GRANDVIEW YARD

Plans filed for project's first phase

Wednesday,  July 15, 2009 - 4:06 PM

By Alan Froman, ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

Nationwide's plans for the first phase involve the construction of three buildings and a single level shared parking facility. 

 

• A two-story, 42,000 square-foot building would house a private fitness center, with an estimated 10 employees during the largest shift.

• A three-story building with 15,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor and 79,000 square feet of professional office space.  The developer estimates 20 retail employees and 240 office workers during the largest shift.

• The third proposed building would be a six-story, 123,000-square-foot hotel with 126 rooms.  Thirteen employees are estimated during the largest shift.

• The two-level 29,000-square-foot parking structure would provide parking for all three buildings.

 

A 0.79-acre green space is also planned for the first phase.  It will provide frontage for the office building and hotel and serve as a gateway into the neighborhood.

 

Read more at http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/grandview/stories/2009/07/15/0716gvyard_ln.html?sid=104

Commission OKs conditional uses for Grandview Yard's first phase

Thursday,  July 16, 2009 - 2:02 PM

By Alan Froman, ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

The Grandview Heights Planning Commission Wednesday approved three conditional use requests for phase 1 of the Grandview Yard project. The commission approved Nationwide Realty Investor's requests that conditional uses be granted to allow the developer to construct a fitness facility, mixed use (commercial-retail) building and a hotel on about 8.6 acres in the southwest corner of the Grandview Yard area.

 

The commission also approved a preliminary plat for the first phase and began discussing NRI's request for approval of a major site plan review.  The discussion of the site plan review will continue at two special planning commission meetings, scheduled for Thursday, July 23, and Wednesday, July 29.  Both meetings will be workshop meetings and will be held at 5 p.m. in city council chambers.

 

Read more at http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/grandview/stories/2009/07/15/Grandview_Yard_update.html

Some renderings from here: http://www.columbusunderground.com/grandview-yard-announces-phase-one

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/grandview-yard-phase-1-01.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/grandview-yard-phase-1-02.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/grandview-yard-phase-1-03.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/grandview-yard-phase-1-04.jpg">

My first impression is that I like what I see. Semi-dense (denser than most of Grandview), looks pedestrian friendly, and no surface lots. Sure, the garage, could have been stacked a bit more, or included some ground-floor retail, but I like that the hotel, offices, and gym seem to all be sharing the same parking structure, making it more than just a single-business garage.

As first impressions go, I think it looks good.  The Arena District developer Nationwide Realty Investors (NRI) is also the Grandview Yard developer.  And the architecture has a strongly Arena District influenced style.  Lots of multi-story brick and stone with metal and glass as accent.  However, the two-story fitness center building has a different look - being clad entirely in metal and glass.  I like that as a counterpoint to the larger brick buildings.

 

Grandview Yard looks less dense than the Arena District, but more dense than the City of Grandview.  Kind of a combination of NRI's Arena District development and the existing Grandview.  All in all I'd say its a promising start.

 

Below is the Grandview Yard Master Plan from MSI's website, the master planner for the NRI development.  The most recent renderings are located in the "Block A" section of the plan.  For some odd reason, the map is oriented to the west (west is up on the map and north is to the right).  Goodale Blvd. is the main street at left of the development, Third Avenue is the main street at the right of the development and Yard Street is yet-to-be-built brick street in the middle of the development that will connect Goodale and Third.

Grandview Yard development pact gets council OK

Business First of Columbus

Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 11:10am EDT

 

Grandview Heights City Council on Monday night approved a development accord with Nationwide Realty that outlines how the city will finance up to $78 million of road and sewer projects at the site and $41 million in related projects designed to improve traffic flow in and out of Grandview Yard.  Construction of the $40 million, 8.5-acre first phase of the project could begin as early as this month.  Key details on the development agreement were:

 

• The pact creates a 30-year tax-increment financing plan diverting increased property taxes on commercial properties from West Third Avenue to Goodale Boulevard to pay off infrastructure bonds the city would sell.

 

• The agreement also ensures that property tax values in that area won’t decrease for the county and the city, its school district and library.

 

• New buildings are in line for 15-year, 25 percent real estate tax abatements that lower rental costs for tenants.

