amped91

Hmmm

Looks like the city will select Moody Nolan to design the new municipal court building. https://columbus.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6203990&GUID=C91B0561-A7A7-4017-A5D6-1FCCCC64A4EA

Wasn’t sure if this 128 unit from Preferred at 1205 Chesapeake had been posted here yet. It’s on the agenda for city council in a couple weeks.

Plain City a boomtown? Village sees housing explosion and a distillery, but growing pains “Bruce Van Winkle's auto repair shop sits in the middle of a boomtown, a description that might come as a surprise to anyone who thought they were familiar with Plain City but hasn't been there in a while. More than 500 homes are being built in a new subdivision in the eastern part of the village, a chunk of the more than 1,100 homes that have recently been built or are in the pipeline. Building owners in the Uptown Plain City Historic District are filling them with new businesses, including a distillery. The village's population is expected to mushroom from 4,065 in 2020 to 21,000 in 20 years. "It's going to be a nice place for business," said Van Winkle, 53, whose Plain City Service Center has been a West Main Street landmark for decades. More residents equals more customers, naturally.“ https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2023/05/11/plain-city-is-booming-do-residents-want-to-retain-small-town-charm/70147072007/ The part I bolded is pretty wild. That’s huge growth for them.

Girl Scouts start construction on $16 million STEM center in Franklin County “After first announcing its investment in STEM one year ago, the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland have broken ground on a $16 million facility aimed at attracting more girls to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The groundbreaking ceremony for the STEM Leadership Center and Maker Space took place Tuesday morning on the morning of May 9 at the scouts' Camp Ken-Jockety in Galloway. The nearly 25,000-square-foot center will be constructed on 220 acres with a fall 2024 opening planned. The facility will include: community space; science and technology labs; a maker space for welding, mechanics and carpentry; a larger greenhouse; outdoor learning spaces and more. It will be available for use by schools, nonprofits and community partners. Also included are renovations to the existing camp's environmental center, which will include a teaching kitchen, Tammy Wharton, president & CEO of the Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland, told The Dispatch.” https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/education/2023/05/11/girl-scouts-begin-construction-on-16-million-stem-center-in-galloway-franklin-county/70201099007/

This place sounds hella cringe 😬

Yup yup. Especially if you’re living inside the belt.

Oh jesus. The NIMBYS are already sharpening my their pitchforks… 'Will this be Section 8?' Hilliard area residents decry apartment complex on Dublin Road “A proposed market-rate apartment development along Dublin Road just south of Hayden Run Road in Norwich Township near Hilliard has stirred up a whirlwind of opposition among neighbors who say it doesn't fit in an area of single-family homes. Some of those same single-family homes go for upwards of $500,000 in nearby Hilliard between Dublin Road and the Scioto River. And the opposition could be another indication of what may happen across the region as central Ohio struggles with a housing shortage while companies and communities search for sites for development. The developer revised plans this week. Originally, it had planned to build 256 units, including four-story buildings, but changed them "after reviewing community feedback, design, and engineering aspects," according to an email from Daniel van Hoogstraten, a spokesman for the developer, a new company called MYKO Development of Columbus. There would be 19 apartment buildings on 14.7 acres in Norwich Township. The developer is asking the city of Columbus to annex the property, which would need a zoning change for the apartments to be built. The site at 4723, 4747 and 4781 Dublin Road is now occupied by a house and other structures, including a white barn.” https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2023/05/10/hilliard-area-residents-decry-apartment-complex-on-dublin-road/70178554007/

Lol I saw all kinds of ads for it!

Columbus, near Dublin and Hayden Run Roads.

Interesting. Hoping the potential buyer plans to make at least part of it residential. Columbus Dispatch finds buyer for Capitol Square building “The Columbus Dispatch's home on Capitol Square is under contract, according to the property's listing. The 62 E. Broad St. building was put up for sale for $2.15 million in March 2022. The listing, handled by NAI Ohio Equities, now has the price listed as $1.6 million. Matt Gregory, managing director at NAI, said the buyers are conducting typical due diligence. He declined to share the buyer's name or comment on the sale. The pending sale of the 1920s building is significant for the Capitol Square area. Aging office buildings downtown are being converted to new uses or being renovated to keep up with new buildings at developments like The Peninsula and Gravity in Franklinton.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/05/09/dispatch-building-under-contract.html

