February 14, 20187 yr 22-unit townhome development coming to Powell Crawford Hoying is starting a new high-end development in Powell. The developer is starting construction on 22 townhomes in what it's calling Powell Green at 84 S. Liberty St. near the city's core. The 3-bed, 2.5 bath units will start at $495,000. The typical design for each two-floor unit will be about 2,300 square feet. Each unit will be furnished with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances and feature attached 2-car garages. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/02/14/22-unit-townhome-development-coming-to-powell.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 7, 20187 yr The Delaware Area Career Center Board of Education has formally ordered that construction at the consolidated campus be halted and that a repeat of their renewal levy be placed on the ballot. A levy funding this construction was originally passed in 2015. But county election officials found that portions of four adjoining counties within the DACC district did not vote in this levy. The courts invalidated the 2015 levy results and a replacement levy that includes the portions of the four adjoining counties as well as Delaware County must now be passed: http://www.delgazette.com/news/58857/dacc-suspends-construction A paperwork error at the Delaware County Board of Elections involving the levy funding a $45 million Delaware Area Career Center consolidation project forced construction to stop in 2017 (see above). A make-up vote conducted in November 2017 is now allowing that consolidation project to resume construction: -- http://www.dispatch.com/news/20171107/make-up-vote-clears-way-to-resume-construction-of-delaware-career-center -- http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20171221/career-centers-expansion-back-on-beam 1,400 students currently on two campuses will be at this new $45 million DACC campus. Construction of the new DACC campus is now expected to be finished by mid-2019.
May 7, 20187 yr Preservation Parks of Delaware County is putting a renewal levy on the November ballot. The levy would include an increase to expand their existing park system: http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20170516/levy-would-keep-parks-growing-as-county-does The renewal levy for the Preservation Parks of Delaware County passed 63-37 in Nov. 2017: http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20171108/win-at-polls-means-new-preservation-parks-in-delaware-county
May 20, 20187 yr Orange Township is one of 18 townships in Delaware County. Above is a map showing Orange Township within Delaware County (outlined in orange, of course). Orange is the Delaware County township most currently affected by growth from Columbus - the Polaris development is in land that was once part of Orange Township. In addition, Orange is getting its own population growth and development within its own boundaries. Below is a profile the Dispatch wrote at the beginning of 2018 about how this population growth and development is affecting the once-rural township: Orange Township residents struggle with growth By Dean Narciso, The Columbus Dispatch Posted: January 2, 2018 - 5:27 AM Delaware County’s Orange Township has great schools, nice parks and a reputation for upscale neighborhoods not far from Columbus-area jobs. But over the years, those positives have produced a less-desirable attribute: intense growth. A recently released survey suggests that traffic congestion and suburban sprawl will be the township’s biggest challenge for years to come. The survey, conducted by graduate students in Ohio State University’s city and regional planning program, includes hundreds of anonymous comments from residents, and many expressed concern about the swell of new homes and the loss of rural identity. ( . . . ) The township’s population, now 29,000, has grown by about 15 percent every five years, according to census figures. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180102/orange-township-residents-struggle-with-growth
May 21, 20187 yr https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/01/16/chiller-to-add-third-rink-at-lewis-center-facility.html This is one bit of Orange Township development that I find encouraging as a Blue Jacket fan. The Chiller rink in Lewis Center is adding a third NHL-sized ice rink in a $5 million expansion that will include additional locker rooms and will boost the size of the facility by 30,000 square feet. The expansion at the OhioHealth Chiller North is needed because of increased demand for ice time. According to the above article, in 1993, there was just one, two-rink Chiller facility in Dublin and one youth hockey association made up of 200 players in Central Ohio. In 2018, there are now nine rinks at five Chiller facilities in Central Ohio (plus one Chiller facility in Springfield) and six youth hockey organizations with more than 3,000 players in Central Ohio. These Chiller facilities are owned by the majority owner of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
