April 6, 20187 yr Outsiders think it's very, very weird that we don't have it. Or they think that we're one of those cities that let the '70s ruin it. Which we did. Ok but again, do we really need it? People b*tch and moan all the time about how much Nationwide is costing taxpayers, imagine what that would be with a billion dollar rail project. Personally myself and my friends all 28-35 would rather have the rail connection to Chicago versus a trail in town. We have uber and lyft and the COTA circulator; personally I'm good! Who's "we"? I-270 cost billions. Do we need it? It doesn't produce a penny in income. Personally, I don't care about others' individual happiness. Actually I-270=commerce=income for our economy, so WRONG! What is "our" economy? If you think 1-270 is so great why won't you pay for it? It doesn't produce a penny in income. Not one penny. It's money loser. This I am still confused about, do you suggest that we make it a toll road? I pay taxes and I hope that's what some of that money is going towards is maintaining the roads so I can get back and forth to conduct business. Do you see where I'm going with this "our economy" thing? My economy and yours may be very different. What's good for you may be bad for me. The taxes you pay don't remotely cover the cost of the roads you use. If you can't pay for your own transportation, you'll have to adjust. I'm sick of subsidizing you. Why should the sales tax I pay on a dinner in Short North be spent on an expressway I never use? Explain to me your economy then? Do you never leave your home? Walk on a sidewalk? Ride a bus? Leave the city at all? Come to the city at all? DO SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST TROLL! I work in educational publishing. I don't need to leave home for my job. I-270 and sidewalks are very different things. I pay for my sidewalks, you don't pay for i-270. I don't need I-270 at all. What is "the city"?
April 8, 20187 yr We all know that really we are not going to get it. Just trying to be realistic here. We don't even have the 600,000 square feet of office space they will need almost immediately. We just are lacking in too many areas-why get our hopes up just to have them dashed. We can be happy to be in the top 20, to have them visit and say nice things-it will all be good for the city. But we will be at most a runner up, get some flowers and a peck on the cheek, and that is it. But I congratulate the city on making a decent proposal and doing the best it can. We need strong civic leadership. I miss Coleman, he was not only a mayor but a cheerleader and constant advocate for the city. Ummm the Scioto Peninsula says hello... They stated they need the 600,000 square feet almost immediately, not after two or three years of construction. So there is 600,000 square feet of office space just sitting there on the Scioto Peninsula? Well Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Peppers! I had no idea!!! lol ;) *the Scioto Peninsula (and parts of East Franklinton) would be great...for new buildings. Where is that office space they will need right away? Won't matter really since we won't get it ...just sayin'. Last I checked they weren't opening tomorrow... just sayin' This is what the RFD stated: "Initial Square Foot Requirement 500,000+ Sq. Ft. Phase I (2019)" So we are going to have half a million square feet available on the Scioto Peninsula in 2019? Really? Unless of course they can work around this...along with our transit issues and all of the other things they are asking for that we lack. I am rooting for (surprisingly enough) Atlanta. After that Chicago or one of the sites in the BosWash corridor.
April 8, 20187 yr We all know that really we are not going to get it. Just trying to be realistic here. We don't even have the 600,000 square feet of office space they will need almost immediately. We just are lacking in too many areas-why get our hopes up just to have them dashed. We can be happy to be in the top 20, to have them visit and say nice things-it will all be good for the city. But we will be at most a runner up, get some flowers and a peck on the cheek, and that is it. But I congratulate the city on making a decent proposal and doing the best it can. We need strong civic leadership. I miss Coleman, he was not only a mayor but a cheerleader and constant advocate for the city. Ummm the Scioto Peninsula says hello... They stated they need the 600,000 square feet almost immediately, not after two or three years of construction. So there is 600,000 square feet of office space just sitting there on the Scioto Peninsula? Well Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Peppers! I had no idea!!! lol ;) *the Scioto Peninsula (and parts of East Franklinton) would be great...for new buildings. Where is that office space they will need right away? Won't matter really since we won't get it ...just sayin'. Last I checked they weren't opening tomorrow... just sayin' This is what the RFD stated: "Initial Square Foot Requirement 500,000+ Sq. Ft. Phase I (2019)" So we are going to have half a million square feet available on the Scioto Peninsula in 2019? Really? Unless of course they can work around this...along with our transit issues and all of the other things they are asking for that we lack. I am rooting for (surprisingly enough) Atlanta. After that Chicago or one of the sites in the BosWash corridor. I would love it here but at the same time I'm nervous. If it happens by 2019 I would be surprised, I'd imagine that they would do it in phases regardless of where they're at. They could put some in the vacant buildings in Dublin and some of the open space in downtown until Scioto Peninsula came online.
April 8, 20187 yr We all know that really we are not going to get it. Just trying to be realistic here. We don't even have the 600,000 square feet of office space they will need almost immediately. We just are lacking in too many areas-why get our hopes up just to have them dashed. We can be happy to be in the top 20, to have them visit and say nice things-it will all be good for the city. But we will be at most a runner up, get some flowers and a peck on the cheek, and that is it. But I congratulate the city on making a decent proposal and doing the best it can. We need strong civic leadership. I miss Coleman, he was not only a mayor but a cheerleader and constant advocate for the city. Ummm the Scioto Peninsula says hello... They stated they need the 600,000 square feet almost immediately, not after two or three years of construction. So there is 600,000 square feet of office space just sitting there on the Scioto Peninsula? Well Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Peppers! I had no idea!!! lol ;) *the Scioto Peninsula (and parts of East Franklinton) would be great...for new buildings. Where is that office space they will need right away? Won't matter really since we won't get it ...just sayin'. Last I checked they weren't opening tomorrow... just sayin' This is what the RFD stated: "Initial Square Foot Requirement 500,000+ Sq. Ft. Phase I (2019)" So we are going to have half a million square feet available on the Scioto Peninsula in 2019? Really? Unless of course they can work around this...along with our transit issues and all of the other things they are asking for that we lack. I am rooting for (surprisingly enough) Atlanta. After that Chicago or one of the sites in the BosWash corridor. I would love it here but at the same time I'm nervous. If it happens by 2019 I would be surprised, I'd imagine that they would do it in phases regardless of where they're at. They could put some in the vacant buildings in Dublin and some of the open space in downtown until Scioto Peninsula came online. I am just waiting on my $100.00 payoff!!! lol ') I am NOT going to be eating a Kroger Bag. *I suppose they could also cobble together some downtown properties to get the half a million square feet sometime before the end of 2019 to be honest. I really am just sick of the whole thing and want one of the other cities to just get it and have it over with. Then we can learn from the experience and focus on getting other companies in (Amazon is not the only company in the World now is it?).
