Ohio Union at The Ohio State University 1739 N. High Street Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
October 19-20 is Parents’ Weekend at The Ohio State University. We recommend that you make your hotel reservations early. Availability is expected to be more limited by the end of the summer. Travel from the Blackwell Inn or the nearby Olentangy River Road hotels to the conference venue is likely to be less than 10 minutes drive. The nearest hotels outside that district are likely to be at least 20 minutes away and possibly longer during rush hour. Three conference hotels have been contracted for Biofabrication 2019 for which the conference is financially obligated, so we ask that you stay in one of the recommended hotels if rooms are available. You will find the room rates (see below) at those three hotels are competitive. While, the rates are not guaranteed after the dates shown below, if rooms are available we will do our best to help you secure those rates. Please contact the Conference Organizer (e-mail: mtgserv@tms.org) if you are unable to secure another extension of the conference rate.
Notes on the conference view of Columbus Neighborhoods is posted below.
An internal list of ISBF Board of Director and Committee members, Biofabrication Editorial Board, and invited speakers will receive information separately about official ISBF meetings and hotel accommodations. Please contact Conference Chair David Dean, Ph.D. (E-mail: David.Dean@osumc.edu) if you are an affiliate of one of these groups and have not received a private communication.
Additional area hotels near the conference venue can be found here:
Shuttles
Transportation will be provided from the conference venue, the Ohio Union, to the lab tours on Sunday October 20 (9:00-11:00AM). The shuttles will begin running to the tour location at 8:45AM and will return you to the Ohio Union by 11:30AM. On Tuesday evening shuttles will depart the Ohio Union at 6:30PM for the Conference Gala Dinner at the Columbus Museum of Art. Shuttles will return attendees of the Conference Gala Dinner to hotels near the Ohio Union. This web site previously announced a plan for shuttle service between the nearby Olentangy River Hotels and the Ohio Union. However, due to lack of interest that service has been canceled. Please note that most of these hotels operate shuttles which can take you to the Ohio Union. One can also make private ground transportation arrangements from most of the nearby Olentangy River Road hotels. Attendees should allow 5-10 minutes time to drive to the conference venue, the Ohio Union, from the three hotel districts discussed below. The conference venue is a 12 minute walk and a 5 minute shuttle ride from the Blackwell Inn.
Accompanying persons wishing to travel together to (1) Wright Patterson Airforce Museum (2) Cleveland NFL and Rock & Roll Halls of Fame/Great Lakes Science Center / Christmas Story Museum / flats and Downtown; (3) Cleveland University Circle Museum of Art / Botanical Society / Auto-Aviation Museum / Natural History Museum and Case Western Reserve University; or (4) American Indian Mound Sites at Newark and Serpent Mound should make their interest known to the Conference Organizer (e-mail: mtgserv@tms.org) or at the conference registration desk.
Ohio State University: Ohio State University is the 3rd largest University in the United States. It’s campus is 7 km2 and occupies much of the northwest quadrant of Columbus. The campus is also centrally located to some of our favorite destinations (listed below) in Columbus. Accompanying persons will have ample opportunity to tour those “Destination” neighborhoods as well as other sites of interest throughout the Buckeye state.
Blackwell Inn: This is the only hotel that is walkable to the meeting venue, a 0.9 mile walk through the heart of campus. The walk is 18 minutes (if you are looking around—it’s a pretty campus) or 15 minutes brisk walk. There is a free hotel shuttle to the airport for Blackwell guests! Contact the hotel for more information on this shuttle. There is also a campus bus system that stops at the Blackwell Hotel (Knowlton Hall stop). It is a 5 minute ride from the Knowlton Hall stop (across the street) on the West Campus or North Campus CABS shuttle buses that arrive every 7 minutes weekdays 7:00AM-6:00PM), every 10 minutes weekdays 6:00-8:00PM, and every 15 minutes weekdays 8:00-11:59PM. There is no weekend service. However, there is COTA service from Lane Avenue to the Ohio Union and ample Uber and Lyft service in the neighborhood at other times. There is no service on weekends. The service is free and no ID is required. Download the OSU CABS app to your phone to see where all buses are so that you can step out when the next one will arrive.
When you are at the Blackwell Inn it appears you are in the middle of campus with the “shoe” the 100,000+ seating football stadium diagonal (SW) and the Knowlton School of Architecture across the street to the south. However, walk north to Lane Avenue and turn left (West) to find Panera (counter service, good breads, coffee, breakfast, and lunch), Varsity Club (sports bar with full menu). A five minute Uber (crossing the mighty Olentangy river) from the Blackwell has you in the West Lane district. Turn right at Lane to find Subway (sandwiches), Thirsty Scholar (bar, ya think?), and Tommy’s Pizza, and keep going to High Street to join the student scene. Wall-to-wall restaurants, coffee shops, and bars both ways. A local favorite bar is the Little Bar (it’s not so little) a minute north (to your left on High from Lane). Turn right and you’re headed towards the Ohio Union. The campus ends about Fifth Avenue, roughly where the Short North begins.
North Olentangy Neighborhood: This is the neighborhood of two of the Conference Hotels, the Hampton Inn & Suites and the Hilton Garden Inn. These two hotels are connected by a large parking lot. Within easy walking distance of these hotels are 4 restaurants: Roosters (typical American Sports bar—buffalo wings for sure--with full menu), Sonic (fast food burgers), El Vaquero (sit down Mexican restaurant), and Bob Evans (diner with decent breakfast menu). Also within 1-3 minutes’ walk are Motel 6, Staybridge Suites, Marriott Residence Inn (newish), Holiday Inn Express, Marriott Fairfield Inn. Just south of these hotels are Denny’s (similar to Bob Evans), Wingstop (counter-only service), and Skyline Chili (Cincinnati import of some renown among chili aficionados). There is some open and green (park) space around the Hilton and Hampton hotels. You are also near University Village where much of the graduate student community lives. However, most important, this area is quick ride, especially during rush hour, by shuttle to the Ohio Union. The North Olentangy node is close than the Blackwell to the West Lane and Grandview Heights restaurant districts.
