August 19, 20213 yr I thought the internet in a given area had to be really good to land a data center. That's why the data centers all get built in New Albany instead of Darbyville or something. The internet in that location is notoriously atrocious.
August 19, 20213 yr 8 minutes ago, GCrites80s said: I thought the internet in a given area had to be really good to land a data center. That's why the data centers all get built in New Albany instead of Darbyville or something. The internet in that location is notoriously atrocious. I'm sure whatever the cost of ensuring they have stable and high speed internet on that site is pocket change for Google.
August 19, 20213 yr You figure that, but when it's Facebook and Amazon doing it in New Albany saying the internet is better, you know they have the money to fix it too.
August 19, 20213 yr 10 minutes ago, GCrites80s said: You figure that, but when it's Facebook and Amazon doing it in New Albany saying the internet is better, you know they have the money to fix it too. Well of course, but they are planning for way ahead in the future with this site and are probably under the assumption that New Albany is eventually going to run out of land approved for these types of uses and that Lancaster is going to continue to grow in both size and infrastructure. I also have to imagine the land in Lancaster was significantly cheaper than purchasing more land in New Albany would be. Edited August 19, 20213 yr by TIm
August 19, 20213 yr Land prices are what I was thinking about in the first place when I saw those data centers go up in New Albany.
August 19, 20213 yr Other than having a big corporate name in your community, I never understood the appeal for a big data center. They are not big job generators.
August 19, 20213 yr 3 minutes ago, GCrites80s said: Land prices are what I was thinking about in the first place when I saw those data centers go up in New Albany. I'm not sure about the details, but I'm fairly certain New Albany made it very enticing for all of those companies to build data centers there.
August 19, 20213 yr Just now, ink said: Other than having a big corporate name in your community, I never understood the appeal for a big data center. They are not big job generators. Do they maybe generate a good amount of property taxes which get funneled back into the schools? You're right about the jobs though, I think back when these were getting built I read at most they employ 50 people or so to operate these enormous facilities. If they were manufacturing facilities or distribution centers of this size they'd be employing hundreds if not thousands of people.
August 19, 20213 yr Probably property taxes since data centers typically don't employ a lot of people per square foot.
August 19, 20213 yr Property taxes primarily benefit school districts in cities, which rely more heavily on income tax from actual employment. These seem perfect for townships that are more property tax driven.
August 19, 20213 yr FWIW most cities in Ohio rely on income taxes much more than property taxes. This includes Lancaster which was recently looking at making budget cuts due to lost income tax revenue. New Albany gave AWS a 15 year, 100% property tax abatement in exchange for 35 jobs making ~$70,000/ year. Google had a deal like that in New Albany as well. Google only just acquired the land in Lancaster so there aren't any details on what the deal is for the future data center, but I would expect it to be pretty similar. There likely won't be more than 30/50 new jobs in Lancaster.
August 19, 20213 yr In the time since that article was written, Lancaster raised its earnings tax rate from 1.75% to 2.2%. Effective January 1, 2021.
September 14, 20213 yr Bleh. McMansions built on McPrairies. Might be good news for Lancaster property tax revenue, though. Central Ohio golf course sells, new owner plans housing development ”Lancaster’s Pleasant Valley Golf Course will soon transform into a high-end housing development. Local developer Bob Buess purchased the property for $1 million through Rockbridge Management. He plans to split the site into 15 homesites with 5- and 10-acre lots that will eventually feature custom-built.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/09/14/pleasant-valley-golf-course-to-become-housing.html?ana=TRUEANTHEMFB_CO&csrc=6398&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0CszbhJ8eoPATbwsE7cHp-1TJfjC_8ApGacFX6v88cGfxjVWWLxCIE9Pk
September 14, 20213 yr Looks like Lancaster has some big city problems ;) lol The Valley View Golf Club and Lancaster Country Club have both sold as well. Here's an article covering the Valley View sale. Apparently there were potential buyers who wanted to turn it into a housing development, but thankfully the owners wanted to see it continue as a golf course and were able to find buyers who intended to make that happen. As far as I know, no future plans have been announced for the Lancaster Country Club yet, but I would be surprised if it doesn't continue as a golf course.