Some interesting tidbits from today’s Dispatch story on the opening of the TP apartments: Topiary Park apartments rise from the ashes after 2020 fire “Encova announced the apartments in 2017, when the company was still called Motorists, and started construction the following October. At the time, Motorist officials said they planned to add additional buildings on land the company owns along Oak Street east of South Washington Avenue. Kessler said the company is now moving forward on those plans. "It’s still in the works," he said. "We have a grand vision for the Oak Street corridor. We have all these surface lots just sitting there. That's not doing anything to help lift the neighborhood. We want to make a lasting impression. That started with phase one, the Residences at Topiary Park, with several phases to follow. Those phases were put on hold, but we're now starting to revisit that vision, and put together some plans." Kessler is also encouraged by development in the area and around the park, which he called "one of Columbus' best-kept secrets."‘ https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/real-estate/2023/05/09/encova-opens-topiary-park-apartments-after-fire-plans-more-buildings/70173867007/

Developer’s plan to transform South Side shoe factory inches forward “A Gahanna developer’s years-long plan to transform a bygone South Side shoe factory into a five-story apartment building earned a tentative thumbs-up from city planners last week. On Thursday, the Brewery District Commission said it is pleased with The Stonehenge Company’s progress on its proposal to convert the former Jones Heel Manufacturing Co. buildings into a 100-unit apartment complex while keeping intact the brick facade that once housed an integral part of Columbus’ shoe-rich history. Though the Commission stopped short of granting its official conceptual approval of the building – as was the hope of Stonehenge’s planning and development director Doug Ervin – Commissioner Cynthia Hunt said the design has “grown tremendously” since its first draft, leaving Ervin and his colleagues optimistic. If approval is granted by fall, Ervin said he estimates construction to begin at the end of this year or in early 2024.“ https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus/developers-plan-to-transform-south-side-shoe-factory-inches-forward/

Fertilizer business moving to Columbus draws concern from South Side residents “The owner of a "boutique" fertilizer operation wants to move his business from the heart of Canal Winchester to the heart of Columbus' South Side, a move that has some South Side residents concerned. John C. Jordan wants the city of Columbus to approve a zoning variance for his business that would move to 5 Merritt St., tucked just east of the South High Street viaduct and north of the CSX railroad tracks in the Reeb-Hosack neighborhood. […] He said the ingredients he uses to make his fertilizer are safe, and he uses no explosive nitrates. […] Jordan said he wants to move the business so it's in a more central location, and because it's closer to his Upper Arlington home.“ https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2023/05/08/south-side-residents-have-concerns-about-fertilizer-business-move/70182893007/

Nearly 600 residential units planned for former Salvation Army campsite in Delaware “A nearly 600-unit residential development has been proposed at a former Salvation Army campsite in Delaware. Dublin-based developer T&R Properties submitted an application for the project, which is referred to as Greenwood Commons in city documents. The property includes two parcels east of Joy Avenue and at 340 Lake St. — the previous home of Greenwood Lake Camp & Retreat Center. The Salvation Army formerly operated a summer camp for disadvantaged children at the site, which is located next to a drained lake. T&R wants to redevelop the 61.6-acre property into workforce housing, market-rate apartments and single-family attached townhomes. The project also would include reserved space for a men's shelter, open space/amenities, a permanent tree preserve and one single-family detached home. The T&R project went before the Delaware Planning Commission on Wednesday. At the meeting, the commissioners unanimously approved a zoning amendment, conditional use permit and preliminary development plan following a public hearing. All three of these items will be considered by Delaware City Council Monday night.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/05/08/greenwood-commons-residential-development-delaware.html

New industrial buildings at former Columbus Castings site will deliver this summer, developer hopes to transform South High Street “The out-of-state developer behind new industrial development on the former Columbus Castings site hope the project does for the south side of Columbus what Rogue Fitness relocating its headquarters did for Milo Grogan. "The way that neighborhood changed, that's what we think this will do for the south side," said Joe Kimener, a CBRE broker working on the Castings project. Construction will finish on the two smaller buildings this summer, Kimener said. The larger building will deliver this fall. Stonemont is seeking single tenants for the buildings, but has the flexibility to make them multi-tenant. Kimener said connectivity to much of Central Ohio makes the site attractive. Most of the interest in the former Castings site has been from manufacturing tenants, he said.“ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/05/08/columbus-castings-redevelopment-manufacturing.html

