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An article in this week’s Business First shows a rendering of the new condos that are going to be developed in the old Salvation Army thrift store building in the Brewery District by Edwards Cos.
Jeff Edwards is quoted as saying, “We think that of all the buildings we’ve renovated in the Brewery District over the years, that this one might be the best”.
Related Stories:
- Grange buys more property in Brewery District
that was a great warehouse
I like it. The addition does more for me than the one that is currently on there…even though it isn’t red.
The windows on the backside of this building are awesome! You can see a good chunk of German Village and the skyline…
Nice. I’m always glad to see that more people will be moving into this area. I think with more of a residential population, we’ll actually see some of the nightlife options return in time.
I’ve never understood why things aren’t sustainable in the BD…or more importantly why some of the things that are sustainable work!
Really strange deal over there. I mean, the same restaurants stay open parked in odd places a few blocks over in GV for ages, but places open and close in the BD like clockwork.
It amazes me how much faster corporate construction projects move compared to government. I drove by the old Salvation Army site last week and they already have the buildings demolished and have begun digging out the foundation – all within what seems like less than a month since the Army moved out.
Meanwhile, a couple blocks north the county is poking along on the new courthouse – a few pieces of concrete have been dug up but that’s about it. They broke ground on July 3 (I remember because it was my b-day) and have done practically nothing.
Well, the courthouse project is much larger too. You could probably develop 20 of those condo buildings for the price of the courthouse.
Yeah, not sure as I haven’t’ really looked at it, but are they building a replacement for all three current courthouses??? If so, that’s a TON of building…not to mention the jail.
They are just adding on, the other 2 are staying around. The price for the new courthouse I believe is around 110 million.
isn’t it 3? 369, 373, 375? Where’s the actual add-on going in?
Tons of info on the courthouse project here.
It’s an entirely new building – still, the timeline for building a new 8 or 9 story building up the street compared to demolishing the Salvation Army Rehab Center (I’m not referencing the condo building), digging the foundation, starting construction, etc. on the new parking garage structure at Grange is amazingly different.
Also, on a related note, the new addition to the grange building probably rivals the new courthouse size (don’t quote me on that) and they have really moved along at quite a clip.
back to the Edwards project in thew Brewery District– is there any more information on the specifis of the project? I was hoping there was a component that could extend the green space in Brewer’s Yard as a result of tearing down the newer addition to Salvation Army….
There’s going to be a mixed-use parking garage built on that space, although I’m not sure if it’ll take up all of the land. It’s supposed to have street level retail space and a friggin’ skywalk.
I usually see the SA building from the facade facing Front St and never thought much of it. But on the way to Kroger the other day, we were heading north on Front, gettin a view of that south-facing side of the building with those great windows, just like in your photo. I immediately got very excited about this project!
Great building, great location!
Skywalk?!
Didn’t everybody figure out those were bad ideas in the 80′s? Seems like the 5th fattest city in America (and an Insurance Company) would -love-getting people out in the elements for two more minutes a day between their car and their sedentary cubicle….
:evil: Nix the skywalk :evil: (flying into which which thousands of birds will surely meet their fate) and put the saved money into the Grange Nature Center at The Scioto Audibon Park!!!
agreed! those are the worst.
Great building. I read about this in Business First today. The windows are amazing as previously stated. The price point is pretty great as well. I can’t wait to tour this building. Let us HOPE that the division of Edwards does a nice NON SUBURBAN job on the finishes, etc. of this project. Sigh. Too many suburban finishes on urban projects. Sorry- I had to rant :)
Skywalks are the most riciculous urban invention I’ve ever seen. The new garage Alive staffers park in has one. I never take it. Seems stupid not to be outside whenever possible.
I guess I’m just a rebel.
So I was wrong about the skywalk…it’ll be underground, so it’s a little more palatable. Also, check out the price points. These were, and continue to be, the hot price point units in my building. I guess Eclipse learned a thing or two about the market here. 600-800 sq. ft for $150-180k has definitely been a sweet spot.
http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/10/01/story5.html?page=1
Former Salvation Army thrift store going condo
Business First of Columbus – by Adrian Burns Business First
What once was home to used clothing and knickknacks is in line to be the site of the Brewery District’s newest condominium undertaking.
Grange Mutual Insurance Group has reached an agreement to sell a historic building formerly occupied by the Salvation Army thrift store to Edwards Cos. subsidiary Eclipse Real Estate Group Inc., which plans to turn it into more than 50 condos.
The companies reached a preliminary agreement on the 51,000-square-foot building Sept. 26, and the conversion is expected to be complete by late 2008, said Edwards President Jeff Edwards.
“We think that of all the buildings we’ve renovated in the Brewery District over the years, that this one might be the best,” he said.
Planned redevelopment of the former Salvation Army building at 570 S. Front St. and the progress of Grange’s headquarters construction project are signs the changes wrought by the insurer’s expansion will benefit the neighborhood, said Reid Wasserstrom, chairman of the Brewery District Commission.
“Redeveloping this is an important statement for Grange,” he said. “(Grange) has the financial capacity to make these things happen, so we feel pretty comfortable that when they make a statement, it will happen.”
More condos
Grange last fall disclosed it was buying the 1.4-acre Salvation Army property and said it wanted to sell the warehouse to condo developers. The company has followed through with those plans despite a slow housing market, said Grange Chief Administration Officer Mark C. Russell.
“We’ve been working with the Edwards Cos. for a long time,” he said. “We haven’t been worried.”
The deal is complex and involves Grange sharing some of the project’s costs since it is building an adjacent parking garage that would provide about 61 spaces for the condo development, Edwards said. That means the developer hasn’t nailed down a final cost for the project, he said.
“We’ve been involved with Grange on handshake business for a long time,” Edwards said. “It’s kind of been a shared thing.”
Downtown condo sales have been weak in recent months, but Edwards is hopeful the company’s project will sell well based on planned prices and architectural features. About two-thirds of the condos will be efficiency-style or one-bedroom units in the $130,000 to $175,000 range; the remainder is expected to be two-bedroom condos ranging from $250,000 to $325,000.
“We’re trying to keep the price down because there is still a fair amount of activity in that (under-$200,000) range,” he said.
Edwards is hopeful the same features that attracted him to the building will draw condo buyers – exposed brick, 12- to 13-foot-high ceilings and large windows.
“It’s a spectacular building,” he said.
Modern touch
Eclipse last month submitted conceptual plans for the building to the Brewery District Commission. The plans, which were only for a review and not sent for official approval, call for some modern external design elements that drew concern from commissioners, but the group supports the project, Wasserstrom said.
“Everybody is exceptionally excited about it,” he said.
The commission hopes the building is redeveloped quickly, Wasserstrom said.
“We don’t like empty buildings, especially in an older district,” he said.
Edwards expects to time the building’s opening with the completion of Grange’s project.
“It doesn’t make sense to open with it in a construction war zone,” he said.
Plans call for an underground tunnel to connect the former warehouse to the 1,050-space parking garage Grange will build next door. The garage as well as a 230,000-square foot Grange addition, which will include an office tower and data center, are expected to be completed by January 2009, Russell said.
An underground skywalk? Nifty! :lol: