Straight from our friends at ColumbusUnderground

 

Proposal Calls for Mixed-Use Development at Olympic Site

 

 

Developer Kyle Katz has proposed a four-story, 152-unit mixed-use development for the Olympic Swim Club site at 3450 Indianola Avenue in Clintonville. He is pursuing the project with his wife, April Zimmerman Katz, who is the owner of the property and whose grandparents bought the pool in 1938, a year after it was built.

 

Zimmerman Katz said that her grandfather, who passed away in 2012, had been subsidizing the operation of the pool for years. Her cousin, Newt Jones, took over the management of the pool in 2001; since that time membership has halved while expenses have increased by 200 percent.

 

More below:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/proposal-calls-for-mixed-use-development-at-olympic-site-bw1

WOW!!!  That is something else!  I had no idea the Katz family was involved with this Olympic Swim Club site.

 

I've been hearing about a possible redevelopment of this site.  But I never expected something this good as a replacement.  A real life urban project ... in Clintonville no less.

The fact that it's in Clintonville means it's either never going to happen or be forced to compromise every decent element of urbanity. 

 

The community outrage over the pool going away is already rampant... despite the fact that they didn't bother to support it financially.   

 

I hold absolutely no hope for this coming to pass.

^I had the same thought as your initial sentence, but didn't want to say it.

Wow, I love that artist rendition. Although I do fear that being in Clintonville it will be declared too tall and be reduced to 1.5-stories.

Clintonville: The Community of No! After 18 years in Clintonville (including time spent on community boards), I left and moved to Weinland Park.

I know Clintonville has a reputation but I actually think this one is going to happen

Hope so.

Today I saw a "Save Olympic Pool" yard sign on my way home.

Today I saw a "Save Olympic Pool" yard sign on my way home.

 

There's a Facebook page too. 

 

I just don't understand these people.  The pool wasn't good enough to support for years, and now it's suddenly a neighborhood treasure when the owners decided to stop subsidizing it.

Labor Day was the last day for the Olympic Swim Club.  Below is the flury of stories about its closing from the local media:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/09/02/taking-one-last-dip-on-olympic-swim-clubs-last-day.html

 

http://wosu.org/2012/news/2014/09/02/end-era-clintonvilles-olympic-pool-closes-good/

 

http://www.nbc4i.com/story/26420932/only-memories-left-as-clintonville-landmark-closes

 

http://www.abc6onyourside.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/columbus-historic-olympic-swim-club-closes-after-75-years-34747.shtml

Some revisions to the Olympic development from its web site.  Site plans have also been posted at http://livetheolympic.com/revisions/.

 

- Reduction in overall apartment units from 152 to 138.

 

- The setback from the curb is now 20 feet instead of 16 feet.

 

- Reduction in overall height by 2 feet.  The height of the third floor facing Indianola is now 36 feet.

 

 

I'll take it.

Well I guess that's not so bad to lose height by lowering the commercial ceiling. Personally I am scared of heights and dealing with renovating the space we're in down at the mall and its 12-foot ceilings largely by myself was a daily struggle. I can't do wiring up in the ceiling myself; it's just too scary. I don't know what percentage of retailers have to deal with this but I can't afford to pay someone else every time a florescent light tube or ballast goes out. Thankfully my current employees don't share my phobia.

 

I recently learned this fear would have locked me out of the building trades for sure by opening up a store in a tall ceiling space.

 

I do think the setback increase demand was petty though.

I figured it would be downsized but I'm glad it is only a 2-foot reduction and not a 2-story reduction.

The Clintonville Area Commission postponed their vote on the rezoning for the Olympic apartments until October 2.

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/clintonville/news/2014/09/08/olympic-apartments-vote-pushed-to-oct--2.html

Uh-oh.  Is this the beginning of the project getting "Clintonvilled"?  (a term coined over at CU)

 

Pool-site developers postpone gathering

Revisions to plan for apartment complex will be considered before moving forward, developers say

BY KEVIN PARKS, THIS WEEK NEWS

Tuesday, September 16, 2014 - 9:17 AM

 

A hoped-for community meeting to help clear the air about the proposed redevelopment of the Olympic Swim Club site will not take place Tuesday, Sept. 23, as had tentatively been planned.

 

In an email sent Sept. 12 to Clintonville Area Commission Chairman Daniel B. Miller, Kyle Katz of Katz Development indicated that a variance request to clear the way for a mixed-use project on the Indianola Avenue property also will not come before the panel at its Oct. 2 meeting.