April 8, 20187 yr FYI toddguy and wpcc88: Those edits I made to the previous three replies didn't change any of your content. I just removed the double quotes in those replies. It was getting a little hard to follow! Please carry on.
April 10, 20187 yr We all know that really we are not going to get it. Just trying to be realistic here. We don't even have the 600,000 square feet of office space they will need almost immediately. We just are lacking in too many areas-why get our hopes up just to have them dashed. We can be happy to be in the top 20, to have them visit and say nice things-it will all be good for the city. But we will be at most a runner up, get some flowers and a peck on the cheek, and that is it. But I congratulate the city on making a decent proposal and doing the best it can. We need strong civic leadership. I miss Coleman, he was not only a mayor but a cheerleader and constant advocate for the city. Ummm the Scioto Peninsula says hello... They stated they need the 600,000 square feet almost immediately, not after two or three years of construction. So there is 600,000 square feet of office space just sitting there on the Scioto Peninsula? Well Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Peppers! I had no idea!!! lol ;) *the Scioto Peninsula (and parts of East Franklinton) would be great...for new buildings. Where is that office space they will need right away? Won't matter really since we won't get it ...just sayin'. Last I checked they weren't opening tomorrow... just sayin' This is what the RFD stated: "Initial Square Foot Requirement 500,000+ Sq. Ft. Phase I (2019)" So we are going to have half a million square feet available on the Scioto Peninsula in 2019? Really? Unless of course they can work around this...along with our transit issues and all of the other things they are asking for that we lack. I am rooting for (surprisingly enough) Atlanta. After that Chicago or one of the sites in the BosWash corridor. I would love it here but at the same time I'm nervous. If it happens by 2019 I would be surprised, I'd imagine that they would do it in phases regardless of where they're at. They could put some in the vacant buildings in Dublin and some of the open space in downtown until Scioto Peninsula came online. I am just waiting on my $100.00 payoff!!! lol ') I am NOT going to be eating a Kroger Bag. *I suppose they could also cobble together some downtown properties to get the half a million square feet sometime before the end of 2019 to be honest. I really am just sick of the whole thing and want one of the other cities to just get it and have it over with. Then we can learn from the experience and focus on getting other companies in (Amazon is not the only company in the World now is it?). Well we both can agree that we're over it and would just like to know one way or the other. And you're right Amazon isn't the end all be all, but it would be cool for our city to finally get the national and international attention that it deserves.
April 20, 20187 yr Not all the business news is positive. A large pharma facility in Columbus is a causality of a mega-merger: Express Scripts Inc. will close a Columbus facility and cut 456 jobs. By Tristan Navera – Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First Posted: April 10, 2018, 4:28pm The company (NASDAQ: ESRX) submitted a notice with the State of Ohio that it will close its West Side pharmacy at 255 Phillipi Road. Layoffs will begin June 10. The jobs include a number of technicians and pharmacists. Express Scripts is a pharmacy benefit management organization. Its services include network-pharmacy claims processing, pharmacy home delivery, formulary management and medical and drug data analysis services. The Columbus facility handles mail order pharmaceutical distribution, The news comes a month after Cigna Corp. announced it would buy St. Louis-based Express Scripts in a cash and stock deal valued at $67 billion. ... Express Scripts is among Central Ohio's largest employers with more than 1,800 workers, according to Columbus Business First research. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/04/10/express-scripts-to-close-columbus-site-lay-off-456.html
April 20, 20187 yr But the overall trend in Columbus and Central Ohio remains positive: http://www.dispatch.com/business/20180412/columbus-2020-says-it-is-nearing-job-creation-goal According to the economic development group Columbus 2020, Central Ohio has either reached or is nearing three goals set when Columbus 2020 was established in 2010: - - 150,000 new jobs in Central Ohio by 2020 - Capital Investment of $8 billion by 2020 - 30 percent increase in per-person income by 2020 According to Columbus 2020, the progress toward those goals is as follows: - - 144,718 new jobs added from 2010 through 2017. - The capital investment goal has been reached, with investment totaling $8.9 billion. - Per-person income has risen 24.4 percent, based on 2016 data, the most recent available.
