Luvcbus

I wish I was little bit taller. I wish I was a baller. I wish I had a girl who looked good, I would call her.

Here's the link: https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2022/12/03/fun-facts-about-northland-neighborhood-in-columbus-ohio/69648513007/ And I used the map from this: https://www.columbusncc.org/about/northland-area/

Nice little write up from Columbus Navigator highlighting some of the upcoming parks that will open across the Columbus Metro... From city-led projects to Metro Parks expansions and private developments, new parks and green spaces are sprouting up all over the city. Here’s a look at some of the most exciting additions in the works: https://www.columbusnavigator.com/new-parks-columbus/?_bhlid=f6bf79ca665b2fb3ae79dc556ebd497ffa55af7c ParkWalk Bank Run Metro Park Gender Road Park The Linden Green Line

Frans Meat+Three is Columbus' newest soul food restaurant- now open in East Market on Kelton Ave "They proclaim themselves to be the only "meat and three" concept in Columbus. Opening about a month ago in East Market, 212 Kelton Ave., husband and wife Carlos and Christianna Berry run Frans Meat+Three, a Southern-style food joint that offers any choice of meat and three side dishes along with it. Frans Meat+Three focuses on Southern staples like collard greens, sweet potatoes, cabbage and more, with meat choices ranging from turkey wings, chicken wings, shrimp and catfish to meatloaf and bacon. Frans Meat+Three is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at East Market on the Near East Side." https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/dining/2025/02/14/frans-meat-three-settles-into-east-market-a-month-after-opening-in-columbus/78298926007/

If Northland were its own incorporated city, it would be the seventh-largest city in Ohio Northland is a residential and commercial area in northeast Columbus. The area is served by the Northland Community Council, which oversees land east of Worthington, roughly north of Morse Road, south of I-270, and west of New Albany, including the neighborhood Forest Park and the independent village of Minerva Park. Northland began to develop in 1955 when developers began to build Forest Park. By the time it was done, Forest Park consisted of more than 2,900 private residential properties, apartments, condominiums and commercial properties. Today, the area has one of the largest populations of new American citizens in Columbus, including thousands of refugees from Nepal, Somalia, and Bhutan. As of 2021, the neighborhood had a population of 97,000. If it were an independent city, it would be the seventh-largest city in Ohio.

Ran across a decent article from SiteSelection on Arsenal-1 at Rickenbacker. I pulled out a few interesting nuggets... Drone Maker Lands $900 Million Project in Central Ohio Anduril is making a $900-million investment to create the planet’s largest drone factory in Pickaway County in Central Ohio. Announced to the public on January 16, the planned factory complex will cover 5 million sq. ft., roughly the size of 87 football fields. The campus will be known as Arsenal-1 and will be the largest jobs-generating deal in Ohio history. More than 4,000 workers are expected to be employed at the 500-acre site in the Columbus region upon buildout in 2035. Following a nationwide site search, Anduril chose a tract in Greater Columbus next to Rickenbacker Airport, an old military base that now serves as one of the nation’s busiest air cargo hubs for logistics operations. Anduril looked at more than 400 sites and more than one in Ohio. 50 States Tried, One Triumphed Kenny McDonald, president and CEO of One Columbus, says it took every ounce of agility and responsiveness Ohio had to win the deal. “It was a true 50-state competition,” he says. “We won because we had an extremely special site and because of the sheer scale of manufacturing capacity in Ohio. We went from first meeting with them last August to closing the deal in just a few months. They had a shortlist of finalists in mind when they came to us. All parties involved in Ohio were instrumental in getting this deal done.” Colburn, executive director of Pickaway Progress Partnership in Pickaway County, says the seeds for success were sown when state and federal leaders transformed Rickenbacker Airport into a community asset. “We have about 60,000 people in Pickaway County. Circleville, the county seat, is 14 miles from the site. Downtown Columbus is just 16 miles from it,” he says. “This will be a game-changer for Pickaway County.” Full article found here: https://siteselection.com/drone-maker-lands-900-million-project-in-central-ohio/

7-mile park & trail built along abandoned railroad in Columbus approved to move forward "A 7-mile project that involves turning an abandoned railroad into a park & trail has been approved to start construction in 2026. The project, named The Linden Green Line, will stretch from South Linden to Northland, from the Douglas Community Center to Cooper Park. The Green Line will be the connecting force between 3,000 local businesses, four community centers, 10 other parks, 135 miles of regional trails, and 19 schools, according to The City of Columbus. More than 131,000 residents live within minutes of walking and cycling distance of the Linden Green Line." https://614now.com/2025/culture/7-mile-park-trail-built-along-abandoned-railroad-in-columbus-approved-to-move-forward

