Utility nav surfaces audience-specific pages. Keeps primary nav focused on visitor discovery.
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Navigation: 3 mega menus (Events, Eat & Drink, Explore) with 2/3 link pane + 1/3 editorial spotlight panel. 2 simple dropdowns (Parking & Safety, About) with icon + label + description per row. Donate CTA styled as distinct button. Per SNA_Navigation_Strategy_OSA: mega menus trigger on hover (200ms open / 300ms close delay in production); editorial panels are CMS-managed single post references with fallback defaults; Explore groups subpages by section (Art & Culture, Shopping, Experiences, Stay); Shopping nav shows only Fashion, Gifts, and All Shopping (analytics-informed — other categories accessible via landing page); Events editorial panel uses NAVY background; Eat & Drink and Explore editorial panels use white background. Mobile: all menus convert to accordion drawers, editorial panels omitted.
Safety Services & Ambassadors
The Short North Alliance is committed to maintaining a welcoming, safe, and clean environment for everyone who lives, works, and visits the district. Our investment in on-the-ground teams, community partnerships, and proactive programming reflects a neighborhood that takes care of its own.
SNA Safety Hotline
Sunday – Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM · Thursday – Saturday: 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
For life-threatening emergencies, always call 911 first. The SNA Hotline connects you directly with our Ambassador team for non-emergency safety assistance, escorts, and incident reports.
§1 — Safety Statement & Hotline. Opening statement preserved from the current ShortNorth.org site — affirming commitment without defensive language. Hotline band matches the Parking & Safety landing page treatment: NAVY background (#1a1a2e), teal phone number, clear hours split by day group, and 911 distinction note. Tone: confident, not defensive. Never use language that amplifies concern — "safe to visit," "don't worry," etc. Simply state the positive fact. ★ Verify hotline hours are current. Confirm 614.636.5100 is still the active number.
The Short North Has Its Own Team
SNA Ambassador Program — Not police. Not private security. Community-first.
The SNA Ambassador Program is the district's own on-the-ground team. Ambassadors are trained community service professionals who patrol on foot, provide safety escorts, respond to non-emergency situations, and keep the neighborhood clean — every single day.
Walking Safety Escort
Request a personal walking escort to your car, bus stop, or nearby destination — any time during Ambassador hours.
Non-Emergency Crisis Response
Trained de-escalation for disturbances, disoriented individuals, and situations that don't require police.
Wayfinding
Directions, restaurant recommendations, parking help — Ambassadors know the district inside and out.
Wellness Checks
Welfare checks on individuals who appear to need assistance. Compassionate, trained response.
Graffiti & Litter Removal
Daily removal of graffiti, litter, and visual blight to keep the district welcoming and clean.
Biohazard Cleanup
Trained and equipped for safe cleanup of needles, bodily fluids, and other biohazard materials.
7 Days
Ambassadors patrol every single day of the year
7 AM – 11 PM
Coverage hours (extended Thu–Sat)
On Foot
Walking patrols — visible, approachable, neighborhood-first
§2 — Ambassador Program Feature. "The Short North Has Its Own Team" — positions Ambassadors as community-first, not security-coded. 2×3 services grid covers the full scope: walking escort, crisis response, wayfinding, wellness checks, graffiti/litter, biohazard. Stat row reinforces daily coverage. Tone: warm, professional, community-oriented. "Not police. Not private security. Community-first." — this framing is intentional and important. ★ Verify all 6 services are still active. Confirm coverage hours — are they 7 AM–11 PM daily or do Sun–Wed end at 9 PM? Cross-reference with hotline hours in §1.
Meet the Ambassadors
The people behind the program
[ Headshot photo — professional but approachable ]
Marcus Grimes
Operations Manager
[ Headshot ]
Blake Allen
Team Lead — Team A
[ Headshot ]
Larry Bogovich
Team Lead — Team B
[ Headshot ]
Antonio Banks
Ambassador
[ Headshot ]
Arthur Williamson
Ambassador
[ Headshot ]
Gerald Shields
Ambassador
[ Headshot ]
Jaylen Jones
Ambassador
[ Headshot ]
James Horton
Ambassador
[ Headshot ]
George Hoang
Ambassador
§3 — Meet the Ambassadors. Team roster with hierarchy: Marcus Grimes (Operations Manager) as featured full-width card, then 2 Team Leads (dark cards) and 6 Ambassadors (teal-tint cards) in a 4-column grid. Each card has a headshot placeholder and name/role. This section humanises the program — visitors can recognise the people they'll see on the street. Governance: SNA HR — update whenever team roster changes. ★ Verify all names and roles are current. Obtain headshot photos for all 9 team members. Consider adding a brief bio line for Marcus Grimes as Operations Manager.