April 25, 20187 yr This HQ2 study shows Central Ohio's tech scene is attractive to Amazon, others By Tristan Navera – Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First Updated: April 23, 2018, 5:19pm A recent study that examined Amazon's interest in tech jobs as an indication of where its HQ2 could go, put Columbus in the middle of the pack. Still, the study says the city has a leg up on many of its peers. New York-based data firm the Conference Board studied the likely job needs for Amazon's $5 billion second headquarters. ( . . . ) Columbus ended up sixth of 16 metro areas studied. ... This likely is because of Amazon's established local presence, including 15 data centers and several more fulfillment hubs ramping up in Columbus. The study also notes that Columbus already has a tech-focused economy and access to universities, making the area a lucrative place for other tech companies. While nearly all of the cities saw growth in the number of ads from Amazon, the numbers show where it's already amassing the kind of talent it would need. Four of five metros ahead of Central Ohio – New York, Washington, DC, Boston and Los Angeles – are much bigger in terms of population. The only exception is Austin, which is smaller, but came in one spot ahead of Columbus. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/04/23/this-hq2-study-shows-central-ohios-tech-scene-is.html
May 2, 20187 yr Columbus is one of four cities that "punch above their weight" in the size and impact of its internet sector, according to a new study from The Internet Association and National League of Cities: http://www.govtech.com/network/Columbus-Ohio-Recognized-as-Internet-Powerhouse.html
May 2, 20187 yr Cologix completes 160,000 sq ft data center in Columbus Denver-based colocation and interconnection provider Cologix has completed the first phase of its third data center in Columbus, Ohio. Situated on the same campus as the company’s first two facilities, an eight-acre parcel of land northeast of the Ohio State University Airport, the 160,000 square foot (14,864 sq m) data center will undergo several expansions, according to the company, which will happen organically in line with growing demand. Cologix started with a single facility in Columbus in 2013, and aquired adjacent land and Ohio-based DataCenter.BZ in 2014 to bolster its presence in the city. MORE: http://www.datacenterdynamics.com/content-tracks/design-build/cologix-completes-160000-sq-ft-data-center-in-%20%20columbus/99816.article
May 3, 20187 yr Columbus Startups to Watch Root Insurance - Personalized auto insurance using mobile technology and data science (founded 2015) Aver - Bundling healthcare payments and simplifying the reimbursement process (2010) Wiretap - Monitoring services for Enterprise Social Networks and collaboration tools such as Slack and Yammer (2014) Nikola Labs - Wireless power technology that converts radio frequency energy into direct current power (2014) PriorAuthNow - Simplifying prior authorization in healthcare with software to submit, monitor, and complete prior authorizations (2015) Myonexus Therapeutics - Formed out of Nationwide Children’s Hospital, clinical-stage biotech company developing gene therapies for limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (2017) SafeChain Financial - Uses blockchain technology to allow title offices, realtors, lenders and consumers to complete real estate transactions securely (2016) Updox - Care coordination and customer relationship management for healthcare providers and partners (2009) MORE: https://www.columbusnavigator.com/columbus-startups-to-watch/
May 4, 20187 yr https://smartasset.com/mortgage/the-best-cities-for-new-college-grads-in-2018 The above linked article examined 10 metrics that might appeal to new college graduates entering the job market. SmartAsset looked at 10 metrics across three categories: jobs, fun and affordability. To measure a city’s job score, they looked at overall unemployment rates, unemployment rates for those with a bachelor’s degree, average earnings for college graduates and the number of job listings on Indeed. For affordability, they looked at cost of living and monthly median rent costs. To measure fun, they looked at the concentration of entertainment and dining establishments, population aged between 20 and 29, the average rating for bars in the area and the average rating for restaurants in the area. - Columbus topped the list for 2018 - after finishing second in 2017. - - Cincinnati finished second in 2018 - after topping the list in 2017.
May 4, 20187 yr Marketing agencies combine to form Columbus' largest office By Dan Eaton – Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First Updated: April 30, 2018, 5:10pm Two of Columbus’ largest marketing agencies are joining forces. Fahlgren Mortine and SBC Advertising is now Fahlgren Mortine SBC. The two Central Ohio-based firms are owned by Memphis, Tennessee-based Eastport Holdings. The company acquired SBC in 2012 and Fahlgren Mortine this year. ( . . . ) Fahlgren Mortine had 153 Central Ohio employees as of last summer, prior to the acquisition by Eastport, while SBC had 110. The company declined to put a number on its current local employment, but did say, "Staffing levels have been adjusted to accommodate the combined company’s client service requirements. Collectively, the combined entity has a greater number of employees than either did separately." It did say that the two firms will consolidate into one office space with those details to be worked out in the next few months. Fahlgren Mortine is housed at Easton Town Center while SBC has an office in the Arena District. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/04/30/marketing-agencies-combine-to-form-columbus.html
May 7, 20187 yr Coworking office spaces has been a growing trend lately. These coworking spaces lease to individuals either starting up a business or participating in the "gig economy". Here is a rundown of some of the new coworking spaces planned for or opening in Columbus and Central Ohio: -- New Coworking Spaces Opening in Short North, Upper Arlington and 5xNW - In 2017, Serendipity Labs opened in the second floor of the Fifth Third Building; Haven Collective opened along Riverside Drive in Upper Arlington; and The Hive opened in conjunction with a church in the Fifth by Northwest neighborhood that focused on parents needing childcare while working. -- Coworking space opens at Bridge Park in Dublin - Brick House Blue opened a 9,000 square foot coworking space on January 2, 2018 in the burgeoning Bridge Park 21st-century urban development in Dublin. -- Take a look inside April Zimmerman Katz's Dublin Road co-working space - The most ambitious new coworking space might be the new Versa 37,000 square foot space located at 1201 Dublin Road. This one was started by the wife of the local developer who renovated the Buggyworks in the Arena District.