May 22, 20187 yr Another Delaware County growth story from the Dispatch: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180522/delaware-county-growth-heading-north Today's article gives an overview of the current growth and development story in Delaware County. Delaware County has previously been the state's fastest county and is currently the state's second-fastest-growing county (only behind the less populous neighboring Union County, which includes Honda and Scott's HQ near Marysville). Three of Delaware County's southern townships (Liberty, Orange and Genoa) that border Franklin County are seeing explosive growth and development from Columbus. However, townships north of the City of Delaware have yet to see such high growth and are still relatively quiet and rural. In some areas near the City of Delaware and near I-71, there are other concentrations of development: (1) Evans Farm, located east of Route 23, is a mixed-use 'new urbanist' project of businesses and more than 2,000 homes on about 1,200 acres in northern Orange Township and southern Berlin Township and currently under construction; (2) A newly extended Sawmill Parkway is becoming a popular southern entrance to the City of Delaware and attracting development interest; (3) The I-71/Routes 36/37 interchange has a Tanger Outlet Mall that opened in 2016 and multiple commercial and residential developments are either proposed or under construction in this area. One of biggest issues facing Delaware County is the need to upgrade infrastructure like roads and water/sewer service to accommodate this growth, and who will pay for these infrastructure upgrades. Townships can’t levy an income tax to pay for this growth (Ohio law doesn't allow it), so they rely solely on property taxes, which frequently fall behind the costs of new growth. Cities and counties can levy income taxes, but townships are leery of ceding away land to cities, and getting voters to impose or raise income taxes can be difficult.
June 3, 20187 yr Contracts’ approval moves park ‘one step closer’ The City of Powell’s decision to reject all bids and negotiate directly with contractors for work on the Park at Seldom Seen has paid off. Powell City Council on Jan. 16 unanimously approved a contract of about $1.8 million with Trucco Construction and a contract of about $1.3 million with Thomas and Marker Construction for work on the first three phases of the park, located northeast of Seldom Seen Road’s intersection with Moreland Street. Council in 2017 decided to allow City Manager Steve Lutz to negotiate directly with contractors after the board rejected three bids between $3.8 million and $4.4 million for work on the proposed 23-acre park. Ahead of last year’s decision, council members cited their hopes that the change in tactics would give the city the flexibility to find savings and employ more than one contractor, if financially beneficial. The city initially estimated work on the first three phases of the park, which will sit northwest of the Seldom Seen Road railroad crossing, would cost about $3.4 million. MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20180123/contracts-approval-moves-park-one-step-closer
June 3, 20187 yr Population growth in southern Delaware County also means more students - which means more school buildings. Most of southern Delaware County is covered by the Olentangy School District. The original Olentangy High School opened in 1953 near Lewis Center. Since 1990, the district has experienced significant enrollment growth and has opened fifteen elementary schools, five middle schools and two additional high schools. Those two new high schools - Olentangy Liberty (opened in 2003) and Olentangy Orange (opened in 2008) - were built west and southeast of the original high school and were named for the township they were located in. The Dispatch ran a recent profile of the future 4th high school for the school district - Olentangy Berlin - which is being built north of the original high school and will open for the upcoming 2018-19 school year: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180417/growing-olentangy-school-district-to-add-fourth-high-school-in-fall
June 17, 20186 yr http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180524/delaware-county-offering-trail-grants -- Delaware County is offering communities grant funding to build or extend their multi-use trails. As part of the county’s Trail Assistance Program, a trails committee will review applications and offer communities a portion of $100,000 in grant funds. -- The Village of Galena administrator said they might apply for funds to match against grants for Ohio Department of Natural Resources Clean Ohio Trails funds. “We’re seeing that new trails cost around $100 a foot,” she said, "so for a half-mile, that cost would double the county’s entire available pool of funds. However, the state offers a 75 percent reimbursement for trails building and the smaller county dollars can be leveraged for larger projects."
