Terraces will go up on High

Several floors of condominiums are in works at Weber corner.

By KATHLEEN L. RADCLIFF

Published: Thursday, November 1, 2007 3:20 PM EDT

 

If the Walhalla Development Group has its way, and the weather cooperates, Clintonville residents can expect to see the Terraces on Walhalla rise up out of the hole in the ground at the corner of Weber and High next year.  The development is the first of its kind on the southern border of Clintonville, Real Living HER spokeswoman Chelsea Hamilton said in an information release.  The project will consist of 20 one-, two- and three-bedroom units, ranging from 1,000 to 1,750 square feet, and are priced from $199,000.

 

In a narrow 5-4 vote May 3, Clintonville Area Commissioners said "No" to approving a recommendation for a 45-foot height variance for the project, as opposed to the normal limit of 35 feet for the neighborhood.  However, Columbus City Council's Development Commission unanimously approved the project early this summer, including the 10-foot height variance, Hanks said.

 

Read more at http://www.snponline.com/articles/2007/11/02/the_booster/news/boterraces_20071029_0435pm_3.txt

Pretty interesting residential development project. 

 

That's funny about the Clintonville Area Commission voting against the 10 foot height variance.  Is there any development that Clintonville is ever supportive of?  They are the definition of NIMBY. 

I like it.

Plus, you get to tell people you live at Valhalla if you say it in a German accent!

Clintonville: We like to pretend we're progressive, but we live like republicans.

This project looks decent, sort of bland IMO but I like alot of decoration.  Is anyone else worried that sidewalks seem to be continously shrinking even though Columbus is attempting to build more units like this one.

good eye polis --- honey they shrunk the sidewalk!

 

i'm guessing that's just an awkward rendering and it wont really be that bad.

I just noticed the Isuzu Amigo (black SUV on High) in the rendering. Those were made back when SUVs were small, efficient, actually good off-road due to their small size and made purely for fun. Oh, how things have changed.

 

edit: called a rendering a photo

We may want to scratch this project off the list (for now):

 

3-Alarm Fire Shuts Down High Street

By Donna Willis, Web Content Coordinator

Published: December 22, 2008

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio—A three-alarm fire lit up the early morning sky Monday morning and closed a few main roads.  The fire on North High Street and East Weber Road on the city’s near North Side was contained close to 5:40 a.m., according to officials.  Officials said the building was a condominium complex that was under construction.

 

The fire was called into Columbus fire around 4:30 a.m.  Fire crews had to battle the elements in addition to the flames. Brockman said the water practically turned to ice on contact.

 

North High Street remained closed between between East California Street and East Kelso Road. Weber Road also is closed between North High Street and East Avenue.  No one was hurt, and the cause remained unclear currently.

 

Stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for the latest information in this developing story.

 

http://www.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/local/article/3-alarm_fire_shuts_down_high_street/10949/

Most certainly a set back for the project.  I live only a few blocks away.  Wouldn't surprise me that it may have been caused by a homeless person trying to stay warm... as cold as it was last night.  And it was (by my observation) not a particularly secure construction site.

 

Here's another story from a local TV station.

 

Firefighters Battle Flames, Subzero Wind Chills

Monday,  December 22, 2008 4:39 AM

Updated: Monday,  December 22, 2008 7:09 AM

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A fire at a construction site forced the closure of a portion of North High Street in Clintonville early Monday.  The fire at a three-story condominium complex that was under construction on North High Street and Weber Road was reported around 4:30 a.m., 10TV's Tino Ramos reported.

 

Smoke and flames could be seen from several miles away. There were fuel tanks inside the building, causing several explosions, Ramos reported. Several utility poles caught fire, and power service was cut to several homes in Clintonville. American Electric Power crews were called.

 

Firefighters doused the structure with water and were able to contain the blaze by about 5:30 a.m.  No one was inside the newly constructed building when the fire began.  Arson investigators were called, but firefighters did not suspect that the blaze was suspicious, Ramos reported.

 

In addition to the flames, firefighters struggled with icy conditions and single-digit temperatures, 10TV's Patrick Bell reported.  Salt crews were called to the scene after water used to fight the fire froze into thick sheets of ice on the street.  The Columbus Division of Fire's Box 15 truck was at the scene to provide firefighters with coffee and hot chocolate, Bell reported. A COTA bus responded to the scene to provide a place where firefighters could keep warm as wind chills reached -20 degrees.

 

A four-block area north and south of the intersection of North High Street and Weber Road was closed to traffic.  Drivers can use Indianola Avenue and Calumet Street or Arcadia Avenue and North Broadway Street as alternative routes, 10TV News reported.