 

Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/08/03/daily10.html?surround=lfn

From here: http://www.columbusunderground.com/cu-podcast-26-designing-columbus-at-msi

 

<b>CU Podcast #26: Designing Columbus at MSI</b>

By Walker | August 6, 2009

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/msi-arena.jpg">

 

MSI may not be a “household name” type of company, but they’ve helped to design many Columbus amenities that are widely recognized as some of the best things our city has to offer. Their projects include the Arena District, the Short North Streetscaping improvements, Huntington Park, Grandview Yard, The Scioto Mile and the Gay Street Streetscape just to name a few. In this week’s ColumbusUnderground.com Podcast, we’re sitting down at the MSI offices with Senior Associate Jeff Pongonis, Director of Planning Chris Herrmann, and Urban and Regional Planner Andrew Overbeck to discuss a wide variety of ongoing projects, as well as what the future of Columbus looks like through a designer’s eyes.

 

MP3 Here: http://blip.tv/file/get/ColumbusUnderground-CUPodcast26DesigningColumbusAtMSI122.mp3

Two photos taken earlier today to show some of the construction. The first one is from along Goodale looking NW at the project. The other photo is from the other side, sort of over behind Junctionview. Interesting perspective to show just how close this development really is to Downtown:

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/gy1.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/gy2.jpg">

Commission OKs phase 1b of Grandview Yard project

Tuesday,  October 27, 2009 - 6:49 PM

By Alan Froman, ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

The Grandview Heights Planning Commission Oct. 21 approved Nationwide Realty Investors' preliminary development plan for phase 1b of the Grandview Yard project.  Phase 1b would add another lot to the four lots approved in the preliminary plan for phase 1a.  All told, phase 1a and 1b will prepare about 12 acres for redevelopment.  The commission approved the preliminary plan for 1a in July.  That plan calls for four lots comprising a 126-room Hyatt hotel, Urban Active Fitness Center, an office/retail/restaurant building featuring a Jason's Deli outlet and a parking deck. 

 

According to a report to the commission presented by Patrik Bowman, the city's director of administration/economic development, "the decision to maintain the phases rather than go to one plat is based on NRI's desire to bid the improvements in phases and if budget permits then be able to complete the entire development block."

 

Full story at http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/grandview/stories/2009/10/21/Grandview_Yard.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=104

Grandview Yard financing approved

Council advances development pact that protects city

Tuesday,  November 24, 2009 3:13 AM

By Dean Narciso

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The Grandview Heights City Council unanimously approved a three-party agreement last night on financing for the Grandview Yard development.

 

City leaders have dissected drafts of the document for more than two months, trying to ensure that Grandview residents assume little risk yet are beneficiaries of a future tax windfall.

 

Full story at:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/11/24/gv_finance.ART_ART_11-24-09_B3_3IFPJVT.html?sid=101

Not all residents are sold on project

Some worry about noise, traffic from Grandview Yard development

Saturday,  December 5, 2009 - 3:15 AM

By Dean Narciso

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Machinery and muscle are forging the eastern edge of Grandview Heights into what developers hope will be a shopping, office and entertainment hot spot, but some nearby residents don't equate development with improvement.  "This is going to be a mini Easton (Town Center) or continuation of the Arena District," said Anna Reed, a lifelong resident of 61 years. "It's not going to be the Grandview we all grew up in."

 

Bounded by 3rd Avenue, CSX railroad tracks, Goodale Boulevard and neighborhoods along Northwest Boulevard, the Grandview Yard site now is home to noisy earthmovers, pile drivers and a parade of dump trucks.  The project has become a daily annoyance to some, but city officials say the machines are a necessary part of what will be the next big entertainment hub and source of city income-tax revenue.

 

Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/05/GV_backyard.ART_ART_12-05-09_B3_4KFT9V1.html

Here's a few new construction photos from the site. It's going up fast!

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/gy-1.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/gy-2.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/gy-3.jpg">

As happy as I am to see this dead zone get revitalized, it concerns me that development of this scale is occurring outside the city of Columbus.  The damage to the city of Columbus in my eyes is two-fold... lost tax revenue AND increased commercial/residential capacity in the central part of the city that has to potential to push rents down and vacancies up.  I'd prefer to see downtown get this increased capacity rather than Grandview Heights... or for this to be around Grandview Ave...