June 17, 20186 yr Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center plans massive outpatient surgery site, medical offices in Delaware County By Carrie Ghose - Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First June 5, 2018 - 11:51am Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center has picked a second site for a series of massive suburban outpatient complexes with surgery centers and specialty medical offices – staking its territory within reach of competitors who were earlier to the "convenient care" trend. The health system will buy 29.6 acres at the northeast corner of Sawmill Parkway and Home Road in Liberty Township for $8 million. OSU trustees in April approved the purchase of 31 acres for $11 million at Rt. 161 and Hamilton Road, in far northeast Columbus near New Albany, and a $4 million design budget to develop a branded template for a network of 200,000-square-foot outpatient campuses. The complexes would cost about $95 million each to develop. They'd be double the size of OSU's multi-specialty Upper Arlington Outpatient Care Center, which opened two years ago. All would include urgent care and walk-in visits, a first for the system, as well as primary care and specialties, with onsite lab and imaging. ... The site is less than a 5-mile drive from a Delaware County stretch of Rt. 23 that has competing outpatient facilities by all four Columbus systems. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/06/05/ohio-states-wexner-medical-center-plans-massive.html
June 17, 20186 yr Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center plans massive outpatient surgery site, medical offices in Delaware County By Carrie Ghose - Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First June 5, 2018 - 11:51am Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center has picked a second site for a series of massive suburban outpatient complexes with surgery centers and specialty medical offices – staking its territory within reach of competitors who were earlier to the "convenient care" trend. The health system will buy 29.6 acres at the northeast corner of Sawmill Parkway and Home Road in Liberty Township for $8 million. OSU trustees in April approved the purchase of 31 acres for $11 million at Rt. 161 and Hamilton Road, in far northeast Columbus near New Albany, and a $4 million design budget to develop a branded template for a network of 200,000-square-foot outpatient campuses. The complexes would cost about $95 million each to develop. They'd be double the size of OSU's multi-specialty Upper Arlington Outpatient Care Center, which opened two years ago. All would include urgent care and walk-in visits, a first for the system, as well as primary care and specialties, with onsite lab and imaging. ... The site is less than a 5-mile drive from a Delaware County stretch of Rt. 23 that has competing outpatient facilities by all four Columbus systems. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/06/05/ohio-states-wexner-medical-center-plans-massive.html Here are a couple of maps showing the future location of a 200,000 square-foot outpatient campus that OSU plans at the northeast corner of Sawmill Parkway and Home Road in Liberty Township, Delaware County: The property in Liberty Township is located about 2/3 of the distance between the OSU Medical Center in Columbus and the City of Delaware. The property at the northeast corner of Sawmill Parkway and Home Road is located across the street from Olentangy Liberty High School:
June 28, 20186 yr Huge development news for Delaware County. A "multi-billion dollar" entertainment development is planned to break ground in December on 350 acres near the Tanger Outlet Mall. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/06/28/billion-dollar-plus-amusement-park-planned-on-350.html
June 28, 20186 yr Huge development news for Delaware County. A "multi-billion dollar" entertainment development is planned to break ground in December on 350 acres near the Tanger Outlet Mall. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/06/28/billion-dollar-plus-amusement-park-planned-on-350.html Awesome news. Still think a massive indoor sports pavilion between 3rd and 4th streets connected to the convention center would be a huge boon to hosting amateur sporting events. Not sure why that idea has been tabled for 8 years now. This center here might "steal" some events the convention center should have grabbed years ago.
June 28, 20186 yr ^ It will be interesting to see how these two areas will compete for events. I would guess that the volleyball and cheerleading competitions will remain at the convention center and this development will offer up indoor space for sports such as soccer that require a much larger playing area.
June 29, 20186 yr Yawn. David Glimcher is hopelessly trapped in the mindset of 1998. Everything popping up at this exit is like some zombie idea fever dream from 20 years ago On my list of things I wish our region would spend $2B on this ranks so low...
June 29, 20186 yr Planet Oasis backers see entertainment and sports complex as the next generation of retail For longtime developer David Glimcher, Planet Oasis could be the capstone of a productive career. “This is the culmination of 20 years of planning entertainment-based retail,” said the one time-CEO of Glimcher Realty Trust in Columbus, as he unveiled plans for the multi-billion-dollar entertainment complex targeted for 350 acres in Delaware County. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/06/28/planet-oasis-backers-see-entertainment-and-sports.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 29, 20186 yr $2 Billion Dollar “Planet Oasis” Entertainment Park Announced in Delaware County ...Once built out, the space will include just about every entertainment option imaginable: a skate park a go-kart race track indoor skydiving a rock climbing wall an e-sports arena a shooting range a BMX race track a water park multiple hotels multiple restaurants and retail businesses six parking garages a movie theater a bowling alley a laser tag arena an indoor sports arena a man-made lake with sand beaches More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/planet-oasis-columbus-ohio-we1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 29, 20186 yr Planet Oasis coming to Berkshire Twp. Berkshire Township is about to become a resort, just like Orlando. Planet Oasis, a multi-billion dollar entertainment, action sports, health and wellness venue, will be developed on more than 350 acres at the intersection of Interstate 71 and State Routes 36/37, across from the Tanger Outlet Mall. The development is said to generate 15,000 to 25,000 jobs, and hundreds of millions in tax revenue to Delaware County. Construction is to begin in December 2018, and will be opening in December 2019. More below: https://www.delgazette.com/top-stories/69564/planet-oasis-coming-to-berkshire-twp "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 29, 20186 yr Agreed. Even the Sky Wheel seems insane. They are going to be overlooking...the Harley Davidson store. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 29, 20186 yr Then it'll be a craft brewery. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 29, 20186 yr The unveiling of this project is weird. You'd think that for a $2 billion project you would have more than a hand-drawn site plan. Where are the sexy graphics? Where's the fly-through video?
June 29, 20186 yr ...and where's the craft brewery?!?! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 30, 20186 yr Also, you guys might want to compare your notes from earlier development promises with this location. https://www.urbanohio.com/forum/index.php/topic,28090.0.html
July 17, 20186 yr FYI: This post in the Delaware County Rts. 36/37 at I-71 thread puts the proposed 350-acre Planet Oasis development in context with all of the other developments previously proposed, completed or on-going in the area: https://www.urbanohio.com/forum/index.php/topic,28090.msg925683.html#msg925683
July 17, 20186 yr On 6/17/2018 at 2:20 PM, Columbo said: Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center plans massive outpatient surgery site, medical offices in Delaware County By Carrie Ghose - Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First June 5, 2018 - 11:51am Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center has picked a second site for a series of massive suburban outpatient complexes with surgery centers and specialty medical offices – staking its territory within reach of competitors who were earlier to the "convenient care" trend. The health system will buy 29.6 acres at the northeast corner of Sawmill Parkway and Home Road in Liberty Township for $8 million. OSU trustees in April approved the purchase of 31 acres for $11 million at Rt. 161 and Hamilton Road, in far northeast Columbus near New Albany, and a $4 million design budget to develop a branded template for a network of 200,000-square-foot outpatient campuses. The complexes would cost about $95 million each to develop. They'd be double the size of OSU's multi-specialty Upper Arlington Outpatient Care Center, which opened two years ago. All would include urgent care and walk-in visits, a first for the system, as well as primary care and specialties, with onsite lab and imaging. ... The site is less than a 5-mile drive from a Delaware County stretch of Rt. 23 that has competing outpatient facilities by all four Columbus systems. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/06/05/ohio-states-wexner-medical-center-plans-massive.html Ohio State asking Powell to annex planned outpatient campus By Carrie Ghose – Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First July 3, 2018 - 2:42pm Ohio State University is asking the city of Powell to annex 30 acres where it plans a $95 million, 200,000-square-foot outpatient campus with urgent care, surgery center and medical offices. The school also will be seeking incentives from the city and county in exchange for jobs creation. The annexation request also encompasses nearby parcels, including a bank branch, so the annexed territory stretches all the way to the northeast corner of Sawmill Parkway and Home Road. ... The annexation would remove the acreage from Liberty Township's property tax rolls. But it might have gone tax-free anyway - the township does not have an income tax. ... Delaware County Commissioners also must sign off any annexation agreement. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/07/03/ohio-state-asking-powell-to-annex-planned.html
February 12, 20196 yr 246-home subdivision proposed in Delaware "Powell-based developer Bob Grden, through Artlington Builders, has proposed rezoning over 102 acres of now rural land at 1241 Peachblow Rd. and building about 246 single-family homes. This land is next to two recently approved developments – Belmont Place and The Communities at Glenross – that have planned for similar housing densities. The size of the houses and their materials are expected to be similar, too, according to the application. Grden said he has approached homebuilders including Ryan, Rockford, Westport, Pulte and Homewood about the project, but sizes aren't final. The property would have to be annexed into Delaware." https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/02/12/246-home-subdivision-proposed-in-delaware.html?ana=e_mc_prem&s=newsletter&ed=2019-02-12&u=8jkupSw9zIRhc%2BySqW4WOQ0354f4c7&t=1549974874&j=86614021#i/11217249
February 12, 20196 yr On 7/17/2018 at 1:37 PM, Columbo said: Ohio State asking Powell to annex planned outpatient campus By Carrie Ghose – Staff Reporter, Columbus Business First July 3, 2018 - 2:42pm Ohio State University is asking the city of Powell to annex 30 acres where it plans a $95 million, 200,000-square-foot outpatient campus with urgent care, surgery center and medical offices. The school also will be seeking incentives from the city and county in exchange for jobs creation. The annexation request also encompasses nearby parcels, including a bank branch, so the annexed territory stretches all the way to the northeast corner of Sawmill Parkway and Home Road. ... The annexation would remove the acreage from Liberty Township's property tax rolls. But it might have gone tax-free anyway - the township does not have an income tax. ... Delaware County Commissioners also must sign off any annexation agreement. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/07/03/ohio-state-asking-powell-to-annex-planned.html Approval of OSU medical center ‘very important moment’ for Powell "After a long process of development and negotiations, the path is now clear for the biggest project in Powell’s history. At its Feb. 5 meeting, Powell City Council approved multiple ordinances that allow plans to move forward for a massive ambulatory-care facility operated by Ohio State University. The facility would sit on about 30 acres at 3315 Royal Belfast Road, at the northeast corner of Home Road and Sawmill Parkway, across from Liberty High School. The outpatient facility is expected to employ up to 500 people with a payroll of up to $50 million in its first phase, followed by another 125 to 500 employees and between $9.4 million and $37.5 million in payroll during its second phase." https://www.dispatch.com/news/20190205/updated-approval-of-osu-medical-center-very-important-moment-for-powell
March 25, 20196 yr Development will include Home Road extension in Orange Township " Thanks to a massive new development and a public-private partnership, plans are moving forward to extend Home Road in Orange Township. According to a Delaware County press release, county officials have approved a Schottenstein Real Estate Group multiuse development project called the Kerbler Project on nearly 300 acres of land north of Graphics Way off U.S. Route 23. The project will include 300 units of multifamily housing as well as single-family homes, a senior-care facility, and retail and office space." https://www.dispatch.com/news/20190319/development-will-include-home-road-extension-in-orange-township
March 25, 20196 yr Still sprawly but not as bad as ten or 15 years ago. At least there is a good amount of multi-family housing and something for seniors.
