The City of Westerville approved a new master plan:

 

-- Imagine Westerville Plan two years in the making set for hearing:  http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2016/05/31/imagine-westerville-plan-two-years-in-the-making-set-for-hearing.html

 

-- The full Imagine Westerville Community Plan is available at http://imaginewesterville.org/

UPTOWN WESTERVILLE

Demand for parking has city pondering

BY ANDREW KING, THIS WEEK NEWS

Friday, July 8, 2016 - 5:47 PM

 

As Uptown Westerville's influx of businesses continues, the city is still trying to deal with increased parking demand in the district.  With parking concerns in mind, city staff is set to research a concept that would allow Uptown businesses to pay a fee rather than make arrangements for the required parking spaces in the city's zoning code.

( . . . )

According to multiple parking studies commissioned by the city, Uptown has 1,570 parking spaces and will need another 650 over the next 10 years.  Over the last five years, businesses have had 61 required spaces nullified in variances.  The idea for the policy would be to have businesses pay fees for spots they don't have.  Those fees would add up to a number that could help pay for infrastructure work in the future as the city transitions to an alley system.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2016/07/05/uptown-westerville-demand-for-parking-has-city-pondering.html

Northstar Cafe set to open next year

BY ANDREW KING, THIS WEEK NEWS

Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - 2:12 PM

 

Westerville residents will have to wait for early 2017 to get their Northstar Cafe fix in town.  Construction has taken longer than expected at properties at 20 W. Plum St. and 103-107 S. State St., the former home of the Kyoto Tea House and Shinto Shrine location, as well as 109 S. State St. and 99 S. State St.

 

Co-owner Darren Malhame said the work won't allow the location to open in 2016 as planned.  "The contractor has updated his schedule several times and it looks like he's planning on being done in mid-December," Malhame said.  "But, to me, once you get into mid-December, you might as well be at the end of the year because of the holidays."

 

Malhame didn't blame bad work from contractors or excessive city hoops to jump through.  Instead, he said Northstar is simply focused on quality, which can take time.  "It's a totally custom design. It's not a square box, and it's extra challenging to build," he said.

 

That holistic approach is part of what made Northstar attractive to the city, which purchased the property for $125,000 and demolished some buildings in early 2012.  For redeveloping the historic site, including the inclusion of a notable mural from the tea house, Northstar got a $25,000 loan from the city's Westerville Industry and Commerce Corp. for the project.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2016/08/30/northstar-cafe-set-to-open-next-year.html

A look at the $10.8 million, 61,000-square-foot STEAM Innovation Center that opened on the Otterbein University campus in Westerville last year.  (STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math.):

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/10/03/photos-otterbein-opens-10-8m-innovation-center.html

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2016/09/06/city-notes-town-and-gown-a-good-thing-in-westerville.html

 

Photo of the new Aloft Hotel under construction at 32 Heatherdown Drive.  It is on a former Knights Inn site on the south side of Westerville.  Photo from late December 2016 from http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2017/01/03/city-continues-what-started-in-16.html:

 

^ More about that development and other development in Westerville occurring in 2016 and planned for 2017 from This Week News:

 

2016:  http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2016/12/13/city-notes-hotel-water-plant-projects-among-2016-highlights.html

 

2017:  http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2017/01/03/city-continues-what-started-in-16.html

The Northstar Cafe is open in Uptown.

 

 

 

Saving that large tree was probably part of the massive construction delays.

 

 

That's the Westerville Public Library across the street in the background.

 

ETA: There's exposed duct work on the inside for all you fans!  :wink:

Great!  It's going to be a hit in Westerville.

Renaissance hotel developer confident in high-profile location, existing demand

 

 

Plans for Westerville's Westar Place commercial district call for offices, restaurants and retail to surround the 224-room Renaissance hotel and 20,000-square-foot conference center.

 

Raleigh, North Carolina-based Concord Hospitality Enterprises CEO Mark Laport told me the hotel developer looked at higher-profile sites along Polaris Parkway, which marks the northern boundary of the former Altair Business Park recently rebranded as Westar Place.

 

Westar Place

 

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/12/renaissance-hotel-developer-confident-in-high.html

 

Under construction now:

 

 

With the naked eye you could see IKEA in the background.  Can't see it with the cell phone picture though.

Thanks for all these updates!

