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Proposed Campus Development

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Started 1 year ago by buckeyecpa
Latest reply from Walker

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buckeyecpa

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Tomorrow night is an important one for the university district. Edwards will go before the BZA for approval for rezoning the space he is looking to purchase and build located on 15th ave.

There's both good and bad that can come from approval. If you're invested personally or financially in the university district you should be there.

I love development and seeing the area grow but this project can damage the area. The project is entirely too large. He's looking to adjust the required allotted parking spaces and to change the set back requirements among other things.

Financially speaking the project doesn't seem profitable. If he and his investors end up way over their heads they can easily walk away and sell. If the building ends up in decline it would be near impossible to remove the structure and rebuild.

Posted 1 year ago #
rory
NW Short North
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Is this the Provinces development that Edwards is doing there. Has anyone seen any renderings.

And apparently there's more than one "Province"

Edwards Student Housing

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Edwards eyes OSU-area housing plan
by Brian R. Ball
Date: Monday, August 23, 2010

Edwards Communities Development Co. has tentative plans to build a 469-bed student housing project near the North High Street commercial strip that fronts Ohio State University.

The Columbus developer this month delivered a conceptual plan for the complex on 2.6 acres off Pearl Street between East 15th and 16th avenues to the University Area CommissionÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s zoning committee. The company hasnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t made a zoning and development application with the city but hopes to in time to get the project introduced at the zoning committeeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s September meeting.

READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/08/23/story1.html

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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buckeyecpa wrote >>
I love development and seeing the area grow but this project can damage the area. The project is entirely too large. He's looking to adjust the required allotted parking spaces and to change the set back requirements among other things.

It sounds like dense residential development in the densest zip code in the city. I don't really see a problem with that.

As for the parking issue, I can't believe that people are objecting to the requirement for MORE parking for student housing. The 1-to-1 ratio of bedrooms to parking spaces is ridiculously high for the University District and the type of antiquated mandates that are holding our city back from mass transit development.

I'll need to read a bit more on this project, but from what little I have read, it doesn't sound like a bad fit at all for the location.

Posted 1 year ago #
vestanpance
Harrison West/at work OSU
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Walker wrote >>
I'll need to read a bit more on this project, but from what little I have read, it doesn't sound like a bad fit at all for the location.

agreed

Posted 1 year ago #
rory
NW Short North
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It doesn't sound like a bad fit at all for the area. However, I'm wondering what happens to the grossly overpriced but substandard student rental housing that college students will flee from when they move to the new development?

Posted 1 year ago #
jpizzow
580 N. Park St.
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If the university is expecting all of these extra students to live on or near campus in the next few years, then density like this is going to be required to reach those goals. I don't see a problem with the parking. Many college students don't have cars anyway. It's in a great location next to the commercial spine of campus with many amenities within a short walking distance (which would encourage walking and further mixed use development.) The more dense the neighborhood becomes, the more vibrant the area becomes. In fact, they should allow development like this all along High St. within a block or two away.

As far as profitability, if the units are priced right they will have no problem keeping a constant high occupancy. I doubt very much, with the developer's track record and the location of this project, that it will be left in disrepair. It's too much of an investment to let go like that.

It's time for the 16th largest city in the nation to "grow up" and make maximum use of its urban sites.(not that the project is high, but it is very dense) Hope this passes.

Posted 1 year ago #
jpizzow
580 N. Park St.
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rory wrote >>
It doesn't sound like a bad fit at all for the area. However, I'm wondering what happens to the grossly overpriced but substandard student rental housing that college students will flee from when they move to the new development?

There will always be enough students to fill up the houses.

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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rory wrote >>
It doesn't sound like a bad fit at all for the area. However, I'm wondering what happens to the grossly overpriced but substandard student rental housing that college students will flee from when they move to the new development?

Landlords will be forced to fix them up to be able to compete?

Posted 1 year ago #
cbus11

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Walker wrote >>

rory wrote >>
It doesn't sound like a bad fit at all for the area. However, I'm wondering what happens to the grossly overpriced but substandard student rental housing that college students will flee from when they move to the new development?

Landlords will be forced to fix them up to be able to compete?

Most undergrad students have roommates and I remember hearing that the average student pays around $300-400 for rent off campus (as rents are split*). I think there would need to be a lot more dense new residential construction for it to truly effect the rental market in the close proximity to campus. I also think there are amentities to living in some of the older stock, which would appeal to the college crowd. These would include more percieved freedom, often the ability to have pets and the 'party' potential over the more dorm like new structure. The new build is targeted at the more mature 'graduate student' demographic.

I think it is a good project and I look forward to more as the University continues to grow.

*I recall paying $200 while living in an attic as an undergrad and being pleased as punch.