May 20, 20196 yr Delaware County library chooses site for new Powell branch The Delaware County District Library has chosen a space in a proposed development at Home and Steitz roads for its new Powell branch. Powell’s existing branch at 460 S. Liberty Street will continue operating until the new library building - which is expected to be about 20,000 square feet and two floors - opens. No timeline has been set for the library to purchase the space, nor has a construction schedule been set. However, the library director said earlier this month he would like to see an architect and construction manager chosen in late spring or early summer, hold public meetings in the summer and have plans finalized by the end of the year, “so that we break ground next spring and open in 2021.” MORE: https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20190322/full-story-delaware-county-library-chooses-site-for-new-powell-branch
May 20, 20196 yr With branch site chosen, project moves forward Now that the Delaware County District Library officially has chosen to put its new Powell branch in a coming development at Home and Steitz roads, attention will turn to the completion of the project. On the 11.7-acre tract, developer John Wicks plans two 7,000-square-foot retail spaces and 68 townhomes and “garden apartments” aimed at young professionals and future employees of Ohio State University’s planned ambulatory-care center at Home Road and Sawmill Parkway. Wicks had planned to put a convenience store and gas station on the property, but residents opposed the plan. That took Wicks back to the drawing board, and he returned with a plan to put the new Powell library branch on the site. The site currently sits in Liberty Township and will be annexed into Powell in a process that could take longer than six months. MORE: https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20190326/with-branch-site-chosen-project-moves-forward
August 30, 20195 yr 1,000-unit development could double the size of this Delaware County hamlet Columbus developer Champion Cos. has put forth a proposal for the redevelopment of the 220-acre Blackhawk Golf Club at 8830 Dustin Road. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/08/30/1-000-unit-development-could-double-the-size-of.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 25, 20195 yr Delaware's downtown was recognized as one 13 "Great Places in America" by the American Planning Association: 2 Central Ohio neighborhoods named among 13 'Great Places in America' The Short North Arts District and Delaware's historic downtown were bestowed the honor by the Chicago-based American Planning Association, along with neighborhoods, public spaces and streets in New York, Missouri, Arizona, Oklahoma, Massachusetts and Texas. article here: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/09/25/2-central-ohio-neighborhoods-named-among-13-great.html Edited September 25, 20195 yr by Columbo fixed link
September 25, 20195 yr 29 minutes ago, TH3BUDDHA said: Delaware's downtown was recognized as one 13 "Great Places in America" by the American Planning Association: 2 Central Ohio neighborhoods named among 13 'Great Places in America' The Short North Arts District and Delaware's historic downtown were bestowed the honor by the Chicago-based American Planning Association, along with neighborhoods, public spaces and streets in New York, Missouri, Arizona, Oklahoma, Massachusetts and Texas. article here: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/09/25/2-central-ohio-neighborhoods-named-among-13-great.html?iana=hpmvp_colum_news_headline Delaware's downtown is very cool and pretty underrated in my opinion. Obvious pipe dream here, but how could would it be to have rail line starting at the northern end of Delaware's downtown and following 23/High Street all the way down to German Village. It will never happen, but it can't hurt to dream I guess.
September 25, 20195 yr 31 minutes ago, cbussoccer said: Delaware's downtown is very cool and pretty underrated in my opinion. Obvious pipe dream here, but how could would it be to have rail line starting at the northern end of Delaware's downtown and following 23/High Street all the way down to German Village. It will never happen, but it can't hurt to dream I guess. I don't think we'll see High St as a rail corridor. They released that plan pretty recently looking at 5 corridors for dense development and transit. The corridors that went north from downtown were Riverside Dr and Cleveland Ave.
October 21, 20195 yr Density debate focuses on yard sizes at Delaware forum "If we don't change what we're doing, we're going to have to go so damn far out that it's going to be crazy. We're going to consume so much more land because of the low density." More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/10/21/density-debate-focuses-on-yard-sizes-at-delaware.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
October 21, 20195 yr 4 minutes ago, ColDayMan said: Density debate focuses on yard sizes at Delaware forum "If we don't change what we're doing, we're going to have to go so damn far out that it's going to be crazy. We're going to consume so much more land because of the low density." More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/10/21/density-debate-focuses-on-yard-sizes-at-delaware.html "And who the hell wants to go trick-or-treating when the houses are 300 feet apart?" - Bob Schottenstein Excellent point.