As a Columbus resident, I totally agree that it would have been a more optimal situation to have this located within the city of Columbus. But did NRI ever have plans to build Grandview Yard on another site inside Columbus? If not, then that preference is purely imaginary. A great "what if" scenario... but unfortunately not one that is grounded in any sort of reality.

 

As for the claim of lost tax revenue, I don't see any of the new jobs being located at Grandview Yard coming from direct relocation outside of the city of Columbus. At least not <b>yet</b> anyway. I imagine that over the course of the next 10 years, there may be some job shifting going on. It's just as likely that some jobs may come from other cities/suburbs as well.

 

I think that in the short term it may have a detrimental effect on office rates Downtown, just as we've seen the Arena District pull jobs out of older office towers in the center of Downtown... but in the long term, I think urban infill is a good policy, no matter what city boundary it actually falls inside of. Replacing brownfield sites and filling in denser development will only lead to proximate growth, which will have a positive impact on the area surrounding Grandview Yard (which includes land located within Columbus).

Commission gives nod to final plat for Yard's first phase

Wednesday,  December 23, 2009 - 2:35 PM

By Alan Froman, ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

The Grandview Heights Planning Commission voted Dec. 16 to recommend that city council approve a final plat for phases 1a and 1b of the Grandview Yard project.  The plat approval will be put on hold and council will not vote on it until after the public improvements for phases 1a and 1b are completed in the fall, said Patrik Bowman, director of administration/economic development.

 

The phase 1 improvements will include the widening of Goodale Boulevard, construction of Yard Street (the main street of the development) and Bobcat Avenue and possible improvements to Burr Avenue, as well as associated utility work.  Other improvements will be the creation of a small passive park and construction of a parking deck.

 

Full story at http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/grandview/stories/2009/12/23/1224gvyard-first-phase_ln.html?sid=104

 

Grandview expecting effort to bear fruit

Business First of Columbus - by Brian R. Ball

Friday, January 1, 2010

 

Grandview Heights officials saw years of effort rewarded when the Grandview Yard project broke ground on the old Big Bear property.  When Penn Traffic Co. closed its Big Bear Stores supermarket chain in 2004, hopes for redevelopment of the grocer’s 60-acre warehouse complex in Grandview Heights rested on little more than dreams and a few zoning restrictions.  City officials were convinced that the proper strategy was to get the properties under one owner.  However, a drawn-out foreclosure against a third-party owner of the 28-acre northern section of the Big Bear campus, which began in March 2004, and the August 2005 sale of the southern 8-acre section on Goodale Boulevard to a Hilliard investor nearly scuttled that strategy.

 

Nationwide Realty Investors Ltd. emerged in May 2006 as the lead investor in what is now the Grandview Yard mixed-use project.  Although the city and Nationwide Realty have failed to strike a joint development deal with the city of Columbus, which borders the project on two sides, other pieces for the first phase of Grandview Yard came together in 2009.  The city forged an incentive deal with Nationwide Realty, which has since partnered with Dispatch Printing Co. affiliate Capitol Square Ltd., for a package of tax breaks and financing for the public improvements to support the $400 million project.  The city also cleared the way through zoning variances to start construction of the first $45 million in projects.  Work began in the fall on an office building to be anchored by M&A Architects, a 128-room Hyatt Place hotel and an Urban Active gym.

 

More at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/01/04/story2.html

Ohio State to license sports bar

Hall of Fame Grill set to open Sept. 1 in Grandview Yard

Saturday,  February 6, 2010 - 3:11 AM

By Marla Matzer Rose

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Ohio State University fans will have a new sports bar with a somewhat familiar name to celebrate victories or drown their sorrows after football games this coming season.  Nationwide Realty Investors has struck a licensing deal with Ohio State to open the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill at its Grandview Yard project.  It is expected to open Sept. 1 as part of Grandview Yard's first phase.

 

The restaurant's name might sound familiar, but it is not associated with the Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe on Olentangy River Road, which closed last month.  Nationwide is acquiring some equipment and fixtures from the former Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe but will acquire its own memorabilia, said Brian Ellis, president of Nationwide Realty Investors.