Columbus nonprofit Franklinton Rising training at-risk youth in construction trades, sending them to work for companies like Marker “A workforce development nonprofit in Franklinton is branching into new construction, training the future labor force for commercial and residential contractors. Tom Heffner, president of Franklinton Rising, said the group has rebuilt eight vacant, boarded up homes in Franklinton since 2015. The organization last week started its first ground-up construction project on Chicago Avenue in Franklinton. Two new duplexes will rise on a site in between two other duplexes previously rehabbed by the organization. The homes are built by a group of trainees, typically between eight to 14, who are considered "at-risk youth." Program participants get life skills training and basic construction training.“ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/05/08/franklinton-rising-construction-training-workforce.html

I was surprised the view of it from Vera on Broad was really nice yesterday too!

So idk how true it is, but while I was on the CU Urban Living tour today, I was told Schott is hoping to start soon on building on the parking lot in front of this garage, and the new build would completely cover the front of it.

^i’m going to try to make it there tonight after work!

Glad this is still planned. I was getting worried with the lack of movement. Work expected to start on City Winery music venue and restaurant this summer “Work is expected to begin this summer on the City Winery concert venue and restaurant on the South Side, after the project was delayed from its original schedule. The New York-based chain of clubs is now targeting a 2024 opening for its Columbus location after originally planning to open early this year in the former Via Vecchia Winery, 2108 S. High St. The project was delayed in part because of complications from incorporating part of an adjacent building into the project. "We had delays with the city in terms of getting our building permit and separation of the other building," Dorf said. "Between interest rates and costs of capital, and the continued uncertainty economically, we’re approaching it slightly slower, making sure we have all the ground under our feet. We can only roll out so many new and effective locations."’ https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2023/05/05/city-winery-to-bring-music-restaurant-to-south-side/70173855007/

👎🏼 A follow up: 'They don't want dense housing:' Berkshire voters reject proposed housing development “Voters in Berkshire Township overwhelmingly rejected a proposed housing development that they called high-density and a potential burden on roads and schools in the central Delaware County area. In unofficial results, 76% of voters cast no votes on the referendum that would have changed zoning for the property from institutional to residential. The existing zoning will continue to permit development such as a church, school or daycare facility. Voter turnout was about 22%. Residents in the mostly rural, but growing, township had fought efforts to deny placement of a referendum on the ballot to allow voters to decide a zoning change that would permit Highland Realty Development of Columbus to build 91 homes on about 88 acres along Plumb and Dustin roads. The Delaware County Board of Elections voted 3-1 earlier this year to deny the residents' referendum based, among other concerns, on incomplete ballot language on petitions used to gather signatures for the initiative. Residents fought that decision to the Ohio Supreme Court, which overturned the previous rulings and allowed the referendum to be placed on the ballot.“ https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2023/05/03/residents-overwhelmingly-reject-housing-development-in-delaware-county/70175572007/

Lake Shore Cryotronics to nearly double its Westerville footprint with $14 million expansion “Lake Shore Cryotronics will nearly double its Westerville footprint with a $14 million expansion set to break ground later this year. The company, which manufactures sensors, scientific instruments and systems for cryogenic and magnetic applications, is adding approximately 42,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 10,000 square feet of office space to its existing 59,000-square-foot facility at 575 McCorkle Blvd. Lake Shore will also construct a new 2,500-square-foot clean room within its existing manufacturing facility. The clean room will be used for microelectronic development, as well as sensor wafer fabrication and packaging. Lake Shore CEO Michael Swartz said the company is making these investments to support growth.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/05/04/lake-shore-cryotronics-westerville-expansion.html

They’re currently here, in Canal Winchester: Which is relatively close to residential, but of course not as close as it would be on the South Side. I really don’t know why they’re looking to move. They say it’s to be more centrally located, but that whole industrial area around Hosack is really sketchy looking.

C State has sooo much parking. It’d really help that section of downtown if they actually start filling that space in (along with CCAD and State Auto).