The latest Development Roundup features news from German Village, Franklinton, the Near East Side and more. Read on for an assortment of project updates, new proposals, and other nuggets from the world of Columbus development:
A preliminary proposal for a small piece of land in the larger Jeffrey Park development was heard by the Italian Village Commission this month. Two three-story buildings holding eight condominiums were proposed for the half-acre parcel, which is located just south of the Vetro Lofts building.
Plans are moving forward for two high-profile pieces of land owned by Columbus City Schools. The Maennerchor building, at 966 S. High St., is back in contract after a previous proposal to redevelop the site fell through, and a mixed-use development has been proposed for the former Fifth Avenue Elementary site in Dennison Place. The district has still not found a buyer, though, for the historic Shepard School building at 873 Walcott Ave.
PACT (Partners Achieving Community Transformation), the nonprofit focused on revitalizing the neighborhoods surrounding OSU Hospital East, is working to connect developers interested in building in the area with land owners and other community members. The organization is hosting a Developer Day on Nov. 27 at the new Martin Luther King Branch of the library.
A ground-breaking ceremony was held late last month for the $50 million Norton Crossing development in Whitehall. The new timeline for the project calls for construction to continue through 2019, with an expected completion in early 2020.
The City of Columbus is asking Franklinton residents what they’d like to see happen with the neighborhood’s parkways — the medians located in the middle of West Park, Dakota and Guilford avenues that are currently home to grass and trees but not much else. A survey posted online states that funds are available to build features such as playgrounds, shelters, benches, or walking paths in the parkways.
Planning activities are also underway on the Hilltop. The city is looking for feedback on a land use plan for the neighborhood, as well as a streetscape improvement project for West Broad Street.
Work could begin soon on a new parking garage for the Greater Columbus Convention Center after the Downtown Commission voted to approve the latest design of the building. The facade of the garage, which will be located north of the Drury Inn and Suites on Nationwide Boulevard, will feature a mesh-like material that will move and flow in the wind.
Construction has begun on Blacklick Crossing, a 30-unit affordable housing project from Homeport. The apartments are located on Livingston Avenue in Reynoldsburg, across the street from Blacklick Woods Metro Park.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held earlier this month for The Grove at Oakleaf Village, a memory care facility located at 5546 Karl Rd. in Northland. The $7.1 million project, from Wallick Communities, will accommodate up to 56 residents.
The historic preservation community in Columbus has reason to celebrate this holiday season. The German Village Society won a Preservation Merit Award for its work on gas meter relocation in the neighborhood, and Sarah Marsom of the Young Ohio Preservationists won this year’s Aspire Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. That follows good news earlier this year for those hoping that the Greater Columbus Antique Mall and the Packard Mansion in Marble Cliff will be preserved.
Nationwide Realty Investors (NRI) and Kaufman Development both recently announced new projects in other cities. NRI plans to break ground next year on a 134-acre mixed-use development in Scottsdale, Arizona, while Kaufman is partnering with the Green Bay Packers to build the second phase of the Lambeau Field-adjacent development known as Titletown.