 

Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/02/06/buckeye_grandview.ART_ART_02-06-10_A6_7IGH05N.html

Grandview Yard update from Business First.  Nationwide Realty Investors (NRI) is moving forward on a land swap deal with Columbus Building Supply.

 

Nationwide Realty makes deal to square off Grandview Yard

 

The builder of Grandview Yard has a deal to acquire the Columbus Building Supply Inc. property at the northeast corner of the 90-acre development site.  NRI Equity Land Investments LLC, an affiliate of Nationwide Realty Investors Ltd., filed a “memorandum of exchange agreement” with the Franklin County Auditor revealing the developer’s plan to swap the Columbus Building Supply property at 807 W. Third Avenue with the former Kingswood Lumber site at 900-932 W. Third Avenue.

 

Another Nationwide Realty affiliate bought the 2.9-acre Kingswood property for $1.3 million in April 2008.  The Grandview Heights and Columbus boundary line splits the Columbus Building Supply property, which is owned by siblings Chris Kern and Kathy Schmidt.  Kern said he expects to move the family business by late this year after Nationwide Realty renovates buildings on the site and expands the warehouse.  The supplier of bricks, stone and masonry products has operated there since the early 1930s.  “We didn’t want to go far,” he said.

 

FULL ARTICLE: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/03/01/newscolumn1.html

The office building is almost all bricked up, and the sign in front of the Urban Active Fitness says it will be open this fall:

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/construction2.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/construction11.jpg">

 

Thanks for the updated photos.  Interesting to see the three story office building that's almost all bricked up in your most recent post.  Compare the first photo in Walker's March 21, 2010 post with the last photo in Walker's December 10, 2009 post and you can see the progress that's being made at Grandview Yard. 

Officials discuss Yard's impact on city, schools

Wednesday,  March 17, 2010 - 1:06 PM

By ALAN FROMAN, ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

The first phase of the Grandview Yard project is expected to open about Sept. 1, members of the Grandview Area Chamber of Commerce learned March 11.  Patrik Bowman, director of administration/economic development, mayor Ray DeGraw and Grandview City Schools superintendent Ed O'Reilly discussed the Yard's impact on the city and school district last week at the chamber's monthly luncheon.

 

The poor economy has slowed but not stopped the project, which is still expected to include between 1.5- and 2-million square feet of commercial space, between 600 and 800 residential units and more than $500-million in private investment.  The project is expected to ultimately create 5,000 jobs and bring $5-million in annual income tax revenue to the city, Bowman said.

 

Public investment in the Yard will total $119-million, with about $77.4-million of that being onsite improvements.  Offsite public investment, including improvements to the railroad bridges, Goodale, Olentangy River Road, Northwest Boulevard and the state Route 315 ramp, are expected to total $41.6-million, Bowman said.

 

All four components of the first phase, including the Urban Active Fitness Center, Hyatt Place hotel, office building and two-deck parking structure are expected to be open by Sept. 1.  The office building will include a Jason's Deli and a new, smaller version of the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill, Bowman said.

 

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/grandview/stories/2010/03/17/0318gvgvw-yard_ln.html?sid=104

Get ready for lots of, "This looks like the Arena District" comments.

Council accepts property to allow Goodale improvements

Wednesday,  April 21, 2010 - 1:31 PM

By ALAN FROMAN

ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

Grandview Heights City Council Monday approved an ordinance accepting 0.088-acre dedicated to the city by Nationwide Realty Investors for right-of-way use.  The action paves the way for a project to add a right-turn lane from Goodale onto Yard Street, which will be the main street of the Grandview Yard project.

 

The city will use $235,000 in federal grant money to pay nearly half the cost of the project, said Patrik Bowman, the city's director of administration/economic development.  The remainder of the project's cost will be paid for using tax increment financing (TIF) agreements.

 

The project must meet ODOT's standards and regulations, so the agency's OK is needed before the road work can begin, Bowman said.  The project will be put out to bid and is expected to be completed over the summer in time for the expected completion of the first phase of Grandview Yard in September, he said.