Thanks for all these updates!

 

No problem! Tomorrow I'll be in Dublin and then downtown. I might try to snap some pics of projects while I'm out like I did today. I didn't snap a pic of the Central College/Sunbury development, because the apartments and retail aren't started yet. Although the single family homes are almost complete. I wasn't in south Westerville today, but I was a couple weeks ago and the Aloft is looking real good too. Next time I'm in Westerville I'll have to check the progress on that and the Braun Farm development. I wish Crawford Hoying had bought the Braun Farm property and made it Bridge Street Part 2. Westerville actually has guidelines in place now for "density bonuses". I'll try to post in the next week what all the city is doing. They at least seem to be trying to emulate what Dublin is already doing. Can't say that for the other suburbs I don't think.

 

Great!  It's going to be a hit in Westerville.

 

I agree. Jimmy V's and Old Bag are going to have to step up their game, because Koble, Asterisk and Northstar have them beat in just about every way. I really like the Northstar space and it's nice to have a patio to compete with Jimmy V's (the only thing going for it IMO).

Assisted living operator planning $21M Westerville complex, and scouting for more sites

 

 

A Pittsburgh-area senior living developer is expanding into Central Ohio – returning after a decade, actually – with a $21 million, 100-unit complex in Westerville.

 

Paramount Health Resources Inc. plans to start construction in July for the three-story, 85,000-square-foot facility, which preserves room for an eventual nursing home addition. The site is set back from the northeast corner of Polaris Parkway and Worthington Road, just east of Interstate 71. It would open in late 2018 and create about 100 jobs.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/03/13/assisted-living-operator-planning-westerville.html

PHOTOS: Mount Carmel aims for greater rehabilitation market share when HealthSouth joint venture opens

 

Above is a link to a Business First photo-tour of the new Mount Carmel Rehabilitation Hospital built in Westerville.  The new 60-bed, 60,000-square-foot facility in the Medical Mile part of the Westar development also marks one of the first inpatient services to depart Mount Carmel West in Franklinton.  The existing hospital campus in Franklinton will begin a transformation to an outpatient and educational campus when Mount Carmel's new Grove City hospital opens in November 2018.

 

When the new facility at 597 Executive Campus Drive off Cleveland Avenue opened April 8, Mount Carmel West's 24-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit closed and about three dozen Mount Carmel workers transferred to Westerville and become HealthSouth employees.  This joint venture with HealthSouth Corp., is a bid to help Mount Carmel gain greater market share for physical and neurological rehab in Central Ohio.

The Westerville City School District is undergoing a strategic plan update:

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20170502/outreach-analysis-for-school-districts-strategic-plan-to-continue

City of Westerville is looking at a $22 million expansion of its community center:

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20170502/westerville-chooses-three-concepts-for-expansion-of-community-center

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170703/community-center-expansion-to-add-seniors-space-gym-pool-and-more

A vacant industrial property 3 blocks northeast of Uptown has a new proposal from the Pizzuti Cos. Two industrial buildings would be rehabbed for commercial purposes containing 52,000 sqft. The warehouse portions of the larger building would be demolished. A new 20,000 sqft commercial building would be constructed on currently unused space. The parcel is mostly vacant land, and on that part is proposed 250 apartments. The site sits directly adjacent to the Ohio to Erie bike trail and connects to more than 35 miles of additional off street multi use trails within the City of Westerville.

 

Here is the Google Earth overview of the site:

 

 

Here is the existing site overhead:

 

 

Here is the site plan:

 

 

 

Streetview of the building to be rehabbed. The Ohio to Erie trail is seen to the left:

 

 

The building to be demolished:

 

 

The other building to be rehabbed:

 

 

Pizzuti wants a four-seasons area between the reuse building and the multi use trail. Examples they provided:

 

 

 

Will have to wait on renderings, but so far I like it overall. Parking seems excessive, of course, and I'm not sure why they don't allow for Broad Street to enter the site. Saving the large group of mature trees is a plus though. Perhaps they could switch the pond and the southeastern most apartment building to break up the apartments a bit and create a larger green space in the center of the site.

Renaissance Westerville Hotel Opening in April

 

 

The Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel (or, Renaissance Westerville for short) is currently under construction just off of Polaris Parkway, with a slated grand opening planned for April.