September 14, 20213 yr 3 minutes ago, ink said: ^For what it is worth, the golf course is not inside the city of Lancaster. None of the three are. They are all in the "Greater Lancaster Metro Area", aka just outside of the Lancaster city limits.
September 14, 20213 yr 1 hour ago, amped91 said: Bleh. McMansions built on McPrairies. Might be good news for Lancaster property tax revenue, though. Central Ohio golf course sells, new owner plans housing development ”Lancaster’s Pleasant Valley Golf Course will soon transform into a high-end housing development. Local developer Bob Buess purchased the property for $1 million through Rockbridge Management. He plans to split the site into 15 homesites with 5- and 10-acre lots that will eventually feature custom-built.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/09/14/pleasant-valley-golf-course-to-become-housing.html?ana=TRUEANTHEMFB_CO&csrc=6398&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0CszbhJ8eoPATbwsE7cHp-1TJfjC_8ApGacFX6v88cGfxjVWWLxCIE9Pk Those lot sizes are ridiculous-this is the opposite of the Frebis avenue 99 units on .65 acres original proposal on the south side of Cbus.. Ten acre lots? The Ohio Statehouse sits on only ten acres! The sprawl of it all... What public course will be left adjacent to Lancaster? I never realized they do not have a municipal gold course within the city limits. *Looks like Newark has both a private and a public course within the city limits...hmmm. Edited September 14, 20213 yr by Toddguy
September 14, 20213 yr 2 minutes ago, Toddguy said: Those lot sizes are ridiculous-this is the opposite of the Frebis avenue 99 units on .65 acres original proposal on the south side of Cbus.. Ten acre lots? The Ohio Statehouse sits on only ten acres! The sprawl of it all... It's located outside of Lancaster in rural Fairfield County. These lot sizes are completely in line with the surrounding area. I don't see the need to worry too much about rural development in a rural area.
September 14, 20213 yr 9 minutes ago, cbussoccer said: It's located outside of Lancaster in rural Fairfield County. These lot sizes are completely in line with the surrounding area. I don't see the need to worry too much about rural development in a rural area. Yes I used to go to an art class at a house on Coonpath Rd nearby. I still think ten acre lots are excessive. But yeah, exurban Ohio is gonna exurban Ohio. At least it will be mostly green and all. *shrugs* One acre lots would be one tenth the size and still be slightly over 200 feet by 200 feet. 100 houses would seem to fetch more $$$ than 15 or so but whatever. But I guess I should not really be surprised, unfortunately. *there is a small part of me that is being paranoid and thinking, "why the hell is everyone questioning every damn. post. I. make? f*ck Y'ALL!!! 😝 Edited September 14, 20213 yr by Toddguy
September 14, 20213 yr 2 minutes ago, GCrites80s said: We wouldn't even notice this if it wasn't on UO. I would not notice A LOT if it were not posted on here.
September 14, 20213 yr This is trending as a popular thread now right along with the SW thread....so any more Lancaster news, anecdotes, memories, musings? -My partner had a painting featured in a showing at the Lancaster Festival in 1989! I still have two big official posters from that festival-our art teacher made them. -I LOVE Rising Park and the view over the town. I have a pic of my mother with a boyfriend sitting there overlooking the city in 1951. Edited September 14, 20213 yr by Toddguy
September 14, 20213 yr 1 minute ago, Toddguy said: Yes I used to go to an art class at a house on Coonpath Rd nearby. I still think ten acre lots are excessive. But yeah, exurban Ohio is gonna exurban Ohio. At least it will be mostly green and all. *shrugs* One acre lots would be one tenth the size and still be slightly over 200 feet by 200 feet. 100 houses would seem to fetch more $$$ than 15 or so but whatever. Some people want to live in a house that sits on more than one acre, and they will pay extra for it. This is catering to those people. Not everything has to be a dense development to maximize population density, especially not in a rural area outside of Lancaster.
September 14, 20213 yr Just now, GCrites80s said: Ummmmm, I'm in Lancaster right now I guess? At work. Get back to Groveport!
September 14, 20213 yr Just now, GCrites80s said: Ummmmm, I'm in Lancaster right now I guess? At work. Take a pic from Rising Park(and no you do not have to be in it). Or just any old pic of the town, exurban sprawl, the doomed golf course, etc. Is that greasy spoon in Carroll still there?
September 14, 20213 yr 9 minutes ago, cbussoccer said: Some people want to live in a house that sits on more than one acre, and they will pay extra for it. This is catering to those people. Not everything has to be a dense development to maximize population density, especially not in a rural area outside of Lancaster. yeah I know, but I do not think that houses on one entire acre is exactly "maximizing population density" and I still see it as a missed opportunity and now as I noted above you can get. off. my. case! *paranoia intensifies* 😝 * I just now noticed that I moved up to a World Trade Center! YAY! Edited September 14, 20213 yr by Toddguy
September 15, 20213 yr 5 hours ago, Toddguy said: Take a pic from Rising Park(and no you do not have to be in it). Or just any old pic of the town, exurban sprawl, the doomed golf course, etc. Is that greasy spoon in Carroll still there? Greasy spoon is still there as far as I can tell. Once they did the Carroll Bypass (which still runs through the middle of town) a few years back the tall single-plane barriers made it hard to see it.
December 19, 20213 yr Lancaster Country Club sold to group of citizens, will remain golf course The Lancaster Country Club is the third golf course in the city to change owners in 2021. The 60.8-acre site was purchased by a group of 26 equal investors with ties to the community for $1.7 million. They said their intention is to preserve the property as a golf club, and they have renamed it to the Lancaster Golf Club in order to reflect opening the course up to the public, as it was a members-only club under previous ownership. The course will join the nearby Valley View Golf Club in remaining a golf course, while the Pleasant Valley Golf Course will become a high-end housing development. The Valley View Golf Course sold in August to Lancaster natives Barry and Jennifer Rhonemus for $850,000. The Pleasant Valley Golf Course was bought by local developer Bob Buess for $1 million through Rockbridge Management. Buess plans to turn his Pleasant Valley Golf Course purchase into 15 homesites, while the Rhonemuses plan to update their golf course and remodel the clubhouse to provide a more upscale vibe to the facility. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/12/14/lancaster-country-club-sold-to-citizens.html
August 17, 20222 yr We have closed Super Game Team in River Valley Mall. The video game industry's switch to digital downloads and away from physical media was too much for us to stay in business. That's all folks!
August 17, 20222 yr 33 minutes ago, GCrites80s said: We have closed Super Game Team in River Valley Mall. The video game industry's switch to digital downloads and away from physical media was too much for us to stay in business. That's all folks! Sorry to hear that, GCrites. I know it takes one's heart and soul to make a small business work.
August 17, 20222 yr I didn't have any heart or soul left, haha. I knew back in 2018 that industry trends were making it not worthwhile and was going to wrap it up in 2020. Then COVID happened which made me stay open for 2 more years. Most people think of businesses closing down because of COVID but in my case it forced me to stay open because of PPP forgiveness rules, lease timing and increased product demand.