 

Full article: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/grandview/stories/2010/04/21/council-accepts-property-to-allow-goodale-improvements.html?sid=104

Community plan update adopted

Wednesday, June 23, 2010 - 12:26 PM

By ALAN FROMAN, ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

Grandview Heights City Council Monday approved a set of planning principles that update the portion of the city's community plan for the southeast area residential neighborhood adjacent to the Grandview Yard development.

 

In December, Grandview Planning Commission approved and forwarded the Southeast Area Residential Plan to council.  With its adoption by council, it will become part of the overall community plan.  The southeast residential neighborhood is adjacent to Grandview Yard on the east and the Goodale Boulevard corridor on the south.

 

The updated plan is designed to help ensure that the surrounding development does not take away from the neighborhood's attributes, said Patrik Bowman, director of administration/economic development.  The planning commission did not recommend any land use changes, but wanted instead to reinforce what as put in the original community plan, Bowman said.

 

Full article: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/grandview/stories/2010/06/23/community-plan-update-adopted.html?sid=104

Nationwide bringing 1,400 jobs to Columbus

Business First of Columbus - by Brian R. Ball and Matt Burns

Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 3:39pm

 

A move by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. to bring 1,400 suburban office jobs to vacant space in its downtown headquarters has prompted the city of Columbus to become more agreeable to financing infrastructure projects just north of Grandview Heights.

 

Nationwide executives joined elected officials from Columbus and Grandview Heights at Nationwide Realty’s Grandview Yard mixed-use development to announce the move of the jobs and a tentative finance plan for improvements to West Third Avenue, a key access point to the project.  Also announced was the widening of a CSX Transportation rail bridge to improve access to that commercial corridor which will help redevelopment in both cities.

 

Full article: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/07/12/daily19.html

More about the TIF agreement for the Grandview Yard infrastructure work from ThisWeekNews:

 

Columbus to create TIF district for Grandview Yard

Some good-looking construction progress photos and comparison to their original renderings from www.grandviewyard.com and a link to an article updating the project from This Week Newspapers, Grandview edition:

 

Council OKs final plats for Yard's first phase

 

The community open house for the project is in two weeks, so you can practically stick a fork in Phase 1. Here's some photos from today:

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-0.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-00.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-1.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-2.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-3.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-4.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-5.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-6.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-7.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-8.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-9.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-10.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-11.jpg">

Two more of the wide open area immediately east of Phase 1. Ready for Phase 2?

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-12.jpg">

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/grandview-yard-13.jpg">

 

That brick definitely tells you Nationwide had its hands in this project!  It's ultimately an office park, and I would rather the development focus be on downtown, but it doesn't look bad at all.

Yeah, after walking around there it definitely feels like something in between offices in the Arena District and offices at Easton. Not that it's a bad thing. It's definitely an improvement over the abandoned Big Bear warehouse. ;)

Oy, that went up fast!

I'm very pleased that Grandview is getting this project up and running so quickly.  Partly, because I generally like the look and feel of it.  Grandview Yard is quite similar to the Arena District (same developer - NRI).  But since I also like the Arena District -  that's okay with me. 

 

But mostly I'm pleased with this development because Grandview desperately needed it for its overall tax base.  Grandview is an older, mostly residential city of under 7,000 that is completely surrounded by the City of Columbus.  They have very little commercial development outside of Grandview Avenue and the Grandview Yard location.  Prior to Grandview Yard, this was mostly an industrial warehousing area anchored by the Big Bear Warehouses.  After an out-of-town entity bought up and bankrupted the Big Bear grocery store chain, Grandview was facing a financial crisis.  This area is Grandview's only opportunity to attract new businesses with new development within its city.   

 

Despite the financial pressure faced by Grandview, they still are attempting to plan a high quality project that intergrates itself into the rest of the city.  They could have allowed a more typical office park arrangement with huge surface parking lots, just to stabilize their tax base.  But they didn't.  They held themselves to a higher standard.  And for that reason alone, Grandview Yard is deserving of our praise. 

Well said!