 

This new regional hotel will boast 222 rooms and 15,00 square feet of meeting/banquet hall space. Additional amenities include a full service restaurant, fitness center, indoor pool and yoga classes.

 

More below:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/renaissance-westerville-hotel-opening-in-april

From the 3/17/07 Dispatch:

 

 

GRAPHIC: Map

 

Westerville plans changes

S. State Street would get new look

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Jim Woods

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Westerville wants to seize the opportunity to rejuvenate S. State Street while the state revamps the interchange with I-270 there.  The advent of I-270 in the early 1970s spurred development south of uptown to the highway interchange.  On Tuesday, Westerville City Council members reviewed a $1.2 million proposal to install brick median strips, a welcome sign and brick and wrought iron fences from I-270 up to Huber Village Boulevard. The city would also plant trees and landscape both sides of the street.

 

Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/03/17/20070317-B2-00.html

 

 

 

this is great to hear — has any of it happened yet?

It's been a while since I've been down there but I was there regularly from about 2010-2015. I think they did most of this. They definitely did the welcome signs.

Yes, that stretch was redone with all of that and it's complete. You can see how it looks on street view, https://goo.gl/maps/KkHyyjDFWCM2

Yes, that stretch was redone with all of that and it's complete. You can see how it looks on street view, https://goo.gl/maps/KkHyyjDFWCM2

 

Under construction in street view is the continuation of that project north to the Starbucks. That is completely finished as well. Now they're doing the same thing along Cleveland Avenue from 270 to Sharon Woods Metro Park/St Ann's Hospital.

Renaissance hotel on track for spring opening near Polaris in Westerville

 

A new, eight-story hotel is working toward a spring opening in Westerville.

 

Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel will feature 222 rooms with 15,000 square feet of meeting and event space that can seat as many as 750 guests.

 

Construction of the hotel at 409 Altair Parkway is on time and it should open in late April, said hotel manager Scott Starek.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/01/17/renderings-renaissance-hotel-on-track-for-spring.html

Yes, that stretch was redone with all of that and it's complete. You can see how it looks on street view, https://goo.gl/maps/KkHyyjDFWCM2

 

Under construction in street view is the continuation of that project north to the Starbucks. That is completely finished as well. Now they're doing the same thing along Cleveland Avenue from 270 to Sharon Woods Metro Park/St Ann's Hospital.

e

 

Hopefully they correct their street tree detail as they go, because the first portion is already failing really obviously.

Inside the new 'lakehouse-style' Renaissance hotel opening by Polaris

 

 

Renaissance Hotel Westerville draws its theme from a high-end boathouse.

 

As the centerpiece of the planned Westar mixed-use development, the 222-room Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel is preparing to open its doors to the public at 409 Altair Pkwy. next week. Hotel operator Concord Hospitality has about 75 people working there with plans for the hotel to be at 100 once it is at full operation.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/05/09/photos-inside-the-new-lakehouse-style-renaissance.html

Yikes

Inside the new 'lakehouse-style' Renaissance hotel opening by Polaris

 

 

Renaissance Hotel Westerville draws its theme from a high-end boathouse.

 

As the centerpiece of the planned Westar mixed-use development, the 222-room Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel is preparing to open its doors to the public at 409 Altair Pkwy. next week.  Hotel operator Concord Hospitality has about 75 people working there with plans for the hotel to be at 100 once it is at full operation.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/05/09/photos-inside-the-new-lakehouse-style-renaissance.html

 

Well, at least they did build a lake in back for the 'lakehouse-style' hotel.  Below is a Google aerial of the hotel shown during its construction that was posted in another thread:

 

It appears portions of the 3D versions of Google maps have been recently updated in Columbus.

 

The new 8-story hotel in Westerville - https://www.google.com/maps/@40.1441954,-82.9410019,46a,35y,248.23h,75.24t/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

^That lake has been there since the mid 2000's.

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

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!!!

Work started on $8.2M coworking hub in Westerville

 

Westerville is getting a new entrepreneurship hub.

 

Elevate Office is beginning work on a two-story, $8.2 million coworking hub, Elevate Westerville, at the intersection of Meridian Way and Altair Parkway in the Westar Place development. The 36,000-square-foot office space will support small businesses and entrepreneurs when completed.