October 13, 20222 yr Cirba Solutions investing $200 million in battery recycling facility “As Honda was announcing a new $3.5 billion battery production plant for electric vehicles in Fayette County Tuesday, Charlotte, North Carolina-based Cirba Solutions announced it is expanding its battery-related operations in Lancaster. The company plans to invest another $200 million in its lithium-ion processing facility in Central Ohio, which will process enough battery-grade raw materials from recycled batteries to power more than 200,000 electric vehicles. The company also expects to add 150 jobs in the expansion. Current employment was not disclosed. “Expanding the capacity for lithium-ion battery recycling within the United States is imperative as the country seeks to increase domestically sourced battery materials,” CEO David Klanecky said in a release. “This will be one of many of our operational investments to strengthen supply, enhance national security, and promote sustainability principles. It will also bolster more manufacturers’ ability to reach their electrification goals.”’ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/10/13/cirba-solutions-investing-200-million-in-battery.html
December 12, 20222 yr I remember walking around this building while visiting Lancaster this past summer and thinking that it could make for a good redevelopment opportunity. Glad someone else thought the same. Former shoe factory in downtown Lancaster eyed for $20 million mixed-use redevelopment “An historic building in downtown Lancaster is being eyed for a $20 million mixed-use redevelopment project. Located at 219 N. Columbus St., the building was constructed in the early 1900s as a shoe factory. Now a developer wants to convert it into a 130,000-square-foot apartment complex that would also include short-term rental units and commercial space. The project is the brainchild of Robert Schilling and his company, Columbus-based Urban Restorations. Nicholas Schilling of Urban Restorations said they are in contract to acquire the property from Zebco Industries, a foam and packaging company located next to the building. The developer has applied for an Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit for the project. The application requests $3.3 million in tax credits for the $20.3 million project. The Ohio Department of Development will announce if the project received these tax credits on or before Dec. 31. If the project moves forward as planned, it will bring 60 apartments and five Airbnb units to the building. A commercial/retail area also is planned. The apartments would be built on the second and third floors, and would consist of six studios, 24 one-bedroom units and 30 two-bedroom units. The first floor would include the commercial/retail area and Airbnb units.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/12/12/lancaster-shoe-factory-mixed-use-redevelopment.html
December 12, 20222 yr Awesome news! Lancaster has so much potential for good urban development. If we could build a commuter rail to connect Lancaster to Columbus, I think the residential area east of Memorial Drive and north of Main Street would become quite popular. Much of that area still has a 1950s neighborhood vibe in that there are still corner stores and businesses mixed in with the residential houses. It's actually a decently walkable area, and could become more so with more investment like this.
March 8, 20232 yr On 12/12/2022 at 4:52 PM, amped91 said: I remember walking around this building while visiting Lancaster this past summer and thinking that it could make for a good redevelopment opportunity. Glad someone else thought the same. Former shoe factory in downtown Lancaster eyed for $20 million mixed-use redevelopment “An historic building in downtown Lancaster is being eyed for a $20 million mixed-use redevelopment project. Located at 219 N. Columbus St., the building was constructed in the early 1900s as a shoe factory. Now a developer wants to convert it into a 130,000-square-foot apartment complex that would also include short-term rental units and commercial space. The project is the brainchild of Robert Schilling and his company, Columbus-based Urban Restorations. Nicholas Schilling of Urban Restorations said they are in contract to acquire the property from Zebco Industries, a foam and packaging company located next to the building. The developer has applied for an Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit for the project. The application requests $3.3 million in tax credits for the $20.3 million project. The Ohio Department of Development will announce if the project received these tax credits on or before Dec. 31. If the project moves forward as planned, it will bring 60 apartments and five Airbnb units to the building. A commercial/retail area also is planned. The apartments would be built on the second and third floors, and would consist of six studios, 24 one-bedroom units and 30 two-bedroom units. The first floor would include the commercial/retail area and Airbnb units.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/12/12/lancaster-shoe-factory-mixed-use-redevelopment.html This was awarded the $3.3 million tax credit. Hopefully work starts soon, I haven’t really been to Lancaster much, but would love to check this out, once completed. Redevelopment of former Lancaster shoe factory lands $3.3M tax credit
August 8, 20231 yr Cirba Solutions' $254M expansion project in Lancaster to double local workforce, increase footprint by 400% “Cirba Solutions is ready to begin construction on its massive expansion project in Lancaster – the largest capital investment in the company's history. The Charlotte-based battery recycling business will break ground Monday on the $254 million expansion at 265 Quarry Road SE. The project will be done in phases, with the first phase expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2024. It will be fully operational by the first quarter of 2025. The expansion, which was first announced in October, will create more than 100 new jobs – doubling Cirba's workforce in Lancaster and generating $28 million in new tax revenue. The project will increase the company's Lancaster footprint by more than 400% with the addition of 150,000 square feet. The investment also will boost Cirba's processing capacity by more than 600% in the coming years, the company said.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/08/07/cirba-solutions-lancaster-expansion-project-update.html
October 12, 20231 yr Lancaster leaders tout 'transformational' impact of historic downtown building's $20M redevelopment as restoration work begins Lancaster officials say the $20 million redevelopment of a historic building could be "transformational" for the city's downtown. That was the theme of Monday's "wall-breaking" event, which celebrated the forthcoming renovation of the 138,000-square-foot building at 219 N. Columbus St. Columbus developer Urban Restorations is transforming the property into a mixed-use complex with apartments, short-term rental units and commercial space. Since receiving a $3.3 million Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit, Urban Restorations has closed on its purchase of the property, started demolition of two outbuildings for a new parking lot and began stripping the interior of all its electric, plumbing and sprinklers. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/10/11/the-shumaker-redevelopment-downtown-lancaster.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
October 12, 20231 yr This is a large building for Lancaster so to see it reactivated is very important. Right in the core along Columbus St.
