Posted June 29, 200717 yr Big plans in store for Urbancrest Development would have upscale offices, homes, retail Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:39 AM By Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH FULL ARTICLE AT: http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/business/stories/2007/06/28/Metrovia.ART_ART_06-28-07_C10_2L758IS.html A developer from Texas is making plans to build an Easton-like center in Urbancrest. Chris McPherson has set the wheels in motion to create a development he's calling Metrovia, which would bring offices, stores and residences to the village of 868 that borders Grove City and Columbus along I-270...
June 29, 200717 yr Oy vey. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 29, 200717 yr Honey look at that a futuristic skywalk! Let's walk up there instead of walking down by these shops where a car might hit us. I love it here at "urban"crest! I can drive freely without having to stop at pesky stop signs and I can walk from one building to another without getting wet in the rain!
June 29, 200717 yr I think one Easton is enough for Columbus. Oh well, at least the development is in the beltway.
June 29, 200717 yr If you look at the diagram of the place it is IN the beltway Traditional urbancrest, i am from columbus and have never even heard of the place, is actually right outside the beltway as you showed. However, this development is just inside the beltway and will be in an area of land that isn't urbancrest yet, it is Franklin county township property now. I say columbus should annex it, I don't know why the developer wants to have urbancrest annex it. Also, this wont really hurt too much because it is on the southside which is under retailed right now, but I like it that way. If you build too much retail on the south side you take away potential customers that should be going to downtown and these people will no longer drive to Tuttle or Easton just up 270, they will step outside their door and shop, which is nice for them, but might hurt Easton and Tuttle a bit.
June 29, 200717 yr Polaris is still better than Tuttle (IMO). I don't think Columbus can support another mall but who knows. Its weird to see wealth move into the south side lately. Seanguy--people are naturally more likely to shop wherever's closest to home. The only way I see people going to City Center is if there's a much greater population directly downtown. Then again, they might just go to north high street like everyone else. I went into city center yesterday...wasn't surprised to see that the only thing surviving was cheap restaurants, a GNC and Footlocker. They're always the last to go.
June 30, 200717 yr This part of the city seriously needs development, but the people saying it will lead to the downfall of polaris or tuttle or something are absolutely right. Maybe though, Columbus could be something of a retail center and get people to come shopping here from other cities (in the region --- unless they fly out for 10 bucks on skybus to shop lol)...
August 25, 200717 yr Metrovia complex Big plans for south suburbs scrapped Saturday, August 25, 2007 3:28 AM By Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The developers of the proposed Metrovia, an Easton-style center near Grove City, are pulling the plug on the development at that location, citing a number of barriers to the $120 million project... [email protected] FULL ARTICLE AT: http://dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2007/08/25/No_Metrovia.ART_ART_08-25-07_C12_1M7N92L.html?sid=101
August 25, 200717 yr Wow. I'm a little suprised that the developer didn't just take it one step further and call them "backwoods hillbilly's".
August 25, 200717 yr What's more galling is that this guy will now try to build his Easton-clone further out of the Columbus area at a time when the cost of owning and operating a car are high and getting higher. Smart move pal. Good luck with the cornfields outside Marysville. Why not be a little innovative and build something on the huge footprint of vacant and otherwise blown-up land near 5th and Cleveland where the old Timken plant once sat? Risky neighborhood.... sure. But it's also on the edge of redeveloping areas like Jeffrey Place and Weinland Park, as well as being near OSU and having access directly off of I-71. Bring in a mix of retail, restaurants, office and affordable residential and build an urban showcase. But note that I'm not holding my breath for Mr. McPherson to have a revelation.
June 12, 200817 yr This is great. Some people actually do get what they deserve! Metrovia Developer jailed on bank-fraud charges Wednesday, June 11, 2008 BY MIKE PRAMIK THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH A developer from Texas who last year said he wanted to build an Easton-like shopping center in Urbancrest is in Franklin County jail facing federal bank-fraud charges. Christopher E. McPherson, 38, whose real name, authorities say, is Christopher E. Keifer, allegedly bilked several banks and companies out of hundreds of thousands of dollars while operating McPherson Property Group, said Secret Service Agent Jamie Fitch. McPherson and a partner, Nathan Simons, last year laid out extensive plans for Metrovia, a $120 million mixed-use project at Rt. 62 and I-270. The project failed for various reasons, but the two continued to work on other projects through McPherson Property Group, based in Grove City. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/06/11/Urbancrest_developer.ART_ART_06-11-08_C8_JKAF5Q8.html?sid=101
June 13, 200817 yr ^This would've been more interesting if he'd broken ground on Metrovia 10 months ago. Be warned, citizens of Urbancrest: you rejected McPherson's slick presentation, but you'll be powerless against my proposed Potemkin Village Center project.
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