May 7, 20187 yr Relevant to some conversations about city leadership in Ohio cities, but on topic for this thread: http://go.columbusregion.com/webmail/185592/1049624068/63aab0cffac808dfbbc9e7a95a6e4185a9fb1eab38b6b5d0c6e470500caa95b3 "Keeping – or at least, trying to keep – the status quo in your local economy has never been so costly. There is a high price to pay for not dislodging the way we educate and train a ready workforce, move citizens to and from the workplace, plan and build housing, and deliver economic development services. The Great Recession did dislodge many of these ideas, but the gravitational pull back to old ways is constant and compelling. It would be easy for community developers, city and regional planners, workforce partners, and business attraction groups to go back to staying in their lanes and out of each other’s business. Or, we can forge ahead to define a new era of collaboration and innovation, to grow our local and regional economies in ways that lift more people and create advantage for our entire country. We can resource local, regional, state and national economic development teams with funds to compete. And we can support the training of a diverse new group of professionals that will look more like the citizens it serves." -Kenny McDonald
May 8, 20187 yr Startup Week Columbus headliners to include Mark Kvamme, Grote family Venture capitalist Mark Kvamme and siblings Jane Grote Abell and Tom Grote of the founding Donatos Pizzeria family headline this year's Startup Week Columbus in a schedule again interspersed with first-person entrepreneur stories and how-to sessions. The week-long celebration of entrepreneurship and small business again offers tracks for different industries and goals, fashion or technology, finding funding or business 101. The conference runs May 7-11. Events are free, mostly at Vue Columbus, 95 Liberty Street in the Brewery District. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/04/27/startup-week-columbus-headliners-to-include-mark.html
May 8, 20187 yr Columbus Startup Week: Kvamme urges Columbus to seize coming AI revolution Venture capitalist Mark Kvamme, cofounder of Drive Capital LLC, who's a California native, witnessed the advent of the first three “waves” of computing power – the first room-filling mainframe computers, the personal computer then the “constantly connected consumer” world of social media and smartphones. Up next is the fourth leap in evolution: Building artificial intelligence to automate tasks today thought exclusive to the human brain – like accounting. “I was fortunate to see what happened in the 1990s in Silicon Valley,” Kvamme said Monday to kick off Columbus Startup Week 2018. “The fourth wave is why I moved to Columbus, Ohio.” (Well, it’s why he stayed. He first came because his buddy, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, asked him to head JobsOhio.) Kvamme delivered the first keynote of Columbus’ fourth Techstars Startup Week, a weeklong free entrepreneurial conference held in dozens of cities nationwide. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/05/07/columbus-startup-week-kvamme-urges-columbus-to.html
May 15, 20187 yr Office complex with Safelite HQ, Farmers Insurance sells A Canadian investor with a penchant for real estate in North Columbus has made another substantial buy. An affiliate of IMC Real Estate Management, purchased an office complex that includes 2400 and 2500 Farmers Dr. for $22.275 million. The two five-story buildings total 323,559 square feet and are 97 percent occupied. The buildings were constructed in 1983 in the Sawmill Corporate Center along I-270 near Dublin. The 2400 building, also known as 7400 Safelife Way, is 182,487 square feet and is and anchored by Safelite Group Inc. Next to it, 2500 Farmers Way is anchored by Safelite, Farmers Insurance Co. and Gosh Enterprises Inc., the company that owns the Charley's Grilled Subs brand. In an email, Safelite spokeswoman Keriake Lucas said the company isn't looking to relocate. 7400 Safelite Way is the headquarters for the $1.62 billion vehicle glass repair and replacement firm, the fifth largest private company in Central Ohio. It has 1,920 employees in Central Ohio and 12,611 globally, according to the 2017-2018 Columbus Business First Book of Lists. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/04/30/exclusive-office-complex-with-safelite-hq-farmers.html
May 15, 20187 yr A couple of business HQ relocations in Central Ohio: -- Red Roof Inn is moving its corporate headquarters and 150 employees from the Brewery District to New Albany. The hotel chain has had its corporate HQ located in two Brewery District buildings for the past ten years after relocating from its previous I-270 location in Hilliard that built by the company founder. Red Roof Inn signed an eight-and-a-half-year lease for all 43,000 square feet of the Water's Edge III building, located at 7815 Walton Parkway in New Albany. The company expects to add 35 employees in the new location: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/03/14/after-considering-texas-red-roof-inn-moving-its.html -- Feazel Roofing is moving from Westerville to New Albany, where it will build a new 24,500 square foot headquarters. Feazel plans to expand from 50 to 75 employees as part of the move: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/04/30/exclusive-feazel-roofing-to-build-new-headquarters.html
May 15, 20187 yr Another Amazon fulfillment center is coming to Central Ohio! This would be the fourth major sorting center in Central Ohio for Amazon. The two main fulfillment centers are east of Columbus in Etna and south of Columbus in Obetz near Rickenbacker Airport. A third, smaller center that focuses on the company's one-hour delivery service is located in west Columbus. All combined, they provide 4,500 jobs (well above the company's initial commitment of 2,000 for Central Ohio). Those are in addition to three data centers built in Central Ohio by its technology affiliate, Vadata. These three data centers created 120 jobs in a $1.1 billion investment. Amazon has said they plan to build up to 15 data centers in Central Ohio. Amazon wants to build fourth fulfillment center here, add 1,500 jobs By Tristan Navera – Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First Posted: May 14, 2018, 5:01pm EDT Amazon is planning to build a sorting facility in West Jefferson, creating 1,500 full-time jobs. The online retail giant intends to build an 855,000-square-foot sorting facility at 1550 W. Main Street in the Park 70 at West Jefferson development. According to Amazon, the facility would open by late 2019. Duke Realty, which has developed the existing warehouses on that site, would develop this one as well, according to documents submitted to the state. ... The development would be a substantial addition to the warehouse park. It was recently announced that Duke had sold four existing buildings in the park just to the north – 3.8 million square feet – in a $232.5 million deal to Toronto-based Granite Real Estate Investment Trust. The sale of the buildings to Granite likely will free up capital for Duke to reinvest in building this new distribution center. This has been a long-term strategy for the developer as it seeks to finance huge warehouse projects as e-commerce drives a boom in demand. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/05/14/amazon-wants-to-build-fourth-fulfillment-center.html
May 15, 20187 yr More about the Amazon fulfillment center announcement from the Dispatch: http://www.dispatch.com/business/20180514/amazon-to-build-distribution-site-in-west-jefferson-add-1500-jobs The Dispatch article notes that this announcement comes as Seattle-based Amazon says it is still researching sites for their HQ2 second headquarters project. Columbus is one of 20 finalists for the HQ2 project that promises 50,000 jobs and a $5 billion investment. In the article, it is said that Amazon is expected to announce the winner this year. There's been some speculation here at UO as to whether this fulfillment center announcement is good news, bad news or no effect for the Columbus HQ2 bid - (in the Madison County projects thread at https://www.urbanohio.com/forum/index.php/topic,5521.msg913187.html#msg9131870.
