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Here’s an update on the opening timeline for The Kee. I’m really looking forward to both this and the Jackie I’d patio openings. The Kee, new Warehouse District event center, eyes March opening “Columbus' Warehouse District will soon be home to a unique event center focused on the arts, sports, music and other entertainment. New York-based Center Square has leased a 33,000-square-foot building at 225 Neilston St., which formerly housed the Ohio Department of Health's Office of Vital Statistics. Center Square is turning the building into a destination space called The Kee, which it plans to open in late March. The Kee will be an indoor-outdoor event venue with a restaurant, three separate bars and a lineup of games, including three multi-sport simulators. Transforming the building is a $5.5 million project, funded by Center Square and building owner Hackman Capital Partners. Morgenstern said that about half of the floor plate is dedicated to the arts, and the hope is that people who come to The Kee engage with both the arts and the "mainstream" entertainment options, like cornhole, giant Jenga or arcade games.“ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/12/06/the-kee-warehouse-district.html

Yes, according to officials with LinkUS. https://linkuscolumbus.com/faqs/ This page only gives a general overview of rapid transit, but various officials have said signal priority will be a part of the Columbus network.

There’s a tent set up with red velvet rope on the future site of the office building, looks to be for a press conference. Wonder if it’s for a groundbreaking or to announce Nancy’s hiring?

Decided to go check it out today. I didn’t notice any activity at 840 or 875 yet, but here’s a couple shots of the demo at 815:

There is a considerable amount of commute between OU and Columbus. I knew several folks without cars who would use the Go Bus to get to Columbus during my time in Athens. I imagine rail would be a preferable alternative.

Probably this: Also nearby, Lykens is supposed to start construction on the pipe organ factory redevelopment. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/08/18/harrison-west-pipe-organ-factory-kevin-lykens.html I wonder if that has started yet? I also believe plans to restart the abandoned apartment building were given the green light this summer.

Those station design concepts were released today, and the presentation can be viewed here, along with an opportunity to give feedback: https://linkuscolumbus.com/#stations Overall, I think it looks good. I like that there’s plenty of light and digital displays for departures/arrivals.

Schottenstein Homes, Nationwide Realty Investors plot $25M empty-nester housing development at Jerome Village “A new housing development for empty-nesters is coming to a massive master-planned community in Jerome Township. Gahanna-based Schottenstein Homes and Nationwide Realty Investors — the real estate development affiliate of Columbus-based Nationwide — are partnering on The Cottages at Ravenhill in Jerome Village. Nationwide Realty is the lead developer of Jerome Village, which currently includes 22 neighborhoods on a 3-mile, 1,900-acre stretch of property off I-270 and Route 33 near Plain City in Union County. The Cottages will feature 42 ranch homes that have the ability to be customized to suit the needs of the empty-nester population the developers are targeting, Schottenstein Homes Vice President of Sales and Marketing David Parsley told me. Each home is also expandable, with optional basements and second floors. Schottenstein broke ground on the model home last last week. The hope is for the model home to be completed by the end of summer 2023, though pre-selling for the 42 units has already started.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/12/05/the-cottages-at-ravenhill-jerome-village.html

Ugh, a handful of restaurant closures announced in the past week: - Nida’s Thai on High in the Short North. Their North Market stall will remain open. - Core Life Eatery at the Lennox. That will leave that corner of the Lennox pretty dead with Champs closed and the theater still not pulling in its pre-pandemic audience. - The Dry Mill closed its downtown location after less than a year in business. https://614now.com/2022/food-drink/short-north-eatery-closing-doors-for-good-after-nearly-15-years https://614now.com/2022/food-drink/restaurant-chain-closes-its-last-remaining-columbus-location https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2022/12/04/downtown-sober-bar-closes-amid-declining-sales/69699739007/

Will next year be the year? 🧐 Plans to convert original Port Columbus terminal into aviation hall of fame are taking off “It might be difficult to see from the outside, but progress is being made to restore the original Port Columbus Airport Terminal into the Ohio Air and Space Hall of Fame and Learning Center. The group working to renovate the 93-year-old building at the southeast corner of John Glenn Columbus International Airport plans to include flight simulators for those interested in aviation careers. Thus far, the group has raised $1.2 million, with the goal of raising another $700,000 to begin the first phase of work, which he hopes to start next year. "The board has been hard at work to hit the $700,000 mark to get the work started on building," Kaplan said. "We want to get it open as soon as possible."’ https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2022/12/04/original-port-columbus-terminal-ohio-air-space-aviation-hall-of-fame/69667156007/

How many stories for the Stella building(s)? Elevator core looks pretty tall there!

I would say most of my friend group and people I’ve talked to are excited about the growth and more people moving here. Typically, in my experience, it’s people from the burbs—not even Columbus proper—who complain about the growth.

