Luvcbus

Really nice write up on Columbus if anyone's interested: What Michigan can learn from booming Columbus, Ohio "Ohio’s tourism slogan “The Heart of It All” could also describe its capital city of Columbus, a thriving metro with 50 years of growth and no signs that the pace of new businesses and people moving into the region will slow. As Michigan struggles to keep young college grads and bring others into the state, Columbus stands out across the Midwest for its flourishing growth strategy. Led by the arrival of a massive Intel chip plant, business growth in the Columbus region is now measured in the tens of billions, the city’s population is forecast to increase every year through 2050 and Ohio State University is overseeing a new semiconductor research center. Construction cranes fill the skyline in and around Columbus, signs of new apartments, OSU research buildings and warehouses. At the Intel site east of New Albany, part of the metro area with land still available for large projects, those cranes will be a fixture for years. “The cranes will never leave the site,” DePerro said, describing how the first two semiconductor “fab” buildings will be followed by six more over two decades, according to company projections." The flattering (and quite lengthy) article can be found here: https://www.bridgemi.com/business-watch/what-michigan-can-learn-booming-columbus-ohio

Ohio State approves $150 million in construction projects "As a handful of its new medical and academic buildings are slated to open in the coming months, Ohio State University is shelling out $150 million for additional construction and renovation. At its full board meeting last week, the Ohio State Board of Trustees approved design and construction costs for four new major projects. And of the university’s 12 major projects – projects costing more than $20 million – five are expected to be finished before the end of 2023." The new projects that were approved are: • OSU East Hospital renovations • Waterman Multi-species Animal Learning Center • Biomedical and Materials Engineering Complex • Campbell Hall renovations Details of the new approvals and updates on current projects found here: https://us.firenews.video/us-news/ohio-state-approves-150-million-in-construction-projects/

Pretty interesting schedule... Crews will begin the second day of pouring the concrete foundation in just over an hour, at 2am this morning: "Construction crews will be pouring the concrete foundation for the fabs on several days in May. Pours are tentatively scheduled to begin at 2 a.m. on May 23, May 31, June 14, June 22, and June 29" https://newalbanyohio.org/answers/new-albany-silicon-heartland/ Guess they want to get an early start!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ElFDlShmOng&feature=youtu.be

OhioX Summit: Ohio tech industry: Intel just the start if state seizes the moment "Although Intel has been sustaining financial losses and job cuts at the corporate level, Hoggatt repeated to the crowd the company's commitment to the New Albany fabs as a core strategy. Ohio One, as the complex is called, increases the U.S. share of chip production – as much a national security issue as preventing supply chain disruptions. The fabs will make the company's latest generation of chips, and help kick off Intel's "foundry" model of manufacturing chips designed by outside clients. "We are rebalancing that global manufacturing capacity," Hoggatt said. "We will be building literally the most advanced thing humanity makes, right here in Ohio." Intel is recruiting now for the technicians to run those plants when they open in two years, he said, and so far it's a healthy mix of Ohio natives, Intel veterans looking to move, and industry veterans new to the company." https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/inno/stories/inno-insights/2023/05/19/ohiox-tech-summit-wrapup.html

Mayors of cities near Intel site share how they're preparing for growth "As Intel Corp. inches closer to launching its semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Central Ohio, leaders from the communities surrounding the site are grappling with the same question: Are we prepared? The $20 billion investment will bring thousands of new jobs to a region that was already seeing a population boom. And with Intel saying its investment could reach $100 billion if fully built out, the question of whether or not Central Ohio is prepared to handle that growth." The article addresses housing, infrastructure and schools with the mayors from the three communities surrounding the Intel site... One of the more interesting quotes in the article: "Spalding said New Albany — where the Intel complex is being constructed — has nearly tripled in size since 2010. New Albany's annual budget for road construction was between $1.5 million and $2 million prior to Intel. Now it's $100 million." Full story found here: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/05/18/cmc-forum-regional-mayors-prepare-for-intel.html

Wheels in motion to get Columbus more 'hub' designations as Chips Act dollars start to flow "Columbus will seek designation as a U.S. Tech Hub – a region primed to compete globally in industries of the future within a decade – as dollars start to flow from the federal Chips and Science Act and other huge spending bills passed last year. Central Ohio economic development organization One Columbus is the most likely lead applicant in a coalition. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo already flagged Columbus as an example of the spirit of the program at the agency's recent SelectUSA Summit. Central Ohio has startups and growing companies in all of the above tech specialties, plus one of the country's largest and most comprehensive public research universities. Winning regions must demonstrate they already have the resources, capacity and potential to compete globally in "technologies and industries of the future" within the coming 10 years. The administration cited workforce training programs in preparation for Intel Corp.'s semiconductor fabrication complex being built in New Albany, and a city-led apprenticeship to increase diversity in skilled construction trades that now has become a template for other cities." https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/05/18/one-columbus-to-apply-chips-act-tech-hub.html