 

The building will have 150 office suites, four conference rooms and a coworking space, focused on small-business owners who want the amenities, technology and company of other small entities without committing to a long-term lease. It will open in spring of 2019.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/08/13/work-started-on-8-2m-coworking-hub-in-westerville.html

DHL breaks ground on $20M Westerville headquarters

 

DHL says a new Westerville headquarters building will help grow its Central Ohio presence and its staff, maybe by the hundreds.

 

The third-party logistics giant broke ground Thursday on a new $20 million, 145,000-square-foot headquarters building at 360 Westar Place, which will house the North American headquarters of DHL Supply Chain and some other corporate functions.

 

For its part, the city of Westerville granted a 12-year, 100 percent tax abatement to keep the company there. The deal will save DHL about $580,000 a year.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/09/13/dhl-breaks-ground-on-20m-westerville-headquarters.html

Much-needed housing proposed in downtown Westerville

 

 

A developer is seeking final approval for a mixed-use project along Westerville's main stretch.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/11/28/much-needed-housing-proposed-in-downtown.html

On 9/13/2018 at 5:31 PM, ColDayMan said:

DHL breaks ground on $20M Westerville headquarters

 

DHL says a new Westerville headquarters building will help grow its Central Ohio presence and its staff, maybe by the hundreds.

 

The third-party logistics giant broke ground Thursday on a new $20 million, 145,000-square-foot headquarters building at 360 Westar Place, which will house the North American headquarters of DHL Supply Chain and some other corporate functions.

 

For its part, the city of Westerville granted a 12-year, 100 percent tax abatement to keep the company there. The deal will save DHL about $580,000 a year.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/09/13/dhl-breaks-ground-on-20m-westerville-headquarters.html

 

Progress:

 

More housing proposed in Westerville, while contested retail strip gets OK

 

 

New developments are being proposed in and around the Westar development in Westerville.

 

Homewood is proposing two-bed townhome-style units as part of a 154-unit development.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/01/18/more-housing-proposed-in-westerville-while.html

 

Condo development considered north of downtown Westerville 

 

 

Westerville is considering a plan for an 18-unit condominium project on less than three acres of land.

 

Benton Commons would be an 18-unit condo development in Westerville.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/01/22/condo-development-considered-north-of-downtown.html

Three new developments pitched in Westerville

 

Change could be in store for Westerville.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/03/28/three-new-developments-pitched-in-westerville.html

 

Commission Hears Three Proposals for Westerville

 

Columbus-based developer Casto is proposing a 248-unit apartment complex for a 16-acre parcel of land near the intersection of Sunbury and Central College roads in Westerville.

 

The development would consist of a series of three-story residential buildings, a central clubhouse, and one commercial building that would front Sunbury Road.

 

The proposal, which was heard earlier this week by the Westerville Planning Commission, is an update to a previously-approved plan for the land. That plan had called for two commercial buildings instead of one, and a different configuration and design for the apartments.

 

More below:

https://www.columbusunderground.com/westerville-proposals-would-add-apartments-commercial-space-bw1

 

But the TRAFFIC by Hoover Reservoir! OH the HUMANITY! CBUS schools are TrAsH! but Gawd forbid they try to increase population in a suburb with good sCoOlS! /sarcasm

Otterbein University buys land once eyed for big development

 

Otterbein University is taking control of land in Westerville previously slated for development.  Campus West LLC has acquired a 39-acre farmstead at 198 S. Cleveland Ave. for $8.58 million in a transaction that closed earlier this month.  RSTLNE LLC was the seller of the parcel, which sits southeast of the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Cooper Road.

 

Otterbein spokeswoman Jenny Hill confirmed the sale but said the school is still working on ideas for the land.  Otterbein has for years envisioned a "west campus" – the 3,000-student private university's campus sits near downtown Westerville and is mostly landlocked. ... In 2013, Otterbein bought about 26 acres directly to the north for $4.23 million, which it said at the time was for future campus expansion.  Just to the north, the university invested $10.8 million to build out The Point at Otterbein, a 61,000-square-foot innovation hub and academic space that opened late last year.

 

In 2013, RSTLNE approached the city of Westerville with a concept for Braun Farm, a substantial 95-acre mixed use development including parts of this land and some parts to the north of Cooper Road along Collegeview Road. ... In 2015, Kansas City, Missouri-based VanTrust Real Estate LLC laid out plans for 285 apartments on about 22 acres of the land.  Since then, Denver-based Spectrum Retirement Communities LLC has largely completed 90 independent-living senior apartments and 74 units of assisted-living units on 6.75 acres west of the section of VanTrust’s planned rental community, with construction scheduled to wrap up this summer. 