Sept. 1 tour offers look at Grandview Yard's first phase

Residents are invited to stroll around the mixed-use development from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1

By MARK DUBOVEC, COLUMBUS LOCAL NEWS

Published: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 - 8:46 AM EDT

 

Developers and Grandview Heights officials say the community finally will see the potential of Grandview Yard during an open house set from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 1 at the site.  Tina Guegold of Nationwide Realty Investors, which is developing the project with Equity Inc., said she thinks it will be a fun and informative evening.  "We hope (the public) will walk away with the quality of the project and what to expect of the future phases," Guegold said.  "Everyone in the community will have a chance to explore the site."

 

Grandview Yard is a 90-acre mixed-use development in the southeast corner of the city, at the former home of warehouses belonging to defunct grocery chain Big Bear.  Among the projects in the first phase are Urban Active Fitness Center, Hyatt Place Hotel, a two-deck parking garage with 509 spaces, and a 90,000-square-foot office building, which will house Jason's Deli on the first floor and M+A Architects on the third.

 

Full article: http://www.snponline.com/articles/2010/08/31/tri-village_news/news/tvalltvyar_20100830_0445pm_2.txt

<b>Grandview Yard Opens Phase One Today</b>

By Walker | September 1, 2010 1:40pm

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/gy-open-5.jpg">

 

Grandview Yard first announced Phase 1 of their 90 acre development in Grandview Heights in July of 2009, and that phase is celebrating the grand opening tonight with a community open house between 6pm and 8:30pm. We sat down this morning with Brian Ellis, President and COO of Nationwide Realty Investors to talk about the new development and take a tour of the completed site.

 

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/grandview-yard-opens-phase-one-today

You interviewed the President of NRI?  You're the man Walker!  Thanks for all the hard work!

You interviewed the President of NRI? You're the man Walker! Thanks for all the hard work!

 

Thanks! ;) Brian is a really nice guy and it was fun to sit down and chat with him for a bit before the day's events.

While certainly not at the same scale, Grandview Ave has room for more dense-ish development. Every time I'm at Stauf's I can't ignore that eyesore building-parking lot combo across the street that belongs on Goodale with the other office buildings. In this case I am looking forward to an extra lane on W 3rd and this project may help kickstart some more development on and nearby Grandview Ave.

Residents, leaders laud Grandview Yard's first phase

Several businesses were highlighted in last week's tour of the mixed-use development that's now open to the public

BY MARK DUBOVEC, COLUMBUS LOCAL NEWS

Published: Sunday, September 5, 2010 - 11:08 AM EDT

 

After a tour for public officials in the morning and an open house for the public in the evening, many residents and local leaders left the Grandview Yard development last Wednesday, Sept. 1, impressed with the transformation.

 

Brian Ellis, CEO of Grandview Yard developer Nationwide Realty Investors, addressed the crowd, discussing the history of the project and what the future will hold.  Ellis said what's next ultimately will be market-driven, but the plan is to add a retail and residential base.  Ellis said that would begin with for-rent apartments and progress to other forms. 

 

He added NRI currently is negotiating with several retail outlets that like the location, but there are no commitments.  Further development will continue over the next 10 to 15 years, he said.

 

Full article: http://www.columbuslocalnews.com/articles/2010/09/05/multiple_papers/news/tvalltvyar_20100903_1013pm_2.txt

Residential street, park are part of Grandview Yard's second phase

By MARK DUBOVEC, COLUMBUS LOCAL NEWS

Published: Monday, October 4, 2010

 

The Grandview Heights Planning Commission last week gave preliminary approval with conditions for Phase II of the Grandview Yard development.

 

The plan, approved last Wednesday, Sept. 29, calls for the dedication of a new residential street and a small park to provide open space at the north end of the first phase of development.  The combined area affected by this phase will be less than one acre.

 

"The next block will probably be residential, so the park will be important," said Nationwide Realty Investors Vice President Jim Rost.  Rost said public improvements will include the widening of Goodale Boulevard.

 

MORE: http://www.columbuslocalnews.com/articles/2010/10/05/multiple_papers/news/alltvgrand_20101004_0502pm_6.txt

Bits of Buckeye history fill new grill in Grandview

Sunday, November 21, 2010

By Tracy Turner

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The daily specials are written on the same chalkboard that legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes used to outline winning plays.  Some of the tables are made from redwood locker-room benches used in Ohio Stadium in the 1920s.  Two of the original wrought-iron gates from the stadium grace the walls.  And one of Archie Griffin's two Heisman Trophies is on display in a glass case.