Safety Programs at a Glance
Five coordinated programs protecting the Short North
| Program |
What It Does |
Operated By |
Coverage |
| Ambassador Program |
On-foot patrols, safety escorts, wayfinding, wellness checks, graffiti removal, biohazard cleanup |
SNA |
7 days/week, all year |
| Crime Interdiction |
Targeted property crime prevention, retail theft deterrence, and coordination with Columbus PD |
SNA + Columbus PD |
Ongoing |
| Southeast RREACT |
Mental health crisis response, substance use intervention, and connection to social services |
Community partner |
On-call |
| Seasonal Policing |
Increased police presence during peak seasons (Gallery Hop, holidays, summer weekends) |
Columbus PD + SNA |
Seasonal |
| Violence & Injury Prevention |
Working group focused on root-cause prevention, community engagement, and data-driven strategy |
SNA + community partners |
Ongoing |
§4 — Full Safety Program Overview. Five-program table showing the complete safety ecosystem. Ambassador Program row is visually highlighted (teal left border) as the primary/flagship program. Other programs provide context — the Short North doesn't rely on a single approach. Governance: SNA Executive / Safety Director. ★ Verify all 5 programs are still active. Confirm "Southeast RREACT" is the correct name and partner. "Violence & Injury Prevention Working Group" — confirm this is public-facing and appropriate to list on the website.
Who to Call
Situation-based guide · Start with what's happening, not who to contact
| If You See… |
Contact |
Number |
| Life-threatening emergency, weapon, active violence, medical emergency |
911 |
911 |
| Disturbance, aggressive behaviour, suspicious activity (non-emergency) |
SNA Ambassador Hotline |
614.636.5100 |
| Crime occurred but suspect has left the scene |
Columbus Non-Emergency Police |
614.645.4545 |
| Noise complaint, illegal dumping, property maintenance issue |
City of Columbus 311 |
614.645.3111 |
| Person experiencing homelessness who may need assistance |
Columbus Homeless Hotline |
614.274.7000 |
| Mental health crisis, substance use emergency |
RREACT / Netcare Access |
614.276.2273 |
| Business concern, request for Ambassador visit, general SNA inquiry |
SNA Administration |
614.299.8050 |
§5 — Incident Response Decision Guide. Situation-based table (not resource-based) — visitors start with what they're seeing, not who they think they should call. This is a critical UX choice per the content brief. 911 row is visually distinguished with red background and bold text. Seven situation types mapped to specific contacts. All phone numbers are tel: links for mobile tap-to-call. Governance: SNA Safety Director — review quarterly. ★ Verify all phone numbers are current. "Columbus Homeless Hotline 614.274.7000" — confirm this is the correct current number. "RREACT / Netcare Access 614.276.2273" — confirm partnership and number. Ensure 911 distinction is always visually dominant.
What Regulars Know
5 simple habits from people who are here every week
- Park in a garage, not on a dark side street. Validation makes it free at three garages — and garages are well-lit, monitored, and steps from High Street.
- Walk in pairs after midnight. Or call the Ambassador Hotline (614.636.5100) for a free walking escort to your car, rideshare pickup, or bus stop.
- Keep valuables out of sight in your car. The simplest theft-prevention habit. If it's visible, it's a target — even in a locked car.
- Save the Hotline number in your phone. 614.636.5100. It's faster than googling, and Ambassadors respond within minutes during coverage hours.
- Trust your instincts and speak up. If something feels off, flag an Ambassador (they're in uniform and easy to spot) or call the Hotline. No situation is too small.
§6 — Community Safety Tips. "What Regulars Know" — framed as insider knowledge from people who visit frequently, not as a safety warning. Five tips with a non-alarming, practical tone. Each tip leads with a bold actionable statement followed by a brief explanation. The arrow-prefix list style keeps it scannable. Tone: confident, friendly, non-alarming. These are habits, not warnings. ★ Review tips for accuracy — "validation makes it free at three garages" must match §3 of the Parking Map page. Confirm Ambassadors are in uniform and identifiable. "Respond within minutes" — verify typical response time.
§7 — Cross-Sell Strip. Minimal two-link strip: Parking & Safety landing (parent page) + Parking Map & Garages (sibling page). Keeps the visitor within the Parking & Safety section. No images, just linked text. Governance: Automatic — static links.
PRE-FOOTER — Global component displayed on every page. Combines newsletter signup + social links into a persistent strip above the footer.
Footer consolidates full sitemap. Social links in pre-footer above. Links connect to wireframes where available; # = placeholder for pages not yet wireframed.