 

MORE:  https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/08/15/otterbein-university-buys-land-once-eyed-for-big.html

2 hours ago, Columbo said:

Otterbein University buys land once eyed for big development

 

Otterbein University is taking control of land in Westerville previously slated for development.  Campus West LLC has acquired a 39-acre farmstead at 198 S. Cleveland Ave. for $8.58 million in a transaction that closed earlier this month.  RSTLNE LLC was the seller of the parcel, which sits southeast of the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Cooper Road.

 

Otterbein spokeswoman Jenny Hill confirmed the sale but said the school is still working on ideas for the land.  Otterbein has for years envisioned a "west campus" – the 3,000-student private university's campus sits near downtown Westerville and is mostly landlocked. ... In 2013, Otterbein bought about 26 acres directly to the north for $4.23 million, which it said at the time was for future campus expansion.  Just to the north, the university invested $10.8 million to build out The Point at Otterbein, a 61,000-square-foot innovation hub and academic space that opened late last year.

 

In 2013, RSTLNE approached the city of Westerville with a concept for Braun Farm, a substantial 95-acre mixed use development including parts of this land and some parts to the north of Cooper Road along Collegeview Road. ... In 2015, Kansas City, Missouri-based VanTrust Real Estate LLC laid out plans for 285 apartments on about 22 acres of the land.  Since then, Denver-based Spectrum Retirement Communities LLC has largely completed 90 independent-living senior apartments and 74 units of assisted-living units on 6.75 acres west of the section of VanTrust’s planned rental community, with construction scheduled to wrap up this summer. 

 

MORE:  https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/08/15/otterbein-university-buys-land-once-eyed-for-big.html

That's too bad. This should have been Westerville's Bridge Park. Otterbein has plenty of room to densify their campus. Not sure why they claim they're landlocked.

Developer retools 20-acre Westerville development plans 

 

 

"This site is a very important site to the city, there are a lot of moving parts."

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/10/07/developer-retools-20-acre-westerville-development.html

On 1/24/2017 at 4:33 PM, Columbo said:

A look at the $10.8 million, 61,000-square-foot STEAM Innovation Center that opened on the Otterbein University campus in Westerville last year.  (STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math.):

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/10/03/photos-otterbein-opens-10-8m-innovation-center.html

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2016/09/06/city-notes-town-and-gown-a-good-thing-in-westerville.html

 

 

The above educational building at Otterbein University - since renamed The Point at Otterbein University - took an existing warehouse structure at the edge of the campus and transformed it into an innovation center for STEAM education.  WSA Studio won a 2019 award from the Columbus chapter of the AIA in the “interior architecture” category for its design for the second phase of The Point building on the Otterbein University campus in Westerville:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/business/20191107/architecture-awards-include-two-central-ohio-libraries-franklinton-apartments

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/11/07/slideshow-here-are-the-best-designed-buildings-in.html

 

 

A new plan has been formulated for the unoccupied land across Alum Creek to the southwest from Otterbein University:

 

Otterbein University proposes 58-acre urban center in Westerville

 

By Tristan Navera  – Staff reporter, Columbus Business First

Oct 5, 2020, 2:26pm EDT Updated 57 minutes ago

 

Otterbein University has approached the city of Westerville with a new plan for 58 acres of farmland southwest of its campus, east of Cleveland Avenue at the intersection with Cooper Road.

 

Dubbed "Uptown West," the development would include 240,000 square feet of office space, 100,000 square feet of medical office, 25,000 square feet of retail space and 627 multifamily units.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/10/05/58-acre-urban-center-proposed-in-westerville.html

 

 

Otterbein president: New urban center would bring 'a little of everything' to Westerville

 

Otterbein University has approached the city with a new plan for 58 acres of farmland southwest of its campus, east of Cleveland Avenue at the intersection with Cooper Road. Termed "Uptown West," the property is envisioned with 240,000 square feet of office space, 100,000 square feet of medical office, 25,000 square feet of retail space and 627 multi-family units.