October 21, 20195 yr 4 minutes ago, cbussoccer said: "And who the hell wants to go trick-or-treating when the houses are 300 feet apart?" - Bob Schottenstein Excellent point. When I lived in Tampa(at a relatives home) the kids used golf carts to go trick-or-treating. This happens in Central Ohio as well. Personally our next move will be to a place where we will probably need to do that, but it’s a two fold of our interests and hobbies require more land and cost of living. However at the present time we have about 8ft and a shared fence separating us from our neighbors and that’s fine too. I personally would hate to see sprawl spread too far from 270. There is a ton of open land within its bounds that can be filled in first, if you don’t believe me look at the southwest and south sides.
October 21, 20195 yr 1 hour ago, cbussoccer said: "And who the hell wants to go trick-or-treating when the houses are 300 feet apart?" - Bob Schottenstein Excellent point. It's a little disingenuous to me to see developers say things like this... as they are building way out in the exurbs. Just because a handful of them are building "town center" developments with smaller lots in a few places doesn't mean their developments aren't sprawl. They're still gobbling up green fields on the far fringes and in other suburban counties, and for every token "community", most of their portfolios are still filled with traditional, large lot, single-family, non-grid, low density sprawl. I know part of the issue is that development commissions and local zoning out in the burbs work against much else, but they're not exactly being the change they claim they seek. If their focus is in Delaware County, they're already getting it wrong. Edited October 21, 20195 yr by jonoh81
October 21, 20195 yr 4 minutes ago, jonoh81 said: they're not exactly being the change they claim they seek. Not sure if you were able to read the article or not due to the paywall, but what Schottenstein is saying is he wants to build at a higher density like they do in other fast growing cities (Austin, Charlotte, etc.) but they can't here because of the local governments. He says their average house prices here are higher than other comparable cities because they can't build at the density they want to.
October 21, 20195 yr 1 minute ago, cbussoccer said: Not sure if you were able to read the article or not due to the paywall, but what Schottenstein is saying is he wants to build at a higher density like they do in other fast growing cities (Austin, Charlotte, etc.) but they can't here because of the local governments. He says their average house prices here are higher than other comparable cities because they can't build at the density they want to. I was able to read it, but my point stands. Why are they focusing on the outer areas to begin with? Say what you want about Franklin County issues regarding development, but I guarantee that there are going to be less restrictions within the city itself than in Powell or Delaware where zoning is even less friendly to density. And the fact that Crawford Hoying is complaining about not being able to build density is rich. They reduced their South High project Downtown by 50% and increased parking because they claimed they couldn't afford the larger project, but then go on to say that increased density helps offset costs. Some of these guys are talking out both sides of their butts. They claim they want to build dense, urban-style development, but still build out in the exurbs and still get away with building low-density projects in the heart of the city. My point is that the issue isn't just zoning or short-sighted commissions. It's that developers in Central Ohio are also not all that willing to do what it takes, either.