 

Slide show of images from the fire:

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/12/22/slideshow_fire.html

 

YIKES!  Exploding fuel tanks!  So that's why North High was closed this morning!

 

Most certainly a set back for the project.  I live only a few blocks away.  Wouldn't surprise me that it may have been caused by a homeless person trying to stay warm... as cold as it was last night.  And it was (by my observation) not a particularly secure construction site.

Agreed.

Some photos from the Columbus Dispatch:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/12/22/clintonville_fire.html?sid=101

Investigation under way in condo fire

Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - 2:48 PM

By JENNIFER NESBITT, ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

Officials said finding a cause for the fire that caused heavy destruction to a condominium development will take days, thanks to frigid temperatures.  Firefighters responded just before 4:30 a.m. Monday to fire reports at the corner of Weber Road and North High Street at Walhalla Terrace, a condominium complex that was under construction.  Temperatures were just above 0 degrees as 130 firefighters battled the three-alarm fire, which took them about 45 minutes to contain.  As of press time Monday, firefighters had no cause, said Columbus Fire Department spokeswoman Kelly McGuire, and it could take some time to find one.

 

J.C. Hanks, of Walhalla Development Group, the site's owner, said the group is working with its insurance company to assess the damage.  "Obviously, everyone's upset and shocked, really," Hanks said.  He declined to comment further while the fire's cause is under investigation.  Construction was scheduled to finish on the luxury condominiums this spring, according to the project's Web site, www.terracesonwalhalla.com.  The complex comprised three stories of 20 condo units above a street-level parking garage.

 

Read more at http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/clintonville/stories/2008/12/23/1225clfire_ln.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=104&title=Investigation+under+way+in+condo+fire

Hmmm, maybe I am happy that the place burned down.  Why did they build the residential without shops on the bottom floor?  tisk tisk tisk

The $3.5-million project earned opposition from the community before construction began earlier this year. Community leaders opposed the project because zoning for the site, 10 E. Weber Road, allowed residential property only above retail. At that time, Columbus zoning code allowed parking to be considered a retail use. Following a push from local leaders, that code was changed after the condominium project was approved.

 

What the hell is wrong with you people? You get upset at a low-density residential development on High that fits in more people on that land than a house or two, i.e., a smarter use of land for a commercial street, but then where was the outrage at all of the drive-thrus, autoshops, and other sprawl eating away at the urbanity of the neighborhood? Anyone know who these community leaders are? I have to know why the glaring hypocrisy and ignorance.

From an urbanist standpoint I've always been disappointed by Clintonville. The neighborhoods and retail districts are too cleanly delineated, and the retail development along High Street is at best pedestrian-agnostic. The glimmer of promise is on the east side along Summit south of Hudson and, but that's really more Linden than Clintonville.

I'm with you on the disappointment, since it could be so much better and I'd have to add to the urbanist perspective that the stereotype of Clintonville being a liberal, green place doesn't match up with the actual culture which has largely went along with putting cars first over people in the form of suburban development. High St. urban streets are too sporadic here and the sprawl is an eyesore, not to mention that the street is too wide, fast and not pedestrian-friendly. Can't say I'm a big fan of cycling on it, even for a couple of blocks. The stretch along Summit isn't quite Linden, one would have to cross the highway further east first. Cleveland Ave in Linden has a totally different feel. The city is going to put up arches with the name of the general area, Old North Columbus, between OSU and Clintonville. The part you're talking about is referred to as "SoHud" by some.

^ Yeah, Clintonville does have a more "zoned" feel. Maybe it's a matter of perspective for people since so much of Columbus is newer. As I look for apartments in various parts of Columbus for my third assault on the city, I keep finding myself saying, "This area is older, yet it's still not that walkable!" I almost want to live in Old Groveport where I grew up to live somewhere that's on a human scale, but I'm having trouble finding rentals.

 

I don't see how you'd have a very hard time. Even though the old stretch of Clintonville has some gaping holes in its urban fabric, parts of it are walkable (just have to choose wisely) and I easily get around by bike, keeping in mind I ignore anything north of Broadway (suburban crap). Going to Denise's ice cream, Studio 35, and Clintonville Community Market are a cinch. Unless you're biking to get around (and you should look into it if you haven't already) you have some drab stretches to walk along and crossing High might take a while since lights are timed for as many cars to speed by as possible, without caring that you're expected to wait five minutes to cross.

 

The most walkable areas of Columbus are generally the usual suspects (Short North, German Village, OSU), but it's worth looking in areas nearby. Harrison West (west of VV), Peach District (north of SN south of OSU, I recommend it), and Schumacher Place (east of GV) are a few good examples. Hell, I currently have a walkability score of 94/100 and I can easily walk to the grocery store and a good number of bar and restaurants nearby.