 

These are just some of the authentic touches that Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill's owners hope will make customers feel they "can't wait to come back," said Charles LaGarce, president of Columbus Hospitality Group, which will manage the restaurant as well as the Hyatt Place hotel at Grandview Yard.

 

The Grill is only the second restaurant for which Ohio State University has licensed its name and trademarks, said OSU licensing chief Rick Van Brimmer.  A smaller licensed version of the Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe remains open in Concourse C at Port Columbus.  The Grill is the first full-service restaurant put into the Grandview Yard project.  The 8,000-square-foot restaurant opens Tuesday.

 

LOCATION MAP

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/11/21/bits-of-buckeye-history-fill-new-grill-in-grandview.html

Report and photo essay from Columbus Underground about the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill that is opening today in the Grandview Yard development. 

 

Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill Opens Today

By Walker | November 23, 2010 - 1:30pm 

 

The Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill officially opens their doors at Grandview Yard today, just in time for Saturday’s OSU-Michigan game.  Located at 775 Yard Street, the 8,000-sqft venue provides a casual-yet-sophisticated atmosphere where sports fans can enjoy a full restaurant menu, full bar that includes 16 draft beers, 43 flat-screen tvs and a 140-inch projection display.

 

Loads of OSU memorabilia lines the walls and fills display cases located throughout The Grill, which includes Archie Griffin’s Heisman Trophy, Hopalong Cassidy’s 1955 Athlete of the Year Award, official programs from the 1936 Berlin Olymics where Jesse Owens won four gold medals, and several tables made out of the original hard wood OSU Stadium benches from the 1920’s.

 

MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/buckeye-hall-of-fame-grill-opens-today

It seemed appropriate to post this last story about Grandview Yard's newest tenant on the day of "The Game".

 

Rabid Buckeyes again have a restaurant to call home

Packed with memorabilia, the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill set to open in Grandview Heights.

By MARK DUBOVEC, COLUMBUS LOCAL NEWS

Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 - 10:05 AM EST

 

While Michigan fans will be allowed inside the newest restaurant at Grandview Yard, they might find themselves overwhelmed by the strong Buckeye flavor.  The Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill, 775 Yard St., was set to open for business Tuesday, Nov. 23, and features a wide collection of sports memorabilia from Ohio State University from over the years.

 

Charles Lagarce, president of Columbus Hospitality Management, which is running the restaurant for Nationwide Realty Investors, said he doesn't think of the grill as a sports bar.  "We like to refer to it as a sports-themed restaurant," Lagarce said.  "Every day is game day."

 

 

MORE: http://www.columbuslocalnews.com/articles/2010/11/25/multiple_papers/business/allbuckeye_20101119_0631pm_2.txt

From Columbus Local News:

 

Year in Review: Grandview Yard's opening marks 2010

 

One year after construction began, Grandview Yard, developed by Nationwide Realty Investors at the site of the former Big Bear warehouses, officially opened Sept. 1 in the southeastern corner of the city.  Phase One components included the Hyatt Place hotel, Urban Active Fitness Center, a parking garage and an office building housing M+A Architects, which designed the building.  Jason's Deli opened on the first floor of the office building Sept. 10 and was joined by the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill in November.  A lease signing with Schindler Dentistry was announced in September.

 

Phase Two of the Grandview Yard development will involve street and park space improvements and work to prepare the site for residential units.  In July, a partnership between Grandview and the city of Columbus was announced with a tax-increment financing district along Third Avenue.  The TIF will divert future tax dollars toward infrastructure improvements, including the widening of Third Avenue to encourage growth along the road and interconnectivity between the Yard and downtown Columbus, Ohio State University and the technology corridor of state Route 315.

 

Among other developments relating to Grandview Yard this year was the addition in June of a Southeast Neighborhood Plan to the city's 1997 Community Plan to guide development and maintain the community's desirable traits.  The plan is designed to ensure the effects of the Grandview Yard will be positive on the neighboring area, which includes the area from Northwest Boulevard and Edgehill Road in the east to Palmer Road and Oxley Road in the west, and from Goodale Boulevard in the south to West Third Avenue in the north.