 

"We are taking time to evaluate all site-development options, including revisions to the current plan," Katz wrote. "We will not be ready to participate in the community meeting on Sept. 23 and will not submit our application to CAC on Oct. 2."

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/clintonville/news/2014/09/15/pool-site-developers-postpone-gathering.html

Damn it, Cville.

Good job Clintonville! A vacant piece of property is much more desirable!

 

Neighborhood Opposition Puts Olympic Apartments On Hold

All these people who are worried about traffic want to revive a swimming pool that generated far more traffic.

All these people who are worried about traffic want to revive a swimming pool that generated far more traffic.

 

I know, one other thing the article mentions as a "concern" is issues with the sewer system! Is the sewer system at max capacity right now that it can't handle one mid-sized apartment building?

All these people who are worried about traffic want to revive a swimming pool that generated far more traffic.

 

I know, one other thing the article mentions as a "concern" is issues with the sewer system! Is the sewer system at max capacity right now that it can't handle one mid-sized apartment building?

 

I get the feeling that the opponents are simply throwing crap against the wall and seeing what sticks, but I bet the underlying reasoning for Clintonville being so anti-change and anti-urban anything is because the population is 1. Old, and 2. Very white.  Clintonville has one of the oldest median ages of all Columbus neighborhoods, and is even one of the oldest in the whole metro.  It's also one of the least diverse areas as well.  Throw that combination together, and you get suburban bland mentality with the fear of apartments=criminal behavior.

 

Clintonville has one of the oldest median ages of all Columbus neighborhoods, and is even one of the oldest in the whole metro. 

 

This needs to be clarified. The northern 2/3 of Clintonville is the part full of elderly whiners.

 

South of N. Broadway is NOT a similar neighborhood to the northern part, and really shouldn't be lumped in the same neighborhood commission as them.

 

Zip code 43202, while it is only half in Clintonville, (and also half in Old North Columbus) is the second densest zip code in Columbus(behind 43201), and is the third youngest zip code (behind 43201 and 43210[which is OSU dorms]).

 

Yes, the southern third of Clintonville is DENSE and YOUNG, and has urban-minded people living in it.

 

Clintonville has one of the oldest median ages of all Columbus neighborhoods, and is even one of the oldest in the whole metro. 

 

This needs to be clarified. The northern 2/3 of Clintonville is the part full of elderly whiners.

 

South of N. Broadway is NOT a similar neighborhood to the northern part, and really shouldn't be lumped in the same neighborhood commission as them.

 

Zip code 43202, while it is only half in Clintonville, (and also half in Old North Columbus) is the second densest zip code in Columbus(behind 43201), and is the third youngest zip code (behind 43201 and 43210[which is OSU dorms]).

 

Yes, the southern third of Clintonville is DENSE and YOUNG, and has urban-minded people living in it.

 

Okay, but the southern 3rd isn't showing up to development meetings.  It's pretty clear who's in control of that, and that's the Clintonville that's at issue.

 

Clintonville has one of the oldest median ages of all Columbus neighborhoods, and is even one of the oldest in the whole metro. 

 

This needs to be clarified. The northern 2/3 of Clintonville is the part full of elderly whiners.

 

South of N. Broadway is NOT a similar neighborhood to the northern part, and really shouldn't be lumped in the same neighborhood commission as them.

 

Zip code 43202, while it is only half in Clintonville, (and also half in Old North Columbus) is the second densest zip code in Columbus(behind 43201), and is the third youngest zip code (behind 43201 and 43210[which is OSU dorms]).

 

Yes, the southern third of Clintonville is DENSE and YOUNG, and has urban-minded people living in it.

 

Okay, but the southern 3rd isn't showing up to development meetings.  It's pretty clear who's in control of that, and that's the Clintonville that's at issue.

 

I happen to live in Clintonville (43202) and would love to be a pro-development voice at those meetings, but work a crappy job and am normally not available to attend the meetings. Maybe I could voice my opinion via e-mail?

A news article that basically says there is no news. I thought I'd post it anyway.

 

No plan in sight for Olympic Swim Club

 

Called back and asked if there was a timetable for deciding what's next for the 2.34-acre property at 3450 Indianola Ave., Kyle Katz would only say:

 

"At this point, we've got no comment on the project."