October 21, 20195 yr Quote But councilmember Lisa Keller called the plan and similar housing developments "claustrophobic." "It looks like just one house right after another, connected," Keller said. "This isn't what we all keep talking about as affordable housing. ... I'm not seeing the benefit to a 50-foot lot ... it's the same product were offering everywhere else." I was shocked to see the 1-1.5 unit per acre restriction. That's mind boggling to me. I get it. Some people want that but these communities aren't allowing for those that don't mind being use to each other and like chicago style housing to come in. They act like its going to be the end of the world that someone might choose to live in a denser community in Delaware rather than Columbus or that they will eventually be forced to move Into them. They treat them as mutually exclusive in many cases and not seeking to diversify the community for a broader group of people. But I agree with JohnOh that there is a bit of a disingenuous nature to developers pushing for this as a ways to prevent sprawl. Heck, even just getting rid of bad streets would make them seem more genuine. Even in those other markets they mention sprawl is even more rampant than here. But planning for regional sprawl with a unified development plan is too much to ask. If you've ever been to texas, while it fails to address sprawl, one of the most interesting things was to see miles and miles of 4-6 lane boulevards through farmland because they've pre-planned the infrastructure years before construction even starts in some areas so they aren't playing catch up. Edited October 21, 20195 yr by DTCL11
October 21, 20195 yr 5 minutes ago, DTCL11 said: I was shocked to see the 1-1.5 unit per acre restriction. That's mind boggling to me. I get it. Some people want that but these communities aren't allowing for those that don't mind being use to each other and like chicago style housing to come in. They act like its going to be the end of the world that someone might choose to live in a denser community in Delaware rather than Columbus or that they will eventually be forced to move Into them. They treat them as mutually exclusive in many cases and not seeking to diversify the community for a broader group of people. But I agree with JohnOh that there is a bit of a disingenuous nature to developers pushing for this as a ways to prevent sprawl. Even in those other markets they mention sprawl is even more rampant than here. But planning for regional sprawl with a unified development plan is too much to ask. If you've ever been to texas, while it fails to address sprawl, one of the most interesting things was to see miles and miles of 4-6 lane boulevards through farmland because they've pre-planned the infrastructure years before construction even starts in some areas so they aren't playing catch up. Yeah, the Sun Belt cities are notoriously bad with sprawl. And I had to laugh at the suggestion that even 3.5 units an acre was somehow the gold standard. Certainly better than 1, but that's a heck of a low bar. But yeah, I don't want Columbus to be like a Texas city. Those big boulevards may be preparing for development, which is good, but they're not preparing for urban development. They're just preparing for more sprawl. A unified code for the Columbus region would be awesome, but it will be a cold day in Hell before places like Delaware County agree to something like that. Changing those attitudes will take a concerted effort, but in the meantime, developers and anti-sprawl interests should put much more of their focus on areas of the region that are already much more receptive to density. This idea that we can force Delaware County to stop loving sprawl is a waste of time. Focus on areas that can be densified right now, and that alone will help increase construction. Columbus itself has large areas with no development at all, or where much of it is low density. If I were these people, I would spend much more time trying to get Columbus leaders on board with consistent and upgraded zoning citywide. The usual suspect neighborhoods (Clintonville, etc) will fight that, but with a million people coming in the next few decades, there will not be any shortage of people willing to live in far more dense neighborhoods even if some of the old busybodies leave for the Powells and New Albanys.
October 21, 20195 yr I'm both surprised and not surprised that Delaware hasn't taken a lesson from Dublin and worked to make their downtown denser. While there is something to be said for main street USA, if the smaller towns, even the tiny ones, would work to invite some moderate density in their own cores, that would help too. As much heck as I give Dublin, they are central Ohio's bar for urbanizing the core of a suburb.
October 21, 20195 yr 26 minutes ago, DTCL11 said: I'm both surprised and not surprised that Delaware hasn't taken a lesson from Dublin and worked to make their downtown denser. While there is something to be said for main street USA, if the smaller towns, even the tiny ones, would work to invite some moderate density in their own cores, that would help too. As much heck as I give Dublin, they are central Ohio's bar for urbanizing the core of a suburb. Yeah, they've been the only ones who have made any serious effort. Hilliard, Grove City and Gahanna have made only token density plans for very small parts of their land areas, and New Albany is what suburbanites think urban living is. Edited October 21, 20195 yr by jonoh81
October 21, 20195 yr 1 minute ago, jonoh81 said: New Albany is what suburbanites think urban living is. You live in quite the bubble don't you.
October 21, 20195 yr 3 minutes ago, cbussoccer said: You live in quite the bubble don't you. Nope, I live in a world with pretty well-established concepts of what urbanity is... and what it isn't.
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