May 17, 20187 yr http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/16/technology/amazon-hq2-arlington-texas/index.html Texas city (Arlington) reveals why it lost Amazon HQ2 bid "I think they're looking for a more advanced urban setting," Mayor Jeff Williams told CNNMoney. Very Stable Genius
May 19, 20187 yr Digital auto insurer Root to move to Columbus Commons, add 460 jobs By Carrie Ghose – Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First Updated: May 18, 2018, 5:25pm Root Insurance Co. plans to grow to nearly 550 employees and is moving its headquarters to the '80 on the Commons' mixed-use building under construction alongside downtown's Columbus Commons Park, according to City Council documents. Just over two years old, the Columbus auto insurer offers paperless signup and management of a policy through a mobile app, which also measures driving habits so only safe drivers can enroll. The company sells online, eschewing agents, and its data-driven model results in big discounts on premiums. Root in March closed a $51 million venture capital round led by Redpoint Ventures, along with Scale Venture Partners and returning investors Ribbit Capital and Silicon Valley Bank Capital Partners, all in the San Francisco and Silicon Valley region. The company has "unicorn potential" – tech slang for greater than $1 billion in value – to grab a sizable portion of the $220 billion auto insurance market The company plans to lease 65,000 square feet in the 12-story office, retail and apartment building under construction at 80 E. Rich Street, with a goal to move in October. ... As of March, Root had 85 employees at 34 W. Gay Street. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/05/18/digital-auto-insurer-root-to-move-to-columbus.html
May 19, 20187 yr The Dispatch is reporting that next Monday’s meeting of the Ohio Tax Credit Authority will have seven Central Ohio projects on the agenda that are projected to add nearly 3,000 jobs: http://www.dispatch.com/business/20180518/central-ohio-due-for-3000-more-jobs-including-from-root-insurance-dollar-tree Half of those projected new jobs are for the previously reported fourth Amazon distribution center for Central Ohio that will add 1,500 jobs by the end of 2019. The next biggest job creator on the agenda is for the rapidly-growing internet-only auto insurer Root Insurance to add 460 jobs in Downtown Columbus (see the previous post). The next largest project is a Dollar Tree distribution center planned along I-71 in Morrow County that would create 400 jobs. Projects in Delaware County, Groveport/Obetz, Grove City and Dublin round out the Central Ohio projects on the Tax Credit Authority's agenda.
May 21, 20187 yr Came across these two venture capital funding stories from a recent Columbus Business First morning roundup: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/05/17/cbf-morning-run-losing-sleep-over-amazon-and-the.html Raising big bucks (Part 1) PriorAuthNow Inc. – a fast-growing startup that automates the laborious, complex process of obtaining “prior authorization” from insurers to cover a test or procedure – has closed on $10.57 million in funding led by a venture capital firm that's new to investing in Central Ohio. Atlanta-based BIP Capital led the round, with participation from Columbus-based NCT Ventures and Dan Gilbert's Detroit Venture Partners, who are re-upping from a $3.6 million round they led just last August. More about this in a pay-walled story from Business First: - Inside the deal: How a hospital executive's VC connection led to a $10.6M Series A round for PriorAuthNow
May 21, 20187 yr Raising big bucks (Part 2) Beam Dental has raised $22.5 million in a round led by Kleiner Perkins, one of the oldest and largest Silicon Valley venture capital firms. This Columbus tech company that pairs dental insurance with an internet-connected toothbrush also announced Wednesday that it's opened a new headquarters and plans to create 75 jobs over three years. Beam had incubated in Drive Capital's Columbus office located in the Short North since the VC firm moved it from Louisville in 2014. In April 2018, it moved to 266 N. Fourth Street in Downtown Columbus. It has nearly 40 employees today in Columbus and at a Dayton toothbrush factory. More about this in a non pay-walled story from Business First: - Beam Dental raises $22.5M from Kleiner Perkins, opening new Columbus HQ
May 24, 20187 yr Chipotle bringing jobs to Columbus as it moves its corporate headquarters Of all the changes Chipotle Mexican Grill is making, this is by far the biggest: The company is bailing out of Denver 24 years after its founding in the city. Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol, hired this year to replace chain founder Steve Ells in the day-to-day running of the company, announced Wednesday that the company will relocate its headquarters to Newport Beach, California, with other corporate functions moving to an existing office in Columbus. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/05/23/chipotle-bringing-jobs-to-columbus-as-it-moves-its.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 24, 20187 yr Chipotle bringing jobs to Columbus as it moves its corporate headquarters Of all the changes Chipotle Mexican Grill is making, this is by far the biggest: The company is bailing out of Denver 24 years after its founding in the city. Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol, hired this year to replace chain founder Steve Ells in the day-to-day running of the company, announced Wednesday that the company will relocate its headquarters to Newport Beach, California, with other corporate functions moving to an existing office in Columbus. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/05/23/chipotle-bringing-jobs-to-columbus-as-it-moves-its.html Bad news for Denver. Good news for Newport Beach and Columbus. But honestly, my biggest takeaway from this news was "There's a Chipotle corporate office in Columbus?" Yes there is! It's located in a Polaris office building next to the Polaris Hilton and across the street from the Polaris Mall. And it already employs 100 people. With these relocations 150 new employees will be added to that Polaris office. According to this pay-walled article - https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/05/23/heres-whats-likely-behind-chipotles-decision-to.html - the new CEO of Chipotle (who was previously CEO of Taco Bell) is from Southern California and “this would appear to be about Brian Niccol and the recruiting of him and hiring him,” said Dave Henkes, a senior principal at Chicago-area restaurant analytics and consulting firm Technomic. “It was probably included as a condition in his deal.” According to the local article on this, the Newport Beach location will serve as the headquarters for the company's operations, business development, marketing, communications, finance, supply chain, food safety, technology, HR and other corporate functions. The Columbus office at Polaris will have "support functions" for Chipotle. They didn't enumerate what those support functions were, but did report that Chipotle is advertising jobs for accountants at their Polaris location.
