From parking lot to park: New community space Gravity Experience Park to open Friday

AJ Hymiller
Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:55:14 +0000
Arts & Life, Entertainment, food & drink, Instagram Page, News, Adam Benner, arts & life, beer, Brett Kaufman, Buckeyes, Central Ohio, Columbus, Columbus parks, community, drinks, food, franklinton arts district, gravity, Gravity Experience Park, Gravity Experience Park Franklinton Arts District, ice, Ice Rink, Jessica Schueren, Kaufman Development, land-grant brewing company, ohio state, osu, park, pickleball, The Lantern, The Lantern Arts & Life, the lantern ohio state [and 1 more]

A landscape architecture rendering of Gravity Experience Park, which is set to open Friday. Credit: Courtesy of GRA+D Architects

After months of delay, the highly anticipated Gravity Experience Park will open Friday in the Franklinton Arts District, providing Columbus residents with their own adult playground.?

Gravity — owned by local real estate developer Kaufman Development — is considered “the world’s largest conscious community” and collaborates with local neighborhoods and partner organizations to design uplifting experiences for Columbus residents, according to its website.

Created via a partnership between Gravity and the Land-Grant Brewing Company, Gravity Experience Park replaced The Idea Foundry’s parking lot at 98 McDowell St., Kaufman Development’s director of development Jessica Schueren said.?

Schueren said one of Gravity’s brand pillars is fostering creative expression, which is reflected in its newest project.?

“The park is a place for community members and visitors to connect, discover and celebrate the unique culture of creative expression in the Franklinton Arts District,” Schueren said. “The park is a necessary venue for the city to celebrate free public art from local and international artists.”

Schueren said the project is no “typical” park as it plans to host food trucks, outdoor concerts and more.?

“We are hoping to draw Central Ohioans with seasonal activities like a winter park, and in the summer, pickleball,” Schueren said. “We want to reimagine and enhance cultural and community assets.”

Gravity founder Brett Kaufman said the Land-Grant Brewing Company partnership and the resulting park are necessary for Columbus’ continued growth.

“It’s so important to have community spaces where people can come together, especially in urban areas,” Kaufman said. “Land-Grant was a natural partner for us, and we’re excited for the neighborhood and greater community to start enjoying what is really an incredible space.”

Adam Benner, president of Land-Grant Brewing Company, said the park’s featured activities will change on a seasonal basis.?

“We are still working on the summer layout,” Benner said. “However, the Land-Grant winter garden experience will have 10 battery-powered bumper cars within the ice rink and curling.”

Benner said visitors will also be able to purchase drinks as they peruse the park, especially during the winter season.

“There will be heated tents offering hot and cold beverages that are right by the ice rink,” Benner said. “Our taproom is across the street and we have the ability to close the road in order for visitors to get from place to place with their drinks.”

Benner said additional opportunities for group games and tournaments will also crop up in the coming weeks.

“We will be adding keg curling to the ice rink,” Benner said. “We have learned a lot about ice maintenance over the past couple of years.”

Beyond the grand opening, Gravity Experience Park will be open every Thursday through Sunday beginning at 4 p.m. More information about the park, including where to book reservations for curling sessions or bumper cars, can be found on the Land-Grant Brewing Company’s website.