 

"You need it all to create that vibrant feeling and presence," John Comerford said.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/10/07/new-westerville-urban-center-a-shot-at.html#i/11871808

 

58-Acre Development Proposed for Prime Westerville Site

 

 

Add Westerville to the list of Columbus suburbs with significant urban infill proposals on the table.

 

Joining the two large mixed-use developments being proposed in Worthington – and one in Upper Arlington – a plan for a 58-acre site at the intersection of Cooper Road and Cleveland Avenue is now making its way through the approval process in Westerville.

 

The initial proposal calls for 648 residential units, 340,000 square feet of office, 25,000 square feet of commercial space, and 8.75 acres of open space. Also proposed is a new COTA Mobility Center that would include a new park and ride providing access to the CMAX line (the current park and ride is located around the corner from the site, on Main Street).

 

The site, which is known as Braun Farm, sits across Cleveland Avenue from homes and apartments, but otherwise is surrounded by commercial and institutional uses. To the south is a large office complex and Mount Carmel St. Anns hospital; to the north is a retail center as well as The Point at Otterbein, an innovation hub that the university opened in 2018; and to the east, across Alum Creek, sits the main Otterbein campus.

 

More below:

https://www.columbusunderground.com/58-acre-development-for-prime-westerville-site-bw1

 

 

 

This seems to be a very well thought out proposal. Of course, I particularly like the integration of the CMAX station/public transit infrastructure. Hopefully there is a lot more impetus to get dirt moving here soon. The article states having the land sit empty for so long as been a drag on the university. Having lived across Cleveland Ave. from this proposed development, it would certainly be big improvement compared to the overgrown grass presently filling the area.

2 hours ago, CMHOhio said:

This seems to be a very well thought out proposal. Of course, I particularly like the integration of the CMAX station/public transit infrastructure. Hopefully there is a lot more impetus to get dirt moving here soon. The article states having the land sit empty for so long as been a drag on the university. Having lived across Cleveland Ave. from this proposed development, it would certainly be big improvement compared to the overgrown grass presently filling the area.

I respectfully disagree. This is more suburban development strewn across the entire field instead of planning for some actual density. St Ann's is next door, and they could easily put in some actual density along Cleveland and incorporate a lot more parking garage. I also assume the "office" component also represents whatever institutional space that Otterbein expects to utilize? In which case why is there no attempt to create a small campus vibe (with a quad) in at least one part of this large development? Also, just throwing in some green space against the existing roadway (which I assume are just holding spots for future development) is pretty disgraceful. They should plan for an actual green space, say appropriately sized for athletic fields or something usable for the university students and community alike. They need to go big with this development or wait for someone that will. Also, having done a master plan for this parcel during my time at the Knowlton School, over half of it is in the Alum Creek floodplain and they need to do a better job of planning for that.

7 minutes ago, jebleprls22 said:

I respectfully disagree. This is more suburban development strewn across the entire field instead of planning for some actual density. St Ann's is next door, and they could easily put in some actual density along Cleveland and incorporate a lot more parking garage. I also assume the "office" component also represents whatever institutional space that Otterbein expects to utilize? In which case why is there no attempt to create a small campus vibe (with a quad) in at least one part of this large development? Also, just throwing in some green space against the existing roadway (which I assume are just holding spots for future development) is pretty disgraceful. They should plan for an actual green space, say appropriately sized for athletic fields or something usable for the university students and community alike. They need to go big with this development or wait for someone that will. Also, having done a master plan for this parcel during my time at the Knowlton School, over half of it is in the Alum Creek floodplain and they need to do a better job of planning for that.

Yeah I would have to agree. It’s a good starting point, but there is plenty of room to make this a real urban area. Taller buildings, more underground parking, and more density. 

I agree with the two posts above. This is just suburban apartment complexes and office buildings pushed together a bit with a huge amount of surface parking lots. Over half the entire area looks like it is devoted to either roadway or parking.  They will need to do better to compete with Dublin, etc.

5 minutes ago, Toddguy said:

I agree with the two posts above. This is just suburban apartment complexes and office buildings pushed together a bit with a huge amount of surface parking lots. Over half the entire area looks like it is devoted to either roadway or parking.  They will need to do better to compete with Dublin, etc.

I feel like one of the articles I read, talked about someone on the westerville board wasn’t excited about it, and wanted more, so hopefully it changes.