May 24, 20187 yr I went past ParkWest in West Jeff today and they are digging up the entire stretch north of 40 from the Ace Warehouse east all the way to 29. Must be for the new Amazon place. Earthmoving equipment and digging everywhere all of a sudden.
May 24, 20187 yr I went past ParkWest in West Jeff today and they are digging up the entire stretch north of 40 from the Ace Warehouse east all the way to 29. Must be for the new Amazon place. Earthmoving equipment and digging everywhere all of a sudden. That was fast!
May 24, 20187 yr I went past ParkWest in West Jeff today and they are digging up the entire stretch north of 40 from the Ace Warehouse east all the way to 29. Must be for the new Amazon place. Earthmoving equipment and digging everywhere all of a sudden. That was fast! I am pretty sure that has to be it. It is the right address and they have the entire parcel (about a quarter mile depth and about half a mile along 40) fenced off with orange tape stuff and all kinds of earth moving equipment tearing it all up from one end to the other. I was surprised myself.
May 30, 20187 yr Columbus 2020, the economic development organization for the Columbus/Central Ohio region, announced that they have met the second of three goals the organization set for the region in 2010. In 2010, Columbus 2020 set goals of adding 150,000 jobs by 2020, along with capital investment of $8 billion and a 30 percent increase in income per person. Today, they announced that the region has added 159,000 jobs since 2010. In previous press releases, Columbus 2020 announced capital investment had reached $8.7 billion (reaching the $8 billion goal) and that income per person had grown 24.4 percent (below the 30 percent goal): http://www.dispatch.com/business/20180530/central-ohio-surpasses-2020-job-growth-goal-2-years-early https://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-region-has-added-150000-jobs-since-2010-we1
May 30, 20187 yr UPS adding 600 jobs to the westside on Trabue road. http://www.dispatch.com/business/20180530/ups-to-add-600-jobs-in-central-ohio
June 6, 20187 yr This was posted yesterday in the Westerville development thread: https://www.urbanohio.com/forum/index.php/topic,4435.msg917691.html#msg917691 DHL buys land to build headquarters "Westerville’s investment in Westar Place has brought the city another new tenant, this time in the form of a new headquarters for a Fortune 500 company. At its May 15 meeting, Westerville City Council approved a purchase agreement with Hyperion Properties for a 10.1-acre parcel of Westar Place that sits across the lake from the newly opened Renaissance Marriott Hotel, 409 Altair Parkway. According to City Manager David Collinsworth, Hyperion is the real-estate subsidiary of German logistics company DHL, which plans to use the space for a 145,000-square-foot, 4-story facility, worth $20 million, that will be its new North and South American headquarters. Collinsworth said DHL is already a “major employer” in Westerville, thanks to its location at 570 Polaris Parkway that employs 630 people. When construction of the new facility is complete, Colllinsworth said, DHL will move its operation to Westar Place." http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20180529/dhl-buys-land-to-build-headquarters Just when you think you know everything about Central Ohio, you learn that Chipotle has a corporate office in Polaris and that DHL is a major employer in Westerville! Congrats to Westerville (and Central Ohio) on getting the new North and South American headquarters for DHL!!!
June 6, 20187 yr This was posted yesterday in the Westerville development thread: https://www.urbanohio.com/forum/index.php/topic,4435.msg917691.html#msg917691 DHL buys land to build headquarters "Westerville’s investment in Westar Place has brought the city another new tenant, this time in the form of a new headquarters for a Fortune 500 company. At its May 15 meeting, Westerville City Council approved a purchase agreement with Hyperion Properties for a 10.1-acre parcel of Westar Place that sits across the lake from the newly opened Renaissance Marriott Hotel, 409 Altair Parkway. According to City Manager David Collinsworth, Hyperion is the real-estate subsidiary of German logistics company DHL, which plans to use the space for a 145,000-square-foot, 4-story facility, worth $20 million, that will be its new North and South American headquarters. Collinsworth said DHL is already a “major employer” in Westerville, thanks to its location at 570 Polaris Parkway that employs 630 people. When construction of the new facility is complete, Colllinsworth said, DHL will move its operation to Westar Place." http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20180529/dhl-buys-land-to-build-headquarters Just when you think you know everything about Central Ohio, you learn that Chipotle has a corporate office in Polaris and that DHL is a major employer in Westerville! Congrats to Westerville (and Central Ohio) on getting the new North and South American headquarters for DHL!!! DHL is GREAT news! Chipotle has had a pretty significant presence here for quite a while, over a decade at least. Still great to see that we were chosen to receive the additional jobs.