City to make improvements to problematic Brewery District intersection this spring "The City of Columbus plans to spend $3 million to adjust the intersection of South High Street and Thurman and Greenlawn avenues in the Brewery District. The City will reconfigure the intersection to allow for two left turn lanes. The project will also relocate traffic signals. “The intent is to soften how the intersection is offset currently so that left turns onto High Street can be permitted safely from both Thurman Avenue and from Greenlawn Avenue. In the coming months, our project team basically will be designing improved geometry for the offset to make it safer and to minimize right-of-way impacts as the project gets constructed. Approved site plans for the development at the former Long John Silver’s location include a no-build zone to help accommodate our intersection project," they said. The city says the project will start in the spring and be completed in the fall of 2027." https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/columbus-south-high-street-thurman-ave-greenlawn-ave-improvements/530-2a54e150-ce70-4a7f-8851-bd7382fbceba

New Albany OKs mixed-use project that will add 104 homes, retail space off US 62 "A New Albany board has signed off on plans that will add a walkable and interconnected residential and commercial corridor in the city's Village Center. New Albany's Architectural Review Board has approved a mixed-use development project that will create new residential streets and alleys, 104 residential units and more than 4,200 square feet of commercial space for retail and restaurants east of North High Street and north of U.S. 62. To go along with the private development, the city will extend the street grid, creating smaller residential streets and walkable blocks. City Council approved the final plat and right-of-way dedication for the streets and alleys on Feb. 4. Planning Manager Stephen Mayer previously told The Dispatch the city expects to start construction on new streets in the spring and have the project wrapped up by spring 2026." https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2025/02/13/new-albany-oks-plans-to-add-104-homes-retail-space-north-of-us-62/78427427007/

Moralus Steelton Market, a new grocery store opening on South High Street is having its grand opening today! Moralus Steelton Market 1776 South High Street https://moralussteeltonmarket.com/

Final Super Load for Intel, Super Load #37, Moving This Week SUPER LOAD #37 TO NEW ALBANY Cargo: Pipe Rack Module Height: 19’5” Width: 17’4” Length: 157’11” Weight: 366,422 pounds The final Super Load will arrive at Intel on Sunday, February 9

Airport sells $1.2B in bonds for new terminal "The Columbus Regional Airport Authority has sold $1.2billion in bonds to help pay for a new terminal at John Glenn Columbus International Airport, the authority announced Monday. The $1.2billion in general airport revenue bonds were sold to investors after the airport’s initial $1billion bond offering was met with 'overwhelming demand,' according to a CRAA press release. The airport authority received orders over four times the initial $1billion amount, so the authority increased the bond offering to $1.2billion. The CRAA broke ground on the airport’s new terminal in December and plan to open it by 2029, The Dispatch previously reported. The new terminal will have 36 gates, including one that can accommodate large international flights, and will be able to handle 13 million passengers per year." https://www.dispatch.com/

First track piece of Cedar Point's newest roller coaster, Siren's Curse, put in place "Billed as the nation's tallest, longest and fastest tilt coaster, the attraction is themed after mysterious creatures living in Lake Erie and is situated across from the Iron Dragon coaster and near the Cedar Point Marina. The ride by Netherlands firm Vekoma features has a unique feature on the top of its 160-foot-tall lift hill where from the ground it appears the coaster encounters a broken track that trails off to nowhere. The coaster train then stops and tilts midair to connect to the track situated below." https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/first-track-piece-of-cedar-point-s-newest-roller-coaster-siren-s-curse-put-in-place/ar-AA1ybIwo

Circleville Secures $20 Million Grant for South Court Street Railroad Overpass "Major infrastructure improvements are on the way for Circleville as the city has been awarded a $20 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to construct a railroad overpass on South Court Street. Currently, 40 trains pass through Circleville each day, causing frequent delays and traffic disruptions. The proposed overpass aims to improve safety and enhance mobility, eliminating the need for motorists to wait at railroad crossings. The project is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and streamline traffic flow. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) approved a feasibility study in December 2024, conducted by American Structurepoint, which identified South Court Street as the most viable location for the overpass." https://www.sciotopost.com/circleville-secures-20-million-grant-for-south-court-street-railroad-overpass/