 

National Church Residences announced in March plans to build The Commons at Third, a 100-unit affordable-housing facility near the northern edge of the Yard.  Half the units will be for formerly homeless people of Columbus' Rebuilding Lives Programs, and the rest will be for any adults in need of affordable housing.  NCR filed for tax credits with the Ohio Housing Finance Agency in July and likely won't know for at least a year whether the credits will be granted.  Grandview City Council voted in favor of NCR's application of March.  Construction likely won't begin until July 2011, but an opening date is anticipated for summer 2012.

 

MORE: http://www.columbuslocalnews.com/articles/2010/12/30/multiple_papers/news/alltvyeari_20101230_1006am_13.txt

Grandview awaits more development in new year

By MARK DUBOVEC, COLUMBUS LOCAL NEWS

Published: Thursday, January 20, 2011 - 9:45 AM EST

 

Economic development and budget concerns remain at the center of Grandview Heights leaders' attention in 2011.  Many municipalities are operating under tight budgets and economic uncertainty, but Mayor Ray DeGraw said Grandview's partnership with Nationwide Realty Investors for Grandview Yard gives the city an opportunity to increase revenue and bring in jobs.

 

While further development at Grandview Yard is not likely to have as major of an impact as the completion of the first phase, City Council President Steve Reynolds said it will continue to be a major focus.  Officials will monitor how much revenue is created by the first phase, he said.

 

Patrik Bowman, director of administration and economic development, called the construction of the Yard's first phase the "physical manifestation of our potential."  "We got that done in probably the worst economy," he said.  "We certainly demonstrated that this is a competitive development in the marketplace."

 

Bowman said 2011 will be the "deal year," laying out the groundwork for future construction at Grandview Yard in 2012 and other projects over the next five years.

 

MORE: http://www.columbuslocalnews.com/articles/2011/01/20/multiple_papers/news/seasonal_features/sftvcityyi_20110120_0927am_14.txt

M+A Architects, the designer of the office building at Grandview Yard, posted a feature of their new space.  Check it out at  http://blog.ma-architects.com/index.php/2011/02/new-ma-offices-at-grandview-yard/

Grandview Yard to get apartments under Nationwide Realty plan

Business First - by Brian R. Ball

Friday, July 15, 2011, 6:00am EDT

 

Grandview Yard may be getting apartments, a rare development for landlocked Grandview Heights.  Nationwide Realty Investors Ltd. has asked zoning officials to add a housing component to the developer’s growing office and retail project.  The proposed 154 flats and townhouse-style apartments would be built in a trio of four-story buildings north of the Hyatt Place hotel.

 

“(The apartment project) really establishes the mixed-use nature of the development,” said Patrik Bowman, director of administration for the city.  “It creates a little more attention and excitement for the whole development and keeps it in the public’s eye.” 

 

The Lusk Architecture-designed complex would go up north of the first phase of the 90-acre Grandview Yard.  In addition to the Hyatt hotel, the project includes an office building, fitness center and two restaurants. 

 

The plan filed July 8 shows two buildings and a two-level parking deck on a 2.8-acre site.  A third building is planned on another acre.  It also includes ground-level garages and carports in the U-shaped buildings.  Bowman said the apartments will be up to 1,700 square feet.

 

READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/07/15/rental-rarity-in-wings-for-grandview.html

 

 

Development update from The Dispatch:

 

Grandview Yard

Sunday, July 24, 2011  03:14 AM

By Marla Matzer Rose

 

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Nationwide Realty Investors and members of the Grandview Heights Planning Commission agreed on Wednesday to delay the developer's presentation on adding apartments to its 10-month-old Grandview Yard project. Since only three of the five commissioners were present at the meeting, it would have required an affirmative vote from all three to move forward.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2011/07/24/parks-success-inspires-neighbor.html?sid=101

Grandview Yard apartments clear hurdle; Nationwide releases renderings

 

*courtesy of the Business Journal

 

*courtesy of ColumbusUnderground

 

Grandview Yard should have its first residential component under construction by late next month.

 

More below about the 154-unit apartment complex:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2011/08/25/grandview-yard-apartments-clear.html