June 6, 20187 yr Yeah, didn't know that about DHL. That is awesome news for the region. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 7, 20187 yr This was posted yesterday in the Westerville development thread: https://www.urbanohio.com/forum/index.php/topic,4435.msg917691.html#msg917691 DHL buys land to build headquarters "Westerville’s investment in Westar Place has brought the city another new tenant, this time in the form of a new headquarters for a Fortune 500 company. At its May 15 meeting, Westerville City Council approved a purchase agreement with Hyperion Properties for a 10.1-acre parcel of Westar Place that sits across the lake from the newly opened Renaissance Marriott Hotel, 409 Altair Parkway. According to City Manager David Collinsworth, Hyperion is the real-estate subsidiary of German logistics company DHL, which plans to use the space for a 145,000-square-foot, 4-story facility, worth $20 million, that will be its new North and South American headquarters. Collinsworth said DHL is already a “major employer” in Westerville, thanks to its location at 570 Polaris Parkway that employs 630 people. When construction of the new facility is complete, Colllinsworth said, DHL will move its operation to Westar Place." http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20180529/dhl-buys-land-to-build-headquarters Just when you think you know everything about Central Ohio, you learn that Chipotle has a corporate office in Polaris and that DHL is a major employer in Westerville! Congrats to Westerville (and Central Ohio) on getting the new North and South American headquarters for DHL!!! I took a trip through Westerville on Google streetview. I am surprised at how many large, newer office buildings there are and I was really pleasantly surprised by the beautiful, intact, historic downtown. I thought I knew all of the nice little downtowns in the Columbus reigon, but I somehow missed that one. Westerville looks very livable.
June 8, 20187 yr I took a trip through Westerville on Google streetview. I am surprised at how many large, newer office buildings there are and I was really pleasantly surprised by the beautiful, intact, historic downtown. I thought I knew all of the nice little downtowns in the Columbus reigon, but I somehow missed that one. Westerville looks very livable. Westerville does seem like one of most livable suburbs in Central Ohio. Although Worthington and Dublin are also quite livable, as well as the inner-city municipalities of Upper Arlington, Grandview Heights and Bexley. Those larger newer office buildings are Westerville's portion of the Polaris-area development. Which is good for the city's tax base. But Westerville's historic downtown along State Street is a surprising gem. There's even a small 2700-student college - Otterbein University - located a few blocks to the west, which contributes to Westerville's overall vitality.
June 20, 20186 yr CoverMyMeds proposes 1,000 new HQ jobs for Columbus in return for tax deal "Prescription software firm CoverMyMeds plans to add 1,000 new jobs to Columbus that pay a median $60,000 a year and lease a proposed new $100-million, 200,000-square-foot headquarters near Downtown, representatives told the Columbus Board of Education Tuesday evening. CoverMyMeds currently is negotiating a 10- to 15-year lease on the new building, which would be located at the Orange Barrel Media site near where Rt. 315 corsses [sic] Interstate 670 on the Scioto River west of Downtown, said John Lenio, a site-relocation consultant with CBRE Group, Inc." http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180619/covermymeds-proposes-1000-new-hq-jobs-for-columbus-in-return-for-tax-deal Would be a huge development. Wonder if this was the deal that fell through for Buckingham's Scioto Peninsula plans?
June 20, 20186 yr On 6/20/2018 at 12:29 PM, aderwent said: CoverMyMeds proposes 1,000 new HQ jobs for Columbus in return for tax deal "Prescription software firm CoverMyMeds plans to add 1,000 new jobs to Columbus that pay a median $60,000 a year and lease a proposed new $100-million, 200,000-square-foot headquarters near Downtown, representatives told the Columbus Board of Education Tuesday evening. CoverMyMeds currently is negotiating a 10- to 15-year lease on the new building, which would be located at the Orange Barrel Media site near where Rt. 315 corsses [sic] Interstate 670 on the Scioto River west of Downtown, said John Lenio, a site-relocation consultant with CBRE Group, Inc." http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180619/covermymeds-proposes-1000-new-hq-jobs-for-columbus-in-return-for-tax-deal Would be a huge development. Wonder if this was the deal that fell through for Buckingham's Scioto Peninsula plans? Things That Make You Go Hmmmm.... Oh no! 90's flashback!
June 21, 20186 yr More about this big CoverMyMeds HQ project news (cross-posted from the Columbus: Franklinton thread): Another big project proposed for Franklinton - but this one is in a surprising location. Or maybe not, if you know the background story. CoverMyMeds launched in 2010 as a startup business in Columbus. CoverMyMeds automates the process of obtaining prior authorization from insurers for certain prescriptions – eliminating faxes, long waits and multiple attempts that often caused frustrated patients to abandon the prescription. The company doubled every year since and was acquired by health distributor McKesson Corp. in 2017 for $1.1 billion. CoverMyMeds currently has 500 employees located in 132,000 square feet of the Two Miranova office tower in Downtown Columbus. But they have plans for greater growth in future. Their growth plans require needing 400,000 square feet of office space. This week they announced they would like to build that office space near the Orange Barrel Media HQ southeast of I-670 and north of McKinley Avenue. In a presentation to the school board, the company said the first phase of the project would be 200,000 square feet and would open in 2021 and second phase of another 200,000 square feet would open between 2022 and 2024. That proposed location actually makes alot a sense if you know the principals behind CoverMyMeds and Orange Barrel Media. CoverMyMeds founder Matt Scantland was retained as the company's CEO after the McKesson acquisition. The founder and CEO of Orange Barrel Media is Matt's brother, Pete Scantland - who also owns the property that the proposed CoverMyMeds HQ would be built on: http://www.dispatch.com/business/20180620/covermymeds-eyes-franklinton-site-for-expansion-project More about the CoverMyMeds HQ proposal from https://www.columbusunderground.com/opinion-covermymeds-should-cover-their-taxes-ae1 This is a conceptual rendering and site plan that CoverMyMeds presented to the school board: https://www.ccsoh.us/cms/lib/OH01913306/Centricity/Domain/4/Presentation%20for%20Schools%2006-18-18b.pdf This is an aerial view of the proposed CoverMyMeds HQ site next to the existing Orange Barrel Media HQ. I've hi-lighted where it looks like the CoverMyMeds HQ would be built:
June 21, 20186 yr CoverMyMeds proposes 1,000 new HQ jobs for Columbus in return for tax deal "Prescription software firm CoverMyMeds plans to add 1,000 new jobs to Columbus that pay a median $60,000 a year and lease a proposed new $100-million, 200,000-square-foot headquarters near Downtown, representatives told the Columbus Board of Education Tuesday evening. CoverMyMeds currently is negotiating a 10- to 15-year lease on the new building, which would be located at the Orange Barrel Media site near where Rt. 315 corsses [sic] Interstate 670 on the Scioto River west of Downtown, said John Lenio, a site-relocation consultant with CBRE Group, Inc." http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180619/covermymeds-proposes-1000-new-hq-jobs-for-columbus-in-return-for-tax-deal Would be a huge development. Wonder if this was the deal that fell through for Buckingham's Scioto Peninsula plans? If it is the reason, maybe we should give them the abatement just for helping to get rid of Buckingham lol. Also I bet they would not have wanted to go very vertical given their plan for the Franklinton site if they were the deal that fell through.
