amped91

Ngl, definitely had my hopes up for a very brief second lol

Several homes coming down for the RMH expansion 😬

Homeport eyes expansion of Alum Creek Drive development “Homeport has plans to add a second senior housing complex next to its Fieldstone Court development on Alum Creek Drive, pending state tax credit approval. If the project were to get the tax credit funding, Homeport would build 40 one- and two-bedroom townhomes for seniors next to the current site of Fieldstone Court, CEO Leah Evans said. Evans said the nonprofit developer is applying for funds from the Ohio Housing Finance Authority. The application is due in February and the OHFA usually awards the credit in May. In order to submit the application for the development, Evans said Homeport must show that the project would be ready to get developed if funded. That's why Homeport is asking Columbus City Council for a variance. The legislation had a first reading on Monday, with a decision expected at the Feb. 7 meeting. The first phase of the project came online in 2007. Fieldstone Court is a three-story building with 42 affordable senior apartments.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/02/01/fieldstone.html

Speaking of Woodland Park: Three-Story Apartment Complex Planned for Woodland Park “Blueprint Investments, a local firm that has been active renovating homes on the Near East Side, is now moving forward with a larger project in Woodland Park. The three-story, 27-unit development will be located at the southeast corner of Greenway and Woodland Avenues. A zoning variance for the project was approved last year, allowing some changes in building placement and a reduction in the amount of parking provided (from 41 to 28 spaces). The site, which once held Eastside Dry Cleaners, is currently vacant.” https://www.columbusunderground.com/three-story-apartment-complex-planned-for-woodland-park-bw1/ The article mentions there will also be a contingent of affordable units in the project.

More, albeit sometimes cryptic, information on the Hyperion announcement, courtesy CBF: Hyperion investing $297 million in new Columbus HQ - It actually IS apparently a full HQ move: “Hyperion Co, which was founded in Columbus but later relocated to California, is converting the former Columbus Dispatch printing plant at 5300 Crosswind Dr. on the city’s southwest side into a hydrogen fuel cell factory that could begin production as soon as next year. Columbus will also once again be the company's headquarters.” - More announcements coming soon: “The focus of Tuesday’s news was the company’s arrival here and the jobs it expects to create. Additional details, including key partner announcements, are expected in the next six weeks.” Hopefully we’ll see a lot more spin-off development for this business as well. - Job type breakdown: “Hyperion projects to have nearly 700 employees in Columbus, including 10 executives relocating from California, 100 engineering jobs and approximately 350 in production, warehouse and facilities and an annual payroll of $60 million.” - Perhaps these details involve the forthcoming partner announcements? “Kafantaris, a Warren native, founded the business in Columbus a decade ago. Hyperion only ever had a handful of employees here, he said. It relocated to California in 2013 because California had the infrastructure for hydrogen vehicles and Ohio didn’t. Ohio still doesn’t, beyond a few private stations in locations like Ohio State, but Kafantaris said that is going to change with those details still to come.” - On what Cbus DOES have: “The company explored options in multiple states for more than two years before being drawn to the “perfect blend” of technology, manufacturing and research capabilities and partners offered in Columbus.” - On what separates Hyperion from previous announcements that didn’t come to fruition: ‘“The difference with us is that we’ve been around for a decade,” Kafantaris said.“ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/02/01/hyperions-columbus-fuel-cells-to-power-cars-more.html

Oops, guess we were posting at the same time lol

I didn’t know that Hyperion already had strong ties to Cbus. Makes me feel like there’s a better chance of this one happening. Hyperion fuel-cell company to open largest Columbus factory in a decade “A California company plans to move its headquarters back to Columbus in an operation that will employ nearly 700 workers developing hydrogen fuel cells. Hyperion Cos., now based in Orange, California, plans to relocate next year to the former Dispatch printing plant, 5300 Crosswinds Dr., which was closed in March 2020 when printing moved to Indianapolis. The 65-acre Far West Side plant will be the largest new factory in Columbus in a decade. Hyperion plans to invest nearly $300 million in the facility to research and manufacture hydrogen fuel cells, which will be used to power a line of energy storage products, including Hyperion's XP-1 sports car, unveiled in August. Hyperion said the facility will create more than 680 jobs over the next six years, with an annual payroll of up to $58 million. For Hyperion CEO Angelo Kafantaris, the move is a return home. Kafantaris grew up in Warren and studied philosophy and engineering at Ohio State University. He founded Hyperion in 2011 while in Columbus. “After 10 years of development, we are thrilled to bring our hydrogen technology back to Columbus where it all started," Kafantaris said in a news release.” https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2022/02/01/hyperion-add-700-jobs-far-west-side-hydrogen-fuel-cell-facility/9296467002/?fbclid=IwAR3N_-ARN0LHZe37bGziKjB-ddGU2NPPLnJ-DipTEW-w8vxzEkkgKNXLgrE

