ADVERTISEMENT

    New King and High Plan Calls for Demolishing Buildings

    A new plan for the southwest corner of King Avenue and North High Street calls for tearing down all of the existing buildings on the site.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    St. Louis-based Collegiate Development Group has floated several concepts for redeveloping the corner over the course of the last seven months. In July, a proposal to build an 11-story building there – while saving at least portions of three of the existing buildings – was presented to the University Impact District Review Board (UIDRB).

    The latest idea, though, appears to go back to what a representative of the developer said in April was the group’s initial plan for the property – to demolish all of the existing buildings and fill the site with a seven-story building that would not require a zoning variance.

    Zoning changes enacted by the city in 2017 established a height limit of 72 feet for this section of North High Street. Because the new plan calls for a building that is exactly 72 feet high, it would not require a zoning variance to get built (and therefore wouldn’t have to go before the University Area Commission or the Development Commission for a vote).

    The only vote needed for the project to move forward now is that of the UIDRB, which is scheduled to review the building conceptually on November 21.

    Renderings and information submitted to the City of Columbus in advance of the meeting show a white and gray building that would hold 216 apartment units over ground-level storefronts. A parking garage would extend two levels below grade and hold a total of 147 cars.

    The cluster of buildings that currently occupy the site include a two-story building on the corner, a second two-story building to the south that holds Ohio Exterminating, a small car lot, an auto repair shop, a five-unit row house on King, and several smaller buildings that have been added on to the larger ones over the years. The site made Columbus Landmarks’ list of most endangered buildings for 2019.

    The plan from last summer to build an 11-story building on the site would have preserved the two buildings on King and the Ohio Exterminating building.  

    The University Impact District Review Board meets at 4 p.m. Thursday, November 21, at 111 N. Front St., Room 204.

    Looking north along High Street. The brick townhomes are there now and not a part of the project.
    View of the rear of the proposed building, from the corner of Clark Place and Wall Street.
    The King Avenue side of the building.
    The existing buildings on the corner, photo by Brent Warren.
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Subscribe

    More to Explore:

    CCAD Wants to Uncover Historic Building, Fill in Parking Lot

    The Columbus College of Art & Design has submitted...

    Intel Gets More Federal Funding for Ohio Production Plants

    Nearly $20 billion in federal grants and loans is on its way to Intel to support work on semiconductor fabs in Ohio and around the country. The funding is part of the CHIPS Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022. Ohio’s New Albany-area Intel facility currently under construction stands to benefit substantially.

    Updated: Madison County Solar Farm Would Be One of the Largest in U.S.

    UPDATE (3/21/24): The Ohio Power Siting Board voted seven...

    The Confluence Cast: Downtown with Michael Brown

    We're exploring the evolution of downtown with Michael Brown, who has been a cornerstone in the city's development planning and worked both in and outside city government to cheer on its growth. Columbus Underground editor Walker Evans and Mike delve into the city's challenges and triumphs, the synergy between projects, the balance between iconic and neighborhood-level public art investments, and the concerted efforts to address systemic issues like homelessness and affordable housing. Through anecdotes and insights, they highlight Columbus's young, creative energy and the dynamic urban policies that continue to drive its growth.
    Brent Warren
    Brent Warrenhttps://columbusunderground.com/author/brent-warren
    Brent Warren is a staff reporter for Columbus Underground covering urban development, transportation, city planning, neighborhoods, and other related topics. He grew up in Grandview Heights, lives in the University District and studied City and Regional Planning at OSU.
    ADVERTISEMENT