Concrete work points to progress at Intel's $20 billion project in New Albany "Intel says construction teams on its $20 billion project in New Albany have poured more than 1,500 cubic yards of concrete this week as part of its shift to a new phase of work at the site that it has dubbed Ohio One. “This is a massive milestone that all of us here in Ohio and at Intel are extremely proud of. The pouring of concrete at Ohio One is more than just construction progress – we are cementing our future in Ohio and our commitment to expanding U.S. leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing capacity." https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2023/05/18/intels-two-plants-in-new-albany-will-employ-3000-workers/70232792007/

The Peninsula is officially part of downtown, as determined by City Council. It is subject to the Downtown District zoning code and anything built there is reviewed by the Downtown Commission. This is set by City Code. https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT33ZOCO_CH3359DODI_3359.03DODIBO

Quarry Trails Metro Park unveils a 1,040 foot horizontal rock wall via ferrata climb VIDEO: Via Ferrata climb at Quarry Trails Metro Park found here: https://www.dispatch.com/videos/entertainment/2023/05/13/video-via-ferrata-climb-quarry-trails-metro-park/11862993002/

This is on the agenda at the next City Council meeting "CHANGING FRONT STREET AND MARCONI BOULEVARD TO TWO-WAY STREETS: Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla, chair of the Public Service and Transportation Committee, is sponsoring Ordinance 1161-2023, to authorize the Director of Public Service to enter into contract with Complete General Construction for the Roadway. This ordinance paves the way for converting Front Street from Broad Street to Hickory Street and Marconi Boulevard from Broad Street to Spring Street to two-way operation. All signals will be upgraded within the project limits to decorative downtown standard. Project includes installation of new granite curb, buff wash sidewalk, street and pedestrian lighting, enhanced pedestrian crossings and landscaping beds and other work as may be necessary to complete the contract in accordance with the plans and specifications set forth in the Bid Submittal Documents."

Jersey Township plan predicts big growth "Jersey Township has approved a comprehensive plan that will guide the area through changes that will follow Intel’s $20 billion investment in Licking County — and which predicts that the township’s population could grow fivefold in the next 12 years. Mattei predicts in the plan that Jersey Township’s population could skyrocket from roughly 2,500 people now to more than 16,000 people by 2035, based on the land uses within the comprehensive plan. She said Jersey Township is in a similar position now to the Chandler, Arizona, area before Intel’s computer chip manufacturing facility was built in the 1980s. Within 10 years of Intel’s arrival, Mattei said, the Arizona area was fully developed. And that will likely be the case for Jersey Township as well, once water and sewer lines are completed in the next few years." One of the recommendations related to community character and land use is to create a mixed-use overlay district along the east side of Mink Street north of Ohio 161 to directly serve future Intel workers, Mattei said. “One of the things we learned when we went out to Arizona was that they have residential absolutely everywhere surrounding Intel,” she said. “When we interviewed the planners and the real estate agents out there, everybody was giving us the same feedback that if they were to do anything differently, they would have provided some servicebased commercial and office uses nearby so that the workers didn’t need to go 15-20 minutes to the grocery store, get gas and those sorts of things.” https://news.yahoo.com/jersey-townships-plan-predicts-population-100534733.html

Dispatch had some pictures of the Residences at Topiary Park today:

If anyone's planning on being in the Intel area this Tuesday and are wondering how the "approximately 225 concrete trucks expected along Beech Road and Jug Street throughout the day" will affect traffic... Some minor updates were released today on the initial foundation pour at Intel scheduled for Tuesday, May 9th and what the plan to keep traffic flowing around the site is: "The concrete will be made in the batch plant on the construction site. The process will involve trucks coming off SR 161 delivering material for the project. These are the same type of trucks that the community has seen over the last several months. Trucks will make multiple trips spread out over an extended period of time to avoid creating a long line of trucks. At this point, we do not expect the community to experience a significant difference from the volume of truck traffic already occurring in the area." https://newalbanyohio.org/answers/new-albany-silicon-heartland/#