I think this one might finally be happening. The old church building is gone, the site is fenced off, and I saw some lite drilling equipment being used today: Also, work continues on the residential development on Parkwood in the Woodland Park neighborhood:

If this comes to fruition, this is more huge news for Columbus! Like Intel, it sounds like these will be high paying, high skilled jobs. I hope Ohio’s educators and developers are ready for all this!

Mine would pretty much be the same as yours. Those downtown surface lots are pretty awful. I think I might swap the Wolf’s Ridge neighboring lot for the last large empty lot directly behind the state house. There were plans there before the pandemic, but idk what’s become of them at this point. I think whatever goes there and in those two SN spots you mentioned definitely needs to be substantial, since they’re really the final undeveloped lots in their respective areas. Nothing under ten stories in the SN and nothing under 20 on Cap Square should be acceptable, and they should all definitely have a range of uses, including retail, residential and hotel, maybe even some office space.

The company behind the very first bone broth K-Cups is relocating to Columbus “The formerly San Diego-based company Lonolife—well know for crafting a wide variety of easily consumable beef and chicken bone broth products—is opening its new headquarters in Merrion Village this month. According to President and co-founder Brian Hoppe, Lonolife was created when another co-founder, Paul Taparauskas, was searching for ways to care for his sick wife in 2015. While Hoppe is a Columbus native and had hoped the company would relocate back to Central Ohio, he noted the move is one that makes a great deal of sense for the growing company as well. “The reality is, Columbus is within 500 miles of most major metro areas; that’s a 10 hour drive or one hour flight to 50 percent of our consumers,” he said. “It’s just a no -brainer to relocated from a coast to a central located hub.”’ https://614now.com/2022/food-drink/the-company-behind-the-very-first-bone-broth-k-cups-is-relocating-to-columbus?fbclid=IwAR06ei8igxdglRC030_hKyq-pe_AkiR3B4xOaQdF9iyD35w9fNZU2jDlef4

Job creation tax incentives approved by the Tax Credit Authority today impacting the Greater Columbus area: Vertiv's 100 new jobs could land in Westerville instead of Columbus “Vertiv Holdings Co. is considering Westerville for an office consolidation and expansion that would create 100 jobs, according to the Ohio Department of Development. But in response to questions from Columbus Business First, the publicly traded IT infrastructure company said it still is exploring whether to move its longtime Columbus headquarters within the region. Vertiv's R&D and manufacturing operations would stay in Columbus, the state agency said. The expansion would add another 100 jobs and $8 million payroll over four years to a baseline of 706 jobs with $75 million payroll in Westerville, according to the state. Missouri also was competing for the HQ, the Development Department said.“ In addition: - Simpson Manufacturing Company Inc., a maker of wood products for the construction industry, plans to add 125 jobs over four years and expand its manufacturing facility on the far West Side of Columbus, where it currently has 380 employees. - Pluto Healthcare Staffing is adding 65 jobs to a staff of 11 and moving to a larger 10,000-square-foot space at Grandview Yard. - Benchmark Industrial Inc. plans to double by adding 40 jobs to a staff of 37 in Gahanna. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/01/31/vertiv-westerville-move-among-tax-credits.html

Cleveland developer proposes 175-unit affordable housing complex in south Columbus “Cleveland-based developer NRP Group has proposed an affordable housing complex with up to 175 units at 103 Fornoff Road, a vacant site southeast of South High Street and Frank Road. The apartments would provide housing targeted for residents with income at 30% to 80% of the area median income. The site is zoned for manufacturing and the developer is requesting it be rezoned to allow for multifamily. Columbus City Council will have a first reading of the legislation tonight, with a decision expected at its next meeting. The Far South Side Area Commission approved the project in November.“ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/01/31/nrp-group175-unit-affordable-housing-complex-in-so.html

Did anyone else here attend the online meeting last week? I was glad to see there were a few hundred attending, and most of the feedback was on improved public transit, bike lanes, and more density.

