving multiple structures into place (including house moves from Lumpkin and Juniper, Georgia) and reconstructing one house from salvaged components when moving was infeasible.
The promenade portion includes a 38‑panel history trail, relocated sculptures and interpretive kiosks covering the area’s history, and a reconstructed historic brick kiln that was deconstructed brick‑by‑brick and rebuilt on site to preserve historic fabric. Krieg said the promenade has already seen use for weddings and festivals and that the houses will be placed on the market through the project’s development partner, the WC Bradley Company, with neighborhood protections in the sales instruments.
Council members praised the project and requested additional information on funding sources and donor lists to better explain the public–private partnership model to constituents.
Historic Columbus said it expects to continue reporting milestones to council as the project moves to completion.