June 28, 20186 yr Hmmm... Amazon plans Thursday announcement for Columbus — but it’s not about HQ2 Amazon has confirmed that it plans an announcement Thursday that involves the Columbus region. The company won’t say what it is, other than it does not involve the Seattle-based retailer’s plan to develop a second headquarters. http://www.dispatch.com/business/20180627/amazon-plans-thursday-announcement-for-columbus---but-its-not-about-hq2
June 29, 20186 yr Hmmm... Amazon plans Thursday announcement for Columbus — but it’s not about HQ2 Amazon has confirmed that it plans an announcement Thursday that involves the Columbus region. The company won’t say what it is, other than it does not involve the Seattle-based retailer’s plan to develop a second headquarters. http://www.dispatch.com/business/20180627/amazon-plans-thursday-announcement-for-columbus---but-its-not-about-hq2 I guess it was this. Amazon announced a new program that lets entrepreneurs around the country start businesses that deliver Amazon packages: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/06/28/amazon-encourages-entrepreneurs-to-build-logistics.html http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180628/amazon-kroger-focus-on-delivery
June 29, 20186 yr http://www.dispatch.com/business/20180625/ace-expansion-new-aep-data-center-among-projects-to-create-139-jobs-in-central-ohio -- Ace Hardware plans to expand its four-year-old distribution center in West Jefferson by 309,000 square feet. The expansion project would create 72 additional jobs. -- American Electric Power plans to invest $130 million to build a data center in Groveport that will serve as a backup to its data center in New Albany. AEP will hire 17 workers with an annual payroll of $2.2 million as part of the project along with 25 contractors. -- Technology company Smartrac Technology Fletcher, based in the Netherlands, plans to create 30 jobs in Central Ohio as part of a new operation that it is setting up here at a yet-to-be-determined site. The company develops and manufacturers radio-frequency identification products, software and products for the internet.
July 2, 20186 yr Schools OK tax break for CoverMyMeds HQ in exchange for income tax sharing By Carrie Ghose – Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First Posted: June 30, 2018 - 11:37am CoverMyMeds took a step closer to building a corporate campus and bringing 1,600 tech jobs to west Franklinton under a tax-sharing deal Columbus City Schools approved on Friday. The district would collect $9.5 million to $20 million over 15 years in lieu of property taxes. A construction company and undeveloped land there now would pay less than $500,000 in property taxes over 15 years. City schools had to sign off on the final five years of a 15-year, 100 percent abatement of property taxes, which would be more than $5 million a year once the abatement expires in 2036. CoverMyMeds also will create co-op programs, scholarships and other tech-training programs for district high school students. Under the revenue sharing, the city sends half of its 2 percent withholding collections on net new jobs to the schools. CoverMyMeds hopes to add more than 1,000 new jobs and keep nearly 600. The new jobs would have payroll of about $75 million, for $750,000 each in new taxes to the city and schools for the first 10 years. ... The abatement goes next to City Council, which next meets on July 16 and July 23. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/06/30/schools-ok-tax-break-for-covermymeds-hq-in.html
July 2, 20186 yr Business First examined seven companies whose incentive agreements for moving into Downtown Columbus expired in 2017 and asked how they did. The answer is, pretty good. Four of the seven companies met or exceeded jobs their creation goals. Taken as a total, the companies created 219 more new jobs than they promised – however that was largely because CoverMyMeds exceeded their job creation target of 111 new jobs by 343 for 454 new jobs at their 2 Miranova Place offices. By the numbers: How companies receiving downtown office incentives did on job creation targets (slideshow) -- https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/07/02/by-the-numbers-how-companies-receiving-downtown.html
July 19, 20186 yr In "heh" news... Mark Wahlberg – yes, that Mark Wahlberg – is buying Bobby Layman Chevrolet Actor Mark Wahlberg and a Michigan partner are purchasing Bobby Layman Chevrolet on the city's west side. Wahlberg and Jay Feldman, who owns eight Chevrolet dealerships in middle and southern Michigan, plan to launch their first car dealership here and call it Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet. Its website went live this afternoon. Feldman had announced plans to purchase the Bobby Layman Chevrolet at 3900 W. Broad St. in March, but Wahlberg's involvement was revealed Thursday afternoon in a release. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/07/19/mark-wahlberg-yes-that-mark-wahlberg-is-buying.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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