Looks like replace it:

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther Announces 2023 Reelection Campaign “Two-term Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther formally announced yesterday evening that he’s all in for round three. A campaign kickoff party held at the Ohio Brewing Company served as the official launch for his 2023 mayoral bid. Ginther, 47, was first elected in 2015, having previously served on Columbus City Council for the eight years prior, and Columbus Board of Education for seven years before that. In 2015, Ginther ran against fellow Democrat and former Franklin County Sherriff Zach Scott, but ran unopposed in 2019 when winning his second term. Over the past three years, Ginther’s second term has seen both challenges and opportunities. Just two months after being sworn in on January 4th, 2020, the coronavirus pandemic dramatically impacted life in Columbus. Shutdowns of businesses and events persisted throughout that year, coupled with civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd that led to multiple protests in Downtown Columbus. Newly appointed police chief Tom Quinlan resigned in January of 2021 after just 13 months on the job, and community advocates have continued to call for stronger police reform. The Franklin County Republican Party was contacted yesterday afternoon to see if a challenger would be fielded by the local GOP, but Columbus Underground has received no response as of the time of publishing this article.“ https://columbusunderground.com/columbus-mayor-andrew-ginther-announces-2023-reelection-campaign-we1/

I figured the days were numbered for the buildings at 9th and High St. Buckeye Real Estate is proposing to raze the buildings at and near 1493 N High and build a six story, 95 unit apartment building with an 89 space parking garage above and below grade. It should go to the UD commissions this month. I like the idea, and this should continue the street wall started by the 8th and High redev next door. Hopefully as it progresses, the architectural design improves. I’d like to see the facade of the corner brick preserved too.

I agree. It looks pretty good, and it should blend it pretty well with nearby BP. Definitely an improvement over the massive parking lot.

Courthouse Still Planned for Downtown Park That Was Fenced Off Years Ago “The parkland and the four-story James A. Karnes Building are both owned by Franklin County. The city of Columbus is in contract to buy the properties, according to city officials, and has already allocated money toward the project (from a bond package that was approved by voters in 2019). Kathy Owens, the city’s Director of Finance, said that negotiations are ongoing with a local architectural firm to design the new courthouse, and expects a contract to be in place in January. She couldn’t provide information on the exact square footage of the planned building, saying that the architect will conduct an assessment of the current and future space needs of the court. The Franklin County Municipal Court is currently housed in an 18-story building at 375 S. High St. Dedicated in 1979, county officials have said that the building is likely to be renovated for another use, although no details have been released about that project. Overall, the design process for the new courthouse will take about 18 months, Owens said, followed by a three-year construction timeline.” https://columbusunderground.com/courthouse-still-planned-for-downtown-park-that-was-fenced-off-years-ago-bw1/

Other side of Parsons for us. There’s so much construction/rehabs/etc. I love it.

Interesting 🤔 Franklin County land bank agency COCIC using 10-year study to evaluate future strategy “COCIC hired the Greater Ohio Policy Center, a non-partisan research organization, to prepare a 10-year impact analysis as it readies for a strategic planning session in 2023. The Greater Ohio Policy Center study found that since then, the land bank has demolished 3,349 blighted residential units in 1,702 structures; reclaimed more than 200 acres of commercial property for redevelopment; funded affordable housing and cleared the way for the private sector to develop 138 market-rate homes and 1,648 market-rate apartment units. The 10-year report also found that for every $1 COCIC has spent on demolition, nearby home values increased by $4.30, which has led to $146 million in increased property values. For every $1 COCIC has contributed to an affordable housing project, the developer has leveraged another $3.86 from other sources, the report found. Now the organization will begin evaluating what it wants to do next. With the land trust in COCIC's repertoire, the organization has the ability to complete more affordable housing projects in the next decade, both directly and by clearing land for investment, Williams said. He also said the organization could pivot to do more commercial redevelopment projects in the future. "What do we need to morph into?" Williams said. "We went from acting as a mostly demolition company to an affordable housing developer in the last decade. Where do we go from here?"’ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/11/29/affordable-housing-franklin-county-cocic-pivot.html