Donovan Farms development in Delaware to include apartments, commercial building "An apartment complex and commercial building are planned for a new development in Delaware. Dubbed Donovan Farms, the property at Houk and South Section Line roads next to Boulder Park on the city's west side is in line for 240 multifamily units and a separate lot for neighborhood retail. The project's developer, Dublin-based T&R Properties, said the commercial parcel is envisioned as a daycare center. In addition to apartments, Donovan Farms also will include a single-family neighborhood with 238 homes. That portion of the project is being developed by Pennsylvania-based homebuilder Maronda Homes. Both the single-family and multifamily/commercial developments are currently in the engineering phase, Sabatino said." https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2025/01/31/donovan-farms-apartments-tr-properties-delaware.html

Anduril promises major job growth for state tax breaks Two weeks after Anduril Industries announced plans for a $1 billion, 5-million-square-foot production facility near Rickenbacker airport, more development details have emerged. The Ohio Department of Development announced Monday a 2.594 percent, 30-year Job Creation Tax Credit that will save Anduril an estimated $450 million. That's the second-largest tax credit of its kind in Ohio history, just shy of the $475 million package awarded to Intel. Pickaway County will also request $70 million from the state's All Ohio Future Fund to help with site prep. Anduril pledges to invest $910 million toward the site by the end of 2035, and will be required to maintain operations there until 2058. In Columbus, the company gains a unique mix of amenities and geographical bonuses along with the $450 million welcome package. Proximity to Rickenbacker offers runway space certified for military cargo and airlift, plus broader access to the region's defense, aerospace, national security and Air Force industry and Columbus' centrally located supply chain has better ground, rail and air access than most areas of the country. Anduril's campus will mostly sit just south of Rickenbacker and just east of a group of nearby warehouses and distribution centers, per a map shared with Axios. The company aims to start delivering its Fury autonomous air vehicle out of an existing building as early as July 2026. Next will come Barracuda cruise missiles, Roadrunner autonomous twin turbojet vehicles and more. Production is expected to increase from dozens in the first few years to eventually thousands over the next decade. Anduril is motivated to move quickly because of tangible commitments. The company already has "committed orders" and "clear production contracts that are driving delivery and timeliness". https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2025/01/31/anduril-arsenal-1-project-plant-ohio-tax-breaks

Developers want a new, natural gas power plant to fuel Ohio’s data center alley "In a possible glimpse of the future, developers revealed plans this week to build the state’s first new natural gas fired power plant specifically to power a data center. The plan is in its early phases and details are vague. But on Wednesday, lawyers representing PowerConneX filed a letter with the Ohio Power Siting Board, which issues permits for such projects. The facility, per the letter, would generate 120 megawatts of power over roughly 49 acres in Delaware County for a data center in New Albany, a Columbus suburb. Who exactly is behind the project is a mystery. PowerConneX is a limited liability company incorporated in the state of Delaware in late November 2024. The data centers are spiking Ohio’s power demand. In past years, the Central Ohio region never needed more than 4,000 megawatts to keep the lights on. American Electric Power, the local utility, has already signed deals with data centers that require another 5,000 megawatts. Development interest, AEP has said in regulatory filings, could reach as high as 30,000 megawatts. Most natural gas power plants around the state pump power into the regional electric grid. But the PowerConneX proposal is unique in that its power would stay on site for its data center neighbor." https://www.cleveland.com/open/2025/01/developers-want-a-new-natural-gas-power-plant-to-fuel-ohios-data-center-alley.html

Chain dubbed ‘The Best Korean-style Chicken in the U.S.’ opening first Ohio location in the University District "Noori Chicken launched their franchise operations back in 2020, and since then, they’ve been quickly expanding throughout the United States. According to their website, they’ll be opening a Columbus location soon at 1454 N. High St in the University District. Noori Chicken is a popular spot for quick, to-go Korean chicken, as well as bibimbap, fried rice, and a variety of other noodle and chicken dishes. Some locations even offer Korean fired tofu! Sides include dumplings, egg rolls, onion rings, french fries, salad, and coleslaw. They feature Korean drinks like milkis, which are carbonated soft drinks infused with milk..." https://614now.com/2025/food-drink/chain-dubbed-the-best-korean-style-chicken-in-the-u-s-opening-first-ohio-location-here-in-columbus