Clintonville captures a good mix of people by virtue of what it isn't more than what it is. Put another way, to the recent Columbus transplant with young kids whose chosen one of the downtown neighborhoods as port of entry, you're confronted with the choices of 1) Staying in your super-walkable gayborhood and gambling on the nearby underfunded/overstressed public school 2) Succumbing to the Upper Dublington "responsible parent" tractor beam, or 3) Banding together with the other progressive parents and making the most of the Columbus Public School in your Clintonville 'hood. Currently we're teetering between 1 and 3 with the added spoiler of having lotteried the boy into Indianola Informal which next year is moving to its permanent location in, wait for it, Clintonville.

Maybe I should finally grow up and stop using a BMX race bike as my only bicycle. haha

Cause of condo fire still unknown

Jennifer Nesbitt, This Week News

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 - 12:09 PM

 

More than two weeks after fire destroyed a condominium development on North High Street, the Columbus Fire Department still does not know the cause. Firefighters were called to the corner of North High Street and Weber Road in the early morning hours of Dec. 22 to combat flames at the Terraces on Walhalla, a luxury condominium complex that was under construction. Investigators originally were delayed by freezing temperatures, which turned the water used to fight the three-alarm fire to ice.

 

Now, fire investigators need heavy equipment to move debris to gain access to the building, said fire department spokeswoman Kelly McGuire.  The work to clear the site is expected to begin Friday, she said. The development, comprising three stories of 20 condo units above a street-level parking garage, was scheduled to finish this spring.

 

Read more at http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/clintonville/stories/2009/01/07/0108clfire_ln.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=104&title=Cause+of+condo+fire+still+unknown

 

Condo fire investigation delayed again

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - 1:32 PM

By JENNIFER NESBITT, ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

The work of Columbus fire investigators again has been delayed at the site of a condominium development on North High Street.  Originally, investigators were delayed by frigid temperatures that froze the water used to combat the flames.  Then, they had to wait until heavy equipment could be brought in to help gain access to the building.  As work began to move debris at the site last Friday, a fan belt on a crane snapped, said Kelly McGuire, spokeswoman for the Columbus Division of Fire.

 

Time that would have been used to investigate the cause of the fire was instead used to repair the crane, McGuire said.  With that added delay, McGuire said it is unlikely that investigators will be able to work on the scene before Jan. 19 because of the fire investigators' schedules.  Foul play is not suspected in the fire, McGuire said.

 

Read more at http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/clintonville/stories/2009/01/14/0115clcondo_ln.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=104&title=Condo+fire+investigation+delayed+again

An update on the aftermath of the fire at the Terraces at Walhalla condo project from Walker Evans at ColumbusUnderground.com.

 

Terraces on Walhalla getting rebuilt this year

By Walker | January 30, 2009 - 12:22pm

 

"Just got the following information about the Terraces on Walhalla in an email from HER Real Living: For a limited time, We have reduced our pricing to what we are calling our "Rebuild" Pricing and offering new Buyers 3% of the purchase price (that's approximately $5500 - $10,300) towards closing costs or upgrades."

 

"So it sounds like these Clintonville Condos are getting rebuilt after they caught fire back in December.  The new expected completion date is Dec of 2009 or Jan of 2010.  More information can be found online at www.TerracesOnWalhalla.com."

 

http://www.columbusunderground.com/terraces-on-walhalla-getting-rebuilt-this-year

 

Great news. Now what would be even better would be more similar development along High in Clintonville. Bridge those gaps!

Local business finds new home in rebuilt condo complex

Wednesday,  April 22, 2009 - 2:28 PM

By Jennifer Nesbitt, ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

The planned condominium complex being constructed at the corner of East Weber Road and North High Street looked promising last summer when developers presented the plans, but the logistics never worked out, Janoski said.  A fire at the development, the Terraces on Walhalla, in December turned out to be a serendipitous event for Clintonville-based business attache.

 

Following the fire, the developer was able to reconfigure the inside units to make room for the business.  Within two weeks of being contacted by the developer, Janoski said attache was in contract for a 3,200-square-foot, two-unit space within the building.  The deal makes attache the only retail tenant of the development, which will be three stories tall and contain 20 units ranging in size from 1,190 square feet to 1,770 square feet and in price from $194,000 to $378,350.  Construction on the $3.5-million luxury complex should be finished within the next year, Hanks said, and attache hopes to move into its new space by Jan. 1.

 

Read more at http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/clintonville/stories/2009/04/22/0423clcondo_ln.html?sid=104

Even better. It's good to see developers bouncing back after the tragic fires last winter.

Kind of lost track of this project after it caught fire in 2008 and announced it would be rebuilt in 2009.  It's finished now and has a website at www.terracesonwalhalla.com.