Sucks Franklinton is losing a staple, but this is great news for The Fort/Steelton Village and the South Side! (Will StV eventually merit its own thread?) Glass Axis Gearing Up for Move to South Side “Glass Axis has been an anchor in the Franklinton Arts District since 2014, when a move to 610 W. Town St., provided an expansion into a larger space, allowing for the growth of the comprehensive glass-making facility to include molten glass, casting, fusing, neon, stained glass, cold working, and torch working. The potential redevelopment of the one-story building at 610 W. Town St. led to the Glass Axis board and staff to decide that remaining in the space was not the best decision. “Preliminary plans showed Glass Axis being a part of this new building space, taking up the street level space, but with overall decreased square footage,” said Reed. A studio as specialized as Glass Axis needs special accommodations, and once those were presented to the building’s development team, “it quickly became apparent that Glass Axis could not afford to stay in a lease scenario in this new building space, even considering downsizing and working with less square footage,” said Reed. In the summer of 2023, pending board approval and final paperwork, Glass Axis will move into 2117 S. High St., sharing a building with custom manufacturing company Regalia Metal Products. Regalia’s president, Ken Gray owns the building and will be leasing a little over 13,000 square feet of space to Glass Axis.“ https://columbusunderground.com/glass-axis-gearing-up-for-move-to-south-side-ae1/

More on that Glass Axis redev: Five-Story Development Proposed for Glass Axis Site in Franklinton ”A development proposal for 610 W. Town St. – the current home of Glass Axis – is scheduled to be heard by the East Franklinton Review Board this afternoon. The proposal, from Marker Development, calls for preserving a portion of the existing one-story, brick building and incorporating it into a new, five-story, mixed-use development. The proposed building would hold between 60 and 70 apartments on its upper four floors, above first floor retail/amenity space and parking. More parking would be provided behind the building, in a surface lot accessed from Chapel Street. Initial plans and renderings submitted to the city also show three townhomes on Chapel Street. The new buildings are shown without architectural detail – the proposal is scheduled to be reviewed conceptually, meaning that the applicant will need to return to the board with a more detailed design before a final vote of approval.” More: https://columbusunderground.com/five-story-development-proposed-for-glass-axis-site-in-franklinton-bw1/

Now backtrack on the investigation part of the story: ”Ohio State spokesman Ben Johnson said there was no investigation into the president. Rather, an outside consultant was called in to help the board with Johnson's annual performance review. "The board was aware of President Johnson’s intent to leave the university advance of the November board meeting and therefore an annual review was not completed," he said. In a statement through her attorney, Rex Elliot, Johnson called the reports "inaccurate" and said the events were "mischaracterized." "I’m saddened by the circumstances. My record of accomplishment at Ohio State speaks for itself, and I made the difficult decision to step down,” she said.” https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/education/2022/11/28/ohio-state-president-kristina-johnson-to-resign/69646772007/

City of Columbu‪s‬, Hilliard address and schools. Schottenstein Homes, Homewood Corp. team up with D.R. Horton on new townhome and single-family development in west Columbus “Gahanna-based Schottenstein Homes and Columbus-based Homewood Homes are working with D.R. Horton — a Texas-based company touted as the largest homebuilder by volume in the United States — on a development called Renner Park. Located on the corner of Renner Road and Alton Darby Creek Road, the community will include 196 townhome lots and 147 single-family lots. The townhomes will be a mix of three- and four-bedroom units ranging from 1,635 square feet to 1,800 square feet, and will include a two-car garage. Pricing starts in the low $300,000s. The single-family homes will measure 1,500 square feet on the low end and 3,200 square feet on the high end. The four- and five-bedroom units will start in the high $300,000s and the low $400,000s. Mautino said they are going through the permitting process with the city of Columbus and expect construction on both the townhomes and single-family lots to begin in December. He said they anticipate homes will start to be completed in late spring 2023, with residents moving in during the early summer of that year. Though the land is located in Columbus, it is near the southern Hilliard border. As such, residents will be served by the Hilliard City School District. That was part of why D.R. Horton was interested in the project, Mautino said, adding they were also able to have a higher density per acre because the development is located in Columbus.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/11/29/schottenstein-homewood-dr-horton-housing-project.html

Interesting it was bad enough the board asked her to resign, but not so bad she’s staying on another half year.

Columbus Mayor Ginther wants suburbs, region to help create more affordable housing “Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther spoke to the Central Ohio Mayors and Managers Association earlier this month about the importance of forming a regional housing collaborative to create more housing — specifically, affordable housing. "Folks have been receptive. Suburban mayors. There have been very good conversations," Ginther told The Dispatch in a recent interview. "The city can’t solve our regional challenge all by itself," Ginther said. The suburbs need to act, too, he said. Ginther said he hopes the regional housing collaborative — made up of government, businesses and nonprofit leaders — will launch by spring 2023 "to help us make sure we're dramatically increasing the supply of housing throughout the region." The effort would include rewriting zoning codes and changing land-use policies to meet the area's growing needs, while going to the federal government as a coalition for financial help. Right now, the push is on to bring more suburban communities on board, especially some where it has been difficult to build lower-priced housing.” https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2022/11/28/suburbs-need-to-build-more-affordable-housing-columbus-mayor-says/69553100007/