DHL to open distribution center in Violet Township "DHL Express plans to open an estimated 750,000-square-foot distribution center at the corner of Basil-Western Road and Amanda Northern Road with construction to start by year’s end. The center is in the general area around Meijer and Kingy’s Pizza Pub and U.S. 33 near the Diley Road interchange. "It’s a good opportunity to really open up a new commercial-industrial corridor on Basil-Western Road" Szabrak said. "It’s right off of (U.S.) 33. It’s going to be one of the biggest buildings in Fairfield County." He said the new distribution center will provide 200 jobs and sit on 78 acres. The area is just a vacant parcel now. Construction of the DHL building should coincide with the Ohio Department of Transportation’s construction of a new Pickerington Road/U.S. 33 interchange nearby. But Szabrak said the two projects won’t interfere with each other." https://www.dispatch.com/

Today's Dispatch has some pics of the renovations at Jackie O's More pictures found here: https://www.dispatch.com/picture-gallery/lifestyle/features/2023/05/05/jackie-os-grand-opening/11798051002/

AEP eyes new transmission line project near Intel "AEP announced in early April its plans to study the construction of a transmission line connecting the existing Vassell Substation near Sunbury to two new substations in New Albany — both along Green Chapel Road, which outlines Intel’s plot of land. As “energy-intensive” businesses flock to the area east of Columbus, the proposed new infrastructure is vital. AEP has identified New Albany and Johnstown; Hartford, Monroe, and Jersey Townships in Licking County; and Berkshire, Trenton, and Harlem Townships in Delaware County as part of its transmission enhancements and will continue to conduct field surveys and studies through the end of the year, submitting its project application to the Ohio Power Siting Board by early 2024. Once the OPSB greenlights the project, construction can begin — and AEP has estimated it will run through early 2026." https://www.nbc4i.com/intel-in-ohio/no-offsetting-benefit-to-us-aep-eyes-new-transmission-line-project-near-intel-to-the-chagrin-of-some-residents/

Workers will start demolishing Westland Mall in June, creating an 88-acre blank slate on West Broad Street and Interstate 270 Westland Mall owner shares demolition plans, sees housing, retail, other uses ahead "The owner of the long-closed Westland Mall plans to begin demolishing the site in June and be finished in six-to-eight months. What replaces the mall could be anything from multi-family housing to retail to hospitality to an industrial use, said Alex Ruben, manager of Columbus-based Plaza Properties, which controls the site under a limited liability company. Once everything is down, a vision of what the site could become will be clearer, Ruben said. Local and national companies have already expressed interest, he said. "There are a lot of different possibilities for the site ... multifamily, retail, hospitality, even industrial," Ruben added. "We're open to everything." https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2023/05/03/westland-mall-owner-alex-ruben-shares-demolition-plans/70145361007/

I'm seeing one in Lancaster and another one on far south side of Columbus "One of the centers will be built in Lancaster and the other on South High Street in south Columbus, the company said. With the New Albany location already open, this brings the number of Google data centers in Ohio to three." https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/new-google-data-centers-columbus-lancaster/530-c8a82462-9bef-4505-92c0-841ffcde37dd

It's more data centers... "Google on Wednesday officially announced that it is building two more data centers in central Ohio, turning the state into one of the tech company's fastest-growing data center hubs that powers Google’s artificial intelligence innovations and tools such as search, Gmail and maps." https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/information-technology/2023/05/03/new-google-data-centers-bolsters-central-ohio-as-a-hub/70169685007/

10tv seems to think it's Data Center related, but I guess we'll all know for sure shortly https://www.10tv.com/video/tech/dewine-to-attend-google-announcement-on-potential-data-center-expansion/530-1e25db74-922f-4e2e-9b83-449f7c292fba

Supposed to be announced at 9:30a this morning

Yes, according to the Dispatch: "Initially located in the Great Southern Shopping Center, current ownership took control of the establishment in 1980. In 1991, Rice Bowl was relocated to its current address on South High Street. Rice Bowl is set to be demolished and replaced by an affordable housing development from NRP Group." https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/dining/2023/05/02/longtime-south-side-chinese-restaurant-rice-bowl-to-close/70173843007/

I read some will be five feet wide, and some will be eight feet wide.

Since some of the roadway projects around Intel have now kicked off- i thought you guys might be interested in what's planned for the area streets... Planned street design for: •Clover Valley Rd •Jug St •Miller Rd •Beech Rd (from Jug to Green Chapel) •Green Chapel Rd (from US 62 to Clover Valley) Planned street design for: •Green Chapel Rd (from Clover Valley to Mink) •Mink St •Beech Rd (from Innovation Campus Way to Jug) More info found here: https://newalbanyohio.org/answers/new-albany-silicon-heartland/#