Posted 1 year ago #
berdawn
near that stretch of N. High Street in the Short North
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I think that this will be a good fit but the parking needs to be sorted out. Most of the students have cars; I don't get it, but they do and to build something like this that doesn't address that reality is just going to make parking around campus that much worse.

Posted 1 year ago #
cbus11

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Having experienced parking in older Boston nieghborhoods, I tend to agree with Walker on the parking issue. I think we have to accept that as nieghborhoods become more dense there need to be tradeoffs. If the parking becomes more of a hassle we will probably get less cars and better public transit. Campus is probably the ideal place for this in Columbus.

Posted 1 year ago #
rory
NW Short North
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That part of High Street would be perfect for a street car stop or even 15th and Summit. :)

Posted 1 year ago #
hivner1
clintonville
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berdawn wrote >>
I think that this will be a good fit but the parking needs to be sorted out. Most of the students have cars; I don't get it, but they do and to build something like this that doesn't address that reality is just going to make parking around campus that much worse.

Then perhaps this development would be for the "car-nots" and the remnant housing could appeal more to those with vehicles. The 1:1 ratio is archaic. They would have COTA at their front doors, plus the East Residential.

Rent is high because demand is high. I would not expect a problem with vacancy at one of the country's largest universities.

Posted 1 year ago #
jpizzow
580 N. Park St.
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Would be nice if this project could finally convince someone to propose something for the old Long's site, preferably mixed use. Picture 15th closed off and turned into a pedestrian plaza with the new mixed use facing it......could be nice.

Posted 1 year ago #
hivner1
clintonville
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jpizzow wrote >>
Would be nice if this project could finally convince someone to propose something for the old Long's site, preferably mixed use. Picture 15th closed off and turned into a pedestrian plaza with the new mixed use facing it......could be nice.

It will look much better than Campus Partners' window signage which states, quite literally, "don't look inside these windows, go to Gateway! Save our asses!"

I would also love to see the parking lot that no one can park in go away, or fill up with *good* food trucks (not joe schmoe's hot dog cart).

Posted 1 year ago #
surber17

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Walker wrote >>

rory wrote >>
It doesn't sound like a bad fit at all for the area. However, I'm wondering what happens to the grossly overpriced but substandard student rental housing that college students will flee from when they move to the new development?

Landlords will be forced to fix them up to be able to compete?

+1 ... landlords will only upgrade their houses when people stop living there.

As for the parking, there def. does not need to be a 1:1 ratio and I can't think of many campuses where that ratio exists today (I know OU didn't have that).
Finally, what do you exactly mean by Ã¢â‚¬Å“set backÃ¢â‚¬Â zoning? This looks like it will be created next to the street unless IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m looking at it wrong?

Posted 1 year ago #
cc

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I think there will be a renaissance of student housing in the area spurred by the increased enrollement at OSU and the improvements in the campus and Weinland Park area. I think that as the Kroger remodel is completed and crime is reduced the absentee landlords in WP will start aiming for more college students and rely less on section 8 housing. I think this will make Weinland Park a safer place and add to the an ever improving South Campus area. I hope there are more projects like this to come.

Posted 1 year ago #
gramarye
In Exile
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surber17 wrote >>

Walker wrote >>

rory wrote >>
It doesn't sound like a bad fit at all for the area. However, I'm wondering what happens to the grossly overpriced but substandard student rental housing that college students will flee from when they move to the new development?

Landlords will be forced to fix them up to be able to compete?

+1 ... landlords will only upgrade their houses when people stop living there.
As for the parking, there def. does not need to be a 1:1 ratio and I can't think of many campuses where that ratio exists today (I know OU didn't have that).
Finally, what do you exactly mean by Ã¢â‚¬Å“set backÃ¢â‚¬Â zoning? This looks like it will be created next to the street unless IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m looking at it wrong?

Landlords will also fix up housing when they think that it will enable them to increase rent by a sufficient increment to make the initial outlay worth it. Granted, that seldom happens in the UD. It has happened in gentrifying neighborhoods, however.

I agree with you about the parking.

Setback zoning is exactly what it sounds like: a zoning requirement that built structures be at least a certain distance set back from the street and/or sidewalk. Applying for a variance here is good business and hopefully will be good for the neighborhood as well. An even better option would be to simply get rid of setback zoning entirely, but obviously, that's something that the government would have to do. In the meantime, businesses are required to be wasteful and pedestrian-unfriendly until they successfully beg the city for a variance that allows them to be efficient and pedestrian-friendly.

Posted 1 year ago #
hivner1
clintonville
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So, just so I'm clear, the proposal is NOT referring to the old Long's site but rather the area between 15th and 16th?

Posted 1 year ago #