The prognosis for the Olympic Swim Club development proposal doesn't look too good.  But if the Clintonville residents opposing it thought this would give the Olympic Swim Club a new lease on life, they thought wrong:

 

'Olympic pool in Clintonville gone for good - Demolition begins at pool site as land's future remains undetermined':  http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/clintonville/news/2015/03/13/olympic-pool-gone-for-good.html

The prognosis for the Olympic Swim Club development proposal doesn't look too good.  But if the Clintonville residents opposing it thought this would give the Olympic Swim Club a new lease on life, they thought wrong:

 

'Olympic pool in Clintonville gone for good - Demolition begins at pool site as land's future remains undetermined':  http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/clintonville/news/2015/03/13/olympic-pool-gone-for-good.html

 

Hope the neighbors like their vacant lot!

Looks like the developers are ready to try again with a reduced plan, http://livetheolympic.com/

 

 

Glad to see they are going to try again. It may also be easier now that the pool is gone.

Yeah, at least it's going forward.

I don't like the big reduction in commercial space.

New renderings for the revised Olympic Building: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/04/22/olympic-developer-unveils-revisions-during-smooth.html

 

Turning Indianola into Ocean Drive!

The revised plans for the Olympic Swim Club development are coming before the Clintonville Area Commission on Thursday, May 7.  In anticipation of a large crowd, the CAC has moved the meeting to a larger venue:

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/clintonville/news/2015/04/28/expecting-throng-cac-moves-meeting-to-church.html

The revised plans for the Olympic Swim Club development are coming before the Clintonville Area Commission on Thursday, May 7.  In anticipation of a large crowd, the CAC has moved the meeting to a larger venue:

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/clintonville/news/2015/04/28/expecting-throng-cac-moves-meeting-to-church.html

 

Passed the CAC zoning panel 6-0:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/05/06/olympic-swim-clubredevelopment-clears-clintonville.html

 

On to the full CAC meeting tonight.

Olympic Swim Club project clears Clintonville Area Commission

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/05/11/olympic-swim-club-project-clears-clintonville-area.html

 

:clap:

And that's that.

 

Olympic apartment, retail project in Clintonville gets final OK

 

 

The project replacing the former Olympic Swim Club in Clintonville has gotten its final zoning approval.

 

Columbus City Council on Monday unanimously approved the zoning for developer Kyle Katz’s plan for 114 apartments and 5,000 square feet of street-level retail, ending a year-long saga for the 3450 Indianola Ave. site.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2015/07/olympic-apartment-retail-project-in-clintonville.html

The original proposal was better IMO, but I'm glad this is finally happening. Now we only need about a dozen more projects like this along Indianola...

It looks like the apartment building that will be replacing the Olympic Swim Club has some updated renderings and a new name: The Deco.

 

The old facebook page still has the old name in the url:  https://www.facebook.com/theolympicapartments/.  But it's now titled "The Deco" and has a link to a new website for the project: http://livethedeco.com/

Here are the updated renderings for "The Deco":

 

 

Well damn.  Columbus keeps getting way better infill than Cincinnati. 

It's funny they put the pool up to the street on Indianola.  Nice little homage.

New name, updated look for Olympic project in Clintonville

 

The apartment-and-retail complex on the site of the former Olympic Swim Club in Clintonville has a new branding.

 

With groundbreaking this week, developers announced a name change and released updated renderings of the project, which had been known as the Olympic through more than 16 months of planning.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/12/29/new-name-updated-look-for-olympic-project-in.html

Plum forgot about this separate thread for Olympic Swim Club apartment development (aka The Deco).  So here's the construction photo from the Clintonville thread:

 

^ A little more about this Indianola road diet/bike lane project from the Dispatch:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/08/17/indianola-lane-cuts-worry-clintonville-residents.html

 

This article had a photo of the The Deco apartment building under construction just south of the proposed Vision apartment project (which is #2 on the above posted map).  More construction photos of The Deco (formerly called The Olympic Apartments) are available on the project's facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/theolympicapartments/:

 

Olympic Swim Club site in Clintonville to become 55-and-over housing community

 

 

An iconic property in Clintonville is swapping swimming for seniors.

 

The former Olympic Swim Club site at 3450 Indianola Ave. in Clintonville is going to be a 55-and-over residential community.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/01/24/olympic-swim-club-site-in-clintonville-to-become.html

The Deco is open and it looks unlike anything in Clintonville

 

 

An iconic property in Clintonville has been transformed with a project unlike any other in the neighborhood.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/17/first-look-the-deco-is-open-and-it-looks-unlike.html

More photos of The Deco - the four-story, 114-unit apartment building that opened last year at 3450 Indianola Avenue:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks nice.  We have a couple old apartments like that in Cincinnati; unfortunately the one in Hyde Park was torn down about 4 years ago for condos. 

oh wow i like this. was just talking about a neo-deco apt bldg on the highline thread and wishing for a deco revival. well here it is in cols and it looks nice.