When looking back on 2013 as a whole, it was most certainly a big year for urban development in Columbus. We tallied up nearly two dozen large-scale apartment projects alone (part one, part two) this year, which will collectively add over 5,000 new rental units to the market upon completion. Most of these developments are occurring in the urban core of the city, which means big things for neighborhoods such as 5xNW, the Short North, Downtown, Weinland Park, and even urban-friendly suburbs like Upper Arlington and Dublin.
When we asked our readers to select the best urban development project of the year, they picked out one highly visible and nearly completed project that represents mixed-use through a combination of apartments, street level retail and a much anticipated Short North parking garage. That project would be The Hub, the long awaited replacement to the failed Ibiza project that never managed to break ground on this prominent corner in the heart of the neighborhood.
Today, The Hub is still wrapping up the final touches on residential units and has already filled most of their retail space with Melt Bar & Grilled, a Huntington Bank branch, a Snap Fitness gym, the Paper Daisy Flower Boutique and the coming-soon Salon Lofts.
Once complete, Hub developer Wagenbrenner will continue on multiple other urban development projects including more market-rate homes and market-rate rowhouses in Weinland Park, the massive Jeffrey Park community in Italian Village, and several others still in the planning stages.
“There’s a pretty deep market for Millennials who want to live near where they play,” said Mark Wagenbrenner, president of Wagenbrenner Development, during a CU interview in January. “We also look to the suburbs and ask ourselves what percentage of the people living out there would move back closer to Downtown if given the opportunity.”
For more information, visit www.thehubshortnorth.com.
The Top 10 Urban Development Projects of 2013:
- The Hub
- Columbus Commons Apartments
- The Joseph
- 250 High
- Grandview Yard
- Franklinton
- 400 West Rich Street
- 600 Goodale
- Neighborhood Launch Apartments
- LC Riversouth
Flashback: Best Urban Development of 2012 – The Downtown Hilton Hotel
Flashback: Best Urban Development of 2011 – The Scioto Mile
Flashback: Best Urban Development of 2010 – Wonderland
Flashback: Best Urban Development of 2009 – City Center Demolition
Flashback: Best Urban Development of 2008 – Gay Street Development