Pizzuti's latest Topiary Park project now leasing “Leasing is now underway for the third phase of Library Park, a 145-unit luxury residential building located in the Discovery District. The Pizzuti Companies developed the six-story building at 50 South Grant Ave. The complex includes studio, one- and two-bedroom units. Move-ins will start April 1, according to Pizzuti.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/01/31/library-park-phase-iii.html

I figured this space wouldn’t stay empty for long. Cameron Mitchell taking former G. Michael's space in German Village “Cameron Mitchell Restaurants is cooking up something new for German Village. The Columbus-based dining group will take over the former G. Michael’s Bistro & Bar space 595 S. 3rd St., where it will open a fine dining Italian restaurant. (No name has been released yet.) Miller said they’ll take the first floor and use some of the second floor for storage. The rest of the second floor, which had been event space for G. Michael’s, is going to become offices for a new tenant. The company hopes to expand and improve the patio as well. The German Village space will be more intimate, with more of a fine dining feel. And the menu will be classic Italian cuisine. Details on that are being developed now.“ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/01/31/cameron-mitchell-taking-former-g-michaels-space.html?utm_source=st&utm_medium=en&utm_campaign=BN&utm_content=co&ana=e_co_BN&j=26547012&senddate=2022-01-31

Good point; I didn’t even think of that lol I always forget Georgia has a Cbus too. I wish there were an easy way to find data on in-migration.

From the Axios Cbus newsletter: The first two don’t really surprise me. I’m kinda shocked about Atlanta, however.

Work on the vendor stalls appears to be progressing. More pics at the Instagram page for the Plant Gays, one of the Market’s vendors. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZUa5ljraib/?utm_medium=copy_link

CBF has a picture version of the hard hat tour, if that’s what you prefer. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/01/29/hilton-tower-construction-january-2022.html The rooftop bar is definitely going to be a must-see at the end of the year. It’ll be great to watch the NMT rising right across the street!

Fencing recently went up around the site. Maybe we’ll see work start on the project this year?

I’m guessing this is the new elevator core going up? I was stopped at the light so I snapped a quick pic, but I couldn’t get a great look.

A couple morning articles from CBF, just to make sure everyone is still on the hype train: GENERATIONAL CHANGE Not really anything new, but it has lots of hype quotes from area leaders. - “This is a once-in-a-generation kind of opportunity,” said Chris Olsen, co-founder and partner at Drive Capital LLC. “These are the opportunities that create magnets for brainpower that you’ve only seen in Silicon Valley in the 1970s, or the biotechs in Boston. - “We think those suppliers are going to be all over the state and all over the Midwest,” said Kenny McDonald, CEO of One Columbus. “It goes deep, deep, deep into small business here in Ohio. The economic multiplier for this is just extraordinary.” - “This is an earthquake, a really powerful, positive one,” said Steve Steinour, CEO of Huntington Bancshares Inc. and co-chairman of the Columbus Partnership. “This changes the landscape for Ohio. ... I don’t think most parts of the country have ever seen anything like this.” - I wonder how this will impact MORPC’s projection of 3 million in the region in 2050? ”The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission already was planning for land use and transportation for an expected population of 3 million by 2050. Intel accelerates the urgency to accommodate that growth. Chrysler said she expects housing and other impacts to spread evenly throughout the region. For example, workers in Intel’s job classifications in surveys typically say they’re comfortable with 40-minute commutes.” - And last, it’ll be really interesting to see how this news accelerates the growth at the Innovation District. “Intel’s “enormous” brand recognition adds to an already potent collaboration of students, researchers, corporations and entrepreneurs soon to have a crucible of ideas on Ohio State University’s Innovation District, said Tom Walker, CEO of Rev1 Ventures.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/01/28/intel-special-report.html These suppliers have already been announced, but we could be seeing a total of 30-40 setting up shop in the region. Plus, the chart really helps illustrate the type of impact we may see. Intel already luring suppliers to Central Ohio https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/01/28/intel-already-luring-suppliers-to-central-ohio.html

Every time I drive by, I see a small crew working on it. They’re just moving at a snail’s pace, apparently.

Shared by the Columbus City Council Facebook page: Redevelopment plans move forward for old Kroger Bakery site “Developers are now one step closer to breaking ground, after Franklin County Commissioners approved a development partner agreement on Tuesday. The team plans to renovate the former bakery and Ford Assembly Plant and add three brand-new buildings. The mixed-use development would have 364 new apartments, a 450 car parking garage, commercial and office retail space all surrounding a two-acre park. The project still has to go before the city council.” https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/redevelopment-plans-move-forward-for-old-kroger-bakery-site?fbclid=IwAR3_ka8nARuu1_QddwowGUKnTy9C9zjcDksE6wMSPqvnZmw0QqOUFtqxtoA