Mid Olentangy Neighborhood: Two hotels in this neighborhood are the Marriott SpringHill Suites and the Varsity Inn. A nearby Aloft hotel is scheduled to open shortly after the conference ends. This is a busy part of Olentangy River Road. The Varsity Inn is an old style motel (i.e., parking spot at your room). You are a minute’s walk from Bob Evans (sit down family restaurant) and Wendy’s (fast food burgers). Just north of 5th Avenue is a mall with a large Target store, a Starbucks, several small restaurants, Champps (sports bar), and BRAVO Cucina Italiana (BRAVO chain of upscale restaurants). If you go south and turn right at 5th avenue you will see a Burger King (fast food burgers) and Jimmy John’s (fast food submarine sandwiches). If you get in an Uber or Lyft at the hotel you can go further down 5th Avenue and be in the heart of the Grandview Heights Restaurant District in 6-8 minutes (25 minute walk). Immediately south of 5th Avenue on Olentangy River Road are Cap City Diner and Columbus Fish Market; both are excellent sit down restaurants. Just south of those two restaurants is Miller’s Ale House, a sports bar with a full menu. Standing at the lobby of the Spring Hill Inn the immediate view of this neighborhood is non-descript, but it picks up if you take a walk or call an Uber, Lyft, or taxi driver. It is, however, the closest of the three neighborhoods to the Ohio Union.
South Olentangy Neighborhood: The Grandview Yards Courtyard Marriott and Hyatt hotesl are in this neighborhood. Grandview Yards is a relatively recently built complex of apartments, townhouses, and condominiums. There is a central area in which you will find Eddie George’s Grill (sports bar with a full menu and Ohio State football memorabilia), the Hofbrauhaus (a chain, there are 3 in the US), and Jason’s Deli. This node is in Grandview Heights. You are a 5-7 minute Uber or Lyft ride to the Grandview Heights Restaurant District.
Arrival by Plane John Glenn International Airport (formerly Port Columbus International Airport) 4600 International Gateway, ☎ +1 614 239-4083. John Glenn International Airport (IATA: CMH) is served by all the major airlines, with direct flights to most major American cities. Aside from rental cars, the airport can also be reached by the #92 bus, or by taxi. A taxi ride to downtown is only 10 minutes and will cost approximately $25. Depending on your schedule and where you are connecting to, it may be worthwhile to check flights to Dayton as well, as they are often cheaper. The John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) is just 9 miles (15 km) from The Ohio State University’s campus.
Ground Transportation in ColumbusJohn Glenn International Airport is served by all major rental car companies. It is convenient to rent a car and park anywhere in Columbus, including virtually all hotels and the Conference venue, the Ohio Union.There is a taxi stand at the airport immediately outside of the baggage pick-up area. It is also easy to use a phone app to call an Uber or Lyft ride from the "Rideshare" area adjacent to the ever-present taxis. The trip cost is $25-40 to the University district depending. The trip takes 10-20 minutes depending on the time of day. Taxi, Uber, and Lyft service between the campus, nearby hotels, and the airport is readily available. While taxis are not plentiful away from the airport, the staff at your hotel should be able to arrange for one to arrive within 10 minutes of your request.
Arrival by Car Major highways include I-71 & Rte. 315 (north and south), I-70 & I-670 (east and west), and the outer-belt, I-270. US Routes 33, 23, and 40 also converge downtown. Information on parking at the Ohio Union and at The Ohio State University can be found at osu.campusparc.com. Arrival by Bus Greyhound Station, 111 East Town St, +1 614 228-2266, [28]. Hours: 24 hours a day. Megabus, +1 877 462-6342, [29]. Service to Columbus from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Chicago. Fares start at $1. Buses arrive and depart downtown Columbus near the northwest corner of Nationwide Boulevard and High Street. Buses also serve Ohio State University from a stop at the Ohio Union building on the west side of the intersection of High Street and 12th Avenue. For additional information see wikitravel.
Meeting attendees from countries that require a visa to enter the United States are reminded that the process of obtaining a visa takes a minimum of three months. You are strongly encouraged to plan ahead and begin the application process early.
The U.S. State Department website includes visa information concerning temporary visitors to the United States that may be helpful to you.
Please note that the Department of Homeland Security is implementing the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, which is expected to be mandatory for Visa Waiver Program travelers. Complete information is available on the Visa Waiver Program page of the U.S. State Department website.
To generate an official visa invitation letter for this conference, complete and submit the letter request form. Please allow two to three business days for the letter to be e-mailed to you. Note that this letter does not guarantee you will be granted a visa. If you need additional assistance, TMS Meeting Services at mtgserv@tms.org or call at 1–724–776–9000 ext. 211. If you do not receive a timely response, please check your spam filter or junk e-mail folder for your letter.
The conference organizers cannot send the letter to an embassy or consulate for you nor can they contact the embassy or consulate on your behalf. It is the sole responsibility of the attendee to obtain the necessary paperwork for entry to the United States. It is crucial for the success of the application to apply at least three months in advance.
For more information about this meeting, please complete the meeting inquiry form or contact:
TMS Meeting Services 5700 Corporate Drive Suite 750 Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Telephone: U.S. and Canada Only: 1-800-759-4867 Other Countries: 1-724-776-9000 Fax: 1-724-776-3770 E-mail: mtgserv@tms.org