October 12, 20231 yr On 4/26/2016 at 2:44 PM, Columbo said: Fairfield County Municipal Court opens in new home By Mary Beth Lane, The Columbus Dispatch Thursday, April 21, 2016 - 5:21 AM LANCASTER, Ohio — Municipal court workers are unpacking boxes, setting up phones and computers, and avoiding fresh paint that’s still drying on walls. Court is in session, so this move-in must move fast. Fairfield County Municipal Court opened for business on Monday in its new home: the 19th century Columbian Building in downtown Lancaster. The renovated three-story brick building at 138-140 W. Main Street — topped by its distinctive conical, “witch’s hat” roof — is a block from the court’s old home on the second floor of City Hall at 104 E. Main Street, but it is a world away in terms of modern, secure accommodations. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/04/21/fairfield-county-municipal-court-opens-in-new-home.html This thread getting bumped prompted me to look through it again. I was lucky enough to get subpoena papers as a witness for the State of Ohio a few years back due to some guy selling the aforementioned Super Game Team stolen stuff. So I got to wake up early, drive down and be in this building at 8AM sharp. I could tell the building turned out great despite how crappy of a mood I was in when they told me I wasn't needed because the guy didn't show up for court. Law Note: If you get subpoenaed, always call the courthouse the afternoon before to make sure the trial is still on the schedule for the next day. The next time I got papers I did so and found out the case got taken off because the guy plead guilty. That way I didn't have to go down there again at the buttcrack of dawn unnecessarily. Edited October 12, 20231 yr by GCrites
February 6, 20241 yr Developer close to securing full financing for $20M redevelopment project in downtown Lancaster The capital stack for a downtown Lancaster project is nearly finalized after the developer received a state incentive and was approved for a bank loan. Urban Restorations was awarded a $2 million Transformational Mixed-Use Development tax credit for The Shumaker project at 219 N. Columbus St. At the same time, the Columbus-based developer is expected to close on the construction loan later this month, filling the project's remaining financial gap. The $20 million project, which will convert a historic Lancaster building into apartments, short-term rental units and commercial space, has made progress in recent months but needed more financing to fully fund the amount of construction work required to redevelop the former shoe factory into a mixed-use complex. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2024/02/05/downtown-lancaster-shumaker-redevelopment-project.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 24Jan 24 Kentucky-based builder announces $69M housing development coming to Lancaster Quote A $69 million affordable housing project is moving forward in Lancaster. Louisville, Kentucky-based developer LDG Development is building Emerald Place at 730 S. Ewing St. in Lancaster. It is the company's first project in Ohio. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2025/01/23/emerald-place-affordable-housing-project-lancaster.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_10&cx_artPos=6#cxrecs_s
January 25Jan 25 6 hours ago, Pablo said: Kentucky-based builder announces $69M housing development coming to Lancaster https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2025/01/23/emerald-place-affordable-housing-project-lancaster.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_10&cx_artPos=6#cxrecs_s The design and location are bad. Typical suburban oriented crap.
January 27Jan 27 On 1/24/2025 at 8:05 PM, columbus17 said: The design and location are bad. Typical suburban oriented crap. I mean Lancaster is an exurb so suburban developments is technically an improvement.
May 5May 5 New 100-unit housing development from Fairfield Homes planned in LancasterThe city of Lancaster is set to gain nearly 100 units of senior housing.The Reserve at Hunter Trace will be built at 150 Trace Dr. on the city's southwest side. The developer is Fairfield Homes, a Lancaster-based property management, development and construction company.All units will be reserved for individuals aged 55 and older who are at or below 60% of the area median income.More below:https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2025/05/02/fairfield-homes-reserve-at-hunter-trace-lancaster.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
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