Heath-Microsoft deal provides $12 million for Thornwood Drive road "An agreement with Microsoft will provide the city $12 million for six road and utility improvements around a data center campus expected to eventually employ 250 workers on Thornwood Drive. Microsoft plans to invest $1 billion in construction of new data center campuses in Heath, Hebron and New Albany and has bought land in Pataskala. The land purchases in the four communities total $153 million for almost 1,000 acres. Licking County officials have long sought a semitruck-friendly economic development corridor from Ohio 16 to Interstate 70, with vehicles exiting Ohio 16 in Newark onto Thornwood Crossing, then into Heath on Thornwood Drive and Ridgely Tract Road, then south on Ohio 79 into Hebron and onto Interstate 70." https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2025/01/30/heath-microsoft-deal-provides-12-million-for-thornwood-improvements-licking-county/77936937007/

BJ’s Wholesale Club Announces Ohio Distribution Center to Accommodate Growth "The facility will be constructed at 180 Kenmore Blvd. in the village of Commercial Point in Pickaway County. It is located within the Rickenbacker Exchange industrial park. The new jobs will generate more than $13 million in annual payroll by the end of 2028, according to state documents. The new distribution center in Commercial Point will serve as a hub to replenish ambient-temperature grocery and general merchandise items in the BJ’s network. The building will sit on a 125-acre site, allowing for future expansion. VanTrust Real Estate, which has developed over 11.8 million square feet in Ohio since 2014, is managing the development with its Columbus-based team." https://www.jobsohio.com/news-press/bjs-wholesale-club-announces-supply-chain-expansion-in-pickaway-county

Model drone on display at a recent Anduril event near Rickenbacker

104-room hotel is coming to I-70, Ohio 256 interchange "Another hotel is coming to the Ohio 256 and Interstate 70 interchange. Reynoldsburg’s Planning and Zoning Commission has approved a TownePlace Suites by Marriott at 2467 Taylor Square Drive. The 2.2-acre site is east of Olive Garden and west of the Home2 Suites by Hilton already under construction. The hotel, which is being developed by 256 Hotel Group, LLC, will have 104 rooms and amenities including a fitness center, pool and business center. TownePlace Suites site is adjacent to a roughly 2-acre site where Home2 Suites by Hilton is building a 117-room hotel." https://www.dispatch.com/

New Ohio State-area apartments developed by Austin-based firm readying for tenants "New apartments near Ohio State's campus are nearing completion. The Rambler Columbus, which is being developed by Austin-based LV Collective, is planned to wrap up construction at 222 W. Lane Ave. in the next few months. The seven-story building consists of 379 units and 889 beds, totaling 407,465 square feet. The project includes five floors of residential units, including two-level townhomes. Leasing started in April 2024 for the 2025-26 school year. The apartments are now about 65% pre-leased, Williams said. Students will move in in August." https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2025/01/24/222-lane-osu-apartments.html

7-Mile Linden Green Line Project Moving Forward "Work is now scheduled to start in 2026 on the Linden Green Line, a seven-mile linear park and trail that will be built along an abandoned rail corridor. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty announced earlier this month that a $12 million RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation had been awarded for the $25.7 million project. The city was awarded a Clean Ohio Conservation grant in 2023 that went toward the purchase of the 58-acre piece of land. The corridor is approximately 80 feet wide and stretches from South Linden to Northland – specifically, from the Douglas Community Center on Windsor Avenue to Cooper Park, which sits north of State Route 161. New visuals and renderings of the project produced by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department show small parks with shelters and basketball courts being built along portions of the new trail, while other sections will remain mostly wooded. The Green Line will connect four community centers, 13 parks, 19 schools, and 3,000 local businesses, according to the city. The city’s application for the grant states that construction will wrap up on the project in 2028 and also contains previously unreleased details about how street crossings will be handled, including a plan to build a pedestrian bridge over Morse Road." https://columbusunderground.com/7-mile-linden-green-line-project-moving-forward-bw1/

Columbus a popular moving destination for millennials "According to a SmartAsset study, millions of millennials are moving to larger cities from areas within their home state. The site ranked the 271 largest U.S. cities by the number of people aged 25-44, who recently moved there, evaluating their appeal to millennials. More than 75,000 people ages 25–44 moved to Columbus in 2023, according to the Smart Asset report, good for No. 13 overall. The city was behind No. 12 Denver (more than 83,000 millennial move-ins) but ahead of metropolises such as San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Boston and Portland. Currently, a little more than 34% of Columbus’ population are millennials, according to data cited in the SmartAsset study using data from a U.S. Census Bureau 2023 survey. Cleveland (No. 52) and Cincinnati (No. 56) both had more than 21,000 millennial move-ins in 2023, per SmartAsset." https://www.dispatch.com/